brief 200 tempo and 55s

Great evening in Sewanee, low 60ºs at sunset and dry.   With rain approaching for the next few days, I decided to do a low volume track workout, my 3rd in 5 days.

Saucony trainers on 

 500m warmup, stretches, drills

4 x 200m w/ 70 sec rest - 31, 31, 31, 30.5 

Nike R3 spikes on 

4 x 55m - 95% effort

The 200s were not too bad, more consistent than last time and I didn't over do it.   The 55s felt good, and I think I should be ready to some 60/55m indoor races in a month.

Need to take 2 days off from the track. Weights tomorrow or Monday, track Tues.

Thanksgiving butt kicker

Perfect November weather in Sewanee, 65º and sunny.  Able to run shirtless.  My foot felt good today so I upped the volume for my traditional Thanksgiving Day ass kicker.

Saucony trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

600m - 1:48 

500m - 83.5 

400m - 63.5 

200m - 27

It was hard.  The last 200m, which I started a bit too fast, left every muscle in my body fatigued and quivering, even my upper body.   I pushed all of them pretty hard, except for the 600.

Weight is just beginning to come off.  I know I need more diet variety but three days in row of one main meal of tuna and salad greens, with cappuccino, dark chocolate, almonds and figs for dessert.  Very satisfying and low carb.

Looking at where I was last year, I'm not too far off.  But I have to start doing some short explosive stuff soon.

Not going to try to race at Vandy next weekend.   Probably won't start til Jan... unless my dad or nephew feels like going to the Armory on 12/26.

300s

Had a hard day of carpentry work and I wasn't up for a grueling tempo workout, but I did work hard and low volume.  Just 3 x 300m with recovery, in spikes at 90%.

Nice day at Sewanee, mid 50ºs, partly cloudy and temperature falling quickly near sunset.

400m warm up, stretches, drills 

Nike R3 spikes on 

3 x 300m - 42.5, 43, 44.5

I didn't have complete rest in between, but a good 10m+ recovery.  Doesn't look like much, but it was hard in my present state.

Some new equipment.  Tried out some Thorlo 84N socks in my warmup.   They are very well cushioned and feel good.  Also, taped my foot in a plantar flexed manner for support.   It seemed to work.  I'm going to try it again.   Dr. Rod said that stiff soled shoes (like sprinter spikes) are actually good in supporting my talonavicular joint.  The drawback is that they have no cushioning.  The taping seems to help a bit as well.

Typical meal

When shedding fat, my usual main meal ... 2 small cans of tuna (or one large) w/ mustard, greens.
Cappuccino and a handful of almonds for dessert.

Looks like Thanxgiving.

split 400s / 200s

Increasing clouds, breezy and upper 50ºs early pm at the Sewanee track.  Did something a bit different today, a good workout but not as brutal as 3 or 4 x 400 tempo.  I think an overall volume of a modest 1200m for a workout is good for now. That's about all my foot can take.  These crazy 4 x 800 workouts may be a thing of the past.

Saucony trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x split 400s (300m/ rest 1m / 100m) - 45/14.5, 45.5, 14.5 

2 x 200m - 27, 27.5

A bit sore from resistance and just getting started. Still 147 lbs but eating less.  Ate very little today, just a few cappuccinos, some figs and almonds.  I feel the fat softening up, which always happens when I'm burning it.   On my feet a lot doing chores and carpentry outside so, that helps.  Won't be eating Thanksgiving dinner because I'll be alone.  I'm doubtful for the 12/5 Vandy meet, I may be helping a friend move, and I'm really not ready for it.  

Due to a cold snap and the fact that I lost or misplaced my sweatpants, I will probably wait til Wed to get on the track again, but I'll do resistance tomorrow night.

American Record?

The USATF masters chair seems to have recommended our Team USA M55 4x100m and 4x400m relay results as new USATF M55 American Records according to this article.   

I could definitely see that our World Champion M55 4x100m team of Disalvo, Yelverton, Chinn, and Tissenbaum as an American record - 47.10 ... since the Brits hold the world record at 46.16.  Ours was a good time, faster than the Silver Medal USA M50 team.

But, the listed M55 4x400m world record is held by the Houston Elite guys (led by Allie and Collins) and is a whopping 7.7 sec faster than our Lyon USA M55 team.  So, I don't understand why this 4x400m would be an M55 AR.

We'll see I suppose.  The USATF annual meeting is Dec. 2-6.

American Record holders (?): the M55 World Champion 4x100m team

Getting back

Only the second time on the track this month, first time in 9 days and it was hard.  Heavy and out of shape, a little fatigued from a resistance workout, but this is now officially the start of my training season.   Didn't want to kill myself first time out but I definitely busted ass with a tempo set of 4x200m and two fast 200s.  This low total volume (1200m) saved my foot a bit and definitely gave me something to sweat over.

Beautiful day in Sewanee, low 60ºs at noon, blue sky.  Sunscreen required.   Running shirtless in late Nov. is nice. 

Saucony trainers on

 400m warmup, stretches, drills

4 x 200m with 1:15 rest - 30.5, 30, 31.5, 34 

2 x 200m (full rest) - 26.5, 27

Weight is about 147 before eating.  Next track workout will probably be Sat.  Weights tomorrow.

Training season begins

With the first indoor meets just over 2 weeks away, and my concert tour finished ... it's time to get serious.  Back on the fish and greens diet.  I'm going to do something physical every day but I expect to be on the track only every third day or so, depending on how my foot feels.  I need to shed about 5-6 lbs if I'm even going to contemplate racing on 12/5.  The Vandy meet is open to colleges and not automatically to unattached.  They've been shitty to me before when I've asked permission.  There is no other meet in the area that I'm available for til Jan. at TSU.  So, we'll see.  I seriously doubt I could break 57 right now.  I've done nothing short and fast in a long while.

Today, back in the weight room.  I made some videos of my 2 most important power exercises:

3 x 50 Glute machine with 315 lbs  

3 x 15 squat jumps with 90 lbs

In addition to these, I do calf raises, adductors, hanging ab straps with 10lb ankle weights, hip flexor, quads, and more.

Tempo fail and then some

Bad conditions at Sewanee, but I've seen much worse.  52º and the famous Sewanee 'mizzle' (drizzle+ fog+mist).   At least there was no wind.  Visibility was about 100m.

Still in terrible shape, and getting worse, I attempted a 3x400m w/2 min rest tempo workout and bailed on the 3rd 400m after 200m.   Then I rested and did more.

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 400, 200m with 2 min rest - 69, 73, 36

2 x 400m - 63.5, 65.5

I rarely bail on a workout but I just couldn't finish that 3rd 400m.  It would have been in the high 80s, just not ready for the pain after not being on the track for 9 days, since Halloween.  I know I will not be on the track again for 9 days til the 18th due to my concert schedule.  It's going to be hard to get back, especially with the talonavicular issue limiting my quantity.

Haven't done what is necessary to bring my weight down.   Feel soft and slow.  Definitely not like a national champion.  147 lbs after workout, and that's before eating anything all day.  My daily range is about 147.5 - 150.5.

Be in the weight room Tues or Wed.