tempo 300s

58º and sunny in Sewanee with a light breeze.  Great weather for training.   My most common tempo set but a little slower with 30 sec mote rest.

Hoka trainers  

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 300m w/ 2:30min rest - 50.5, 50.5, 51.5, 54  (51.6 avg)

When in shape, I do these 2 sec faster with 30 sec less rest.  As usual, the last one was a butt kicker. But this is ok for Nov.  Next 4 x 300m tempo session, I'll take 2:15 rest.  Next time out will probably be Friday and I'll do long sprint foundation.  My feet have been surviving with a 2 days off in between track sessions.  I hope to do a Fri, Sun, Tues, schedule in Dec.

146.5 after workout.  The fat loss has been slow.

Low volume but swift

Nice weather at the Marist track, low 60ºs.  A treat to run shirtless in late Nov.

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300m warmup, stretches, drills 

500m  - 81 (64, 17) 

300m - 43.5 

200m - 28.5

The 500m felt ok but hard.  The 300m really wasted me and the final 200m was tough and not so fast.  This was ok considering just 2 days rest.   I think I can start doing 3 days a week soon, maybe Friday, Sunday Tues.  The plantar issue is still a problem so will probably stay with 2 days rest in between.  

first tempo intervals / hills

Cool in Sewanee, 45º and a light breeze but sunny.  I hadn't done a set of tempo intervals this season so I started gingerly, a much easier set than my standard 4 x 300m w/ 2m rest.  I tried 3 x 300m w/ 2:30 rest, and it didn't end real strong.  Kind of expected in my 148 lb body.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 300m w/ 2:30 rest - 48, 49, 56.5 

3 x 100m hill sprints 19, 18, 19

The first 2 were fine but the third one suffered.  I normally try for 48 and usually end up with 49-50 avg on a 4 x 300m w/ 2min.  Today, I struggled to complete 3 x 300m in 51 avg with even more rest.  Next time, maybe I'll try for 50-51 for the first few and maybe will be able to complete a more consistent set.

Afterward, I went to Roarkes Cove hill to sprint some 100s.  These were run hard but a bit slow, usually 17-18.

Kind of feels like I've hit the downward slope toward M60.

Fitness

147.7 lbs. after workout.

I've always thought that I have to work harder than my colleagues to achieve similar results.  Being short, with less than great form, I've been able to do the bitchin' hard work to get me into the sub 56 range at least a few times every season.  Now my limiting factor is foot issues.  Due to plantar issues with my left foot and joint issues with my right, I need more recovery and less volume.  My hip and back issues are much better.  My left plantar issue is both in the heel - stemming from an injury in Toronto where someone stepped in front of me while I was running full speed in my spikes, I had to come down hard on my heel to miss him - and a little in the ball of the foot (metatarsalgia) which is completely alleviated by taping and padding.  It's not getting worse and I think it will be manageable, but has prevented me from doing the every other day regime I used to.  I need at least 2 or 3 days in between track workouts.

I've been crosstraining everyday this week.  Last two days a 5 mile hilly mountain bike ride each day, Monday - weights and leaps, Tues - 25 min Stairmaster, 2000m row.

I'm also eating much less since my fall party, but as I know, it takes at least 2 weeks to see any fat reduction after a new diet regime.  I plan on resuming the amino, creatine, protein supplements and hopefully I'll get leaner and stronger.

Right now, I'm actually fairly fit.  Could probably run a 60 flat 400m in spikes right now, but making that transition from my present 'normal level' of fitness to a 'competitive level' of fitness for the 400m, is about the hardest task I've ever undertaken... And it's not getting any easier.   I'm sure it's not as hard for those who ran competitively in college track and are 6'4", and who used to run sub 50 in their youth, but for me it's real hard and includes significant diet restrictions and good lifestyle choices.

Races

I wish I was ready to race Dec 2 at Vandy, it is their only meet with no restrictions on entry.  Their other meets require coaches permission.  Realistically, I won't be ready to race til at least January and was thinking about starting at the KMS meet on 1/28 at the Crossplex.   It's a mixed level meet but generally has attracted elites and even Olympians.   Maybe I'll do the TSU meet in early Jan to see where I am, although it's a slow flat track.

Media from WMACi Daegu 2017

A new pro photo and youtube videos of my 200m and 400m finals have emerged.   Thanks to Shane for the FB tag on the videos.  These were recorded by someone from France.

Here's the photo in full resolution, you'll have to click on it or scroll to the right to see all of it.

What is interesting is the 400m Final where Benoit caught me in the end, running a PR 54.39 - the fastest M55 400m in the world this year by a lot, both indoor or outdoor.   My 200m split was clearly at least 25.4, faster than my 200m race at Nationals and NCCWMA. Might have been 25.3.  I was just inches from a PR and going sub 55.

600 / 300s

Warm at the Marist School, mid 60ºs.  Busy so this is the first workout after a 4 day rest and after gaining weight due to party leftovers.  I definitely struggled today, despite laying down a decent 600m.

Hoka trainers  

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

600m - 1:45 

2 x 300m - 49, 46

The first 300m was a bailout, it was supposed to be a 500m.   I had planned a 600-500-400 workout but just didn't have the mental fortitude to suffer a 500m after a hard 600m.  So, I bailed after 300m, and finished with an uptempo 300m.  Normally this type of workout wouldn't kick my butt so much, but I'm still 5 lbs overweight and not in condition.   It's going to be a long way back.

600s

Brisk cool day on the track, 48º and a light breeze but sunny on the Sewanee track.  Volume day.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 600m - 1:51.5, 1:53, 1:55

Not my fastest set of 600s but glad to get it done.  My back feels much better and my hip is almost ready to go.  Still no fast intervals, just doing this foundation.  Soon will need some hills and limited rest tempo intervals.

Still about a month away from spikes and any real speed work.

146.7 lbs after workout.

Brief but hard

Friday, I squeezed in a workout despite a buy day in Sewanee.  It was sunny, light breeze but cool, temperatures falling into the upper 40ºs by late PM.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

500m - 84 

300m -  45.5

Doesn't look like much but it kicked my butt.  Just a testament to how slow I am and how far I have to go.   Ran way short of my goal, was hoping to run 81-82 in the 500m.   Hard to image I ran a 500m in spikes in 73.6 just 3 months ago.  Working around the house so my feet were sore.

It's still early but by Dec., I need to be running faster and adding some hills.

147.1 after workout.

Foundation ... again

Same workout as last Monday, even a bit faster.  On just 2 days rest, which included several miles of hilly bike riding, I did a volume workout today.  Beautiful unseasonably warm peak color fall day, 71º in Sewanee with light winds.

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350m warmup, stretches, drills 

800m - 2:41.5 

600m - 1:52 

500m - 84.5

Happy to get this one done.

Woke up rather heavy after late night eating, and a dinner at the amazing Atlanta Botanical Garden.  Wow, that carmel custard was good!   150 lbs out of bed and still 147.4 after workout.  Still not losing the weight, dinner tonight at Sewanee was broiled redfish, vegetables and Key lime pie.  Very good.  However, I can feel the body beginning to respond a little to the training.  Still a while before I will start running fast, but I can see a bit of improvement.  Tomorrow, I'll hit the weights and maybe Stairmaster and be back on the track by Friday.

Got plenty of time.  Over 19 weeks until indoor nationals.  It looks like the next 2 indoor nationals will be on flat 200m tracks.  BAD idea.  Forget about breaking any relay records.

baby steps...

After just 3 days rest, back out for a short one.  Sewanee is warm and humid for Nov.  Mid 60's and rain ending.  Beautiful fall colors and fog in the cove.  I did low volume, brisk tempo.

It's Homecoming weekend in Sewanee and I was happy to have the track as the football players weren't practicing.  They were under the stadium in street clothes in one of the dingy rooms under the stadium engaged in some weird ritual ... probably some silly Homecoming tradition.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

400m - 65 

300m - 46

This felt way harder than it should have.  I'm still not 100% but better.  Have been doing no weights for 2 weeks except some pull ups and core at home.  I'm no where near the fitness level to do a tempo set of 4 x 300s w/ 2 min ... or the like.  I need to start cross training on the stair master and weights 2x a week with my 2x a week on the track.  It's still early, at least 9 or 10 weeks before I have an opportunity to race.  On the track I need to slow down and add one volume workout a week, at least a mile.  Maybe in a few weeks, I can try a brief tempo set.

Lighter, 144.7 lbs after workout.  Taping the right foot, feels better.  Hip coming along, back improved.

The view from my house this morning....