I am one with the levee and the levee with me

9 easy up on Galbraith.

Easy loop around Whatcom.

Mile speed day! Went to Civic with Sam and did a total volume of 4800m: 4x200m, 2x800m, 4x400m, 4x200m, all with 2:1 rests. The weather is getting warmer, it was sunny although a bit breezy. Not as bad as last week's Tuesday workout, but noticeable on the turn into the homestretch.

Anyway, the workout got underway with all 4 200s at 33s. Then into the 800s with a 2:09.6, 2:08.6. Same start as 2 weeks ago. The 400s were slightly better with all 4 in 63, starting in 63-high and progressing to 63-low. Then the 4x200 in 31, 32, 31, and finishing up with a 28. First time under 30 for the season. Everything felt very controlled. My legs really started to feel the hot pace in the 3rd 400, though not in a painful sort of way. More in a weight lifting sort of way where you do enough reps and your muscles want to give out on you. But the last 63 felt comfortable.

Things are really coming together. I'm shooting for roughly 14:50 this Saturday, which would set me up well for a sub-14:40 attempt in June. Still plenty of time.

Afterwards, Sam talked to me about keeping my mind open to the possibility that I might be a miler. Nobody has ever suggested that to me, but Sam has been right about plenty so far, and my trust in his coaching is growing. So I didn't blow it off, but it goes against everything I've thought about in the last 6 or 7 years. He thinks more likely the 5k is my sweet spot, but we'll see. 

Regardless, now it's 3 days of rest and recovery.

Soggy midnight run around Padden. Just the way it goes sometimes.

Easy 6 + 4x200m in 34, 34, 33, 32.

6 easy on down Boulevard.

I finally went sub-15! Today's race went about as perfect as I could have hoped, aside from letting myself get outrun in the last 800m. 

The weather was pretty good for Bellingham in April. Sunny and warm with a light breeze (5-10mph). A few of my former teammates and I were shooting for about 14:50, and another guy agreed to pace us through 3200m in 71s. The race got underway, the first lap was a little quick, but things settled in with Ike out front with me eventually settling in behind a string of 3 guys. Perfect positioning. They completely cut the wind, and I just allowed myself to be towed through the laps. The pacer was slightly slow, but I was okay with that, overall he did a fantastic job. I reached 1600m in 4:45 and 3200m in 9:33 (4:48). I've been preparing myself for a really painful final mile, but up to that point I felt pretty good. By then I had moved into 2nd in preparation of the pacer dropping out, and he was kind enough to tow us through another 200m to 4 laps to go. 

I did my best to maintain pace, but inevitably dropped slightly. I saw a shadow on my shoulder and assumed the pack was still behind me. With 2 laps to go, the shadow moved to my side and materialized into a person, and I matched pace as he took the lead. I didn't recognize him. But he towed me through that lap, and I should probably credit him with helping me take off those final seconds to get under 15. But with 500m to go he made another surge and I had allowed too much of a gap to open. He moved steadily away and ended up winning in 14:51. I didn't really shift gears till 200m to go (14:22, 4:49) where I kicked it in with a 33 for a final time of 14:56.2. 68-69ish final lap. I can do better.

But I am unbelievably happy to finally break 15. I was honestly hoping to run a few seconds faster, but I have to be happy with chopping 19 seconds off my PR. And based on how this felt, I think more time will be coming off by June. 

Knowing that I can always improve my racing, I recognize that I made a major mistake letting 1st place run away from me. Yes, I was hurting, but not as bad as I was expecting to. He may have beaten me anyway, but then I'd have been that much closer to my <14:50 goal. 

Regardless, it is great to know my training is paying off.

Splits (hand timed):

1:10.5, 1:12.1, 1:11.4, 1:11.7, 1:12.5, 1:11.4, 1:12.5, 1:12.4, 1:12.3, 1:12.3, 1:11.9, 1:11.8, :33.2, 14:55.9