Escape Velocity, or, Today's Two Tremendous Tempo Training Trots

I've been doing my tempo runs on nearly a weekly basis. Lately I've done several at the track. This can be a good thing because: a) There are other runners doing the same thing, so I generally don't have to do these runs alone, and b) The precise measurement makes the pacing a little simpler.

The Runner's World definition of a tempo run makes it sound fairly simple and easy. My own definition is even simpler, but probably not as easy: Three (or possibly more) consecutive miles, each one better than seven minutes. Sure, I also throw in warmup and cooldown miles.

Lately, when I've scheduled a track tempo training trot, I sometimes arrive at the track early enough to attempt an additional one before the rest of the gang arrives. This means getting there at 4:45 am or so, as everyone else shows up at 5:15. I have managed to do several tempo trots in this fashion (both with and without the rest of the gang), but the most recent attempt did not go so well. I couldn't achieve escape velocity, which means I couldn't get the miles under seven minutes each. When Will Bertemes showed up at 5:15 that morning, I gave it another go, and did managed to get to the desired pace.

Today I arrived early once again, and immediately - there was no time for a warmup - started banging out sub-seven minute miles. And I made it - barely. When Will showed up, he and I ran together (again), and I managed (again) to achieve escape velocity once more.

That's the Tale of Today's Two Tremendous Tempo Training Trots.