Carpinteria All Comers Track Meet #3: Spiked Punch
“Some of these parents,” Kevin says looking around the track while stretching quadriceps, “Really take this stuff seriously.”
Boy, this is the House of Track, and this is the third summer night at The Carpinteria’s All Comers Meet. Welcome!
My usual suspects did not make it tonight, but that is just fine because I knew Carol was going to be here. She is just back from club nationals in New York and looking for an 800 meter workout. We warm up. I watch her pre-race collection of strides, hops, and skips. I know she will go out fast. Game plan: Stick.
Bam! Lap 1 feels easy. I pass Carol on the final straight away. Lap 1: 65 seconds. Uh-oh. I mentally start to dig into the second lap. On the first straight away, the little pilot in my chest starts to notice some blinking red light and calmly a woman with a British accent begins to mechanically repeat, “Caution, this vessel set to self destruct. Caution,…” Already System, really? 200 meters. Carol’s coach calls out to her. I can hear her breathing. “Dig, dig, dig!” I tell myself. When I do, my legs rubber-band back at me threatening to become two noodles. Final 100 meters and Carol is stuck on my right shoulder. Neck and neck, pump, pump, dig, the pilot may have parachuted for safety as the Brit twit starts counting down kindly to my self implosion. Carol pulls just every so slightly ahead, 3, 2, 1 Finish Line! Carol 2:16:15; Drea 2:16:65.
That was awesome! We scream and yell with high fives and hugs. PR’s all around. What a race! OK, bring on the oxygen! Isn’t a little face mask supposed to drop down or something? No? No? Just jog before everything seizes.
I stick around for the 3K. Ah, I’m here and well, it’s just 7.5 more laps right? I follow John who says he will run 80’s. I want 81. And 81’s served up easy peasy. What? Just like that? Yes, just like that. I felt good to the end: 10:08:33.
“Looks like you had a good night.”
“Why, yes, yes I did,” I reply to an official, “Thank you very much.”
Track-di-fied, I cannot sleep. Maybe I’ll paint my nails. Pink? Orange?
Fence-sitting, eh? I’m glad you came down on the side of TWO MASSIVE PRs! Good job, wish I’d been there.
Tim said this on July 25, 2009 at 11:57 pm |
Hey thanks TIM!!! Yes, you would have had a perfect 3K. No wind, cool temps, no glaring sun, it was a perfect storm for some “drizzle!” Ha ha. JK! Hope the north is finding you well.
drea said this on July 26, 2009 at 1:32 am |