Last week our coach told us we would be completing a running test, which I figured would suck about as much as any normal running test and I spent the whole week mentally preparing for a hard run.
When I got to practice, I was my usual freaked out self, but surprised to find that the whole team said hi to me, gave me bises (those little french hello kisses) and basically made it known that they were comfortable with/acknowledging me now. WIN OF THE DAY.
However, the female head count is back down. There is only the weird girl from the first day (who has at least started wearing slightly more athletic clothing...and who actually talks to me and who, I found out, is named Agnes) and the super fast girl from the week before, and, well me.
Our coach explained the run test to everyone and I didn't understand a word of it, something about cones and 8,5 km. I was lost and confused why we had such a LONG run test. 5-ish miles would take me around 45 min. Eek
After everyone headed out around the track to stand next to a cone, I asked him to re-explain it. Something about speeding up every time he blew the whistle and again... something about 8,5 km and paying attention to the people around you. We were staying in for as long as we could...? I can run for a really long time... What? As I usually do, I decided I would just go with the flow and follow everyone else after asking Agnes a few questions. She clarified that the distance was not set and that she didn't really understand the test either.
Agnes and I started at the same cone at a very very slow pace and I was super worried. HOW IS THIS A RUN TEST? But I looked ahead and the elite guys in front of me were barely jogging. Okay...so we make it around the first lap and I'm thinking, so should I go run with them? Then the coach sees me and yells "you're between two groups, slow down, wait up..." But... it's a run test? Ok so I slow down. Then Agnes says "oh, I get it!" after catching me and TAKES OFF. Now I understand that the point is to stay with Agnes but she has dropped me hard core and I am working to catch her. I finish my second lap and still haven't caught Agnes, so the coach tells me I'm done and pulls me off the track.
I walked off, not feeling the least bit like I had just done a running test, or even worked that hard for that matter and he looks at me and says "You've never done a test like this before, have you?" I, of course, say no, that I usually do 30 min tests for distance. He tells me I didn't do poorly, but I simply don't believe him. Then I spend around 17 minutes waiting for the rest of the team to finish and after another lap, I begin to understand the test:
There are cones assembled around the track at every 50m. Each pair started at a cone and you start at a speed of roughly 8,5 kmh (which is very slow - for all you Americans -which is probably all of you- that's an 11:20 mile). Each time he blows the whistle, the team increases their speed as a whole around the track. The objective is to maintain that 50m distance between the group in front and behind you/stay with your partner (if you had one). Mind you, we're increasing speed about every 50m - so each cone. Just by a touch, but nevertheless increasing. Once you get your speed up high, the challenge is well, the pace, but also that you have a few miles (well, km) on your legs and it's harder to keep pushing faster. The longer you can stay in, the higher the speed you were able to maintain.
At the end he figured out some calculations. I'm not sure if it was our max speed in the test, our estimated race pace for an hour, or our estimated max capability, but what I DO know is that mine was an 8:33 mile. WHICH if it is my estimated race pace for an hour... would be pretty accurate, BUT I'm thinking that it was my estimated top pace in the test, which is actually a joke. So, that practice was an overall failure, and I only ended up running for a total of 26 minutes (of which the first and last 10 were warm-up/cool-down) so I decided to run home, which pleasantly was mostly uphill and was a nice hard run.
Yesterday I finally got my distance up above 6 miles (woo hoo!) and tested out a new route. It was a slow run, but it was my longest yet in this country to prepare for that race. Speaking of which, got an email from the directors that said I need a doctor's note. Seriously France? I promise I won't die running 8-ish miles. Well, guess I'm going to have to figure out that one now...
After being disappointed with my slow run yesterday, I decided to seek out the pool and finally get some swimming in, only to find it's closed for cleaning. Not my week for athletics.
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