Award

This has nothing to do with track directly, but indirectly.  My award of a sabbatical for the 2026-27 academic year means 2 things:  most importantly a return to the concert stage a classical guitarist, and secondly, more time to devote to training and racing.  If I am healthy, which is a BIG IF, I should have no problem getting away to compete at WMAC in S. Korea in late Aug / Sept, and WMACi in March '27 in Gainesville.   Assuming fitness, these may be my last World meets.   

Considering that I plan to race on 12/14, it could be too long of a season without a break.  So maybe a bit of a break after Masters Indoor in Feb.  

The sabbatical award comes with a choice, one full semester off, or 2 semesters at half time.   I'm going to select the latter, which essentially means one workday per week (approx 6-8 hrs) for the entire year.   

Definitely couldn't come at a better time.  My studio is at an all-time low, and I need to rebuild.  Next season and maybe the following will probably be my last in track if I make it through, and I've not really performed much since before the pandemic so it's time.  Hoping my body, legs and hands hold out.  Guitaring on the classical concert level has an element of athleticism and requires actually far more training time than track.  

Looking back, peaking at the right time is hard.  In '23, before Poland, (where I should have medaled but fell after a collision at the finish) I was peaking in early March.  Was running crazy fast.  400m time trials of 57.72, and 56.81 on consecutive days.   Ran a 40.5 split 300m on the 2nd one, and was running easy sub 13 100s.   That was definitely a peak.  I struggled with pace in Poland and only mustered a few 58.9s.  Not bad and if I had run that time in the final, I would have won silver.   That year I did put it together at Nationals and was happy with a title in the 200m and a 57.59 Bronze in the 400m - one of the fastest M60 finals in USATF history.  Also, during that time in early March I got light, really light,  136.8 lbs after that 56.8 TT.  About 5 lbs less than I am now.  

 This is what I looked like:   

I wonder if I can ever get back to that level. Maybe by Daegu. All really depends on if the body can handle the training.

Tomorrow, hills.  Long hills like last time.  Cloudy, mid 30ºs.

cold turf - 5x150 tempo

Conditions were tough but fortunately the wind wasn't too bad.  I've seen worse.  30ºF, thick freezing fog, wet with light freezing drizzle at the Sewanee track.  I stayed on turf.  Visibility about 40-50m.

Stretches, drills, bands

Hoka Rocket X2s on

5 x 150m w/ 30 sec rest ~ 26-27 sec

Not fast but got it done.  HR stayed between 166 and 174 for entire workout after the first rep.  

I think I'm going to keep with this routine, one day track, one day turf, and one day hills.

Next workout is Friday, probably hills.  Sunday and Tues both look ok, 46º and some sun.  Friday, same as today but warmer, 

141.3 lbs after workout

hard hills

As expected, a poor day for weather in Sewanee.  37º F., drizzle, thick fog, but at least the wind wasn't strong.  I went to the track first to do a brief warmup then to the steep on Roark's Cove Rd to run a hill set.  

Hoka Rincons on

Stretches, drills

Hills: 

250m ~ 63

200m ~ 48

150m ~ 37

100m ~ 22

Doesn't look like much and these weren't fast but were incredibly exhausting, even though my HR peaked at only 169.   I had never tried a 250m sprint on this hill, and with the last 50m the steepest, I felt like I was carrying a piano in the end.  I started all these pretty fast and by the end, especially the 200m, the lactic was so heavy in my ass it hurt to sit down.  I ran in shorts and a light long sleeve zipper v-neck.  Had light gloves but hands were cold.   All I could think about was getting home and getting in the hot tub.  Which I did and dozed off.  

Reminds me of how something inevitably happens after about 40 sec where the lactic takes hold of the body.  Don't ever feel this in a 100m hill sprint, even after all of the 3 preceding.  Not much pain running 100m hill sprint repeats.

Been really getting control of my diet, and eating more meat, and the konjac rice and pasta again, very low cal and virtually zero carb.   

140.0 lbs after workout.  

weights

Due to some renovation at the Fowler Center, the free weights and machines have both been moved to the floor of the field house at the center of the track.  This is good, because I can now easily take heavy dumbells to the glute hip machine and begin strength work.

5 yrs ago I was doing a huge amount of these things.  Adding 200 lbs to the 150 lb stack - 350 lbs total, and doing several sets of up to 50x.   Tonight I did just 2 x 40 with 255 lbs.  But I was doing the negatives slow.  I've a ways to go but it's a start.  

Tomorrow, hill sprints in cold weather.  Windchill in the 30s.  

 

2x300m, 150m

 I got up very early Friday and caught a flight back to Chattanooga and got back to Sewanee by 11am.   Not feeling really energized, I hit the track about 1:30.  It was cold and windy, but sunny.  Not sure what I wanted to do but I opted to try and best myself on the 3x3w/3 since this was going to be probably the best day for weather in the next weeks.  Terrible, wet, and cold weather forecast on every workout day for next 2 weeks.  

My 3x3w/3 failed.  I went out too hard on the first one and knew midway through #2, I would not be able to do a meaningful set or improve from the previous.  So, I rested several minutes and did a 150m easy.

Stretches, drills, bands, 50m strides

Hoka Rocket x2 on 

2x300m w/ 30 sec rest - 49.84, 53.34

150m - 21.93

HR after #1 max 179, recovered to 131.  HR after #2 176, recovered only to 148 after 3 min and was still sucking wind.   So, I bailed.  Disappointing.  I could've stuck it out and ran a 56+, but decided not to.  

I need to continue with the hills, go indoor and do some weights, form drills, short speed.   Indoor facility has free weights and machines, weight sleds, and short track. 

Not progressing much.  Probably go back to turf on Tues, track is hard on the knees.

Will go to the gym tonight, do some long (200m) hills tomorrow.  

140.6 lbs after workout.  

Will probably go indoor for one of these:  Workout weather: Sun - rain ending, windchill 36º,  Tues - 40% chance rain/snow, windy, windchill 29º,  Friday - 58% chance of rain, windchill 39º

150m tempo on turf

In FL with my parents.  Went to the soccer field to get a turf workout in but it was under construction.  The community center next door had a big stretch of relatively flat turf so I set up my flags and paced out a 150m straight.   It was about 85º so it was tough.  Judging by my times, I think it was closer to 145m, but a bitchin' workout nevertheless with 5x and 30 sec rest.  Pretty close to a 1:1 sprint rest ratio.

My dad came to watch and I found a shade tree on the far edge of the field where he stood and I warmed up.

Hoka Rincons on

stretches, drills, bands

5 x 150m w/ 30 sec rest ~ 27-28

Max HR - 184 

HR hit 170 after the first rep, 180 after the 3rd rep, stayed above 170 for the duration of the workout after the first rep.  Happy to get it done and to have lost a small amount of weight, 140.5 after workout.   When I'm not home, I snack less on fruits and nuts.

Extreme change of workout weather when I return Friday.  Next 3 workout days look very cold with windchills in the mid 30ºs, but at least on Friday, it's supposed to be sunny.  Sunday and Tuesday look bleak, cloudy - windy - rainy and even a chance of snow on Tues morning.  Last light week of work next week, just final exams, but I'm going to try and maintain my workout schedule.  This weather pattern looks to persist for most of the next 2 weeks with a possible break and a slight warming into the 50ºs by Sun Dec 7.  Going to be tough to get any speed in, maybe do an indoor session of short speed in Dec. 

 Happy Thanksgiving  

Out with the parents on Thanxgiving in FL

First 400m in 19 months

 Couldn't be a better day for weather.  Clear, 65º, only an occasional very light N wind.  I got to the track and it was utterly silent, all students gone for break, perfect.  Was completely sedentary yesterday and needed a bit of a long warmup to get ready to run.  Didn't feel like running a 400m.  Does anyone?  Ever?  

Was about what I expected: 62.84.  

Considering I just this week started running 3x week, have only done one 3x3 session, no overdistance, no short speed, and minimal resistance work... no where to go but faster.  My last 100m is not even close to being there.  I was shooting for 62:  splits 14,15,16,17.   Actual: 14.07, 14.67, 15.86, 18.24 (lol!!).  Lost a lot of time in the last 40m.  

Stretches, drill, bands, 2 x 100m strides

Hoka rocket x2s on

100m - 13.72 (relaxed)

Adidas Prime Sp2 spikes on

400m - 62.84 (14.07, 14.67, 15.86, 18.24 / 28.74, 34.1 / 44.60 / 18.24)

A lot of things have to change if I'm going to approach sub 60 again.  

First, need to up my training to 3x week:  Sunday -  overdistance or hills, Tues - intensive tempo, Fri - speed or race pace.  Probably go by the weather, look for warmer days for speed.  

Second, some strength training on off days.  Doing minimal now aside from pullups, pushups, core.. 

Third, lose some fat.  I ran today at just over 142 lbs.  3 lbs make a difference.

I have 3 months to indoor nationals.  Just 12 weeks.  Not a lot of time.  Not likely to break 60 sec by then.  Things are heating up in M65.  Tyrone is back, ran 61 last yr, Ron continues to compete non-stop, racing right now at the South Am Masters in Chile, no apparent break between last outdoor and this indoor season.  Internationally, Benoit from France is training again, so is Mike V.,  Richard W., Stuart L, and the unbeatable WR holder John W. from the UK ... all capable of running 60 or better.  In addition, a few Germans are competitive as well.  Not getting any easier, M65s not slowing down much.  

If I'm healthy, I may race all 3 sprints at Nationals.  Depends on who enters.  I think Allan hasn't retired yet.  Probably too gung-ho at this point.  If I make it to National Outdoor, it's a long season on two repaired knees.