Night sprints on the Equinox

First day of spring.

With my first outdoor meet coming up on Sat., I thought I'd better get a 'quantity' workout in tonight. Quads were slightly sore but not bad.

I modeled this workout after the killer workout I did on 3/11 in Sewanee. It seemed to prepare me well for the Nationals.

400m warmup, stretches, drills

Saucony spikes on

4 x 500m - 83, 86.5, 87, 89

2 x 200m - 27.5, 28.5

300m - 47

I was going to do one more 300 but I felt a blister coming on so I quit. Still, 2700m of sprints. On the 500s, I tried to get the 400 at around 68-72 and run the last 100m in at least 16, trying for 15. I succeeded on the first 3. On the 200s, I tried running negative splits 14, 13 - which I almost nailed on the first one. The 300 I ran 16, 16, 15 100m splits.

For the Vandy meet this weekend, it will be great to be running with the college boys again. I signed up for the 400, 100, and 200 but will likely scratch from the 100 since it follows the 400. The Vanderbilt Mondo track is one of the nicest I've ever run on, so I'll be shooting for a PR 400m this Sat. The only issue is that it may be raining. I'd really love to break 55. To do that, I'll really have to move my ass on that second turn and keep perfect form on the last 80, that's where I lose a lot of speed. This will be my last meet for 3 weeks, (or 2 weeks if I want to drive 90 min to Clarksville on 4/7).

Reflecting on the Nationals, it's weird that I won the 400m ... considering I ran the first 400m race of my life about a year ago. My first outdoor 400m was 56.71. Not much slower than I just ran. So, it may indicate that I can improve my PR this season.

I'm really a reluctant 400m sprinter. I only started doing it as 'therapy' after pulling a ham in the Vandy meet last year. This race may have chosen me. If I was an elite 100m sprinter, I probably would never run the 400m. It's a lot of work. When I told coach Page last year that I was considering training for the 400, he said 400m training "will be painful." It sure is a lot of effort.

One thing I've noticed since I've gotten into pretty good shape is that the nauseous feeling and the rigging up I felt after some 400s isn't there anymore. Total fatigue yes, but not the sick feeling. Big difference. I first really felt the sick feeling after my 55.87 in Birmingham in 90º heat in June. I rigged in both 400s at the Nationals. I swore I'd never run another 400 after that meet.

After any race, I always feel like I could have run faster or produced a better effort, better form, etc... That's the way it is. Frustrating to lose a medal in the 200m again, by just 0.11. 50m from the end I was in 2nd. Oh well, move on.

Inventory: Feel good, no strains. 140.4 after workout and the Monday 'Pie Fest' - thanx Iska for the key lime and chocolate pies.