500s / 150s / Millrose? ... and more bitching

Cold, dark, and dank at the Sewanee track with the temperature hovering just above freezing.  Track was damp, and a light breeze.  Tough weather, but I've seen worse.  I ran in long sleeves and shorts.  Retreated to the car in between intervals.  Cold.

Ran two speed endurance long sprints and some fast 150s for form.

Saucony trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 500m - 81, 84 

3 x 150m - 20, 20, 21

Planned to do 4x150s but the foot hurt after 3.  144.8 after workout.  Still need to drop 2 lbs, taking longer than I expected.

Upcoming
Looking beyond the AL Crossplex meet on 1/24, I will again attempt to get in Vanderbilt on 1/29, maybe just to run the 200m and I will attempt to return to AL on 1/31 to race there again.  Since meets are slim pickins in Feb, I am contemplating accepting the invite from the Greater Philly Track Club to race in NYC on 2/20 at the Millrose Games M50 4x400m relay.   We'd be a shoo in for a Silver, and could possible challenge SWS for a club Gold since John C., WL 400m guy is now on the team.  Should know fairly soon.  The Millrose Games, like the Penn Relays, is a track and field institution and I've always thought I'd like to do it once.  This year will be the 109th annual and is the only indoor meet of the season that will probably be on network TV.


More bitching about Vanderbilt!

Yes, still pissed about not being given permission to race at Vanderbilt ... especially after seeing how it went down this weekend.   I can't believe it.  They denied me a chance to race in this meet where:

• Four 200m guys ran slower than I ran last season, three of them slower than 25.60!!
• 16 scratched from the 200m, including an entire heat
• They ran 5 of 9 heats in the 400m with just TWO people, and one heat with 3!
• 16 people scratched in the 400m, 40% of all competitors
• One guy ran a 58.10... but he was an outlier (next slowest 53s)

Look, I know I'm never going to be able to compete in the top half of a meet like this, unlike my fellow masters Sonya (who is 11+ yrs younger).  But if I can beat anyone, or even finish within a reasonable distance of the slowest guy at age 55... I think I deserve an exception.  Why the hell deny someone when you KNOW there is going to be at least a 25% rate of scratches?  What would anyone have to lose?   You would think a coach affiliated with the USATF in some way would have a little respect for a hard working elite masters athlete.  You would think winning a USATF "Age Group Athlete of the Year" award would at least offer me a little opportunity, certainly justify an exception.  It's not like I'm some wannabe off the street trying to impress the girls.