There\u2019s a reason sports teams have preseasons or spring trainings. When you jump off the line the first time after an extended period of not racing, you\u2019re not exactly sure what may happen. Getting a sense of your speed and how you\u2019re feeling in a semi-race environment is valuable, even beyond the raw number.
The Dry Creek Striders began our 2023 race season with a 3200M time trial on a track, or roughly two miles. The conditions weren\u2019t ideal with a low temperature and some spots on the track that weren\u2019t dry. They weren\u2019t straight-up icy, but you couldn\u2019t land on them with 100% certainty you wouldn\u2019t lose your footing a little. In a 3200M, normally I can start to settle in within the first two laps and have a sense of how things are likely to play out. It wasn\u2019t until the end of the third lap on this one that I got into a good rhythm.
I\u2019d predicted a 12:10-12:20 for myself and I crossed the line in 12:04. I was pleased I was a little ahead of my prediction. And, as a comparison, when I was in 19-flat 5K shape I would post an 11:53-11:54 3200M. 10-11 seconds off, or roughly 45-50M, is not an inconsequential amount of time (though it\u2019s also not overwhelming) and while I picked my time knowing that I\u2019m planning to ramp up my mileage and speed work (and while the unpredictable spots on the track may have been worth a few seconds), it confirmed that I\u2019ll need to do just that to get to the times I want.
It also reinforced the wisdom of getting races under my feet before going for one where I have a fast goal in mind. Aside from the fact I knew I needed more miles to increase my speed, being away from racing for a few months also means relearning the mental part of racing, too. The best way to accomplish that is to race; I\u2019ve not found a good substitute for that yet. On to more miles, and races\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There\u2019s a reason sports teams have preseasons or spring trainings. When you jump off the line the first time after an extended period of not racing, you\u2019re not exactly sure what may happen. Getting a sense of your speed and how you\u2019re feeling in a semi-race environment is valuable, even beyond the raw number. The … <\/p>\n