Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Fool In The rain


If it's Tuesday it's repeats at Roxborough........and that means it must be raining!!!!!!! since I began my weekly pilgrimage to Roxborough back on March 25th it's snowed that day and then pissed out of the heavens on April 15th on my next set of 4x1 mile repeats  so it came as no great surprise there was rain in the forecast for today.......to quote the always quoteable Monty Python "still I was getting used to it by now!!!!"
Predictably as I waited in center city for the #9 bus to take me out to "Sunny Roxborough" the rain started,that meant the ride along route 76 from 29th St to Ridge Ave would take longer than usual as it's a given that traffic slows on that section in the rain,despite some live Zeppelin{How The West Was Won"} as my musical choice for the commute I found myself falling asleep on the bus......you know it's good sleep ing weather when you doze thro live Led Zep!!!!
Thankfully I stired myself in time to be wide awake as my stop approached.....in in no small sence of irony the closing strains of "The Rain Song" played out as I made my way down Hermitage St towards the track.....I swear I'm not making this up!!!!!
Thankfully the trusty portajohns provided me a chance to get changed out of the rain and hopefully store my clothes in a dry bag till I got done,getting drenched while doing my mile repeats is one thing,schleeping back across town on the bus and trolley in wet clothes is another!!!!
One plus w/ the rain,it's keep the wallies away from the track this evening,only the foolish and foolhardy would venture out in these conditions.
Mile warm up taken care of it was showtime,last time out I went:5.37.5-5.39.4-5.42.8-5.42.1

#1 Mile
1.18-1.25-1.21-1.23=5.37.6
An almost identical start to last time although this time around I eliminated those 1.27 splits on laps 2 and 3 which had been my aim,start as you mean to go on I hoped!

#2 Mile
1.19-1.27-1.27-1.21=5.34.8
Ah those pesky 1.27s returned to the fold but a solid opening and closing 400m meant I was now 5 seconds up on last time out,I was feeling ok all things considered,while the rain had stopped I now had to contend w/ the wind around the top turn and up the home straight.......

#3 Mile
1.20-1.28-1.29-1.23=5.40.4
Again w/ the slow splits on laps 2 and 3 however thanks to a bit of hustle on my part over ther closing lap I managed to at least salvage a 5.40 mile,could I keep all four at 5.40 and under????

#4 Mile
1.23-1.29-1.29-1.24=5.45.5
BOLLOCKS!!!! I knew I was in trouble when I came through 400m in 1.23 and all my previous battles around the top turn and up the home straight had now taken their toll however rather than just "mail it in" I gave it all I had once I clocked 4.21 at 1,200m to close in 1.24.

While I'm miffed #4 got away from me I did take 4 seconds off of my combined times from 2 weeks ago,I was 7 seconds up after #3 b4 #4  just got away from me so I'll take solice in at least shaving a few seconds off my last effort and hope that come my next set of 4x1 mile repeats the weather is a little more favorable!!

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