Sunday, July 27, 2014

Not much else.

Sun--tired legs.  4 miles of walking and running.  Not much else.

Sat--Ocean City, MD.  6M.  44:30.  7:40/15:10/22:40 (mile 3)...44:30.  92nd street to between 38th and 39th streets and back.

Fri--3 Rustin Loops...6.4M
16:30
(32:30) 16:00
(47:20) 14:50


Tuesday, July 22, 2014

It would've been a mess.

Tues, 7/22/14-

Came home and did 4x1000 on the XC course.  Not a great workout.  Heavy legs.  Flat.  Tired. Demoralized.  Low motivation.  Stopped 1:30 into the third and fourth runs.  Bad boy!

3:35
3:38
3:31
3:36

Boy I'm glad I decided not to go to NY to race this evening.  It would've been a mess.

Mon, 7/21-Decided to take off since I wasn't sure about competing on Tuesday.

Sun, 7/20-got together with Rob for a workout.  Met at Conestoga HS, but left soon after because the track was unavailable due to resurfacing work.  Thought about Great Valley, but a lawsuit has led to the track being locked down.  Headed to WC East HS; it was closed, even though it's been advertised as being available during WC Henderson HS's track resurfacing.  Mad our way to Westtown School.  Decided on 8x200.  Moderate pace on account on Rob healing up and my plan to compete on Tuesday.  32s mainly with the exception of the 1st in 33 and the second in 34.

Friday, July 18, 2014

the meet was a "kiddie hop."

July 17, 2014--went to Westtown School's track in the early AM (6:30, later than usual on account of my summer hours) for "pick up reps" workout.  As designed for a 2:00 800m high school runner, the workout is 8x400 with 90 seconds rest.  400 #s 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 are supposed to be 70 seconds, while 400 #s 2, 5 and 8 are supposed to be in 64.  Since I knew I didn't have the guns to do this workout as designed, I made an important modification.  I turned the 400s to 300s.  I wanted #s 1,3,4,6, and 7 to be in 51 seconds, or 17 seconds per 100 meter.  The faster 300s I wanted to be in 48.  In the past, I've take three minutes' rest. This time I kept to 2:00. 
300: 34/51-high
300: 31/48-mid
300: 34/51-mid
300: 34/51-low
300: 31/48-low  
300: 34/52-low
300: 33/51-low
300: 30/46-low

Tiring!

July 16, 2014-My plan was to compete at the meet at Stockton State College (NJ).  Unfortunately, when I arrived at the meet at 5:55, having left work early at 4:15, I was happy to see all of the cheerful faces of children but disappointed by the same.  It appeared that the meet was a "kiddie hop."  The meet was free!  Even though I took time to change into my track stuff, my decision to leave was confirmed when the announcer instructed that runners would be grouped by age (not by time) and when it appeared that each race would be organized at the time of the race at the starting line.  This mean the meet would drag.  So, yes, I bagged the meet and went home, leaving at 6:20 and getting home at 7:45, a blistering drive from the Atlantic City area.

July 15, 2014-took off on account of the meet.

July 14, 2014-4.3M/2 Rustin loops.  Slow pace: loop 1 in 17:45; loop 2 in 16:45.  34:30.

Monday, July 14, 2014

My walks in-between were 2:00.

Monday, July 14th-This morning at 6:30 I decided to try the second of the two workouts that Phil mentioned: 400, 300, 200, 100...at 800 meter race pace with a 100 meter walk between each run.  Simple enough, I thought.  I hit my target times, which were supposed to coincide with a 2:05 800-meter race.

400: 62-high
300: 46-high
200: 30-mid
100: 14-low

The idea was to drop 1 second with each repeat.

My walks in-between were 2:00.

Sunday, July 13th--took off.  Yard work.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

A 3:00 workout, rest included

Saturday, 7/12-

I met up with Phil at Germantown Academy for what turned out to be one of the briefest yet more intense workout I've ever had.  I arrived at 8:45 or so and decided to start my warm up before Phil arrived.  On account of the football camp taking place on the field, I warmed up by running the perimeter of the athletic area of campus.  When I returned to my staging area, I check my phone and saw that Phil had sent me an email saying he was running a little late.  He'd arrive at 9:05 or so.  Once he arrived, he shared that he was thinking of one of two workouts: 600, 1 min rest, 200 OR 400, 300, 200, 100 with a 100 meter walk between each run.  I told him I was indifferent and that sometimes it's nice to have someone else decide the workout.   After he warmed up, he said we'd do the former workout, especially since getting kicked off the track wasn't altogether unlikely.

When it was clear that we had both warmed up sufficiently, we were ready.  Phil explained that his goal was to run 1:30 for the 600 meters, essentially race pace: 28, 57, 1:27.  I countered with 1:30: 29, 59, 1:30.  I was just hoping to hang close to him.  And I did for the first 400.  He was about 28; I was right behind him in 28/29.  He crossed the 400 in 58; I was a solid 59.  As I lost ground to him, I looked down and saw that I was at the 500m in 1:15.  My last 100 must've been 17 seconds, as I ended in 1:32-high.  Phil told me that he hit the mark in 1:29.  We'd be up for the 200 in 60 seconds.  He asked me if I was ready.  I was not for two reasons: I was tired as hell and I had not yet reset my watch.  I needed the entire 60 seconds.  As timed reached 50 seconds, Phil was ready to go.  Before I could reset my watch, he took off.  Three seconds later, I was behind him.  I covered the distance in marginal 33 seconds, while Phil managed a hard-fought 29.  The long and the short of it is that Phil is theoretically fit enough to run sub-2:00 (probably 1:59), and I am fit enough to run 2:06.  Incidentally, 2:06 was my seed time for last Tuesday's meet.  A 3:00 workout, rest included

Friday, July 11, 2014

I needed to feel like I was making an impact.

Friday, 7/11-went to the Y for a quick lifting session.

Thursday, 7/10-joined the early morning (5:40) crew for a run through town.  About two miles into the run we transitioned to 45 second pick-ups, followed by a 1:15 return to jogging pace...twelve (12) sets.  This was tough enough.  I reached the 4M mark in a pedestrian 29:15 and finished up my last interval (with Pete) along the industrial area heading towards Fern Hill Elementary School.  I took a 2-minute break and then headed onto Phoenixville Pike and then back towards the Chester Co. Hospital en route to the country club where my car was parked.  On the way, I stopped for another minute, feeling my legs ache as if a muscle would pull at any moment.  Boy did I feel flaccid.  I got myself together and returned to my car after about 53:00 and 7M.

Wednesday, 7/9-after yesterday's debacle, I took the day off...to think about the error of my ways.

Tuesday, 7/8-Went to Germantown Academy for the last meet in the series.  90+degrees with a thunderstorm on its way.  I was pleased to see that national track stars LaTavia Thomas, Kimarra (sp.) McDonald and Ajee Wilson, who was fresh off her 800 win at the USATF Championships in 1:58+, were there.  I wondered whether they would compete or, better yet, compete against me.

My plan was to do 100 as a warm up and then the 800 as my main event.  I arrived in time enough for a good warm up.  I felt fairly loose, although a little flat.  With a seed time of 12.10, my season best, I was assigned lane 5 in heat 4.  My heat featured all teenagers, including two girls, one in lane 6.  My practice start gave me a bit of confidence.

I felt like my start was marginal; I didn't really get much benefit, although I felt like I didn't pop up but rather stayed lower than usual.  At the 50m mark, I felt like I had the race in the bag.  Then, I saw to my right that the girl had pulled nearly even with me.  I began to press and panic, my goal being not to let her overtake me.  I out leaned her for the win in a disappointing 12.49.  This tied for my slowest time of the season, not a good showing.  Even though I had done only distance over the last week and a half, I still felt that a 12-low was in the cards.  So, I'm finished with the 100...at least for now.  It's frustrating that I plateaued in the 100 after such a promising start this season.

After a break, it was time to get myself ready for the 800.  I warmed up a little, but not a whole lot since I had competed in the 100.  Given the seed times for the 800, including my 2:06, I figured I'd be in heat 2.  Perfect, I thought.  As it turned out, LaTavia and Kimarra were in the first heat, whose seed times ranged from 1:49-2:01.  Teammate John Vu and I would be in a much less competitive heat 2.  His seed time was 2:04.9.  He asked multiple times about the pace of my first 400 and whether I wanted to lead.  I told him 60/61, but I deferred to him with respect to leading the first lap.  Perhaps that was a mistake.

When the gun went off, he took control of the race.  As we neared the backstretch, I could see that the score board clock read 00.00, meaning it hadn't started.  Oh shucks, I thought.  By the time we were 150m into the race, it was now on...12, 13, 14.  I started doing the math, wondering what our pace was at the 200.  I figured the clock was at least 12 seconds behind.  (As it turned out, based on the footage of the race, the clock was back on target by the time we entered the far turn.)  I realized that the pace had been a bit conservative as we entered the homestretch; the time at the finished line clock flashed 48, 49, 50.  John was still leading but starting to pull out to lane 2.  I initially thought this was his way of giving my license to pass.  I started to make a move, but he closed the space.  Seeing that we would be well over 60 for the first 400, I decided that I would take him at the 400 mark, which we crossed in 63-high.  I said to myself that I needed to even-split the race in order to make it worth something.  I led the next 100 meters.  On the backstretch, John swung wide, as the announcer said as much, and blew past me.  Another runner tried to take me before the 600m mark, but I held him off and made him run wide around the turn.  Coming up the homestretch, John extended his lead, while I basically strode the last 100.  I got passed.  While I had not given up, I was close.  With 10 meters until the finish line, I saw the clock reach 2:07, 2:08, 2:09.  I figured I had run 2:09 and change.  That's true if I use hand time: 2:09.9.  The official FAT was 2:10.09.  What a crime!  I walked off the track, knowing I had not done my best, knowing I hadn't left it all out there, knowing that I could break into a jog at any moment.

GA 800 7/8/14

Phil Reilly, who had run 2:05 in the first heat, and I chatted with LaTavia briefly.  She had run 2:03.  As we discussed her lack of sponsorship and need for funding for training and travel, Phil offered her a book.  I'd do something bold: I went to my car, grabbed a wad of $100 and offered it up to her as a personal donation.  She needed it, and I needed to feel like I was making an impact.  A few minutes later, her dad approached thanked me and she followed with a hung, just as the skies darken and opened up to a downpour.  I was happy to help.  Doing so made up for my suck fest earlier.

Monday, 7/7/14-took off

Sunday, July 6, 2014

arm carry and knee action good

Sunday, 7/6/14-Went to Westtown School's track for an easy pre-race workout: 4x150 and 2x200 in race pace (from a scratch start).  I tried to complete "patterned" runs, with the 150s in 22-mid and the 200s in 30.  I used my 400-1500m spikes, the ones I haven't competed in for some time since they make me feel a little slow.
150s: 22-mid; 23-low; 22-mid; 22-high (I had switched into my sprint spikes for comparison.  The last 150 felt more relaxed, although the time was a bit slower than desired.)
200s: 29-mid; 30-mid (For this last 200, I tried to imagine that I was running the final 200 of the 800.  I pretended to be tired over the first 100 and then kicking it in over the last 100, arm carry and knee action good.

I'm talking 8:30-9:00 pace!

Saturday 7/5-On account of my guilt for consuming a 1000 cal dessert Friday night, I ran a bit this morning before heading back east.  No worries: I did a very slow 3.2M.  I'm talking 8:30-9:00 pace!  By the end of vacation, I had approached the 40M mark.

Friday, July 4, 2014

My legs were a little tired.

Friday, July 4-
3:10 to start .3M
loop 1: 10:45  1.3M
loop 2: 10:15  1.3M
loop 3: 9:40   1.3M
loop 4: 9:10   1.3M
5.5M in 43:00
My legs were a little tired.

Walk to Fitness Center and then to  bungalow.

The beach area was really crowded today on account of Independence Day. 

I will take off tomorrow, as we will be traveling back to Philly in the morning.  I MAY lift, but it is unlikely I will run.  My legs need a little rest after this 35-mile week (6 days to be exact).  I haven't done a 35-mile week in about a year.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Another barebones workout

Thursday, July 3-
3:00 to start (.3M)
warm-up loop in 11:00 (1.3M)
2:00 to fitness center (.2M)
4 x .5M on treadmill, each in 3:00.  (2.0M)
3:00-4:00 upper bidy lifting between reps.
mile on treadmill: 6:00 (1.0M)
cool down walk to bungalow 
4.8M

Another barebones workout

Wednesday, July 2-
3:00 to start .3M
loop 1: 10:50  1.3M
loop 2: 10:15  1.3M
loop 3: 9:40   1.3M
loop 4: 9:10   1.3M
2:30 to bungalow  .3M
5.8M in 45:25

Tuesday, July 1-
3:00 to start (.3M)
warm-up loop in 11:00 (1.3M)
2:00 to fitness center (.2M)
mile 1 on treadmill: 6:30 (1.0M)
mile 2 on treadmill: 6:00 (1.0M)
mile 3 on treadmill: 6:00 (1.0M)
run from fitness center to start: 2:00 (.2M)
cool down loop in 11:00 (1.3M)
3:00 to bungalow (.3M)
6.6M