The movie, This is Spinal Tap made the phrase, "Up to eleven" a popular idiom. It seems the rock and roller character thought his music could be played louder because his amplifier volume dial went up to eleven as opposed to ten. It's become a fun phrase to indicate anything being exploited to its utmost limits, or even exceeding them.
And so it is with my training, in more ways than one. After a long, 24-mile Lester Rail Trail Trot on Saturday, after the usual Hinckley Hills on Sunday, after some slow and easy neighborhood jogging on Monday, and after treadmill speedwork followed with a later run alongside cross-country runner Jenny Hoffman ob Tuesday, it was time for a Wednesday track workout. Just getting out there once again felt like taking it up to eleven.
Then came my first (of ten) 800's. I was dizzy, and it didn't go well. I couldn't break four minutes, despite a fast finish. Should I give up? No, I managed to keep going. And things got better. My second one was in the three-fifties, and the rest were all under three-fifty.
Thus I felt better as I went on, and the thought occurred to me to take it up to eleven in my count of 800s. This would enable me to throw out the first one for the purpose of determining an average. But would I be able to do an eleventh one?
Nope. After all those other ones, I was exhausted, barely able to complete my cool-down. I had to leave it down at ten.
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