School Day
As the end of summer draws near, I thought it appropriate today to go back to school. To schools, actually. I was looking to run five today, so jumped up early and got out the door.
I headed up the hill to Berkeley High, where the track is always accessible these days because a bunch of big burly guys consistently show up at the crack of dawn to work at all the construction happening on campus. The rather sepulchral and very serious monument above is part of the school's new look. Luckily for the school, the worrisome tilt of the whole thing came courtesy of the photographer--it's actually pretty plumb (if not totally plum dandy).
For fun I thought I'd try a couple of Yasso 800s just to see how it felt. The run up to the track was .75 miles, so I was more or less warmed up--enough, anyway, to start my workout. The idea is that you start with a goal time for a marathon or half marathon. For me my marathon goal these days would be 5 hours, while my half would be 2.5 hours (I'd hope to beat the latter, but feel the need to be realistic).
Having identified your desired time, you run your 800s at a time that is numerically related. My goal time is 5 hours, so I should run every 800 in 5 minutes. Today I ran two 800s (each one is two laps around the track), the first in 5:41:50 and the second in 4:48:62. (I know, close but no cigar--I think this takes practice.) I walk/jogged one lap in between the 800s, but have since read that the recovery time should equal the time of the 800. I see how that extended time will be necessary if I get beyond two 800s--the drill is to get up to ten. It remains to be seen whether I really want to pursue this, but it's fun to tinker with, both in my head and on the track.
From the high school I headed north, over to King Middle School to check out how the track resurfacing there is going. When I arrived I got sidetracked by the indescribably lovely Edible Schoolyard adjacent to the school, a community garden established by Berkeley food icon Alice Waters for the educational and nutritional rewards it offers the King students. (Click the photo at left to enlarge.)
I did eventually make my way around the block and take a peek at the track--very exciting to see its rugged new surface emerging. When I came to Berkeley in 1980, I had been running for two years. I spent countless afternoons building my base at the King track (although I didn't know that's what I was doing), going there after work every day to run first 1, then 2, then 3 miles. This routine lasted for at least a decade. I called it Crucible track--showing that I did recognize the tempering fire it was becoming for hardening my running dedication.
Saw the track, looking good but still incomplete, then found a handy bench and did some crunches, sissy push-ups, and dips before heading home. I'd gone for 5, but ended up with 5.75. Who's complaining?
Here I tempt the running gods, who are notoriously whimsical, by reporting that my efforts to bump my mileage up a bit are going okay (I can't bring myself to say going well). Not long ago a running friend said to me, "Why can't you go on to be one of those 75-year-old runners?" Well, why not?
I headed up the hill to Berkeley High, where the track is always accessible these days because a bunch of big burly guys consistently show up at the crack of dawn to work at all the construction happening on campus. The rather sepulchral and very serious monument above is part of the school's new look. Luckily for the school, the worrisome tilt of the whole thing came courtesy of the photographer--it's actually pretty plumb (if not totally plum dandy).
For fun I thought I'd try a couple of Yasso 800s just to see how it felt. The run up to the track was .75 miles, so I was more or less warmed up--enough, anyway, to start my workout. The idea is that you start with a goal time for a marathon or half marathon. For me my marathon goal these days would be 5 hours, while my half would be 2.5 hours (I'd hope to beat the latter, but feel the need to be realistic).
Having identified your desired time, you run your 800s at a time that is numerically related. My goal time is 5 hours, so I should run every 800 in 5 minutes. Today I ran two 800s (each one is two laps around the track), the first in 5:41:50 and the second in 4:48:62. (I know, close but no cigar--I think this takes practice.) I walk/jogged one lap in between the 800s, but have since read that the recovery time should equal the time of the 800. I see how that extended time will be necessary if I get beyond two 800s--the drill is to get up to ten. It remains to be seen whether I really want to pursue this, but it's fun to tinker with, both in my head and on the track.
From the high school I headed north, over to King Middle School to check out how the track resurfacing there is going. When I arrived I got sidetracked by the indescribably lovely Edible Schoolyard adjacent to the school, a community garden established by Berkeley food icon Alice Waters for the educational and nutritional rewards it offers the King students. (Click the photo at left to enlarge.)I did eventually make my way around the block and take a peek at the track--very exciting to see its rugged new surface emerging. When I came to Berkeley in 1980, I had been running for two years. I spent countless afternoons building my base at the King track (although I didn't know that's what I was doing), going there after work every day to run first 1, then 2, then 3 miles. This routine lasted for at least a decade. I called it Crucible track--showing that I did recognize the tempering fire it was becoming for hardening my running dedication.
Saw the track, looking good but still incomplete, then found a handy bench and did some crunches, sissy push-ups, and dips before heading home. I'd gone for 5, but ended up with 5.75. Who's complaining? Here I tempt the running gods, who are notoriously whimsical, by reporting that my efforts to bump my mileage up a bit are going okay (I can't bring myself to say going well). Not long ago a running friend said to me, "Why can't you go on to be one of those 75-year-old runners?" Well, why not?
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