off season speed

Kind of surprised myself this evening with some brisk sprints.   Just the second time on the track in 3 weeks, ran faster than expected.

Saucony trainers on 

500m warmup, stretches, drills 

400m - 61.5 

300m - 42.5 

200m - 27.5

Considering I've gained 5 lbs and am not running, not doing too badly.  I set my goals at 64, 45, and 28, and beat them all easily.   I have this perception that I am running slower than I really am, timer doesn't lie.

This is the season for the TN Senior Olympic District meets.  It's necessary to do these to qualify for the state meet.  I don't feel like competing right now, it's been a long season.   So, I've abandoned the Senior Games and decided not to participate.  I asked them if they could give me a bye into the finals, they didn't respond so... whatever.   I remember past Senior Games 400m races where I'd win by 80m ... over second place.  It must not feel real good to have your family in attendance and see that. I think they're probably better off without me. As Paul B. said, it's the 'minor leagues'.

More WMAC meet photos

Here are some new meet photos of the M55 400m and 200m final from UK athlete/photographer Tom Phillips.  Race and individual medal ceremony videos here.

It goes away fast

First time on the track in 2 weeks, and it was a little clunky.  Some tightness and aches, and feeling the 4 lbs I've gained with my rampant eating since the season ended.  Definitely need to get back on the glucosamine.

Back to the ole Sewanee track and it was quiet, cool... upper 60ºs, and nice.   Warmed up, stretched and ran some brisk 150s for form, untimed.

Saucony trainers on 

600m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 150m @ about 85%

Walked 250m in between.  Felt pretty tiring, not the way it would have felt 3 weeks ago.   Feels like I'd be hard pressed to run a sub 60 400m right now.   400m fitness goes away fast, in a matters of a few weeks.

I didn't pack my timer, felt naked at the track without it.   But I think for the next 6 weeks or so, I'll limit my track work to once a week or so and start doing long stuff.

Just 14 weeks to the first indoor meet, 26 weeks to Indoor Nationals!

The training season begins

Just kidding... not yet.  Just some off season maintenance.   It's been 9 days since I raced the 2 relays at the Worlds, and save for a 5 mile mountain bike outing, this was my first real exercise.   Considering I've been eating everything I avoided before... fried food, pastry, ice cream, pasta, etc...  I really haven't gained much weight, still below 145 lbs in the morning.   

The exercise felt good, low impact.

Saucony Virrata trainers on 

400m run on grass 

dynamic stretches 

10 x stadium stairs

I should have more and better race photos from Lyon coming up.   I'll post them soon I hope.

Looking forward to tomorrow's World 200m Final - the rematch between Bolt and Gatlin.  

My old friend... the stadium stairs.  Felt good.  

World Masters Championship race videos

Fun to hear my name announced in 2 languages ... William Yelverton - 'médaille de bronze.'

200M World Final M55


400M World Final M55


4 x 400M Relay M55 - Brent Cottong, William Yelverton, Alan Tissenbaum, James Chin



4 X 100M Relay M55 - Tony Disalvo, William Yelverton, James Chin, Alan Tissenbaum


Winner: M55 200m heat - 25.04 (Shane in 2nd sets M55 National Record for Ireland)



M55 200M Medal Ceremony




M55 400M Medal Ceremony

WMA World Championships - Day 6

Relay day and closing ceremonies.

USA M55 4x100m relay - GOLD  (Disalvo, Yelverton, Chin, Tissenbaum)  47.10
USA M55 4x400m relay - GOLD  (Cottong, Yelverton, Tissenbaum, Chin) 3:48.33

The M55 relay teams looked unbeatable on paper.  We took the attitude that we just needed to get it around the track without a lane violation or a dropped stick, and we would win easily.

And we did.

4x100m
Tony and James had some minor injuries but were good to go.  We got to use the infield for exchange practice.  I was really glad to have this team together... especially Alan, the M55 100m World Champion on anchor.  I was second leg, running against the German who I narrowly beat in the 200m -  probably the fastest non-American on the track.  I carefully measured the steps that I thought I'd need to accelerate into the zone but when I saw Tony rippin' around the turn, I left early.   Our pass went well, as did all our passes.   It was actually a little closer than I expected with Alan getting the baton with a small lead.  He blew away the field by 10m, and that ... was that.   I was surprised that our 47.10 time was less than a second off the world record!   Not bad for a pickup relay team.   We even ran faster than the M50 4x100 USA Silver Medalists, which was no shabby team.  We averaged 11.77 a leg, not bad.  Unfortunately, my name wasn't listed in the official results as I was a sub on this team.  Doesn't matter, I have the medal.  Germany was Silver, and France - Bronze.  We beat teams from Great Britain, Spain, Australia, and India.

The medal ceremony was nice.  They chose some hot French women to kiss us and award the medals.

4x400m
This looked to be a blowout in the making and it was.  I had two concerns... first was Alan hadn't run a 400 in forever, and James on anchor had a ham issue and was going to run anchor against the 400m Gold medalist and the 4th place 400m guy from Germany.  So, he would need a lead.  We were all tired, especially me and James ... having run 3 rounds of the 200 and 400, and the 4x100.   Brent led off against Great Britain who narrowly beat him in the semis.  I was running second leg, we had lane 7.   Brent ran a respectable leg and I got the baton in a tie for the lead.  I ran relaxed and fast, never saw anyone after receiving the baton as I led at the break.  Looking at the video, I gave Alan a 30m+ lead with a leg of about 56.   Alan blew it wide open and by the time James got the baton, he had a 70m+ lead.  He didn't give any back to France and we won by a comfortable 70m.  We all ran 56-57.5 legs and finished in 3:48.53.  We beat teams from France, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Australia, Chile, Russia, and India.  (We could have lapped India if they were in our heat).

James had to catch a train so Brent, Alan and I stayed for the medal ceremony for the 4x400 relays -which was also the closing ceremonies.  I was tired and sunburnt, but had fun.  Lots of photos and enthusiasm.  A lot of heart felt congrats and good byes.  Team photos and hugs, flags flying, emotional expressions ... some of the female athletes were crying.  It was cool.

I'll have a few closing thoughts in a later post but let me say, Viva la France!   You really did it well.

Merci!

WMA World Championships - day 5

I've now left Lyon and am in the Alps, so I wanted to catch up and issue the first of 2 final reports on the World Masters Athletic Championships in Lyon.

World Championship Bronze Medal - 400m - 55.30

The 400m was a big event for me since I felt it was my best shot for an individual medal.  Already having a Bronze in the 200m took a little of the pressure off, but not much.  I was definitely feeling it the night before, probably more nervous for this race than any.  The night before was pretty restless.

Unlike my competitors (except for Gerhard from Germany), I had not held back in my prelims and run pretty strong (55.46, 56.00).  I knew it would be Brazil and France most likely Silver and Gold and a fight for the Bronze with Germany.

Being my 6th race of the meet, I was pretty tired but feeling ready.  I warmed up less than for the previous races and tried to save as much as possible.  I knew that Brazil and France would finish strong so my tactic was to save as much as possible while getting around the track with as little effort as possible.

To my utter surprise,, they gave me lane 3... I was expecting 6.  So, I had the competition in front of me with James to my left in 2.  France was in 4, Brazil in 5.  With all the pomp and circumstance we get in the World Final, music and introductions, I was really relaxed and casual when called to the blocks.  "On your marks" ... "set"  ... "click" - the gun misfired.  I turned to James and said, I heard a click"... he says he did too, it wasn't just me.  No one was charged and we got a green card.  The second time, we were off.

I pretty much ignored what everyone was doing and tried to stay relaxed.  I felt good at the 220m mark, not tired, the staggers were about even with France and Brazil just ahead.  As per plan, we came around to the home stretch even, the three of us with Germany just behind and the rest of the field beginning to fall away.   I hit my stride and for about 2 steps, I was leading the race.  I motivated me to push hard, maybe a bit too soon, as France started pulling away at the 70m mark.   I couldn't stay with him but I thought I might have a chance for silver.   As we neared the finish, I ran out of gas, Brazil went by, and I felt Germany - as predicted - coming hard.  It was a helpless feeling as I was starting to rig in the last 10m.  As my stride shortened, I leaned hard at the finish, stumbled and went down... it wasn't pretty, but I got the Bronze ... by just 0.07 sec.  France and Brazil won in times that exceeded my PR - 54.46, 55.04, and my time of 55.30 was almost exactly what I ran at Nationals (55.29) on a much faster track.  So, I felt I brought my A-game.  It was my 4th fastest time ever in the 400m.

What could I have done differently?  Well, maybe not pushed it at the top of the stretch and waited til 40 or 50m out.  Perhaps.  Don't know, but as I have lost medals very closely previously, I was happy this came out as it did.   Here is the sequence of photos coming down the final stretch.

   

Well, that's how it unfolded. Everyone pretty much ran what they said they would in their seed times.  I was fortunate, in both the 400m and 200m to get medals.  Many of these competitors, like the Brazilian here in the 400m, came for just one specific event.

As usual, the time leading up to the medal ceremony was nice.  Getting to know the medalists and others backstage at the medal ceremonies.   Gold medalist, Benoit, like me is a music professor (trumpet).  We chatted about music in broken English.  We both agreed at the similarities of the two disciplines, track and music.  Benoit is a remarkable athlete, he won Bronze in the 800m in 2:04 and will be representing France in the 800m Masters Exhibition race at the Bejing World Championships next week.

The medal ceremony was nice, save for some bizarre woman who shoved my dad repeatedly, probably trying to get in position for a photo.   The music and ritual of the medal ceremony is really pretty cool.  The French did it well.  The music, national anthems, introductions, handshakes and at the end, the customary signing of a giant card which all medalists sign.

I didn't really mind standing for the French National anthem a second time.  It was a memorable day.