Run-your-guts-out Track Practice

Today's track practice was different from any of the previous track practices we've done. The goal was simple: Run a mile as fast as you can, then cool off with two or four laps depending on your running level.

The first lap felt really good - I was running along, and it felt pretty darn fast to me. Maybe under a 15-minute mile pace, but it's hard to tell on that track because the laps aren't exactly an even increment of a mile. I finished the first lap in about 3 minutes. Then it started to get really hard. I slowed down some, trying to find a balance between my skyrocketing heart rate and breathing, and running fast enough to still give credence to the goal. That balance was tough to find. I never quite did get my breathing down where I wanted it, or my heart rate. I could feel my asthma creeping up on me even though I had used my inhaler before we started.

By the time I reached the end of the mile, I was SO ready to be done running. But my efforts paid off - my mile time was 15:40! Certainly the fastest mile I've done since beginning the training, and also my fastest mile since probably Elementary School.

I think we were supposed to jog the last 2 or 4 laps for cool-down, but I was whupped so I walked it instead. Coach Al gathered everyone up, and even made a point of waiting for me to finish my last lap before congratulating us on the day's practice and giving us a pep talk about Saturday's hill run at Lake Chabot.

Before I headed out, he gave me a hug and congratulated me again, which was really awesome. One of the things that's really kept me going throughout this whole training season has been the encouragement of my coaches and teammates, and I'm really proud of the group that I've become a part of.