speed, starts, technique

An easier workout today, low volume but still hard on the feet.  53º, dark, moist, and misty in Sewanee.  Emphasis on acceleration, and mechanics.

Hoka trainers on  

400m warmup, stretches, drills and more drills 

3 x 50m accelerations 

Puma spikes on 

starts from 400m start: 

2 x 50m from blocks  

2 x 100m from blocks - 13.3, 13 

Hoka trainers on 

3 x 100m w/ 30 sec rest - 14, 14.5, 15.5

Today was specifically to work on mechanics.  I've not done enough work on form.  Drills are like any technique study, they require repetition to become integrated in running.  I realized I was doing my B skip drill wrong by forward stepping.

I put spikes on and did 2 full speed starts, then two 100s with a beep start command at 400m race pace.  I try to hit it around 13, the issue is how long do I put up full power before I switch to the 'float pace'.   My second one was faster but it seemed like a lot of effort, close to 200m race pace.

My feet were hurting after 4 full speed blasts so I put the trainers on and did one short conditioning set of 100s.  145 lbs after workout.  Eating very clean.  Basically, fish and greens.  Some berries, nuts.

I found some decent sprint drill videos from a high school coach on form and mechanics, acceleration, and max velocity  Here they are:

https://youtu.be/5F71gzoZErQ

https://youtu.be/Z1IQEK07p_4

https://youtu.be/cHRj3HxtGHE

Drills, spikes on for some long speed

I spent a lot of time today at the Sewanee track.  It was a little warmer today, mid 40ºs so it felt more comfortable than previous days.  I spent a lot of time on drills.  Did about 10 different drills ... everything from A marches to leaps and bounds.  The so-called "majorette" I found particularly good, really firing the hip flexors and tiring!   I need work on this muscle group.   After a good 20 minutes of form drills, I was sweating.... I rested and was ready to run fast, but not 100%.   So I put the spikes on and did some long quality sprints.  First time in spikes since the meet.

400m warmups, stretches, drills 

and more drills 

Puma spikes on 

400m - 57.5 (27.5/30) 

300m - 42.5 

200m - 27 

3 x 60m

I was happy to beat my goal of 58 in the 400m.  I intended on 28/30 splits but did a slightly better on the front end.   I did some video of my short sprints.   I'd like to increase my knee lift and stride length.  I don't know what I can do about my natural running gait where there seems to be a separation in my thighs at footstrike.  Osafa Powell sort of runs like this too, so I don't know if it's really a bad thing.  More experimenting and study to come, but I know that significant changes aren't likely to happen.  I run the way I run.

It seems that the Vanderbilt Commodore Invitational is open to unattached, at least now, Jan 16-17. No guarantee of entry but I sure would love to run all 3 sprints on that beautiful 300m indoor Mondo.
So, I put it on my tentative schedule.

Sprinter School - warmup routines

These are some good dynamic warmup exercises for the sprinter:

Video 1 - muscular warmup and coordination

Video 2 - flexibility

Video 3 - basic dynamic warmup