Bombed!

Bombed my workout today. I think that the workout gods were just working against me today. As predicted, it was pouring rain, which really isn't a BD (big deal). Still, it must count for something. One of my first mistakes was wearing a tight fitting under-armourish type shirt (its actually a reebok shirt, one of the many perks I have received while working in the NFL). When it gets wet, it becomes suffocating. I actually felt the blood being cut off from my arms while I was running. Minus one point. My next mistake: eating a large bowl of rice, beans and pork too close to workout time. The funny thing is that while I was making/eating this delightfully tasty concoction, I was thinking to myself "what a great, carbo-filled, pre-workout power lunch! I am going to have ALL of the energy." Well, I had ALL of the full stomach while I was running. I felt like I weighed 179 pounds. Minus another point.

Perhaps the biggest mistake, however: going out too fast (again). The workout was a 4 mile tempo run at 6:20 pace. Feeling fresh to death, I went out in 6:11. I kind of tried to slow down but I kind of didn't. Then I began to struggle. I could tell 1.5 miles in that this was not going to go well. I came through the second mile in 6:19 -- technically on pace, but not good for feeling the way I felt (like garbage). I knew that I was not going to make it 4 miles, so I focused on getting in one more respectable mile. At the start of the third mile I even shed my restricting shirt, which was not only cutting off the circulation to my arms, but also makes breathing in general very difficult. After the shirt ditch, I struggled around the track 4 more times in a balls out 6:21. Then I pulled the plug. So on one hand, I averaged 6:16/mile, which was faster than what I'd hoped for. But on the other hand, I had to run my guts out to do it (I wish I'd actually run my guts out--then my stomach might have felt better). So overall, the workout was disappointing. The one bright spot is that this is better than the workouts I was running later in the summer last year. So at least I am not behind. But maybe I just suck. Who knows. Bottom line is that the chip on my shoulder has moved to my chest, and I am motivated to train harder now.

P.S. I did get a good lift in though!