Marriot, not Crowne Plaza, you idiot!

Sun, 3/2: Today I headed to my alma mater, Swarthmore, for the sole purpose of finding a track.  While the indoor facility there is quite poor and not worthy of such a fine school with a $1.8 billion endowment, I decided to give it a whirl.  I warmed up and stretched for a bit, remembering my four years doing the same in the late 80s and early 90s.

My plan was to do a modified sit 'n kick workout: 5 x (400 in 64, 1 minute rest, 200 in 30 or better, 1200 jog in 8:30).  Knowing the track is worn out and realizing the possibility of a collision (because the track loops around the stands), I was a little tentative at first.  I was also mindful, maybe even a little self-conscious, of the few folks on the infield.

Set 1: 67/31
8:25
Set 2: 64/30
8:30
Set 3: 65/30
I then headed outside to take a stab at completing the final sets.
As I jogged, I noticed a huge piece of machinery a couple of workers were using to finish clearing the track.  Just when I was about to do my 400, the gentleman parked the vehicle across the first two lanes.  Bummer.  I kept jogging, thinking that in a moment they would move it.  Not.  I made my way to the 300 mark and went from there.  (8:45)
Set 4: 300 in 48/2:30 rest/another 300, this time in 46
I headed back to field house.  There were many, many younger boys and their fathers on the track and on the infield.  This was clearly a planned baseball practice or something.  A true workout killer.  So, I headed back out and decided to use the track after all.  I just ran in lane 3.
(9:00)
Set 5: 63/32

Felt okay about this workout.  Could've been better.

Sat: took off

Friday: Went to the Armory for the NYC championships.  After going to the wrong hotel (Marriot, not Crowne Plaza, you idiot!), I met up with Rob and Wayne and we headed to NYC, stopping by the Woodrow Wilson rest stop to get Bruce, Craig and Daryl.  We arrived at the Armory at just about 6, dropping Wayne off curbside so he could warm up for his 6:30-something race.

I changed in the minivan as the guys made their way from the parking structure to the arena.

I checked in upon arrival and provided a seed time I thought I could run, 53.72, given my stalwart performance at Millrose.  I warmed up once I arrived and tried to ignore the lack of po(m)p and circumstance in my legs.  I just kept at it.  When I checked in and learned that I was in lane 1, I wasn't terribly thrilled but sucked it up as one should.  I did a little visualizing before the race, thinking about what I did at the 225 mark a couple of weeks ago when I held off the charging runner from SW Sprinters.

Tonight, however, there would be no such heroics.  I began the race conservatively and ended pathetically.  I covered the first 200 in about 26.5 and the second 200 in 29.5.  56.12 FAT.  Ouch.  I tried to lift on the backstretch of the second lap and that worked for about a meter.  OK, not a meter.  Maybe 30 meters.   Then, coming up the homestretch I was too busy looking at the clock, marveling at what I had hoped would be a decent time at least, to notice that a youngster was on my shoulder with 20 meters to go.  And, yes, he got me at the line.  That was sucky!

The 200 was a bit better.  The truth is I felt so horrible after 400 that I initially bagged the 200.  I felt cramped and dehydrated.  Really so.  I talked myself off the ledge and decided 30 minutes beforehand to give it a go.  I was in lane 6 and in the same heat as teammates Craig and Rob.  My goal was not to get injured and to break 25 seconds.  I got out reasonably well, but then forgot for a brief moment that it was a 200 rather than a 400.  I tried to get my knees up.  Coming off the turn, the guy from lane 4 pulled even with me; lane 5 was empty.  He slingshotted into the straightway and that was the difference on our finished.  He ran 24.90-something; I ran 25.18.

Thurs: took off