Grin and Bare it

Back of the field & Pistol Pete in the rain (thanks Pam)

I missed the track meet on the 16th, but I made the following one on the 30th. The organisers vary the events and the nearest event I could find to fit my new self stylee profile of a middle distance bald Alan Wells was the 800mm. How hard can 2 laps of the track be? I'm not a complete novice in this event. Having ran it three times previously over the last 13 years, I have faithfully delivered a 2:20 every time. Would it be too much to ask to manage another 2:20 well into my 50's? Well, I'll not keep you hanging on (in the words of Kim Wilde): I was well off the pace.
It was breezy with heavy showers. There was a large field of runners. There were 8 heats. I was in heat seven which meant there were some fast guys and gals there. I found myself drawn in lane 5 next to Hughes of NS poly. As I haven't been doing any track training with my spikes, I elected to go with my new Saucony Jazz's. I took my place in the lane and cast my eyes across the wet track, the surface half submerged in puddles of rippling water. I wondered to myself if I could skid off the track. Not likely. The gun went and off we went. I fund myself near the back and stayed there until the beginning of the second lap when I passed Mcluskey and then at 600m, I took the long way round Hughes. I could feel my face gurn badly as I hit the final straight. The rain was heavy again, but I worked on my facial expressions and leg extension and fended off a fast finishing mcluskey with an admirable turn of speed. It was a 2:33, but what could I reasonably expect without any speedwork this summer?  It was too wet for a warm down and frankly I didn't feel that I had expended any excessive energy.
However, my hamstring is sore tonight after 6 steady miles through the woods which have become the recent refuge of the little burgers they call horse flies. 'That's why I don't do the track', I reminded myself as I walked the last kilometre home.  Looks like I'm back on the bike for a few weeks. That's timely, in a way as I have been looking at doing a few time trials and Hill Climbs early Autumn.