stay relaxed while up on my toes

April 14, 2013--

I met up with my 4x100 teammates at Haverford College today at 4:30 to practice relay exchanges.  I got there earlier than the other guys and was able to do an extended warm-up.  I focused on dynamic stretching more than static stretching.  After we were situated and everyone was "warmed up," we decided that Nick would lead off, taking Brandon's place from last year.  The order would be the same as last year: Ross, me, then Wayne. 

The practice went well.  Wayne and I were good from the start.  With the exception of a minor timing issue, which we then resolved, we were 100% on target.  While Ross and Nick had a bit of a rocky start, things turned around nicely for them.  Ross' handoff to me was uneventful, but good.  I had to adjust the mark from 15' to 13'.  As our practice progressed, I got more fluid and I realized that I wasn't taking off from my spot at full speed.

After what amounted to several short dashes, I decided to conclude the workout with 2 100s, one in the form of a pick-up, the other nearly all-out.  The first was in 12.6, the second 12.0!  I kept my head down, looking at my feet, and tried to stay relaxed while up on my toes.  This goes to show me that I need to get a really good warm up, including exertions at full speed, in order to run faster.