The Bell Mile (Week 8)

Well, as my urge to transform my marathon training onto the track will never come true, I can still fantasize.  And in all reality, I do fantasize a lot when I'm out on the roads pounding away at the pavement, and especially on my last repeat of my workouts.  They remind me of the bell lap in a track race...

It's the void of running a track race and being in the lead group with one lap to go that I will always remember.  Just as the curve approaches and the excitement of the runners, as they get ready to unleash a fearful kick; that you hear the loud sound of the bell, indicating one lap left.  The echo of this bell is repeated in your brain, and before you know it you have about 300 meters to go.  The group starts to lengthen their strides, and you have no choice but to increase your pace.  The sound of that bell, the bronze piece of metal that was forged with molten Copper and Tin to create it's own age in Human History, bring out the viciousness amongst these humans on the track.  It becomes clear that the violence that erupted during the Bronze Age is translated onto the track for one last lap.  Some start to "kick" too early, but others cherish this last lap and wait for the the next curve to strike, the last 200 meters.  Just as swift as the bell is rung, it is dissipated on the back stretch, and those runners who started too fast, are commenced to their fate of being beaten.  With no chance at all, the final curve of the race is upon you, and you search for another ounce of strength to pump more blood and oxygen into your muscles.  The end approaches, but the joyous pain is still there.  Only when the end is seemingly near, that I feel an urge to exert even more energy and lunge towards the Finish Line, or the invisible indicator that tells us all to stop fighting.  Once the carnage is over, an anti-climatic pause awaits and then I search for a time, and hope that I will be satisfied with it.  In most cases, you can't help but be satisfied, knowing that you committed yourself to Race.  Although its been about 2 years now since my last bell lap, I can't help but think about all those emotions as I start and finish my last mile repeat...

It's not quite the same, but it can be as emotional in it's own way.  It's a lot more lonelier on the roads now, compared to a track race, but I expect 26.2 miles of the same type of carnage to occur in a small Minnesota town in June.  And when the last mile marker comes, I'll be thinking of something to get me to the Finish Line, my very own Bell Mile.        

Week 8

Mon - pm. 10 miles
Tue - am. 10 miles / pm. 8 miles
Wed - am. 3 mile tempo, 3 mile tempo, 2 mile tempo [5:41, 5:28, 5:15] [5:15, 5:18, 5:14] [5:11, 5:07] Avg. 5:18 total: 13 miles / pm. 8 miles
Thur - Off
Fri - am. 12 miles / pm. 10 miles
Sat - am. 11 miles / pm. 10 miles
Sun - am. 24 miles w/ 3x1 miles @ tempo, 10 miles easy, 2x1 miles @ tempo.  [5:18, 5:14, 5:01] [5:06, 5:10]

Total: 116 miles in 6 days