A little pick (me) up

With the three challenges of the triathlon - swim, bike, run - all of which i am steady. I don't have one that i excel at, but hope i am not too bad at either.

A timed mile is needed to personalize this distance training schedule. Throughout the winter I trained along side the Eagleman and IMFL girls (and guys). We were scheduled to do a few of these timed miles I speak of, but they usually fell when I was 'out of town'. although I was out of town at times, really I was plain and simply intimidated by the group. With the duathlon training on schedule I had to do the timed mile in January - 9:05. I finished with only a sprinkle of people behind me. Disappointing but also leaves room for improvement, right?!

As I progressed into Powersprint training - lots more 1/2 mile repeats...but still managed to not do another timed mile. The day this was scheduled I had a duathlon run to do...shucks. I have been tracking my run times and have noticed an increase - even hit a little less than a mile in 8:17.

That brings us to this morning. After filling up on mexican and ice cream last night, running was far from my mind...but the Patriot finish line is telling me to get my butt out of the bed and get to it. This morning I was scheduled to do my new timed mile and (3) 1/2 mile repeats. I have a conversation with my stomach to behave and I am off for my timed mile....here goes. I keep telling myself to push it harder - knees up - think of the running form. I see Coach G standing at the "finish line" ready to time me and....I did it! I finished another timed mile. With a goal of 8:30, I succeed....7:49!

The repeats did not go so well. Dinner was telling me to stop running already. We will not comment on those times. Good thing there were only 3!

Although I wasn't thinking this at the time, but I think the idea of being chased is a great motivator! I am thinking of thinking morning's new time as a little pick me up to tell me i can do Patriot if i just pick it up!