Intervals at the Metrodome

Tuesday night, I hit the Metrodome for the first time in just over a year. It was time for some intervals!!

I think I only went twice last year, and both times were with Henry and Pharmie. Pharmie and I traded off watching Henry while the other did an interval. Here's Henry's first time at the Dome on Jan 3rd, 2012...

... and here he is 2 weeks later with Pharmie just after she finished her intervals:

This time, we swapped off on "Henry duty" - Pharmie hit the Dome right when it opened while I was home with Henry, and then she came home just in time to put Henry to bed as I ran at the Dome for the last hour it was open. We'll be doing this again!! (Here's more info on "Dome Running.")

I got to the Dome and picked a starting point right next to the 2012 league MVP!

The plan was this:

3 x 1502 meters with 2:00 rest:
(The "inner loop" is just over 600 meters / lap, and I did 2.5-lap intervals.)

[1 lap, 1 lap, half lap = total]
- 2:09, 2:07, 1:03 = 5:19 (5:41.73 pace)
- 2:00 rest
- 2:09, 2:04, 0:59 = 5:12 (5:34.23 pace)
- 2:00 rest
- 2:09, 2:07, 0:59 = 5:15 (5:37.4 pace)

5:15.33 average (5:37.80 average pace)

The last time I was Dome Running last year, I ran 3-lap intervals with more rest, but I was averaging 2:03 / lap. And my 3-lap intervals averaged 5:29 pace. I've slowed up a bit, but I didn't need Dome Running to tell me that - I've known that for a while. Gotta start working on some more speed!

I snapped a photo JUST after my 2nd interval, and I thought I'd look like HELL. Turns out, my chest is a little "flush," but I don't look horrible:

Once I finished my final interval and cooled down, it was 20 minutes to closing time. The Dome had gone from moderately busy (see over my shoulder in the photo above) to DEAD. Here's a photo of a PRETTY empty Metrodome with my foot (as I was stretching) and a nasty piece of trash:

So I hope to make it back once a week or maybe once every-other week as I try to work some speed back into these legs. If you're interested in Dome Running, there's more info here.