Mile Time Trial

 After a long, hot summer of training, we finally ran our mile time trial and it was slooooow. I have oh-so-many good excuses. 

1. It was hot, feels-like-100 at race time (although I've raced miles in worse weather).
2. It was windy! With tropical storm Marco just retreating, and hurricane Laura heading in, we had a very breezy day. 
3. I just wasn't in shape, thanks to the hamstring pull. I was able to ease back into running over the last few weeks, but only got in one mile speed session in the month prior to the time trial. I tried to do a few of the workouts, but re-pulled my hamstring. 
4. I brilliantly started a diet, which is wreaking havoc on my running. 

So the race! Er, time trial. Time trial on the track with (non-certified) tape markings and stop watches and the rest of my team! Outdoor exercise without a mask is permitted and outdoor groups of 25 and below are permitted, so while we can't run regular races, this worked and was legal! We did a two mile warm-up and some strides and then spread out for a waterfall start. I lined up all the way out, since I am one of the slowest in the group. 

With a casual, "Go!" we were off, and I felt bad AT ONCE. I planned to sprint out of the gate to get into position, then settle into my pace, but I never could settle in. My chest was burning immediately. And it didn't help that we turned that first corner into a wild headwind. My first lap was my fastest, but it was still several seconds off my planned pace. The plan had been 1:22 for the first lap, 1:21s after that, and then GO on the last one. HAHA. None of my laps were even close to my goal. My first lap was 1:27 (including the extra 9m).

 

I didn't DIE die in the second lap, but I was hurting a lot. The wind was really challenging: the track has woods blocking the slightest tailwind on one side, but wide open fields allowing hard headwind on the other. You can't win. I knew I was slowing down, but I was slightly cheered that I was not falling too far back off my teammate Jeff (although he was pretty far in front - he just wasn't getting even farther in front). But the third lap was a total struggle fest. My hamstring was making itself known in that "if you push me, I'll pop" manner, my gait was inhibited, and I couldn't breath at all. As soon as we got into the last lap, Sara passed me, and even her encouragement couldn't get me to sprint. I was just in slow motion. 5:43 finish with almost zero sprint. I absolutely couldn't stretch my stride out. My hamstring isn't there yet. And my fitness clearly suffered from the injury, as well. 

I should have kept up with my laps during the race to see exactly where and how I fell apart, but I didn't remember to do that, and I couldn't hear people calling splits after the first one. Probably because of the blood pounding in my ears! I think I could run under 5:30 if I was in better shape, and I am planning a time trial do-over: maybe after my upcoming relay, and once my hamstring is really recovered. I was happy to pseudo-race, but I am not happy with my time!