2x200, 2x100 tempo

 Got it in.  Friday morning on the track at 7:45 am, the rain stopped long enough for me to get out there.  Wasn't bad.  46º, wet, cloudy, light SE wind, occasional drizzle.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m

100m - 14.53

Hoka Rocket X2s on

2x200m, 100m, w/ 1min rest - 28.47, 29.44, 14.28

3min rest

100m - 13.50

Wasn't much but just what I needed.   Was planning to do 3x200 w/1 but cut it short rather than slog out the last 100m.   It was enough.  

140.1 lbs after workout.  Can still feel slight soreness in my L proximal ham, but it's not going to hinder a 400m race.  I may play it safe and scratch the 200m.   I was thinking about racing in Sewanee's indoor meet on 2/17, as much as I hate running in there, but it would be a workout.   No chance for a good time on that track, be tough to break a minute.   If not, the next chance to race will be in 3 weeks outdoor at Berry.   

In the airport, on my way.  

4x200 tempo

Nice Wed morning at the Sewanee track, mid - upper 50ºs, winds light and variable.  I knew this was going to be a hard one... the dreaded 4x200m intensive tempo, but it's over fast.  Can't imagine a comparable 3 1/2 min workout that's as tough as this one.  

Hoka trainers on

Stretches, drills, 100m, bands, 50m

100m - 14.50

Hoka rocket X2s on

4 x 200m w/ 60 sec rest - 30.40, 31.53, 31.36, 31.96 (avg 31.30)

These were about on par with the set of 4x2w/1 that I did just before Poland.   I also did this set (.7) slower 2 days before running that super fast 300m.  So, I'm in ok shape.  

139.3 lbs after workout. Still feeling a dull soreness in my butt.  Same proximal ham that I irritated but it's not functionally preventing me from training or racing, doesn't hurt under load.  

Not much chance to train before Sunday's meet.   Tomorrow is tough because I work for 9 hrs but possible in the early morning at MTSU or late tomorrow night at the gym.  Other option is 8am Friday morning in Sewanee but it's supposed to be 60% chance rain, 48º.   See how I feel.   Have to leave Sewanee by 10:30am Friday to catch my plane.  

SE Masters

I signed up for the 400m and 200m, but I may scratch the 200m.  Not much time in between.  Unprofessionally, the meet is not seeding the long sprints.  Meet director is a distance runner and the meet timer doesn't give a shit.   There you have it... that's why I like college meet and the timers here in this area.  They generally run things professionally.   Probably won't matter that much because there are only 4 people in the 400m.   Watch me get lane 3... lol

300s, 200, 150, 100 ~ 400m pace

Warm today, sunny, low 60ºs with a persistent light N wind.  I was still feeling a bit of fatigue from the workout and wood cutting/splitting/stacking yesterday, but got a pretty decent workout in.  Not the times I wanted though.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m, 50m

Hoka rocket x2s on

100m - 13.68

300m - 42.91 (13.51, 13.90, 15.47 / 27.41, 15.47)

300m - 43.06 (13.88, 14.24, 14.94/ 28.12, 14.96)

200m - 27.09 (13.55, 13.54)

Adidas Takumi Sen 9 on

150m - 19.75 (6.62, 13.13)

Hoka trainers on

2 x 50m weight pulls w/ 90 lbs

I was particularly disappointed with the first 300m.  It felt pretty clunky. too fast on the 1st 200m, and really slow in the third 100.   Even though the 2nd 300m was slower, it was closer to optimum pace and more under control.   A lot of recovery between sprints, maybe not full between the 300s.   I was trying to run something close to 3x14 sec 100m splits, was pretty far off.  Was way slower than the 41.17 I ran on Friday, and a lot more effort.   Definitely something to be said for not over training as maybe I have been, perhaps not doing a lot of physical labor on days where I do consecutive day workouts.

27.56 / 31.77 were my official splits in the last race where I ran 59.33.  I was impeded a little on the last lap in the first turn when I had to pass a kid, but that is right about where I should be, maybe a few tenths slower would help my 2nd 200m.    Or maybe I should go out like a bat outta hell like I did on that 300m on Fri?  It would've been well below 27 in spikes.  

I was out there quite a while, about 2+ hrs.  Ended with some weight pulls.  Was going to do more but the wire broke.   A long tiring workout.   When I got home, I fell asleep as soon as I laid down. 

139.4 lbs after workout. 

I do think I need one more good intensive tempo set before Sunday's meet.  It's going to have to be Wed. morning and the weather looks ok, partly sunny, breezy, upper 40ºs.   Do need a day of rest tomorrow, maybe just do a little upper body and light stretching.   I still feel the injury slightly, it's definitely the same place I injured in '22, but not bad.  I just feel it when I do leg swings a little, not when I run.  Should be completely gone by next workout.  Thankful. 

At the track today, a kid smashed my bike rack attached to my car, backed his truck into it.  So, I'll be getting a new bike rack next week, same kind.  It wasn't cheap, $230 ... sorry for the kid that had to pay.   Could've been worse, he might've smashed the car.  

3x300 tempo, weight pulls, wood

 Forecast was for rain today in the afternoon.   Didn't rain at all but was the typical cold winter day, mid 40ºs, cloudy, winds from the NE.   I was still feeling that injury slightly, the L proximal ham (butt) that I felt last Friday, but it was much improved.  Yesterday, it was noticeably sore, so I did a hard bike climb up the mountain, less than 21 min.

I thought about doing a 4x3w/3 tempo set but I got a little too fast on #2 and had to bail.  I did so because I didn't want to push it today and wanted to do a few weight pulls and... I expect to be back out tomorrow with sunny and 60º expected.  I may run race pace.  

I did hamper myself a bit for tomorrow by working after the track session.  I cut, split, and stacked about 2/3 face cord of wood.  Feet were pretty sore afterward.  Did some heavy lifting and carrying.  Good thing it didn't rain as forecast.  

Very happy that that injury appears to be nothing, although bears watching, and a reminder to not over stretch.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 100m, bands, 50m

Hoka Rocket X2s on

3x300m w/ 3 min rest - 49.91, 48.84, 51.35 (50.03 avg)

2x50m weight pulls w/ 90 lbs

139.0 lbs after workout.  

Workout schedule will be difficult after Wed.  I expect to be on the track Mon and Wed... but then Friday is a travel day.   Only options are Thurs morning at MTSU 8:30 am, Thurs night indoor in Sewanee, or a very early workout outdoor Friday morning.  I have to leave Sewanee on Friday by 10am, which means being on the track by 8am, and the forecast at this point shows 47º and 60% chance of rain.   Don't really want to do nothing for 3 days before the Sunday meet.  Thursday is tough because I work 8.5 hrs that day.  

interview and new food item review

Larry Sorensen's youtube interview with me last week. - 

https://youtu.be/vMPG9YyAdvs?si=7fBOl4UYXI2_W9w2

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New Food Item:

Royo bread and bagels.

https://eatroyo.com/

I ordered their starter pack of 3 bags of bagels (plain, raisin, and everything) and one loaf of bread.  It was my first venture into low carb low calorie bread.   Like other low carb foods, I wasn't expecting it to taste anything like 'real bread' but I was happily mistaken.   Unlike say, shiritake noodles, the low carb bread actually tasted pretty good.  

The Royo plain bagels have 70 cal, 'everything' and 'raisin bagels' are 80 cal.   Compare to regular bagels that can be 300-400+ cal.  (Panera's cinnamon crunch bagels are 430 cal).   Royo bread slices have 30 calories although are pretty small.  

The ingredient that jumps out is 'resistant wheat starch'.   This is apparently a starch that is non digestible in the small intestine and helps the gut biome in the large intestine.  So, it is essentially fiber.  This bread is very high fiber but still contains protein and some carb.  

Pros: 

1/3 the calories of regular bread, high fiber.  It toasts well and tastes very good.  Gives the feeling of fullness, satisfies appetite.  It is claimed to ease insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and boost gut health.

Cons: 

Expensive, about $2 a bagel.  Digests more slowly, probably contributing to the fullness feeling.

More on resistant wheat starch:

https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-resistant-starches

https://eatroyo.com/blogs/the-toast/what-is-resistant-wheat-starch-and-why-is-it-the-hottest-new-ingredient-in-the-baking-world

Because of Royo, tea and toast is back as a comfort food for me.   When I eat regular carbs like toast, granola, cereals... I find them addictive, hard to stop eating them.  This type of Royo bread feels different.  It's simply more filling.  

Thumbs up.

speed, 300, 200, 3x100

 Amazing weather today, what a change from what I've been used to.   Low 60ºs, mostly sunny, light and variable winds.  Good day for speed.

Wanted to do a race pace 300m and then some, but not too much because I was planning to go back out tomorrow for a conditioning workout.  

I took my time warming up, band work, 100s, etc... but then I had an issue.  Ran a warmup 100m in sweats (~14) then took off the sweats after my band work and put on the Rocket X2s.  Ran a rolling 12.75 100m, not completely full out.  Then I did massage gun and rested for my 300m.  Just before I did the 300m, I did some aggressive dynamic ham stretches - where I plant one foot, grab the fence about waist high, and throw back the other leg while stretching the straight planted leg.  On the very last one, I felt something like a pop in the area of my previous proximal ham injury in my butt.  Wasn't sure if I had hurt myself so I tested it with a brisk rolling 100m, holding back a little, in 12.91.  Felt fine.  So I decided  to go for it and ran the race pace+ 300m.  Felt fine, was the fastest 300m I've run in trainers in quite some time.   The leg is a slightly sore, but it didn't hurt while running, and it doesn't hurt when I test the proximal ham under load with bands or bridges.   I finished with a 400m race pace 200m.   I don't know but definitely a vulnerability worth watching.   So, how bad could it be?  Not sure I'll run tomorrow, we'll see.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m, 50m

100m - 14.16

Hoka rocket X2s on

100m - 12.75

100m - 12.91

300m - 41.17 (13.06, 13.63, 14.48)

200m - 27.10

2 x 50m harness pulls w/ 90 lbs

The 300m was actually faster than I likely could maintain in a 400m race.  Adjusting for spikes, it would have been about mid 40s.  Even a last 100m of 17 would be 58 low at this pace.  My last race 400m split was only about 42.9 when I ran 59.30.  My 300m split was only 41.8 at Nationals when I ran 57.59. 

I finished with some 90lb weight pulls on the track.  I found some wire to bind the plates together so I could pull them on the track without breaking my straps.  Better friction and resistance than pulling these on turf.   Also, better footing.   

139.0 lbs after workout.  

This weekend, I'll be looking forward to seeing more results from my fellow masters racing.

4x200 tempo

 Nastyish day again, 37º, dark, cloudy, N breeze, track partially wet.  Yet another grueling tempo workout, one that I dread and don't do too often.... 4x200 with just 60 sec rest in between.  An ass buster.  Like last time, I went into the mens room and did my final band work and massage gun before launching in.  The mens room at the track is small and fairly filthy.  Just enough space to do my band work.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 100m, 50m, bands

Hoka Rocket X2s on

4 x 200m w/ 1 min rest - 30.13, 31.48, 32.22, 34.33  (Avg 32.04)

It was really hard.   On my knees for a few minutes after.  I really thought I might bail on #4 but I made it.  Looking back to about a yr ago, I did just that, started out with similar times and bailed on #4.  My best set of these last yr was just before World Championships in late Feb. I did a set in avg 31.2, but it was better paced, started a tad slower than today and I was a tad lighter.  I also ran a set in May of last year that was 0.6 sec slower on avg. than today.    I did one in early Jan last yr 0.5 sec faster on avg but with 75 sec rest.  

139.1 lbs after workout.

World Masters Rankings

I've been surpassed as world rank #1 this past weekend by the European Champion, Bernardo from Denmark who ran 58.41. He's 2+ yrs younger than I, real fast.  Ran 56.93 and 25.03 outdoor last yr.  In '21 when I was his age I ran 57.81 and 58.30 indoor.   Hopefully,  will be able to back to that speed by indoor season's end.