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.

tempo 300s again

Perfect weather, low 70ºs falling into the 60ºs with a light S wind at sunset in Sewanee.   Normally this would be a day off but since school is over, I'm going to try and go every other day if my body will hold up.  Not much time and elite fitness not here yet.  I'm thinking the fastest way to get there is by hammering it with alternating over distance and intensive tempo every other workout, with some weighted short sprints (dragging the 45lb plate).  Weights on days off.  4 weeks before first race, 8 weeks before the possible 800m at Hayward, and 9 weeks before Finland.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

3 x 300m w/ 3min rest - 49.50, 50.48, 53.17 (avg 51.05)

4 x 50m sprints with 45 lb plate 

Still couldn't get 4x.  I knew with 120m to go on #3 that I wouldn't make a 4th, so I pushed it in.  2 min after rep #3 my heart rate was still over 150 bpm so I couldn't do a 4th.  But an avg of a second faster than last time.  If I want 4x, I'm going to have to go easy on #1.  

I'd like to get the spikes on and see where I'm at but that would really be a waste of time at this point.  Maybe in 2 weeks or so.  

Getting lighter.  140.8 lbs after workout.

600s and weight pulls

 Nice weather for a workout, 60º and sunny, light north wind in Sewanee.   I'm registered for World Championships in Finland.   I think I can be ready in time but it's going to be a world of pain to get ready.  

The quickest way to get there is by doing overdistance and tempo.  Again, 600s today and then some weighted 40m sprints.  The 600s were brutal, of course.  But the good news, my body is holding up and the injury is just about gone!  I've been waiting a long time to say that.  I felt it after Friday's 600s, but not today.  My feet even felt a tad better.  The body is adapting to the training... slowly.   

Because the lacrosse team left their gear all over lane 1, I measured out a 600m in lane 6 with my metric wheel.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

2 x 600m - 1:47.40, 1:50.70

6 x 40m sprints on turf with 45 lb plate

About 3 sec faster than my last set of 600s.  The short sprints felt ok.  

142.1 lbs after workout.

 

Looks like registration is now complete for the World Championships.  37 registered for the M60 400m, five seeded under 59, just myself and Mike V. seeded under 58.  I can be fairly certain there will not be 3 rounds.  If 32 show up, that's 4 heats.  So, winner of each heat and next 4 on time.  

Tempo 300s

Beautiful evening in Sewanee, 72º and a south breeze.  My first 300m tempo set and it was pretty rough.  Judging by this workout, I was probably in better shape last November.   It was especially hard I think because it was my first tempo 300 set in months and because I spent 11-12 hours on my feet yesterday working around my house, then again this morning and afternoon, so I did still feel the injury and foot soreness.  And, I've been quasi-fasting, eating very little in an effort to lose this last bit of fat.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2x100, bands

3 x 300m w/ 3:00 rest - 50.07, 51.13, 55.56  (52.23 avg)

Yes, it was hard.  My second one felt kind of like my 3rd one usually feels.  Thoughts of me getting 4x were quickly diminished.  2 min after the third rep, my heart rate was still at 162 bpm.   I knew this was going to be hard.  And it is.  I was doing 4x300 w/ 3m avg 51.1 end of January - after the initial injury.  I was also lighter.  I need to be at least at that point before end of next month.    Now, have to fine tune my diet, strengthen, cross train.   

141.5 lbs after workout.  Not because I've lost the fat, but because I'm empty.  Have a ways to go.  

Possible schedule

I don't know how my training will progress, but when I'm finally able to race, I could begin racing every weekend beginning May 28.  It could serve as my speed day in my training cycle.

Here are the possibilities:

May 28 - PTC in Huntsville - or - Mark Trail in Atlanta

June 4 - Sunset Classic, Wheeler HS, Atlanta

June 11 - Track Lab Gladiators, Atlanta

June 18 - Alabama Heat, Oxford, AL

June 26 - USATF Masters Exhibition, Eugene OR

July 5, 6, 8 - WMAC Tampere, Finland

July 16 - PTC summer, Huntsville

July 28-31 - USATF Nationals, Lexington, KY

600s

Gorgeous night in Sewanee.  Low 70ºs near sunset.  I was a bit nervous about this workout, I was hell bent on getting some decent volume in, speed was secondary.  A long ways to go, but I got it done.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100

2 x 600m - 1:50, 1:53

I didn't kill these, just got 'em done.  My Sportcount timer battery died so I just got an estimate from my Gymboss, probably accurate within 0.5 sec.   This was about all I could do at the moment, with my foot and tendon injury limitations, but... I'm now training full scale and my injury is not getting worse.  But there is a long way to go.  

Last yr. on March 26, I did: 

600m - 1:42.06,  1:44.59 

500m - 80.94  

'split 400' - 300m - 43.54 / 1 min rest / 100m - 15.35

I also was 7 lbs lighter.  During that time I was hitting super low body weight of 136 lbs after workouts, partially due to high protein low carb diet with a lot of eggs.  I was 144 today before and 143 lbs after workout.  No way could I have tolerated that volume today.  I have 5lbs to lose and it's alway hardest to lose the last 5.  I expect I'll ramp up the volume and speed as I get in better shape.  We'll see how the intensive tempo goes this week.  Not sure if I'll do it Sunday or Tues.   Happy I had the right kind of battery to fix my Sportcount.  I'm going to need to ramp up the cross / strength training on off days as well.  Not much time before Hayward and still considering Finland.  

Summer vacation is here.  I'm loving this time of year.  

800

 Cool, dry, and sunny in Sewanee today, low 50ºs.  Decided it's time for foundation so ran an 800m.  It was rough.

Hoka trainers on

Stretches, drills, 2 x 100m, bands

800m - 2:40.47 (74.88, 85.59)

100m stride ~ 16

It was hard in my present shape.  Back in Oct, I was doing a lot of 2x800m workouts, early in the month, averaging 2:56ish, then down to 2:46 by the end of the month.  On 1/23 I ran a 1x800m workout in 2:34.5, so maybe be a few weeks before I'm there.  I was 2 lbs less then.  Still limiting my volume.  I wanted to do more but if I cool down too much, I'm risking injury if I go again.  I did a final 100m stride and it was stiff, slow, and clunky.  

So, next week I'll try a modest return to my routine of overdistance, speed, tempo.  I think my first tempo workout I may try a 3x300 w/2:30, or something similar.  Injury slowly improving - but not gone.  Can feel it slightly after the run.  Did some long lever heel bridge lifts on the hurdle after the run.  I think it would be a tall order to break 2:20 in an 800m by end of June at this point, but we'll see how it goes.

Weight is coming down, 142.8 after workout.

Went for a brief hike afterward.    Climbing up Green's View is a nice little workout in itself.  Wildflowers are blooming but spring is late.