At last, hot and sticky!

 There have been many days in recent years when I've spend the whole of the day working in the garden then experienced a very tired run in the early evening.  With  dozens of plants, shrubs and bushes there is always something to do.  Not any more. I eventually learnt to moderate the labouring to two or three hours at a time.  So today although the planned track session would be late afternoon, I called a halt pre lunch.  Wise decision as the temperature continued to rise, the session would be hard enough  even though I've enjoyed 2 comparatively easy days in anticipation.
 Not that I'm complaining about today's conditions.   I've been moaning on about cold , windy days at the track so a hot and sticky day like today with little breeze certainly made a change.  Hopefully it will be possible to notch the average pace up again for this 4th session in this 3 week period.                 5k....5x1k.....8x600....8x300..........key being gradual accleration. I was aiming for sub 70 for the whole set of 300s.
  The first two were disappointingly a fraction over. So having done 8 I added another 2 to make up.  No problem as this would still only total 3K.  Job done.
    70.36    70.04    68.64    69.44    68.12    68.29    68.14    66.94    68.67    66.66

So averaging 68.53 run at 19 minute 5K pace, quite satisfying; as my year's fastest is only 20.20.  More to the point these track sessions are certainly getting me back on the  forefoot, I'm concentrating on running more upright and less like a question mark! i.e. bent back and lowered head!
 Having reduced weekly mileage by up to 50%, I've been asked several times why I still keep up these track sessions.  I think with the inevitable deterioration in muscle fibres with age as long as I'm still competing it's the best way of minimizing this fast-twitch fibre loss (apparently it's fast twitch fibres which go first) and as I said maintain a more coordinated , more efficient running style.  And besides anything else I still think there's no better intrinsic, aesthetic pleasure than speed on the track....yes, even at my humble pace! Can't be plodding around all week now can we? Still find it hard to believe that some clubs abandon speed work in the summer having battled hard in the winter with ice and snow on the ground.  
 No threat of snow today though.........unless you are in South Africa where they are playing in gloves.