Day 3 - Results

Getting better is getting through the pain.

It was pouring rain so I didn't get to do any ground stretches today.  I just did the hammies, calves, and the best I could pulling my feet up to my glutes one at a time to stretch the quads.  Not exactly the best stretch so I was a little worried.

The first 400M of the warm up laps was incredibly painful!  Brutal really.  I almost quit and went home.  But, I stuck it out and by the time I got onto the second lap, I was starting to loosen up. 

Once I finished warming up, I had the idea that I should really try to get a better stretch.  So, I repeated all my stretches, except the ground work, twice.  I felt pretty good.

I walked to the 400M starting line and took off.  A lesson learned from Day 1... I didn't sprint full out until the last 200M.  Then that sprint only lasted for about 100M so by the time I crossed the 100M starting line I was barely in any recognizable form and I had to slow down to a fast jog.  Did I feel guilty?  Hell no!  It was pouring rain, what the hell was I doing out there anyway.

Well, I was already soaked to the bone so I stretched some more and headed for the 200M starting line.  Again, I walked slow to catch my breath.  This time, I really wanted to finish the whole thing so I tried hard to do that.  Unfortunately, I'm having more difficulty today than I did the last time and I could only keep at it for about 100M.  I didn't stop and walk this time though, instead I did slow to a jog... but I made it to the end.  The second 200M was a mirror image of the first.

By the time I got to the 100M runs, my shoes were so soaked that I was making squish, squish, squish sounds, but my goal was to get through the 100M runs today so I headed for the starting line.  A couple more stretches and then I lined up and imagined the starting gun going off and there I go!  Yeeeee Haaaaa!  Ya baby, I'm running on the wind... for 60M anyway and then it's like someone took a sledge hammer to my left instep.  Damn damn damn.  Cramp!  I slowed to a jog and concentrated on letting it work itself out.  I crossed the line with a bit of a limp and immediately headed for the bleachers where I could do some toe stretches. 

Once I had the cramp worked out and my insteps well stretched, I managed to eek out all three remaining 100Ms.  Each time however, I could only hold proper form for about 50 yards. 

When I finished, I didn't have the energy for the cool down laps and decided that I'd stretch again in the spa when I got home. 

So there you have it, Day 3 in the books and I think I should get extra credit for making it happen in the rain!!!