February 3rd, 2011. This has been a rest week in the training program, but Thursdays always include the dreaded sprints and today was the most demanding ‘Tempo’ run à a single accelerated segment for twenty minutes. I tackled this with gusto and plotted a course that would deposit me at a circular road (one mile) in a nearby development where I could complete three laps without having to worry much about vehicular traffic.
I never would have known the breakout for the accelerated portion without my Garmin Sports Watch, but confess a wee bit of disappointment that the download of the run indicated my quick pace was 7:35 miles. On the one hand I didn’t go all out because the pace is supposed to be “just out of your comfort zone” but on the other hand I would have appreciated being able to approach the pace of days of old…
However, I was blessed with another gem from this whole adventure. On my second lap I passed an older gentleman out walking in the opposite direction. I cross paths with folks along this stretch quite frequently, but by running revolutions along this road I encountered the guy a second time. I had obviously covered a much greater portion of the loop with my stretch pace and as I passed him again he smiled and uttered “must be nice to be young”…
Wanted to stop and tell him I just breached fifty but had to maintain the pace! Still made for a wonderful birthday present.
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