Takin' the Young 'uns Ta School

Takin' the Young 'uns Ta School

Was in a world of hurt last night, still had to lead out the 3:30 - 3:45 Tempo Pace Group.

I felt like Julius Caesar, surrounded by a pack of young Cassius' -

" Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous " - Julius Caesar quote by William Shakespeare(Act I, Scene II).

They were hungry, were Patrick, Tim, Kevin and Hugh, Justin and especially young Christina, all lithe and lean. Even Hugh, with almost a decade on me has only a vestige of mercy in him on a tempo run and none in a race.

But, the children had no idea what I had in store for them.

Since Stormy I have piled up a 75 mile (110 kilometres) and a 65 mile (100 kilometres) week, back to back.

Last Sunday we did 29K and then added 6K. We breakfasted, I went home, showered, and then worked from 2:00pm until 2:00am.

Monday I worked from 7:30am until 2:30am Tuesday morning.

All construction, painting and concrete and ladder work. Not much time to rest or a chance to eat according to the new diet.

Woke up Tuesday, on the site again at 7:30am to meet a deadline. Got home at 4:00pm, meant to eat, lay on the couch and fell asleep. Woke up at 6:15pm. Marathon Clinic at 6:30pm.

Scramble out of the house. Choke down a cold cup of coffee. Haven't eaten since 6:00am.

Tempo run. They want me. I can see it in their eyes. Check out the Polar S625X chart.

I figured I could never hold them off after 8 hours sleep in three days and no rest and not much food for twenty-four hours.

I dropped the hammer, took them out at a five-minute a mile pace for the first eight minutes. In my exhaustion forgot to double-lace my runners.

But for the first 1.5 kilometres I owned them. Had to stop for a blown tire and pit stop.

If I was in pain, everyone was going to be in pain. EVERYBODY went lactic, what a run.

The rest finished in 31 -32 minutes. I staggered home in 35:30. Not bad uner the conditions.

Now they all know what the last 1oK of the marathon feels like. Welcome to school, kids...

Cue evil laugh... :)