Early and warm

I was disappointed that it was still nearly 80º in Sewanee at 4:30am. I might as well have been in Murfreesboro.   There is a heat advisory and an air quality advisory in effect.

I did a brief workout, had to be back before 5:30 to let the dog out.

600m warmup, stratches, drills 

saucony spikes on 

3 x 500m - 81, 84, 82

I really busted ass on the last one.   The first and last were about 65 sec. 400s.  That's about what I need to run in first lap of an 800m in.  Can't imagine.  I may try a fresh 800m event run this week sometime.

Ham is slightly better.  Still hurts to do leg swings but not as much.  Going to start really watching my diet.  Want to drop 3-4 lbs.   I'm going to try and workout daily but not as much quantity.

Day off

Good day to take off.  

Did some light resistance and stretching today.   The ham feels a little better.   Yesterday, my quads and calves were really sore from 3 days of long sprints and a stadium stair session.  

Tomorrow, I'll be up at dawn in Sewanee for some 500s.  It'll hopefully be under 70º at dawn on the mountain.

It was officially 113º in Smyrna, TN today, just up the road from Murfreesboro.  I road on my motorcycle out to the Murphy Center at MTSU to take a photo of the thermometer.   It was the first time I can ever remember closing my helmet visor because the air was too hot.

Same stuff but earlier

This is the first day of the heat wave and the last cool morning.  I was up at 4:20am and on the Dean Hayes track at 4:50, it was a pleasant 65º.   The sprinklers were on and part of the track was wet.   I was slightly sore from yesterday's stair sprints.

450m warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony spikes on 

3 x 600m - 1:46, 1:49, 1:45 

300m - 45.5 

I ran the first one easy and really busted the last 100m of the final 600.   I was suprised that I ran a 45 300m afterward, about a 61 400m pace.

My 600m goal pace is generally about 17 sec 100s for the the first 400m + 18 sec for last 2; that is when I'm doing 3 or more.

For quality speed work, my benchmark interval times for 90% effort - (when I'm doing just one, or a few with full recovery, or ladder down intervals), I can keep even 17 sec 100 splits in a 600m.  With 500s, it'll be 16 sec 100s, 400s - 15 sec 100s, 300s - 14 sec, 200s - 13 sec.   Event runs and race speed is of course, even faster.

I will go to 500s next week after a day or 2 off.   It's hard to imagine racing in 2 weeks but that is the schedule.   If this ham doesn't improve by late next week, I may have to scratch.  But my workouts are on schedule and I may run even though I'll never have a chance at a PR.  If I could run under 57 in 2 weeks, I'd be happy.  The Masters Nationals start 5 weeks from today.

Inventory:  The ham is only slightly better.   This is an injury of a different color I have not experienced before.   It does not hurt to run 14-15 sec 100s right now, but anything faster would be painful.  It feels like a deep tendon issue rather than a muscle.

Weight: 143.4 after workout.  I'm starting to melt away the fat although I've got a ways to go.   Last night I screwed up and ate 2 large pieces of leftover rum cake with an espresso for dinner.  I gave up on the paella and put it in the freezer.  I hope to have my race body back on in a week or so.


It's ok, because for the upcoming week, I'll be living off lots of homegrown tomatoes, raw and sautéed with zuchinni, onions, garlic; protein shakes, and fish.    Very low cal and carb.   Replacing the sugary sweet tea with limeade & stevia.

Sunrise - after 3 x 600m

Up and up on a cool morning

Can't waste this cool morning: 58º.   After a track workout last night, I hit the stadium stairs at 5:50am.   The sun was just starting to hit the top stairs of the stadium.   Definitely didn't feel as strong as the last time I did stars.

Spira training shoes on 

300m warmup around the stadium, stretches 

17 stair runs including 3 double leg bleacher hops

One more cool morning then into the oven:

Rare cool night

It was a relatively cool 79º with a dry north wind at dusk tonight, so I hit the track for my second day in a row.

Same workout as before but a little slower with less rest between.

600m warmup, stretches, light drills 

Saucony spikes on

3 x 600m - 1:43, 1:50, 1:51

200m - 28

Last time I took about 10 -12 min rest, tonight 6 and 8 min.  My first 600 was about as fast as any I've run in training.  But, I felt bloated and heavy tonight.   I wanted to try and run fast a little so I ended with a brisk 200m.  I felt I could not fully extend my stride and it hurt a little.

Inventory:  This ham is sure taking a long time to heal.  Still can't do leg swings without pain.

143.0 after workout...  feel soft.

Night 600s

I hit the track at 10:00 pm tonight to workout, it was a dry breezy 84º.   The wind was from the north, a harbinger of 2 more cool nights before we get what is predicted to be a pretty bad heat wave beginning Thurs and lasting 10 days or more.

Feeling soft and a little heavy from the weekend party, I decided not to kill myself since I want to run the next two days in a row to take advantage of the cooler temperatures.  I did 600s, cautious at first, then picking it up a little.   It sure felt good to not run 800s.

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony spikes on

3 x 600m - 1:48, 1:45, 1:44  

Inventory:  Felt fine, although my ham string is still not healed.   It still hurts to do 90º leg swings but not to do most drills.  The injury area feels sort of hard and inflexible.   I've been using heat, massage, and balm on it.  I wish it would get back to normal.

143.6 after work out... but I have this left over rum cake and paella.  Maybe I should freeze it?   Nah.

--------------------------------------
It was inspiring to go out and train after watching the Olympic trials.   Humbling to see Galen Rupp run  the last two 400m splits of his 5000m race in 58 and 55sec.   And Nick Symmonds... in 5th place after the first 400m, I thought "does this guy really have it?"  What a stud, he blew down the back stretch of the final lap, passing people one by one, he looked so strong.  His last 300m was amazing.  He won the 800m in 1:43.92 (faster than I ran 600m tonight).  And how about Aston Eaton - a decathalete that long jumps 27', polevaults 17-4, runs the 100m in 10.21,  the 400m 46.70, the 1500m in 4:14, high jumps 6'8".   OMG - he's the greatest athlete in the world.

Nick Symmonds rules ... watch his last 200m.  He claims to have 'rigged up a little' in the last 50m.   I didn't see any evidence of that.  This race is definitely a sprint.   They are running 25 second 200s in most splits.

New USATF Rule

How often does Track and Field take top headlines on CNN?

Since the advent of FAT (fully auto timing) cameras that record the finish at 3000 frames per second, a tie in the US Olympic trials has never happened... until yesterday in the Women's 100m Final.   This has forced USA Track and Field to adopt a new tie breaking rule.


Three options:

1) coin toss -  rules detail who gets to pick heads or tails and how the coin should be flipped.  A US quarter will be flipped according to the new rule that states: "The USATF representative shall bend his or her index finger at a 90-degree angle to his or her thumb, allowing the coin to rest on his or her thumb..."

2) Race - If the run-off also results in a dead heat, the tie will be broken by a coin toss.

3) one competitor will decline the leading position, and in this case, a spot on the Olympic team in this event. (unlikely)

They even have a protocol if the coin falls on it's side: " In the event that the coin does not fall completely on either the obverse or reverse hub, the USATF representative shall repeat the toss process as described above."

 Coin toss will be used only if the competitors both agree to it or express no preference.   A tie breaking race will be used if the competitors agree to it or do not agree on a solution.

This last rule contingency would favor an uninjured athlete over an injured athlete.  For example, if one athlete were injured and prefered a coin toss, the other could force a run off race.

___________________

Did a little resistance, stretching, and massage yesterday.   The ham doesn't seem to be improving as quickly as I'd like.  It's tight.   I'm probably a week away from being able to run fast (under 27 sec 200m or under 60 sec 400m).  I would have trained this morning, but Iska was here, so I'll go tonight.   Still heavy after a weekend of partying.

Saturday dawn

Up at 4:30am and on the Dean Hayes track just before 5.  It was nice, cool, serene morning.... about 69º.

Slept about 3 1/2 hrs last night and was a bit heavier today than last.   Being my first dawn workout, I wasn't used to the schedule and I was retaining last night's meal which put my preworkout weight up to 145.

Same type of workout, 800s but I could not talk myself into 4.  No way José.

400m warmup, stretches, few drills 

Saucony spikes on

3 x 800m - 2:36, 2:40, 2:41

I guess my pain tolerance was low today.  Ham feels about the same, just tight.  Calves are unusually sore.   I guess thats from running 800s on my toes all week.  I am 2 lbs heavier after workout than the previous: 144.2.   Wow.



Party tonight and the Olympic trials continue from Tracktown.

Night heat

800s


I wasn't looking forward to this one.    

20 min after sunset on the Dean Hayes track, the air was heavy, 86º and no breeze. I didn't even bother wearing my warmup pants.


I did not want to do that last one, but I gave myself a big recovery and talked myself into it.

400m warmup, stretches, few drills 

Saucony spikes on

4 x 800m - 2:38, 2:39, 2:43, 2:37

Wanting to do more quantity and maintain pace, I took more recovery - a 300m+ walk in between.   Way below a maximum effort, but I'm still heavy and out of shape.

Before the last one, I kept telling myself ... "how lucky I was to be out there and running.  How smooth and easy it was" (heh... yea, maybe for the first 2-300m).

I have a party scheduled for Sat night so I'll probably need to train Sat morning.

Inventory:  Seem to have a added a slight amount of body fat in my week+ off.  After workout: 142.4.
The ham is far from recovered.   Can't do leg swings comfortably yet beyond 90º.   Racing a 400m in just over 3 weeks is questionable at this point, but I'm planning on it.   I probably will race the 800m and hate it.   I'll definitely get smoked.

--------------------------
Really enjoying the Olympic Diving trials.  Track and Field trials start tomorrow night at 8pm (central time) with the qualifying heats of the 400m and women's 100m on NBCSN.

Masters Invitational sprinters at Olympic trials

The USATF Masters Invitational program involves a few elite masters exhibition events at premier track meets in the US.  These events showcase top men and women athletes aged 40 and up.

The last and most prestigious of these events will take place on June 30, 5:40 pm at the US Olympic trials:  Masters Men 200m, and Masters Women 400m.

The qualifying standards for the Masters 200m are stiff:  23.50 (40-49) and 23.65 (50-59).  Only 8 are accepted.  Representing the M50 age group will be M. Sullivan and D. Jones.

It shows how ridiculously competitive the M50 age group will be next year with 49 yr olds like M. Shute, L. Hooker, C. Faulknor, and others, all running under 24 in the 200m.   Sullivan runs under 23.  L. Hooker - at age 49 ran an 11.14 100m ...  Jesus!  Maybe, I'll take 2 yrs off.

NBC's track and field page

Some interesting reading on NBC's Track and Field page.   Video, photos, stories, predictions.... general T&F lore.

Nick Symmonds... what were you thinking?


------------
The ham feels good today.   Should be running fast by the weekend.   Resistance/rehab today.  No running.

Return to the track

The track...I love it and hate it.   Tonight, it wasn't so bad, except it was near 85º at sunset.   I wanted to return to the routine, so I did the usual warmup and some abbreviated stretching and drills before putting the Saucony spikes on for the first time in a while.   It has been 9 days since my injury and I can surely feel it, but it is just tight, not painful.  Only hurts when I gingerly try to stretch it or deeply massage it.

400m warmup, stretches, drills

Saucony spikes on

3 x 800m - 2:42, 2:43, 2:41

I felt I could have done another but I didn't want to push it.  There is still a lot of healing to be done.  I probably should not run every day this week.

I still feel fat and sluggish.   144.6 lbs after workout.  But, these 800s seemed relaxed and fairly painless, didn't push real hard and I recovered quickly.  Maybe I'll do 4 next time.

US Olympic Trials - coverage

I'm happy to see coverage for the US Track and Field Olympic Trials this week on both NBC and NBC Sports Network.   Also, coverage for the US Swimming and Diving, and Gymnastics.

Links here for schedules.  

Diving starts tonight (midnight est)

------

Hamstring is still sore but getting better.   When it doesn't hurt to do dynamic stretches, then I'll know I can start running faster and do some strengthening rehab.   I might go to the track tomorrow for some 800s.

Beginning again

After warming up the hamstring in the hot tub, I did some light stretching, massaged some balm on the ham, and wrapped it.  I put my supportive CW-X short tights on and hit the road.

After a massive meal at Iska's last night, I weighed 150.6.   This morning, I hit the road at 146.8 lbs.  I felt terribly out of shape.

Spira training shoes on

1 mile - 6:28

2 min rest

1/2 mile - 3:12

I still feel the injury when I run but it's not painful, just feels tight.  More painful just to run in the heat. Even at 9:30 am, it's in the 80ºs.  I ask myself if it's worth it.

Still sore

The photo show the black and blue located almost directly behind my knee, about 2" below where actual injury occured.

I can take light massage and stretching.  I can jog up stairs without pain.  I can still feel it so I think at least 3 more days before any running.  It feels fine, no lumpyness or physical sign of anything torn when I massage it.

It is the eccentric contraction that causes this, the sudden arrest of the extension and beginning of the flexion.   Right now, I can flex the hams (concentric contraction), even do leg curls with no pain (although I'm not yet)...  but the motion that hurts is the swinging back and forth of the leg.

So, it's not the concentric load on the flexors... it is the maximum speed turnover that causes this injury.   It has always got me in full stride, never at the start.

Eccentric exercises I'm really going to have to emphasize.   Romanian dead lifts, negative leg curls, and other resistance work that will emphasize the eccentric contraction.

I found a nice collection of eccentric ham exercises here.

When I do start running again, I will need to train like an 800m runner.  No fast eccentric movement that will put a stress on the hams.  Having to 'run long' at this point in the season is not real appealing to me, especially now that it's 90º everyday.  But it's the best way to get back.

I'm expecting to run the 800m at the TN State Games in 4 weeks, and maybe the 400m.  There will be serious competition - two guys that run 2:13 and 2:15.   If I am in shape, I hope to give them a run for their money.  I've never run an 800m fresh with competition.   I think I can run 2:15.

Have been doing lots of direct core and ab work lately - for the first time with no sign at all of the pubalgia issue.   That is good.   It's probably because I haven't been sprinting.

The comeback

I hope he's ok...




 I'll bet he would have rather run 9.99. The Olympic trials will be a big test for him since he has to run three 100s in 2 days. The semis and finals are on the same day, just 2 hrs apart on June 24. He says his hip feels fine and that it takes him 90 min to stretch it out and warm up before a race. Story

 Today, I swam, did upper body and another 5 mile bike ride.

Recovery and track stuff

Still too early to tell about this injury.  Definitely healing quickly.  I did an easy 5 mile bike ride today with no pain - a big improvement from this early morning where it hurt a little to walk.  Now, with lots of hot tub, gentle massage, heat balm, and a tight neoprene wrap ... it feels much better.  Still hurts when I press the affected area.  I would be surprised to not see some black n' blue trauma by the weekend.  

If I do run again this season, the Nationals are actually longer than 7 weeks away.  The 400m prelims are Aug. 2, that's 7 weeks from Thurs.   I hope to run the TN State meet which is 4 weeks from Sat - 7/14.   If I do the TN meet, I may run the 800m and/or the 400m.   I will still be training and rehabbing at that point.  

Like last time I injured myself, I've taken the opportunity to eat the forbidden foods... bread, potatoes, chips, and all that stuff.   But I'm still hanging about 145 lbs.   I hope to burn some calories this week on my bike, walking the stadium stairs, weights, and swimming.  Optimistically, I could return to the track in a week for some easy 800s, but that might be pushing it.  This injury still needs assessment.

In the world of Track and Field ... another big name sprinter returned to action:

Tyson Gay ran his first 100m race in a year: 10.00   No problems or injuries for him.   He was really nervous about racing again after hip surgery.  I can relate to that.   It is psychologically difficult to race knowing that part of your body may fail and break.  I can imagine that's what it will feel like to run the 100m again.   

Game over ... again

Same left hamstring.  100m.

Now that it is chronic, this is a serious enough injury that it will end any further attempts to race this month .... and no more 100s for the remainder of the season.

Five weeks since the injury in the last 100m race, I should not have run the 100m today.  If I am to race at Nationals, it will be the 400 and maybe the 200.  It is seven weeks away, so that should be enough time.

This is probably the most serious injury I've ever sustained as a sprinter since it is a repeat injury of the same hamstring.   This may have been even worse as I felt a definite pop 60m into the race, unlike the previous that felt more like a cramp after 90m.   I had a great start, was clearly leading a fast heat of several, and then I felt it and pulled up.  Everything was going so well.   The new shoes felt great, the new start really worked, then .... disaster.   The pain is more than last time and I sit here now on ice.  I think it is more serious than the pubalgia injury since I could run with the pubalgia despite some pain, this - not.  

Yes, I'm pretty pissed.   I've been pretty dedicated this season since the last injury on 5/5.

Looking back - the ham injury of last season was on the right.  It never came back (never reoccured).   I injured my right ham last season on March 26.   I started racing again four weeks later with a 400 on April 23. I ran 2 more 400s and a 200 before I returned to the 100m (seven weeks after the injury) on May 14.   I ran 5 more 100s after that without incident.    I really love the 100m and will miss it.   I never realized my 100m potential this season - my only FAT time this season was a PR: 12.17.   I was excited today about running the 100.   The 400... notsomuch.

I wonder, what am I doing different that may have caused this?  The only thing I can think of is I have not been running stairs as much.  Perhaps my rehab period was not long enough.   Now I'm pretty much screwed.   Injuries like this take time to assess.  I'm not clear on how bad it is.   Last time I was out for a week from the track.  This time may be longer.

It's been a great season, whether it continues or not.  But, I think I have just enough time to heal and do a good strong 5 week training cycle that will prepare me to race the 400m and 200m at Nationals.

We'll see.   Signing off here for a while.   Going to enjoy my spring and summer with Iska, be a guitarist, build a tree house for Myers, do some boating and hiking, etc...

Cheers.

Pre Race Day - day off

Hanging at the airport.  Getting ready to fly to Raleigh for the NC State Masters and Open Track Meet.  My first meet in 5 weeks.

This will be an interesting meet since it is small enough to go by fast, I may not get much time between my 3 events, but at least the 100m is first, then the 400m, and 200m.  

As I mentioned in the previous post, there will be competition. Running against a guy who has beaten me previously.   If they run the M40-M50 together in one heat, there are 6 of us between 12 - 12.50.   The same 6 between 24.47 and 25.5 in the 200m.  If I can win the 100 or 200, it will mean something.   It looks like a very good masters meet.

It will be a good test for me to judge the viability of my 100m race, my new Pumas, and my new start.   The 12.17 at Penn was a PR (FAT) and aided by a slight (but legal) tailwind.  My start was not great.   My 2 other hand timed 100m races would convert to 12.3ish.   I'm not expecting any PRs but that magical (for me) 12.0 barrier in the 100m would be very nice to break.  Anything under 12 sec at my age is considered elite.   Hopefuly the added strength work, particularly glutes, will pay off.   Unfortunately, the forecast is for a 5-10 mph headwind.  The 100m is fickle.  Everyone has off days, like Bolt who ran 10.04 a few weeks ago.  PR times won't happen without a seriously good start.   I feel my fitness is not what it was in early April in regard to the 400m, and, my weight is up slightly, so my expectations aren't very high.  


It's going to be fun.  Feels like it's been a while since I got to respond to a starting gun.

As for next weekend, the Bluegrass Games is a 2 day event.  An all ages meet with a lot of standing around.  Unusually, the 200m is the first event followed by the 100m.  I probably won't start the 200m til at least 3:30 pm, with the 100m later in the evening.   The 400m on Sunday and I'm going to join some guys to try and break the meet record in the 4x100m.  I'll spend one night in Louisville, drive up Saturday morning.   I have a great shot at breaking all the meet records in my age group.   More on that later and the TN Association Meet ... which looks like a fiasco.

400m, blocks

Warm evening at the Dean Hayes track.   I was surprised to see MTSU sprinters there this evening.   They were training for their national Olympic trials in their native Nigeria.   For many college track athletes, the NCAA season ended today with the finals of the 100m and the 400m.

This was my 6th day out of the past 7 on the track and I didn't want to do much.  I ran a 400m at 85-90% and then did blocks.

Mile warmup on grass, stretches, drills

2 x 100m striders on grass

Puma Bolt spikes on 

100m on the turn - 13.5

400m - 59.5

many starts from blocks

I'm really beginning to believe that this weird new start is the ticket.   It is consistent, and strong.   I've never stumbled and I really feel good mechanical advantage in the drive phase.   We'll see how it pans out in the 100m.   I'll use it in every event.

Well, well... it looks as if I'll have some really good competition in NC.  The guy (R. Stuart) that beat me narrowly in both the 100m and 200m at SE Masters last year is racing.   I look forward to the matchup.   We are very evenly matched but I have slightly faster times than last season so we'll see what happens.  R.S. is running the 100 and 200.  There is no one to challenge me in the 400m in my age group but there is a 44yr old who runs about the same times I do, so he'll push me.

Inventory:  weight is 140.0 after workout.  Feel good to go.  Seemed to tire easily tonight, probably due to light food intake.

Coach Page remarked that he's envious of my glutes ... so this is for you coach.

Starts, curves

Brought my camera to analyze my start.  Beautiful evening at the track at sunset.

Ran 2 quick 300s, a 200 and a 100, all from blocks.   Ran the 300s from the 400m start (curve - straight -curve).

The workout today was faster than I had planned to do.   Must have been the shoes.

800m warmup, stretches , drills

Puma Bolt spikes on

All from blocks:
2 x 300m - 41, 43 

200m - 27

100m - 13

Many starts

Again, working out in these supremely comfortable Pumas.   Even without socks, I feel I could run all day without a hint of a blister or foot pain.   Watching the NCAA Championships today, no one wears these.   Seems like it's Nike and Adidas.  No Pumas.

Plan: Two days before my first meet in 5 weeks.  Looking forward to running the 100m again.  I'm going to do some resistance tonight and take it easy the next 2 days with light workouts and nothing fast.

Inventory:
Everything is fine and I'm 140.2 lbs before dinner after a light day of eating.   

Here is a comparison of the 'Animal start' vs. the conventional.   (Animal is first).
Below that, the first step of each start.   The Animal start consistently yields a first step about 8" further (first photo), a more powerful position, and a seemingly faster acceleration to top speed.  The feet are 1" closer to the line in the 'Animal start'.   It is a bit cramped with pronounced forward lean and a lot of weight on the hands - hence the bent elbows poised to push.  This is like an animal jumping from 'all fours'.

NCAA Track Championships -LIVE on-line / ESPN 3

Link to online coverage.

Event runs

Tonight was a good night.   First night out on stage as a guitarist in several months and it went well.   Afterwards, I went to the track on a beautiful 70º night with a dry and cool north breeze.

I knew I wanted quality speed tonight so I again brought the Pumas.   I really love these shoes.   They don't feel like they're going to rip when I lace them up like the the Nikes, and they fit wonderfully, and feel great.  No broken risers either.

I set my blocks in lane 5 for a fast event run.   I set the timer for starting commands and a 27/29 split = 56 goal.

800m warmup, stretches, drills 

Puma Bolt spikes on

400m - 56.5

300m - 41.5 

200m - 26

Even with long recovery, 10+ min before the 300 and 200, I was feeling the pain after the last 200m.  The 400m really pumped me up.  I was right on the split for the first 3 100s: 13,14,14 but a half second off the last one - 15.5.  The only difference between this effort and a maximum effort would be the first 200 in 26 instead of 27... and hopefully the last 100 in 15 instead of 15.5.

Inventory:
Joint pain is gone.  A little muscular soreness in the quads from yesterday's 95% 100s.  I think these workouts with less quantity is better for my health at this stage of the season.  One 4 x 500 type workout a week will be good.

Weight is 141.2 after workout.  Need to watch my intake if I'm going to be at race weight this weekend.  Developed a little adipose from all the carbs, fats and sweets from the weekend festivities.

Light night sprints

Worked a lot on blocks and form on this cool and dry this evening, about 70º.    Ran some 100s at 90% on the straight and curves out of blocks.

My new starting technique is still a go.   On Iska's suggestion, I'm renaming this new start as: the "Animal Start."  (Somehow, "Ape Start" she felt was politically incorrect).

800m warmup, stretches, drills 

Puma Bolt spikes on 

several block starts 

2 x 100m from blocks (straight) - 13, 12.5 

2 x 100m from blocks (curve) - 13, 12.5  

Everything feels pretty good.

Painful 500s

Got to the track late...  started the workout near the end of twilight.  Waiting over an hour for 'the call that never came' ... it was ok, I wanted to see what a night workout would feel like anyway.   Wasn't that much cooler than it was at sunset, about 78º at 9 pm.   I found there is ample light for night workouts once the eyes adjust.  However, I did trip slightly over some starting blocks while gazing at the large red rising moon.

It felt hard, probably since my lack of similar workouts recently, some added body weight, and some 'party fatigue.'   However, despite all that, I 'one-upped' myself: this was my fastest 4 x 500m workout.   Probably because I took so much recovery before the final one.  I really was going to quit after 3, but I rested 14 min, did some blocks, and then ran my 4th 500m.

600m warmup on grass, stretches, drills 

Saucony spikes on 

4 x 500m - 80.5, 82.5, 84.5, 83.5 

82.75 average

That beats my previous best of 83.125 avg for 4 x 500m.  (So much for the sophomoric 'self one-upsmanship').

It occurs to me that I've been able to maintain 5 track workouts in these past 7 days, which has been amazing considering what has been going on.

I think I'll do alternating hard and easy day.   Resistance, speed, and technique on the easy days;  long sprint repeats on the hard days.

Inventory:
Glad to see the knee pain go away.  Legs feel good.   Weight is getting there: 141.6 after workout.

Now that the college season is over, many states are having their open and masters state meets.   Peter Taylor predicted a huge turnout this year at the Nationals because there is no World Masters Championship or National Senior Games this year.

This is like the beginning of a second outdoor season... I may run 3 meets in a row beginning Sunday.

Long season!

Rest, stretch, resistance

With the Guitar Festival behind me, I have some time and today I'm resting.

My legs feel good, the knee pain is gone and I have a tinge of healthy soreness from my near all-out sprints yesterday in the new Pumas.

My weight is up a bit as expected but not bad.   142.4 lbs before a 'carb dinner' of left overs and rum cake. I managed to not gain too much weight by limiting myself to the evening meal and nothing else.

Yesterday at the track, I felt a little weak in terms of conditioning, but I ran plenty fast.   The 12.5 100s were approximate, but I started with blocks reacting to a beep from my timer and I most definitely beat the 13 sec. beep when crossing the finish line.  Also, not at 100% effort.

I need 2 good quantity endurance workouts this week.  Probably will do 500s or something on Mon and Wed.   I may try running at night on the track after dark since there is enough peripheral light to illuminate the track from the adjacent roads and parking lots   I can't do anything Tues because of a concert I'm attending and Wednesday, I'm playing in a concert at 7 pm.   Afterward, when it gets cool, I'll hit the track  at 9 or 10 pm.  

I'm still #2 in the Masters Rankings in the M50 400m as the 'masters season' gets under way.  The spurious leading time of 53.6(h) has disappeared.

Feeling pretty lazy right now.

Brief fast workout

Sprints at 95% with blocks.

700m warmup, stretches, drills

Puma Bolt spikes on 

200m - 26 

2 x 100m - 12.5, 12.5

The 'ape start' seems to work.  Need more practice.

Cool Fri track

Unseasonably welcome coolness - 66º at 5pm.

No time to do more or write much

Warmup, stretches, drills 

Saucony spikes on

500m - 80.5 

400m - 59.5 

300m - 44