I had run someone else's race

Feb 7, 2016-

Even after competing in the 800 yesterday, I met up with the group at Radnor HS for a little action.  I needed a little flogging after a somewhat disappointing, I suppose.   

I warmed up, but not particularly well.  I didn't get my legs up for large muscle stretching.  Perhaps I should have.

I hemmed and hawed about what I wanted to do, choosing from among:

1. 3x400 in 60, with a 10-minute rest between each.
2. 2x400, 2x300, 2x200.  The 400s would be in 30-31 sec/200 pace, the 300s would be in 29-30 sec/200 pace, and the 200 would be in 28-29.  This would essentially mean my 400s would be in 60-62, my 300s in 45-46, and my 200s would be in 29-30.  The break between the 400s would be 10 min, the break between 300s would be 8 min, and the break between the 200s would be 6 min.
3. 600, 500, 400, 300, 200.  Each 200 meter segment is one second faster than the previous.  Choose a 400-meter race goal time and follow that workout.  For example, if 53-54 seconds is my 400 meter race goal, do a 1:36 600m, followed by a 1:17.5 500m, followed by a 60 second 400m, followed by a 43.5-second 300, followed by a 28-second 200.
4. Falling in line with what most of the group wanted to do, which turned out to be 5x150.

I chose to fly nearly solo with my 3x400.  Most of the group chose to do 150s. 

Trial 1: I got out well, crossing the 100-meter mark in 13/14.  I relaxed on the backstretch, reaching the 200 mark in 28/29.  As I hit the homestretch, I tried not to over use my arms.  I crossed the 400 in 60-mid.

I walked a 400.

Trial 2: Feeling fully recovered after 7:00, I decided to go into the next 400.  I reached the 100 in 14 and the 200 in 29.  I knew at this point that I should have taken the full 10-minute rest.  I looked at my watch at the 300 mark and saw 45.  I tried to relax over the last 100, finishing the lap in 61-high.

I walked a 400.  This time I would take the entire 10 minutes-plus some, on account of losing 3:00 of the previous rest period and of waiting for John Curtis to join me.  He said he wanted to do my last 400 with me since the 150s group would be doing only five (5) repeats. 

Trial 3: After 12:00, I was ready to go.  I took to the track like I had on the first 400.  I reached the 100 in 13/14 and the 200 in 28.  Chuck K. joined me with 200 to go and Duncan with 150 to go.  I tried to keep pace over the last 150, looking down at my shadow as I went stride-for-stride with Chuck K.  I finished up in 59.01.  Booyah!  

My butt was locked up afterwards, though.  

I was pleased with the workout, given I had competed yesterday.

If I do this workout in the near future, I'll either do 4x400 in 61 or 3x400 in 59.

Feb 6, 2016

I arrived at 1:05 for the Frank Colden Invitational at Ursinus.  I learned that the meet was running about 15-20 minutes ahead of schedule.  I warmed up on the outdoor track soon after arriving.  Lanes 1-4 were completing snow-piled.  I stretched thoroughly inside the arena.   I checked in and learned that, with a seed time of 2:06.78, I would be in lane 2 of heat 3 of 4.  (Mark Williams was assigned heat 1, his seed time being 1:56+.)  At about 1:45, I went back outside to run a couple of pace runs.  I put on my spikes and did a 100 in 14-mid.  I then did another 75-meter pickup.  Pace achieved, I returned to the field house for last-minute preparations. I stretched a little more and did a couple of strides.  I was ready, or so at least I thought.

I tried to visualize the race, thinking specifically about last week's 600-meter time trial.  When it was time to come to the line, I felt like the old guy amidst of sea of young heads.  I was a little self-conscious.  Four of us were situated "up"; the rest were on the back line.  The gun went off and I went right out with the guy in lane 1, who was from Chestnut Hill.  Forty meters into the race the gun went off again: we were being called back to the line after someone had fallen to the ground.  

I took my time walking back.  After a moment, we lined back up to hear the gun.  Like the first, I took off after the guy in lane 1.  I tucked in right behind him.  At the 150-mark, it appeared that two guys in the inner lanes would beat me to the 200.  I wasn't having any of that.  Thanks to a surge over the last 30 meters of the first lap, I demonstratively took the second position.  The time was 30 seconds.  Over the next lap I felt the leader had slowed down some. I thought about passing him on the inside and then on the outside, but he surged whenever he sensed my senses.  We would cross the 400 in a pedestrian 63.  I felt good, though.  He sped up a bit on the third lap, perhaps feeling that I was on his tail.  I hit the 600 in 1:34/1:35.  I was miffed.  I was a full 3-4 seconds off pace.  I went to my arms and toes over the last 200, coming within reach of the leader.  With 50 meters to go, however, he kicked it in, beating me by close to a second.  He ran 2:07.71; I ran 2:08.63.  (Mark ran 2:00.36.)  I was disappointed, as I had run someone else's race.  30/63(33)/1:35(32)/2:08(33).  I was hoping for 29/60(31)/1:31(31)/2:04(33).

I finished and, without even stopping to catch my breath, headed to the shoulder of the track.  Breaking into virtually a jog, I headed to get my stuff.