Training Day

I got a reasonable amount of sleep, slept about 5 hrs .... 11pm - 4am, not too far off normal but I'll need an afternoon nap.  I wasn't going to run today due to sore feet but it was a beautiful day and I wanted to make a 'practice drive' to the stadium, so I was there before 10am this morning.  I wanted to feel my spikes on that Mondo.

Home stretch...

After a standard warmup, I got my spikes on, and did a few starts from the 200m start in my lane for tomorrow: 4.   I ran one hard 150m and it was tiring, glad I did it to shake off the rust.  I did another 100m on the turn and a few more starts and called it a day.  My feet did hurt but felt better afterward and I'm glad I did it.  I just need to remember my race plan for this distance.  I want to get out and up to top cruising speed asap and relax until the last 50m and then put the hammer down.  The conventional wisdom always says 'slingshot off the turn' .. but for me, that is about 20 - 30m too early to put the hammer down.  Shifting to 100% effort at the top of the stretch will result in rigging for me.

The stadium is beautiful.  The only issue is that the designated warmup area is too far away and has too few bathrooms anywhere close.  I think I'm going to warmup on the hill above the back stretch.  Hopefully, they'll open the bathrooms on that side.  Nice weather, only in the 60ºs and bright intense sunshine.  If it were hot, that would be an issue.  It's supposed to be hot on Sat., but very nice the next 2 days.  The strong SW wind will be in the face at the start of the 200m, but a tail wind for the home stretch.  Forecast to be 15+ mph next 2 days.

Western Australia Athletic Stadium

Back stretch, this is where I'll probably hang and warm up

It's going to be a challenge just to make the finals in this 200m field.  There were only two sub-25 sec sprinters in Lyon, there could be enough to fill a whole heat here.  There could be at least 6, maybe more.  Six coming up from the 100m, and a few more like me doing the 200/400.

I drew heat 4 of 7 in the prelims.  2 fast guys in my heat, a Jamaican (who beat me at Penn in the 100m in '12) and an Aussie - both capable of 25.1-ish.   But, both scratched in the 100m, so they may not show.   There were 13 scratches out of 57 entries in the M55 100m.   There are 55 in the 200m, so I think we'll see about 10-20% no shows.  So, to win this heat would be good.

This town is great.  Super scenic, clean, beautiful beaches, people swimming, surfing, kayaking, tons of joggers, and cool places to hang.  I drove the coastal highway and stopped at a few of the parks and a seaside cafe.  A very fit young town, lots of active people.  Modern and clean.

City Park - Indian Ocean

Cafe at the city beach park