Ravens, and Broncos and Track Work, Oh My

So I'm sitting here in my Raven's jersey, sipping my adult beverage (Widmere Brothers' Alchemy Ale - highly recommend for IPA lovers out there) and anxiously awaiting kick-off of the SUPER BOWL CHAMPION Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos game - and I'm starting to think that I might actually fall asleep before this game kicks off. Apparently there are "Severe Lightening Storms" in the area, and I guess, seeing as how Denver IS a mile high in the air, they should take that pretty seriously. I mean, I'm no meteorologist but I do know that things that are higher are generally closer to the sky and much more susceptible to lightening strikes. Or something like that.

Anyway, it's 9:14 here in New York, 7:14 Denver time and that is actually semi-close to my bedtime (the 9:14, not the 7:14, that would be early even by my standards, and I have low standards), however, seeing as how it's A) opening night in the NFL, possibly the best night of the whole year, B) the Raven's, who I am an avid fan of so much so that I spend lots and lots of money at the bar just so I can watch them on Sundays, and C) thirsty Thursday, I think I will extend my bed time a bit.

That's SJ and I rocking our Ravens' jerseys - at our wedding menu tasting. We are classy.

Work has been a nightmare this weeek. It's always good when work stresses you out in the week immediately preceding your A race. Perfect timing, as always, work! Then I had fire department training out east last night, which was simply exhausting. However, on the plus side, I leave tomorrow for Washington - or as a Marylander would say, WaRshington - to get ready for the big day.

I've had two great days of workouts - always a bonus on the lead up to a big race. Wednesday afternoon I went for an easy spin just to get my new shoes tried out and semi-broken in. They felt good - I wore them without socks and didn't find any hot spots or crazy chaffing points and I tend to throw on a pair of thin socks in transition anyway, which will help avoid any of those issues.

Today I finally got my track workout in. 4x800s and 4x400s and I smoked them all. Freaking banged those suckers out and felt solid and strong on each subsequent repeat. I wanted to keep the 800s in the 3:20 range, but pushed it on the final two because I was feeling so good. The 400s I did at a hard pace - not quite full out sprint, but hard enough that I couldn't have sustained the pace for a second lap. Hey, the don't call it "speed work" for nothin'! Here's the breakdown:

800s
1 - 3:21
2 - 3:17
3 - 3:08
4 - 3:10

BOOM!

400s
1 - 1:22
2 - 1:24
3 - 1:23
4 - 1:21

BOOM!

Also, on about the third 800 repeat, a whole group of people came to the track - two different sets of parents with kids. Now, I have no problem with people getting out and exercising and working up a sweat (that's what she said). In fact, I highly encourage everyone to go outside and run around every day - it'll make you feel ten times better. However, I do happen to mind when you come to the track and let your small children wander freely around wherever they want, which also happens to be directly into my line. At one point, I narrowly avoided a collision with a small child biking around track (illegal!) and another kid who decided he didn't want to run on the track anymore and simply veered into my lane. Awesome.

And the most annoying part about it was that the parents didn't even say anything to the kids - but child-rearing is a whole other topic that I don't know anything about but have numerous ideas as to how I could do it better than most people I see with children and I will save it for another day.

As for now, you won't hear from me till probably Sunday evening - who are we kidding? Monday at the earliest - as I will more than likely not be bringing my computer to DC, but fear not, because I will have both a race report AND a weekly wrap-up to bring to you.

Happy training, and if you are racing out at the Mighty Hamptons - or anywhere - good luck!