Eventful track workout

Speed work for today called for 6 miles, w/ 5X1000m @ 6:46. Piece of cake, right?

After a cloudy and chilly morning, the afternoon turned out to be perfect for speed work. I was really excited for it as I always am after 2 days of swimming and biking. My plan was again to run a mile, do one of the repeats on the bikepath, the other 4 on the track, and run back home.

I also wanted to take it easy and not to run too fast, definitely not faster than 6:40min/mile.

Repeats:

1. 1000m @ 6:39 min/mile
2. 1000m @ 6:40
3. 1000m @ 6:33
4. 1000m @ 6:38
5. 950m @ 6:40

So what happened with the last repeat?

The Arlington Highschool track team, which trains on the track I normally go to, has left hurdles out on the 3 outer lanes of the track. When I first saw the hurdles I thought it might be fun to try them out, but, given my level of clumsiness, I decided to wait until after the marathon. I ran all the repeats on the inner lanes of the track. During the last repeat I was feeling great, in the zone, practicing one of my "you are getting close to the finish line" scenarios when all of a sudden, sharp pain in my L knee and R thigh, and boom, on the ground I go along with two of the hurdles. I get up and move my knee around. Pain is strong but the knee works. I try to put weight on it, and it is fine. I start walking, but I can't do it without a limp. F&#%. I roll the knee a bit more, massage, and start to walk again. Much better. Finally, I manage a slow jog home, and the knee feels better and better.

As soon as I realized the knee is going to be fine, I started laughing out loud. How funny is this, to manage not to get a "real" running injury, and then when you are almost done with a workout to have a silly fall like this?

My knee is still a bit sore, and I bet there will be a bruise in my future. I'll add it to the numerous cuts, and falls, and bumps I have acquired over the years. Lets just hope that I will not be tripping on an empty water cup or collide with another runner during the marathon. With my level of clumsiness, these scenarios are totally possible!