Running Log: Nike Running Clinic @Ultra; 10 Feb

My first DNF. :( (That's did not finish, for any non-runners reading this blog.)

Maybe it's mental but the moment I stepped on the Ultra track I knew this wasn't going to be an easy training day for me. I slept at almost 3am last night/this morning. And from experience, I know how important sleep is to a workout. I remember when I still went to a gym, the trainor would tell us that if we didn't have enough sleep the previous night, we shouldn't even attempt to workout the following day.

But I had already missed the Friday run at The Fort. So I still went to Ultra. I wanted to give it a shot.

So anyway... we did our 2k warm-up. I was still fine doing that. Then came stretching and the drills. I was out of breath at some of the drills. Bad sign.

Then came the 4x800m sets.

1st 800m - 3:45 (for the first time since I resumed running last year, I felt my throat dry up and get warm. uh-oh.)
2nd 800m - 4:05
3rd 800m - I didn't even hear what the coach shouted out. I was too spent and just knew I couldn't do the last 800m.

I apologized to the coach and he just made me do a slow 5x400m. He said my time had drastically declined for two sets already and doing the last 800m would not do me any good. The 5x400m option seemed a better deal to me. Long, slow than short, fast. But going through the 5x400m, I felt like kicking myself. I should've just pushed myself some more and just finished the last 800m, no matter how slow I was. Ah well. The 5x400m was really a good way to cap the night. Soothing, not stressful.

I have learned my lesson well. If I want to stay long in this sport AND improve, I have to be disciplined in all aspects of my life, including sleep and diet. Lately I have been sleeping so late and eating so much sugar and empty carbs. Just havin' a hell of a good time. Now I'm feeling the effects.

It's good though to go through this I guess. Learned my lesson.