Hello blog readers.
Our summer speed and core training session in the rec are all done now! It was just too dark in the rec. But that does mean I go back to track! It really is still quite scary going back to track again. Every year I seem to think "Oh I won't go back, it's just for the faster runners" Seriously I do do that, I have to force my own hand to go back to track.....stick it all over social media, tell friends that I am going to track, convince myself that it's the only running session that is happening in the south east of England this Thursday evening!
I knew J.J. wasn't going to be running this evening, with Carole and Michael! They are actually doing a Thursday session, in Petts Wood, so actually Track is not the only running session around. But by the by, J.J. wasn't going! I felt a pang of jel, just sitting on my comfy sofa on a Thursday, no leading, no planking, no getting bitten by bugs on the rec. Then I text Naggyneighbour, she is bound to come back to the track again. She loved it last winter! But, well, she had done shit loads of exercises and then she developed an ache somewhere, so she was resting up. So it really was just down to me.
I looked outside the window, the wet stuff wasn't far from falling. I was sat on my chair, thinking about my dinner, and trying to think of an excuse not to go! There was none. So I went up stairs got my running gear on and went out the house! So far so good! But now the rain was coming down! I really wanted to turn the car back and go home. But then I though of PhysioMiketheMod. I thought that he is going to be there. He generally is, come rain or shine, all through the winter and the summer and the bits in between! If he isn't he usually gets someone to take the session. It's very rarely cancelled. I'm thinking, one drop of rain "....and I'm thinking I'm going home" Nah, nah, it just can't happen.....and I'm thinking there is just too much thinking, right!
I get to Normans Park track and see all the others. No need to feel anxious, or scared, after all it's just all my running buddies here! So just walking into the track I started to feel tons better, I paid my money and walked over to the top end of the track where they were all gathering. Yup, tons better. The session is going to be easy too. Of course when I say easy, it means I don't have to think, no counting, no adding up numbers to make sure that I don't have too much 'rest' between the running sections. It's all done on the whistle. Whistle goes, we run, whistle goes, we stop, whistle go's we run....etc. I am sure you get the idea.
Of course there is the drills to do, and the strides. For the faster runners there is an 8 minute tempo run followed strides, we joined them so we all did strides together. Then the session began. It was only two reps. See what I mean about it being easy.....Ok, so I am joking! I have decided that if I am a track I am going to have to really not waste my time and money by just 'pretending' to work hard, I have been know to have done that at our summer fun sessions! I started my Garmin and the first rep began. I ran along with all the others, I am sure there must been 25-30 people there. I was at the back, I started at the back, just so they didn't have to all run around me for the first lap. But by the first hundred meters came up there was a big gap between me and the back of the pack. The field of runners were all spread out around the track. Each one with their own plans for what they want to achieve from their track sessions.
We ran for 90 seconds, I think I had managed to get just passed the two hundred meter mark. Then it was a 90 second rest, either walk or stop. I chose to walk, I didn't want to stop my legs from moving. the next walk or stop was only for 60 seconds, the third break was for 30 seconds, and yup you got it, the next was 15 seconds long. But each time we had to run it was for 90 seconds. I must admit, on one of the running sections, I felt blimmin rough, I pushed hard, you know, so hard that you think "ooo I might just chuck chunks about now!" But I didn't, thankfully! That wouldn't be a very good start for 2018/19 track sessions now, would it? There was also a bit of a teary moment! Week one of track sessions for 2018/19 and already with tears! You can guess that I just told myself off, "No tears, none! You got this, just do your best". It's down to me to not waste these sessions. To try and listen to all that PMtM says and Jane who took the drills.
We had to do all of that again after a bit of a rest. I am not sure how long PhysioMiketheMod gave us, but I appreciated every second of it! And then we started it again, 90 seconds running, 90 seconds rest, etc. I was totally warmed up by now, but I think I was slower too. I was also concentrating on what PMtM said to me too, "Shorten the stride Old Girl" he said. There, now that is what is brilliant about track sessions, little bits of guidance and training. Oh, and of course all the encouragement from the other guys and girls here! "Well done, Old Girl" "keep going Old Girl" and "You're a star Old Girl". I really did feel very welcomed back into the Track family! When the whistle blew for the last time I started to walk up to the top of the track where we all began, ready to do the cool down stretches, and I noticed that I had nearly done 2 miles, so I just had to run until my Garmin said 2 miles! And the best bit.....well that seeing all my running buddies again, it's the only time that I can 'run' with the really faster runners, from the top groups to the lower group! Stephen, Paul, Perry, Tim, Joanne, Kev, Spencer, Ali, Jenny, Petula and oh my goodness so many more!
So, watch this space. Lets see if my running mojo gets stronger and stays with me! I know I certainaly need it too! Here's my geeky stats, I know it's just round and round a track, but its the speedy bits that I was interested in!
No comments:
Post a Comment