150's on turf

I went back to square one today, doing the same workout I did end of Jan. as I was starting my training (after coming back from plantar fasciitis).   Getting real, I don't expect to race til mid July at the earliest, or possibly as late as Aug or later.  So, best to preserve and scale back.  Looking back, I was working hard in Feb and March, expecting a race in April, but can't keep that up all spring and summer, and into indoor season.  I may be doing more track workouts on an every third day basis instead of every other day.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

8 x 150m on turf ~ 24-25 with 50 sec rest 

2 x 100m (track) - 12.88, 12.68

I ran the last of 8 150s at about 23, the fastest.  It was a good hard workout and not much impact.

After a 400m walk and rest, I ran a couple hard 100s with flying start.  I tried an experiment, and on the second one, really concentrated on relaxation, running tall, and long stride.  It was faster.  A lesson to think about what I'm doing when I sprint.

I see they now have wide Clifton 6s in my size so I ordered a pair.  My impression when I picked one up at the store was that it was good, the best version since the Clifton 3.   Hoping that these will give a good amount of protection on the outside of the foot.

143.3 lbs this evening and dropping.  Fasting til tomorrow for yearly blood work.

2x300, split 400

Yet another perfect cool evening in Sewanee.   Low 60ºs at sunset, calm winds, dry.   Just maintaining with a low volume workout.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 300m w/ 2:30 rest  - 49.2, 48.2 

'split 400m' 300m - 44.5 / 60 sec rest / 100m - 15 

2 x 100m strides on grass

Just enough limited rest to kick my butt a little.  Definitely have scaled back the training.  Had been doing one day of foundation, one day speed or split intervals, one day tempo.  Haven't done any serious tempo or substantial foundation in a couple weeks, so I think I'm back to just maintaining.  Without a goal, I'll continue to stay where I am.

The new finger lap timer seems less generous than the beeping timer.  I figured out why... the timer does not stop when the finger touches the stop button, the timer stops when the finger is removed from the button after actuating.  That is why it's reading slow.  I'll return it.

145 lbs after workout

Over the weekend I did some resistance, mostly glute:  video.   Don't be an assless man....


UPDATE:
Cut, moved, split, and stacked a half face cord of wood today in 4 hrs, so I might take tomorrow off and train Thurs.

Also, I've been meeting some regular track walkers out there while I do my workouts.  One older couple I met who walk the track, while I'm busting my butt sprinting 300m repeats...  a history professor and his wife... I came to find out they're are 2 yrs younger than me.  Next time I see them, I'm going to say.... "When I was your age..."

500, 300, strides

Another perfect cool evening for training, 60º and calm winds at the Sewanee track.  A couple quality sprints and some strides, keeping the volume low as it now looks like it I won't be racing anytime soon.  As expected, the June TN State Games now postponed to an undetermined date, no word on Nationals.    

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 50m striders 

500m - 79.5 (63, 16.5) 

300m - 43.21

4 x100m strides on turf 

It felt pretty hard as I'm not working as hard as I was a couple weeks ago with more volume and tempo.  I still think I could 'run my age' but I've been shying away from an all out time trial in spikes, and from foundation and tempo.   Could be at least 13 -20 weeks before I can race.  No telling.  Will be doing resistance tomorrow, and after the Saturday storms, a freakish cool day on Sunday with highs only in the 40ºs forecast.... definitely a porch day with my wood stove cranked and tea.  

 Be back on the track Monday.  

143.9 lbs after workout.  

3,2,1s

Low 60ºs and cloudy with an occasional spit of drizzle in Sewanee.  The temperatures are staying cool, low to mid 60ºs most days for the next week.

I got this finger ring interval/lap timer, so I can run with a beeping goal timer and this split timer, so I can get accurate splits on everything.  The only drawback of the ring timer is that it doesn't beep when you start it so you have to just trust you pushed the button hard enough.  I'm just getting used to it.  

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 100m - 14.42, 13.74 

300m from 400m start (curve-straight-curve) - 42.54 (12.74, 14.44, 15.36) 

200m - 27.04

Nothing super fast, my form needs work.  Was short of goal on the 300m (13,14,15).  Just need to stretch out the stride and relax on that 2nd 100m.  Too tight.  The 200m was surprising slow considering the effort. 

No killer workouts ... like 800s, or tempo.  Just maintaining.

143.7 lbs after workout.  Eating light.

Been posting more performance videos recently:

https://youtu.be/g0ddVGo6Yx4
https://youtu.be/G212EeclWUg

Resistance and 100s

A cool and wonderfully quiet evening at the Sewanee track, low 60ºs, calm winds.  I did some glute sets during the mid afternoon and other resistance work.  Almost didn't go to the track but I did.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

6 x 100m on turf w/ 30 sec rest ~ 16-17 sec 

2 x 100m on the track - 12.75, 12.62

When I started my warmups, felt aches and pains of the past week of 4 track workouts, but after a tempo set of 100s, I felt much better.   I was thinking, that if I do reduce my track workouts for a while, it would be best to keep doing some running.    I videoed my last 100m to look at my form. 

I was thinking... it doesn't matter if I can run 57 right now.  It matters in July after I turn 60, and that is still 11 weeks away and who knows when I'll be able to race.   Possibly not til Aug.  So I need to back off a bit, don't need to push it now, just maintain til I have a goal. 

However, there seems to be an initiative to 'open' southern states and businesses... which is clearly a bad idea, but it may make some facilities for meets available this summer.  For example, the Jacksonville Athletic Club has 3 meets scheduled for July and Aug., the Atlanta Track Lab said they may run some meets this summer, the AL games Aug 31, and there's an all ages meet in Nov.  Still no word from Sr. Games or USATF Nat'ls. 

covid-19, risk factors, metabolic health

I was just reading some studies on covid-19 risk factors and came upon some interesting facts.

First... I was floored by the stat that only 12% of Americans are considered to be metabolically healthy.  What does that mean?  The study defines metabolically healthy as:

1) optimal levels of waist circumference (WC <102/88 cm for men/women)
2) glucose (fasting glucose <100 mg/dL and hemoglobin A1c <5.7%)
3) blood pressure (systolic <120 and diastolic <80 mmHg)
4) triglycerides (<150 mg/dL)
5) high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (≥40/50 mg/dL for men/women)
6) not taking any related medication.

Obviously, metabolically healthy people are by nature more disease resistant.   Next, a British publication released some alarming stats of risk factors of death from covid-19:

Obesity - #1 risk factor:  Data from the first 2204 patients admitted to 286 NHS ICU’s with COVID- 19 reveal that 72.7% of them were overweight or obese. Elderly often suffer from sarcopenic obesity:

"excess body fat induces immune dysregulation and chronic inflammation which is directly linked to the cytokine storm that is responsible for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome seen in influenza and other respiratory viruses.  For example, in 2009 61% of patients admitted to hospital in California that died from H1N1 Influenza A were obese, which was 2.2 times more than the prevalence of obesity within the state population. Multivariate analysis suggested obesity was a novel risk factor for mortality from the virus.  Furthermore, obese adults shed influenza A virus 42% longer than non-obese individuals suggesting an additional role in transmission."

Interestingly, only 1/3 of 'normal weight' people are considered metabolically healthy:

"normal weight metabolically unhealthy have a more than three-fold risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events than those who are normal weight and metabolically healthy. "

 Diabetes, metabolic disease, high blood pressure, smoking - other risk factors:

"Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome may have to up 10 times greater risk of death when they contract COVID-19”

"China concluding that smokers were 14 times more likely to get severe disease after contracting COVID-19."

Obesity and metabolic disease affect minorities at a much higher rate than caucasians, which explains the alarmingly high death rate among minority covid-19 patients.
CNN article
Full article here

While it looks like the major NE areas maybe close to turning the corner with daily US deaths around 2500, southern and midwestern states slow to adopt distancing measures are beginning to see a spike.  Unfortunately, this pandemic was mismanaged from day one by the US federal response, and there still is no coordinated federal testing program.

Bottom line, America is a grossly unhealthy nation and is getting worse. We are on the way to 50% of population being diabetic and prediabetic by 2025, 75% obese and significantly overweight.  Pandemics will take a greater toll on such a population.

Speed - event runs

68º with a S wind on the beautiful Sewanee track.   It was my 4th day on the track this week and I'm going to definitely take the next 2 days off.   Ran 3 x 200m at 400m race pace today, took a 45 min break, went to my office to hear a senior recital online, and back to the track for a 300+100.  Had to do a second warmup.

Hoka trainers on 

350m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 200m - 26.21, 26.00, 26.03 

- break - 

warmup 

300m - 42.09 / walk 100m / 100m - 15.03

Pleased with my times since I was expecting 26 high/27.  After running my first, I was surprised it was 26.2.   I thought, 'too fast, need to let up a bit and relax.'   Then I ran 26.00.   Albeit... with a 3 step rolling start and a tail wind, still a good time.  The difference was the second one I kept better form and relaxed.   Leads me to believe I could break 58 soon.   I do think I could run at least 27/31ish... (13,14,15,16)

Realistically, probably at least 3-4 months, maybe longer before I'll be able to find a race. 

USATF Masters and TN Senior Games put out updates and they STILL have NOT canceled, and TN Sr. Games is STILL soliciting registration fees with a May deadline, even after their board met this week.  USATF will announce by mid May.  Hope I don't have to wait til Aug. 

I'm enjoying running fast but I keep saying I need to cut back...  but it's great to run fast. 

144.1 lbs after workout.

I'm thinking about buying a ring timer so I can record both exact times and have pacing beeps. 

tempo 300s, 200

Crisp clear evening in Sewanee, light winds, low 50ºs before sunset.   The usual walkers were there.  I did my usual low volume tempo 300s + a 200m.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 300m w/ 2:30 rest - 48.8, 48.5, 48.6 

200m - 27.25

I like this workout because it's short, kicks my butt, but is low enough volume that it doesn't beat me up.  This was the fastest set like this I've done this yr.  If I want to increase suffering, I should start shortening the rest, or add a rep.  The way it is right now, it's a perfect workout and it takes less than 8 min. 

I rested and ran an uptempo 200m to finish.  Felt a bit stiff, as it was getting cold.

Living the good life.  144.5 lbs after workout. 

Leaves are coming out: view from my hot tub...

800, 200, 2x150

It's still winter.  After last night's strong storms (51 mph gust, 4.39" rain), the temperature dropped all day.  It seemed ok when I left the house, 48º and dry on the bluff, but in town it was wet, mizzle, and 5º colder.  43º and cloudy, light winds.  Really felt pretty cold, until I finished my 800.  Still T-shirt weather for training.  Next 2 days are going to be low 50ºs with over night lows near freezing. 

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

800m - 2:36 

200m - 27.40 

2 x 150m w/ 30 sec rest on turf ~ 22-23

The 800m was a chore, didn't want to run another so I did some short stuff.  I'm happy to get it done but with goals uncertain, it's hard to focus on a race or peak.  I think at this level of fitness, I could get to ready to race at an elite level with 3+ weeks notice, but still up in the air.  Vanderbilt U study says the virus is going to peak in this area in mid-June ... so I'm not optimistic.  Atlanta GA relays canceled last week.  I am hell bent on getting a race in this summer or fall for Masters Rankings after I enter M60, and I'll travel if I have to.  AL State Games have been rescheduled for 8/31. 

Otherwise, life is great.  Living in paradise.  Spending an unprecedented amount of time with Roya in the most beautiful time of year in a most beautiful place.  Have 2 tracks to train on and an amazing gothic cathedral to record in.  Happy to be in relatively good health.  Running, biking, hiking, and playing music.

144.9 lbs after workout. 

Fri resistance, Sat brief workout

I took Friday off from the track because I went biking and did resistance work instead, it was a bit cold that day.  I got out Sat for a brief track workout.  Beautiful, low 60ºs and sunny near sunset.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 300m - 43.85, 44.59 

200m - 27.84

I did these sprints with relaxation, emphasis on form, just a bit slower than 400m race pace.  I was happy to get out there Sat., since Friday, I tweaked my knee a bit doing squats, but it felt fine on a day's rest.  These intervals seemed harder than they should have been, maybe because of resistance work the day before, but happy to get it done.  I do know that workouts like this are just maintaining the status quo, and not helping me get in better shape.  Only tempo, and foundation does that.

144.0 lbs after workout.  Still eating well.

It looks like a beautiful weather pattern for the next week, cool to start... in the 50ºs early then 60ºs later in the week, sunny every day.  Ironically, this pandemic situation has been a wonderful time for me, spending weeks together with Roya, watching the leaves turn in kaleidoscope of green hues, and watching the spring storms.   It's been beautiful in Sewanee.  Been bike riding and spending time on campus.  It's a bit eerie and quiet, but I love it.  I've been issued keys to the buildings so I can still remain active in music recording.  I did a few videos recently here and here.

Still no word on USATF Masters Nationals, and the TN Sr. Olympics committee is meeting next week to consider the situation.  They've hinted at a postponement.

It was this weekend that I had planned to open my competitive season at Berry College.  I had some great meets there over the years.  Here's my heat of the 200m a few yrs ago, I'm in the green shoes in lane 6, (ahead of 3 Sewanee sprinters  in lanes 1, 7, 8).  Looks like the next time I race in a college meet, I be 60 yrs old.  Looking forward to it.



 

Brief tempo 300s again

Mid week morning workout, cloudy / hazy and humid at the Sewanee track but cool, 65º ... but felt warmer due to the humidity.  Did my brief mid week workout. 

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills

3 x 300m w/ 2:30 rest - 48.8, 49, 50.2  / 2:30 rest / 100m - 13.62

Glad to get it done.  As usual, I had to fight off thoughts about lengthening my rest, and doing one less rep, but this workout is short and sweet, low volume and something good for mid week where I don't have time for quality sprints.  This was like last Wednesdays but a little faster.

Up a lb or 2, probably fro bread and/or eating chocolate.

145.8 lbs after workout. 

800, 400, 200, 150

Gorgeous evening in Sewanee, low 70ºs, light breeze and partly cloudy.  After a Fri workout and Sat hike and bike ride, I took Sunday off, did some resistance work.  I rigged my resistance bands to create a decent 'glute machine' on my deck.

I was going to do just foundation today but I didn't feel like 2 x 800.  I did some quality sprints after an 800m, including a fast neg split 400m.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

800m - 2:38 

400m - 60.8 (30.8, 30) 

200m - 26.65 

150m - 19.28

I much rather do some quality work but it is harder on the body but generally more fun.  I think this M-W-F track schedule might workout ok. 

145 lbs after workout. 

I'm really surprised they haven't canceled Masters Nationals yet.  They canceled the U20 Championships later in July and SE Masters in June is canceled.  It is the stated policy of USATF that these events be canceled and I'm thinking they haven't canceled yet because they're looking into a postponement.  TN Senior Olympics in June hasn't yet canceled which is really surprising.  Probably a matter of time.

quality sprints, neg split

Perfect weather, 70º and dry, calm winds.  I did low volume quality stuff today, my preferred workout, but probably not the most beneficial.  My intervals were with ample rest, brisk but not race pace.  I did them negative split, last 100m the fastest.... goals were: 300m - 15,15,14, and 200m - 14,13.  Came pretty close to goal.  I used one of my older pair of Hoka Clifton 3 trainers for the workout, (accidentally packed two right shoes of the Clifton 1s I usually use).

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

2 x 300m - 44.2, 44.3 

2 x 200m - 27.34, 27.16 

2  x 40 yard - 4.75, 4.62

I threw in a few short sprints at the end from 3 pt stance.

Such beautiful weather here, I'll be back on Sunday... so much for my every 3rd day plan... been every other day since Monday.  Seem to be tolerating it pretty well.  So tempting to run fast in warm weather.  So, this week: 800s foundation, 3x300m tempo, and 1000m of quality neg split long sprints.

I had originally planned to race next weekend, but no.   Maybe I'll do a time trial soon.  Still haven't run an all out 400m.  Weights and hiking tomorrow.

More track abuse today, a couple walking the track with their dog, letting the dog run free.

Brief tempo 300s

Last cold weather workout, but it felt actually very good.  Mid-upper 40ºs, but sunny on the 'ghost track' at Sewanee just before noon.  When the breeze stopped, it felt warm, perfect.  Didn't have much time so a tempo set was in order.  It occurred to me that if I do a Monday workout, I must do a Wed morning workout because Thursday is too busy with online teaching, and I shouldn't wait til Friday.

I saw the one old walker I usually see, but he left during my warmup.  I also saw a guy with what looked like an insecticide sprayer.  But he was gone soon.  I am still extremely thankful the men's room remains open.

Hoka trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 300m w/ 2:30 rest - 48.8, 49.5, 50.3

Short and sweet.  Usually do 4 but not as fast as these.  This was perfect and I really pushed hard on the last one, it was a killer.  With volume this low, I should be back by Friday.  I think with low volume like this, I can tolerate every other day.  Weather looks gorgeous the next 4 days... sunny around 70º Fri-Mon.  Haven't been doing much weights or cross training, but tomorrow in between lessons.

Eating very well, 143.6 lbs after workout.

Sewanee has reported some cases of coronavirus, and some dumbass students/alumni had a 'virus party' over the weekend.  Those events have caused the college to close parking areas at trail heads and over looks.  I love it.  Even less people.  They will NEVER close the track.  Even if they did, there is a brand new track at St. Andrews, even closer to my house, which is not fenced.