speed and over distance

Nice weather in Sewanee, 54º and mostly sunny, felt warmer with a south wind.  Race tomorrow so not a full scale workout.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

Puma spikes on  

200m from blocks - 25.8  

500m - 75 (59.5/15.5)

I probably wouldn't do this much before a race that I cared about, but just a little 'taste of pain' the day before a race, as Coach Page once recommended during my 5k days.   The 200m was probably a bit ambitious for a 400m race, but just slightly.   I was shooting for a 74 in the 500m, but didn't quite make it.  

Samford Open at the Crossplex
Huge mostly DI meet... 17 heats of the 400m and I'm in heat 17.  I'm not expecting much, since I have lane 2 which is a killer on this track,  except to at least improve on last week and run in the 56s.  There are no really slow people in my heat, slowest is 54.1,  and for whatever reason, a guy who ran 48 outdoors is in lane 1, probably a late entry.  the other 4 in my full heat of 6 are 50-53 guys.   So maybe they'll be far enough ahead so I won't have to run in traffic.    

I feel as if I'm rushing my training to completion today a week before Nationals.   I intend to train Sun - Tues, and maybe Wed.   Weight is excellent.  141.1 lbs after workout.

Event runs

Brief workout this morning at the Sewanee track, perfect weather, upper 50ºs with the sun just breaking through and calm winds.

Feeling a little flat in this, my 5th day in a row on the track including the meet on Sat., just 16 hrs after my previous workout yesterday late afternoon.   I wanted to do more but settled for a bit less.  I did pull out the spikes and blocks.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

Puma spikes on 

300m from blocks / 1 min rest / 100m - 40.5, 14.5 

15 min rest 

200m from blocks / 1 min rest / 100m - 26.5 / 14

I was a bit shy in my goal for the 300m event run.   Aiming for 13,13,14; actual splits were like 13, 13.3, 14.2.  So my first 200 was about 26.3 ish.  I was going to do another split 300m, but I bailed and did a split 300m.

I am light, 142.3 lbs after workout, but will be getting a whole lot lighter since I'm fasting for annual blood work.

tempo 300s

Dark and rainy in Sewanee, but not cold on Tues late afternoon, 54º.  The rain stopped about 4pm, enough time to get a workout in.  

Didn't sleep well so not as well recovered as I could be.  But recovered enough to put a bit more 'hay in the barn.'  

Hoka Clifton 3 trainers on 

300m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 300m w/ 2 min rest - 47, 49.5, 49.5, 50,5 

300m - 43

Decent workout considering I've not  eaten since yesterday.  Worked today a few hrs at the college this afternoon and by the time I got home, too close to workout to eat.  

The last 300m felt pretty strong, it may have been just under 43.   Going to the weight room tonight.

Hopefully do some event runs/ split 400s tomorrow if weather permits in the morning then Thursday off.   Getting my race body back, and it hasn't been easy.   142.7 lbs after workout.

BIG tempo volume

Very foggy, wet, light wind, and 49º at the Sewanee track, visibility about 80m.

Looking back at my workouts before Nationals last year, I'm going to try to replicate what I did then, since it worked, even though it's 2 weeks sooner.  Today, I did the same and more than I did in an epic volume workout 11 days before Nationals on 2/22/16.   Not trying to run real fast, but just working on the endurance and strength.   Feeling slightly sore in the haunches from yesterday's hills, I pulled it off, in similar times to last year.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

600, 600, 400, 400 w/ 3 min rest - 1:50.5, 1:57, 76, 77 

4 x 200m w/ 1 min rest - 31, 31, 31.5, 31 

split 400 - 300m / rest 1 min / 100m - 44, 14.5

It was hard but I left feeling strong and not beaten.  To finish my last 200 as fast as my first, and a 44 sec 300m after 2800m of sprints, that was encouraging.  3200m - 2 miles of training, the most volume I've put in since I can remember.

Feel like I'm getting there.  143.7 lbs after workout.

Registered for the college meet at the Crossplex on Sat.  Expensive meet, $44 to enter one race.

hill sprints and a 600

Was a tad sore this morning, but after a nap and a good warmup, I hit the real steep hill on Roark's Cove Rd. for some hill sprints.  Perfect weather for pain, 45º and light winds, but... the road was a bit wet.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

5 x 100m hill sprints w/ 90 sec rest - avg 18 

200m hill sprint - 38.5 

600m (track) - 1:41.5 (65/36)

The first set of 100s were a real good butt buster, and after a 200m hill, I went quivering to the track to finish the job.   I rested about 20 min and launched into a 600m.  It was tough.

143.1 lbs after workout.

MTSU Invitational - meet report

First 400m of the year, wasn't so great.  Small meet so I ran the 200m about an hour later.
400m - 57.56 / 200m - 25.62

Somewhat typical of a first 400m of the year, but pretty far behind where I was this time last yr, having dropped 2 sub 56's in Jan., '16.  

Normally, I'd be pretty discouraged by the times, but I did kind of play it safe in the 400 and sort of jogged across the finish, and was just too tired to run a great 200.  The track is tough.  Very hard and like a continuous circle.  Spikes on this hard tartan surface kind of sound like tap shoes.

I took 2 days off completely before this meet.  I'm glad I did since my hip pain has gone away.  Like I said, I'm not too discouraged because I feel pretty good physically and ready to bust out some hard training.   Thinking I may be able to train Sun - Wed, and race Sat.  

Life is good when I can race in a college meet just 5 min drive from my house, not get hurt, come home, eat delicious left over paella, and pack up to drive to my house on the mountain.

My weight is ok, about 144.0.

I do have a decision to make... do I drive 2.5 hrs to Birmingham to race on a nice banked Mondo like in Albuquerque, or do I save driving time and race on a 160m track in my home town?   Probably will go to Birmingham.   I like that track and it would be a better dress rehearsal for Nationals.

Think I'll start tomorrow with some strength: hill repeats.

tempo 300s, split 400

Nice day, mid 50's at the Dean Hayes track, but windy.  Was up at 3:30 am to take a guest to the airport but did sleep a few hours afterward.  Today is my last chance for a workout before Sat's meet, having a very busy Thurs.  

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drill 

3 x 300m w/ 2 min rest - 48, 49.5, 48 

split 400m - 300m / 1 min rest / 100m - 44.5, 14

Felt ok, few aches in the hips and feet, but have trained a lot lately... on the track 8 of the last 12 days.   Not too much weight gain during the revelry of the TN Guitar Festival, weighed 144.5 lbs after workout.