Been waiting for this for quite some time. Finally lining up at the familiar old 300m stripe on the track. And what a day! Incredibly beautiful. 68º, bright sun, calm winds, super colorful fall foliage. Couldn't be better.
I didn't set the bar too high. I just wanted to complete 2 x 300m w/ 3 min rest somewhere under 52 avg. Set the gymboss for 52 pace. I more than exceeded that.
Stretches, drills, bands, 50m strides
Hoka Rocket X2s on
2 x 300m w/3 min rest - 49.66, 50.88 (avg 50.27)
100m stride on turf
What was most interesting was my HR data. 1st rep - HR peaked 25 sec after finish at 172 but dropped very quickly, all the way down to 103 after walking to and sitting at the start line. Second rep peaked at 175 10 sec after, then dropped to 157 in 30 sec while squatting, but briefly popped back up to 175 20 sec later as I got up and started to walk. Sitting or squatting really has an effect on my HR.
I think I'm in better shape than one yr ago. End of Nov '24 was doing these 1.5 avg sec slower. 2 yrs ago was the last time I really was in shape. That's when I was doing the 'unholy trinity' 3x3w/3 every week for 4 weeks in a row, usually avg mid 50s. Couldn't do that now but maybe try to get one under my belt soon, even if it's really slow. I was also about 2 lbs lighter. Ironically, the first 3x3w3 I completed last year was the workout I injured my knee 12/13/24, in the last 2 steps of the final 300, and it was really slow. Avg about 54.6. I surely could do that now. However, I put a lot of effort into that 2nd rep today. Could not have done a third with 2 at that pace. I'll probably try a spiked up 200m time trial in a few weeks, maybe a 400m in Dec.
141.9 lbs after workout. Overall a good day. I think the knee is slowly getting stronger. Almost at 9 mo post op.
Upcoming week - ok for Friday hills, then a super cold blast comes Sunday with the first killing frost with temps in the low 20ºs. Will need to heat my boat and bring in the plants... then it's back to nice weather by weekend after. Holding out hope for another boat trip.
IMHO speed of first rep is more indicative of race performance than average or profile of repeats.
ReplyDeleteIntensive tempo is never at race pace, usually 80-85% for 3+ reps, closer to 90% for just 2 reps. I'm guessing my present level of fitness might yield at least a 45 sec 300m race pace. Probably, about a 63 sec 400m.
DeleteHaving known you well decades ago I was and remain impressed by your ability to wring out every bit of performance, whether it be track, music, or what you set your goal on. It’s also impressive that you haven’t really lost that much from youth. I remember sitting in your bedroom, after a regional indoor meet, you saying in larger meets there you were always 6th in finals the first 5 places held by African Americans. It’s impossible to say how you would compare today if all of your competitors in 1976/77 had the social-economic life trajectory that you have had, remained healthy and thin, and resumed track in middle age. Would they have decayed at a higher rate and you now first, or would there still be 5 ahead? Is there something unique about your genetics that slowed your decay relative to the population? In any event it’s pretty amazing. Having said that, you don’t need to learn everything from experience. Your heart rate observations with respect to sitting and standing after hard effort is well documented and related to blood pooling and pre load after load on the heart. What would accompany it is a transient spike in blood pressure. A healthy heart can tolerate it but you are 65 years old no sense in risking it. Always keep moving and remain vertical during recovery. ( I think I’ve written this message in one form or another probably 3 times now. Just keep moving)
ReplyDeleteNot remaining vertical during recovery allows me to recover more quickly and do more reps. I have looked up guys that I competed with and elites from HS back in the day and made contact with one by email. Jerry B, the NYS HS 60 yd dash champion from Nyack actually replied. Adley R. 60 yd HS state champion from ME, Cornell. Neither have run masters track, (seem to be overweight). That said, Upstate NY is a dead spot for youth and masters track. Only activity is in NY/NJ near the city. I live near the most active area for youth and masters track. - the ATL, Birmingham, Huntsville triangle. Even so, I still have to drive nearly 3 hrs to race on a banked 200m indoor track. Interestingly, there are a few olympians competing in Masters, I've raced a few and was only beaten narrowly. Former WR holder in the Triple Jump Willie Banks competed this weekend in the WMA N American Regional masters meet at age 69, and took Silver in his signature event. A long established masters jumper / sprinter (who I've beaten fairly consistently) took the Gold. However, Banks was competing at the very top of his M65 age group. Justin Gatlin is said to be training for masters as he approaches M45. I'm pretty sure my success in Masters track was more due to the work ethic and opportunity, as there are a lot more talented guys.
DeleteThere is no doubt that your work ethic and dedication is a major part but it’s also possible you got lucky and your physical decay curve is slower. There is some evidence for that as you still have a high maximum heart rate. But not knowing what the max was at 30 or 40 makes that hard to determine. Your max HR may have been higher than normal then - irrespective of the tables there is fairly broad range of max heart rates at all ages. About remaining vertical, the stress of walking is minimal. It shouldn’t negatively impact recovery. Your data indicates it helps recovery as HR recovered quicker. Maybe psychological? For your age group there isn’t a quality reference data set to quantify short term or long term risk with such intensive exercise. Even if there were, it wouldn’t be stratified by those who remain vertical and walk for recovery. When a comprehensive dataset allowing causation or at least correlation is not available, then use known measurable physical responses, especially when they are mechanistically understood. In this case it is really clear. Walking recovery is undoubtedly less stressful on the heart than immediately laying or sitting as going horizontal induces pooling/increasing pre load and after load on the heart spiking BP.
DeleteThat's interesting. Walking does slow recovery. When running a 300m set, I have to walk from the finish to the start for the next rep, usually about a minute walk immediately after finishing, then I may sit for about a minute and get up 30sec before I start again. So it's not like I sit down right after a 300m. Don't do this with shorter intervals with shorter rest, I might squat for a few sec. The affect on HR is unmistakeable, soon as I stand up HR increases 10-20 bpm, like 120 to 135.
DeleteAt this age we all have some health issues but I think I've done a bit better than my brother largely due to diet and lifestyle. Remaining in a normal BMI for all of adulthood, discernment of diet, snapping back and making changes after a period of weight gain or poor eating. Not to mention not eating beef or pork for 34 yrs.
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