Life of an Age-Grouper

Instead of the usual Hecksher Park threshold test that I have done the previous two times I opted to jump on the trainer.  The main reason that I decided to jump on the trainer was do to the weather.  It was very windy this morning at my apartment so therefor it would have been tornado like conditions down by the water.  Usually I'm all about going out in adverse conditions but for test purposes I wanted to be in the most controlled environment as possible. One advantage of riding on the trainer is the ability to listen to music.  I set up a solid play list for the threshold test, re-read my notes on bike test #2, put some gas in the tank and saddled up.  Goals for the test, down blow up in the first 5 minutes, no major wattage spikes, maintain a high cadence and smooth speed.                                   Test #2                 ...

Text message conversation with Matt Me : Great day to crush a run test Matt : Hell yeah. Beautiful out there. Remember, run relaxed, it's about smooth speed not muscling through it. Me : Noted and filed Me : Smooth speed, I like that Matt: It's just like swimming, the more you fight the slower you go and more energy you use.  Have cue words like "quick feet", "smooth speed", etc. Relax and run!! And just like that I had my new running mantra, "smooth speed". I thought about this mantra all day long while at work.  I freaking love it.  After work I started my trek back to Huntington from Brooklyn thinking about and saying numerous times, "smooth speed". I'm not the type of athlete that can just show up and race.  I need time to mentally prepare for the race or in this case a run test.  The more prepared I am mentally the better success I usually have.  My mental preparations include; visualizing the race from start to fi...