Today was a threshold workout. Typically, these workouts scare me because they seem to target my "hole" in ability. I began with a twenty minute warmup, stretched a bit, then hit up a five mile AT run. My coach set the goal pace at 5:28 per mile. I started slow (5:32) mile, but I was fine with this. Too many times have I gone out fast, only to be greeted with a slump at the end. I hit two miles in 11:00 flat, then went into coasting mode. I tend to zone out, sort of immunizing myself to the pain of the workout, then come back to life when I need to kick things up a bit. At mile four I was at 21:50, time to lay the hammer down. I finished in 27:15, with a last mile at 5:25ish pace. This pace is three seconds per mile slower than what I need to hit at the time trial a month from now. The time trial course is a tougher place to run, though. On the contrary, I will be in "race mode" come that time, whereas this was only a workout. I don't really want to overanalyze, though. I just want to run fast and make the team. | 