Picture Perfect Track workout

Does it get any better than this? I was doing my warm-up on Tuesday morning, and I was stopped in my tracks by the sunrise. It was stunning. The fog was there, but the sun was able to peek through. It looked like I was running through an 18th century painting. It was so beautiful, I could not believe it.

The inspiration gave me a lift, and helped make for a great workout. The task: 2.5 mile warm up, 6 x 150m strides, 5 x 1200 m (3/4 mile) with 400m recovery, aiming to start the 1200s at 5:15 and knocking off 3-4 seconds for each one, 2.5 mile cool down.

1200s are interesting - perfectly in between the grinding it out 800 and the mile. I actually really enjoyed this workout, because each interval went by pretty quickly, and while the last couple were tough, they were certainly doable: 5:12, 5:07, 5:03, 5:00, 4:56! Which meant that the average mile pace went from 6:58 to 6:36! Again, I am starting to be more comfortable with that sub 7 pace. The fog kept things nice and cool, and even when the sun came out at the end, I felt good.

It was another triumph in my new running town, in new running shoes, with my new shorter distance plan.

Sun rises yet again

But the picture it paints is striking and new

Orange rays peer through departing fog

Seeking to start another day

Deviating from the tried and true.

The runner sees beauty in the mountainous land

Finds joy and refuge

In the mysterious scene

Stopped in her tracks momentarily to gaze

Take it all in

And depart with the new vision.

Impossible to ignore the beauty of the sky

Colors so glorious, undulating and new

The sight of it all pushes the runner

To aim high

To reach for such glory

To push harder

Strive for longer

To be a part of something greater

Surely not as majestic as the mountain

But at least to try to climb so high.