Today I ran a level four tune-up in preparation for my 5 km race on Sunday. Six time 1000 m, 400 m recovery, 3:08 and dropping 2 seconds each interval, finishing at 2:58. I hit every time dead on.

The reason for this was twofold. First, I am trying to train patience. I am sure there will be a bunch of guys going out at 4:40 pace and while I am seriously trying to be someone who can do that in a 5k I am not there yet. So I am trying to learn to start conservatively. Second, by increasing the pace a little each time I can avoid overtaxing myself. Had I overestimated my fitness and tried to go from say 3:05 down to 2:55 I would have maxed out on the fifth interval and (if I have any sense, which remains an open question) then baled out so as to save myself for a day when killing myself had some benefit.

Incidentally, I have my summer racing schedule worked out. No guarantees that I will be at every one of these events, but I will be at most and hope to race well at every one:

Rhody 5 km Lincoln RI 9:30 AM Sun, June 7
Tilton Northfield 5 km Tilton NH 8:00 AM Sat, June 27
John Langhans Run 7.2 mi Woodstock VT 9:00 AM Sat, July 4
Bill Luti 8 km Concord NH 9:00 AM Sat, July 18
Yankee Homecoming 10 mi Newburyport MA 6:35 PM Tues, July 28
Bridge of Flowers 10 km Shelbourne MA 9:00 AM Sat, August 8
Cigna Elliot 5 km Manchester NH 6:20 PM Thurs, August 13
Ollie Road Race 5 mi Boston MA 10:00 AM Sat, September 12
Lone Gull 10 km Gloucester MA 9:00 AM Sun, September 20

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