All I can say is Ugh

After toying with, and possibly actually taking a Big Step, I stepped out this morning for a Wednesday run with speedwork. The title above says it all.

Actually it wasn't that bad of a run. I did about 3.5 miles of warm-up, hitting around a ten-minute pace after the first typically slow mile. I kept the warm-up pretty short because I wanted to do mile repeats at the track and I didn't want to run out of time.

It was quite dark when I got there and that certainly did not make things easy. Only one side of the track was not in darkness, and that was because I was running toward a large spotlight on a nearby building. Having that light in my eyes was possibly even worse than not being able to distinguish between the track and grassy field in the dark portions!

My original plan (which did not come to fruition in any way) was to run four one-mile intervals at, possibly, 5K pace (about 7:45) with approximately half a mile recovery in between.

I couldn't see the Garmin at all, so I originally thought I would just run blind and check the results. But after the first mile was done I couldn't resist standing under a light pole and checking the history, just to get an idea what I was doing. Turns out that mile was 8:07, off pace but not too bad. As a recovery jog, I finished the fourth circuit of the track (since it's more than a quarter mile it only takes about 3 2/3 laps to make a mile) then went around again (just under half a mile total).

I might mention here that when I first arrived at the track I felt a little bit like I had to go to the bathroom but was sure I could wait till I was done. Still feeling like that, but a little more so, I commenced the second mile.

By the time I got to the final lap I was quite sure I couldn't make another mile without a bathroom stop. I finished the mile then ditched the track and headed for QFC (a few blocks away). Unfortunately the porta potty at the track was padlocked. I can't blame them, I know it's for games and field events, not passersby who might have a need, but as a passerby who really had a need, I sure wish it had been open.

I tried to run to QFC to at least add a little recovery mileage, but quickly found out I needed to walk. Running activates too much...gravity. I walked as quickly as I could and darted into the store with great relief!

After I finished at QFC I did jog back to the track and jumped right into mile 3. However, I had used up my time for mile 4 in my diversion to QFC. So I had to terminate the speedwork at three miles instead of 4. And when I checked my splits for miles 2 and 3...8:18 and 8:22. Can you say SUPERFAIL?

(Eternal optimist me, I amended my plan for today to three one-mile repeats at 10K pace. DONE!)

With my recovery from mile 3 and my run home, I did manage to top 8 miles, so total mileage was good even if the speedwork was crappy. Errr...you know what I mean.

Total stats: 8.06 miles, 9:24 average pace.