Last night I instructed week 2 of the Personal Best Clinic through Running Room Ltd. We're up in numbers this week! Like the painters, it's now a group of 7. I guess word is getting around, and people are liking the fact that this is the only clinic where they're sore the next day (or two days), the sign of a good workout.
Since there are a couple of new people in the mix, I explained the rules and track etiquette, giving up the inside lane for faster runners, etc. With little more than an encouraging word and a reminder that "you get what you give", we're off.
Since I'll be taking a couple of weeks off to fly to New Brunswick to be with my family, I have a replacement instructor who I'm showing the ropes this week. He's a totally different style of runner than me, but he just so happened to finish 50th in the BMO Vancouver Marathon, while yours truly finished 51st. Hmmm I think he's a pretty good fit. I know this guy is fast, which is exactly why I want to run with him. There's another fast guy in the group, so the 3 of us lined up together and set off on our first lap. Shaboooom!
I made the mistake of borrowing a watch from someone, and wouldn't you know it, the battery died! I guess it couldn't handle my animal magnetism. Okay, maybe I'm negatively charged. Either way, the alkaline is running through my veins now so I gave up on trying to time myself. From now on, my time is simply "the fastest".
After the first lap, we did a full lap of recovery (jogging) and I noticed the heat was affecting my breathing. On my last Speedwork day, it was 8:30AM and foggy, so 6:30PM and sunny is a little different. Oh well, I grew up near a pulp mill, my lungs can survive anything! Sprint Lap #2 came up, and I lead the charge through another fast circuit. I tell the students (it still seems weird for me to refer to them as students) that you should save your fastest running for the final lap. Lap #3 was just a maintenance lap for me, at about 75 or 80%. I wait for everyone to catch up and give a few words of encouragement. Here we go, folks! The Final Lap!
AND THEY'RE OFF!!!
Fast guy #1 took off like a rocket from the starting line. He does realize that 400m is a long way, but I guess he feels pretty confident. I do my best to keep up with him on the first straightaway, but I let him go ahead on the curve. He doesn't know that I've been holding back the first three laps. As the track winds into the second straightaway (the long one) I shift to low gear and explode past him on the inside. I looked back over my shoulder going into the final turn, and he's 4 or 5 strides behind me. My replacement instructor was a few strides behind him. I've got this in the bag, baby!
As I shuffle my way into the final straightaway, I wind my arms way back and try to keep my elbows brushing my sides. I get low, I lift my knees, I kick my feet way back, and just let go. I feel my lungs start to burn a bit, but I ignore the pain. There's nothing that can stop me now! I fly across the finish line ahead of everyone else and turn around. Fast guy #1 is there, and sub is there, so I give them high fives. I think these guys are going to challenge me over the coming weeks, and that's precisely what I want.
It's great to have someone to push you. I've always thought that you benefit from training with someone who is as good as you or better, and track running is no different. Fast Guy #1 pushed hard right off the starting line, and that challenged me to get up there with him. Fast Guy #1 benefits from seeing me burn past him, because now he knows he's not the fastest, and he has some work to do. Everybody wins! This is definitely the hardest track workout I've ever put in, and I'm happy to say it's only Week #2. We'll be flying come Week 10.
Today's tip: "You don't have to go it alone." Find a friend or training partner who is as fast or faster, as strong or stronger, or as fit or fitter. This way you can challenge each other, offer support and watch each other advance. The best way to judge yourself is through someone else's eyes.
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