Coach Page, my trainer from afar

He talks about workout types in terms like: cp/power, anaerobic capacity, aerobic capacity, anaerobic threshold, lactate threshold, aerobic, etc... Joe Page is an experienced endurance athlete, cyclist, skater, etc... like me, into fitness, health, diet and athletic performance... but far more consistently over the years than I. (Pictured at left with his roller skis. He can keep a 6 min mile pace on those things no problem). We played football in Jr. High, he went on to be a football standout, I hurt my shoulders and went into sprinting and guitar playing. He's a successful chemical engineer and me, a music professor with doctorate. Not too bad for a couple of teens that were 'wasted' most days in high school.

I was following his workout advice... more or less, and after running several hard interval workouts in Jan, he suggested I should run the Zoo Run 5K. He predicted I would smash my personal record... I decided at the last minute to do it and he was totally right, I did - by more than 2 minutes: 20:12, winning my age group and placing 3rd in the Masters overall.

After an injury plagued attempt to try and sprint race again, I thought I might try to run the Tom King 5K, (3/15/08) ... even though my distance training has been lacking. Joe prescribed a week's workout to prepare for Sat. (As if I have nothing better to do, right?) Friday and Sat I did two hard workouts back to back that left me sore for 2 days. After the prescribed 2 day rest, I did his prescribed workout today which I think he called "lactate threshold:"

8 miles in 58:08 ... 7:16 avg. per mile (6:59, 7:08, 7:18, 7:21, 7:21, 7:22, 7:37, 6:59)

None of it felt like 'race pace' ... about 80% effort except I pushed pretty hard on the last mile. It leads me to believe that if I did someday run a half marathon, my race pace would be in the 7:10 - 7:15 range. I doubt I'd ever put myself through that torture and physical wear n' tear, 5K is painful enough.

I feel a great deal of pressure to better my personal record if I run Sat. Being a total 5K newbie, I have never run a 5K race where I did not improve (my first was 12/1/07). I've had 5 consecutive personal records in 5 races. If I decide to go through with it, it looks to be a flat and fast 5K course, so, the competitive streak in me will be deeply disappointed if I don't run in the 19's for the first time. My weight is good, 139.6 after the workout. The lighter the better for these types of races. If I don't get a PR, I'll blame it on Joe.

What is really crazy is that I play the opening concert in the TN Guitar Festival that same night. Yikes! Time to break out some new guitar strings... and the world lightest racing flats :