split 400s

Just 36 hrs after the Friday twilight meet, I was back on the same track here in Sewanee.   Beautiful(!) spring morning, Roya and I got there about 8am, it was in the low 50's and sunny.  Thankfully, the stadium bathrooms were open.

I wanted to do something different so I took a page out of the Clyde Hart book.  Split 400s.  Marcus had mentioned to me this workout as well.

500m warm up, stretches, drills 

Saucony spikes on 

300m - 42.5 / rest 1 min / 100m - 14 

5 min rest 

300m - 43.5 / rest 1 min / 100m - 14.5 

5 min rest 

300m - 44.5 / rest 1 min / 100m - 14.5 

5 min rest 

100m strider

This is supposedly the mid-late season workout Michael Johnson was doing at his peak.  Not as abusive as the 4x400m tempo runs and maybe as beneficial or better.   I was wasted at the start of the 3rd 100m, but still able to run hard.  

Only slight soreness from the race but the ankle hurts a bit.  I used compression wrap for the workout.   

I think my weak performance Friday was due as much to race execution as fitness.  I've always run my best times with a fairly aggressive first 200m, somewhere around 25.8 to 26.  I was a bit conservative Friday.   Although once, in practice, I ran a 55.5 in 27/28.5 splits.  So, who knows what my best strategy is.  I've alway thought my best shot at breaking 55 would be 26/28.75... but now I'm just trying to break 56.

I also changed my diet slightly too.  Instead of juice, nuts, fruit... I'm eating an egg and cheese sandwich after morning workout.  Now that my weight is pretty stabile (141-142 lbs morning), I can pretty much eat anything in moderation ... i.e., I could easily eat three egg sandwiches, but I do limit myself to one.  I think the small dose of protein and carbs will be beneficial.  

There is a possibility to run the next 2 weekends.  Next weekend is up in the air, but the weekend after in Indy on 5/3, I'm already registered for.   School will be finished by then.  

Roya did a good workout too, 4 miles on the track.