View Workout (Anthony Belber)

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timed mile

April 17, 2016 (Afternoon)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 70s, sun, warm

Comments:
As I was saying in Saturday's log, I can only run if tricked into it, it seems. So, I agreed to meet Patrick Blinkhorn for his weekly mile time trial this afternoon at AU at 4:00. Even so, I couldn't get myself out the door until 3:50, so I DROVE, instead of ran, to the corner of 44th and Albemarle. Acknowledging I'd have to warm up, I parked and ran at a slog to the AU track feeling just as tight and unmotivated as I'd feared. I found Patrick fully decked out in a heavy, hooded, cotton sweatsuit (grey so he "could wash it in lights or darks"). Technically, he found me as I was about to run right past him until he said hello. Not only has he remembered my lessons about keeping sweats on until the workout begins (it was 70 and sunny), but he is also loyal to the drills and striders. We finished those routines together and jogged into a mile. He has been training for a few months, has lost nearly 20 lbs, and ran 5:50 three weeks ago and 5:40 two weeks ago. He suggested 5:30 pace, which I promptly failed to deliver. Splits are below. Based upon his breathing which sounded labored and his admitting that speed work hasn't happened for him in a few weeks, I allowed the pace to slip away from 5:30 soon after the first 200. with 900 to go, I told him we were heading towards 5:50 pace unless we worked the third lap. I"m pretty sure he grunted that we should "go now." Somewhere in the next 200 he was surging and I reluctantly responded. With 50 to go, I told him to work the remaining straightaways... and he did. I was very impressed with his focus and drive. We worked together until 70 to go when I realized he didn't have a kick left, and I surged a bit ahead. He finished in 5:34.3

Quite an inspiring effort from "The Warm-up Champ" whose time today would have been a high school PR and has only been beaten when he trained solo in his later college years or beyond. He's working out twice a day, with cardio, running, strength, and weights. He is one very focused man and he nearly never got caught in Foxes and Hounds. We jogged a very slow two laps and then I ran slowly back to the car, satisfied that at least I found a way to work hard today.

1:24.5
1:25.1 (2:49.6)
1:20.8
1:20.9 (5:31.3)