JUST what I needed

Woo hoo! I love it when something great jolts me out of a running funk! Tonight was our first track workout for our Miler in Training program for the July 25 Capital Mile.

This is my 5th year participating in the program, and my kids' second year doing the Mini Miler in Training (although it will be James' fourth year running the race and Jake's third). My stomach was actually not happy and it has been pouring all day. So it was a bit hard to get excited to go. Add to that my kids started fighting the second we got into the car for the 30 minute drive to the track. Fortunately that quickly ended.

We got to the track and it was so fun to see fab, familiar faces and to get ready for some speedy stuff. The first meeting, we always have a mile or a little over to gauge our fitness. Today the "main" workout was 5 laps - starting at 5K pace and finishing the last 2 laps harder. We couldn't take our watches and I am terrible at pacing, so I just stuck in behind a couple of guys. Everything felt controlled and easy* (* meaning effort, but I wasn't straining). I guess I was going a bit too slow as I hit the mile at 7:04. But I cranked it up for the last quarter and finished with a 8:38 total. Not blazing fast, but not too shabby after no speedy stuff in months. And I think last year I ran my workouts way too hard. So being slightly conservative at this point is a good thing in my mind.

We got in about 4.5 miles and it was a blast swapping stories with my running buds. I have been tossing around the idea of doing relatively low mileage these next 6 weeks and really focusing on the mile. 2 speed workouts per week. Low volume, much higher intensity. Then cranking 11 weeks to run a respectable marathon at Chicago. I have been so focused on the marathon for the last 5 years, it will be fun to focus on the short stuff. Theia suggested this too. And I think its a good idea. I'll probably swing it by Roots to get his opinion on it, but I think it sounds like a really fun summer plan. :) I looked back at an old Coolrunning thread I started on the topic that includes a link to a training program. I would do a modified version of this one. Maybe it is time for some unchartered territory for this old girl! :)

I'll keep you posted!