800s, 300

 Perfect training weather at the ghost track in Sewanee.  63º and cloudy.  I actually did see a few people there today.  The usual elderly walkers and one runner.

I think I'll keep this every third day on the track regime, and every other day on occasion.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 800m - 2:42, 2:43 

300m - 43.75

I was going to do a split 400m as a part of that 300, but no way... the last 300m kicked my butt.  I ran the 800m with just moderate effort to get 2 in.  If I ran the first one too fast, I would't have been able to do two.  1900m total is a pretty good days work.

Dave M. said he may come up Wed or Thurs to train, but I doubt it.  He's a middle distance guy and 10 yrs younger, so he'll push me if he shows up.

Looks like there will be some meets this summer!  AL State Games will be held end of July.  The Atlanta Track Lab series said they will be holding some meets this summer.

Still up in the air:  USATF Nationals in July, TN Senior Games in June, Atlanta Relays ... all have not issued a definitive decision.   Some say USATF will issue a decision this week, they presently aren't taking registrations, but the TN Senior Games on June 20 is taking registrations.

Abuse of track

I don't mind the old walkers out there, but Friday there were 5 people abreast walking the track with a dog.  Today, there was an obese woman with her daughter riding bikes on the track.  If I were doing a tempo set of repeats I might say something but just doing a few quality sprints, I just wait til they're out of the way.   Clear violations of track rules that are posted on the gate. 

I may do a tempo set tomorrow.  Cloudy and 60ºs forecast. 

obese woman on bike violating track rules

More quality, warm day

Record warmth today in Sewanee, 81º.  Very windy on the bluff but just a slight breeze late afternoon on the track.  Such a wonderful warm breeze continues this evening.  

I did fast stuff with full rest.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

300m - 42.20 

200m - 26.06 

150m - 19.37 

100m - 12.95 

2 x 150m on turf w/45 sec rest ~ 22-23

I did all the sprints with a 2-3 step rolling start except the 100m, I started from the line.

It was hard and I wanted to do more, but my body said no.  I feel like the lack of foundation and especially lack of tempo workouts has compromised my fitness a bit.  Thinking I should scale back and go to every 3rd day on the track, but a warm day like today was hard to resist running fast.  Probably be good to get back on turf, do some form/technique work, some cross training, biking, hiking.

Got my 'home gym' set up.  Can do glute work and squats, upper body, and core.   More strengthening, less running would be good for the next few weeks before I decide if Nationals will be canceled or postponed.  I hope they don't make a decision too soon.  

I ate light today.   Went to bed last night at 148 lbs.  Was 143.3 lbs after workout.  Looking forward to swimming at the lake but it won't be soon... today was just a summer teaser.  Much cooler weather is coming next week, mid 50ºs day, 40º at night.  Maybe have some porch fires.  

Had a nice wildflower hike yesterday...

WMAC Canceled, just stretching my legs

Yesterday it became official, the World Masters Championship, Toronto 2020, is canceled.  However, USATF Nationals in July are still on as of now, and the TN Sr Games in June have sent me a flyer asking me to register and pay my fees.  If I do get a race this summer, I won't know for about a month if it'll happen.  These races are waiting to make their decisions.   I still think if I see any racing this summer, it'll likely be end of summer, but we'll see.

Went to the track today on a beautiful evening.  About 62º and sunny, late afternoon.  Managed to forget my bag and timer, so Roya and I just did 2 laps, sprinting the straights, walking the turns, then a short hike.  Just as well since I felt a little foot pain and will be off tomorrow, have to teach on line most of the day.   Thurs looks perfect, and Friday looks like our first really warm day, could be near 80º.   The wildflowers should be really popping early this year, our last freeze was March 6.  If we don't get one more, that will be extremely early for a last frost.  No rain til Tues and warm temps with next chance of rain Tues and a return to cooler weather, but not freezing. 

I ran the 100s fairly briskly.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 100m ~ 13-14 sec

As it gets warm, it's going to be hard to do the toiling foundation, instead of just getting out and doing fast low volume.  I love getting out there shirtless and tearing around the track.  Have to take the long view.  Doubt I'll see any racing in the next 10-12 weeks.  But you never know how this pandemic will play out.  So far, it looks bad.

Healthy and light 143.3 lbs after workout.  Drinking a lot of Jura cappuccinos, toast in the morning, one small to moderate meal in the evening, cappuccino and chocolate for dessert.  I've set up my glute bands, have 40lb dumbells, some new resistance bands ... need to workout in between my lessons tomorrow and look forward to doing some recordings.

The creek outside is roaring and I took the cycle to the lake today, and it's full again, the outflow was quite a cascade (photo below).  There were tornado warnings in the vicinity last night, and my Gr Level2 analyst software showed definite rotation at the base of Roark's Cove Rd and in Monteagle, but save for a few trees down, no real evidence of tornado damage.

Won't be long before I'm doing exactly what I did last spring.  Swimming, biking, boating. 

8 months before indoor season starts.

400s, low volume

Misty and foggy on the Sewanee track today, 57º.  Wasn't too foggy when I arrived, but that changed when I finished warmups and the visibility dropped to about 60m.  It's been pretty much fogged in for the whole day.  A number of elderly walkers where out there fading in and out of the fog.

Did low volume, just a pair of 400s with limited rest and a 100m.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

400m, 400m, 100m w/ 3min rest in between - 69.5, 68.8, 13.9

I am in decent shape considering I'm not really pushing the volume.  I'm considering doing every third day on the track instead of every other day and cross training on the bike.   It's tough to plan for a competition that may not exist anytime soon.   However it goes, I do want to be in shape to run some documented times in July when I'm M60.  Surely there will be a meet somewhere.  They still haven't canceled TN State Games in June.  This outdoor season, only one M60 has run under a minute so far, Trevor at 57.76.  And astonishingly, no outdoor M60s have run under 27.  I did that 3x in training shoes the other day.

Light.... 142.6 lbs after workout.  Eating well.

Foundation, faster and less

The second day of spring felt more the like last day of winter.  Cloudy and cold, 45º at Sewanee track with a light north wind.   2 days off since I ran last, it rained all day yesterday.  The urgency of preparing for competition is now gone.  It seems likely that the Nat'l and World Masters championships will be canceled or postponed.  The USATF urged the IOC to postpone the Olympics yesterday.  I hope all of it still happens, maybe a month late.  So it makes sense to go back to foundation type training and cross training. 

Today I did foundation but kept volume low and effort higher.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

800m - 2:38, (77, 81) 

400m - 61.8 (31.5, 30.3)

I did the 400m after full rest, and specifically did it negative split.  My goals were 32, 30 and I beat it slightly, still negative split.  This felt a whole lot better than spending everything on a 400m to the point of rigging in the end.  Felt good and strong in the last 100m.   I have no doubt I could run 58s at least right now in a meet situation.

In between runs, I messed around with the hurdles a bit.  I'm still thinking this would be a great opportunity to learn the 300m hurdles.  I've got a track to myself, all the hurdles I need, etc.  My main issue is technique.  The 30" hurdles are low enough that I can get over them fairly effectively by tucking my trail leg under my body rather than the classic out to the side technique.  In the 300H, the first 50m to the first hurdle is an all out sprint, and it seems that one should be able to lead with either leg.  It's going to take a while to learn.  Anyway, just a thought.

Looking to start a daily home workout routine.  Have everything I need, even bands so I can do glutes, hip flexors, hams, adds, abds, and abs. (See if you can figure out those last 3).

Fit, 143.8 lbs after workout. 

Brisk 200s

Quality work, low volume today.  Sewanee was breezy and mid 60ºs, overcast.  A brief light drizzle.

Did 200s with good effort today, but not full out.  Thought about form on the straight.  Took my time warming up and rested in between.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 200m - 27.28, 26.89, 26.78, 26.84

I took several minutes rest in between, and ran them with a few step flying start.   After the third one, it took more than ten minutes for my heart rate to drop back to the low 120s bpm.  Probably indicating I'm not in that great of shape.

These were run hard, not 100% like a 200m race, but 90+%, about the pace of a 400m race.  I like these workouts so much better than those tempo workouts where I really suffer.   These types of workouts I can run fast and not really suffer.  But, I doubt it's helping me as much. 

There were some football players there, doing some sprints and light running. One of 'em said to me, "man, you got some wheels!"    I said, "Yea maybe, for a 60 yr old."  He didn't believe me.

Did a good ab workout at home yesterday.  Light, fit, 143.6 lbs after workout.  Light enough to eat bread again.  Tea and toast!

New world, the future...

Sprinting into the ethereal ghostly landscape of a different world. Fogged-in twilight on the mountain. Students gone, college track season canceled, sprinting past lacrosse nets and athletic equipment that will never be used this season. Ghost town. Beautiful here. I’m really lovin’ it.

I went to the gym last night only to find a sign on the window, "closed until further notice."  So, instead Roya and I went to the track for a light workout.  I did very little except for stretching and some strides.

The pandemic in our midst has canceled all competition for the foreseeable future.  The rate of disease has leveled off in China and Korea, but the US is steep on an upward curve.  I think this upward curve will last longer than in China or Korea, due to the lack of preparedness here and the initial barrage of misinformation by the Trump administration deliberately downplaying the severity of the situation.

National, World, and State competition in June and July may still be possible, probably a small chance, but I'm doubting that masters and open meets in May will happen.   That being said, it probably would be wise to scale back the speed work, and perhaps reduce to 2 track workouts a week, prepare for the long haul which could be, under the worst case scenario, indoor season 2021.

Low volume tempo workouts, and extensive tempo on turf maybe the way to go to preserve and protect.  I did essentially that after severely injuring a hip flexor racing a 100m at the end of March in 2015.  But mostly in the form of over distance.  Then returned to start a string of National championships in July.  I only started sprinting fast about 9 weeks before Nationals, and not racing until 6 weeks before.  So, if it looks like the Nationals are going to happen, I could start ramping up as late as mid May as long as I'm in shape.   Being uninjured is #1. 

I do plan to go out today if it doesn't storm....

long sprints

On the track today, felt the effects of missing nearly a week, form felt clunky and notso fast.  Happy to be back running and the University is a ghost town.  Perfect situation.  Low 50ºs, cloudy, and damp.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

'split 500' - 300m - 46 / 75 sec rest / 200m -31 

300m - 44.5 

200m - 27.45

It's very cool to be up here in Sewanee, relatively isolated from the world in the midst of a pandemic.  I'm hoping the virus will run it's course by May and there will be the option to compete by June and July.  So far, Worlds and Nationals are still on.

Penn Relays canceled for the first time in 126 yrs.

143.9 lbs after workout.

Back running

After cross training for most of a week, happy to be back running pain free.  Last Sunday's event runs were a little more taxing than I expected, and due to the time off from running, I'm behind a bit in my conditioning.  It'll probably take 2 week cycles to catch up.  It's ok, the college season is effectively over it seems.  The last college meet in my area was held at Birmingham Southern.  Only the home team and one other small school showed up, several unattached raced and a masters woman, Easter W37, actually won the women's 200m.  It was a tiny meet.  Some events with just 1-3 people.  Wish I had gone down there to race a 200m.

I ran today with my sweats on, gingerly at first then faster.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 100m - 14.75, 13.62, 12.98 

4 x 150m w/ 50 sec rest ~ 23.5 - 24 (on turf)

I think I'll do some stairmaster and weights tonight, and start back on my 3 day/ week cycle tomorrow  or maybe on Monday, it's supposed to rain all afternoon Monday.

Lots of free time, it's great.   Both colleges I work at are on an extended spring break, then online classes only after that.  My school year is essentially over, Sewanee is on spring break til March 30.  It's a beautiful time of year and maybe do some hiking tomorrow.

UPDATE:
Did a super set of glute machine and some squats with light weight tonight.

143.5 lbs after workout

Pool

Worked out in the pool for 45 min today.  It felt great.  Water running and swimming.  Unfortunately, this was the last day for 10 days the pool will be open.  Spring break.

The water seemed cool at first, 79º... but after getting out then getting back in, seemed warm.  I did 10 laps of the 25 yd pool (down and back). Then swam hard for 300m.  I water ran for about 25-30 min.  For most of the time, my heart rate was a nominal mid 120s... same as it would be after the first of a moderate 200m.   Not much of a workout.   So, I did the last bit at sprint turnover, as fast as possible, and got my heart rate up to close to 140.  Nothing like real running.  In fact, swimming is an overall better full body workout, but mostly upper.

Last night, I did a good 25 min hill set on the stair master plus some weights.   Stairmaster always is a good sweat.  It's quite a toil. 

I'm going to start running again on turf tomorrow or the next day. 

--------------
FREE TIME!

Due to the virus pandemic, most colleges including MTSU have extended Spring Break a week and will be going online after that.   That seems to be the trend for nearly every major University.

However, were I teach part time in Sewanee, they have (in my opinion) foolishly bucked the trend.  The college president made the rigid imperative announcement that Sewanee will "NOT" (his emphasis) be closing after spring break.  I see this as irresponsible.  A more prudent course of action would have been a flexible statement contingent on developing conditions.  Sewanee is a utopia of sorts, an isolated mountain top community that could be a haven of refuge from a deadly pandemic, but unfortunately, the university president is summoning all the students back after spring break, by his imperative which shows no effort to be flexible.   As a fellow faculty said to me, "we're pretty safe up here on the mountain... until all the students come back from break.  Who knows where they've been or who they've been exposed to."   With this action, and a virus with a long incubation period, bringing infected students back to this mountain would essentially turn this community into an infected cruise ship.  I hope not.

Cross training, cancelations loom

With the advent of USATF Masters Indoor Championships canceled at the last minute due to the Corona virus, a widespread pandemic looms and is threatening future athletic events from USATF Masters Outdoor Nationals, WMAC Toronto, and even the Olympics.   I just may be training for 2021 Indoor.

After last workout, running 500m (300, 200) full out in spikes from blocks, I decided I need to do some cross training.  It was a bit hard on the body and although I ran pretty fast, I feel like I probably shouldn't race anytime soon and refrain from doing workouts in spikes.  Definitely not this month as much as I'd like to. 

Today would normally be a track day but I'm going to cross train instead.  Yesterday, did a good 12 mile bike with some brief aggressive hill climbs, and tonight I'll be doing stairmaster, weights, and maybe some rowing.  Need some prehab, strengthening in my ads, abs, etc...  Also, may continue some workouts on turf later this week. 

I had stopped the high doses of collagen and glucosamine, but now I'm resuming.  I think it's good for recovery. 

speed day 3,2,1

Windy, sunny, and 62º on the Sewanee track today.   I brought my starting blocks to the track for the first time in 18 mo for some starts and a few event runs.   Went ok, nothing spectacular.  More work to do.  Ran event runs from the 400m start. 

Hoka trainers on 

500m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 block starts 

Puma spikes on 

300m from blocks - 41.7 (turn-straight-turn) 

200m from blocks - 25.59 

Hoka trainers on 

100m from standing start - 12.77 

'split 400' - 300m - 44.5 / rest 60 sec / 100m in 15

I was disappointed in my 300m event run, really wanted to break 41.  Splits were approx 13.2/14/14.5.  Still it was at least 58-59 400m pace, possibly faster.    I also ran the 200m from blocks, not terrible, especially after a hard 300m.   After those 2 hard sprints in spikes, 'things' started to hurt so I put the Hokas back on.  They felt like pillows in comparison.  I asked a few high schoolers to run the 100m with me, a guy and a girl, 15 and 16.  It was fun.  (smoked 'em) 

I finished with what felt like a smooth 300m +  a 100m into the wind. 

No problems, just some slight groin soreness.  I expect to get to the gym tonight.

143.5 lbs after workout. 

600, 500, hills

Over distance and some hills today.  Conditions weren't the best, mid 40ºs and mostly sunny but with a strong gusty wind from the NW.  Felt much colder than mid 40ºs.  Almost went to the pool but decided track would be more beneficial.  I got it done.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

600m - 1:44.5  

500m - 82 (64.5/17.5) 

2 x 200m hill sprints - 42, 41

 I took plenty of rest between intervals.  The 200m hill sprints were kind of like running a hard 300m.  The 600m was run with a goal of 68 for the 400m, and the 500m with a goal of 64.  Was just 0.5 short. 

Spring break this week at MTSU so I might add a workout, maybe pool, and definitely get to the gym some.  Tonight for sure.  Weather looks good for the weekend but a rainy pattern starting Tues.  Hopefully do some speed on Sun, and get tempo workout in between rain on Tues. 

144.0 lbs after workout

getting the itch

Getting the itch to compete.  I've only been training doing actual running since Jan 13, and on the track regularly 3 days a week for a month, but I find myself looking at college meets to enter, now that I know I  can sprint full speed.  I wanted to race April 11 at Berry, but maybe even as soon as March 27 at Emory.  We'll see.   I'm looking to start doing 300m event runs soon and if I'm going to run a 200 or 400m time trial, why not run it in a meet?  Or maybe a 200m?  Racing in spikes is hard on the feet, but only one race would be ok. 

tempo 300s, quality 150s

Warm and breezy at the Sewanee track, low 60ºs with partial sun.   The severe storms last night left the track wet.  (25+ people killed overnight in the storms in TN!).  Today, I needed to do a tempo workout as I hadn't done one in a week, and opted for the dreaded 4x300.   Was just slightly sore from the all out sprints I did Sun but not bad.  I just wanted to get it done, so I didn't decrease my rest from last time and ran them about the same pace.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 300m w/ 2:30 rest - 50, 50, 51.5, 53 

2 x 150m - 19.41, 19.31

The 300s were about the same as last time in terms of avg speed.  Just glad to get 'em done.  They are always a bitch, especially #4 of course.

I rested and then ran 2 hard 150s down the back stretch.  I used a 3 step flying start.  They were both about 25.7 - 25.8 200m pace.  (I figure 19 flat is 25.3 200m pace for a 150).

It was good, glad to get it done before my 2 days off the track.  So in my 3 day weekly cycle I think I should do:
1) over distance - long sprint repeats like 500s, split intervals like 700s (500, rest 90 sec, 200)
2) short speed - accelerations, 50 - 150 sprints 90%+ and/or hills, 200-300m event runs
3) tempo sets like 4 x 300, 4 x 200 w/ limited rest

This week I proceeded in the above order, seemed to work ok.  I also tend to lift same day as track workouts in the evening, sometimes next day.

Maintaining decent weight - 142.8 lbs after workout.

1st day of short speed work

Warm today, low 60ºs, a bit windy.   I thought it about time I should try to accelerate and run fast.

It was a milestone day, the first time I put on spikes in almost 18 months, (but just for one 100m sprint).  First time I tried full speed accelerations from the starting line, no rolling start.  I was a bit gun shy, didn't want to get hurt.  But it went well.  Ran everything about full effort.  My body held up well.

Hoka trainers on  

300m warmup, stretches drills 

bandwork - hams, hip flexors 

50m w/ 2 step flying start  - 6.37 

2 x 50m from 3 pt stance - 6.75, 6.56 

100m - 12.37 (from 3 pt stance )

Puma trainer spikes on 

100m - 12.32 (from 3 pt stance)

Hoka trainers on 

300m - 42.95

I think the most impressive sprint of my day was that first 100m in Hoka Clifton 1 trainers:  12.37.  These sprints were also done with a tailwind.  I think my form was better than when I ran just slightly faster in spikes.  Training in spikes is really hard on my feet so I put them away after just one sprint.  I seemed unusually tired after only 3x50m and 2x100m, but I put the trainers back on and pounded out a hard 300m.   Not as fast as I wanted to run, but not bad.  I had the wind in my face for the first 150.  I'm still not ready for a 400m race, but this today gives me confidence to race a 200m, (maybe even a 100m).   I need a lot more work on blocks and acceleration, form, speed endurance, everything. 

To save my feet, I'm considering replacing a track day with a pool running day.  Tues is supposed to be very rainy, so maybe pool on Tues.

Heavier today than last time, 144 lbs.  Probably from eating at the college.