Early on the track - 6/15/11

I was up at 5:30am and on the track at 6:15 after my usual hot tub and stretches.

Looks like I have a damn cold coming on. The sore throat will probably move into my lungs before long.

Cool this morning, upper 60s. Still a bit sore from Saturday's race, but I must train today because I definitely can't on Thurs and Fri as I'm off to Miami.

I wasn't ready to give everything on this one, but a good solid effort.

800m warmup and drills

spikes on

2 x 400 - 62, 61.5

2 x 300 - 46, 46

2 x 200 - 29, 29

The first 400 felt easy. I concentrated most on attacking the second turn and staying loose up the final 100m. The last 200s felt faster than they actually were. Probably just tired.

I'm booked to run a triple again on June 25 at the AL State Games in Birmingham. My flight is also booked for Cleveland and the USATF Masters Nationals where I'll do the 200m and 400m. With the TN Senior Games State meet the preceding weekend, that's a lot of racing in a week. In the unlikely event I make the finals in both the 400 and 200, that is 7 races in 8 days (times are approximate):

7/23 - 9 am: TN Games 400m

7/23 - 7 pm: TN Games 100m

7/24 - 9 am: TN Games 200m

7/28 - 2 pm: Nationals 400m prelims

7/29 - 1 pm: Nationals 400m final

7/30 - 4 pm: Nationals 200m prelims

7/31 - 1 pm: Nationals 200m final

Masters Nationals:

The slowest qualifying times for the 400m final are usually around or below 57. For the 200m, low 25's. The prelims are truly races where, depending on the number of heats, a certain few top place winners automatically qualify for the finals, regardless of time. There are circumstances where slower runners qualify for the finals because they drew a slow heat. For example, one guy ran over 58 in the prelims last year and made the finals where a faster runner who ran 57 didn't because of his heat. Anyway, the competition is fierce and judging by the roster of US M50 400m runners at the World Games in Sacramento, I'd be extremely lucky to make the finals in either event. There are 9 US runners at the WMA Games that have submitted seed times faster than my 55.54. Of course, you know, competitor submitted seed times can be from a previous season or simply faked. I would assume I'll see most of these guys in Cleveland. Hope I'm healthy.