3 long sprints

 Crisp and cool at the Sewanee track this Tuesday.  Temp's falling into the upper 50ºs by sunset.  My first workout on one days rest in a while (last workout Sunday).

Hoka trainers on

Stretches, drills, 2 x 100, bands

400m - 61.75  (30.37 / 31.38) (14.40, 15.97, 15.32, 16.06)

200m - 26.86

150m - 19.78

Actually wanted to do negative or even splits on the 400m, but didn't.  It wasn't too hard.   I think keeping my volume to less than 900m a workout is best for now, especially if it's all on the track.  

Probably be back out on Friday.  Really should do some turf runs, but I love the track.

tempo 100s, 150s

I hadn't intended to do a running workout today, but I felt ok and the weather was beautiful, sunny 74º in Sewanee.  

    Hoka trainers on

    stretches, 2 x 100m striders, drills, bands

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

    150m - 18.85, 19.22

I took plenty of rest after the tempo set of 100s and the first 150 was fairly smokin' and felt good with the Clifton 1s on.   I felt my form was strong and upright, and sub 19 is fast even with a rolling start.  After all these years the Clifton 1 shoes still amazes me.  I almost bought a pair of Rincons today, but no need.   I still have a pair of new Clifton 1s in the box. 

Wa planning to do a band strength workout but was too tired and running out of daylight.

This schedule is going to work out because it's supposed to rain tomorrow and the football team is scheduled to practice so, I think this Fri, Sun, Tues may work.  I didn't expect to go back to 3x week track  workouts, but I'll do it if my body holds up.  

300s on the track

65º, cloudy, occasional mist, calm winds at the Sewanee track.  Track was wet due to this morning's rain, first rain in a while.  Warmups felt ok so I decided to run on the track instead of the turf.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills

3 x 100m strides, stretches, bands drills

300m - 44.54 (14.25, 14.88, 15.41)

300m - 43.85 (13.88, 14.55, 15.42)

300m - 45.88 (14.40, 15.53, 15.95)

roller

The first 2 300s were fine, the last one was hard.  I'm definitely not fit enough to do anything like a 4 x 300m tempo workout with 2:30 rest.  Maybe I'll try a 3 x 300m with 3min rest, as a first attempt at some point.  

Happy that I don't have any significant pains, body tolerating 2 running workouts a week.  Knee is fine.  With anymore than 3 days off, I feel like I'm no longer an athlete.  So right now I'm training Mondays and Fridays on the track, and cross training Sat, Sun, Tues, usually with bike or stairmaster.  

143.7 lbs after workout.  Happy to still have my weight under control after some days of eating poorly.  I was 148 last night before bed time.  Heavy mostly to waste and drinking a lot of juice.  If I'm race weight, that makes being in shape a whole lot easier.  I'm about 2 to 3 lbs heavy right now.  

Upcoming seasons - both indoor and outdoor look sparse.  It's hard to know how to target my training with a totally uncertain indoor season.   So far, only one meet on the indoor calendar at the Crossplex in Jan.  There is that lone last chance outdoor meet in AL on Oct 31, but this outdoor season is pretty much over.  The last pro Diamond League meet was today.  There have been a couple big meets in Europe this month.   Someone tied my M60 100m #2 ranking at a big masters meet in Austria.  It looks like my 2020 World #1 ranking in the 400m may endure to year's end.  If it does, it will be a first outdoor #1 world ranking for me.  I've only achieved a #1 once before, that was indoor '16.  However, Australia's outdoor season is just getting up and running so someone down under may snag the top spot.  

I really feel that this pandemic robbed me of a chance to win a couple more national titles, outdoor '20 and indoor '21.  They say that America won't be close to normal for 14 month, or toward the end of next yr.  That will bring a whole new crop of younger M60s as I go to M61.  ; (

Sewanee may be doing their conference football in the spring semester, so maybe there will be a track season then as well.

Fall in the air

Clear and cool this evening.  About 60º at sunset... and the sun is going down quick.  Pretty much dark by 7:10 now.  I got to the track and finished my warmup as he football team was just finishing their 'workout' of a few 50yd runs.  I planned to run on the turf, but they were slow to leave so I was on the track for most of it.   Tonight was the first time I turned on the heat in my house in several months.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 400m warmup

6 x 100m w/ 30 sec rest ~ 15 - 16

300m - 45.62

The 100s were a good workout, tiring.  I ran the 300m on the track when it was almost dark, waiting for the fat trainer to get his golf cart off the track, which he never did, had to run around him.   It felt good, not especially hard and it always feels faster when running in near dark.  

Not in particularly great shape, but I still think I could break 60 in a 400m.  Good to have no knee issues or significant pain.  

Been eating bad last 2 days, a lot of bread and coffee, but not much real food, generally light eating and active doing projects at Roya's yesterday.  

143.7 lbs after workout. 

Back on turf

 Perfect weather for training in Sewanee.  70º daytime, mid 50ºs tonight.  I was going to wait a bit before running, but no.  I went back and did a little.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands

250 warmup

4 x 100m on turf w/ 30 sec rest ~15-17

2 x 150m on turf w/ 35 sec rest ~ 22 low

150m on turf - 20.29

isometric resistance bands - hip flexors

It felt ok, a little clunky, and I am not in the shape I was in July.  The isometric band work really makes everything feel good, so I should do these more often. 

I don't know if it is worth it to train for an Oct 31 meet with the hope of an indoor season.  I seriously doubt it.  If the covid projections are even close, I seriously doubt there will be any indoor collegiate track, and if there is, they will likely not accept unattached.  There are quite a few indoor meets scheduled, but only 1 in AL that accepts unattached in Jan.  That's a long time away and USATF Indoor Championships will likely be canceled, since the venue was canceled.  

I just saw the Armory meets they're having ... 3 in the next 3 weeks.  I wish I had known about these before, since I'm not in shape to even run in the last one Oct 8.  First one next Thurs.  I love that track!  I probably couldn't run anyway if I flew in.  I'd have to quarantine.

I hope the US gets it's act together with covid, or enact a testing procedure to allow US Masters to go to Finland to compete this summer for World Championships in July.   I was recently stunned when a local elite athlete friend of mine came out with all this BS on FB about the pandemic essentially being 'a hoax' and a 'manufactured Soros funded Chinese virus.'  With attitudes like that, America doesn't have much of a chance, and we can forget about Masters Nationals til at least summer '21 or probably '22.  

I seriously violated my diet yesterday by eating a half lb of fried potato wedges with my Publix half sub.   Haven't had french fries or fried potatoes in almost a year.  

Nevertheless, 144.1 lbs after workout.  Not too bad, and I've eaten light today.    

Cross training, a little running today

Friday and Monday I swam across the lake and did stair master.  Predictably, sore from stadium stairs for a few days.  Today, I biked up Roarkes Cove Rd.  but before that, I went to the track to do a full warm up and test out the wheels:

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills

4 x 100m on turf

It felt ok, no knee pain at all.  I have been feeling a slight deep abdominal issue similar to the old pubalgia that I had in '11.  Not bad though.  I think I'll be ready to start 2x a week running on turf by Monday.  

Hanging in at about 145 lbs.  

Stadium Stairs

Ran the MTSU stadium stairs this evening, first running in 12 days.   Warm and humid, low 80ºs at sunset.   It was pretty hard.  I took a break after 10 and then finished 5 more.  Less than I usually do, about 20.   Most is 30.   Definitely feel the extra few pounds.  

Was 145.9 lbs before workout, 144.9 after.  

Hoka trainers on

Stretches, drills

15 x stadium stairs

cross training trifecta

 Got back to the mountain about 4:30, just in time for a swim across the lake, then a mountain bike climb of Roark's cove Rd, and a 20 min set on the stairmaster.  Nevertheless, still a few lbs heavier, but not out of control, 145 in the morning.  As I mentioned, I may go to the track today to stretch, do bands and drills, maybe a little jogging or bleacher running.  It's such a  beautiful day, I'll definitely swim today as well.   I work at 6:30pm so maybe I'll go to the track just before I teach.

I'll be in M'boro Friday morning so maybe I'll run the stadium stairs.

I did register to run the 200m on the Oct 31 meet in AL.  I'll have some competition as Lyon will be there, the WL in the M60 100m dash.  Still 7+ weeks away, have time to get ready.  By then I suppose I'll have a better idea of what the indoor season might look like.

Still holding on to the World Lead in the M60 400m after 6+ weeks.  Surprised it's lasted this long as Europe is now opening up with numerous meets every weekend.  There are a few people capable of running a 400m that fast in M60 (a very few, probably less than 5), but whether or not they'll compete or are in shape is another issue.  World #2 in the other 2 sprints.

Not running ; (

 One week of not running and it seems like a month.  It seems so long ago that I last ran, but it's only been a week.   However, it's the first full week of no running I think since January, about 7 1/2 months.  I've already gained a few lbs.  I did go swimming Friday afternoon, and to the gym Friday night where I  did the 25 min Stairmaster and a 2000m row on the Concept 2 rower.  But even this is nothing compared to running workouts.  I'd have to be doing this type of workout everyday to compensate for not running every other day.  

What I'm going to do beginning next week is to go to the track and do my usual warm up and some band work.  Just the strengthening and stretching is important.  Maybe not even run at first, but then eventually start at least one running workout a week on turf, or on the hill or stairs.  

I'll continue to ride my bike and swim if I can, although it looks like swimming weather may be coming to an end fairly soon, unlike last year where Sept was incredibly hot.  It's still swimmable, but the overnight lows are sometimes hitting the low 60ºs.  Planing to do a big bike climb a week from tomorrow at Raccoon Mtn.    

I relaxed a bit on my diet this weekend, eating some carbs, fried food, and pastry.  A deadly combination.  Probably still about 145.  

Gym open, race video

 For the first time in 7 months I went to the gym in Sewanee Monday night.  If there ever was a gym that was safe during this pandemic, it's this one.  All Sewanee students are tested every 10 days and all the gym equipment was moved onto the center of the track and spread out so there are at least 10 feet between machines.  All machines are meticulously cleaned and everyone wears masks.  

I did 25 min stairmaster and a set of hip flexor machine.   Same morning I did a brief bike ride, and some upper body stuff.  I always jump on the pullup bar when I get out of bed, try to get 20 pullups but more often 18 or 19.  Gotta do something or I'll gain weight.   Still holding well below 145 avg daily weight. 

I can only go to the gym on Fri - Mon.   The stairmaster is alway a really good sweat.   I guess I sweat so much more on the stairmaster because I don't have the wind of running to evaporate and cool.  

Thinking about going swimming today in a bit.  It's much cooler now than it was last year at this time.  O
nly 80º right now and forecast to be 83º high.  A little cool for swimming but not many more days to swim.  Last year by contrast, Sept was the warmest month, with 19 days over 90º and the first 4 days in Oct over 90º (...the first 3 were over 95º !).  Nothing like that now.  It didn't reach 90º once in July, and only 3 times in Aug.

Overall, I'm recovering quite well.  Aches and pains just about gone.  May do once running workout a week on turf starting next week.  

Video.  

Not one of my fastest races, but happy that my body is in shape enough to race a 100m without fear of injury.   My reaction and first step is as good as fastest guys.  After the start, if you listen carefully one kid remarks to another, "He's 60."  The other kid watches the race and says "Sheeesh....sheeesh!"  Happy to race with these fine young men in their 20s.  Didn't occur to me til I saw the video I was the only white guy on the track through the whole meet.  

Did swim across the lake today.  Then a brief nap on my porch during a light shower, and thunder rumbles.  Nice life.