Happy new year everybody! AM: 5k easy run. Didn't want to run longer since workout was starting at 2:30pm. PM: Had a really hard workout scheduled for today. It was 3-4 x 2 mile reps, 5 min rest between. That is hard enough but its the pace that was freaking me out: 11:20 target, so 5:40. That is really tough, esp since if coach says 3-4 that means "4 unless you are partially injured or a sissy". Not either. So, I recruited Curtis who very generously met me in the middle of the day (worked before and after--that's right on New Year's Day). Warmed up 2.25 miles (switched to miles for this workout--novel and a bit foreign) then first 2 mile segment was into the wind (Fo Tan to University bathrooms). There were about 30 bikes parked around the twin bridges intersection and we lost a couple of seconds there, but made them up. 11:21. Sweet. I would have been happy with 11:30 with headwind and it being the first one. We turned around for #2 but went over the twin bridges to ma on shan side toward tai wai (to avoid bad intersection): 11:09. During this rest we ran to a vending machine and bought water and I had a gu. Already tired. Did 11:26 on #3, not sure why since there was tailwind, but we did lose a couple of seconds when I didn't communicate the direction I wanted to go and Curtis went a different way than me. Curtis had to get back to work so I was on my own for #4, and I turned around. Headwind and tired, but got 11:20 exactly. Some tears at the end, because effort was so hard and so happy to have completed the workout and to have evidence that I am in great shape. A confidence booster going into the half marathon this Sunday. This Sunday's half marathon is the Hong Kong marathon championships. I know Yiu Kit Ching is going to try to unseat me (I won last year and beat her for the first time in a 10k the last time we raced). The course is HILLY and the course record is 1:19:30, so will be tough but possible. Stretching when get home :D Day 1 of no sweets. Will be sweet - free through Standard Chartered on February 24th.
| 