Split 400, starts

Last workout before Penn on Tues night at Sewanee. Perfect spring weather, 70º at sunset, light wind.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

60m strider 

Split 400m - 300m / rest 1 min / 100m - 42.5, 14.5 

roller, resistance bands - hams, quads 

Puma spikes on 

6 x starts from blocks

Wanting to keep some semblance of 400m condition, I started with a split 400m.  Not as fast as usual, but ok.  Funny, but right after I finished the long sprint, I broke the clip on my trusty gymboss interval timer... (I glued it back together for the 4th time).  That timer has been the single most important piece of training equipment I've had next to my shoes.  It has helped me win 5 national titles and 4 world medals.  Not expensive to replace but I seem to have an attachment to this little box.  

Starts felt fine, maybe a bit inconsistent but feeling able to push to full power without a hint of strain.   Feel ready to blast this 100m race, think I'm good to go.  It's going to fun.   Dad will be there too.

I've been so focused on my short game, I don't feel I can deliver a 55 400m at Penn, but maybe a 56.  These relays are M50+, unlike the 100m which is M55... so I'll be racing people from the younger age group.    If I lead off the 4x4, I should be able to get into the top 3 like last time.   It'll be crazy as usual with 21 teams in a massive waterfall start.  SW Sprinters will win as usual, they'll probably have Marcus, Robert, Clinton and David ... all those guys can beat me.  Whoever it is for SWS, I'll be standing right next to them at the start as GPTC has 3rd position, SWS 2nd.  We have only one guy on our team that has run sub 55, John.  

The 4x100 should be fun... 9 teams, including for the first time - 3 teams of W40 women in the same race!  (Mixed relays are interesting, as we saw in the IAAF World Relays last weekend).  I think the ITS club should win it as they have Don and Lonnie.  Lonnie is one of the fastest M50 100m guy in the world, capable of low 11s.   We might be good for a medal in both relays.

Weather looks much better this year than 5 yrs ago at Penn Relays when it was cloudy, breezy and barely 50º.  Perfect weather is forecast this time, even a bit warm.   81º, sunny and zero chance of rain.