New Year, New Plan, New Perspective

New Year's Track Session!  The entry began.  "20 x 400 holding 1:40," my coach continued. "Done as 5 sets of 4 as 3 on 2:15 + 1 on 3:15.  Take at least one gel half way through.  Warm up 20 minutes and cool down 10 minutes."

I did the math in my head.  5 miles of repeats holding 6:40 per mile pace ....which happens to be faster than my 5k PR pace.

I tried to think back to the meeting I just had with my new coach.  Didn't I tell her that I hadn't done track in months?  I was a little hung over from my birthday celebration but I'm sure we discussed it.  And I know I told her I usually stuck with about 3 miles worth of intervals amidst a longer warm up and cool down.

Crap.  Panic began setting in.  I was totally going to embarrass myself.  What have I done?  I still had two weeks to think about this track workout before it actually happened.  Plenty of time to lose sleep over my impending doom.

In truth I was really excited about my new training plan... but this one workout... this first workout gave me angst.  I convinced myself that it was no big deal.  Coach likes holiday and birthday workouts to be especially epic.  That's all it is.  A holiday track session.

Much to my husband's dismay, as the clock rolled to 8 pm on New Years Eve I began the getting-ready-for-bed ritual.  I cited my next day's track workout as reason enough to forgo any celebration.

Right on schedule (I had invited friends to partake in the track workout) we departed our house in warm up to the track.  Two brave souls were waiting for us when we arrived a mile and half later.  I finished my warm up with a couple of loops around the big oval and we got down to business.

DB would be our official timer, keeping us on the 2:15 send off.  I would track the actual 400 meter splits.  And KL would accompany me around and around and around until the final loop was in the books.   MT was joining us for half the repeats on her own interval goal.

The first 4 flew by relatively easily though I was thankful for the extra minute of rest that accompanied the 4th interval of each set.  The next 4 were smooth but by the time we reached the 10th and 11th interval the shit was getting real.  Following the 12th interval I was to take the gel as instructed.  "I can't do it! I'll throw it back up!" I protested.  My friends were the voice of reason.  "Do what your coach says and let her make the adjustment next time."   I swallowed the Honey Stinger gel and a few gulps of water.

The next 4 intervals were about a second slower as my throat threatened to open up and spew stomach contents by the final 100 meters of each one.  Ironically though my final 4 x 400 were the fastest set of them all!  Hmmm, coincidence?  Or did my gel kick in?  Is coach trying to teach me to go fast on a full stomach?  Is it possible that this wasn't some test to see if I would fall apart after 3 miles, but rather intended to show me what I am capable of??

Maybe Coach actually knows her shit and I am in for the ride of my life?!?!

Overall we threw out our two outliers: a 1:31 split for the first 400 and a 1:39 for the 13th-ish interval... and the remainder of our intervals fell nicely, consistently between 1:35-1:38.  I was pumped!  I couldn't wait for my next workout!  I am going to be stronger, faster, better!  I was so ready to say goodbye to 2013 after a mediocre year and this was the best new years day ever!!

We cooled down as we ran back home and changed into our bike kits for an hour easy ride meant to loosen up the legs.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the quiet morning as the rest of the world began to wake up.  I logged my workout and beamed with pride and joy when Coach responded with praise for a job well done.

Motto for 2014?  I CAN!    There's no room for doubt. No room for fear.  I turned over the keys to my training so that I don't have to think.  I just have to DO.  I can and I will.  And 2014 will be my best year ever!