Speed Work -- Part Deux

Note to self:  Speed work is a different animal, and needs to be approached with respect.

Okay, the theory behind doing a speed workout on Tuesday was, (1) usual running buddy is out of town and SBRC folks go to the track on Tuesday; (2) I'm recovered from the Marathon, right, it's been over two weeks; (3) one of my Spring goals is to improve my 5K time, and that's going to take doing some speed work; (4) one of the technical issues with my form has been opening up my hip on the left side and rolling through, speed work will force me to fully rotate; (5) there is no reason number 5; (6) it would be fun.

All of these things turned out to be correct.  The group split up into different workouts.  Three of us decided to do quarter mile repeats.  I have been at this long enough to know that 90 seconds is about what I can do. I don't do a lot of speed work, but when I do, a loop of the track always feels pretty much like this: (first turn) wow, it feels good to open up my stride, this is cool; (back stretch) gee, this isn't so hard, maybe I should speed up a bit; (second turn) uh oh, maybe that was a bit fast, my legs are beginning to feel this, and so are my lungs; (last part of second turn) oh f*ck this is beginning to hurt; (home stretch) $%$&*&^%^#$%^$; (end) 90 seconds plus or minus two again???  Gasp, gasp, gasp.

The session ran pretty much true to form.  One of us was doing 80 second loops, and two of us were around 90 (92, 88, 92, 92, 91).  It really was fun.  I'm usually by myself, and having a gang there doing various workouts really helped.  Misery loves company, and encouragement.  I left feeling like I should do this more often.

Then reality hit, or more appropriately, hit back.  Hmm.  That angry tendon in my right foot has now been joined by an angry left achilles.  Was that a spasm in my ITB?  Why is walking suddenly so difficult? Apparently, I really beat myself up.  With a nice slow warm up, and a nice slow warm down, it was a six mile run.  I stretched and rolled out afterwards.  Why do I feel like I ran a 20 miler? I took yesterday off due to work, and this morning, I had a lovely, very slow, run, working out the kinks, but the after effects are still very much present.  I guess the good news is that the parts that hurt are on the side that needed more work . . .

Back to the bike and pool for a few days . . .