same, different day

Same workout but in KY, at the KCD School.   Still feel the hip issue but it's getting better... slowly.   I expect I'll be ready to step it up on Sunday.

I have until Tues. to make a commitment to run in Birmingham on 12/6... and holy shit, it is expensive.  $45 for unattached athletes.  Except for the Nationals, and SE Masters, I've never paid this much to enter a meet.  Pretty ridiculous.   But, it's probably the best 200m track in the SE.  It's a Friday evening meet and I can drive there in 2 1/2 hrs from Sewanee.  Maybe it's crazy to drive 5 hrs when I could run at MTSU the next day if coach Hayes lets me in.  If he doesn't, then I'm S.O.L. for the whole month.   Now I'm thinking I should save the $ and run at MTSU (and get smoked).   It would save me a hundred bucks and gas.

Today went better than last time.

Saucony Virrata trainers on

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 400m with 2 min rest - 69, 69, 72, 78 

Watching my diet, had a modest no carb Thanksgiving, just turkey breast and salad.  First time I've eaten turkey in more than 20 yrs.

cold tempo endurance

Brutally cold, 27º with a stiff biting wind at 8:15 am on the Dean Hayes Track at MTSU.  Wind chill in the teens.  It just seemed so much harder today.  Like I work hard and am getting slower.  A slow set of 400s today with 2 min rest in between.   I really didn't want to do #4... but I did, in poor form.  Ran in short tights with long sleeves.  Cowered against the wall to shelter from the wind between reps.

Saucony Virrata trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 400m w/ 2 min rest - 69, 75, 77, 82

The wind seems to really slow me down, despite any benefit of a tail wind.  Maybe it was harder today also because I've been eating really light past few days.  Still a lb over race weight and tomorrow's buffet won't help.  Will probably fast today or eat very light in anticipation of tomorrow's feast.  141.4 lbs after workout.

Can still feel the hip issue but it's better.  Hope to do speed work by Sunday.

mounting the sub-freezing track 

Bustin' it

Still not 100% and not feeling terrifically fit, but was back on the track today for a bitchin' tempo endurance workout.   Conditions were raw, but I've seen worse.  About 35º, cloudy, dank, windy, windchill below freezing.   I got warmed up, set my timer, and stripped to my t-shirt and shorts.  My training shoes are wearing so unevenly, it's beginning to feel weird to walk in them.  They're about a half inch lower on the outside.  So, I donned the spikes.  Plus, I wanted to run faster than the past workout.  I did, marginally.

600m warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony Showdown spikes on 

5 x 400m w/ 2 min rest - 68, 69, 75, 80, 81

By the 4th rep, my rest periods seemed impossibly short.  Still breathin' hard before the last 2.   I was going to do 4 but said what the hell, and did 5.

Still not ready for speed but will be soon.   Don't know when I'm going to be able to workout again, I may try for Wed morning but my holiday schedule is very tight.  My soreness on the stair workout tells me I need to do more of it.  My right calf is still sore after 4 days.   My hip is better but not 100%.  Watching my diet this week in anticipation of a feast.  Eating very light.   141.8 lbs after workout and hope to be below 140 before Thanksgiving.

Back on the track

Cold day in Sewanee, finally getting up to around 40º at noon with the sun breaking through and breezy.   Really tough to leave my comfort zone this cold day to dress for the track.   But good t-shirt weather for the track once warmed up.

The hip felt better, not 100% but good to go for a tempo endurance workout.  My calves were very sore from Thursdays stair session, so I busied myself in the morning with a carpentry project while I waited for the lactic acid to subside.   Still sore by workout time.

A little heavier and slower today.  It was a bitch.

 Saucony Virrata trainers on

550m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 500m w/ 2 min rest - 89, 95, 99, 99+ 

60m striders on grass

Probably too fast on the first one, speed dropped off considerably.   Suffered.  Wanted to do more ... but I didn't want to push it.  Should be back to 100% in a few workouts.

A freezing weekend coming up,  Should be pretty cold next 2 days.   I may go back to running 4 x 400s since I can run significantly faster, and somehow, they seem harder than than 500s for tempo endurance.  

many stairs

With the hip still an issue, but better, I decided to forego the track until Sat and hit the stairs.  The smaller range of movement and emphasis on strength served me best today.  Mid 50sº and overcast today at the MTSU Floyd stadium.  I did one jog around the football field to test the hip and yes, still there but better.

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

22 x stadium stairs 

This was quite a good workout.  I was a quivering mess after it was over and sweating.  Forgot how hard these were.  22 was a decent workout, but I've done as many as 28 in previous workouts.  Tells me I'm not in peak shape.

First meet in 2 weeks.  If I don't feel 100%, I'm not going to bother driving 2 hrs to Birmingham.   I should be ready for a decent early season effort.  No other meets in Dec.... unless I go to NYC.

Day off

Minor injury...
Taking a day off to let that hip joint recover.  Not a good time for an injury with the season opener two weeks from Friday.  Even training tomorrow on the track may be questionable.  I'll do some light resistance today and stretching, see how it feels.   This often happens when I do a vigorous resistance workout for the first time in a while.  I don't do well with ball and socket joints.  When I do get back to the track, I best not run fast for a week.  Just tempo endurance suffering.

New meet possibilities:

January is shaping up where I could run 3 consecutive weekends if I'm willing to travel.

Jan. 5 - Nashville, TSU - Ed Temple meet
Jan. 11 - Birmingham, AL - Blazer Invitational
Jan. 18 -  Lexington, KY - KY Invitational

These meets are definitely open to individuals.  All these tracks are excellent... the Lexington track is in a facility called the "Nutter Field House"... how's that for a name?  It's an over size 290m 6-lane track.  Nice.  UK Wildcats, hometown of Tyson Gay.

Nutter Field House - 290m track

The Birmingham Crossplex has a brand new 200m banked Mondo.  They also have the most rigorous spike check procedures of any track meet I've ever seen.  No Xmas trees.  I think I'd choose on oversize track to a 200m banked... but both are excellent.  The 200m track will likely have a break where the 290m may not.

Birmingham Crossplex track

Speed 300s, 200s

Quality workout today at Sewanee's Coughlan track.  Perfect day, mostly sunny mid 50sº.   All runs were at or near 400m race pace today.  The first 300m drained me considerably and I kind of lost my edge for the rest of the workout.  Despite that, I took a lot of rest and burned a few fast 200s.

600m warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony Showdown spikes on 

2 x 300m - 41.5, 44 

2 x 200m - 27, 26.5

Also started developing some slight pain in my right hip joint so I kept it brief.   I hope this subsides.  Annoying.  My ankle was bothering me last workout but today it was ok.

Weight is nominal... despite the Kind Bars.   141.8 lbs after workout.

tempo endurance 500s

Increasing the difficulty, I did tempo endurance 500s with 2 min rest, and then some.   Sewanee was sleepy and foggy this Sat. morning, about 55ª.   I wanted to 'one up' the tempo workout today.  The options are to decrease rest, increase distance or reps.  I opted for distance.   This means I'm running slower, about 600m pace, but running longer.  The result is a closer run to rest ratio, closer to 1:1.

Saucony Virrata trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 500m w/ 2 min rest - 92, 93, 96, 97 

Saucony Showdown spikes on 

3 x 200m - 27, 27, 27

I took it easy on the first 2 500s, a distance I can easily run in 80 sec, saving myself for the last 2 and wanting to complete the workout.  Although the last 2 were slower, they were much harder.  It was hard but no harder than the 4 x 400s at a little faster pace.

I had some left in the tank so I donned the spikes and ran 200s at about 400m race pace, focusing on form.  This, with yesterdays resistance work on my glutes and quads, left me pretty toasted.  I needed to burn some calories with the rich food I'd been eating.   141.4 lbs  after workout and feeling a bit less soft.

I've racked up some good sprint mileage these last 3 workouts.  Will probably hit the weights tomorrow.

Gettin' it done in Sewanee

more foundation

Sunny and cool, 49º and breezy on the Dean Hayes track this morning.  More foundation maintenance work today.   Energy level felt low today but ran a decently consistent set of 600s with recovery.

Saucony Virrata trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 600m - 1:47, 1:52, 1:53, 1:53

Back up to Sewanee to train this weekend.   Probably will hit the weights at night, might be losing muscle mass.  Probably will get back to the stadium stairs next week and some plyos

141.6 lbs after workout.

Pondering the indoor schedule

Trying to piece together an indoor track season schedule.   There are good tracks, ok tracks, and awesome tracks.     Many meets are not open to individuals, like the opening Vandy meet on 12/3.  Vanderbilt meets are becoming increasingly difficult to get in to and more competitive.   Some meets are one day apart, so have to decide on one or the other.  The Birmingham, AL meet on 12/6 is one day before MTSU's only home meet, but the Birmingham track is the best in the southeast, so I'll probably go there.   Also, I have a concert scheduled at MTSU 2/10 so I'll avoid racing that weekend.

This is what I have so far, * = tentative due to restricted entry or distance/logistics.

12/6 - Birmingham Panther Invitational
12/28 - NYC Armory Sprint Night *
1/5 - TSU Ed Temple Invite
1/25 - Vanderbilt Invitational *
2/1 - Sewanee Tiger Invitational (or TSU Invitational 2/2)
3/1 - Sewanee Invitational
3/14-16  - Boston - USATF Masters Nationals*

So, that's only 4 meets for sure.  There may be more in Feb.  Looking to see if I can run in Birmingham again, or possibly in KY.   We'll see.

foundation work

The conditions were brutal ... about freezing with blustery winds and snow flurries.  Wind chill in the mid-20ºs, a wind advisory in effect.  I knew I'd be alone out there, the only person crazy enough to be out in this drastic cold snap.  Temperature has dropped 30º from yesterday, forecast says 18º tonight.  Presently snow showers and the temperature keeps dropping.

It took a lot of impetus just to get out there instead of sitting by the  fire with coffee and guitar.

Even with the cold, I ran in short tights, and by the last 2 runs, was warm enough to shed my sweat jacket and run in my tech T-shirt.

Ran long instead of fast.  Good choice for a cold day.

Saucony Virrata trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 800m w/ 3:30 rest - 2:43, 2:47, 3:02, 2:56 

400m - 72

The workout was hard but didn't feel as drained as I did on Sunday.  I 'carbed up' a bit last night with some pasta for dinner.  Weight is up a bit but not bad - 142.6 after workout.

long sprints in Sewanee

After 2 days off and some partying last night, todays workout felt really hard and draining.  Picture perfect fall weather and warmer than predicted... low 60ºs at the track with bright sunshine.  67º on the bluff as I write this.  Quiet on the track at first around noon, then a flag football game ensued during my workout.

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony Showdown spikes on 

2 x 500m - 80, 83 

2 x 400 - 63, 65 

300m - 45.5

It was a bitch.  Even with several minutes rest in between, my heart rate stayed high - about 124, even after my breathing returned to normal. Don't know why. My resting pulse is about 60-64 right now. Maybe I'm losing my foundation and need more quantity, like 600s, 800s. I definitely need weights. Maybe tomorrow. No, definitely tomorrow.

the usual tempo 400s +

Cool and blustery at the Dean Hayes track at 9am Thurs... sunny and 46º, windy.   Track wet from previous days rain.  Was a slightly sore from the speed workout on Tues.  Post collegiate 800m runner, John W.  joined me for a few runs.  This was the same workout I did Sunday, but not quite as fast.  Track was wet so I ran in spikes.

500m warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony Showdown spikes on 

4 x 400m w/ 2min rest - 69, 70, 73, 73 

300m  - 44 

200m - 27.5

John W. is a 26 yr old grad who still races unattached.  I see him at college meets quite a bit.  We compare notes on 'getting in to meets' as unattached.  He has good 200m speed and stayed with me in the 200 and 300.

Been binging on Kind Bars... so weight is up a bit.  142.2 after workout.  Can't believe how good these are, high in fat and calories (13g / 190 cal.).  But they are low carb and gluten free.  They're expensive, but I just found a copycat recipe ... look out.  Also looking at baking panforte this holiday season.

speed

At noon at the Dean Hayes track, it was a mild 68º, breezy and partly cloudy.   I did everything today fast in spikes... at or above 400m race pace.   It was pretty hard but not as painful as the tempo endurance stuff.

800m warmup, stretches, drills

Saucony Showdown spikes on 

4 x 200m - 26, 26, 26, 26.5

2 x 100m - 13.5, 13

Been on the track on an every-other-day schedule.  Thinking I might do some resistance tomorrow.

College meets seem to be tightening up entrants so it may be more difficult to get into meets this season.  We'll see.  Vandy has a Tues. evening meet on 12/3.   Be interested to see if I can get in.  It's easy to exclude people in Direct Athletics on line entry.   If it says 'college only' then I'm s.o.l. unless I can get a coaches permission, which is a hassle.

140.6 lbs after workout.  Amazingly light considering this was like a holiday weekend... dessert before dinner 3 days in a row.  I sampled Louisville's Homemade Pie and Ice cream Kitchen's pies... apple, cherry and blueberry ... with their amazing coconut almond chocolate chunk ice cream.  I could live on it.  Even had some movie popcorn.   But I did have a killer workout this weekend and stayed active with hiking, and biking.

tempo 400s and then some

Suffering in KY .... at the hard pan "Monaco-Walker Track" at Kentucky Country Day School in Louisville, this Sunday morning.  Bright and sunny low 50sº.  

It was a bitchin' workout.  

Saucony Virrata trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills  

4 x 400m w/ 2 min rest between - 67, 69, 73, 75 

300m - 43.5 

200m - 27.5

I didn't need to do those last two sprints at near 400m race pace, but my companion Roya wanted to run the last 100m of each with me.  I am truly astounded by her speed. she stayed with me with only a minor head start and I was running at least a 15 sec 100m pace if not faster.  Completely untrained, no substantial warmup or stretching, probably running on her heals.   I really think she has the potential to be an elite masters sprinter, if only she would train or take it seriously.  

Roya - sprinter to be?

Me, I'm just an 'also-ran'... trying to get fast enough to not finish dead last in the upcoming college season.

And then we went mountain biking...

tempo 300s

Bright and sunny on the Dean Hayes track this morning at 9am, the track glistening with the previous evening's rain, I ran 300s, but faster than before, wearing spikes.  Previously, I had been doing 51-55, today was 46-53, with 2 min rest.

600m warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony Showdown spikes on 

6 x 300m w/2 min rest - 46, 48, 48, 49, 51, 53

Yes, I suffered.  I couldn't have done 7.   MTSU sprinters have been doing 8 x 300 ... but I don't think they're as strict about their rest.

I talked with the assist MTSU Track coach, Keith ... he's also had problems with the assist. soccer coach.  Glad their season is over.