I cheated myself out of $60

Sunday, 1/26--I headed to Glen Mills for a punishing workout of a track meet: mile, 800, 3000.

I warmed up nicely, running about a 6:30 mile for starters.  I stretched well and felt okay.  I still didn't have that sizzle.  What's wrong with me, I asked myself.

I took time to write the target splits (by the 100 and 200) on the back of my hand, right next to my watch.

With a seed time of 4:40, I was first man--heat 1, lane 1.  I got out well and had company to my outside during the first 400m.  I hit the 200 in 34, the 400 in 70.  I then started to slow and labor.  The 800 was in 2:26/2:27, the half in 2:28.  I held on during the 5th lap and got passed during the 6th.  With three laps to go, I tried to keep my composure and not allow the leader to extend beyond the 5-10 meters he had on me.  With a lap and a half remaining, I got passed again.  I then said to myself to try to finish this damn race.  I did, running a disappointing 5:10.  Yuck.

What was I thinking?  I'll tell you what I was thinking: I have run several good miles at the Y, one in 4:49.  I was certain I could replicate.  Now I am doubting myself and doubting the track at the Y.  It's supposed to be 16-laps to the mile, each lap about 100m.  That's reasonable.  Besides, I have sort of measured.  Now I will have to do it again.

I knew I had a bit before the 800, longer than I thought actually.  God was merciful.  I remembered that I gave a super slow seed time of 2:20, in part because of strategy (seeing who and how many were seeded faster and so that I could pace off them) and in part because of self-preservation (I needed not to be disappointed.).  I was seeded 4th in heat 1.  When the gun went off, I made a conscious decision to stay in second or third place.  I was in third place for the first 160m.  Then I cut into the lead of whom I thought was probably a high schooler.  I heard 34 at the 200.  I was relaxed and stayed right on the heels of the leader, who happened to take the mile.  I heard 70/71 at the 400 mark.  He had slowed down and I was running easy.  I went back and forth about whether I should go by him at the 450m mark or the 550m mark.  I decided on 550, at which I swung wide, did the little windmill with my arms, and I was off.  I covered the last 200 in 33 seconds to run 2:20, winning the race.

Even though I wasn't terribly winded, I questioned whether I had a 3000 in me, even at the most pedestrian pace I could muster.  I chatted with a couple of people and then made the decision to hop into the 200, which was already seeded by then.  I was able to fill out an event card and get the clerk to put me into a heat if there was a no-show.  There were two.  A youngster, a 23-second 200m runner, and I slipped into the second heat.  I had lane 1, he had lane 3, Dave Richard had lane 4, and two others occupied lanes 2 and 5.  I had a terrible start--no pop and force.  I felt like I was running a 150 in practice.  I tried to lift on the backstretch...nothing.  I tried to lift coming home...nothing.  I reached the line in a disappointing 27.13 (26.9 ht).  Dave posted 27.18.

After chatting and meeting Dave's awesome wife and kids, I left to go home.  I should have soaked my head in the snow.  Instead, I built a fire...and thought about the $35 I had just wasted on membership to Philly Masters (there are only 2 of their meets remaining, one at Widener U and one at Albright College, a place at which I won't likely run) and the entry for the meet itself.

Saturday, 1/25--I went to the Y after work just to warm up and stretch in preparation for Sunday's meet at Glen Mills.  I needed redemption.  The mile of 6:50 on the donut track felt sluggish.  The stretching was good, though.  Somewhat busy day: supported boys at there track meet, attended theater performance, and prepared for a dance that was ultimately cancelled.

Friday, 1/24--There was a lot going on for me on this day!  Whew!

I left the office later than I expected and walked up to the gym and field house to see our JV Girls' and 3rd Team Boys' BB teams square off against their opponents.  I cheered as our teams played their hearts out.  Knowing the meet at Ursinus was already underway and that my event (800m) would probably occur at 6:45 or 7-ish, I left campus at close to 5:00 and made my way through thickening traffic.  I arrived at Ursinus at about 5:45 to the cheers of 60m dash, which was concluding.  There was then the 400m.  I paid, checked in and changed clothes.  I did about 10 min in the 15-degree weather and stretched heartily inside.  I also managed to get in about 6-8 50-meter strides.   I didn't feel altogether right.  I felt flat; I was missing the pop in my legs and, sadly, my spirit.  Perhaps I was just tired.  Perhaps I knew that I would need to shower and change after my race in order to head back to campus in Newtown Square, catch the balance of the Boys' Varsity BB game, and then make the trip to Lehigh U. to get a glimpse of the last races of the Girls' Track meet.  Who knows?

I seeded myself at 2:03.  My thought, after nearly breaking 1:29 in the 600m, that I could run as fast.  I figured 30, 31 (61), 31, 31 (62) = 2:03.  Who knew I'd have lane 1 (heat 3 of 4)?   This put a little pressure on me, quite honestly.  I was hoping to be seeded 3rd or 4th in the heat so that I could have an excuse to tuck in behind someone during the race.  Anyway, the gun went off and I fought my way to the front after a little bumping.  Rob offered to yell my splits, but I didn't hear him (or he forgot?) on the first lap.  All I heard him say was something to the effect of, "Show these young guys how it's done."  At the 400, he yelled 61.  I was on pace.  Then it happened.  At about 450 mark, I felt the energy exit my legs and I got passed.  I'd get passed again on the homestretch.  I head 1:34/1:35 at the 600 mark.  A 33/34-second 200.  I'd finish in 2:11.07, reflecting a 35/36-second last 200 and perhaps my worst final 200 in eons.  How painful!  7th out of 11.  I felt awful...and evidently looked the part.  $25 wasted.

I showered, shined and continued my night that went until after midnight.  As it turned out, we won the Boys' BB game, but I missed our girls' track team.  The meet was nearly concluded by the time I arrived at Lehigh (9:50).  Because I didn't see my daughter or any of her teammates and because I hadn't heard from her after calling and texting, I headed back to campus in Newtown Square to wait for the bus to arrive so that I could take her home.  I learned 10 minutes into my drive that they were still in the field house and that I could've taken her home after all.  Argh!  And because they stopped for ice cream and food (they deserved it!), they didn't arrive to campus until nearly midnight.

Thursday, 1/23--took the day off.