Once again I stuck out as a foreigner at the track today. Time trials were being run at the stadium and I was going to work my workout in with them. I was told to be ready by 3, so to me that means be there at 2. Well low and behold I show up and I’m the only one there. I’m not too surprised, so I just chill for a half hour and enjoy being at the track. Well 2:30 rolls around and a couple of the younger kids show up, but that’s about it. I start to get anxious with every minute past 2:30. 2:32 I start to warm up. I think that this is going to have to be a rushed one to be ready for 3, good thing I shortened my warm up. Ten minutes into my warm up and I’m still the only one there. I see people show up, but then they disappear, I figure they are just changing or something. Almost done my warm up and still barely anyone where, or so I thought. As I go to set up some hurdles for a couple drills, I can hear some familiar voices coming from under the stands. I go and look and everyone is warming up under the stand, out of the sun! I was lucky that today it wasn’t too hot, and my warm up was bearable, but now I know for next time. I just acted like I knew what was up, said hey, and continued to warm up under the sun. Three o’clock rolled around and people started to make their way onto the track. I was ready to go, but it seemed like no one was really doing anything, just sort of waiting. I asked one of the guys, and they said we had to wait for coach to come, so I did. By 3:30 there still was no sign of him and I just really wanted to get this workout under way. I had thought about it all night, and I knew mentally I was prepared for it. But as the time passed and coached still didn’t show up, I could feel my extra long warm up start to drain me. At 4:10 coach called and dished out the events for everyone. All the quarter milers were going to run 300 meters and 150 meters. By this time I wasn’t cooled down, but I wasn’t really feeling my workout either. I asked one of the guys if I should just work around them or what should I do. My spark was some what brightened when it was suggested I just run with the boys and show ‘em how it’s done! With that I felt re-energized and ready to run again. The long warm up no longer felt like a drain, and I was ready to make the boys cry.
Even though this was very different then what was first prescribed as my workout, I still felt like it was going to be beneficial. Luckily the quarter milers were first, and I was ready to go. As we set up to go, the beaking started between the boys, and I immediately felt like I was back at home. I got my couple snaps in then refocused on the new workout. The 300 meter didn’t go exactly like I wanted but I still got an alright time in, 40.92. It was a bit off my personal best, but a good start to the year. Plus I was able to beat one boy, and that’s all that really mattered :-) The 150 meter I took out a little more relaxed, and I was able to set a new personal best at 18.20.
Every Sunday the club has these time trials, and I think they will help me to determine how I’m improving and how well my training is or isn’t working. The time trails have the feeling of a mini meet, which brings some familiarity and comfort to me. There’s some smack talk, some competition but still a little relaxed and fun. I’ll be missing all of the indoor season back home, so these will be a nice substitute.
The workouts for next week are unknown at this point. I haven’t heard from my coach yet, so if nothing comes I’ll just take the day off…or just do their workout down here :-) If I start to take too many days off I might start looking like a normie!!
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