So it seems I've had a few readers, judging by the comments that I've had via Facebook. The feedback has been encouraging, and I thank you for your support so far.
However, either everyone has been too kind or couldn't be bothered to have a guess at my current 800m ability. The latter is fine, its not like I was giving out prizes or anything.
I needed to know though, and am suspecting that you might just be a little curious as well. So I went to the local track at K2 leisure centre in Crawley on Sunday morning to run an 800m.
As I walked in, I asked the lady at the desk how much it would cost to "run a couple of laps" around the track. This was a feeble effort to avoid paying but it wasn't that I was trying to. If I'd really tried I'd have just walked past and used the track but thought I'd give it a go. The desk lady looked at me, quoted me £3.20 and said "you won't be any longer than an hour will you?". I replied "I hope not", and handed her the cash.
And so to the track.
I've actually jogged around there a couple of times with my son when we've been to the leisure centre for other sporting activities but has always felt a bit odd. Like I've never run on a track before.
This time it felt different. I walked through the double fire doors with a purpose. Like I was going to run a race.
The first thing to do was jog a couple of laps to get everything moving. I thought I'd take the opportunity to test the 'lap' button on my watch as I wanted to know the 400m split when I actually came to do the run properly, so I started it and practised. By keeping the watch on through the 2 lap warm-up also gave me a time that if worst came to worst, I had a time - 4m12s. At least I knew that I wouldn't be any slower, although (hopefully briefly), this was my new personal best.
I started to go through the same warm up routine that I had followed so many times. It was a struggle to remember everything and some stretches only came back to me as I went through each muscle group. A lot of them were also quite difficult to do.
I finished off with a few fast(ish) strides, conscious that I needed to get the leg muscles to realise that they were going to have to move more quickly than normal and to avoid injury but also not wanting to be completely knackered before I started.
All the while I was thinking "How fast will I go?", "How should I run this?". I had to keep blocking the former question out as I really didn't care; this was a marker, a guide. But the adrenaline was already flowing and I wanted it to be a good time.
How to run the 2 laps was a different question. If I ran the first 400m as fast as possible, would I end up walking the second lap? If I go too slowly, I might not make the time up. Either way, I wouldn't do myself justice. In the end, I decided to lean towards the first option, allowed myself to get my breath back, and headed to the start line.
"To your marks!" (I said in my head). Didn't bother with "Go!", the beep to start my watch was enough as I took my first step.
The first 200m were fine, although I knew I was going a bit quicker than I probably should. I slowed a little through the next 100m, and coming down the home straight my legs started to wobble and I had the faintest desire to stop at 400m.
I pressed the 'lap' button at 400m as I pushed on and looked down to see 68s on the clock. Calculations and thoughts suddenly entered my head. "Another one of those, and that'll be 2m16s", "but you are going to slow down", "what if I run a 75s lap...?" and so on.
I was now in the back straight again and struggling to keep the speed up, and even more so as I rounded the bend with 150m to go. I suddenly had a conscious moment and remembered what I should be doing - "kick for home!" - which basically means "try and go faster although you are really going slower".
I crossed the line, stopped the watch and collapsed, thinking that my lungs were about to explode.
I looked down at my watch 2m27.35s. A new personal best!
However, either everyone has been too kind or couldn't be bothered to have a guess at my current 800m ability. The latter is fine, its not like I was giving out prizes or anything.
I needed to know though, and am suspecting that you might just be a little curious as well. So I went to the local track at K2 leisure centre in Crawley on Sunday morning to run an 800m.
As I walked in, I asked the lady at the desk how much it would cost to "run a couple of laps" around the track. This was a feeble effort to avoid paying but it wasn't that I was trying to. If I'd really tried I'd have just walked past and used the track but thought I'd give it a go. The desk lady looked at me, quoted me £3.20 and said "you won't be any longer than an hour will you?". I replied "I hope not", and handed her the cash.
And so to the track.
I've actually jogged around there a couple of times with my son when we've been to the leisure centre for other sporting activities but has always felt a bit odd. Like I've never run on a track before.
This time it felt different. I walked through the double fire doors with a purpose. Like I was going to run a race.
The first thing to do was jog a couple of laps to get everything moving. I thought I'd take the opportunity to test the 'lap' button on my watch as I wanted to know the 400m split when I actually came to do the run properly, so I started it and practised. By keeping the watch on through the 2 lap warm-up also gave me a time that if worst came to worst, I had a time - 4m12s. At least I knew that I wouldn't be any slower, although (hopefully briefly), this was my new personal best.
I started to go through the same warm up routine that I had followed so many times. It was a struggle to remember everything and some stretches only came back to me as I went through each muscle group. A lot of them were also quite difficult to do.
I finished off with a few fast(ish) strides, conscious that I needed to get the leg muscles to realise that they were going to have to move more quickly than normal and to avoid injury but also not wanting to be completely knackered before I started.
All the while I was thinking "How fast will I go?", "How should I run this?". I had to keep blocking the former question out as I really didn't care; this was a marker, a guide. But the adrenaline was already flowing and I wanted it to be a good time.
How to run the 2 laps was a different question. If I ran the first 400m as fast as possible, would I end up walking the second lap? If I go too slowly, I might not make the time up. Either way, I wouldn't do myself justice. In the end, I decided to lean towards the first option, allowed myself to get my breath back, and headed to the start line.
"To your marks!" (I said in my head). Didn't bother with "Go!", the beep to start my watch was enough as I took my first step.
The first 200m were fine, although I knew I was going a bit quicker than I probably should. I slowed a little through the next 100m, and coming down the home straight my legs started to wobble and I had the faintest desire to stop at 400m.
I pressed the 'lap' button at 400m as I pushed on and looked down to see 68s on the clock. Calculations and thoughts suddenly entered my head. "Another one of those, and that'll be 2m16s", "but you are going to slow down", "what if I run a 75s lap...?" and so on.
I was now in the back straight again and struggling to keep the speed up, and even more so as I rounded the bend with 150m to go. I suddenly had a conscious moment and remembered what I should be doing - "kick for home!" - which basically means "try and go faster although you are really going slower".
I crossed the line, stopped the watch and collapsed, thinking that my lungs were about to explode.
I looked down at my watch 2m27.35s. A new personal best!
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