Run away train

For something new and different, I did my track workout during the day today. Since mother nature decided to really turn the screws on the East coast and give us another snow storm yesterday AND drop the temps back down into the teens, I thought this might be a nice change.

So my official work out for the day was 8 miles with 5x600. McMillan is a bit odd about 600, he lists them as sprint workouts though the pace called for was 5k pace. I knew I wasn't going to run them at 5k pace. I'm sure others reading along who have run at the Armory will agree: if difficult to NOT run fast there. It has the reputation of being the fastest track in the country. What makes a track fast? Well, I'm not really sure. I'm guessing several things. The surface, the banking, the temps. inside, mostly though, I think it's the idea that it's a fast track makes people run well there.

But anyway...

I decided to do my run during the day because I can. Also, I figured it wouldn't be very crowded. Mostly importantly, it would get me out of the house during the day, into the sunshine even it's like 20 degrees out. Rachel met me to run up there. It's a nice uphill warm up. Once there, I was on my own.

It was fairly empty. Some Columbia and NYU kids were having practice. It's a strange sensation, running out there alone, knowing a pack of college kids is about to barrel by you. It's like a freight train coming. First, I feel the vibration in the track as they approach, then I can hear them and it's loud, then they pass me like a tornado. And for me, I'm running pretty fast. To them, I'm standing still. 

I looked up my times from August, about the time I did this work out in my training cycle for Steamtown. My times ranged from 2:39-2:46 (nap lap!). I did them outside when it was 72 degrees. I'd say it was about the same temp. at the Armory, maybe a hair cooler.

So let's see how I measured up compared to last summer shall we?

2:36, 2:37, 2:32, 2:31, 2:31.

A LOT faster! And my heart rate was about the same. And guess what Flo! I'm joining you in the sub 7 workouts!

They are pretty much where I wanted them to be. 

I cooled down by putting back on all my layers and running the 2.5 miles home, giving almost 8.5 for the day.