Semantics

Over dark cool pints, I met with a friend of mine earlier this week and listened to his counsel on structuring a 5k program that with some luck, will deliver me at the Bazan Bay 5k with enough speed and strength to set a new PB. After spending the last few years focused on longer races, I’m surprisingly excited about my new endeavor but respectful of the task. Although it has been several years since running 5k, I can vividly recall the excruciating pain that courses throughout your body in the shorter races.

With renewed passion and afresh program, I headed out Thursday night into less than ideal training conditions that would’ve made Thomas or Brad proud. Despite the torrential downpour, or conceivably because of it, I launched myself into the hill amazed to find that it was my lungs and not my legs that were suffering. I loved every minute. Apart from incorporating some bounding into the marathon build for London, it has been years since I’ve run hills and I’m interested in the gains to be made.

This morning had me back at Frontrunners (this time as a Run Leader) helping to coach a new clinic. With the multitude of races available in the spring and two local Half Marathons in May (Vancouver and Victoria), the clinic members were oozing enthusiasium and excitement. Tomorrow is the first race (Central Saanich Pioneer 8k) in the 2008 Island Race Series, and my first race of the season. I’m not expecting much which is made all the easier with not knowing what to expect, semantics perhaps? Regardless, I’ve run this race twice before, once in 1996 (29:19) and then again in 2006 (28:26). I’d like to think I can better my time but would be happy with even splits and a controlled race.

Training:
Thursday: 40:50 with 6x1’ hills
Friday: undulating 1:01:29 (weights in the morning)
Saturday: 41:10 with 5x strides