MPW

Wheehaw. With this update comes the first week of indoor track, which I have awaited eagerly...well, since outdoor track ended last June. I think I can already tell that I'm in better shape than last year - the cross country workouts and races indicated that but I always feel a little iffy until I actually can see some real, concrete numbers from workouts I've done previously.

Plus, track is my thing. For me, anyhow, I feel that it's a little more...(weird adjective choice ahead) intimate than cross country? You're all working out on the same 200 meter track, you can see everything that everyone is doing, and you can basically immediately spot the people that are having a good day and the people that are having a bad day. During cross country...well, you lose a little bit of ground somewhere on the mile and a half long loop around the Res - it's possible no one saw it or knew about it but you.

It's also a lot easier to encourage the people having a bad day in track, and it lets you get to know them a little better (especially since we break into separate groups for mid distance and distance).

From what I can tell of our current mid distance group, it looks like it's going to be an even better year. Mr. McCann, of course, returns in good shape and always is ready to blast a workout into the stratosphere. Jeff "Tri Guy" also seems like he's going to be able to push the pace on the workouts. Sadly, we are lacking Kevin and Old Man Otto, but much to my surprise I saw Paterno out and about yesterday. Steve (http://sasrunning.livejournal.com) is our other newcomer along with Jeff, and I for one am glad to have someone to share bad sexual innuendo with. Big Tim - dare I say, T-Unitzzz? - rounds out the bunch. It looks like he might be a little down and out with his groin right now but I'm hoping that comes around. We also lose Mr. Juiliano to the western half of the US but it sounds like Tony, our resident Canadian, may be making the switch to mid distance when he rejoins us post-finals.

Without further ado, our first week at it:

Sun: 8.5 mi, 63:00
Mon: 9 mi, 64:28
Tues: First workout. 6 mi wu and cd, then 16x200 1R. Soloing it - first two at 32, then 31's and 30's from there out. It felt a little sluggish, unsurprisingly.
Weds: 8.25 mi, 63:51
Thurs: 5.25 mi, 38:19 (feeling like trash, cut it short)
Fri: 6 mi wu / cd, then 8 x 600 1:45 R. 1:47, 1:47, 1:48, 1:47, 1:47, 1:46, 1:45, 1:42. The whole crew: Tim, Chris, Steve, Jeff - were present and it went pretty well. Felt pretty good overall even when it started to get a bit faster.
Sat: 8.5 mi / 61:59 (kind of wanted to do longer but I was freezing)
total: 57.5 mi