Speed Training Ranch Style

We’ve got ourselves a thunder and lightening storm out here today.  So to the gym I went.  The gym is quite lovely in town (not so for the owner, I’m sure), because there was only 4 people working out when I went in (8 when I left).  No lines for the machines.  The women wear normal gym clothes there, not skin tight spandex shirts to show off breast enhancements : )  (I’m not bashing California, mind you, I love California)  But it’s nice to be where people are a little more settled about themselves.  One lady was even on the stair stepper in her street clothes and boots. : ))

As promised (to myself) I got in some speed training yesterday though.  A quick one.  But it was hard enough.  The driveway into the ranch is a rocky dirt road about a quarter mile long, which I ran down at a normal pace, then back up at my fastest pace.  I “petered” out as usual, about 3/4’s of the way back each time, but I kept pushing it to the end.  I got into the 7 min./mile pace (7:51) though, which is nice, very nice for me.  (I did this 3 times, there and back, of which my middle boy ran two of the out-and-backs – so proud of him.)

Afterward I went tramping around in the brush to find my husband and and two youngest boys.  When I told him that I was BEAT.  He said, “You have to run FASTER.” 

Ha, ha.

So he challenged me to a race back to the ranch.  The distance was short, very short.  Probably 1/10th of a mile, maybe a little more.  I looked at his feet, he was wearing Ugg boots and I debated.  Anyone, I mean anyone can beat me in a short distance race.  But I went for it anyway.  And I kept up pretty good.  And about a quarter way I came upon a bush and rather than wasting time running around it, I actually HURDLED it, landed on my feet and kept up my pace.  I shocked the heck out of myself (& my husband too).  I “petered” out close to the end, and he won the race of course.  I forgot to look at the garmin, but I suspect I beat that 7:51 by a longshot.

Miles logged Thursday:  1.5