SPEEDY CLASS

I went to Speed Class last night. It was the first time. Normally my work schedule keeps me from the Tuesday and Thursday night workouts. But I'm on vacation now so Coach Shelly invited me to come to the classes that she and her husband Bob offer.

It was a new experience. I've NEVER run speed with anyone, and that's good. I don't want anyone seeing how undisciplined I am. I'm always going too fast at the start, then slowing down, huffing and puffing and suffering as the end nears. Never a pretty sight; certainly not one that I want anyone to witness.

So I run alone. But not last night because, as I said, I was at Speed Class. With the Competitive Group. We were going to do half mile intervals, 6 of them, in the area of the 103rd Street Transverse.

There were about 25 of us plus Bob and Shelly (I think) and 4 coaches. Each coach would lead a small group and keep us on pace. The first group would be the fastest runners, the second the next quickest and so on. This would be a tough workout. I didn't want to embarass myself in a too fast group where I couldn't keep up. On the other hand, a too slow group would not help me to a good workout. Which too choose? Remember, I had no experience with this.

Bob made it easy. He announced: "First group, who can do under 7:00 (per mile)in a 5K." Ah, perfect! That was definitely me. We'd probably go 3:10 to 3:15 pace or so for each interval. I'd averaged 3:16 a month ago. So this would challenge me to improve by a reasonable, surely doable, amount.

I was the first out to the starting line and a bunch of runners who knew me (and knew it was my first time) cheered and shouted encouragement. Cool! Speed class is obviously a wonderful, supportive place!! I got ready to run.

Our coach got to the front and said we'd go at a sub 3 minute pace. Three minutes? What? That's way too fast!! How does a sub 7 minute 5K translate to under 3 for a half mile? I've NEVER run that fast. This is the WRONG group for me...I should wait for the next one or perhaps even the one after that. But how can I go back now? Everyone had cheered when I'd first gone out. Well, obviously, I was gonna run with these folks!

Off we went at a VERY brisk pace. I stayed near the front and, when we turned onto the Transverse, we were half way done. The road slopes down a bit there and I just tried to hang on. I finished at 2:55, my best ever!

This was great but there was NO WAY I could maintain it. I slid back into the next quickest group and ran the next 2 at just a few seconds above 3. I was very pleased, but, in the humid evening, pretty exhausted. Another runner said encouringly that we were half way through, but I felt a whole lot more than half finished at that point! In fact, I was thinking about falling back another group. But I decided not to. I'd try to hang in where I was.

Interval 4 went up the transverse and that was tough. My time increased, but, so, it seems, did everyone's. All I wanted to do was get to the end and I did. On the 5th, however, I got some strength back and did a 3:10. Nothing great, but better than anything I'd run a month ago. For the finale I told myself not to kill myself, just finish. Well, 3:18 is quite a jump from where I started, but I could live with that. I averaged just under 3:08 and that is the fastest I've ever been for this workout.

Pretty speedy!

I can go to 2 more classes before my vacation ends. Can't wait for the next one!!