Silver Medal - 800m, USATF Masters National Championships

I ran ok today, it was close between 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.   My time was 2:22.02, actually the slowest of five 800m races I've run in the past 2 yrs, but not by much.  Just 0.49 sec slower than I ran at Hayward.   (All 3 of my 800m races last year would have won this race).   The winner, Roger, had never run this fast before and I truly expected him to fold, but he didn't.  He led from beginning to end and won by a convincing margin, 2.5 sec.  I was not expecting him to be in the mix.  I thought it would be Kevin, David and I for the medals.  Oh well.  It was a good training run.  My splits were 69.90 / 72.12.   At Hayward: 70.02 / 71.51.  Pretty darn close.   

All my 800m races have been in a close range: 2:18.74, 2:19.02, 2:19.22, 2:21.53, 2:22.02.   The bottom line is:  NO! I am not moving up to the 800!

I actually find this race a bitch.  The only good things about it, is that it can be tactical, low chance of injury, and it doesn't require much of a warmup.  I don't think this will be my last 800m, but I wouldn't miss it if it were.  

Good news is that I ran it completely injury free, and am good to go for the 4x400m club relay tomorrow.  The GPTC has been exceptionally generous to me over the years, reimbursing me $$ for world and national meets.  Along with the USATF travel grants, I actually brought in a little $ this season.  

It's been great to see friends, had dinner with team members last night and a great seafood dinner tonight with Stephen, a killer Key Lime pie, and hanging out at the local funky coffee house.  I hope I don't gain too much weight now the season is over.

Sprinting makes you young.  We're all over 60....  

3x200 - last workout of the competitive season

Early afternoon, it was quite warm and humid in Sewanee.  Heat index in the low 90ºs on the mountain, near 100º down the mountain.   After biking up Roark's cove again today, I took a brief swim and did some water running. 

After a nap and a rain shower, I went to the track right at sunset.  Was a beautiful sky and some brief light drizzle.  Did a brief workout with 3x200m, trying to get at 800m race pace.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, bands, 100m

Nike Maxfly spikes on 

3 x 200m - 33, 32.63, 33.65

Was about right on the pace.  Wanted to get the spikes on and work on my stride and pace.  Definitely shouldn't be running any faster than 33-34 for the first 200m.   No problem with the injury, felt ok.  Not completely gone, but not bad.  

I'm hoping to run somewhere around 69 / 71 splits.    Funny, never thought I'd be running an 800m at Nationals as my only race.   Every person in this race that is competitive I think is also running the 1500m.  These are not sprinters, these are distance runners.  I think if I can stay close to the leader, I can out sprint anyone in this race in the last 80m.  The thing is, I shouldn't go out and try to lead the race, especially at the 600m mark.  There's always the danger of rigging up and losing my ending kick if I go too fast.  Anyway, a tactical race will be the way to go and not too fast a first 400m.  Need to reserve for that kick.  I really do hate this race.  It's going to be tough but I should be able to medal if I don't get injured, and barring any surprises.

First Nationals I've ever driven to.  

139.7 lbs after workout.  

600, 300

Tuesday at the track, it was a pleasant 77º early evening, but my usual silence was broke by a high school football team on the field doing a practice.  No problem though, was able to use the track.  Unfortunately, I noticed a bit more ham soreness than last time but got a few quality long sprints in ok.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2 x 100m

600m - 1:45.17 (68.47, 36.70)

300m - 47.79

This 600m was about race pace for an 800m.  Assuming a last 200 in 36, that would be 2:21.  

Due to the soreness in the ham, I probably won't do another significant workout before nationals, just a light workout on Thurs.  

139.5 after workout.

On Wed., I did a hard bike climb up Roark's Cove then some water running.   It was very warm.   It may have been my 2nd fastest climb of the year at 21:30.  

Today, Thurs... probably will likely bike, swim, and go to the track late for some warm up and a little running, not much.  Just trying to be careful so I can race on Sat.

Today, the meet starts and there seem to be very few declarations for the M60 400m.  Probably could have won it even with my injury.

600, 2 x 300, 100

Very warm today, but not as hot as Friday.  Partly cloudy, light winds, 84º with a heat index of about 90º at the Sewanee track.  Got a decent 600 in today.  Again, no fast sprinting! 

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 100m

100m - 16.65

600m - 1:45.91 (33.57, 36.27, 36.07 / 69.84, 36.07)

300m - 48.37

300m - 48.29

My 400m split on the 600m was about right for an 800m, and I followed with a 300m without complete rest.  My heart rate was still over 120 when I ran the first 300m, but rested longer before the 2nd.

Very little sign of my injury so I should be ok to race an 800m next weekend.

139.0 lbs after workout.  I expect to be back on the track Tues and Thurs.  

  

600, 300, bike climb, swimming

A little behind in my posting.  Fri and Sat were some of the hottest days of the year with heat indexes in the upper 90ºs.   Friday I did track, Sat ... was swim in the morning, bike climb in the afternoon. Today, Sunday, will be back on the track.  It's been good to get out in the heat to train, but limiting in volume and what I can do.  This is due mostly to the need to get back home by early evening to watch the World Championships from Hayward.  Today is the last day and I'll definitely be going through withdrawl... it's been wonderful.   Easily the greatest track meet ever held on American soil and in the greatest venue.  If you missed it, sorry for you.  What a spectacle ... history being made.  

Friday at 2:20 pm, Sewanee was about 89º, heat index 98º.   Here's Friday...

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 100m

100m - 17.1

600m - 1:49.07 (35.71, 37.26, 36.10 / 72.97, 36.10

300m - 47.59 

The 600m was slow, probably 2:28 pace or so.  I didn't kill myself and ran the 300m afterward with only several min rest.  That was hard.  I just wanted to get the 600m in and complete it despite the heat.  Fortunately, the weather in Lexington for Nationals should be ok, only in the low 80ºs.   

Was 138.5 lbs after workout, but ate quite a bit on Saturday.  Dinner out on Friday night with friends and dinner out Sat. afternoon.  

Saturday, celebrated Roya's birthday and after swimming in the morning, we went out for some Jamaican jerk chicken in the mid afternoon, giving us and small window for biking before the track meet.  So, I climbed up Roark's cove Rd. on the bike.  

If my foot holds up ok, I'll do another 600 this afternoon and hopefully, more.  Should be warm, but not as hot as Friday, heat index about 90º.

4,3,2,3

Y esterday it was very warm, about 86º with a dewpoint in the mid 70ºs yielding a heat index in the mid 90ºs.  One of the warmest workouts I've done this year.  Occasional light S wind and partly sunny.  When it's this warm, the difference between sunny and cloudy is huge.  I ran some of this workout in direct sun and was there earlier than usual, about 4:30pm in order to get back and watch the World Championships.  Tomorrow will be hard, because I will need to be out in the hot part of the day because I have a dinner commitment at 5.  It's forecast to be 91º, heat index probably near 100º.    I think training for middle distance in the heat adds an extra layer of conditioning because it's just that much harder to train in this heat.  For example, I was intending to run a 600 on my first run, and I shut it down after 400m.  

Still nothing faster than 800m pace...

Hoka trainers on

Stretches, drills, 2x100

400m - 71.20

  - 2 1/2 min rest

300m - 53.31

  - 4 min rest 

200m - 31.68

  - 12 min rest

300m - 49.96

A decent amount of volume while not killing myself.  Can still feel the injury, but it's definitely different.  Lower and in a specific muscle.  It is sensitive throughout the muscle from the mid ham.  Doesn't feel like muscle, more like a nerve.  The foot is starting to get sore as I put the volume in.  

Four more workouts before Nationals.  Getting my weight back under control.  139.3 lbs after workout.  Have taken a hiatus from eating bread, that helps.  

Hoping to swim and bike today.  

Sweating is good.

600, 3x200, 100

Nice weather to train today, upper 70ºs, humid, cloudy and calm winds.   I put in some decent volume today and nothing fast.  The injury seems ok, just some slight residual soreness.  Definitely want to keep it every other day on the track.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, 2x100

100m - 14.97

600m - 1:48.50 (32.69, 36.15, 39.66 / 68.84, 39.44)

3 x 200m - 4-5 min rest - 33.56, 32.80, 31.37

I went out a bit too fast in the 600m and it about killed me.  Definitely should not try to run the 800 any faster than 69 first lap.  Definitely need work, not as fit as I was in June.  Will have about 5 more workouts before Nationals.  

140.4 lbs after workout.