Speedy speed

Brief but intense speed workout tonight on a perfect 68º Sewanee evening.   Such a beautiful evening. Did a near race effort 400m to start the workout.   Went pretty well.

Saucony Ride trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

400m - 57.5 (27.5, 30) 

3 x 150m - 19-20

Felt fine, no rigging up.    57.5 is pretty good for an off season 400m, considering no spikes or blocks.  Felt a little soreness in the left ham which makes me think maybe I shouldn't run the 100m on Wed.  We'll see how it feels tomorrow.   Not strained but maybe vulnerable.

I did secure permission to race in this last meet - TN SE District.   Probably a small affair with no competition.   I just hope there is someone there that knows how to start a sprint and operate a stopwatch.    I'm going to have to leave at 6:30am to get there in time to warm up for the 100m.  The 400m is an hour later at 9:30.

Weight in the 143s after workout.   A nice brief blast tonight... I really like sprinting in the dark sometimes.

Meet cancelled, 300s, just one more...

I was really pissed.   Drove 100 miles for nothing, postponed my trip to Sewanee to race in this meet, I really couldn't believe it... couldn't believe they didn't call me, as they did for others.

The track at the non-meet

There was another prison break at the Woodland Detention facility and one of the inmates was observed on the grounds near the track, so they cancelled the meet.

It was a nice track too.   Best I've seen since June.   I was just going to run the 400m.  Haven't run a 400m race fresh since June.  I had been training a bit and watching my weight for this last meet and was really pissed that it was called off.


So, instead, I went to the Sewanee track Sat. night and did a rigorous workout of 300s.

Saucony Ride trainers on 

600m warmup, stretches, drills 

6 x 300m - 44.5, 45, 45.5, 45.5, 48, 46 (300m walk in between)

I started the last one with my heart rate near 130, 164 at end.   It was a workout.


Last Meet?
Since I was counting on one last meet, I'm probably going to go to Athens, TN to race in their district meet on Wed. morning on the black HS track in McMinn Co.  I need to get permission but I can't imagine they'd deny me.   It's kind of crazy... 100 miles each way but what the hell.  I could spend my time in a worse way.

300 / 200s

Thursday night at the Dean Hayes track, feels like summer even though it's now officially fall.   7:45 pm - 73º and dry.

Jacob joined me tonight to push me in a few 200s.  It's really great having someone to run with because I so rarely have company for workouts.

I wanted to not stress myself too much tonight with a final meet coming up on Sat.  So I ran most everything slow to fast, or negative split.

Saucony Ride trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

200m strider - 32 

300m - 43.5 (15.5/28) 

3 x 200m - 28.5, 27.5, 26.5

Not a particularly great week of training.   Sat., I'm just going to run the 400m and call it a season.   This really is my off season, just need to do this race to qualify for next yr's state finals.  Haven't really run anything noteworthy since my main season ended in June.  This race is no big deal, I have a lifetime undefeated race record in my home state, but maybe I can get Dave S. to push me in the 400m.   He is an M60 triple National Champ (400, 800, 1500) and can run in the 57s on a good day.

I a little heavy for racing, 145 after workout tonight but I expect to be 143ish by race day.  

Will probably go back to lifting and once a week foundational work.   I need about a 2-3 week break.  

brief n hard

I had a short time to train tonight in Sewanee due to a plumbing issue I was dealing with, and happily resolved the plumbing issue and got in a meaningful workout to boot.

Saucony Ride trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 400m w/2:20 rest - 69, 69, 72

The last 400m, as usual, was an ass kicker.   Maybe next time I'll do the brutal 4x400m.   Probably not for a while.  I have one more track workout on Thurs. before I end my season Sat. with a 400m race at the Nashville District games.   I was really heavy last night 149.5 lbs before bed, but 145.6 today after workout.   Hope to be down well below 145 by Sat race.   I may also run the 100m, but I doubt it.   Ready for some time off.   This season has dragged on a long time.  Actually, this really isn't 'my season'  ... just some off season meets.

resistance and night sprints

Wednesday night did a glute busting workout with 5 x 15 single leg squat jumps with 50 lbs... along with pullups, abs, hip flexors.

Thursday night sprints have become a tradition and I was happy to be joined by 2 of my students tonight, Brad and Jacob.   Jacob was once a 51 sec. 400m guy, but now just lets me chase him by running the last 200m of a longer sprint I'm doing as well as some short stuff.

Long and short sprints tonight.   Great weather at the Dean Hayes track... 68º and clear, no wind.

Saucony Ride trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 600m - 1:42, 1:45 

5 x 60m sprints

The second 600m felt easier than the first for some odd reason.

On the 60s, I did each one a bit faster, the last one accelerating to 100% I was able to smoke Brad but Jacob sat out the last one.   Hope they come out again next week.   Jacob is fast and could probably beat me in a 200m if he were fresh.  

Night sprinters

400s and 200s

On the Sewanee track this evening, a pleasant 72º, humid with occasional light sprinkles.

Did a combination of speed and speed endurance.  3 x 400 with 2.5 min rest, and 3 x 200 faster.

Saucony trainers on 

3 x 400m w/ 2.5 min rest - 67, 68, 74 

3 x 200m - 27, 28, 29

I wanted to do 4 x 400s but, my heart rate was still 150/bpm - two mins after my 3rd 400, so I wasn't going to endure another.   Maybe next time.

The first 200m was pretty fast and I toned it down because I didn't want to re-injure my groin.  It has improved but still not great.  

Probably do some resistance tomorrow, rest Wed and track on Thurs.   Very heavy, up to 148 lbs after dinner.

Last meet of the season in 12 days, I'm just going to run the 400m, hopefully respectably.  

Cumberland District meet

Same situation as last week, poor track, headwind, cool temperatures.   Not quite as bad a track as last week in KY, and not quite as windy.  I did a little better, but still substandard.

12.39 - 100m
25.85 - 200m

I strained my groin running the 100m, and was pretty sore before and after the 200m.  I was a bit heavy for the meet too, about 145 lbs.

The worst thing about this meet was the starter.  What a fiasco.   He had absolutely no idea what he was doing.  This was apparent when I heard him starting guys with the commands: "get ready, get set" then almost no time after 'set,' the gun.   One of the other sprinters, a track official himself, tried to coach our starter a bit.  My heat of the 100m was a comedy of errors.  In our heat he seemed to be waiting for the runners to get into the blocks before giving the command 'on your marks'.   So, we stood there waiting for a while then I said 'well let's go.'  He then gave us his 'blessing from the lord' and said 'on your marks'.   I did my usual back into the blocks and before I even put my hands down he yells 'set.'  I just stood up and said, "dude, you have to wait for me to put my hands down!"   He said, "well, everyone else was ready."  Unbelievable.   Then, we tried it again and he held us soooo long after 'set' that someone just fell out of the blocks.  Apparently, he forgot to take the safety off the gun.  Ok, third try.  He did ok on the commands, but I was still moving when the gun went off less than a second after 'set'.  I was certainly not 'set.'   Oh well, can't be too upset with a volunteer.   The last time they did this, TN Tech's track coach ran the meet.   It was better.

The problem with this meet is that they stop all running events when doing field events.  I got there at 9:15am thinking I might be late.  I didn't run the 100m until 3 hrs later.   Then I had to wait another 90 min to run the 200m.   Uncharacteristically, the 400m was scheduled as the final event.  I was too sore to run it and didn't feel like waiting hours, so I split.   I won my races by 15m and 20m+.   Small turnout.

It was a beautiful drive from Crossville, TN down the Sequatchie Valley and up to Sewanee.

Glad I ran the meet.  I'm going back to foundation stuff and weights and in my last meet, I'll just run the 400m in 2 weeks in Nashville.

The future
This was my first meet in the new M55 age group (TN Sr Olympic Rules), although I don't turn 55 til next season.  It definitely is apparent that if I am to maintain my peak sub 56 400m speed, I'm going to have to be really serious.  It keeps getting harder to stay fast.   If I can maintain, I may be one of the fastest guys moving up.   Only 2 guys in the world this year in M55 ran a faster 400m than my SB.  So, I'd really like to maintain.

IAAF Continental Cup - last big meet of the season

Remember when track and field was an 'amateur sport'?

Not anymore.  $3 million is prize money being given at the IAAF Continental Cup meet in Marrakesh, Morocco this weekend.   It'll be broadcast on Universal Sports Network on Saturday and Sunday night.

Many of the big names will be there... including Lashawn Merritt, Mike Rogers, Barshim, Bonderencko, and others.

Prize money Individual events:
1st $30,000
2nd $15,000
3rd $10,000
4th $7000
5th $5000
6th $3000
7th $2000
8th $1000

Back on track

After Sunday's meet, I had a sore groin and was pretty discouraged.    I barely did anything for 3 days afterward, but last night... had a solid workout on the track.   Thinking I may go back this evening to do something light and blocks.

Saucony Ride trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

800m - 2:31 (72/79) 

4 x 300m - 44, 48, 46, 45

The last two 300s felt better than the first 2, like a second wind.  A good 2000m workout.

I think the Sunday meet showed me that in regard to being able to run fast, there is no substitute to getting on the track and running fast, and running with good form  Lifting, and long foundation runs alone won't do it.  Running a 200m race in a slower time than my usual 1st 200m split in a 400m race, is a pretty dismal outing.

After Sunday's meet, I assumed I wouldn't race til the end of the month so I ate poorly for 2 days, gained some weight back.  I was over 146 lbs. this morning.

But, I've decided to go to Crossville to run in another silly hand timed Senior District meet tomorrow... nothing else to do this weekend.  I'm not going to worry about my weight so much, and I want to remove the 'jinx' from the new speed suit.  I did cut the sleeves off  and... hopefully removed all the bad karma from last Sunday's meet.

Depending on the order of events, I think I may gingerly run the 100m for a warmup, then run the 400m.  Of course, they don't have a schedule of events.  Last time I ran at this meet, it took forever because they stopped the track events when the field events were being held.   Unfortunately, it's not at TN Tech, it's at Crossville HS's black track.   Don't care much for black tracks.

not ready to sprint

The conditions were rough... stiff headwind, terrible track, but at least it wasn't super hot at the KY State Games at Western Hill, HS in Frankfort.  Plus, I hadn't sprinted anything close to 100% for a 200m or less distance in 9+ weeks, and certainly no blocks.

Ingredients for the slowest 200m race of my Masters career, 26.44.  My expected competition scratched, and they screwed up the time on many races.  (They had to repeat the 100m due to timing error).  They originally listed me in 4th place with a time in the 30s... no telling what I really ran but the final official time was probably right.

Everyone was slow.  Rohan, who ran a 12.08 100m with a headwind this season, clocked 12.59 on this awful track.

The track was basically concrete with a thin eroding layer of black synthetic material.   Many spots were bald and even slippery with the loose decaying granular surface coming off.  I even thought about not wearing my spikes fearing I might damage them, but then decided to wear them for fear of slipping on the gravelly surface.

Adidas speed suit

The meet was ridiculous.  Scheduling the 200-400-800 consecutively and in such a small meet with only 3 or 4 heats, that amounted to no more than a 15 rest in between races.   The 200m was tiring, maybe I didn't eat enough that morning and I dropped a bunch of weight quickly for the meet, but I didn't feel real strong.  I got an ok start, not great, ran a decent turn but faded a bit in the last 20-30m.  So, after the 200m I decided to scratch the 400m.... but at the last minute, I jumped in and ran it for a workout in 60 flat.  It was real tiring, as tiring as any 400m I've ever run, even though I didn't go out fast.  At least I won both races.   It really was a helluva workout.   Can't believe Dave S. ran the 200-400-800 races back to back.  I was panting for more than 10 min after my 400m.

I will never do this meet again if they have it at this track with this schedule.

I had an inside lane for the 200m, lane 2, which was pretty chewed up.   I made up the stagger on everyone in the first 50m and won the race by a good 15+ meters.   There were some faster guys there from Ohio, first time masters just turned 50, so it wasn't a blowout.  The 2 fastest 100m guys scratched, which was a shame.  I faded in the last 20-30m and the second place guy seemed to even gain on me a bit.

I survived with just some nominal minor soreness in the groin.

The new Adidas speed suit felt good, although I'm not used to running with that much compression on my torso.   It's never been washed so maybe it will loosen up as I use it.  I'm tempted to race again this Saturday, but probably won't.  I'll wait til the end of Sept. and run in the Nashville Games.  I'll be required to run all 3 sprints that day to qualify for next years state meet.

Photo: 60m into 200m race, I have inside lane.

200m race - on the turn

Well, another 2 KY State Championships and a two more golds for my collection.

Last 50m of the 200m race.

On a side note, I got to meet Avital Schurr, now at age 73, whose records I broke at this years Bluegrass Games that stood for 23 yrs. I apologized to him. I was surprised that he was a short stocky guy, even shorter than me.

400 / 300s

Feeling good, no muscular issues or strains after today's brief workout.   I did 3 long sprints tonight at 85-90% in training shoes.  It was warm and muggy, about 82º at 8:30 pm at the Dean Hayes track.

My former student Brad turned out to train with me.

Saucony Ride trainers on 

500m warmup, stretches, drills 

80m strider 

400m - 60.5 (29.5 / 31) 

2 x 300m - 44.5, 43.5

Sunday Meet 9/7 - KY State Games
Tonight felt ok.  I may be able to run the 200m on Sunday as well as the 400m but they have a really stupid schedule... unlike a 'real' track meet, this Senior Games meet has the 100, 200, and 400 in that order.   It is an FAT timed meet, so if I'm feeling good, I'd like to run a 400m fresh, not right after a 200m.   Maybe it would be cool to run the 200m because I'll have competition... Rohan S. is on the entry list, he beat me at SE Masters in '11 and has run a faster 200m than me this season, 24.91.   No biggie, I guess I could run the 200 first, no one is going to challenge me in the 400m, I rarely run a 200m fresh, usually an hour after a 400m.

Not exactly race weight, about 144 after workout, but I think in ok shape.  Been doing some hard workouts but just not so often.

Equipment
As a gift from my dad, I bought a 'pro issue' speed suit.  It wasn't exactly the sleeveless one I wanted, but it fits.... but surprisingly tight on the upper body.   I tried it on my last 300m tonight... it feels good while running, but suffocating afterward because of it's snugness.  It's like a body condom.  It's a '14 Adidas Adizero Powerweb.  Nike and Adidas make pro issue speed suits not sold to the public.   They occasionally come up on ebay, usually sold in Europe, and rarely found in size S.   So, I jumped on this one.  Looks just like this one worn by Jamaica's Kemar Bailey Cole, who won the 100m in last weeks Diamond League race in Zurich:

2 workouts

With limited time this upcoming week, I did a resistance workout at 10pm last night and a track workout at 7:30 this morning.   Afterward, the morning nap on my deck in Sewanee was like heaven.

I took down the weight and upped the reps since my ham was a bit sore.   Funny but when doing single leg work, it feels like twice as much.

3 x 12  single leg squats with 60 lbs each leg 

3 x 12 single leg step jumps with 60 lbs each leg 

3 x 20 calf raises with 240 lbs both legs 

2 x 15 hip flexor machine with 150 lbs each leg 

3 x 12 glute ham raises

1 x 15 adductor and abductor machine 

2 x 15 pullups

Shade disappearing at 8 am - Sewanee Coughlan Track

Happy to see the Sewanee track still partially shaded at 7:30 this morning, and happy to see the mens room open.   Ran long and hard but not too fast.  I realized that training in spikes does stress my ankle, was sore afterward, so I returned to trainers today.

Saucony trainers on 

500m warmup, stretches, drills 

600m - 1:47 

500m - 87 

400m - 65 

300m - 46

It was really hard.   Felt a bit tight from the weights.  But, my last bit of fat is coming off... it's in the 'jelly stage' now.  Weight is about 144.2 after workout.   'Eating like a bird'.. as they say.