First Track Race

Got it over with...the first track race in 2 years! Once again, the people in Boston prove to be some amazing track competitors and spectators.

I had such mixed feelings about this race. The race, wasn't a big one. We didn't change our training for it, we didn't focus on it. It was just short of being a workout. I can not minimize, however, the importance of this one little race to me.

My last time on the track came in the winter of 06. I had been training in Flagstaff at the High Altitude Training Center for 6 months. I completely changed my training to focus on my weak points, strength. I ran so many long intervals (A typical week would be Tues mile repeats with 1 minute rest, Wed 10x 1 min treadmill hills at 15% incline with equal rest, Thursday 3 sets of circuits with 400s and 600s, Sat track workout like 10x400 @mile race pace with 2min rest, Sun 10 mile marathon pace run). I am a good soldier and did absolutely everything that was prescribed, but when the time came to race I was racing the slowest I had in over 6 years.

What a weird feeling to give up so much, to put so much time and energy and soul into something; to find out that it was a BIG WASTE OF TIME. And time is not something that I feel like I have a lot of in this sport. I just turned 36! You listen to some of the broadcasts or read some of the message boards and you would think that I would be scooting around the track with a walker and oxygen tank. I don't believe this...heck, I keep hearing rumors that Geb is really 40...didn't he just break the wr in the marathon?

This race today was about coming over self doubt. It was the last stage in my full recovery from Flagstaff...I am healthy. I can workout harder and faster than ever, and I can race and enjoy it. I didn't run super fast(4:34 & 2:05); but it was so exhilarating to be out on the oval, knocking elbows. I felt like myself again.