Clay and Lisa Burnett

Type: Race
Workout: Race - 1 Mile
Goal Pace: Sub

Clay
4:19.34 - 5th of 41 (5th in heat)
Splits:  67, 64, 64, 64

Lisa
5:13.48 - 11th of 54 (11th in heat)

TOD: Lisa: 1:30 Clay: 2:15
Warm up: 2
Warm down: 1.5
Total Miles: 4.5

Mileage This Week: 53.25
Total Weekly Target: 54

Lisa Recap:

Today we raced at the University of Houston All Comers Meet. Both Clay and I ran the mile. The HS girls mile was scheduled to start at 1:25 but the meet used a rolling start so it is hard to tell exactly when I would run. We got to the track around 11:40. I started my warm up around 12:15 because we were not sure what time I would actually get on the track. The outdoor track was open so I did my warm up outside on the track. It felt like I warmed up for days. I do not think I timed my warm up very well and do not feel it was very effective in preparing me for the race.

It was finally time to race. Clay and I had talked a lot about not going out too fast in the first 200 to 400 meters. I usually go out way too hard and end up dying during the second half of the race. I was determined not to let this happen. I decided when the gun went off I would immediately tuck in and not worry about my position. The indoor track at UH is a 200 meter track which I have never raced on before. Last year Clay and I ran two indoor meets and both times it was on a 300 meter track. I had Clay stand at the 100 and call off my time. I wanted to know early if I was going to fast. As I sped by Clay I heard him yell "20 seconds, thats alright". In my head I knew that was too slow but much better than getting there in 16 seconds. The pack was still together through the 200 and we crossed in 39 seconds, again too slow but hopefully this would allow me to have something at the end. I came through the 400 in 77 seconds. Perfect. I picked it up a bit in the second 200 but nothing drastic. I kept plugging away proud of myself for not going to fast at the start. I came through the half in 2:32. This was in my range but for this point in the season it might have been a hair fast (eventually this should be perfect or a little slow). I was very happy with myself at this point in the race. It is the last 800 where I was very disappointed in my performance. After the 800 people started to pass me and I have no idea why but I decided not to go with them. I was so focused on my time I was scared to go but my times were falling off and if I would have went with them I would have been much closer to my goal. After the 800 the race felt like a daze to me. I am disappointed because I did not compete. I let girls pass me instead of going with them and competing. I don't know why I let this happen but as with any race it was a good chance to learn. I finished the race in 5:13.48.

I learned that I need to go out controlled and concentrate on the paces I want to hit but the last 800 is when I need to go, compete and let the race bring me along. I have the training. I am physically prepared. I need to mentally figure out how to do it. I also need to figure out a warm up before I race. I need to have a routine that not only physically gets me ready but mentally. It needs to be the same every race and gradually prepare me to run race pace. All in all I think it was a great start and I will improve from here!

Clay Recap:

Last year, in my first race of the year I ran 4:30, today I ran 4:19. As Lisa said, the meet was on a rolling start, so my warmup was far too early, I never ran for more than 10 consecutive minutes, I did strides, etc. but too early... overall, the warmup was a lost cause.

I stepped to the line, the gun sounded and I ran straight to the back of the pack. I'm not exactly sure what, in my head, told me to do this considering the field was not all that talented, but nonetheless I was second to last coming through the 200m in 34+ seconds... I may have moved up slightly in the second 200m, I crossed the 400m in 67, really slow. I continued to move up throughout the next few laps... the 200m track was very different than an outdoor 400m or indoor 300m, moves had to be made quickly. I found myself in lane 3 on the bend more than once... I wanted to make moves, but everyone was making moves on the straights, so it was tough. I hit the 800m in 2:11 (67, 64), dead slow. I pressed on, knowing that I could finish hard... it crossed my mind at the 800m, and then again at the 1000m to just go for it, take the race and see who could hang, but for some reason I didn't. I didn't think I had the turnover necessary to maintain a high speed for the final 800m or 600m, so I stuck in the front of the trail pack and hit the 1000m at 2:42... considering I ran a 2:35 very comfortably, in perfect splits and rhythm, in a time trial the other day, I was beginning to get disappointed, I knew I could not turn around and run a good time. I am not sure of the 1200m or 1400m time.

I was unsure of when to really go for it, the lead was never out of touch and I still felt I could win the race... until I was brutally cut off with 200m to go. A smaller runner cut within inches of my spikes with exactly 200m to go. It was all I could do to avoid spiking his legs, tackling him, or falling over his legs... my hand landed in the middle of his back for a few steps, I held it there to gain balance and then shoved him forward. I did not recover from this incident... from that point forward I was not passed, but I did not gain any ground after the incident.

The kid was an arrogant punk. I told him exactly what I thought of his dangerous move and he chirped back a few classless remarks. If I had to guess, the kid does that to someone every time he is on the track, his drug isn't winning or hitting a time, his drug is choosing the closest person on the bell lap and screwing their race. I learned from it, I will not let myself fall into that position again.

I finished in 4:19, not a bad time for the first race of the year. I feel like I could have easily finished in 4:16 without the near crash on the last lap, which would have been a pretty impressive second half of the race. Nonetheless, it was a reverse split, 2:11, 2:08 and overall 67, 64, 64, 64.

I am confident that I can run quite a bit faster next time. I will maintain better position, warm up better and run my race instead of completely losing focus when the gun sounds. I'm really looking forward to GVSU.

The Good - Reverse split. Got the first race under my belt. Learned about a 200m track.
The Bad - Warmup. Midnight. Focus. Confidence in a long drive to the finish. Cool down. Stretching.
The Ugly - Got cut off. Didn't run my race.