Saturday, April 28, 2012

Summation

Friday--Penn Relays. 
Took the day off from work. 
Made my down to Penn to meet up with the team at 10:00 adjacent the ice skating rink near the newly built turf field and athletic area.
Was on time--yes!
Waited for some team members to arrive.
Made way to stands at about 10:30.
Hung out there only for a few minutes before heading out to warm up with the team.
Headed back down to the turf area to warm up.  Chilly--about 55 degrees at the highest and with 30-40mph winds.  Glad we decided to wear long, black tights!
Stayed down there until about 11:45, then headed back.
Felt pretty warmed up especially after I dipped my legs in Icy Hot!
Stayed warm while in the paddock areas. 
Had to wait what seemed like forever in the first paddock.
Time in the second paddock was minimal.  Yes!
Was awesome being escorted to the second exchange zone for the third runner.
Got a chance to stride onto the field and do a pick-up or two, unlike for the 4x400.
Lane 3.  Not bad at all.
And the gun went off.
Couldn't see Brandon until 20-30 meters before he handed off to Ross.
First exchange successful.
We seemed to be doing fine.
Ross came barreling down the straightaway.
I felt like I got out fine.
Got the baton successfully.
Seemed like I caught two guys on the curve, definitely the one in lane 4.
Handed the baton off to Wayne, who took it home.
The race went so fast.

The team seemed disappointed.  But, it was all in good fun, right.

Here is what Wayne wrote this morning:

Nice job yesterday. I am a little disappointed that the Second Wind anchor


passed me but I looked and was surprised to see the he runs a 11.7 FAT.

Still I should have held him off.
I was talking with the OD 4 x 1 team and they are running in the June 3rd NJ
championships and the Mid-Atlantic Champs on June 9th.

I would be up for running in both of those.
Thoughts?

Wayne

 
Here is what I wrote to my comrads--

I know you guys are a little disappointed, but I think everyone ran just fine. Perhaps next year, as I mentioned yesterday, we can get together for a few full speed workouts well in advance of the meet.
Incidentally, based on historical knowledge of the 4x100, relay teams typically run about 2-3 seconds less than the sum of their (4) open 100 meter times. That means if our open 100 meters times total 49.0 seconds (average of 12.25 apiece, then we should be able to run 47.0. In a sense, yesterday's race suggested that our average open 100 time is more like 12.5, bringing our collective total to 50 seconds. Deduct two seconds and we get 48 seconds. There you have it! 48.08.
I am up for racing on the 3rd and especially the 9th of June. Last year I ran the 4x800MR at Widener. Chances are I won't be doing both the 4x100 and 4x800 (or the 4x400!).

Wish the GPTC M40 4x400 luck today!


Thurs--drove to the Y, warmed up, lifted upper body, and cooled down.

Wed 4/25--went to the track and ran 3 150s in 20 sec.

Tues 4/24--ran 4.4M and stretched.

Mon 4/23--went to the track.  Warmed up, stretched, then cooled down.

Sun 4/22--ran 4.4 recovery run.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

For now, I will accept these season bests.

4/21--meet at Widener.

My daughter and I made our way to Widener, arriving at about 11:50 for a 1:05 race--the 400m.  (The 400s race wound up starting at about 12:50.)  The day was pretty mild, partly sunning and in the early 70s with a slight wind.  I warmed up but felt a little tight.   I just kept at it until I could feel some of the tightness subside.  I was assigned lane 6 in heat 4 of 5.  Initially, it appeared that I would be in the outside lane by my lonesome but, as it turned out, there was someone in lane 7.  So, I believe lanes 2-7 were occupied.  Like all the other guys, I used starting blocks.  When I got down into my blocks, I heard a voice say that I wasn't ready for this race, that it just didn't feel right.  (I wasn't particularly nervous or excited.)  Then, I decided on a race plan: relax during the first 200, let the guy in lane 6 pull me through the 200, and do not lose ground on anyone--even those I could not see in lanes 2-5.  The gun went off.  I got out reasonably well.  I ran the backstretch relaxed; the plan was working.  I got to the 200 mark and started my push.  I ran the 3rd 100 "hard," which probably means I maintained my same pace.  I came off the turn tied for 1st.  I tried to get my knees up but it wasn't working so well.  I broke down with 50 meters to go.  By this point, I lost my lead to one guy. I was passed by a second guy and a third pulled nearly even with me.  I held him off and ran 53.71 to his 53.72.  I outleaned him.  Oh yeah--I had decided to wear my old spikes.  They're now my lucky old spikes!

After I cooled down, I relaxed for the next hour or so and then transitioned into my preparation for the 200, which was scheduled for 3:15.  Again, the meet was running ahead of schedule.  The warm-up for the 200 was unremarkable.  I felt pretty good and confident.  I was assigned lane 3 of heat 4 of 5.  Lanes 1 and 2 were scratches.  The other lanes were filled.  I decided going into the race that I would relax on the turn and then get my legs up going into the straightaway.  This was the plan as long as I didn't lose ground on the turn. This plan worked reasonably well, but in retrospect I slept on the turn.  I could've run it more aggressively and still accomplished my goal of getting my knees up and relaxing on the straight.  I came off the turn tied for third and blew by the guy on my outside when I hit the straightaway.  I couldn't quite catch the others as I ended my campaign in 24.72.  This could've been a faster race.  (TNT runner Kyle Lanier confidently declared that I'd break the 24-second barrier.)  Perhaps in due time.  For now, I will accept these season bests.
4/20--drove to the Y and lifted a bit. Nothing special, just 15 minutes.

 4/19--legs felt tired. Went to the track at 5:50 AM with hopes of running 100s, but my legs felt heavy. I wound up just warming up and doing drills. Then I just cooled down and stretched. It's just as well. I guess my body told me that I needed rest.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

the assumption this workout is based on

4/18--2 Rustin loops; easy pace. 33:35. Set out to do 3, but felt it better to stop after 2 and stretch rather than do 3 and not have time to stretch.

4/17--moderate sprint work. Went to Westtown track to some 100s. Did 1 then walked back 50 meters, did another, then walked back 50m, and so on. Wound up doing a total of seven to complete a "full" lap around the track. The goal was to do them in 13s. I fell shy of that on account of my stiff, tight legs. 14,14,13,13,13,13,13. Ideally, I need to run each of these a second faster since none of the 100s were low 13 or better, the assumption this workout is based on.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The past 7 Days in Review

4/16--took off

4/15--ran to Y with DJ (28:14), lifted and then ran back (28:14 again). That run is hilly enough. 7.5M

4/14--competed at WCU. I tried my luck at the 100 and 200. The day was generally very nice, somewhere in the upper 60s, I think. I arrived early enough to get in a nice warm up. It was a little disconcerting warming up among the college kids, most of whom are probably exactly half my age. At any rate, I felt a little tight but not enough to put my race on the shelf. For the 100, I was in lane 3 in the 4th of 4 heats. There were six runners in my heat, one--Gary (of TNT)--a masters runner in his 50s. I got out as well as I could, given my lack of practice. Though my drive phase was nonexistent, I felt reasonably well throughout the race. I finished up thinking I had run faster. As it turned out, I ran 12.2 ht or 12.43 FAT, a bummer. I had planned to make it up in the 200. Some of the same cats were in the 200. I was in lane 5 in heat 3 of 3. There was someone to my outside and 3 or 4 to my inside. Given that I ate up the Widener kid to my outside by the 50 meter mark, I thought I had gotten out well and was in for a strong time. I reached the straightaway and was tied for the lead with someone from Gloucester Comm. Coll. I went stride-for-stride with him for the next 50 meters until he overtook me with about 50m to go. My son timed me in 24.10, so I figured that perhaps I had run in the mid to high 24 range FAT. Boy was I wrong. I ran 24.9 ht, or 25.10 FAT, another bummer. I really expected to run a half-second faster in each race. Really. Perhaps--as I always say--too ambitious. I need to get more speedwork in, because I surely do want to run sub 54 at Penn.

Oh, yeah. My son vows never to time again because he says he sucks at it. I told him not to be too hard on himself; he was 50 meters or so away from me and he probably hit his watch at the sound of the gun, not at the sight of the smoke.

4/13--off

4/12--Rustin loop easy. Practiced handoffs at Penn with my 4x100 teammates: Wayne, Ross and Brandon.

4/11--6x150- 22,21,20,20,19,20,

4/10--Henderson. Did 5x800 (instead of 1 mile, 800, 1 mile, 800, and only if you had it in you, 1 more mile). My times ranged between 2:45 and 2:55.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Actual

4/9--went to the Y at 6AM. Alternated between miles and lifting. 1st 2 miles in 7:00. 3rd mile in 6:20. The upper body lifting went well.

4/8--did 3 Rustin loops with DJ.

The plan was to start at 8 min pace and end at 7 min pace: loop 1 17:30, loop 2 16:30, loop 3 15:30.

Actual:
Loop 1: 17:30
Loop 2: 16:30
Loop 3: 14:49--last mile in 6:33

6.6M in 49:48.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

The good thing is

4/8

4/7--Russian intervals. As designed for a high school 2:00 800m runner, Russian intervals consist of 5x(3x300m @ 48 w/jog 100m at 30-sec) with an 800m jog between sets. My plan was to do "modified" Russian intervals: 5x(2x300m @ 48 w/60 sec rest (30 sec walk + 30 sec jog) with an 800m jog between sets.

My runs:
47/48
47/48
48/47
48/48
48/46

The good thing is that I felt fairly relaxed at the 200, which I hit in 31 sec for most of the 300s.

I was pleased with the workout, although I wish I could do 5 sets of 3 300s in the same fashion. Perhaps I could if I had a training partner.

4/6--ran 3 mi on treadmill in hotel.

4/5--en route to Boston to visit Boston U and Brandeis U, followed by NY (4/6) to see Bard College and Vassar College. Took Thurs off since we left at an ungodly hour.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Then again, maybe I'm not

Today I did what I set out to: 2 x 450 (goal--60 seconds at the 400) with a rest of 15 minutes and 3 x 200 at 32 31 30 with a rest of 3 minutes. I wound up reaching each of the 400s in 61 seconds and each 450 in 69; the second one was a little faster than the first: 29/61/69; 30/61/69. My 200s were 30,29,27. I feel good about the workout, although I'm still a second off where I should be. Then again, maybe I'm not. My 200s were faster than those of the April 2009 workout.

I then left to volunteer at my son's meet, Rustin Invitational.

I was with them (temporarily)

Wednesday, 4/4/12. Today I plan to do 2 x 450 (60 seconds at the 400) with a rest of 15 minutes and 3 x 200 at 32 31 30 with a rest of 3 minutes. I hope to hit 60s at the 400 mark, with a walk of 400 and a jog of 1200. I hope to do the 200s in 31, 30, and 29 with a walk of 100 and a 300 jog. I will be volunteering at my son's meet, Rustin Invitational. I have to head out to purchase some food and supplies.

Tuesday, 4/3/12. Yesterday I made my usual trek to Henderson to meet up with the distance group. Warmed-up a mile. The workout today was 5X1200 with a 200 meter jog recovery. (This day three years ago we did 5x1200.) I figured I would do 5x1000 instead, with the goal of running 3:30. The first one was 3:35; I crossed the 800 in 2:54. The second one was 3:31 (2:51). The third one was 3:29 (2:47). The fourth one was 3:32 (2:51). The fifth one promised to be fast, as I paced off Scott Burns and two young newcomers. They were flying, as they had been the entire workout. I was with them at the 400 in 1:17, but I realized at 700 meters that I was weakening. I stopped at the 800 in 2:31. I had nothing in my legs together, which sucked. I drove to drop off the van at West Chester Tire & Service and jogged home from there for an additional 2.7 miles. Today's total--around 7 miles

Refer to Tuesday, 4/7/09 and Wednesday, 4/8/09

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

What I accomplished

Monday--lifted at the Y.

Sunday, 4/1--I wound up doing Sit 'n Kick Reps. My plan was 5x (400m @ 64 . . . rest 60-sec . . . 150m @ 21) jog 1400m btw sets. What I accomplished: 65/22; 64/21; 64/21; 63/21; 62/21.

Three years ago today I had planned the following: 5x (400m @ 64 . . . rest 45-sec . . . 150m @ 21) jog 1200m btw sets. What I accomplished? 62/22; 64/20; 63/21; 64/21; 60/20. Gave myself 60-sec rest, not :45. Legs were heavy after a while. Made it through, though.

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Let's see what I do today

Sunday, 4/1--I am planning to do Sit 'n Kick Reps. This time three years ago I had planned the following: 5x (400m @ 64 . . . rest 45-sec . . . 150m @ 21) jog 1200m btw sets. What I accomplished? 62/22; 64/20; 63/21; 64/21; 60/20. Gave myself 60-sec rest, not :45. Legs were heavy after a while. Made it through, though.

Let's see what I do today.

Saturday, 3/31--did not compete at Widener or workout. Did a college visit with my son instead. Not much to report.

Friday, 3/30--Because I knew I wasn't going to compete at Widener on Saturday, I did 3 Rustin loops, or about 6.5-6.6M in 48:35. 17:25; 16:05; 15:05.