Brief speed w/ the ladies

Hot and very humid at the Dean Hayes track on Thursday morning.  I got out there and warmed up, and noticed coach Keith and three 800m women starting a set of 200s.  I watched them run one, Keith said they were going in about 27 ... sounded fine, not too fast.  I asked him if I could jump in and he said sure.

They were doing 6 and I planned on doing 4 or so.

I asked the ladies if I could join in and they said, 'ok, take lane 2.'   To make a point, they blasted the next one, the leader running it in 25 flat.  Me, in my Hoka trainers and them, in racing spikes, I managed to stay in the pack in 26.2.  The next one we ran slower, about 27 and I was pretty toasted.   Wasn't used to working out in the morning and dealing with the intense heat and humidity.   So, I skipped one, and ran the last one with them.  As we lined up, Abike from Nigeria said something like, "you're a man, lets see what you've got."  To make a point, I ran it at near full effort, finished in front in 26 flat.  I guess we're all competitive, that's why we do it.   They ran 6, I only could muster 3 at that effort.  If I had my spikes, I probably could have done one more.  But, it was a good workout.  I needed to run fast.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 200m - 26.2, 27, 26

These ladies will be racing the 800m at the Music City Distance Carnival, the area's biggest pro track meet at MTSU.  I've made arrangements to get out of a school obligation to see the pro 800m race with MTSU Kenyan sensation E. Rutto and Olympian, Duane Solomon.  Should be great.

MTSU Lady Raiders - representing Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria...