Track Intervals In The Rain...

Due to the heavy downpour on Tuesday, the SAFRA MF track interval training was swapped from Tuesday evening to Thursday. There was quite a turnout this thursday evening, as we prepared ourselves for a hard workout at Queenstown Stadium. I had on my new AdiZero KAHA, and was hoping it would not get wet from the slight drizzle.

When we started off at 6.50pm, the skies were gloomy, but the rain had abetted. Because of the slipeery surface, we all jogged cautiously as a warm-up routine to Queenstown Stadium. When we were settled to do the 1st set of 1.6km, there was a light drizzle. I could feel the lightness of the KAHA, and was glad I brought it for the trackwork. The bitumen track did offer me more grip, and my concerns of cornering soon took a back-seat. I finished the 1 mile run in 6:48....hmm, quite ok as I was not pushing it.

We were supposed to do 5 800m sets after that, and was given 4min to do each 800m. I was always running the sets along with Jimmy Chow, small chua, Ronnie, Bill, KokKong, sometimes with Bug, Melvin and Derrick in front. Trainer Ong did 1 lap as he had to stop to time for the rest of the runners. Julie and Shirley were fast in the first 400m, always keeping up with our pace....they were getting strong. Lai Chee was taking the interval training as a means to boost her marathon timing. All were running hard. I did 3 sets of the 800m the same way, always starting not too fast, and then ending with a hard push. I took a toilet break during the 4th 800m set, and could only do a slow 400m just to stay warm. I gave it all in the last 800m set and could overtake some of the fast runners in the end, when they were exhausted by the 4th set...hehe.

When the final set was ended, the rain had stopped. The night was still humid as Bug, Peter, and the rest of the group ran back to the ClubHouse. PS and Alber were still strong, after their recent trip to krabi with a few MF friends...the rock-climbing must have toughened them up :). I enjoyed the thorough stretchdown by Julie, and was refreshed with ice-cold 100plus. Lai Chee brought some nice photos of her 2004 Gold Coast Marathon trip to share...real nice. Didn't join the gang at ABC market, and as it was quite late, I figured the Red Rice Wine Chicken would have ran out...so headed home for some simple Korean Ramyun.

ClubHouse -> QST Stadium (4km) - 24min
1st set (1.6km) - 6:45
2nd set (800m) - 3:06
3rd set (800m) - 3:06
4th set (800m) - 3:08
5th set (800m) - break
6th set (800m) - 3:05
QST Stadium -> ClubHouse (4km) - 22min