brief workout

Really nice in Sewanee today, sunny 61º and light south wind.  It was overdistance day but I didn't do much.  

Hoka trainer on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

500m - 81.87  (64.84, 17.03)

300m - 44.41

bands

Not complete rest between but ample.  I was going to do 2 x 500m but I ran the first one a little faster than intended and I was toasted.  After the 300m, I lined up to do some tempo on turf but decided that I might come out tomorrow instead and do some race pace if my foot feels ok.  I finished with band work.  

Tonight I'm going to do an ab routine and maybe some squats.  

I went to post op to my hand doctor and it was a waste of time, but...  their PT department has a glute machine that they might give me... if only I can find a way to move it.  It weighs 400 lbs.  The TOA group asked me to do a promotional video for them, as I did a testimonial for Elite SM, my other ortho group.  

I'll be in Murfreesboro Thursday all day for a meeting and to do some work around the house, but I may run some stadium stairs if I have time in the late afternoon.  On second thought, I should take that day off and do a tempo set on Friday.  It's forecast to be sunny upper 60ºs that day, shirtless training weather.  A really awesome stretch of weather - no rain forecast for a week and in the 60ºs.  The next cold front not until Monday.    

Still have a few lbs to go for race weight.  141.9 lbs.

first timed 400m on brand new Mondo

 In Atlanta and was astonished to find a brand new squeaky clean 6 lane dark blue Mondo track at Marist school.  It hadn't even been lined yet, good thing I brought my metric wheel.  I was nice and soft compared with the old hardened and beat up Mondo that was there before.  Nice day, mid-upper 50ºs and partly sunny.   Usually schools are protective with their new tracks but I didn't see anyone at first, but then someone appeared across the field and started walking toward me as I was warming up.  I casually A-skipped away from him, and he turned around and left.  Good.  

The track had been laid lane by lane so you could see 'lane lines' where the seams were, so I measured each 100m in lane 5 and taped the marks.  I'm sure it was accurate, easily to within a yard.

I decided to warm up and try a hard 400m, but not 100%... being appropriately conservative on the first 200m.  I set my goal for 62 with splits of 14,15,16,17 or 29, 33.   Exceeded every split.  Not by any means an all out time trial.    

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

100m - 13.83

400m - 60.20 (28.71, 31.49)

4 x 100m on turf w/ 30 sec rest - 16-17

Even though this 400m was with my usual 3 step rolling start, I was in trainers and it gave me confidence that I could break 60 sec in a 400m if I chose to race in 2 weeks.  I didn't rig too much in the end since I went out conservatively.  My last 100m wasn't terrible at 16.3.

I finished with a brief tempo set of 100s on turf, working  on form.

I am closing in on race weight as well.  140.4 lbs after workout.  Lowest this fall I think.  

cold tempo

Clear and cold today at the Sewanee track, 37º mid afternoon with a NE wind.  3rd workout in 5 days and I'm feeling a little more fit, although bit off a bit more than I could handle with this tempo set as I bailed on my 4th 300m.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

3 x 300m, 150m, 150m w/ 3 min rest - 49.50, 50.84, 53.74, 26, 23.97

200m hill sprint - 42

I started this set too ambitiously with a 49, 50.  By the 3rd I had doubts I would finish 4 so I bailed halfway on my 4th at 150m, rested 3 min, and ran another 150m.   If I had run a 4th 300, it would have been over 55.  So instead of breaking down in my last 150, I rested 3 min and ran a faster 150m.   Then I went to the hill and ran a 200m hill sprint.  No sign of the pubalgia issue, it's healed.  My right foot is my limiting factor and I'm usually good for 1200m + per workout.  

Looking back to last year, I wasn't doing regular overdistance and tempo sets every week.  The week of Thxgiving last yr I biked Raccoon Mtn 6 days that week, no running.  So... maybe... I might go to Birmingham and run a 400m race in about 16 days, just to see where I am.  A goal of breaking 59 might be good this early.   Indoor season is already well underway in Scandinavia, there was a big indoor Masters Championship meet in Sweden 2 weeks ago and it's providing the first 2022 indoor season rankings.  When I won my first indoor championship in 2012, I started the season by running 2 400s in 59 in Jan., but improved to 55.90 by mid Feb to win the Gold.  So, 59 would be an ok start.

Also, worried about the covid situation as the 'omichron variant' emerges, whether it will twart any of our championships upcoming in NY and Finland.  Too many moronic covid vaccine / science deniers in the US,  it will spread if it gets here.  

Considering the Thnxgivin holiday, my weight is really good.  140.8 lbs after workout.  This year we made a very thick rich Persian chicken dish called Fesenjan.  It is chicken with a stew made with pomegranate syrup, plums, and walnuts.  So, heavy that a small amount satisfies.  

 

low volume long speed

Cool and partly cloudy, 50º with a SE breeze at the Sewanee track.   Wanted to keep the volume low today so just did 2 hard long sprints.  Kind of confirmed how far I have to go.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m, bands

50m - 6.75

2 x 300m - 42.71, 43.97

Felt really quite hard.  My last 100m of both 300s was well over 15 sec and I was definitely tying up toward the end.  Would be hard pressed to break 60 right now in a 400.  Lots of work to do.  Going to be a long hard slog.  I think I may be slightly behind from where I was last year. 

Relatively healthy though, except for a little usual soreness in R foot.

142.7 lbs after workout.

Got my booster today.  Was astounded at what the redneck nurse told me... "no right answers, either you risk covid or the side effects of the vaccine."  CVS in Monteagle, Grundy Co. TN where the vax rate is just 27%.  I responded, "I think it's more a matter of education and science denial."  I walked away.   Sheesh!  

Back sooner

I was on the track today, sooner than expected but not soon enough.  Perhaps the 3 days off, the cold weather, or something ... made this a hard one.  Just happy to be back.  41º with a NE wind making it feel cooler, but it least it was sunny.

I did overdistance, it was slow and labored.  My form felt really clunky.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

600m - 1:50.6

500m - 88.5

It is what it is.   Running only about 71 400m pace.  It felt harder than it should have.  Foot still a little sore after the long hike on Sat but not bad.   Just a very slight tinge of the pubalgia when warming up but nothing while and after running.  

The hand is fine.  No pain, no throbbing, nothing.  It's amazing ...  3 days after surgery and it's almost normal.  Sorry I put it off for so long.

Weight is good.  141.4 lbs after workout.  Need to do some core and band work, more form work.  Wednesday looks better, in the 50ºs.  I'll be back out then.  

Hiking

Taking a little time off from running so did some hiking today with Roya.  Was happy to find my new Sewanee faculty ID card opens the gate at Breakfield Rd., so we drove to the end and hiked for several miles all over the place.  Stopped at Dotson Point.

Hand surgery was really no big deal and was an instant fix for my carpal tunnel issue.  I played guitar 18 hrs after the surgery.  No pain.  They said I shouldn't run for a week, but I'm thinking by Tues or Wed I should be ok.  Will be doing Stairmaster tomorrow.  The hand will be an inconvenience for a while because I have to be careful while it heals.

Roya on the trail...

tempo 300s

Was happy to get back to Sewanee early enough to get this workout in.  I'm going to be down for a little while after some minor hand surgery tomorrow.  Probably do some hiking and maybe Stairmaster in a few days.  Resistance bands too.  Was a little sore after Tuesday's hills.   

Was cold tonight, about 39º by sunset with a light north wind and track was a little wet from earlier rain.  

Hoka trainers on

4 x 300m w/ 3 min rest - 51.1, 52, 52.3, 53.9

The 'bread n butter' of my training... tempo 300s.   These were on average a bit faster than last set and a bit more consistent.  The last one was brutal, as usual.

I finally can really say I'm over that pubalgia injury.  I'll continue to strengthen and hopefully will be racing in 7-8 weeks, maybe sooner.  

Weight is under control.   Been eating very light lately, but not particularly good.  Mostly just fruits, nuts, chocolate, and coffee.   141.2 lbs after workout.