I headed into the Sun Run with one interval workout and one half as my prep for running fast. As a result I new it was going to be a little touch and go, and I also haven’t raced in 18months and ran anything hard over 15min. The goal was to feel strong and stay on form and effort the whole race and be around 32 minutes. Coach Lance and I had a couple of discussions about how to run this exact course layout and what my fitness indicators should get me. What was disappointing was how far off he was. He suggested opening km, 5km and final split times based on the few speed workouts and my general fitness. He thought I would go out in a 2:50k, go through the 5k in 15:45 and finish up right around 32 on the nose. Maybe a touch faster if I felt great and 32:15 if I struggled. I was 2:48, 15:43 and brought home a 32:05, so I guess he wasn’t that far off 🙂 I guess that is what happens when you work with a coach for 15years and one that pays attention to every detail of a race course and can apply to his athlete. He has a pretty amazing assessment of my fitness and how it can be applied to specific events. I didn’t have as much confidence as he did in the race plan going in, but this morning I awoke and just trusted that sometimes he knows me better then I do. He has the ability to look at the actual work that has been done and regardless of the stresses in my life and training can predict the outcome if I focus and apply what I have available, no more no less. When training is great and you feel good it is quite easy to have confidence and predict outcomes. But after a year away from regular training and hit and miss training over the last weeks I had lost my sense for fitness indicators and confidence. But with an experienced coach that knows me inside and out I just needed to trust. Thank you Lance for helping me gain this back and for getting me through this hard year. Though I am happy with this run, 32:05 is a good starting point and I look forward to getting back to my low 30’s form of 2009 in the next months. Maybe two more interval workouts will do it! Ha Ha Wish it will be that easy.
