Week 6 - "Soggy Speed Session"

Sunshine is delicious,
Rain is refreshing,
Wind braces us up,
Snow is exhilarating,There's really no such thing as bad weather,Only different kinds of good weather."

With the way the weather has been in 2010 so far this is the only kind of attitude you can take if you want to run.

Wednesday = Track Day. The weather was to be rain, heavy rain. On the way to LTF this morning the rain was on the light side. As I got closer to my destination the rain became increasingly steadier and more water droplets continued to hit my windshield.

As I turned up the wipers I email Jay to advise him of the oncoming downpour. A few minutes later I received an email from him stating that it looks like we maybe inside.

The thought of another run indoors on the treadmill was not appealing at all, but with the water coming down fast and furious what other choice did we have?

I emailed Ann Marie at 5:15AM ad advised her of the situation. Her speed workout was not conducive to the treadmill due to the distance, so she would have to make other plans.
By the time I hit the locker room and changed I heard Jay and Ann Marie out in the hallway talking. I made my way out and by the time I met them the decision had changed. We are going outside. Ann Marie had stated that the rain had let up and we should go. With an, “okay” I turned around headed back into the depths of the locker room and prepared for an outside run.
I met Jay and Ann Marie in the lobby. (Bob was unable to make this run due to a death in his family. Our prayers are there for Bob, Kim and Kim’s family.) Ann Marie wanted to go find Shane and drag him along so she headed upstairs to find him. When she returned she has Evan instead in tow. Evan thought we were crazy for running in the rain, but we said it is only sprinkling out and we will be fine.

As we headed for the door I could see that the sprinkle of rain we discussed was no longer. A monsoon had erupted outdoors as the rain beat against the glass doors and river started to form in the parking lot. Instead of complaining about the total drenching we were about to part take in, I bit the lip and ventured out with the other 3 brave souls.

We stepped outside and immediately was pelted with rain from all sides. Before we made it across the parking lot we were soaked. We continued our journey down Webb Bridge and to the track tip toeing over puddles and mud all the way.

When we arrived at the track the rain continued to come down in a steady stream. We wasted no time scouting the track and putting up markers for split times.

Jay & Evan had 6 X 400M @ 1:30 (10K race this Saturday for them)
Ann Marie had 15 X 300M @ 1:06’s
My track was: 1K @ 3:35, 2K @ 7:35, 1K, 1K both at 3:35.

As Ann Marie and I ran the track so I could show her the start and finish to a 300M, Jay& Evan started on their 400’s.

The rain continued to come down as we all hit our marks on the track. Puddles started to form half way through the sets but we kept going. Jay & Evan finished their 400M’s while AM and I had only finished half of our sets.

We cut them loose to warm up and get dry and we finished our speed sets. I happened to finish my set before AM and I jogged in the outside lane as she knocked out the rest of the 300’s with ease. I witnessed her last one at the finish line of the 300 and her form, stride and posture were all in line. I think she would had done 10 more the way she was cruising the track in the rain.
After her completion, we high tailed it out of there for some dry accommodations at LTF.

Stretching, a few words were exchanged and I was off to get ready for work as Ann Marie was meeting up with Melissa for a 1 ½ hour spin session.

The weather continues to come up against us all here in Georgia with snow, ice, freezing temperatures, wind and rain. You can either get down to business and do what needs to be done or curl up and go back to bed. Once race day comes you cannot control the weather, only deal with it.