first 300m event run

The speed is still there.  Perfect day for my first event run since returning to the track a month ago.  Mid 70ºs, calm winds, sunny, track to myself.   

I brought everything, my spikes, blocks, bands, roller, massage gun.... even brought the leaf blower to clean the track under the tree where I home base since the outer lanes are covered in seeds.  

I started slowly with a few 50s, then a 100m in trainers.  Then, I put the Maxfly spikes on and tried them with out socks.  Did ok.   Was actually pretty nervous before I launched into my rolling 300m event run from the 400m start.  I knew this sprint would determine whether my body would tolerate a 300m in spikes, and if I  could go anywhere near race pace.  This would play big into my decision to punch my ticket for Finland.  After walking around a bit and getting my head together, just as I was getting ready to launch, a coach came and parked his golf cart right in the middle of the track and proceeded to fidget with some equipment.   After waiting several minutes and glaring at him, I had to ask him to move (... a-hole).   I launched.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, massage gun, roller, 2 x 100m

2 x 50m - 7.30, 6.51

100m - 13.07

Nike spikes on

50m - 6.44

300m (turn-straight-turn) - 41.10 (25.84, 15.26)

Hoka trainer on

5 blocks starts 

It was fast, it was race pace.  Comparable to what I ran in Ames, although a rolling start.  But the first half was again, too fast.  I went out in 12.51 and the first 200m was a full second faster than my 27 sec goal.  I paid for it in the 3rd 100 (15+).  But even if I could have limped home in 17.5, it would still be mid 58.  I thought about going 350 or 400m, but I could feel the far turn stress the injury slightly.  It was a bit sore afterward and my foot took a beating, so I didn't do much more afterward even though I wanted to.  I put the trainers on and did some blocks.  When ok.  Using the Sprint Starter app, I was able to get 2 starts under .20 reaction time.  

I'm now leaning toward Finland.  I have 6+ weeks of training left and I need to do conditioning, and not risk injury doing much speed work.  I'll save that for the track meets.   I can race 4 consecutive weekends before and if I go to Hayward for the 800m.  I'm registered to race a 400m in Huntsville 2 weeks from Sat. (5/28), then planing to race a 400m a week later in ATL (6/4).  The week after that, I can race a 400m on Sat, and a 800m on Sunday as I did last year.  

Moving forward, I need to respect my days off and do some swimming.   I have just 6 weeks.   I need to make these workouts really count, the brutal hard stuff... over-distance and intensive tempo.  It's the only way.  I know the speed is there, but my last 100m isn't there yet.  

Next time out will be Thursday late morning, probably 500s.  I'm planning to be off for Friday, Sat.  I might be back just in time to do a late Sunday track workout if I drive directly from the airport and my plane is on time.  

140.8 lbs after workout.  Just a few more pounds to go.  

Somebody's got to do it....

bike climbs

On my 2 days off from the track I did 2 days of bike climbs up Raccoon Mtn. from the boat.   The first I did with HS buddy, Bill from Chattanooga.  Perfect weather.  Low 70ºs, dry on Sunday.  Sunday night, cool and in the low 50ºs, had to put the heat on after my shower.  

Legs held up pretty well.  Monday was even nicer, upper 70ºs.  

The boat ran great.  I made some adjustments to the cooling system and installed an independent loop to the heat exchanger / hot water heater, providing better hot water and better engine cooling.  The impeller, despite being more than a decade old, is still working well.  The engine is running cool and well.  Since I put in right near the gorge, my gas gage barely moves for a trip like this.  

Judgement day is coming soon as far as my trip and first races.  I'm going out of town for the weekend and before I go, I'm planning on doing some fast running workouts today and Thurs.  I expect to do some race pace stuff and likely will put the spikes on.  We'll see how it goes.  First session this afternoon.  Hope I'm not pushing it too soon but it's May 10th, and I need to know where I am.  I'm close to race weight - between 141-143 lbs, so we'll see if I'm anywhere close to '400m fit.'  I need to be 138-140 lbs. My injury is still a bit apparent as an occasional dull ache, but has not hampered my running, at least at sub race pace.

Benoit has set the goal for M60, he ran a WL 58.67 last weekend.  That would be a good goal for my first race.   

4x300 tempo, getting it done

One of those days that only someone like me would be out there.  50º, dark, occasional light rain, fog, light to moderate shifting wind, mist.  Winter's last gasp.  Going to be in the 40ºs tonight.

I spent the morning on my feet, working on my boat, getting it ready for tomorrow's season opener and bike climb up the mountain, so I wasn't 100% rested, but did take a brief nap.  

It was ok when I got there but after I finished my warmups,  wind picked up and it started to rain lightly.  I went anyway, because when you start a tempo set, you can't stop.   Just glad to get this one in under the conditions.  It was brutal, especially because I started too optimistically.  About the same avg as last time.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2x100

4 x 300m - 49.88, 50.06, 53.81, 56.25 (avg 52.5)

I almost bailed on the last one, the last 100m was brutal but somehow I made it in, barely.  I didn't do any weight pulls to day but may do some lifting and prehab tonight.  I've slacked off on my PT but I need to get back on it since the injury still feels a tad sore on occasion.  We'll see how I respond to the higher speeds.  Next week Tue and Thurs it will be in the 80ºs so I'm going to do speed and see where I am and how my body responds.  Badly need both speed, event runs, and technique work.

Still planning to race May 28, but am thinking about May 21 also.  We'll see.

139.9 lbs after workout, first time below 140 this yr I think.  

Well, I'll be up late grading papers and maybe watching the Tokyo IAAF track meet that comes on at 1:00am.  

600, split 400. deadline looms

Warm and humid with a rain shower at the Sewanee track.  Got up to near 80º today before the rain shower.  Light - moderate S wind.  

I was surprisingly a bit sore in the quads after Tuesday's short sprints.  It reminds me that fast running is quite different from slow running.  i.e. 13 sec 100s vs. 15-17 sec 100s.    I did a hard 600m today and felt I needed to do something faster.  So, I did a split 400m.  The workout kicked my ass.  Not getting any easier, but hopefully faster.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100

600m - 1:45.10

'split 400' - 300m - 43.85 / 60 sec rest / 100m - 15.1

I think I'm in about '59 shape' right now.  I'd sure like to break 59 my first time out, but we'll see.  Really would like to get the spikes on, but need to be patient.   

I was hoping to get 1:44 for the 600 and fell short today.  Felt really hard today.  The split 400 wasted me.  The good thing is that the injury was not a factor, feels better.  Learned my lesson about not doing 2 days in a row on the track.  

Next workout will be Saturday, will try and hammer out 4x300 intensive tempo.  It will be unseasonably cool at 55º then, so that's good.  Rest of the week looks very warm, 80-85º.  Need to do an event run and some speed next week.

Weight is coming off.  140.9 lbs after workout.  

Finland Deadline 

The USATF has informed that we have to show our travel plans to them by May 19 in order to obtain the Olympic competition uniform.  I wanted to get one race in before I bought my ticket.  I could race as early as weekend of May 21 in ATL.  I'm leaning toward going to Finland since I can fly directly into Tampere and rent a car.  I've booked my hotel and car, both 100% refundable.  Still not feeling super confident yet but, maybe after I get some speed in.  I'm only in my 3rd week of full scale training after taking 2 months off from track so I need to be realistic.  It's going to take more time. 

Mobility, bands, short sprints, bike climb

I wasn't going to run today but I went to the track to stretch and do some mobility and band work.  Very warm and light winds at the track, mid 70ºs.  Since I was there, I cautiously ran some faster rolling short sprints.   Nothing all out, but somewhere close to 400m race pace.  It felt clunky, and a bit painful at first, since I was on the track  yesterday, but it got better.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, planks, 2 x 50

3 x 50m - 6.97, 6.92, 6.47

2 x 100m - 13.43, 13.29

bike climb up Roark's Cove Rd. - 23m+

The bike climb felt really hard and it was a good effort, fairly fast.  

Unfortunately, the injury area was more sore today than previous workouts but not bad.  Still feel like I'm holding back a tad.  Foot hurt as well in the beginning, so I'm going to take Wednesday off from the track and focus on strength and re/prehab.  Doing 2 days in a row, even this low volume isn't something I should do for a while.  Still hoping to run a hard 300m or even split 400m to see where I am.  I'm estimating I'm about in 60-61 shape right now.  Maybe better.  

I'm going to go to the gym and lift tonight.

Time to get rid of this extra weight.  I want to be below 140 after workouts.  Was 141.8 today after workout.  

tempo 4x300

Another perfect day in Sewanee and my first day at the lake and first brief swim.  It was in the upper 70ºs today and beautiful.  But as I awoke from my preworkout nap, thundershowers were closing in.  But I got it done.  Finally, got 4x300 w/ 3min rest in.  Not fast, so quantity over quality now.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2x100

4 x 300m w/ 3 min rest - 52.25, 52.07, 53.68, 51.93 (avg 52.48)

2 x 60 yd sprints w/ 45 lbs ~ 12.1-12.2

I really just wanted to get 4 in so I was really not pushing until the last one.  A long ways to go.  If this was my physical shape on June 1, I'd give it up for Finland.  I expect these times to start coming down after I get into speed work.  4 min after my heart rate was about 144 which is much better than last set.   Progress from my first set of 3 which was just 0.25 faster on avg.  Again, at my peak last season, 4x300 w/ 2:30 rest at 48.1.   No way I'll get there, but maybe w/ 3 min in 6 or 7 weeks.  

Started to rain toward the end so I did just 2x60yd weight pulls.   Feel better after this workout, body has tolerated it better since I ran within my means.  Did feel the injury slightly, maybe because the cold water swim sprint I did, using muscles I haven't used in a while, not to mention the cold water.  Probably in the 60ºs.   

Yesterday, did single leg squats, abs, bands, pullups, etc...

Still weight to lose.  141.3 lbs after workout.  

600s again, weight pulls.

Perfect night again in Sewanee, low 70ºs, light S wind, track to myself.   5th track workout in 9 days.  Body is holding up so far, except foot was a bit more sore than usual after.  Been one upping myself in every workout and it's getting a little stressful.  Definitely a world of pain.   Trying to make up for lost time, I guess you could call this 'intensive foundation'.  At some point I'll take 2 days off from the track when I feel it's necessary.   And looking forward to speed work maybe next week.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

2 x 600m - 1:45.54, 1:50.88

4 x 60 yd sprints on turf w/ 45 lb plate - 12.2 - 12.8

The first one was tough, went pretty hard.  Second one was just surviving.   Much less effort on the second, although both last 200s were pretty much the same.  In my 800 races, I'm usually at the 600 in 1:41 or so.  So, lot of work to do.  

Yesterday, did 4x25 single leg squats w/ 45 lbs yesterday along with my usual 20 pullups, RDLs, etc.   The injury is pretty much gone, I can only feel it as a slight dull ache when I test it.  If I had taken 2 months off right after the injury, I'd have been training again by mid Feb, probably won indoor nationals, and raced in a few college meets in April.  Now, I'm playing catch up and it isn't pleasant.  Still feel I can turn a sub 59 by end of May.  By then some of my competition should post marks.  Thus far, no one under a minute in M60 outdoor.   That could change any day this time of year.  

Lighter and stronger.  140.6 lbs after workout.