400m race

It went ok, mediocre time 59.17, but still world ranked #5 this outdoor season in M60.  About what I expected but really wanted to run 58.  Next time.   My first outdoor 400m of the season and the best thing is that no injuries or strains.  I'm past the ham thing.  

It was a huge youth meet.  Many local youth track clubs.  The host club was the AL Heat.  Logistically it could have been better.  I got stuck on the ATL beltway for 30 min on the way out of town and was watching the results unfold and the meet progress as I drove on my phone.  The 400m started when I was still 50+ miles away but I knew that I was in the last of 55 heats.  Still I got there about 40 min before race time.  By the time I parked, changed went to the bathroom, got my creds, I had just time for a quick sweaty warmup in the 85º+ heat and a few strides on grass.  

I had lane 7 with the next slowest guy to my outside in 8.  He was good to run with and I stayed with him about 200m, he ended up mid 55s (where I used to be several yrs ago).  The elite guys blew by me in the first 50m and finished 80m ahead in 47.  (The guy who won was a DII All American).  I felt ok with 100m to go and only lost a lot of time in the last 30m.  Not a total rig up but really felt the piano on my back at the end.  The track conditions were generally good.  Decent track and no wind.  But very little shade and no really good place to warm up.  

Any available warmup areas were pretty dominated by the tent city from all the parents and track clubs.  Among the several hundred kids, I only saw one other masters on the list, an 80 yr old guy had signed up for the 100m!  Not sure if he showed up.  It was great anyway to be there and participate.  The kids were great.  I was one of very few white people there.  

I was light but not super light, probably about 140.5 lbs.  I could be lighter and in better shape.  I'll need to shave at least a second off this time if I have any hope of winning at Nationals.  I have 2 weeks til next race and after that, I could race every weekend from July 1 to Nationals on July 20.  We'll see.  Definitely racing on July 1 in Nashville.  I may even double and run the 200m too.  

I wasn't going to train tomorrow but I need the workout and I'm juggling a music event and multiple rehearsals and a performance coming up.  I'll be back in Sewanee by Monday and the weather looks great, low 70ºs all week.  But... tomorrow will be 90º here in Atlanta for my next workout.   

Great to see kids as young as 6 involved in track.