Today, I was happy to have time to take several gun starts with the team from blocks. I did my usual warmup drills, and stretches, ran a 250 strider and a few shorter ones. I took about 7 or 8 starts, 4 of with Coach Kelly's commands and gun, along with a full 8 lanes of sprinters by my sides. I got out pretty well. Felt good, no strains. Stayed with the group for about 20m then, try as I might, after about 25m, they seem to have 'a gear' I just don't have.
The coach was offering advice to sprinters. However, I am completely invisible to the coaches, they are not encouraging, but seem to tolerate my participation. (I think coach Kelly must be about 10 yrs my junior). My interactions are completely different with the other sprinters. They always make a point of chatting and are encouraging, some calling me, 'professah.'
The problem with the way Dean Hayes structures these meets is that he assumes NO 400m sprinters will also run the 55m. So, instead of as in most other meets that have the 55m first, he has the 400m first, and then the 55m ... making a 55/400 double completely out of the question.
So, I have to choose. I've decided I will ask again to do a 400/200 double since I'd rather run a 400m here at MTSU on a 280m track than at Sewanee in 2 weeks on a 160m track, (although I may do it anyway). The way the meet is structured, a triple is possible at Sewanee, but I may save that for the Mason-Dixson in Louisville.
The order of the sprint events in the next 3 meets is completely different for each -
2/11 MTSU Valentine Invite: 400, 55, 200
2/25 Sewanee Invite: 55, 400, 200
3/2 Mason-Dixon: 200, 55, 400
Proposed races:
2/11 - 400, 200
2/25 - 55, 200
3/2 - 200, 55, 400
I ended the day with another 250m strider, fast, about 85%. It felt hard. I guess I just don't really like running in there, the air, the hard track ... don't know what it is.
Note on comments: I had not realized that anonymous comments were disabled. I've fixed that issue so anyone is welcome to comment.
Don''t worry about 'coach kelly', you probably threaten him .... perhaps you should challenge him to a race (ha ha).
ReplyDeleteCoach Kelly is a good guy, he's just new... and I'm sure he doesn't know what to make of a 51+ yr old guy showing up for practice with his team. (Heh, but then again, he has coached a Paralympic team... ) The guy ran 49.50 in the 400m hurdles in 1988 when he was 20. But he doesn't look like he's been running lately.
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