One Bad-Ass Day of Training

Know what's awesome about slow periods at work (other than the all-encompassing fear that I'm soon going to be let go)? Why, the fact that my gym is a mere block away from the office, of course!

Monday night, I had the last soccer game of the season for my Winter Warriors league (this league, in general, was just a HORRIBLE idea--but that's another story for another post). Like every other game this season, we lost (go Cocktails & Dreams!) . . . unlike every other game this season, we actually played pretty well together and came quite close to pulling a victory off. If nothing else, it was fun to see just how in shape I am now compared to when we started (back when I was suffering from the bronchitis from hell). I felt like I could have run up and down that field forever!

Then on Tuesday, I was scheduled to do speed intervals, but woke up with a throbbing, pulsing nightmare of a headache that refused to budge, no matter how many tons of Advil Liqui-Gels I consumed. Thus, Tuesday turned into an involuntary rest day.

Yesterday, as I sat in my office, I became so bored I actually contemplated poking my eyes out with pencils . . . just so I wouldn't have to stare at that taunting sloth of a clock any longer. But then I came up with a fabulous idea instead . . . I would go to the gym and get my speed intervals out of the way; thus allowing me to leave work on time (5:30 p.m.) and go straight home, just like a real person! So that I did. Around 2:30, I grabbed my running gear, snuck out of the office to the gym and completed the following workout:

1 mile warm-up
4 x 800m (w/ 2 min. rest intervals)
10 minute cool-down

I completed the first three intervals at a 7:41 pace, and picked it up to a 7:35 pace for the last one. And? It felt pretty darn easy, I have to say. Perhaps the rest day did me some good.

When I was finished, I reluctantly showered, got dressed and headed back to my office for another 2 hours of complete and utter boredom. As I sat there staring out the window of the office across the hall, I began wishing I could go for another run. It was just the perfect day for an after-work run! Unable to contain my desire any longer, I sent Wilson an email:

"This is going to sound weird considering I just got back to work from the gym, where I completed my speed workout for the day . . . but would you feel at all like going for a slow recovery-ish run this evening? I'm planning on leaving here on time, and I just feel like it's too nice out not to!" (Not to mention, I don't really know what else to do with the extra free time when I leave work at a reasonable hour--it's so foreign to me!) Well, Wilson couldn't deny that the weather was beautiful (in the 60s!!!). He told me he was game for a run "assuming your legs are okay." Pssh! What am I? Some kind of frail, hunched-over elderly person?!

So once we arrived home, we changed into running gear, and ran over the Brooklyn Bridge and back for just under 4.5 miles at a 9:40 pace. My legs? Were not the happiest with me for subjecting them to the stupidly steep incline of the bridge (twice). And also? I seriously had to fight back the urge to punch every stupid, slow, meandering tourist I wove around right in the head. But somehow, it was still a fabulous run. I felt like I was flying on the descents and I just felt like my legs were stronger than ever on the ascents. And hey, I somehow managed to avoid the certain death of being clipped by a maniac biker while swerving around clueless tourists who repeatedly stepped out right in front of me; all in all, it was a great run!

We got back to the apartment, quickly showered and changed, and then headed out to one of our favorite restaurants, Pete's Waterfront Ale House. I had a Brooklyn Monster and some delicious beef brisket. Then? With my belly full of beer and brisket, I passed right out at 10:00 p.m. for a whopping 9 hours of sleep!! I could get used to this whole leaving work on time thing!