even split 400s

Beautiful quiet evening in Sewanee, 76º but the dewpoint has dropped 10 points so it felt very comfortable, much less humid.  Did a light workout tonight, my 5th day in a row on the track, 6th in a week.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

400m - 58.6 (29.3, 29.3) 

Puma spikes on 

400m - 58.2 (29.2, 29)

Wanted to work on my end game, form, and keep the volume low.  I did the first 400m in trainers, and the second one 25 min later in spikes.   The second one felt better, less tiring.  The first one I felt like my form was not so good.   Still not as fast as I wanted to run.  Was hoping to hit 28 on the second 200m after a deliberately slow first 200m.  It sort of confirmed the fact that running the first 200m slow isn't going to help me run the second 200m fast enough to make up the difference.   In other words, doesn't matter if my first 200m is 26 or 29, my second 200m is probably going to be 29-30.  When I ran 55.17 in Korea, my second 200m was only 29.67 or so, after a first 200m of 25.5.  In that last 100m, seems like I have a choice between longer strides or faster turnover.  I always try to push my turnover especially toward the end.

Trevor, my Aussie friend (who I think holds the M55 Nat'l 400m Record), said that he would sometimes train by just showing up at the track and running one all-out 400m and do it a number of times in a week.   There is something to that, because there is nothing like the experience of running the last 100m of a 400m at race speed.  The only problem is that, an all out 400m would be about all one could do in a workout, unless doing 400s like I did today, not all out for the first 200m.  I once stayed at the track a couple hours and ran three 400s in the 57s ... but I took up to 40 min rest in between and ran the first 200m at sub race speed.

I didn't get my afternoon nap so I'm going to try to sleep early and train around mid day.  It is warm, but not hot and significantly less humid with dewpoints in the low 60s instead of low 70s.

Expected conditions at race time will be about 90ºF, dewpoint 75º, heat index 102º.
I liked Dave M's comment on the Masterstrack FB page:

 "Wow! A schedule designed to ensure the minimum number of spectators possible and the maximum amount of heat and humidity for the athletes. Which genius put this program together?" 

They have stadium lights, don't know why they won't use them.   Pete said they once did a night schedule.  Jim said they once closed a meet down in Charlotte because officials were going down with heat stroke.  Anyway, this is comparable to what we saw in Jacksonville.  But for that meet, I heat acclimatized.  Not so much for this meet.  Rumors are that there will be an indoor warmup facility.  That would be huge.


142.8 lbs after workout.

Speed

A little warmer than yesterday at the Sewanee track, 77º and humid under a rising full moon.  Got there about 7pm so I put in 4 hard sprints from blocks, but not full recovery. Everything at or near 400m race pace.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

Puma spikes on 

3 x starts from blocks

300m - 40.2 (26.2, 14) 

300m - 41.2 

200m - 26.2 

300m - 41.8  

The first one was the only real race pace, probably 55 mid-high (assuming a last 100m of 15.5).  The second was a second slower.  The 200m felt smooth and the last 300m was just for the workout and form, was tired by then.   1100m of sprints at near full effort in just over an hour.  I'm thinking I may have a sub 56 in me by next week.  

Think I may go out in trainers for part of the workout tomorrow.

142.6 lbs after workout.

Tempo 300s +

Beautiful night, full moon and orange cumulus clouds in the distance.   76º and humid, dewpoint 71º.   Was really conflicted on what I should do tonight.  I settled on a short but up tempo set of 300s then some, then a set of weights.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 300m w/ 2min rest - 45.5, 47, 50 

100m (2 min rest after the last 300) - 14.5 

Puma spikes on  

200m - 26.3

The 300s were a good pump, sweating a lot afterward in the humidity but it's nothing compared to what I'll see at LSU.   The last 200m I just wanted to run somewhere near 400m race pace.   I felt like I could have done more but a good 1200m of sprints is enough.  I'll be back out tomorrow.   Just tech stuff for the last 4 days including race modeling / event runs / split 400s, block starts, and short stuff.  Feeling ok.  Did a set of glutes, hip flexors, quads and box jumps.

142.9 lbs after workout.

maintenance workout

Sunset in between rainshowers, in the upper 70ºs and very humid under a painted sky at the Dean Hayes track.  No one there.

Was a bit iffy about going out today, feet sore from speed work in spikes yesterday, but went.   After a warmup lap I was feeling a bit weird and I almost left, but I hung in and got a decent workout.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

400m / 2 min rest / 200m - 59.5, 31 

300m / 1 min rest / 100m - 46.5, 14.5

It felt ok.  The 400 was even split and fairly easy.  Breaking 60 on a wet track in trainers without full effort means I'm doing ok.  The following 300 was more of a strider focusing on form.

I bought the new Clifton 4s thanks to a Bday present, thanks dad.  Should be in by Monday.  My Clifton 2s are retired but the Clifton 3s are still ok.

144 lbs after workout.  I may be back out tomorrow, we'll see.  Running out of time.  Nationals a week from today.

speed in spikes

Mild and moist in Murfreesboro this evening, 76º with a dewpoint of 74º.   Actually pleasant for July. I did a good warmup and put the spikes on today for a quality low volume workout.  Everything 95+%.    Felt ok.

Hoka trainers on  

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

Puma spikes on  

3 x 60m accelerations 

300m event run - 39.8 (25.8/14) 

3 x 150m - 18.2 , 19, 18.8

None of these runs were done with blocks, just a '2 step and go.'  Wanted to put off blocks til I'm sure there's no risk of strain.   I feel that I'm good now, so blocks on Friday.

The 300m event run was good although I really pushed it around on the 3rd 100.   I estimate it was about mid 55s pace as I was in about in 'mid 15s' condition for the last 100m.

I thought I was running pretty fast in my 150s since my first was 18.2 (sub 25 200m pace)  until I saw Janet run one in 17.   Such perfect form she has.  (She has taken Silver in both the African Championships and in the PanAM Games.  She has run 11.09 100m [wind aided]).

With these quality low volume workouts, I should be able to be on the track most of the next 6 days before I leave for Nationals.  They should be posting the detailed schedule next week.  I really hope they consider evening races.  Last yr the 400m final was at 3:00pm.  Heat indexes in Baton Rouge could easily be over 100º at that time.  Today, for example... 94º with a heat index of 105º at 3pm, that's worse than Jacksonville was in '15.

143.5 lbs after workout.

split 400s / hills

Double session today, went out in early afternoon to run fast, then after the rain, did some hill sprints.
83º and humid at mid day.  Heat index 87º but with occasional clouds.   Did some split 400s at near race pace.

Saucony trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

3 x 60m striders 

Hoka trainers on 

split 400 - 300m / rest 1 min / 100m - 40.8 (26/14.8), 14.5 

split 400 - 300m / rest 1 min / 100m - 41.2 (26.3 /14.9), 14.3

400m warmup, stretches drills 

5 x 100m hill sprints - 17.5 - 18.5

The 300s went pretty well.  My first race pace running in over 2 weeks.  Whenever I can run under 41 with training shoes in a 300m, I'm doing ok.   My turn running needs work but I'm happy everything is working right and I'm healthy.   These would translate to about 56 flat pace.

After the rain, it was a cool 67º on the north side of the mountain for 100m hill sprints.  They were tough as I did the repeats with no extra rest but the walk down.

Sprinting is hard on the feet but they're holding up ok.  No taping or padding.  I'm now going to the track and warming up in different shoes and just before my workout, I slip into my super thick Darn Tough mountaineering socks and my Clifton 3 Hokas.   Has made a real difference.  Feels great.  

Will take tomorrow off from the track and do some light resistance.  Speed and spikes on Wed.  

tempo 200s

Went out in the early afternoon today, moderate heat with high humidity.  81º with a dewpoint of 74º yields a heat index of 86º, but feels hotter in the sun.  Noticeable difficulty in breathing at maximum effort in the humidity.  Fortunately, intermittent clouds provided some relief.

Hoka trainers on 

400m warmup, stretches, drills 

4 x 200m w/ 1 min rest - 31, 30.5, 30.5, 30 

4 x 200m w/ 1 min rest - 31, 31, 32, 31.5

I had planned to do more, these were fairly controlled and I really saved it for the lest rep.   Slightly slower than I was running in June/July '15, but within a second.  I was going to run hills and I saw a kid on the track, and we were going to run a 300m together, but a tremendous thunderstorm hit.  We stood in the rain lightly sheltered by a tree but it didn't let up.  It poured for 50 min, dropping 2.25" of rain causing street flooding.  So, I went home.  Left the work out feeling pretty good, tired but not beaten (like after that 4 x 500m).  Last night I did weights, glutes, jumps, quads.

Ready to ramp to some hard 300s or split 300s next time.  Will probably get the spikes on Wed. My confidence is growing as there is no longer any sign of the quad issue that was bothering me, and definitely beginning to feel fit, and really light.  141.8 lbs after workout.

I have to retire my Clifton 2 after using the left one exclusively with my right Clifton 3.   Look at the chunk I took out of my Clifton 2 over time.  Pretty easy to see where my foot strikes.  I used them for 11 months, although not exclusively as I got Clifton 3s 6 months ago.