back in the swamp

Visiting on a business trip in Mobile, AL... I do what I often do to find a track.   Good thing tracks are usually associated with schools and colleges and are large enough to be seen easily from the air via Google.  I picked a good one, not a great track but an overall decent facility:  Bayside Academy in Daphne, AL - on the eastern shore of the bay.  I chose that track because it is less than 3 miles from my hotel and there is shade on part the track.   Unfortunately, the track itself was pretty bad, a black 6 lane thin tartan layer over blacktop worn out in some spots... but it'll do.   It's 400m, and thankfully, surrounding a field of real grass (not plastic turf like Sewanee).  At the beginning of the 300m, there was a nice shady spot where I stationed myself.  The school locker room was open and there was an ice machine right by the door.

So, instead of eating great golden piles of fried seafood, key lime pie, and Jamaican beer here in the land of gulf seafood markets... I'm still eating right.

It was horribly humid but not too hot at 10:30am.  84º with a dewpoint of 75º, heat index around 92º and there were some merciful clouds as it felt much hotter in the sun on the black track.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 300m - 42.2, 42.8, 42.5 

'split 500' - 300m - 43.5 / 1 min rest / 100m - 14.3 / 1 min rest / 100m - 14.3

I didn't start with my usual 500m but I did get in an adequate amount of volume.  I ran the 300s hard but not at race pace, reserving a little.  Finished with a split 500 when already tired so I ended with a hard one.

I got a last weight workout in at Sewanee Monday morning at 6:30 am before I left to keep my strength regime going.  I even brought my ankle weights and rubber tubing.   My hips are holding up well to the resistance work but my lower back has been a bit sore all spring/summer.  Overall, everything is ok considering the regime I've been on.  The hotel has a weight room with dumbells so I'm sure I can get some resistance in tomorrow.  I'll be back at the Bayside Academy Thurs, off/travel Fri, Marist track Sat., and Sewanee Fowler Center Sunday.  Then, back to the usual Sewanee regime for the last full week of training.

My temporary home...