That song brings back great memories!  I was in high school when it came out and anyone who was someone thought it was great.  But this post isn’t about one hit wonders or guessing at how old I am (don’t tell me you didn’t just try to figure it out!!).

Last night was my first night of speed work with my Running Room run club at an indoor track.  I for one am so thankful that it was last night because the temperature was so low people’s cars weren’t starting, some city buses weren’t running and just walking to the corner store could be hazardous to one’s health.  I’m so ready for spring to come and for all this cold weather to go back to where it came from.  Where is that exactly?

I haven’t done speed work in years and what with my foot still giving me problems, I was very nervous to participate.  I could see myself starting off well, then passing people on the track because of my super speed (didn’t I tell you about it?) only to tweak my foot the wrong way and be back on crutches.  Or even worse, traction!

Now, first of all let me tell you about the track we went to.  It’s commonly referred to as “The Dungeon” because it is in the basement of a recreation centre and there aren’t any formal walls.  Instead the track is closed off on the sides with what looked like tarps and the dirt floor outside of the track area is visible.  The change rooms are unisex and the most lovely blue painted plywood you’ve ever seen!  (que the eye roll)  In the center area of the track are weights, stationery bikes and an aerobic floor area.  There are no walls separating any of it.  The track itself is comprised off rubber mates connected together.  It looks and feels as if you’re running on rubber tires.  I couldn’t even find a picture of it on the internet it’s that bad!

Strangest of all was what it felt like to run on.  I almost felt as if I had springs in my shoes and I was sort of floating when I ran.  O.K that’s probably due to my super speed again and not the track itself (que your eye roll).  But there was something very odd about it.  The faster I ran the easier it became.  I don’t know if I just had a good cadence or if I all my focus on my form is finally paying off but I felt great!  I was averaging 8:25/mile which is very quick in my books.  Of course I wouldn’t be able to hold that through a race but to know that I even have that in me is promising.

After we were finished our speed work our instructor suggested we do a mile around the track and try to hold it at a 9:00/mile.  I knew my foot was starting to get agitated so I bowed out and headed home.  Better safe than sorry and I had nothing to prove.  However, had my foot been feeling fine I would have tried my best to hold it at a 8:30/mile just to say I could!  No, I’m not competitive.  Maybe just secretly I am. A little bit.  Well, maybe not so little!

As I took my shoes off I knew that my foot was really feeling the effects of the run.  And then all of a sudden a post that I had read months ago on Yo Momma Runs popped into my head.  I would link back to her original post but for the life of me I can’t find it.  But basically what she did for her foot pain was submerge her foot in an ice bath.  It looked just like this (except with her foot of course, not mine).

After singing a few high notes, I was comfortable enough to tolerate it and kept my foot in the bowl for about twenty minutes.  I pulled it out for about 10 minutes before trying it again.  The second time around didn’t last as long since my foot started to get a weird tingling feeling in it (almost a stinging sensation) so I thought it best to call it quits.  But let me tell you…..what a difference it made!  My ankle in particular felt so good last night that I didn’t even feel as if I had just run!  So thanks Yo Momma Runs for the advice!  Thanks to you I was able to walk today.

It’s an early night tonight as I’m really tired from the week’s activities.  I swam twice, ran twice and I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s early morning triathlon swim class and then running a long run (hopefully 9 kms) on Sunday.  Which will be the longest distance I’ve run since last year!  Yikes, that’s too long ago.  Have a great weekend everyone and happy running!  Or whatever you are looking forward to!

Have you tried an ice bath?  Or bowl bath in my case?  How long do you stay in for?

Do you run on an indoor track?  Are the floors made of rubber tires at your track too?

And what did ever happen to Vanilla Ice?