Warped and twisted, but a good week

Marked as it was by another stunningly mediocre performance, this time in the Pearl Street Mile, and ending with a banged-up hip, knee and ankle from an evasive fall during a night-time run, how could this qualify as a good week? But it was, in a warped and twisted way.

I'd already kissed off Pearl Street, taken four days off and kicked right back in preparation for yet-another-but-I-mean-it-this-time New Start. Then Bobby McGee called us milers together the night before the race for a briefing. Given that Bobby only has to talk to me for five minutes and I'm either out for a run or entering world championships, it was a foregone conclusion that by the time he'd taken us through a one-hour computer-aided presentation on strategy for Boulder's street mile, there was nothing I could do but turn up and run.

Using Bobby's advice to do the opposite of my normal tactics of blast out of the blocks and hang on, I adopted a conservative start and a "crescendo" finish. It worked a treat, except that I was a bit too slow over the first half (3:00). In fact I actually ENJOYED passing people on the uphill second 800m; I found two or maybe 3 kicks in the last 200 to stave off serial challenges by Ric Rojas, but ran out of road... I finished with so much left, I was bouncing around debating whether to do the race again.

Heading for the hills
I did roughly the time -- 5:47 -- I had dialled in, in my head. I had a 5:30 in there. but didn't let it out. Ah well. I was and am more excited about the prospect of my September 1 ReStart; I am going back to Lydiard-style base-building with a vengeance. I don't care whether it takes six months, but I am -- metaphorically -- heading into the hills, and I'm not coming down again until I am roaring, screaming fit.

Last week I was lucky enough to have a coffee and a chat with Lorraine Moller, Olympic marathon bronze medallist, and winner of New York and Boston, veteran of not one but 3 Olympics in a long, long career. As we talked, I realised just what I have been doing to myself of late. The whole year I've been playing catch-up, eventually desperately trying to substitute speed sessions for the proper training I didn't have time to do with the goal race fast approaching. I have the speed, but not the strength to sustain it past 50 meters :) I have no business running 5:47 for the mile anaerobically; I should be -- need to be -- conditioned enough to run that pace aerobically -- and THEN add the juice on top. Also, doing a lot of quality work drags down your pH; you get all acidic, feel tired, and depressed...if not a bit paranoid. So this time, next time, I am determined to do things VERY differently.

Double the pain in Osaka
Meanwhile, back at the ranch at the world championships in Osaka, first Alan Webb disappoints himself in the 1500, then Craig Mottram screws up the 5k. This is a fine warped and twisted bit. See, I am not alone in "underperfoming"; In fact this whole year has been a great and humbling learning experience, in which I like to think Webby and Buster may have joined me, along the lines of how to keep going with an unshakeable belief in your own abilities, talent and potential in the face of a Total lack of any objective evidence -- ie decent race times or medals -- that you have them.

And, the final bit of twistedness... I was out for a night-time run when a car decided to overtake me on a tight right-hand bend. I was on the right and squeezed myself onto the hard shoulder... which turned out to be a soft shoulder full of deep gravel. The next thing I knew I was in the air, executing what felt like a near-perfect aikido rolling breakfall. But I'm out of practice. So the damage was a bloody left knee and sore left hip, plus a tweak to my right ankle.

Flying
I got running again and when I assessed the damage back home, couldn't help but feel a perverse glow of pleasure. Yes, warped and twisted: I did say. The thing is, the reason I took such a huge tumble was simply because I was moving so fast; I was actually flying, so the time spent in the air just seemed like another part of the run :) Secondly, a few months back the ankle wouldn't have just been tweaked, but severely sprained. A couple of years back it would have resulted in a month of so of re-sprains. HOURS of ankle, foot and lower leg-specific work in Pilates have shifted my resilience to a new level.