Monday, June 11, 2007

8x400

I got up this morning at 0445 to run 400s. I ran on the high school track and I must say that I really enjoy running there. The middle school track was in serious disrepair, it had potholes, and it really didn't feel any different from running on the road. It looks like they are resurfacing the middle school track but the fact of the matter is that the middle school track is 2.3 miles away and the high school track is right across the street. If they continue to keep the high school track unlocked I will move my track workouts there permanently.

This morning was a humid 61 with winds 2 mph out of the SE. The humidity read out at 78%. I ran a 1.5 mile warm-up as I was was running a little late this morning, no pun intended, and I really wanted to get in all eight intervals.

I started my 400s off a little sluggishly with a pair in 1:28.79 (2:22) and 1:28.24 (2:21). I ran the next two better clocking 1:27.87 (2:22) and 1:26.69. The latter repeat was faster than my range but forgivable after my slow start. After a recovery 400 and a change of shoes (3:32) I ran my last four in times of 1:27.49 (2:20), 1:25.90 (2:22), 1:26.75 (2:28) and 1:26.97 (2:15). I averaged, as near as I can figure, 1:27.34 for my practice.

I ran a mile cool-down and covered 6.5 miles for the day. After my run I went home, cleaned up and went to work. Once I got to work I crashed out and was a sluggish wreck all day. I spent my day shuffling paper and putting the finishing touches on my quarterly newsletter. I also went over some competencies with a few of my students and ate lunch with my wife.

After work I went to the chiropractor for my monthly adjustment and therapy and I also got a fifteen minute rub-down by the massage therapist. I think she hit every trigger-point in my shoulders and I left the office feeling like a new man. I am going to hit the hay and hope I sleep well tonight so I can run my 5 or 6 mile recovery run tomorrow morning and be functional at work.

My son has been army crawling for months now but in the last two days he has decided that crawling on his hands and knees is a more efficient means of locomotion. He is also raising himself up on his knees to get stuff on the couch and I think it is only a matter of days before he starts pulling himself into a standing position. It is amazing how babies go from being little people who lay around and poop all day to little people who can walk and talk in about a year. It's pretty cool.

3 comments:

Nate M. said...

I think your quarters are remarkably consistent for a morning workout. In the AM, I typically require a few intervals to get all the cobwebs worked out, which means that there's a lot more variation interval-to-interval. In the worst case scenario, I don't adequately adjust for those cobwebs and get into serious oxygen debt after the first or second interval.

Nice work.

Aaron said...

I like running in the morning. I'm not a huge fan of getting up as early as I have to now but morning runs are great. Not many other people are out and I have the roads and track to myself. Sometimes on very still, quiet mornings I feel like I am the only person left on earth.

Nate M. said...

I like running/cycling in the morning... I just don't like speedwork in the morning. My body has no real interest in running fast until I've been up for two hours.