Running & Then Some....

So what have I been up to since I was laying out on the street with my Tassimo?  Well, I put my head deep into a week’s worth of workouts thinking I was racing yesterday at the Prostate 5 Miler…..and for all the folks who have told me “oh the test for prostate cancer is digital and thus you don’t feel it.”  Let me explain something…this is not High Definition television and digital versus analog signals!!  Digital means being probed, so wake up now because later you will hear the snap of that latex glove and by then it is too late to ask “where is the digital machine?!?!?”

With that being said, I urge every man age 45 and up to be checked and it is also recommended that African American men starting at age 40 be checked.  Ok, enough probing and let’s talk a little running….

So early last week I came off a pretty good session of 200m repeats.  I had 400m repeats scheduled for Thursday, but the rain and wind delayed me until Friday.  Friday came and off to the track I went.  I ran into Sean from Urban.  He was doing the 200m repeat workout.  He was flying and looked great and I think that got me going immediately.  I hit my first 400m in 69 seconds.  I haven’t been sub 70 seconds for quite some time, especially with 5 more to go.

Although I should’ve taken a full rest, I am not one to take a full rest…lesson learned as I went 71, 71 without a full rest.  Three down, three to go and my quads were begging me to stop or at least take a longer rest.  I took a longer rest, but the damage was done.  I dropped to 72, 73 and finished with a 75 that felt as like a 65.  I was certainly pleased with the workout as a whole.  I would have preferred to pull off 8×400m at 73 seconds, but knowing I can run sub 70 seconds is very encouraging.  I will get stronger and my times will eventually all be under 70 seconds at 8×400m.

I finished the week out with 8 miles on Saturday at 7:30 pace with weight vest on.  The weight vest is making me work harder than ever as the humidity is up.  I am contemplating upping the weight on it to 14 lbs (doesn’t sound like much).  But what happens is you tire exponentially.  Mile 6 of an 8 mile run you may feel great and within a mile, you can feel very overwhelmed by all the weight.

Sunday, was a treat as Coach Jerry (the people’s coach) decided I didn’t have to race!!  I went to ‘U.K. Robins’ place” (and his wife Nancy) in Park Slope on Saturday night and ate like I just escaped from the set of Oliver Twist.  Steak, chicken, birthday cake, beer, great conversation….just a great time!

So I planned on running 15 with the weight vest while going against the race to watch and cheer.  I met Lara in the park for a loop.  I was lightheaded by the amount of NY Flyers  that were out racing.  I was done cheering for my UA compadres while Lara just kept cheering for what seemed like…ummmm…forever?  Anyway, loop over, race over, and I am solo and trying to bang out 10 miles hard with the extra weight.  I saw “Don Macarai running opposite me a couple of times which is helpful.  There is nothing better than seeing your coach out there banging out some quality miles as you are trying to do the same.

Around mile 11, I started to feel very heavy.  I am sure it was the 400m repeats and Saturday’s workout still lingering.  I thought about cutting it short, but instead pushed through what could easily represent a test similar to something I may experience in the NYC Marathon.  I made sure I finished the entire 15 and kicked the the last 400 meters.  When I was done…I WAS DONE!

We are 7 weeks away from the NYC Half.  It is time to get down to business.  It is time to step it up.  Word has it that others are “gunning” for me…let me tell you something junior….”ya’ ‘better get a bigger gun!

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