The hell of 800M x 6 speedwork

So my goal was supposed to be 4:34. That's IF I can run a 5K in 30. I would LOVE to run a sub-5K and that is a goal of mine. I need some, what, bragging rights? Some marker to say "Yes-I did that!" But right now I haven't been able to acheive that. I'm still trying and I'm not giving up yet.

Back to Hell. We ran 800 meters x 6 with a 2 minute break between laps. My goal was supposed to be 4:34. Here's what I actually did:
1-4:29
2-4:43 (9 sec over)
3-4:50 (16 sec over)
4-5:00 (26 sec over)
5-5:00 (26 sec over)
6-4:48 (14 sec over)

Eric keeps mentioning nutrition as a key factor in training. Yes I hear him. I was REALLY hearing him in my head around Lap 4 when I was running out of steam. I kept thinking that I should have had more than an apple at around 2:30. I should have had something at around 5 or 5:30 but I was a bit rushed. I had to decompress after work. I had to roll my solis and my quads. I had to feed the dog. I had to find my goal time to confirm it's what I had in my head. I should at least have grabbed a Gu or had a bar. I should have heard that voice earlier.

I have to thank Lee for getting me through my 5th lap. She doesn't know it, but when she ran by me in the back straightaway, I listened to her footsteps and tried to keep up with that rhythm. You helped me through that one. I was thinking Lap 5 was going to be around 5:10 since at 400 M I was at 2:33, but I was able to pick up the pace listening to you. Thanks Lee.

I don't know what happened in Lap 6, but I was able to keep a slightly faster pace than Laps 3, 4 & 5. Maybe it was thinking this was the last lap. One more and it's over for this workout.

Or maybe I was able to concentrate more on my breathing and my running form. There wasn't anyone in front of me and I could think about matching my breathing to my footsteps. I could think about trying to run more upright and concentrate on how I think my foot was landing-was I reaching forward or was I lifting my leg, was I leaning properly? If I do this, how does that feel? I can't breathe-pull more upright. Use my arms more. An upward movement is a waste of energy-try to keep my feet close to the ground and moving forward. All this was going through my head just to get me though that last lap. Through the other laps I would concentrate on Elba or Carol and just think I need to keep up. Maybe the trick is to learn to block out everything and just listen to the voices in my head.

I know all of this will get me closer to a sub-30 5K, maybe a sub-60 10K. Wouldn't that be sweet. Yes this is the marathon training, but I'm just looking at the baby steps.

Blogging our food?

So according to our Illustrious Leader-Eric, we're supposed to be blogging our food and using this as an on-line food journal. This could be very boring or very embarrasing.

So let me recount yesterday. The day I didn't work out but instead used my bike as an project.

Breakfast (same pretty much as every other day)
1/4 c oatmeal
3/4 T protein powder
topped with blueberries, flaxseed and almonds

Can't forget my coffee.

Snack
1 C low fat vanilla yogurt topped with frozen blueberries
water

Lunch
A large bowl of lettuce covered with shavings of parmesean cheese, 1/8 C white beans, a handful of organic baby heirloom tomatoes all topped with a county italian dressing.
water

Snack
3 pcs of turkey lunch meat
smoked oysters (got hungry waiting for D to get back from bootcamp)
Fizzy water

Dinner
Hamberger patty w/cheese
baked beans
corn
Fizzy water

So far today is a repeat of yesterday except my big bowl of lettuce was covered with lots of olives, capers, 12 grilled shrimp, baby heirloom tomatoes and 1 1/2 eggs with a basalmic vinegarette. My version of a Salade Nicoisse

HMM maybe tomorrow I'll have an antipasta salad.

I live for salads in the summer and soups in the winter. But I'm digressing. My food choices are simple-Oatmeal to lower my cholesterol, blueberries for macular degeneration that my optometrist tell me "Wow-I usually don't see that until the patient is in their mid-sixties." THANKS A LOT! Then to be reassuring, he says that it may level off and I would never notice. Yeah-that's very reassuring. I've known him WAY too long. Yogurt for the calcium all women need. Flaxseed is high in Omega-3s.

I get into my forties and my food choices have to be thought out. Boy I long for the days of wondering if I want The Hat, Roscoes Chicken & Waffles, The Stuffed Sandwich or The Boat. Yummm The Hat. Dipped bread pilled high with pastrami. Yummmm. My heart is beating faster but I don't know if that's just the plaque and cholesterol building up from the thought of pastrami