Inside outside, leave me alone
Inside outside, nowhere is home
Inside outside, where have I been?
Out of my brain on the five fifteen (The Who)
Following the Bix 7 last weekend I took it easy for a couple days and then overcooked myself on Tuesday, running 16 miles on a morning when the temperature climbed from an already warm 82 degrees t0 90 by the time I finished. I actually felt good through about 13 miles, then things got real as I could feel my core temperature and heart rate rising faster than Jakob Ingebrigtsen finishes a 1500. I did finish it out, but felt nauseous and wrought for the rest of the day.
After an easy double on Wednesday I ran a 25 minute shakeout on the treadmill Thursday morning trying to figure what lap paces to run for the evening’s 1500 m in Boulder. My only sub 6 this year was last weekend’s 5:47 final downhill mile at Bix, so I didn’t know what to expect. Add to that expected temps in the 90s. So figured 87-88 and then bringing it down a bit for the next to laps, with finish of 60 for the final 300. So maybe 5:18-20.
The race was part of the fifth (of six) Boulder Road Runners Summer Track and Field Series, which have been a staple on Potts Field since the early 1980s.
The forecast for Thursday was for a high of 93 in Boulder and about 89 at race time. Nope. At 6:30 PM the temp was 95. But it was a dry 95.
I was not motivated.
My teammate Adam showed up as they made the first call for the 1500 and said, “Be like The Who, 5:15.”
Took me a second because I have listened to that song maybe three times since the year 2000–but it clicked, Out of my brain on the train on the five-fifteen!
The idea was intriguing but that seemed a little fast given the conditions and my less than rested state this week. I didn’t think that was in the cards.
They lined up 10 minutes early and I almost missed final call, doing my last stride out on the homestretch (give me a break, hadn’t run a 1500 since 2010, only the mile). I think there were 13 runners lined up and I was seeded toward the end. Not only was I the oldest by 15 or 20 years, I think I could have been a grand parent to two-thirds of the field, and most of them were young girls 11-14.
Gun went off and I veered to the inside lane, maybe too fast not taking the entire 100 m tangent. Had a stumble as another runner cut in just ahead, he said he was sorry. I checked my watch at a 100 and was 20 sec, way too fast so settled back as the field pulled away. I must have been second or third to last at the lap (84) and a good 15 meters behind the next runners. So even 84 was too fast, especially on such a hot evening, but there I was getting left in the dust by the field.
I did not catch my 800 split but did cross 700 m at 2:28 according to the digital clock. I had picked up one of the young runners, and then another on the next lap. That was about it for passing anyone.
Picked it up slightly with a lap to go and around the curve, but planned only to start kicking with 200 to go. I tapped my watch at three laps (4:15) and set my sights on the next two runners still 15-20 meters up. With 250 to go, I did not feel like going into a full sprint yet so decided to wait until the final 150. On the curve I picked up my knees and cadence and worked into whatever I had for a sprint finish. I didn’t quite catch them but was close!
A volunteer came up an took my tag and showed me her watch time, 5:15!
Out of my brain, following the train!
In spite of the baking temperatures that was actually pretty fun and this month I’ll take two attempts at the mile, hoping for better conditions and with a goal of sub 5:30. An injection of mile pacing should help for longer road and cross country this fall.
rrunnin234 