Dropping Temperatures & Increasing Speeds

As the temperature drops the splits for our intervals speed up. Now when Coach calls the distance runners over, that is not me. I am headed off with the sprinters. Odd, I know. Just a few weeks ago I was running over three miles for a race. Now I will be running less than a mile.
The workouts are consisted of shorter intervals at a faster pace; a much faster pace. It is such an increase that I am using muscles that my body forgot I had resulting in some extreme soreness. It's okay though, my gimpy walk has to make some people smile. On top of the faster pace, I have started lifting three times a week; creating muscles I definitely do not have.
One of my biggest challenges so far has been a hurdle drill. Six hurdles are set up touching each other to make a continuous line in one lane. You then have to step over the hurdle without turning sideways or swinging your leg over. This is supposed to improve flexibility and work on coordination; neither of which I have been blessed with. After we did that a few times every other hurdle was raised. We then had to go over one and then under the next with our butts lower than our ankles, all with only one foot in between each hurdle. Now imagine me going up, down, spinning, smacking into hurdles, and mumbling sarcastic remarks about how stupid this is. It was quite the show for the rest of the team. Needless to say, I will have to keep working on my flexibility and coordination.
As for the rest of the Cross Country runners, they are off to Baton Rouge tomorrow morning to participate in a half-marathon. Good luck to all of them.

On the Track

I attended my first track practice yesterday afternoon, and compared to the fall season of cross country, track's workload is looking promising.
Let me fill you in on the happenings of the rest of the 'Cats. Some of the cross country runners are going to Louisiana for a half marathon in Baton Rouge the beginning of December. To prepare for this, they are spending their off season logging as many, if not more, long-slow miles. Yesterday they went on a ten mile run while me and some other middle distance track people switched to actual track practice.
Our workout consisted of walk/jogging to the track, stretching, drills, and done. Yes, that is correct. My watch, which I did not have to use because I did not have to run continuous miles, read 4:14 p.m. A miracle for me. Needless to say, I am looking forward to practice this afternoon and tomorrow. A red, eight-lane track beats ten miles any day, for me at least.
Dec. 8 is the first chance for the Wildcats to compete. Only a few tracksters will get to compete at the first meet. It is mostly division one and division two schools, so Coach will only be taking the athletes that he feels are ready for strong competition that early in the season. As for me, I doubt I will be in those select few with my illness a few weeks earlier and just now getting back into training, but nevertheless, I have high hopes for track..