Believe to Achieve

8 x 800 on the TM.  It has been three months since I have run on a TM.  Wow time flies.  I was worried because I was wondering if my body could adjust to the SHAKING MILLS at PG rec especially going faster and for LONGER than I have anytime on the TM.  I am HAPPY to report that I made it through ALL eight quite well.  I followed what Melanie did just to see if I could even do one at the 5:56 pace.  It went like this (after dragging my tired butt out of bed to my car and drove the three short miles there)-- WARM UP, AP 8:30 for 4 miles.  First mile 8:57.  1 % grade.  In fact I ran the first 5 x 800 with a 1 % grade and the last three at 0.5% just to let my mind deal with the stress of 8 x 800s.  I ran .25 miles (400 meters in between at 8:34 pace, 7.0 mph).  I would make sure to increase the TM pace before crossing the "starting line" on the TM virtual track (you know the TMs that show where you are on a 400 meter track) and I would NOT decrease the pace until I crossed the line completely.  I felt good on the warm up and stretched and took a potty break.  Sips of water was all I had to drink.  Dang it was warm water though and the AC in that rec center was hardly being used.  It was HOT in there.  Glad the TM had a fan on it.  After the brief break I ran another half mile warm up and went right into the 800s no stopping in between, no holding on to rails.  I am definitely WAY more in shape then I was in the winter.  I couldn't do 10 mph for a minute with out feeling winded and that my legs were uncoordinated.  BUT this was a shocker for me to 7 x 800 at 5:56 PACE (10.1 mph)!!!! and the LAST ONE at 5:49 pace (I started at 5:52 , 10.2 mph then increased the last lap to 5:46, 10.4 mph).  I loved the last one.  There is definitely something about KNOWING you are almost done and HOW MUCH EASIER it feels.   Ended with 2.5 miles cooldown at about 7:50 AP.  Felt such a great feeling of accomplishment and then my heart sank thinking about how we intend on doing this workout again-- 10 x 800.  I wanted to cry.  Please not again!!   It is such a mental game to get through this workout.  I was living for the .25 miles (2 minutes 9 second easy running) of "rest".  I ate one gu half way through.  I didn't eat much yesterday at work due to the VERY busy shift and felt I should be a little NICE to my body.  I ate half after the fourth one and the other half before the sixth one.  So glad this workout is done.  I think it seals the CONFIDENCE deal that I needed for that SUB THREE.  Mathmatically it all makes sense and I love math.  I am so a NUMBERS person.  : D