You know you’re a running nerd when you consider professional runners a celebrity sighting ;) I belong to a local track club, which happens to be located in one of the running Mecca’s of the country. So last night’s stormy track workout brought more than thunder. Olympians Ryan Hall and Shalane Flanagan as well as professional athletes Sarah Hall and Emily Infeld graced us with their presence!

As an aspiring marathoner, meeting the fastest American female marathoner Shalane Flanagan was pretty darn cool. She is currently training for Berlin, where she hopes to break the American record. Which would equate to 5:19 miles (26.2 of them in a row…). I need to find out what that girl puts in her coffee to make her so stinkin’ fast! ;)

After we finished playing paparazzi, we had an actual work out to get to. Most of us amateurs were not-so-subtly trying to “impress” our elite onlookers (Ha! key word trying.)

The workout: (described as “simple, old school rep workout)

4 x 200 meter sprints (with 1 minute rest between)

immediately followed by

4 x 350 meter sprints (with 2 minute rest between)

immediately followed by

4 x 200 meter sprints (with 1 minute rest between)

Holy Heart Rate!

This speedy “All Out” effort workout is similar to HIIT because it pairs bursts of intensity with bouts of rest (although the rest in this situation was a bit long). The sprints make my heart pound faster than any long run can do. Such great cardiovascular strength building!

Fun fact: Emily and Shalane are members of the Bowerman Track Club. Bowerman, as in Bill Bowerman. As in track coach of University of Oregon in the 1970’s and subsequent co-founder of Nike, Inc. He created shoes for then-athlete Steve Prefontaine. Steve Prefontaine, as in the legendary long-distance runner who once held seven American records. Just a little running history for ya!

The rain is done! Muddy trails await :)