resistance - pullup PR, forward - MRI impressions

Doing my usual pullups and core work, hanging about 143-144 lbs, did 25 consecutive pullups today, a lifetime PR.  

The key findings in my MRI was that the posterior root repair as stated "remains intact."   Curiously, no mention of stitching on the medial complex tear although a mention of a "Prior repair of vertical tear in the posterior horn which remains intact."   This is relatively good news because a re-tear of the root would be unrepairable.  

Basically, all of these stresses were likely due to overly ambitious and premature training after the repair in an effort to get back to competition last winter/ early spring indoor season.   

All AI programs I've consulted on this say that I need a significant break from running 6-12 weeks and a slow cautious return.  That means even limiting my cycling and any leg-centered stuff, probably including rowing.  Swimming and water running seem the safest in the short term.   I will probably take a 10 day break from all cycling until I meet with the ortho a week from Tues. 

It seems that my natural knee health may be only barely salvageable, and this may very well be my last chance to get healed.  Certainly any further trauma will only shorten the time toward a TKR, however, my pain has truly been minimal, probably due to strengthening.  I have zero pain walking up and down stairs even when carrying significant weight.  Although, I do sometimes feel soreness or stiffness after a long hike.  There are also treatment options like subchondroplasty and injections which could be utilized as last option.  

I have been pushing very hard on the bike, HR into at least the 170s at least 3x a week.   I worry that a sudden cessation of hard cardio work will have deleterious effects on my CV wellness.   Same day I meet with my Dr., I'm getting a barrage of tests I purchased from this new test broker:  Goodlabs.  Incredibly inexpensive.  Should be a good CV risk assessment.    Also, have a colonoscopy on Wed.  

Fellow track mate Andrea asked me if I thought I might be ready to compete at worlds in March, I said I don't know.  It becomes a game of attrition at this point.  One guy I raced with in '21 just had a TKR and he's trying to run on it.  Very slow progress.  Another fellow world medalist in my age group had a heart ablation due to afib that caused his HR to spike to 250.  That would be scary.   He recently returned to race for the first time.  If I am to compete in March, I would need to start my first conservative running by Oct.  I have time.  

Looking back, if I had just done one short turf workout every 2-3 weeks all summer, that would have been probably OK.  But 2 track workouts with just 2 - 3x 90% effort sprints 5 days apart, I wasn't ready for that.  Should have stayed on turf and kept intensity to 80%. 

Again, I have time.   Now, knowing what to do with it.   Half jokingly (and half not) thought, maybe I should go non weight bearing, brace and crutches for a month?  Nah, probably overkill.  Then again, it couldn't hurt? Or could it... with the atrophy?  Motion and flexibility are good.  Should stimulate healing I would think.  I think they still try and stimulate healing with micro fracture technique... not that I'm going to do that.  But the body does respond to stimulus and to tasks.  

Stairmaster, thoughts, memories

Tired of the rowing so I did a stairmaster session last night at the gym.  Knee was ok, occasional slight pain but very minor.  Was able to complete a 16 min hill session on level 15 which is usually as high as I go.  The most important thing is no swelling or pain afterward or the next morning.

Stairmaster - hill program, level 15 - 16 min

Max HR - 169

Avg HR - 152

Ham curls and leg extension - light weight

Looking back, and forward.  

Looking back, 10 yrs ago today I raced Marvin Bracy, 2nd fastest man in the world (2022) in a 60m race.  He's a 9.85 sprinter.  To my right in that race was Adrian Griffith from the Bahamas, a 10.1 sprinter and national record holder.  It truly was a privilege to be doing this at age 55.  Looking at the video, I got out pretty well.  Was a full second behind Bracy but, hey.... 7.7 to his 6.7.  Great memory.   Takes me back to what was a great year.  I had just won my first outdoor national title the previous summer, and was running in a bunch of college meets that year to get ready for indoor nationals, where I had one of my greatest meets, winning the 400m in 55.22 unchallenged, and an indoor PR of 24.65 in the 200m. We also set a WR in the 4x200m relay.  That summer, went on to win my third consecutive 400m title in Grand Rapids, MI.

I guess I mention all this because it's a continuous adjustment to not be going to Indoor Nationals and possibly retiring from competition, although no firm decision on that.  In those semi-conscious moments when drifting off to sleep in the hot tub, I sometimes go back to that mindset, where I'm thinking about what workout I'm going to do, how much wind is there, how am I going to dress, the smell of the track, the training shoes and equipment bag, etc...   It's a transition to a different realm, then and now.

Reminds me of a few Olympian friends of mine, David - 400m hurdler and Kamari - long track speed skater.  I corresponded with both of them about their retirement from elite athletics, and they retired late 20s / early 30s.  Major transition.  I also used to follow the youtube channel of Olympian Natasha H., 400m sprinter who retired 2 yrs ago.  She had thousands of views on her channel and then, suddenly ... it ended.  No new posts.  Same thing with Derval O's blog, an Irish Olympic hurdler I was following.  One day her blog was all about training.  Then it was gone.  (She did come back to post later about motherhood and recipes). Now she's trying to sell workout plans as a 'fitness influencer.'    I don't want that to happen with this blog, whether I continue to compete or not.  I will continue to post here and keep up a wellness and fitness blog, even if I can't sprint forever.  

Looking forward, I haven't given up the idea of competing totally.  I could certainly compete relatively untrained and run slow, but that's not me.  It all comes down to how much and how quickly I can recover from a running workout.  I could probably be competitive even if I could do just 2x week, but that would be a minimum.  Maybe I'll set my goals for that.  I had really achieved quite a decent foundation by late Nov, running a 62 but all or most of that is lost now and I'll have to start from scratch.  

Almost 3 weeks since I've tried any running and maybe I'll give it another week.  Busy week and a performance coming up and so is warmer weather.  I'll probably wait til next week to give it a go.  Trying some new knee strengthening exercises.

4x100m tempo, 100, 60

Same as last time.  Not much different.  Still out of shape, about the same weight.  Felt hot in the sun,  86º, dry.  

Hoka trainers on

Stretches, drills, bands, 100m

Hoka rocket x2s on

100m on turf - 17

4x100m on turf w/ 30 sec rest ~ 17.5 avg

100m - 14.40

60m - 8.53

 

Still disappointing.  Can't run fast or far.  HR hit 180 after #3 of the tempo set so 5X was out.  I can't believe how slow I'm running but the foot isn't much better yet.  

144.2 lbs after workout.  If I'm able to lose 4 lbs, it will gets easier. 

Did nothing Wed-Sat, then on Sun, did a circuit of 5x10 burpees with a pushup and leap and some bicycle crunches.  Guess what was the sorest after?  My lats!  Surprised.  Not that many pushups but the lats were so sore today.  

Need to ramp up my cross training later this month.  Traveling this weekend to my home town so will not do much this weekend either.

On a side note.... our world changed on Monday when Roya was the victim of a corporate layoff, sudden and unjustified after 24 yrs of hard work for the ungrateful failing POS company, UPS.   4 days notice.  That's corporate America.  So glad not to be a part.  Really happy with my 15 hr/ 2 day per week low stress job at the college. Been playing more guitar lately, maybe work toward a performance.   Things could be worse.   One of my colleagues suffered a massive stroke while teaching this week.  Not a healthy individual, probably career ending and certainly life altering.  He's only 71.  I think blood vessels are like rubber tubing.  If you leave them sit long enough, they lose elasticity, dry rot and break.  If you stress them and stretch them routinely, they remain flexible, perhaps less likely to have ruptures, strokes, etc...  I think pushing to max HR for short duration a few times a week can be good in accomplishing CV health.  You can clearly see the 4 lbs of fat around my waist.  Not so good.  

 

 

Wood

 Spent 6 hrs getting my winter supply of wood cut and stacked, and unfortunately, it was during the hottest weather of the yr.  It hit a year high of 94º on Thurs.   

A friend invited me to cut up his downed oak.  Said it had been down 2 yrs but was unfortunately very heavy and not as dry as I hoped.  I loaded a dozen 2.5' disks on the trailer with a bunch of smaller stuff.  Usually I could lift chunks that big but these were really heavy.  I did the cutting and loading on Thurs, the unloading, splitting and stacking on Fri.  This wood won't be ready to burn til probably Jan or Feb at the earliest.  

I should have enough seasoned wood to last until Jan at least, depending on the climate.   Last year, we had that incredible cold snap and snow in Jan where it got down to 0ºF and the wood insert easily heated the upstairs.   (That cold snap killed a few plants that I had had since college, they were huge and 35+ yrs old!).  

This is really hard work on the back, hands and feet for me.  I'm going to probably bike tomorrow and rest for a few days before I run again on Tues.  

Motocross

Leaving Sewanee tomorrow for ATL then the French Alps in Chamonix.  

Before I left, Dr. Scott persuaded me to do a ride so I suggested a fairly challenging motocross trip down from Jackson Point into Sweeton Cove.  It wasn't bad.  I'd say difficulty of a 5 out of 10.  Certainly have done much more difficult, but don't take those chances anymore.   Good to have him with me on this ride due to my aging 23 yr old Sherpa.  But it's still running strong.  Should be after having the head rebuilt.  

In another life about 17-18 yrs ago, I used to do a huge amount of risky solo wilderness off road motorcycling.  I even wrote two articles for Adventure Motorcycle Magazine.  The reason I never had generally rode with anyone is that the terrain I used to tackle was so risky, I didn't want to get anyone hurt or feel responsible.  

I've been riding motorcycles for 52 yrs on and off.  I had a casual interest in 'trials motorcycling' and once made a visit to the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, TN.  I always considered trials motorcycling as the ultimate in 'athletics meets motorcycling.'    It's really more popular in Europe.  If you don't know what trials motorcycling is, look up some videos.  Here's a video I took of a British rider training at the TTC.   True trials bikes are super light and don't have seats.  It's all stand up, all the time.    

This may be my last post for a while.  I'll probably update with some hiking photos from France.

Au revoir

 

Bike climb

Did the bike climb again today plus a core workout yesterday.  Not much training lately.  Just home projects and a little guitar.  This climb was nice because the road was closed to traffic because of trees down, but it was fine for a bike.  70ºs, thunderstorms in the area.

Roark's Cove Rd bike climb - 24:20

Heart rate hit 183 max and was over 170 for almost 12 min.  A hard workout to do for the first time in a while.  

I visited my foot and my hand Drs last week.  Got a carpal tunnel shot in my RH and looked at R foot Xrays.  Dr. said it was 'amazing' I was running competitively with such bad R foot arthritis of the talonavicular joint.  He didn't think a neurectomy was a good and possibly ineffective course, and said a bone fusion wouldn't necessarily negate running.  Neither option is really good.  I asked about trying a nerve block to see if a neurectomy would work.  He suggested first to try a steroid injection and said they do it all the time.  I deferred and said I'd give it a try when I get back to training if necessary.  He also said that removing the bone spur might make it worse.  So, it's really just pain management.  Shoes make a huge difference.  In my bare feet, it's impossible to do a full weight single leg heal raise without pain, but can do it in shoes much easier.

Cooler rainy week forecast, probably not the best weather for the lake.  70ºs not 80ºs.

Hanging around 144 lbs,  weight is OK.  Going to try and get more bike and conditioning work in this week.  Shoulder is still an issue, healing slowly.   Finished the bulk of my construction project, the shed, but still have more work to finish it.  I'm using it now, building shelves, etc... 

Here the interior work bench.  

 

Water running, bike, shed building

4 weeks, no running.   I did one more bike climb Sat June 29, that was 5 in 6 days.   Since then, I've been working on the shed construction project and did 2 sessions of water running, (deep water, not touching bottom).  Same workout, Sunday and Monday.  

Water running: 

4 x 120 steps in 70-80 sec w/ 1 min rest

Got my HR up to 143 max, so not real hard.  

Turned M64 yesterday and definitely feeling my age.  Still suffering with shoulder pain from the injury 3 weeks ago, only seems to really hurt at night and affects my sleep.   Right hand is showing carpal tunnel symptoms and foot hurts when I spend a lot of time on my feet, but it's feels ok today.

This is the shed I've built single handedly, and it's kicked my butt.  Built the door frame today and will finish the door tomorrow.  Structure is almost done except the door, and some trimming around the roof.  Next will be work table and shelves, this weekend will be putting in the electric, then outlets, lights, and maybe an a/c unit through the back wall.  Then a couch and a TV of course.  Never ending.

4 bike climbs in 5 days

I did bike climbs M, T, W, F.  Always hard but getting easier and HR monitor shows less stress.  Here's a comparison:

Monday:

    Max HR: 192 .... Avg HR: 159 .... HR over 170: 15:36

Tuesday:

    Max HR - 186 .... Avg HR: 155 .... HR over 170 - 14:11

Wednesday:

     Max HR - 182 .... Avg HR: 157 .... HR over 170 - 8:44

Friday:

    Max HR - 181 .... Avg HR: 154  .... HR over 170 - 8:17

While much of the SE has languished under excessive heat, it's not been too bad here.  80ºs mostly, only one day this week over 90º.

Still the biking is sweaty work, but someone has to do it.

Despite the "pastry diet" ... I'm keeping my weight under control.  143 lbs this morning.  

Making progress on my shed construction.  Got the roof on yesterday, will do the floor and siding hopefully next week.  All this despite a shoulder injury

Tool shed project

Kirschstrudel

Time off, construction, injury, bike

This past week I was going to roof my shed and put in the floor.   It didn't go as planned as I had a serious shoulder injury when hoisting a piece of roofing up.  After sliding a 4x8' piece of plywood on the roof, it started sliding down and I tried to catch it while walking backward, I tripped over a log and fell straight back.  May have momentarily dislocated the shoulder, but it came back in.  It was bad, worst shoulder injury in 18 yrs, since I fell of my motorcycle back in 2006ish.  I knew the shoulder would tighten up in response to the injury so I worked quickly to get the roof up, caulked, and screwed after the injury before quitting.   Probably not a good idea because, next day, pain was bad.  Affected by sleep.    Could not lift my arm from my side at all.  But strangely, I could hang from a bar and do a pullup with no pain.  It was the muscles and tendons on the front on my shoulder that were hurt.  Shoulder is a really complex joint. 

Now, 5 days later, I can barely lift my arm parallel to the ground and with some pain.   Still doing 5mg of 'hillbilly heroin' at bedtime, and hard to get comfortable.   It's going to take weeks for this to heal, maybe all summer.  But, I can do tasks that keep my arms low, like putting in the floor joists that I did this week.  It sure will put a damper on my fitness pursuits.  I still haven't done any swimming this spring/summer.

I really want to put the metal roof on and add the floor next week, hopefully I'll be recovered enough to do it.  (Probably not, but will anyway).

I haven't run in 2 weeks now and my knee feels much better as well as my foot.  

Today, I'm going to bike up the mountain in the heat of the day, it's mid 80ºs with a H.I. of 90º, not bad compared with Murfreesboro/Nashville where it feels like 105ºF.

Fortunately, keeping my weight under control, about 144 on the avg.  

I've booked a hiking vacation in the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps for Aug with Roya.  In the mean time, I'm going to enjoy the US Olympic trials for the next 9 days, then the Olympics next month.  Looking forward to finishing this shed and moving the tools out of my house closet, and from around by house.   

No plans to start running again anytime soon.  Good time for a break, but want to get back to cross training.  Being sedentary ages a person.

Done ... for a while

Photo:  injured guy being assisted off the track who fell into my lane on the turn.  

I'm definitely done competing this year on the track.  This last race was a bust, I didn't get a good time mostly because I was interfered with.  At yesterday's all ages meet in ATL, they combined masters and open and I was by far the oldest and slowest in my heat, although I had a good lane (#5) in my 200m race.  The guy in lane 4 took a lead into the turn, easily making up the stagger on me in 50m.  He then pulled a hamstring on the turn, fell into my lane causing me to break stride and go into the outer lane to avoid stepping on him.  I probably cost me at least half a second and I finished in a miserable 27.4.  

I was feeling ok before the race, a normal aches and pains but afterward and by this morning, a definite pain in my left knee.  I had felt that this week after workouts but it went away in 2 days.  Today it was worse, so a definite sign to wrap it up for the year.   This was my 4th of 7 days on track doing high intensity sprints, and it's taken a bit of a toll.  I probably shouldn't have raced Saturday.  It was mid 80's and I had to wait hours before racing.  

It was cool to be in the race though, and was happy to race with fellow masters Sean B., an elite 43 yr old masters sprinter.  He ran great, 22.91, probably about the most I was capable at my peak in college.  All lanes full, I was the only white guy in the race, the rest were 19-22 yr olds, running 21-22.  Sean was right there with them.  I'm really envious of those kids speed and physiques.  So lean, light, and muscular. 

Moving forward, I'm going to stop running altogether for while.  This break is long in coming.  The last bit of training showed me that doing high intensity (98%+) all the time is risky and hard on the body, maybe even more so than doing 85% intensive tempo.  

I'm a decent weight, probably raced about 142.  Was 143.5 this morning after a large meal last night, so my objectives in the near future are to work on strength, maintain flexibility, get back on the bike and rowing machine to maintain some semblance of V02 max, work on core and upper body, and most of all ... heal up.  I also want to remain under 145 lbs.   And, I certainly don't want to make this knee issue worse.  It's recoverable now and I want to be able to hike in the Alps this summer if we can arrange it.  Perhaps in a month or 2, I can start again by running again once a week, low impact, turf or some hills / bleachers.  Not running is going to be quite an adjustment since I've been on the track pretty much 3X a week for the last 7+ months.  I can see why the pros do so few meets.  I did 11 meets this year.  More than most pros.

So, a few weeks away from M64, I'm looking ahead to M65.  

    

On my way

 After Monday's hard conditioning workout on the stairmaster and rower, I opted for complete rest until tomorrow's 400m championship race.  Competition is uncertain, but I think one of my top competitors, Vadim, will scratch due to a WR 4x8 relay record attempt.  I was asked to be an alternate but I declined.  My injury is really more of a mental burden of confidence than anything else.  It's really more like a tendinitis thing rather than anything that's torn or should affect my speed.  I still think it's my race to lose, which could easily happen if I underperform and someone surprisingly over performs.   There are a few unknown quantities in the race and so it's hard to size up the competition.  People who've raced very little in recent yrs... me, kind of the opposite, having logged 5 sub 60 races already this yr.  To put it in perspective, not one person in this field has logged a sub 60 400m race since the 2020 pandemic, but 2 have 'claimed' to have done so without evidence, (and I think their seeds should be erased!)  There are 3 or 4 who definitely have the potential.  So, I still like my chances.

Feeling good, only very slight indications of any soreness, which go away completely after soaking in a bath.  I feel extremely fit and light, although weird to not have run for so long.  I'm about 138.5 lbs.

I'm going over to the venue tonight to pick up my packet and do a light shake out.  My 400m is late in the day, which is good.  4:02 PM.   

I will likely scratch the 200m but will decide tomorrow night.  I'd like to not end my season this weekend with an injury and still have in my mind, the possibility of a 4x4 WR attempt if things go extremely well.  If not, I'd like to help my club 4x4.

Row

My first gym workout, I did a brief conditioning workout on the rower and some weights.  It was fairly hard since I suck at rowing.

Concept 2 rower

5 x 500m w/ 1 min rest - 2:00, 2:05, 2:04, 2:05, 2:07 - 2:04.4 avg / 40 spm 

Unfortunately, foot was sore after the rower, probably due more to the hike yesterday.  I wonder if I should take a full week off and do nothing with the foot before trying to run, or allow the body to adapt to the task as always.

Was 144.5 lbs after waking up.    

Hike

 Roya and I hiked a bit on Saturday, and climbed the staircase to the tower in Sewanee.  It's wasn't a long hike, about 5 miles but a lot of rugged terrain and up and down.   Hopefully will go to the gym later today and do some rowing and lifting.  Still doing my 20 pullups / day.  

When living alone it's much easier to keep a training regime and schedule my eating around training.  With Roya here, I'm sort of compelled to eat on a schedule, and sometimes when I would likely not eat at all, just have a light snack, I hear...  "Aren't we going to eat dinner?"  ... etc.  So, ritual eating.  Still staying under 145 lbs.

Now three weeks since I've run.  Thinking I may try some turf running soon.   

On today's M60 4x800 WR attempt:

In the middle of last week, Pete had messaged me about joining his M60 4x8 team for the WR attempt this weekend, just days before the event.  I was pretty incredulous... this was the 3rd time he asked me to do this, only to replace me with someone he thought better.  I didn't respond.  Then he messaged back again and said not to worry, they had found someone.  I wasn't considering it, I'd shut it down for the season.   

Sadly, Pete's assembled 4x8 team missed the new Canadian WR by just 1.04 seconds.  They ran 9:17.94, record is 9:16.90.  At least they got easily got the American Record.   

According to the result splits, they ran their asses off.  Pete ran a stunning 2:14.7 split.  Roger and David ran 2:18 and 2:19 splits.   Vadim, the guy they asked to do it instead of me, was the weak link.  He ran 2:24.81, apparently had a back issue.  A 2:23.77 on that leg would have earned the WR.   At the risk of being presumptuous, with 3 weeks of training, I think I could've done that.  I've never raced an 800m slower than 2:22.02.   

If I had gotten the call to attempt that 4x800 relay, I would have had to compromise my vacation, not do all that great hiking and eating.  Wouldn't have been worth it, I had a great time in Canada...  worked out for the best for me!  

Bike

Mon and Tues on the bike.  Did a Roark's Cove Rd climb on Monday in under 24 min, not fast but still hard as my VO2max is gone.  On Tues just a 9 mile local ride with some hills.  Had to do a full effort sprint away from a pit bull toward the end of my ride and my foot felt sore afterward.  Maybe put off running another week.  

Finally some cooler weather.  Was 59º this morning.  Dry weather for the foreseeable future.   By early next week, back in the mid 80ºs and swimming weather.  

Training Methods

I had always been using the tried and true long to short method of training.  Working on long sprint foundation early in the season (800s) and transitioning to speed work, with only spare max speed or race pace work mid season.  A radically different approach is being championed in Masters circles focusing on max speed almost exclusively.  Tony Hollers so-called 'Feed the cats' approach.  It focuses on specificity of max speed only.  No intervals, no V02 max development.  No training runs ever longer than 200m and mostly very short.  Lots of plyo type drills, etc...  It's a short to long approach.  I've enthusiastic to try anything new but a bit skeptical that it would satisfy the needs of an aging 400m sprinter who is running just under 60 sec which undoubtedly has an aerobic element, unlike elites that run under 48.  But, I do recognize speed reserve is improved by top speed.  This year was the first year I've ever failed to break 26 in a 200m, came very close (26.07, 26.10) and I really could use some work on max speed and acceleration.  Perhaps it would be better than the soul crushing volume I have been doing in sub maximal intensive tempo workouts, as many very reputable coaches have used (Clyde Hart, R. Banta, etc...).  I'm reaching the end of my competition viability in the M60 age group and may only do indoor season next year so maybe I'll try to develop my 60m speed.  Here's more on this philosophy.  

swimming

Hey John, are these the dog days?

Yes, I'd say so.  "My ever-lastin' summer I can see it fading fast." ... coming to the end of an epic 4 month vacation.  

The past 4 days have been exactly the same.  Hot, humid, sunny, low 90ºs with a heat index over 100º.   I've done almost the exact same thing everyday.  Morning, split a little firewood.  Noon, watch the World Athletics Championships on USA network or Peacock til 3pm, and then go to the lake on the cycle and swim across and back.  4 or 5 pm, home for afternoon tea and play guitar.   It haven't seen it rain since the day I left for Canada on 2 weeks ago today.   So, it's a good time to deal with firewood.  Same weather for tomorrow.  No possibility of rain til Sun/Mon.  Just got a new roof and gutters so it would be good to see how they do.

My V02 max and sprint endurance is in the shitter by now.  I can tell just by my swimming and water running.  It goes away fast, some say in 9 days or so.  Especially fast for me because I've never been an endurance athlete.  It takes about 90-95 strokes to cross the lake.  I can get about 75-80 in usually, but now I tire by 44-50.   So, I think I'll try to run a little by next weekend, as my aches and pains are going away.  Knee and feet feel better already.   Maybe I can start like I did last August with 1 running session/ week.  I'm not even biking yet.  

It's astonishing that I have had this lake totally to myself for an hour or so, 4 days in a row.  

This photo was taken by a photography student who I met at the lake just before I left for Nationals in July.  He just texted me this photo, (a rare film photo, not digital).  I've probably gained about 4 to 5 lbs since then.   

Not eating badly but not great since I'm back from ATL.  Generally plant based, beans, corn, seed crackers w/ almond butter and preserves, protein ice cream, chocolate, tomato sandwiches on bread, watermelon.  

144.5 lbs after my swim.  

Detraining, gaining weight

Finally back in Sewanee.   As I mentioned previously, last year I took one week off from running then began again on Aug 8 with 1 running workout a week.  This year, I'm going to need more of a break.  My feet and knee were still hurting a bit after the mountain hiking in BC.    

Even after the 2 days of hiking, on my first 'day off,' I climbed to the top of the Olympic ski jump in Whistler.  (I really wish I had this staircase and hill to train on regularly).  This was the first time I had been at the top of a ski jump since I climbed one at age 10 in Slovakia.  

Due to the slope, you can't even see the top in this photo.  After about 500 steps, then there's the 100' tower.

While in Whistler, I had some incredibly tasty food that I always avoid.  The fried fish and chips with garlic fries were so good, I returned the next night and had the exact same thing.  Amazing.  

On the last day in Whistler, we took a sea plane flight from Green Lake over the glacier fields.  The heavy old Otter seaplane ride was a bit unnerving at times because we were really close to the cliffs and the plane felt like it was barely making it.  The pilot told me it doesn't fly over 10,000'.   The views were tremendous.  At altitude, the glaciers seem to go on as far as the eye could see.  

A couple snags on the way home... we almost missed our connection in Toronto because we stood in the wrong line to get our boarding passes and had to ask permission to get past the line at passport check and run through the airport.  I couldn't find my car keys and thought Roya had them, but she said no, and later found them.... in her purse.  

Back in Atlanta, the decline continued.  Had my once a year pizza and it wasn't particularly unhealthy - cauliflower crust and vegetables, light cheese.  But, the trip to the French bakery, not so healthy...

Back in Sewanee, I swam across the lake yesterday and did some water running, and will again today.  It's the hottest weather of the year.  The students haven't returned and the lake was ethereally quiet, had the place totally to myself, and it was seemingly cool considering the heat index.   I was doing ok, staying under 145 lbs, but after eating a lot yesterday, I maxed out at 147, so I'm going to fast a bit today.  

Really enjoying the last days of summer, watching the spectacular IAAF World Championships.  Was up at 4:00am today watching the 200m prelims and the polevault.  5 more days to come.  Track and field heaven.  Will definitely need a nap.

I will probably refrain from any leg exercise including biking for the remainder of the week and see what it feels like next week. However, I may move some wood today which is alway hard work.  Now at 10 days post running. 

   

Two days of Alpine hiking

 

Canadian Masters Athletic Championships - meet report

No fast times, stiff headwinds for the 100/200, no competition, 3 Golds.   Calling it a season.  After 13 meets and 25 races, I'm so done.  So, today we're off to Whistler for a vacation  

I underestimated the toll this season has taken on my body and foot.  I do think I'll recover soon but I need a break from running.   I really should not have raced the 400m in this meet.   It wasted me for Sunday's 200m.  Even if I was fresh, the conditions were not good to run a good time with the stiff headwind.  Glad I didn't come here specifically for this meet.  The competition was very thin.  Hard to believe this was Canada's finest.  They made me look like a superstar, even running slow times: 12.95 (-1.3), 26.91 (-2.6), 59.00.   

200m

Limped off the track on Sat after easily winning the 100m and 400m, and by the time of the 200m on Sunday, it was tough to warm up.  (Probably ate a bit too much on Sat night as well as we went to a waterfront seafood restaurant).   But with the capsaicin cream kicking in, I got ready and did a few strides, just wanting to get it done.  It was hot, but low humidity compared with TN, so it only felt hot in the sun. 

I was feeling OK by the time I got in the blocks.  I actually got a very good start and opened a 10m lead by the time I hit the straight and extended it to at least 20m by the finish.  Stiff headwind the whole way, especially coming off the turn.  

100m

After 3 false starts, we finally got away and my start was just ok.  I won by more than 10m, and it was probably my best race.   At least I ran under 13 into a headwind.  That time would have won at Penn and medaled at Nationals.  

400m

I unfortunately ran from lane 2 and had Greg, the fastest Canadian to my outside.   He got a rather slow start and I never saw him after 30m.  It was just between me and Dave who was in M55.  I pulled up even with him at the top of the stretch and we were even with about 50m to go, then he turned on his world class speed and beat me by several meters.  I was pissed I missed running under 59 .... exactly 59.00.  Dave is the M55 world Champion in the 100/200.  He ran 11.36 this season.  Greg finished in M60 a few seconds behind.   

I was happy to see Greg, Mark, and the Canadian team smash the M60 4x800m world record later that day.  They bettered it by a whopping 13 sec.   I delivered the news to Pete, who had been talking to me about making an attempt on that WR, but he had kept me hanging for weeks, so glad to NOT be doing that in a few weeks.   I do think this record by the Canadian team has put it out of reach for the US team.  They'd have to average 2:19, it would be a stretch.  

Vancouver

So, after the 200m, Roya and I went into Vancouver to enjoy the city and get a taste of the Granville Is. Public Market.  What strikes me about Vancouver is the ethnic diversity, Indians, Persians, Asians... it's really great.  Roya was hearing Farsi being spoken everywhere.  The waterfront was very clean, virtually no garbage or plastic floating around.  We walked through the shipyard and by the docks, there were some fresh seafood outlets.  I had a fresh lobster roll:

Roya had an Asian noodle dish, and we also got some granola bars from a bakery.  

I felt totally stuffed even though I hadn't really eaten that much.  Was really tired by the time we got back to the hotel. 

Today, we leave for Whistler.  We have tickets for the Peak to Peak Gondola on Tuesday, and the Joffre Lakes Provincial Park on Wed.  

I'll post more photos of Vancouver soon....

swim day

Thought it not prudent to run an all out 400m three days in a row the week of Nationals (no sht Sherlock!), so I took it easy today, did some manual labor and swam across the lake and back.  

Feeling much more confident since my event run yesterday.

Happy to report that Masters Track is healthy, alive and well.  Nationals this year is the biggest in history of the event.  Over 1500 athletes registered.   In my age group, 26 for the 400m, and 40 for the 200m. There are usually a number of scratches but even so, probably 3 heats of semis in the 400m, and maybe 4 heats in the 200m.   Medaling in this field in the 4th year of my age group will be a good goal and accomplishment.  Last time I was in the 4th yr of my age group - 58 yrs old in M55, I didn't even medal at Nationals and did not make the World finals in either the 400m or 200m, missing by a few hundredths of a second in all.  So, a medal of any color would be an improvement this yr.  

I don't want to be one who looks back on my 'heyday' and past glory, but was just looking last night and I'm happy that I've maintained a decent presence in this sport through the years.  Every year I've competed in the past 8 yrs, have been at least top 3 in US, top 10 in world.  (I didn't mention the indoor season or the 200m, but had a few yrs of top rankings in those categories as well).   

Outdoor 400m rankings in my age group:  World, US  (did not compete in 2019)

2015 - 3, 1 

2016 - 5, 2 

2017 - 6, 2 

2018 - 10, 3 

2020 - 1, 1 

2021 - 1, 1 

2022 - 7, 3 

2023 - 6, 2   (so far)

So, whatever happens going forward, I've had a really good masters career.  

Tomorrow, I'll do a final speed workout before Nationals.  

Day off, swim, resistance

First day of no running in 5 days.  Swam across the lake, did some squats, pullups, pushups, core work.  

Nationals is coming up.  I race the semis 2 weeks from tomorrow.  As a preview of my competition, the Nat'l Senior Games will be run early next week.  

Got bumped to 6th in the World Rankings, the Belgian / Netherlands champion ran 58.75.  Might be a good goal for this weekend's race.  Frankly, I'd be lucky to remain in the top 10 by season's end.  European Masters championships aren't until late Sept.  Sure would be great to go.  

Sat's meet is another huge youth meet.  I'll probably be the only racer over age 25 there.  In my open division, just me and two 49-50 sec college guys.  Hard to know when I'll be racing.   

Due to possible evening music rehearsals and to get a little heat training, I'll go out in the hotter part of the day tomorrow.  It's been forever since I did any blocks, acceleration, or max velocity stuff so tomorrow I may hit that a bit if it feels ok.  

Shawn sent me my Sat. finish photo from the timer.  Looks like 58.96 to me.  Surely my torso hit the line .001 before this photo.  

Also, that video that I quoted from on my last post was in error when it said no man less than 6' tall has run under 44 sec. FALSE. Rusheen McDonald Jamaican record holder (43.93) is 5'7". Yousef Ahmed Masrahi is 5'9" (43.93). Lee Evans is 5'11" (43.86). Larry James 5'11" (43.97).