On the track.

The workout: 4 x 1 mile at 7:30 pace.

I'd seen this on my schedule a couple weeks ago and resolutely ignored it.  It was better not to think about it because oh man that was going to be impossible in my mind.

And then finally this workout was here and yet it had been transformed to 4 x 1 mile at 7:20 - 7:30 pace.  Wha?!  I'd at best hoped to hit 7:40 inching down to 7:35.

The weather for this track workout was going to be not so lovely.  Late winter is hitting Seattle hard this year.  Snow!  Record breaking low temps and highs well below average.  Evidently February had 22 days of rain if that gives you an idea.  It rained most of the day and as we headed to the track I was afraid the cinder track would be so mucky that it would be impossible to use.  And actually for long repeats like this I do not mind doing them on a path instead.  But the group consensus was that while mucky, the track was not ankle sucking like it can be if we've had a lot of continuous heavy rain.  And it was nice to have the lights on the field.

There were four of us gals with the same workout.  One we know is much faster and tends to blast through workouts.  We started as a group and sure enough she is out and gone.  I'd expected that.  DRS was leading the first one and doing a great job.  She's been struggling with an achilles injury and was trying for this workout knowing it might be just a bit too fast.

One interval down at about 7:25 (I think, I messed my watch up for this one).  And it felt good!  I started the next one and got sucked into a bit with some of the other people running on the track.  7:15.  Yikes!  but again, it felt good.  DRS had dropped back so it was just EC and I.

EC needs some practice taking turns leading these intervals so she was up next.  It was getting tough but the next one was 7:22.  Amazing really.  The rain was picking up and it was getting a bit colder.

One more.  By myself, I would've talked myself out of it.  I'm not even sure I'd have made it through the third one.  Did it feel that bad?  Not really.  I was working hard no doubt.  My low back and hamstrings and (finally!) glutes were getting that rubbery working hard feeling towards the end of the 3rd repeat.  My breathing was actually ok.  One more. 

EC once again led.  Seriously, I didn't feel like I had the mental capacity for that.  2 laps down and we are a bit slow.  Backseat driver (me) says "pick it up a bit."  And we do.  I'm glued to EC's back not thinking much at all.  One more lap. 

EC: How's this feel?  (meaning pace)
Me: (literally) terrible
EC:  :o (not sure how to take this)
EC: Speed up?
me:  no, it really feels terrible but we are good.

Yes, it felt terrible but we did it.  Last one at 7:27. 

4 repeats all under 7:30.  We were both amazed although Coach Lesley was not.  Run with the fast kids and don't think about it. The marathon may be just 8 weeks away (I finally counted it out) and the long runs start in ernest. Each training cycle seems to be an experiment and so far I'm enjoying this one.