A sticky start back at the track

We had been told that the club could use the new improved WISE track again from 11th October. I had to miss the first two weeks because of work so I was raring to go this week and planned to set off at 6. The best-laid plans, etc………………

6.05pm. Finally found gloves. Put on shoes.

6.10pm. Realised I’d got no water so grabbed the bottle from the cupboard, dislodging a jar of sweet and sour sauce (3 for the price of 2 - couldn’t leave that!). This fell onto the work surface and broke, spattering the (white) cupboard doors, the washing machine and my tights. Should I change tights? If I did I’d miss the session. Wiped as much sauce as possible off tights and got into car, heater on, drying out as I went.

Traffic heavier than usual. Of course.

6.35pm. Finally made it. Couldn’t find the book to sign in and there was nobody around to ask. Found someone. Asked. Signed.

6.45pm. Onto track, find the others, do jog lap, then drills.

Coach tells us what session we’ll be doing. Oh, my favourite! I always think of it as “whistle fartlek” but there may be a better name. We set off at a jog, run at one blast of the whistle, jog at two blasts. Repeat the last two parts for ten minutes. Have a short rest then do it again.

I enjoy track because other runners pass me and I have someone to chase. That last word is being used in the sense of “watch them disappear round the track” rather than with any thought that I might ever catch them. It’s better than nothing.

There didn’t seem to be any pattern to the efforts or recovery times and, after the first few, I didn’t care as the fast parts hurt and the recoveries were never long enough. Still, I was pleased that in the first ten minutes I covered a mile and my average pace was 9:54.

The second ten minutes were slower at 10:19 but given that both soon degenerated into walk recoveries, I was quite pleased.

Gentle jog to cool down and back to the horror-movie set by eight o’clock.

It had been a good evening and I’ve certainly learned from the experience - that’s the last time I take advantage of a 3 for 2 offer on sauces.

Happy running!