Back to the Track

After a successful inaugural run on the Advanced 10k Training Team last year. I came back this year with a fire in my belly. Last year I learned that I love track training and speed work. More so than any distance training that I'd ever done. Unfortunately snow has kept us away from the track for most of the our training so far. Two weeks ago there was a break in the weather and we went out for the first time. I ran hard and at the front of the pace group the whole night. Then it we got snowed out again last week. Remember the snowpocalypse that wasn't? Thanks Wxrisk!

In any case this week was short sleeve weather and I showed up prepared to run just off the front and take it a little easier. We finished our strides and just as I was noticing that one of our two coaches hadn't made it out, I heard the coach that was there call my name. I looked around a bit bewildered at first. Of the 40 plus people on our sub team (45-47:00), maybe 4-5 people know my name. The second time I got called, I made my way up to the front of the group to find that the other coach had nominated me to the lead the front pace for the night.

Baaawhhaaaatttt?

I am awful at setting and holding a pace. It is part of the reason I do training teams. I got a Garmin 220 a week ago to start working on it. I'd run twice with it, but not on the track yet. I mashed buttons wildly after agreeing to the task put to me. I got the GPS up and running and we were off like a flash. For the first 200m I was out ahead of the group. Adrenaline pumping I assumed the rest of the group was just starting slow. Till I heard the cries of "Too fast!". I looked down at my watch and I was running at a 5:50 per mile pace. I was supposed to be between 6:25-35.

I popped my chute and faded back to the group. After that I worked with the other front regulars and had a much more consistently paced evening. I owed it all to them and told them so, but still got thanks at the end of the night. It was not as bad as I assumed it would be and made me think about coaching some year that I want to take it easier.