My love affair w/ 5th Avenue Mile goes way back when the elite races would get shown on "Match Of The Day" a soccer highlights show shown in England on Saturday nights,for the few years it got shown I would often sit and dream of one day running the race......fast forward to 06 and my long overdue debut,10th overall in 4.46.modest origins indeed.
07 and 1st in 4.25.if the previous year was a dream come true just to run it then this was beyond my wildest dreams,win 5th Avenue Mile.
08 1st again in 4.12/4.17 depending on who's version you take{they gave me an official finish of 4.17 despite splits of 64,64,63,61....4.12 the issue being my crossing the second mat at the finish line}anyways it was a second 5th Avenue Mile victory and I began to plan a three in a row for this September.
Following my achilles tendon injury in May/June and my eight week layoff until July 27th frankly the starting line of 5th Avenue Mile much less the finish line seemed remote,however as each of the following nine weeks went by I started to believe that maybe,just maybe if I allowed myself to put my pride and ego to one side and just run the race and not be so caught up in trying to win it that it wouldn't be so bad after all,plus there was the oh so small matter of my mother,sister and brother in law flying over to New York,granted they weren't just coming for my race the plan for them was to visit New York as my mother had never been there but since it's not an everyday thing for them to see me race it was decided to make their visit around 5th Avenue Mile.
Obviously the injury had altered my plans coming into the race and so did the fact I arrived in Manhattan on Thursday evening to catch U2 at Giants Stadium,as a rule 5th Avenue Mile is a straight up and back trip the day of the race but for once this year I wouldn't have to get up at 5am to get to 79th and 5th Ave b4 11am.
My first good omen of the day dialing up "11 O Clock Tick Tock" as the first song on my ipod,my race was going off at 11am and as I walked up to the start of the race after dropping my family off at the finish the now obligatory "New York" also by U2 was on my ipod,after Thursday's killer show at Giants Stadium I was pumped.
I ran into my good friend Francis Burdett at the start and we warmed up together,I've known Francis since the 07 Indoor Masters Nationals and we've been good friends since,as time ticked down towards 11am I got ready to take my place at the starting line.
From the gun I was surprised to make my way to the front of the field and lead at 400m in 66 seconds,my lead didn't last long a pack of three runners Matt Chaston,Francis and my team mate Bob McGinty went by me but I held onto them and had them pull me along,2.17 at 800m,this was where my previous three years of experience would kick in,after 800m the course dips downhill slightly a chance to pick up momentum for the latter half of the race.
I forget what my 1,200m split was to be honest my main focus now was holding onto 4th,I was reasonably convinced the lead three were all 40-44 so I had a shot at the 45-49 title,not exactly what I wanted, but pre race I was aiming for that as my race target.
Again I missed my 1,500m split now my focus was getting to the finish line,I took a sly glance over my shoulder and knew I had 4th spot and crossed the line in 4.34 even splits 2.17,2.17,a far cry from last years 2.08,2.04 but last year I wasn't coming off an achilles tendon injury.
Post cool down the race results were posted,YES I'd clinched the 45-49 age group title,not quite the three peat I had hoped for but I'll take it and it was great that Eileen,Lynn and Chris got a chance to see me race.
Can I get back to overall victory next year?we'll have to wait and see, for now it's time to turn my attention to the USATF Masters 5k C'ships next weekend in Syracuse.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
5th Avenue Mile Short Version
Ok fellow blogites I'm not long returned from New York and about to catch up on everything,to do justice to Saturdays race will require more time so tomorrow I'll sit down and take care of all that,for now the cliff notes version is 4th overall,1st in the 45-49 age group in 4.34.
More to follow....
More to follow....
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Vacation
As of 3.40pm this afternoon I am a gentleman of leisure untill 6.30am Tuesday Oct 6th.
It's been over a year since I last took a vacation so I think I'm due,taking off Fridays since the end of July has helped but I am looking forward to some down time over the next week and a half.
I'm heading upto New York tomorrow,somewhat of a three pronged attack,U2 at Giants Stadium tomorrow nite,5th Avenue Mile Saturday and a long weekend in "The Big Apple" w/ my mother,my sister and brother in law.
My mother has never been to New York so I'm keen to show her the sights of the city I consider my"home away from home"it's seldom I get the bonus of family support in my races,the Athens Marathon in 05 being the last time Eileen got to see me run so I'd like to give her a performance to remember,sadly my achilles injury this summer has probably compromized my chances of a "threepeat" after my victories in 07 and 08 but having won this race twice in the last two years and ran it the year b4 I know what it takes to master 5th Avenue between 80th and 60th streets so we'll see what unfolds.
Since I'm sans laptop or blackberry there'll be no blog untill I get home Tuesday nite or Wednesday afternoon at which point I'll try and fill you all in w/ an account of how it all went,but for now I'm gonna kick back,relax and enjoy NOT having to get up at 5.35am in the morning for the next 12 days.
It's been over a year since I last took a vacation so I think I'm due,taking off Fridays since the end of July has helped but I am looking forward to some down time over the next week and a half.
I'm heading upto New York tomorrow,somewhat of a three pronged attack,U2 at Giants Stadium tomorrow nite,5th Avenue Mile Saturday and a long weekend in "The Big Apple" w/ my mother,my sister and brother in law.
My mother has never been to New York so I'm keen to show her the sights of the city I consider my"home away from home"it's seldom I get the bonus of family support in my races,the Athens Marathon in 05 being the last time Eileen got to see me run so I'd like to give her a performance to remember,sadly my achilles injury this summer has probably compromized my chances of a "threepeat" after my victories in 07 and 08 but having won this race twice in the last two years and ran it the year b4 I know what it takes to master 5th Avenue between 80th and 60th streets so we'll see what unfolds.
Since I'm sans laptop or blackberry there'll be no blog untill I get home Tuesday nite or Wednesday afternoon at which point I'll try and fill you all in w/ an account of how it all went,but for now I'm gonna kick back,relax and enjoy NOT having to get up at 5.35am in the morning for the next 12 days.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Mirror Mirror
Another 5x1,000m repeat this evening,like that old Monty Python sketch Secret Service"still I was getting used to it by now"!!!!
I'll spare you another of my lyrical waxings on the conditions but they were great,according to the calender fall began today,sadly that means in three months time winter will be upon us,upside w/ winter comes indoor track season,glass very much half full!!!
1,000m#1,1.10,1.17,39-3.06.95.way to ease into things!!!,once again I had to throw the brakes on after a brisk opening lap.
1,000m#2,1.14,1.17,37-3.08.55.remember my 9/11 rain soaked 5x1,000m when I opened in back to back 3.09s?I'm starting to believe that was the beginning of me getting to grips w/ this workout.
1,000m#3,1.16,1.15,37-3.08.08.I felt last week on 1,000m#3 I switched off mentally over the closing 200m and it cost me,no such worries this evening!!!
1,000m#4,1.16,1.19,40-3.15.12.sooner or later I'm gonna nail 1,000m#4,maybe not next week,but soon trust me on that.
1,000m#5,1.21,1.21,34-3.16.25.sure the 1.21s don't sit well but I'd left it all out there on the track this evening and remarkably my combined time was 15.53. just like it was on Thursday.
I've made no bones that post Syracuse the 5x1,000m repeat will stay in my rotation and at this point I'm looking forward to seeing how much lower I can take this repeat because I believe it can get lower.
I'll spare you another of my lyrical waxings on the conditions but they were great,according to the calender fall began today,sadly that means in three months time winter will be upon us,upside w/ winter comes indoor track season,glass very much half full!!!
1,000m#1,1.10,1.17,39-3.06.95.way to ease into things!!!,once again I had to throw the brakes on after a brisk opening lap.
1,000m#2,1.14,1.17,37-3.08.55.remember my 9/11 rain soaked 5x1,000m when I opened in back to back 3.09s?I'm starting to believe that was the beginning of me getting to grips w/ this workout.
1,000m#3,1.16,1.15,37-3.08.08.I felt last week on 1,000m#3 I switched off mentally over the closing 200m and it cost me,no such worries this evening!!!
1,000m#4,1.16,1.19,40-3.15.12.sooner or later I'm gonna nail 1,000m#4,maybe not next week,but soon trust me on that.
1,000m#5,1.21,1.21,34-3.16.25.sure the 1.21s don't sit well but I'd left it all out there on the track this evening and remarkably my combined time was 15.53. just like it was on Thursday.
I've made no bones that post Syracuse the 5x1,000m repeat will stay in my rotation and at this point I'm looking forward to seeing how much lower I can take this repeat because I believe it can get lower.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
5K Q&A
"It's not a crime to be innocent these things we have not done,but you're not some little child spring is past and gone.
Well I know my craving heart and I've seen your vicious eyes,and I think we know the truth both you and I.
Don't flutter your lashes like a little girl and ask me why it's such a cruel cruel world no.
Don't ask anymore stupid questions you already know the answers to"
Stupid Questions-New Model Army.
A day of firsts,my first Saturday workout since May 2nd,my first trip to Lower Merion's high school track since May 31st and my first 5,000m time trial ever this side of the atlantic,my last one came on June 4th......1986......
In fact in my entire career I've only ever conducted 9 5,000m time trials, a very humble 19.45 way back in August 81 through a slightly better 17.42.7 in June 86,in fact between May 1st and June 4th of 86 I conducted 6 time trials that ranged from 16.59.38 through 17.44.43.
I felt the time was right to see what I've got or don't have w/ Syracuse getting ever closer so off I treked to Lower Merion to give myself a better idea.
Conditions were great,is there a better month than September to run?my only gripe was the wind,it's one thing when your either doing 4 laps or 2.5 in a mile or 1k repeat but for 12.5 it can be a factor.
I knew not to get bogged down in countless splits,I'd check my opening lap,the 800m and then my 1k split and from then on just each k,that said I wish I'd taken note of my mile split,however I didn't,oh well next time if I get the chance of another time trial b4 Syracuse{which looks unlikely the way my schedule is shaping up but who knows.....}
1.15-1.18{2.33}39-3.12 for the opening 1k,I really didn't know what to expect,perhaps a tad too rich for my blood,it'd help if there was more time to tinker w/ this but Oct 4th is set in stone,I do should I so chose have the option of other 5ks,post Syracuse as 5ks tend to be a dime a dozen especially in October but I don't think I'll get a better course or field than the one I'll get in Syracuse in a fortnights time so strike while the proverbial iron is hot.
My remaining kilometer splits read 3.22,3.38,3.45,3.27 for a finishing time of 17.24.78.{my closing lap was 1.16},this ranks #4 all time in 5,000m time trials and I take solice in the fact numbers 1,2,and 3 were all ran 23 years ago....when I was 22 years old!!!!
Do I now have more questions than answers after my time trial?maybe,it's not an exact science for gods sakes,it's one thing to be all by my lonesome for 12.5 laps on the track as opposed to an actual road race w/ numerous other runners to work off of,so I feel the jury is still out on this one.
Were it not for 5th Avenue Mile next Saturday I'd have a little more leeway w/ my schedule,but I don't,I also know a Mon-Wed rotation is out as Franklin Field is off limits Wed so I'm leaning towards a 5x1,000m repeat Tuesday and maybe just a mile time trial Thursday b4 heading to New York,which then only leaves a week to fine tune for Syracuse.
Well I know my craving heart and I've seen your vicious eyes,and I think we know the truth both you and I.
Don't flutter your lashes like a little girl and ask me why it's such a cruel cruel world no.
Don't ask anymore stupid questions you already know the answers to"
Stupid Questions-New Model Army.
A day of firsts,my first Saturday workout since May 2nd,my first trip to Lower Merion's high school track since May 31st and my first 5,000m time trial ever this side of the atlantic,my last one came on June 4th......1986......
In fact in my entire career I've only ever conducted 9 5,000m time trials, a very humble 19.45 way back in August 81 through a slightly better 17.42.7 in June 86,in fact between May 1st and June 4th of 86 I conducted 6 time trials that ranged from 16.59.38 through 17.44.43.
I felt the time was right to see what I've got or don't have w/ Syracuse getting ever closer so off I treked to Lower Merion to give myself a better idea.
Conditions were great,is there a better month than September to run?my only gripe was the wind,it's one thing when your either doing 4 laps or 2.5 in a mile or 1k repeat but for 12.5 it can be a factor.
I knew not to get bogged down in countless splits,I'd check my opening lap,the 800m and then my 1k split and from then on just each k,that said I wish I'd taken note of my mile split,however I didn't,oh well next time if I get the chance of another time trial b4 Syracuse{which looks unlikely the way my schedule is shaping up but who knows.....}
1.15-1.18{2.33}39-3.12 for the opening 1k,I really didn't know what to expect,perhaps a tad too rich for my blood,it'd help if there was more time to tinker w/ this but Oct 4th is set in stone,I do should I so chose have the option of other 5ks,post Syracuse as 5ks tend to be a dime a dozen especially in October but I don't think I'll get a better course or field than the one I'll get in Syracuse in a fortnights time so strike while the proverbial iron is hot.
My remaining kilometer splits read 3.22,3.38,3.45,3.27 for a finishing time of 17.24.78.{my closing lap was 1.16},this ranks #4 all time in 5,000m time trials and I take solice in the fact numbers 1,2,and 3 were all ran 23 years ago....when I was 22 years old!!!!
Do I now have more questions than answers after my time trial?maybe,it's not an exact science for gods sakes,it's one thing to be all by my lonesome for 12.5 laps on the track as opposed to an actual road race w/ numerous other runners to work off of,so I feel the jury is still out on this one.
Were it not for 5th Avenue Mile next Saturday I'd have a little more leeway w/ my schedule,but I don't,I also know a Mon-Wed rotation is out as Franklin Field is off limits Wed so I'm leaning towards a 5x1,000m repeat Tuesday and maybe just a mile time trial Thursday b4 heading to New York,which then only leaves a week to fine tune for Syracuse.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Let The Countdown Commence
Let's see U2 at Giants Stadium a week away,long weekend in Manhatten w/ my family also a week away,5th Avenue Mile,8 days away,major attempt to lower my 5k pr 16 days and counting.
W/ Lacrosse at Franklin Field Monday throwing off my rotation I find myself reverting to the old Tue,Thur,Sat rotation this week,this does nullify my Friday off work,hit Franklin Field routine but frankly back to back workouts never really sit well w/ me and honestly I'm not sure the achilles would appreciate it either so Wednesdays rain may've been a blessing in disguise as it kyboshed any thoughts I had of returning to the track for my 5x1k repeat till Thursday evening.
After the pounding I took in the rain last Friday I was keen to get things back on an even keel,conditions were mid September picture book,blue skies,reasonable temps and as an added bonus the track to myself,my first 3 5x1k's had been a mishmash,now w/ 3 to go I needed to make each one counts if Oct 4th is to be a red letter day for me.
#1,1,000m,1.11,1.15,43-3.09.99.strewth talk about get off to a flyer!!I was gobsmacked to see 1.11.as my opening 400 split,I quickly began to ease up over the closing 600m in order to make sure there'd be fuel in the tank for the latter repeats.
#2,1,000m,1.16,1.19,34-3.09.54.uh oh! a sense of dejavu last week when I opened in back to back 3.09s I got cocky enough to think I could hold that pace,who knows maybe I could've if the wind and the rain hadn't taken their toll,w/out them as a scapegoat tonite we were about to find out.
#3,1,000m,1.17,1.19,37-3.13.68.was guilty of not focusing on the closing 200m had I have done so I feel a 3.11 at least was on the cards,somewhat ominously I was a second up on last weeks workout,this week I wanted to make sure there was no need for Triple A to be summoned to Franklin Field!
#4,1,000m,1.18,1.21,37-3.16.38.the 4th 1k still proves to be my hardest k to conquer but since I plan to keep the 5x1,000m repeat in my rotation as I enter phase 3 of my training in early October I feel in time I'll do a better job w/ it.
#5,1,000m,1.15,1.17,34-3.06.52.where did that come from?of the 20 1k repeats I've done since begining this repeat on Aug 26th this was my second fastest and by far my fastest closing 1k,the key?that time honoured adage"go into the first turn as hard as you can and set the tone early"and also the equally time honoured adage"it's the final repeat you have all evening to recover no matter how hard it hurts"both seemed to do the trick this evening.
Combined my splits added upto 15.53.on week 2 I clocked a combined 15.59 so I feel I'm heading in the right direction.
It would be nice if I had the chance at a 5k time trial prior to Syracuse,sadly I don't think my schedule will afford me that chance,but who knows a tweak here, an unexpected schedule change there I may be able to work it into my time frame,what I would like to do is make sure next weeks 5x1,000m repeat is close to if not better than this one.
W/ Lacrosse at Franklin Field Monday throwing off my rotation I find myself reverting to the old Tue,Thur,Sat rotation this week,this does nullify my Friday off work,hit Franklin Field routine but frankly back to back workouts never really sit well w/ me and honestly I'm not sure the achilles would appreciate it either so Wednesdays rain may've been a blessing in disguise as it kyboshed any thoughts I had of returning to the track for my 5x1k repeat till Thursday evening.
After the pounding I took in the rain last Friday I was keen to get things back on an even keel,conditions were mid September picture book,blue skies,reasonable temps and as an added bonus the track to myself,my first 3 5x1k's had been a mishmash,now w/ 3 to go I needed to make each one counts if Oct 4th is to be a red letter day for me.
#1,1,000m,1.11,1.15,43-3.09.99.strewth talk about get off to a flyer!!I was gobsmacked to see 1.11.as my opening 400 split,I quickly began to ease up over the closing 600m in order to make sure there'd be fuel in the tank for the latter repeats.
#2,1,000m,1.16,1.19,34-3.09.54.uh oh! a sense of dejavu last week when I opened in back to back 3.09s I got cocky enough to think I could hold that pace,who knows maybe I could've if the wind and the rain hadn't taken their toll,w/out them as a scapegoat tonite we were about to find out.
#3,1,000m,1.17,1.19,37-3.13.68.was guilty of not focusing on the closing 200m had I have done so I feel a 3.11 at least was on the cards,somewhat ominously I was a second up on last weeks workout,this week I wanted to make sure there was no need for Triple A to be summoned to Franklin Field!
#4,1,000m,1.18,1.21,37-3.16.38.the 4th 1k still proves to be my hardest k to conquer but since I plan to keep the 5x1,000m repeat in my rotation as I enter phase 3 of my training in early October I feel in time I'll do a better job w/ it.
#5,1,000m,1.15,1.17,34-3.06.52.where did that come from?of the 20 1k repeats I've done since begining this repeat on Aug 26th this was my second fastest and by far my fastest closing 1k,the key?that time honoured adage"go into the first turn as hard as you can and set the tone early"and also the equally time honoured adage"it's the final repeat you have all evening to recover no matter how hard it hurts"both seemed to do the trick this evening.
Combined my splits added upto 15.53.on week 2 I clocked a combined 15.59 so I feel I'm heading in the right direction.
It would be nice if I had the chance at a 5k time trial prior to Syracuse,sadly I don't think my schedule will afford me that chance,but who knows a tweak here, an unexpected schedule change there I may be able to work it into my time frame,what I would like to do is make sure next weeks 5x1,000m repeat is close to if not better than this one.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Reversal Of Fortune
It's been a while since I conducted a Tuesday workout but thanks to yesterdays unavailability of the track I was back here again today,and this time I got on the track.
This was my second to last in and out 400 b4 5th Avenue Mile,last week I felt my 400s let me down but my mile was good........
21.02-22.36.for my 150s,a mild improvement on last weeks 21.44-22.58.start as you mean to go on they say.
400#1,23/12/25/60.20.a good start,could I keep it up?
400#2,23/12/26/61.94.shades of week two 60.94,61.55not week three 61.84,62.65.
400#3,24/13/26/63.32.agh!! a 62 would've been ok,63,yeah it's only a second but...
400#423/12/27/62.74. only a second down on my combined times on week 2,5 seconds up on last week.
The mile started out well enough 1.27.the same as last week,however the next 2 laps were both down 2 seconds per lap 1.33,1.30,I knew I just didn't have it tonite on that final lap,1.19, for a 5.49.29.11 seconds slower than last week......
So last week the 400s were sub par but the mile rocked,this week the 400s rocked but the mile was sub par,maybe next week for the grand finale of in and out 400s I can put together a total package b4 5th Avenue.
This was my second to last in and out 400 b4 5th Avenue Mile,last week I felt my 400s let me down but my mile was good........
21.02-22.36.for my 150s,a mild improvement on last weeks 21.44-22.58.start as you mean to go on they say.
400#1,23/12/25/60.20.a good start,could I keep it up?
400#2,23/12/26/61.94.shades of week two 60.94,61.55not week three 61.84,62.65.
400#3,24/13/26/63.32.agh!! a 62 would've been ok,63,yeah it's only a second but...
400#423/12/27/62.74. only a second down on my combined times on week 2,5 seconds up on last week.
The mile started out well enough 1.27.the same as last week,however the next 2 laps were both down 2 seconds per lap 1.33,1.30,I knew I just didn't have it tonite on that final lap,1.19, for a 5.49.29.11 seconds slower than last week......
So last week the 400s were sub par but the mile rocked,this week the 400s rocked but the mile was sub par,maybe next week for the grand finale of in and out 400s I can put together a total package b4 5th Avenue.
Not So Jolly Roger
The best laid plans of mice and men they say.....I arrived at Franklin Field to discover the track was off limits due to Lacrosse practice on the infield,glass half empty I need to switch up my rotation this week to either Tue,Thur,Sat,or pull a back to back at some point this week,glass half full I got home earlier than usual on a Monday and caught most of the US Open mens final.
Props to Del Potro for beating Nadal and Federer to win the final slam of the year,no mean feat,ditto to Kim Clijsters beating Venus and Serena to reach the finals,yeah I was rooting for Caroline Wozniacki who along w/ Flavia Pennetta became my new favourite players on the womens tour.
I think next year a long overdue return to Flushing Meadows for the US Open in on the cards,I thought about it last year and never followed through,ditto this year during Wimbledon when I thought about it but again a bit like my backhand....no follow through....anyways next year for sure I want to go.
One final foot fault.......sorry foot note while watching the Women's final at 9pm on Sunday nite I was transported back in time to my old bedroom in the house I lived in Abbotshall Road in the late 70s,due to the time difference from New York to London{add 5 hours} I would have to sit up till 11pm,sometimes 12am to listen to updates on radio 2 at the top of the hour,in those days getting to bed gone midnite wasn't so big a deal,I didn't have to be up till 7am to go to school,fast forward 30 some years and 11pm is pushing it when the alarm goes off at 5am to be at work by 6.30am.
Props to Del Potro for beating Nadal and Federer to win the final slam of the year,no mean feat,ditto to Kim Clijsters beating Venus and Serena to reach the finals,yeah I was rooting for Caroline Wozniacki who along w/ Flavia Pennetta became my new favourite players on the womens tour.
I think next year a long overdue return to Flushing Meadows for the US Open in on the cards,I thought about it last year and never followed through,ditto this year during Wimbledon when I thought about it but again a bit like my backhand....no follow through....anyways next year for sure I want to go.
One final foot fault.......sorry foot note while watching the Women's final at 9pm on Sunday nite I was transported back in time to my old bedroom in the house I lived in Abbotshall Road in the late 70s,due to the time difference from New York to London{add 5 hours} I would have to sit up till 11pm,sometimes 12am to listen to updates on radio 2 at the top of the hour,in those days getting to bed gone midnite wasn't so big a deal,I didn't have to be up till 7am to go to school,fast forward 30 some years and 11pm is pushing it when the alarm goes off at 5am to be at work by 6.30am.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
That's All
A wise man once told me and I quote"you can do anything you want in this life,you just have to be prepared to pay the price that goes w/ it"sage advice if ever I heard any.
Following Friday's heroics or foolishness depending on your opinion of my choice to conduct my 5x1,000m repeats in the wind and the rain I jumped on the bike w/ the intention of riding 36 miles back and forth along W.River Drive,however b4 I got to the end of my third of four out and backs I opted to call it a day,my legs were shot and the schlacking I took Friday lunchtime had taken it's toll on me.
I finished the week w/ 9 miles on the track{only 2 repeats Wed & Fri}and 56 on the bike,now that I'm done w/ Physical Therapy I may get the run,ride,run,ride,run,ride schedule I first touted back in mid July when I first got my bike prior to my return to running.
First off let me thank the rehab staff at Jefferson for all there help,especially Allison who was my primary therapist,over the past nine weeks she was instrumental in my recovery,the fact she was a runner probably helped her understand my need and desire to be back running again and we worked together to make that happen.
For this week at least the run,ride,run,ride,run,ride schedule looks like this,Mon in and out 400s,Tue 20 miles,Wed 5x1,000m.Thur 20 miles,Fri 4x1mile,Sat 36 miles,it remains to be seen if that goes off w/out a hitch,hopefully the rain that has blighted the closing stages of the US Open is gone and we can enjoy the men's semis and final plus women's final,a year b4 I began running I picked up my first ever tennis racquet and swung it in anger,b4 Eamonn Coghlan my first hero was Jimmy Conners,that gutsy all out never say die,fight till the last point is won attitude is one I've tried to carry in whatever I've done in life,if there's one plus of a rain delay at Flushing Meadows it's watching the 01 4th round match vs Arron Krickstein, a 39 year old Conners scrapping his way to the semis that year,it never gets old.....unless you're Arron Krickstein I guess!!
Following Friday's heroics or foolishness depending on your opinion of my choice to conduct my 5x1,000m repeats in the wind and the rain I jumped on the bike w/ the intention of riding 36 miles back and forth along W.River Drive,however b4 I got to the end of my third of four out and backs I opted to call it a day,my legs were shot and the schlacking I took Friday lunchtime had taken it's toll on me.
I finished the week w/ 9 miles on the track{only 2 repeats Wed & Fri}and 56 on the bike,now that I'm done w/ Physical Therapy I may get the run,ride,run,ride,run,ride schedule I first touted back in mid July when I first got my bike prior to my return to running.
First off let me thank the rehab staff at Jefferson for all there help,especially Allison who was my primary therapist,over the past nine weeks she was instrumental in my recovery,the fact she was a runner probably helped her understand my need and desire to be back running again and we worked together to make that happen.
For this week at least the run,ride,run,ride,run,ride schedule looks like this,Mon in and out 400s,Tue 20 miles,Wed 5x1,000m.Thur 20 miles,Fri 4x1mile,Sat 36 miles,it remains to be seen if that goes off w/out a hitch,hopefully the rain that has blighted the closing stages of the US Open is gone and we can enjoy the men's semis and final plus women's final,a year b4 I began running I picked up my first ever tennis racquet and swung it in anger,b4 Eamonn Coghlan my first hero was Jimmy Conners,that gutsy all out never say die,fight till the last point is won attitude is one I've tried to carry in whatever I've done in life,if there's one plus of a rain delay at Flushing Meadows it's watching the 01 4th round match vs Arron Krickstein, a 39 year old Conners scrapping his way to the semis that year,it never gets old.....unless you're Arron Krickstein I guess!!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Rain Does Not Stop Play
While the US Open is in a rain delay up at Flushing Meadows I still managed to get in my 5x1,000m repeat workout at a rain soaked Franklin Field this lunch time.
From the time I woke up at 10.30am till stepping onto the track at 1pm I had options,not running,which frankly is never really an option,waiting out the rain which w/ hindsight wouldn't have worked,switching from 5x1,000m to a 5,000m time trial which I considered or just sucking it up and saying ok it's raining,so what?,it's not like I've never ran in the rain b4.
After the warm up and stretches it was time to go for it,as best I could I needed to forget about the rain and just try to focus on the matter at hand......easier said than done when there's wind and driving rain but like the old Cher comment when she was a spokesperson for Ballys "they're just excuses"
1,000m#1,1.14,1.18,37-3.09.52.a great start perhaps a little too great,w/ hindsight I wish I'd paid more attention to that second lap,I thought 2.32 at 800m was a shade slow,turns out it was exactly the same split of repeats#1 and #2 last week,had I 've known that maybe I wouldn't have upped the pace over the closing 200m.
1,000m#2,1.16,1.17,36-3.09.98.another strong 1k but perhaps too strong,last week when I opened 1.14,1.18,40,1.14.1.18,39.I was able to hold onto that pace,then again last week wasn't conducted in wind and driving rain.
1,000m#3,1.17,1.18,39-3.14.12.the start of the rot,had I opened in 3.12s maybe I'd be better equipped to handle the fatigue that was setting in.
1,000m#4,1.20,1.24,41-3.25.17.could somebody call AAA I think my wheels may've just fallen off!!!,shades of week 1 repeat#4.
1,000m#5,1.19,1.22,36-3.17.19.a far cry from last week but then again the conditions were completely different also last weeks combined splits were 15.59,today 16.14.
I can take some solice from at least meeting the conditions head on rather than duck them,it's another 5x1,000m repeat prior to Syracuse,granted not a great one but hopefully come Wednesday the conditions will be more favourable and so will be the splits,who knows maybe my socks will have dried off by then!!
From the time I woke up at 10.30am till stepping onto the track at 1pm I had options,not running,which frankly is never really an option,waiting out the rain which w/ hindsight wouldn't have worked,switching from 5x1,000m to a 5,000m time trial which I considered or just sucking it up and saying ok it's raining,so what?,it's not like I've never ran in the rain b4.
After the warm up and stretches it was time to go for it,as best I could I needed to forget about the rain and just try to focus on the matter at hand......easier said than done when there's wind and driving rain but like the old Cher comment when she was a spokesperson for Ballys "they're just excuses"
1,000m#1,1.14,1.18,37-3.09.52.a great start perhaps a little too great,w/ hindsight I wish I'd paid more attention to that second lap,I thought 2.32 at 800m was a shade slow,turns out it was exactly the same split of repeats#1 and #2 last week,had I 've known that maybe I wouldn't have upped the pace over the closing 200m.
1,000m#2,1.16,1.17,36-3.09.98.another strong 1k but perhaps too strong,last week when I opened 1.14,1.18,40,1.14.1.18,39.I was able to hold onto that pace,then again last week wasn't conducted in wind and driving rain.
1,000m#3,1.17,1.18,39-3.14.12.the start of the rot,had I opened in 3.12s maybe I'd be better equipped to handle the fatigue that was setting in.
1,000m#4,1.20,1.24,41-3.25.17.could somebody call AAA I think my wheels may've just fallen off!!!,shades of week 1 repeat#4.
1,000m#5,1.19,1.22,36-3.17.19.a far cry from last week but then again the conditions were completely different also last weeks combined splits were 15.59,today 16.14.
I can take some solice from at least meeting the conditions head on rather than duck them,it's another 5x1,000m repeat prior to Syracuse,granted not a great one but hopefully come Wednesday the conditions will be more favourable and so will be the splits,who knows maybe my socks will have dried off by then!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Treading A Fine Line.
W/ the passing of Labor Day comes the new fall semester which means the time honoured issue of access and availability of Franklin Field,I went into today not knowing if I'd be able to get on the track for my in and out 400s this afternoon,not exactly the way you want to prepare for a workout.
Then there was the backdrop of US Open 1/4 finals and World Cup qualifiers,more distractions I needed to cast to one side and focus on the matter at hand,150m,250m jog,150m,250m jog,4x400m,"decathlon mile".
I was pleasantly surprised to be able to get on the track at 4.20pm when I arrived at Franklin Field,next week could be a different story but we'll worry about that next Monday,after my stretches and warm up it was time to have at it for week #3 of in and out 400s.
21.44-22.58 for my 150s,a minor improvement on last weeks 21.89-23.00,a good start.
400#1,61.84.off of 150/100/150 splits of 24/12/25.I had've prefered a 60 to open like the last 2 weeks but hey.
400#2,62.65-24/12/26.close to identical splits from my opener but a second slower.......
400#3,63.16-24/12/27.so consistent over the opening 250m but once again that final 150m got away from me.
400#4,65.35-25/12/28.my slowest 400 to date,ger!
I couldn't have asked for a better response come my mile,splits of 1.27,1.31,1.30.70 gave me a 5.38.40. mile,I've seen my mile come down from 6.11.26 to 5.55.34. to now 5.5.38.40. and I look forward to seeing how much I can shave off of it next Monday.
Overall a good workout,the 150s were just a shade quicker than last week,my 400s were disappointing but the mile something to be proud of,till next week...
Then there was the backdrop of US Open 1/4 finals and World Cup qualifiers,more distractions I needed to cast to one side and focus on the matter at hand,150m,250m jog,150m,250m jog,4x400m,"decathlon mile".
I was pleasantly surprised to be able to get on the track at 4.20pm when I arrived at Franklin Field,next week could be a different story but we'll worry about that next Monday,after my stretches and warm up it was time to have at it for week #3 of in and out 400s.
21.44-22.58 for my 150s,a minor improvement on last weeks 21.89-23.00,a good start.
400#1,61.84.off of 150/100/150 splits of 24/12/25.I had've prefered a 60 to open like the last 2 weeks but hey.
400#2,62.65-24/12/26.close to identical splits from my opener but a second slower.......
400#3,63.16-24/12/27.so consistent over the opening 250m but once again that final 150m got away from me.
400#4,65.35-25/12/28.my slowest 400 to date,ger!
I couldn't have asked for a better response come my mile,splits of 1.27,1.31,1.30.70 gave me a 5.38.40. mile,I've seen my mile come down from 6.11.26 to 5.55.34. to now 5.5.38.40. and I look forward to seeing how much I can shave off of it next Monday.
Overall a good workout,the 150s were just a shade quicker than last week,my 400s were disappointing but the mile something to be proud of,till next week...
Monday, September 7, 2009
Labor Day
And so,this less than glorious summer has come to an end,a summer of firsts for me,my first summer since 05 there was no Outdoor Masters Nationals,my first summer since 05 w/out track meets at Plymouth Whitemarsh,my first summer since 04 I didn't run the Wisahickon Wanderers meet,the first year since 04 no hill repeats at Belmont......and the list goes on......
On a more positive note it was the first summer in eons I rode a bike which leads nicely into today's 28 miler along West River Drive this afternoon.
Since "junk miles" are no longer an option and a shake out run after yesterdays track meet wasn't doable I went w/ an easy 28 mile ride....a shake out ride if you like,since I have physical therapy Tuesday,Thursday I couldn't switch up my track rotation to Tue,Thur,Sat.
One plus of an easy 28 mile bike ride,it allowed me time to map out my two workouts on the track Wednesday and Friday,in and out 400s Wed,5x1,000m Friday b4 a 36 miler on the bike on Saturday.
I'm closing in on the half way point of phase two of my training,it was clearly evident yesterday that there's a real "need for speed" that hopefully will develop over the coming weeks as fall morphs into winter and the indoor season kicks off.
On a more positive note it was the first summer in eons I rode a bike which leads nicely into today's 28 miler along West River Drive this afternoon.
Since "junk miles" are no longer an option and a shake out run after yesterdays track meet wasn't doable I went w/ an easy 28 mile ride....a shake out ride if you like,since I have physical therapy Tuesday,Thursday I couldn't switch up my track rotation to Tue,Thur,Sat.
One plus of an easy 28 mile bike ride,it allowed me time to map out my two workouts on the track Wednesday and Friday,in and out 400s Wed,5x1,000m Friday b4 a 36 miler on the bike on Saturday.
I'm closing in on the half way point of phase two of my training,it was clearly evident yesterday that there's a real "need for speed" that hopefully will develop over the coming weeks as fall morphs into winter and the indoor season kicks off.
Gotta Start Somewhere.
"I wanna heal,I wanna feel what I thought was never real,I wanna let go of the pain I've felt so long,erase all the pain till it's gone,I wanna heal I wanna feel like I'm close to something real I wanna find something I've wanted all along,somewhere I belong"
Somewhere I Belong Linkin Park.
Rewind,May 11th Swarthmore I limped through a 1,500m in 4.13.38.little did I know the horrors that were about to unfold,June 16th the gut wrenching decision to shut my season down to recover from my achilles tendon injury that cost me my shot at Worlds in Lahti,July 27th the begining of the long road back,September6th the final outdoor track meet of the season and my first races in 4 months.
I'd forgotten how a long a day a track meet can be,I was up by 5.30am,on the road by 6.50am and home again by 7.20pm.....all this for just under 7 minutes work.....but I wouldn't have traded it for anything,looking beyond the xs and os,my performance,my times,etc etc I remembered what it was like to travel and hang w/ my team mates and friends,granted there'll be road races and cross county meets between now and December but,there's something about a track meet that sets it aside from those,you get the chance to watch other compete,you learn how to kill time between events and juggle staying relaxed and getting ready for your next event.
In the mile I figured Kyle and Nick to be my main rivals so when they hit the front from the gun I moved in behind them going down the back straight,66 seconds at 400m and 2.16 at 800m b4 Kyle pealed off.
Obviously it's too early for me to be mixing it up w/ the leaders and down the back straight I was now relegated to third,w/ 700m to go it was all about seeing it through,in the coming weeks and months I'll work on the three s's,speed,strength and stamina so that come December when indoor track begins I'm not so much of a passenger in my races.
Third in 4.49.01.,humbeling when you're used to running a 4.30 mile but that'll come.
In the 800m I felt another of my team mates Dave would be my main rival and from the gun it was a GPTC 1-2 going into the first turn w/ David holding the inside lane and me on his outside.
65 seconds at the bell,again well below what I'm used to but for today it felt comfortable.
Opting to tuck in behind Dave down the back straight almost proved to be my undoing,unbeknown to me Kenny Edwards was breathing down my neck,had I've known that I'd have held my position on Dave's shoulder forcing Kenny wide into lane two if he wanted to overtake.
Half way down the back straight Kenny went by me,ring rust or not the competitor kicked in,rather than settle for third as I had in the mile I regrouped and coming off the final turn dug deep to make up the deficit on Kenny,it was neck and neck coming up the home straight and I did just enough to get him b4 the line.
Second in 2.10.76.again time wise it's well below what I expect of myself but I do believe this will come over the next few months,to put things in some perspective when I suffered my stress fracture in 07/08 my come back mile was 4.59.63 followed a day later by a woeful 2.13 800m so in that respect I'm ahead of where I was 18 months ago.
My achilles didn't feel any the worse for wear today which is huge,hopefully by the time the indoor season comes along my achilles will be strong enough to get back into my flats/spikes but all in all today was a day I can look back on w/ some satisfaction,all journeys have to begin somewhere,here's hoping my 2010 season got a kick start today.
Somewhere I Belong Linkin Park.
Rewind,May 11th Swarthmore I limped through a 1,500m in 4.13.38.little did I know the horrors that were about to unfold,June 16th the gut wrenching decision to shut my season down to recover from my achilles tendon injury that cost me my shot at Worlds in Lahti,July 27th the begining of the long road back,September6th the final outdoor track meet of the season and my first races in 4 months.
I'd forgotten how a long a day a track meet can be,I was up by 5.30am,on the road by 6.50am and home again by 7.20pm.....all this for just under 7 minutes work.....but I wouldn't have traded it for anything,looking beyond the xs and os,my performance,my times,etc etc I remembered what it was like to travel and hang w/ my team mates and friends,granted there'll be road races and cross county meets between now and December but,there's something about a track meet that sets it aside from those,you get the chance to watch other compete,you learn how to kill time between events and juggle staying relaxed and getting ready for your next event.
In the mile I figured Kyle and Nick to be my main rivals so when they hit the front from the gun I moved in behind them going down the back straight,66 seconds at 400m and 2.16 at 800m b4 Kyle pealed off.
Obviously it's too early for me to be mixing it up w/ the leaders and down the back straight I was now relegated to third,w/ 700m to go it was all about seeing it through,in the coming weeks and months I'll work on the three s's,speed,strength and stamina so that come December when indoor track begins I'm not so much of a passenger in my races.
Third in 4.49.01.,humbeling when you're used to running a 4.30 mile but that'll come.
In the 800m I felt another of my team mates Dave would be my main rival and from the gun it was a GPTC 1-2 going into the first turn w/ David holding the inside lane and me on his outside.
65 seconds at the bell,again well below what I'm used to but for today it felt comfortable.
Opting to tuck in behind Dave down the back straight almost proved to be my undoing,unbeknown to me Kenny Edwards was breathing down my neck,had I've known that I'd have held my position on Dave's shoulder forcing Kenny wide into lane two if he wanted to overtake.
Half way down the back straight Kenny went by me,ring rust or not the competitor kicked in,rather than settle for third as I had in the mile I regrouped and coming off the final turn dug deep to make up the deficit on Kenny,it was neck and neck coming up the home straight and I did just enough to get him b4 the line.
Second in 2.10.76.again time wise it's well below what I expect of myself but I do believe this will come over the next few months,to put things in some perspective when I suffered my stress fracture in 07/08 my come back mile was 4.59.63 followed a day later by a woeful 2.13 800m so in that respect I'm ahead of where I was 18 months ago.
My achilles didn't feel any the worse for wear today which is huge,hopefully by the time the indoor season comes along my achilles will be strong enough to get back into my flats/spikes but all in all today was a day I can look back on w/ some satisfaction,all journeys have to begin somewhere,here's hoping my 2010 season got a kick start today.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Pre Race Anxiety
"Can't you hear my heartbeat?hear the way it sounds?can't you hear my heartbeat?y'hear the way it pounds?just give me something to slow it down,yeah
Sometimes in the city,sometimes in my car,I pound on the windows like a bee inside a jar
Anxiety,got me on the run.
Anxiety Pat Benatar
For the second time in two years I'm heading to Langley Virginia for the season ending Potomac Valley Games,the curtain call on the outdoor track season.
Unlike two years ago when I came in to this meet on the back of my breakout Masters Nationals performance in Orono Maine this year I come in w/ a mere 6 weeks of training under my belt after my achilles tendon injury derailed my 09 outdoor season to the point where tomorrow will be only my fourth outdoor meet since the Germantown Friends meet back on April 11th and what turned out to be my last meet at Haverford on May 11th.
Who knows what to expect tomorrow?for the rest of the field it's the end of a long summer for me it's a chance to see where I'm at off of my 6 weeks of training and where I'm at heading into the fall w/ 5th Avenue Mile and Masters 5k C'ships looming on the horizon in 3 and 4 weeks time,one thing's for sure when that gun goes off at 11am tomorrow for the mile I'm gonna be ready,afterall I've waited all summer for a chance to race.
Sometimes in the city,sometimes in my car,I pound on the windows like a bee inside a jar
Anxiety,got me on the run.
Anxiety Pat Benatar
For the second time in two years I'm heading to Langley Virginia for the season ending Potomac Valley Games,the curtain call on the outdoor track season.
Unlike two years ago when I came in to this meet on the back of my breakout Masters Nationals performance in Orono Maine this year I come in w/ a mere 6 weeks of training under my belt after my achilles tendon injury derailed my 09 outdoor season to the point where tomorrow will be only my fourth outdoor meet since the Germantown Friends meet back on April 11th and what turned out to be my last meet at Haverford on May 11th.
Who knows what to expect tomorrow?for the rest of the field it's the end of a long summer for me it's a chance to see where I'm at off of my 6 weeks of training and where I'm at heading into the fall w/ 5th Avenue Mile and Masters 5k C'ships looming on the horizon in 3 and 4 weeks time,one thing's for sure when that gun goes off at 11am tomorrow for the mile I'm gonna be ready,afterall I've waited all summer for a chance to race.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Next Stop,Langley Virginia.
If last weeks 5x1,000m debut was me testing the waters then today was a full blown cannonball into the deep end,w/ no apologies to anybody caught in the splashes I created!!
As is my won't on a Friday I was able to conduct my workout b4 lunchtime,granted I had to deal w/ the heat but given the track would be off limits after 2.30pm for either women's field hockey or lacrosse it was the lesser of two evils,I'll take the noon sun over not being able to workout any day.
1,000m#1,1.14,1.18,40-3.12.54.After learning what pace I should be looking for throughout last week I told myself go out at 1.16-1.18 pace,so initially I thought my opening lap of 1.14. was too brisk................
1,000m#2,1.14,1.18,39-3.11.34.Very nearly a carbon copy of my opener,already after only 2 repeats I was in better form than last week.
1,000m#3,1.16,1.18,38-3.12.63.I was amazed at how consistent I'd been so far,could I keep it up?
1,000m#4,1.16,1.17,37-3.10.80.this was now scary consistent,I'm not used this level of Constancy in repeats....but I could grow to embrace it.
1,000m#5,1.19,1.21,34-3.14.70.while I was feeling the pace on the opening two laps there was no denying my ability to "bring it"in the final 200m.
15.59.for my combined time compared to last weeks 16.19.
This was a good workout for me,next week is an abridged week due to racing Sunday but you can best believe come next Friday lunchtime I'll be ready to tackle this repeat again and hopefully run it consistently and not have a final repeat slowdown.
As is my won't on a Friday I was able to conduct my workout b4 lunchtime,granted I had to deal w/ the heat but given the track would be off limits after 2.30pm for either women's field hockey or lacrosse it was the lesser of two evils,I'll take the noon sun over not being able to workout any day.
1,000m#1,1.14,1.18,40-3.12.54.After learning what pace I should be looking for throughout last week I told myself go out at 1.16-1.18 pace,so initially I thought my opening lap of 1.14. was too brisk................
1,000m#2,1.14,1.18,39-3.11.34.Very nearly a carbon copy of my opener,already after only 2 repeats I was in better form than last week.
1,000m#3,1.16,1.18,38-3.12.63.I was amazed at how consistent I'd been so far,could I keep it up?
1,000m#4,1.16,1.17,37-3.10.80.this was now scary consistent,I'm not used this level of Constancy in repeats....but I could grow to embrace it.
1,000m#5,1.19,1.21,34-3.14.70.while I was feeling the pace on the opening two laps there was no denying my ability to "bring it"in the final 200m.
15.59.for my combined time compared to last weeks 16.19.
This was a good workout for me,next week is an abridged week due to racing Sunday but you can best believe come next Friday lunchtime I'll be ready to tackle this repeat again and hopefully run it consistently and not have a final repeat slowdown.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Takin' The Good W/ The Bad
First up let me state there was no need to enlist the help of A.S.P.C.A.after this evenings repeats,I say this because frankly after I got done Mondays in and out 400s my tendon was hurting me to the point where I was having kittens!!!
The simple fact was wearing flats was w/ hindsight a tad premature so in order to keep my tendon sweet and Franklin Field kitten free no more flats for the foreseeable future.
After my mile warm up and stretches it was time to get after it,after my week 1 spectacular second half collapse and week 2 return to mile repeat respectability this evening I was looking to build upon that.
Mile#1,1.16.to open and it felt effortless,always a good sign.
2.36.at 800m, a 1.20.split.
3.53.at the bell, a 1.17.split,this was shaping up for a fast opener.
5.08.89.thanks to a final lap of 1.15.,my fastest mile repeat over 4x1 to date.
Mile#2,1.18.to open,predictably a tad slower off of such a brisk mile to open.
2.40.at 800m, a 1.22.split,so much for today being the day to elliminate plus 1.20 splits,an opening mile of 5.08.89. will do that.
4.02.at the bell,another 1.22.split.
5.19.47.w/ a 1.17.lap to close,at least I was under 5.20.
Mile#3,1.22.to open,I kind of knew what to expect from this mile already.
2.47.at 800m a 1.25.split,not unexpected but not welcomed either.
4.10.at the bell,a 1.23.split,it was slow but at least I wasn't mailing it in.
5.25.81.off of a 1.15. final lap,if I could've lowered my splits on laps 2 and 3 I might've gone under 5.20.
Mile#4,1.17.to open,in almost three years of mile repeats I've told myself countless times"open the final mile w/ as strong an opening lap as you can"and you set the tone....
2.39.at 800m,a 1.22.split,ergo the need to open strong.
4.02.at the bell,a1.23.split,shades off mile#2
5.12.55.off of a 70 second final lap.
Overall I can't be too upset opening in 5.08.89.and closing in 5.12.55.,now I just need to lower my middle two mile repeats......no kittens were born during this workout!!!
The simple fact was wearing flats was w/ hindsight a tad premature so in order to keep my tendon sweet and Franklin Field kitten free no more flats for the foreseeable future.
After my mile warm up and stretches it was time to get after it,after my week 1 spectacular second half collapse and week 2 return to mile repeat respectability this evening I was looking to build upon that.
Mile#1,1.16.to open and it felt effortless,always a good sign.
2.36.at 800m, a 1.20.split.
3.53.at the bell, a 1.17.split,this was shaping up for a fast opener.
5.08.89.thanks to a final lap of 1.15.,my fastest mile repeat over 4x1 to date.
Mile#2,1.18.to open,predictably a tad slower off of such a brisk mile to open.
2.40.at 800m, a 1.22.split,so much for today being the day to elliminate plus 1.20 splits,an opening mile of 5.08.89. will do that.
4.02.at the bell,another 1.22.split.
5.19.47.w/ a 1.17.lap to close,at least I was under 5.20.
Mile#3,1.22.to open,I kind of knew what to expect from this mile already.
2.47.at 800m a 1.25.split,not unexpected but not welcomed either.
4.10.at the bell,a 1.23.split,it was slow but at least I wasn't mailing it in.
5.25.81.off of a 1.15. final lap,if I could've lowered my splits on laps 2 and 3 I might've gone under 5.20.
Mile#4,1.17.to open,in almost three years of mile repeats I've told myself countless times"open the final mile w/ as strong an opening lap as you can"and you set the tone....
2.39.at 800m,a 1.22.split,ergo the need to open strong.
4.02.at the bell,a1.23.split,shades off mile#2
5.12.55.off of a 70 second final lap.
Overall I can't be too upset opening in 5.08.89.and closing in 5.12.55.,now I just need to lower my middle two mile repeats......no kittens were born during this workout!!!
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