~9 miles @ ~9.7 min/mi

So say the signs (in Spanish and English) around the LBJ High School track. But how can a public school field be "private property"? Nonetheless, I'm nervous as I run around the perimeter of the fence (the hole to get in from Purple Sage Dr has been patched recently) and find my way in. Soccer games are going on at the adjacent field, but I've got the cushioned 400m oval to myself at midday as I commence a ladder: 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 laps. For the first half I'm hoping that no police show up to throw me out; for the second half, I'm praying that The Law does appear to save me from myself.

Splits for the intervals, with a half-lap walk between each dash: 1:52 + 3:44 + 5:41 + 7:40 + 5:47 + 3:42 + 1:40 by my watch. Conscious relaxation, self-observation, non-judgmental awareness, and hands in Parvati-mudra all seem to help keep the pace brisk, possibly the fastest ladder I've done at this track (see references to past ones below). Although the noonday temperature is ~60°F a brisk south wind helps, especially when I strip off the shirt after the first 800m repeat. Garmin GPS and Runkeeper app generally concur on distance and pace. I take the long way home and add a little zig-zag at the end to make the distance exceed 9 miles.

(cf. 2006-07-15 - Final Texas Heatwork, 2009-08-10 - Beep, Beep, Beep, ..., 2010-07-15 - LBJ Ladder, 2010-09-21 - LBJ High School Track, 2012-01-17 - LBJ High School Speedwork, ...) - ^z - 2013-01-??