The Mile.

We've all ran or walked a mile before. Some of us have many under our belts. I've certainly done my fair share of mile repeats on the track but it was not until last month that I actually Raced the mile. Imagine my surprise on Thursday when I received an actual race plan from my coach.

A mile race and I received a very detailed race plan. I studied it a lot over the course of the days leading up until my race. I knew exactly what I was capable of (yet still doubted myself) and knew I'd have no issues at least doing my very best.

My very good friend is the race director for the Hal Canfield memorial Mile fest that takes place on Labor Day Monday in September every year. It is a USATF certified course and very fast out/back mile in one of our favorite areas to run - Cherokee Blvd in Knoxville, TN.

I got up that morning, did exactly as my coach told me to. Walked around the house, did a quick jaunt down the road and came back in to have my breakfast. The fist wave of runners started at 8:00am. The race was broken up into several heats. My heat wouldn't take off until after 8:30am. I had plenty of time to get in my 2-3 mile warm up and use the bathroom one more time.

sidenote- Here is my AdvoCare pre-race fuel routine-
Spark and Catalyst as soon as my feet hit the floor.
O2gold 60 minutes before race time.

We lined up and I was completely intimidated because I was literally ON.THE.LINE.. first with the fast girls. I joked that all my fast friends stayed home. I knew I'd place if I managed to stick to my race plan just based on looking at who was in the heat with me.

My plan had me going into this race not as a mile but broken down by 200 meters at a time. When I initially went over my plan I knew that the goal was sub 8, which I have only ever done once in a workout and that was well over a year ago.  I had a friend run with me for about half a mile of this to give me a little boost, some pep talking. But I was running this for me.

I started fast and knew it so I slowed a little in order to be able to kick it up a notch in the last 200. Once I got near the finish line and could hear people cheering I heard my coaches voice and, "You can get sub 7:30 if you kick hard." Eh.. I did not have it in me but here is how I did finish....


7:39 

I was stoked, out of breath completely, but STOKED!! PR and sub 8 and FAST!! I finished 3rd in my age group and took home a sweet $30 gc to a local health/food shop where I racked up $30 worth of GU. 
Racing a mile is hard but I was happy to have done this race and really put myself out there. I gave everything I had that day and it showed how much my hard work has paid off. In June I was averaging around a 8:36-8:44/mi for repeats on the track. That's almost a minute faster in just a matter of months.