Ugh!

That's the only word I have left after starting indoor track for the season.  I'll admit I was a little cocky going into it.  Somehow I had forgotten that due to injury I've been off the track since Aug/Sept.  No worries, I got out of bed early and made it there on time.  Actually felt pretty good during the warm up.  Should have started to get nervous when we were asked to do 3 striders (jog half the track and run faster the 2nd half) and I could only do 2.   

Bob approached me and mentioned something about an 8 min pace for the workout, my initial reaction was "are you friggin kidding me", but rather I responded, "I'll try it".  Our group consisted of 4 of us, one is an older gentleman who I have run with before and he's like a stop watch.  Ask him to run half the track in 35 seconds and he can do it, I should have stayed with him.  I didn't, I tried to stay with the others and paid for it dearly.  My first 1000m was 8 seconds too fast, doesn't seem like much, but it killed me.  The 2nd 1000m ended after the first lap and a half, and I jogged off the track gasping for air.  After that, I did the rest of the intervals one lap short of the rest of the group.  But I didn't give up. 

Last year I would have left in a huff, pissed off that I couldn't do it.  This time I left with a smile, learned a lesson, I'm slow and de-conditioned.  It's going to be hard, but it's once a week for an hour and 20 minutes, I can do it.  Likely next week won't be markedly different, but in a month or 2 this blog will sound different, that's why I'll keep at it.