Smiles all around

This week’s 800s went really well, thanks to the help of my great training/biking partners!

The workout: 8x800m in 2:40, 4x400m in 75.  Same workout as two weeks ago.  Except this time the dew point was 72.  Tropical.  At 7 in the morning. 

Pat met us on bike.  I told him the goal times and he nodded his head.  Later he’d confide that he thought we’d do about 4 of them in 2:45 and then have to modify due to the humidity.

Except we didn’t have to!  I felt faster and more efficient than the previous VO2 max workouts.  SOOO nice to have it coming back!

I think I averaged 2:40s for the 800’s, including 2 at 2:38.  Not shabby, considering the conditions!

My right calf cramped on the last 800.  I’ve never had that during a repeat before.  Even though I think I’ve been doing well drinking water, I can tell it isn’t enough in this heat/humidity (esp. when you’re running in the middle of the day and end up absolutely drenched afterwards).  Sodium is also key. 

We did one of the 400s in 76 (yes!) and started the second.  I wasn’t able to finish, as BOTH the left and right calf were cramping with every push off.  Awesome.  I’ve never ran until I’ve cramped in both legs … does that count as running to exhaustion?

As you can probably tell,  I was pumped with the workout. There were a lot of smiles, high-fives, etc (although, there usually are… I try to be positive now no matter the time outcome). It’s so awesome to nail a workout in sub-ideal conditions!! THANK YOU to Pat, Craig, Brian and Tom who were there with me. I am so blessed to have so many people helping!!!

Then, I spent the next day and a half at the GAC running camp. I presented to the campers (dream big!), ran with a couple current GAC team members, caught up with Dale (head coach), and got to know some really fun high school cross country runners.  I really love trying to help and inspire younger runners. It is SO rewarding and fun. Lots of smiles during this day and a half as well :).

What an awesome group of runners!

Aside:  I was given the opportunity to start the campers’ 1.5 mile race today.  My first time starting a race!  Wow – all of you runners can appreciate this… how many times have your heard “Runners Set, “Bam””?  Yeah, well, when you’re leading those commands it’s not as simple… I had to concentrate on what I was saying, where the runners were, trying to fire the gun, etc. Then you have to sprint to the side so as not to be trampled by fast-starting runners.  Sounds silly, I know it’ll become second nature once I’m able to do it multiple times… but it wasn’t as easy as it seems! Thanks, Dale, for the opportunity!

Now, packing for our week out West.  What a busy, awesome week!  Will write from Colorado soon…

Run Happy!