neg split 400, 200, 100; in at Vandy Sat.

Sunny, 36º, light breeze at the Sewanee track.  Track was wet from last night's light snow, but being not windy and sunny, it felt so much warmer than the cloudy-windy 43º of last time.  Totally T-shirt weather.  

I'm on the heat list for the Vandy meet on Sat!  An almost 64 yr old racing 400m in a DI college meet.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m

100m - 14.69

Hoka Rocket X2s on

100m - 13.16

Neg split 400m - 63.71 (33.74, 29.97)

200m - 27.81

It felt ok today.  Was very tired after the race pace+ 200m, and left since I'm expecting to be back out tomorrow for some speed.  

Lightest this season.  138.2 lbs after workout.  

My name is on the heat sheet of Saturday's Vandy meet.   3 of the 5 guys in this heat are freshman and have run 49, the other is a 27 yr old sub masters who runs about 52.  I'll be bringing up the rear for sure.  If there is any track I should be able to run 58 on, it's this one.  Lane 3 is not any disadvantage as the track is not banked.  With all those guys way out in front, I hope I can run my race.

split 500, split 400

When it's in the low 40ºs or below like today, the thing I hate most is cloudy, wind, and rain.  We had cloudy and very windy today.  43º, cloudy, wind advisory in effect, gusts to 30mph occasionally during my workout.  Wanted to do speed today but just too cold.  Felt much colder than 43º due to the wind. 

Running good times on a day like today is out of the question due to the cold and wind, so I did a brief conditioning workout.  Hard, despite the slowness.  I went into the heated mens room to warm up before and in between sets.  Still able to run in a sleeveless T and shorts.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 100m, bands

'split 500' - 300m - 45.56 / 90 sec rest / 200m - 31.46

'split 400'  - 300m - 47.35 / 75 sec rest / 100m - 15.38

All my splits were about 15ish, except when into the wind, then they were 16-17.   Was going to hang around and do some weight pulls but I was beat and cold.

140.0 lbs after workout.  

Been doing some resistance on my off track days.  Core, hip flexors, squats, upper body.

Plan to be out Wed and Thurs.  Both days should see some sun, less wind 40º on Wed., 50º on Thurs.  

tempo 3x300m, weight pulls

Typical Sewanee winter weather.  41º, shifting light winds, wet track, thick fog with visibility about 60m.  Today was my 4th day on the track in 5 days.   Foot a bit sore from yesterday's race, but I got it done.  The unholy trinity 3x3w/3, and it wasn't slow.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m

3 x 300m w/ 3 min rest - 48.68, 50.32, 50.79 (49.93 avg)

2 x 80 yd weight pulls w/ 90 lbs on turf

A respectable avg for the 3x3 set considering the conditions and fatigue from yesterday's race.  I could probably slow it down to 51 or 52 and get 4x in, not sure I want to suffer that much.  

I did the longest weight pulls w/ harness I've ever done, probably due to the turf being moist and less friction.   

Planning to be on the track Mon, Wed, Thurs, and meet Sat.  The catch with the Vandy meet is that I just registered and didn't ask permission, so if they deny me entry, I hope they do it before Thurs noon so I can get into Sun's Emory meet in Birmingham by the deadline.  

139.8 lbs after workout.   

First race, indoor season begins - meet report

AL vs The South" meet at the Crossplex.  I did achieve my goal and ran under 60 and for now, a world lead: 

400m - 59.60 

It's actually slightly faster than my season opener last yr, and a quarter second faster than my National Championship race in Louisville last yr  (59.84).   So, I'm ok with it.   

It was supposed to be just me and David C., a 72 yr old elite, but they threw two 19 yr olds in with us.  It was ok, no interference.  One was a good bit ahead, the other, a good ways behind.  I finished second in my heat, ahead of one of the teens.  Only 2 of us broke a minute in the whole meet, it was that small.  

I ran extremely conservatively and didn't rig up at all.  My splits were about 28.8 / 30.8.  I could've pushed the first half a bit more.  Based on this, I'd really like to break 59 at Vandy next weekend.  Fast track.  Every bit as fast as an outdoor track.   

One of the teens said, "Under a minute at your age?  Oh my goodness!"

David ran 65.85.  Duane (M60) was there and ran a good 60m.   We all ran WL times, for now... but it's early.   

It was an extremely small, slow moving and quiet meet.  Was cool to see all the little kids race, some as young as 4.  

Was 139.7 lbs after I got back.  

Will probably be out tomorrow again.  Rain on and off during the day.  

David will be 73 this season.  World class in M70.   Sprinting make you young.

   Kids as young as 4 getting ready to race.  

300, 3x150m tempo

A rare consecutive day on the track.  My foot felt ok so I thought I'd get this one in so I could take a day off before the race Friday.  Cold, dark, cloudy, mostly calm winds and 36º.  

I did just one race pace 300m and a brief tempo set.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m

100m - 14.78

Hoka Rocket X2s on

300m - 43.78 (13.87, 14.39, 15.52 / 28.26, 15.52)

5 min rest

3 x 150m on turf w/ 30 sec rest  (23.53, 24.69, 27.01)  

50m - crouch start from the line - 7.47 

I didn't take full rest before the tempo set so I ran out of gas.  The 300m was still too fast for my present level.  Would have been hard pressed to come home in 17 for one more 100m.  But it was cold.

Because there was little wind, and I did my massage gun in the heated mens room, I was able to train in a sleeveless T and shorts, despite the 36º temperature.  

139.9 lbs after workout.  I actually ate bread for the first time in months this morning for breakfast, I usually don't eat breakfast.  I really don't need to be any lighter.  Probably about 10% BF.  

UPDATE:  I registered for the Vanderbilt meet 1/13.  It's the track I have my Masters PR on.  Haven't raced there since '18 when I ran 57.02

 

400, 100s

Cool today but pleasant, hazy sunshine and light NW wind, about 43º and dry.  I warmed up slowly and felt today I needed to run a hard 400m.  So I started slowly with a few short sprints.  Didn't want to stress my foot so I did everything in the Hoka trainers.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m, 50m

100m - 14.48

Hoka Rocket X2s on

100m - 13.45

400m - 59.84 (27.96, 31.88 / 13.37, 14.59, 15.14, 16.74 / 43.10, 16.74)

I needed to run a hard 400m today to work on pacing.  I was ok until last the 40m where I lost time.  Again, went out too fast.  Was shooting for 29/31, but ran about 28/32.  Pace awareness is still not there.  At least 0.5 too fast on the first 100m.   

Still, under 60 in trainers on a cold day in early Jan isn't bad.  

Feeling light and fit but need more fitness. 

139.2 lbs after workout.  

Interesting stat on the 2023 M60 400m USATF Championship

I knew the 2023 M60 400m USATF Masters National Championship race was one of the most competitive in history, but was it THE most competitive?  

Gold - Jim L.  - 55.96,  Silver - Ron H. - 56.77,  Bronze -William Yelverton - 57.59

Yes and no.  

Yes, in the fact it was the first time in an M60 400m final that 2 runners broke 57 sec (Jim L. and Ron H).

No, in total time of the three runners, due to an incredible performance by Sir Charles Allie in 2010 where he ran 55.37.  So, that year was THE fastest M60 400m.  Second was Steve Hardison 57.24, and third was Carroll Blake in 57.38.   

So, 2023 was technically the second fastest M60 400m final in USATF Masters Nationals history for the medalists.  All 7 of us ran under 61 and 4 under 60.  As measure of the quality of this field, my third place time would have won gold in 31 of the last 40 Championships.  My 57.59 was the second fastest Bronze in an M60 400m final, behind Carroll Blake's 57.38.   

We're in good company, the third fastest was 1999:  

Larry Colbert - 56.22, Bob Lida - 57.22, Rich Rizzo - 58.35.

Masters track is getting faster.  

I do think when Lee B. and Francois B. hit M60, they will bring an even faster level to the age group.  We'll see.   

M65 is not going to be any easier for me, but with Jim and Ron, we should be able to rewrite the 4x400m world records... hopefully beginning in March with this years indoor championship.   Vadim has already called me about doing it.  

Ron is now 65, and Jim is just one month younger than me, so I'll have one nationals without him in 2025 and then we'll both be 66 by World Championships in 2026.  Both Ron and Jim seem to be on the upswing in their masters career.  Ron won the 400 in '22 in just 58.12, so he improved in his M64 yr, really very commendable.  (I likely won't even go to Nationals this year at M64).  Jim lost his wife recently so he's turning inward and taking it seriously.  He has mentioned going after a world record.  He sure is built like a 400m guy.

Anyway, it was a helluva race, and I'm lucky to have medaled.  Looking up these stats is fun, as I am on vacation right now and have some time on my hands.