Friday Ramble 03/18/22

This week: The long build-up behind a breakthrough performance. Plus a minestrone recipe that’s been a family favorite for years, and a note about renewals. 

Most of the time when I head out for a run, it takes a few miles to figure out how I’m feeling. My middle-aged body has its own agenda that doesn’t always match the rhythms of the training schedule. Yet, every once in a while, everything comes together to produce a magical performance.  

From the very first steps of my Wednesday workout, I could tell this was going to be one of those days. The warm up progression from 10-minute pace down to sub-9 was smooth and unhurried. The weather – overcast, low 40s, no wind – was ideal. Even the ground that had been iced-over just a few days earlier was soft and forgiving following an overnight rain. 

It was a good day to feel good because my workout consisted of four one-mile repeats with a half mile recovery between reps. The goal pace was set at 6 minutes and 50 seconds per mile, which fell in the perfect space between ambitious and just right. 

The key to running mile repeats is finding your groove and staying there. Going out too fast often has negative consequences down the stretch. Starting too slow simply means you’ll have more work to do later. As with most workouts, life metaphors abound. 

While my watch counted down the final meters of the first mile, I sneaked a peak as it flashed a 6:40 split, 10 seconds faster than my goal pace. I didn't know it then, but my day was only going to get better. 

Much as it might have seemed like a gift from the Running Gods, this performance didn’t come out of nowhere. It was the result of a patient training buildup fortified by endless easy miles that built a strong enough aerobic base to handle this kind of effort. 

Guys, it’s all connected.