Track workout #2 (6 x 800m)

I was able to get to the High Desert Runners interval night tonight. Clay's workout was 6x800m and he wanted Zac to run 2:45s. I was unsure weather or not I could hang with that time. Two weeks ago when I ran the same workout I only ran that fast on the last 800m of the workout. It was extremely windy tonight. I ran to Joe Walker from my house (1.5 miles), then did another 1.5 miles while I waited for everyone to arrive. I was picking it up on the back stretch of each lap (with the wind) and noticed that I was hitting exactly 20 seconds each time. When everyone arrived we did some warm up drills and then started the workout. I talked Zac into taking turns leading so we each got to draft for one lap of each 800. The first 800 was a warm up that I lead in 2:54. Then we dropped the hammer down. The next two were 2:40 and the last three were around 2:42! The last three got progressively harder to maintain pace on the second lap. I haven't run that fast in a long time. Zac started to have foot pain again on the last 800, my advice was to call it for the day and take a few days off. I cooled down by running home for a total of 9 miles today. I expect some soreness tomorrow.

I came home to this sunset!

I found a new blog from UVA where I attended a Running Medicine Seminar this past April. The blog is uvaendurosport.wordpress.com check it out. There is some excellent running articles here. A MUST READ!

Finally, this week Andrew Wheating ran 3:30.9 1500m (a 7 second PR and 5th fastest US 1500m ever) in Monaco! Check out this webpage with the race video and post race interview. It is a great interview because Wheating is so excited about his performance. How does one of the top 1500m runners in the country PR by 7 SECONDS? WILL POWER! ABSOLUTE WILL POWER!
"Make it one lap, lets go for one more. Once more around, I'm still in this. Third lap, LET'S DO THIS! Before you know it there's 300 to go and this is the best part of the race, LET'S GO!"

"It's friendly...it's always what can we do to better each other, its never I'm gonna kick your butt."
--Andrew Wheating on international track & field competition


Hard things take time to do. Impossible things take a little longer.
--Percy Cerutty, an athletics coach in the 1950s and 1960s


Don't be concerned with what you can't do. Work on what you can do - then count your blessings.
--Alan Robinson, 56-year-old partially paralyzed marathon runner


It takes patience to become the best runner you can be. Top athletes realize that running is a long-term sport. It is set up for people who value delayed gratification and who like hard-earned success.
--Anthony Famiglietti, two-time Olympian and six-time national champion