I was anxiously anticipating this one. For the first time since I could remember I took the straight-edge approach the night before - went home early, drank lots of water (and no beer) and ate some healthy snacks. I didn't even socialize; I just watched Duke put the hurtin' on Miami-Ohio and went to bed shortly after midnight (early for me).
I ran 2x3-mile a few weeks ago and I wanted to best my efforts while also running an extra set. I knew the 3x3-mile would be the hardest workout of the cycle, not necessarily because the pace would be faster but just due to the nature of the workout. I wouldn't be able to start slow and build up because the length of each set is short; I would have to start out quick, maintain on the hill mile, and then finish hard...and improve that effort in the last two sets. (In a long tempo run I can start out around 6:40 pace and build up to 6:10-6:15 after I've been warmed up.) Obviously, I headed to McAlpine for this one and just decided to run the whole course, so this was actually 3x5k not 3x3-mile.
I ran the 2 miles from the Sardis/Old Bell lot to the park in 16:45 and headed to the starting line. I hadn't planned on starting out too fast but when I came through the first mile in 6:31 I was determined to hold it. Again, this is what makes this workout so hard: I felt I had to start out fast because mile #2 has a big hill, but the workout is more intense when one cannot slowly build up a pace. Needless to say, starting out quickly and then attacking the hill did me in a bit and I faded to a 6:44 second mile (13:15 through two miles). Regrouping a bit, I kicked things into gear for the back mile, slowed slightly by a maintenance guy on a tractor that was blowing the leaves off the trail. I ran 6:25 for the third mile and 0:48 for the final 0.1 for a total time of 20:28 for 5k. I felt three minutes wasn't enough rest and four was too much, so I took 3:30 to walk around and stretch for a bit before heading back to the line.
I still felt OK as I picked things up a bit on the second set, running mile #1 in a quick 6:19 and hanging on for a 6:31 on the hill. I didn't kill it too much on the last mile, coming through in 6:24 and 0:48 again for 20:04. Looking back at that 2x3-mile workout, I ran 19:28 and 18:57 for each 3-mile set; today, I was 19:40 and a much quicker 19:16 through 3 miles in each of the first two sets - without kicking it into high gear in either one. I still had one more set, however.
I was hurting a bit but felt buoyed by the fact that I only had one more go at this course before I could call it a day. I peeled off my shirt and headed back to the line after once again taking 3:30 rest. I was determined this would be my fastest set and I was well on the way after coming through the first mile in 6:12. Shortly before the mile mark I came upon a man who looked a couple years older than me running at a decent clip but breaking greenway etiquette by hogging the middle of the trail (instead of keeping to the right or at least following the tangents). Annoyed, I rifled past him on the left side, nearly brushing his shoulder as he gasped something that sounded like "shhhheeeyawwww." I made it through the second mile in 6:30 after once again encountering the tractor man, this time at the top of the hill. I couldn't really go any faster, finishing the third in 6:24 and the 0.1 in 0:49 again. Thanks to a quicker opening mile this was still my fastest of the three 5ks at 19:55. I was actually pleased that I couldn't kick it into a higher gear at the end because that meant I gave it everything I had.
I wasn't disappointed in myself but I certainly wasn't thrilled, either. Wait....I just pieced together back-to-back-to-back 5ks in 20:28, 20:04, and 19:55, and I wasn't happy about it? Nope. I felt like I could have had a bit more speed but I suppose it's nice that I could go that hard without any help. My mental toughness seems to be a strength now, whereas lack of it was certainly a weakness back in the younger days.
I'm pleased to report that my left leg didn't bother me at all during the workout. I had a hard time coercing myself into the cooldown run so I walked around for awhile and drank some water up at the park. For me, the post-workout cooldown is one of the hardest tasks in this sport - seriously. I never want to do it, it's almost always a painful limp, but I know I'll pay for it later if I don't cool down. I left the park and headed back to my car....and as soon as I put my left leg down I felt like someone had jammed a sword into my shin and slowly dragged it up to my knee. I felt a little better after a half-mile or so but I was really beginning to wonder if I had become injured.
Stay tuned.
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