It’s mornings like today that I’m grateful for a running partner who forces me to get up and tortures me with speedwork keeps me accountable.  Honestly, the way I felt this morning, I would have rather stayed in bed a little longer and I probably would have if I faced speedwork alone.  When the alarm rang at 5:00 a.m., I dragged myself out of bed and moaned every step after that.

Since we skipped our speed drills last week due to avoidance scheduling conflicts, Tiffany and I knew we had to make up for it this week even though we both dreaded it.  Our virtual coach, Hal, instructed us to do 8 x 400.  UGH!  Eight yucky, sweaty, hurts like a mofo sprints!

I seriously was not feeling the speedwork today and neither was Tiffany, but two negative attitudes equal one just get it over with attitude.  So, we started with an easy half mile run.

0.48 miles

Time 5:08

Ave Pace 10:39

After our warm-up run, we started with our sucky sticky sweaty sprints and Tiffany marked each sprint with our nifty little sidewalk chalk tally chart again.  After just two sets, I needed my rescue inhaler.  The humidity was killing me.

Lap 1 – 0.25 miles

Time 1:50

Ave Pace 7:27

Lap 2 – 0.24 miles

Time 1:46

Ave Pace 7:17

Lap 3 –  0.26

Time 1:57

Ave Pace 7:39

Lap 4 – 0.24

Time 1:56

Ave Pace 7:56

Lap 5 – 0.24

Time 1:55

Ave Pace 7:54

Lap 6 – 0.24

Time 1:48

Ave Pace 7:26

Lap 7 – 0.25

Time 1:53

Ave Pace 7:38

Lap 8 – 0.25

Time 1:52

Ave Pace 7:31

Thankfully, there was no dog poop or commuter traffic for this morning’s speedwork.  We did, however, have to dodge an armadillo that played possum as we ran past him.  Silly, Armadillo.  If you’re going to crawl through our track, then you are going to have to run like the rest of us!

After hurdling armadillos, we ended with another half mile run.

0.49 Miles

Time 4:42

Ave Pace 9:40

My times were not the greatest.  I’m sure it had to do with me dragging my feet and not wanting to do sprints from the get-go.  But, I prefer to blame it on the humidity, the armadillo and the Cheeseburger Happy Meal and candy pumpkins I had for dinner the night before, which isn’t the best food fuel for sprints.  However, I did wash it all down with my new favorite beverage, Budwesier Select 55 and a wedge of lime.  After all, it is the “lightest beer in the world”.  I thought it might help make me a little lighter on my feet, but not so much.