Sunday, January 29, 2017

legs turn into wood

Sat, 1/28/17

With only Bruce, Chuck Shields and me there we were a little thin in number, though thick with heart.  After some indecisiveness, we settled on 4x300 at a good clip with 7 minutes' rest (a 300 meter walk back to the start).  

My goal pace was 44 seconds (14/15/15)
Bruce's goal pace was 47 seconds (15/16/16)
Chuck's pace was about 54 (18/18/18)

In order to accommodate these various paces, we would have a staggered start in which Chuck would go first, Bruce would launch a few seconds later, and I would go a few seconds after Bruce.

Trial 1: I got out well, crossing the 100-meter mark in 14.  I relaxed on the turn, reaching the 200 mark in 29.  As I hit the homestretch, I tried not to over use my arms.  I crossed the 300 in 44-mid.  Bruce and I caught Chuck with about 70 meters to go.  I realized Chuck needed a bigger head start on account of a sore hamstring and modest speed work.  Bruce hit 47xx. I finished near even with Bruce.  Chuck hit 55.

We walked 300.

Trial 2: Feeling fully recovered after 7:00, it was time for the next 300.  Chuck would go, Bruce would go five seconds (not three), and I would go three seconds after Bruce.  I reached the 100 in 13/14 and the 200 in 28/29.  I was gaining on Bruce and we both were gaining on Chuck.  We didn't catch Chuck this time on account of the extra two seconds' lead time and his quickened pace (53).  I tried to relax over the last 100, finishing in 44-low. Bruce ran 47xx.  He said he was feeling his legs turn into wood!

We walked 300.  

Trial 3: After 7:00, we were ready to go.  Using the same time lapsed start, we were off.  I could tell from the first 100 meters that Bruce was starting to wane some: He wasn't gaining as much ground on Chuck and I was gaining ground on him.  I reached the 100 in 14 and the 200 in 29. When I reached Bruce with 80 meters to go, I told him to push it, that he could do it!  I tried to keep pace over the last 100.  I finished up in 45-low.   

We walked 300.

Chuck shared that he had overdone it, the his hamstring was sore and tight.  Bruce said he was done, that he couldn't do anymore, that his legs had become wooden.  

Trial 4:  After 7:00, I found the line by my lonesome. I took the first 100 in 13/14, crossed the 200 in 28/29, and finished up in 44-low.

My butt was locked up afterwards, though.  

I thought my performance today was okay.  I really needed to do 3x400 in 60.

Friday, 1/27/17-

5:50AM run of 4.6 M in 34:30

Thurs, 1/26/17-
Went to Westtown School for a 5:45AM workout of 6x150 with 2 minutes' rest (walking 150 meters back to the 150 start rather than jogging 250 meters).  The goal was to do the first three in 21-mid and the second three in 20-mid, or 55-second 400 pace.

#1: 21-mid
#2: 21-low
#3: 21-low
#4: 20-mid
#5: 21-low
#6: 20-mid

Wed, 1/25/17-
Went to the YMCA at 5:55 for a 20-min lifting session.

Tues, 1/24/17-
Hills in West Chester Borough with the "crazies," all 60 of them.  

We tried something new today, or at least it was new to me.  Running hard, we started at Biddle and High Streets, went up Biddle, took a left on Matlack, took another left on Lafayette and finished at Walnut, where we broke into a jog back to the start of Biddle & High.  The hard running was about .31M or 500 meters.  The entire loop was 700 meters, making our jog recovery 200 meters (about 75 seconds).  We did five of them, finishing the last one at Lafayette and Walnut.  I did okay, spending most of my time just ahead of John Lavin, while the top group got away from us.  John and I closed in some on Kevin over the last two loops, with John in front of me by 15 meters the entire last loop.  The top group finished 120-140 meters ahead of me.  

Mon, 1/24/17-Cannot recall.  Bummer.






Sunday, January 22, 2017

in light of

Sunday, Jan 22, 2017-Went for an easy 5M (4.95M) run.  36:45, 7:21/mile.  It felt pretty good, especially in light of competing yesterday and still being sick.

January 21, 2017--Collegeville Invitational

I arrived at about 12:30.  I learned the meet was running a few minutes ahead of schedule.  I warmed up immediately.  I had a good series of stretching   Eventually, I found out I was in heat 7 (of 10) lane 2.    There were five of us in the section, one to my inside and three to my outside.  I got out okay when the gun went off, making up the stagger on lane 2 by the 100 meter mark.  Coming into the homestretch I felt the guy in lane one try to beat me to the break.  I surged and got there first.  I hit the 200 mark in 26xx.  I was in the lead.  I held the lead through the finish, winning by 1.5 seconds.  Coming up the stretch I tightened, as I looked at the clock tick up 51, 52, 53, 54, 55.... I thought I had run 56-low.  My official time was 56.49.  I guess that's where I am right now.  Perhaps a faster heat may have produced a fast time. 

I jogged a bit and readied myself for the 200.  I was assigned lane 6 AGAIN in heat 9 of 11.  All lanes were filled.  At least I was able to use starting blocks.  I got a good start out of the blocks and seemed smooth through the turn.  It was a close race.  I got third in my heat, running a 25.45. 

Body-wise, I felt good.  

Friday, January 20, 2017

no time for third one

Thurs, 1/19/17

40-degrees
I went to Westtown School at 5:45 AM for a short, pretty easy workout of 3x150 and 3x100, in preparation for Saturday's meet at Ursinus.  This was the same pre-race workout I did on this day last year.  

150s: 21-mid, 20-mid, 20-low.  2:40 rest/jog between runs
100s: 13-low, 12-high, --- no time for third one. 2:00 rest

Last year's marks:

150s: 22-low, 21-mid, 20-mid.  2:30 rest/jog between runs
100s: 13-high, 12-high, 12-mid. 2:30 rest

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Really Easy Pace

Wed, 1/18/17-Ran 4.5M around the neighborhood at a really easy pace of 8:00/mile.  36:00

Tues, 1/17/17-Went to the Y and did 20 minutes of lifting.

Monday, January 16, 2017

I was not thrilled with this workout

January 16, 2017

Rather than frustrate and disappoint myself with lackluster 400 times, for my sit 'n kick workout I choose to do 300s instead of 400s, followed by 200s. And instead of a 1200 meter jog I did 1000. There would be 100 meter jog, exactly 60 seconds, between the 300s and 200s and 1000 meter job, or 8:20-8:30 between sets). 

I managed:
49-mid/32-low (66 pace)
49-low/31-high (66 pace)
49-mid/31-mid (66 pace)
48-high/31-low (65 pace)
48-low/30-low (65 pace)

Even though I am still sick and my breathing is off, I was not thrilled with this workout.  I expected to run 48/30. 

Sunday, January 15, 2017

My breathing was labored.

Jan 14, 2017

Went for an easy 5M (4.95M) run.  37:50, 7:34/mile.  Too bad it didn't feel as easy as it should have.  On account of still being sick, my breathing was labored.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

The plan was for takers

The plan was for takers to meet at Radnor at 8AM.  Showing up were Bruce, Neil, Chuck, Andrew, and a woman whose name I cannot recall. (Chuck and Neil did some work with her while Bruce, Andrew and I stretched.) 

The plan was to do 12 x 200 with 2:30 rest.  My target pace was 30-31, Chuck’s was essentially the same, and Andrew and Bruce’s pace was 33. 

My runs were: 31.4, 31.6, 31.8, 30.4, 30.6, 30.5, 30.6, 30.0, 29.5, 29.7, 30.5, 29.3.

Our rest hovered in the 2:10-2:15 range for the first 4, between 2:15 and 2:30 for the second four, and between 2:30 and 2:45 for the last four.  See a pattern!

Neil hopped in with us for 4 of the last 5; he looked good!  He hit 30xx on his first of the four.


I'd say this is 2:08-2:10 800m work.  If I am going to take 2:30 of rest, then these 200s need to be in sub-30.

I am hopeful

Thurs, Jan 12--I left work much earlier than usual (3:05) to meet Rob at 4:00 at the Crown Plaza in Willow Grove to head to The Armory.  I arrived early and changed in the parking lot.  I even stopped by Home Depot.  We left a couple minutes after 4:00 and made it to NYC in no time, encountering modest traffic.  We reached the parking lot at about 5:45 and waited in the lobby for just a few minutes before heading upstairs to the venue.  We completed our registration sheets since we weren't listed as having registered. HS students were still practicing on the track.  They were dismissed at 6:30, at which time those waiting to compete in the evening's meet were permitted to warm up.   The meet was to start at 7:00.  The events for the evening were simple enough: 1000, 600, and 3000, organized women before men and fast to slow.  The start of the 600 was scheduled for 7:40. 

I did a mile.  I stretched much like I had for the Sprint Night in December.  I felt a little sore.   

Rob and I waited around a bit and learned that there were just two heats of the women's 1000 and  five heats of the men's.  

Eventually, our event was called and we checked in.  It was well after 7:45 at this point.   With a seed time of 1:29.22, I was placed in heat 5 (of 8), lane 4.  My bib number was none other than 1989.  Rob was assigned heat 7, with his seed time of 1:35.  John Goldthorp (great to see him!) was in heat 6 with a seed time of 1:32.

The winner of the first heat, conspicuously, was a Russell Dinkins, with a time of 1:20xx.   

I spoke with Peter Brady right before our race.  He wanted to know what I was hoping for at the 400 mark.  When I told him 59xx, he said he had hoped he'd be able to follow suit, having run an amazing 1000-meter race an hour earlier (He came through the 800 meter mark in 2:04!).  Their 1000 meter performances?  Take a look and weep/celebrate!

11 Brady, Peter                 Cptc New Bal           2:36.20   2
30.120 (30.120)  
1:01.194 (31.074)  
1:32.378 (31.184)  
2:04.273 (31.896)    
2:36.192 (31.919)

12 Williams, Mark               Garmin Runne           2:36.73   2
29.965 (29.965)  
1:00.980 (31.016)  
1:32.243 (31.263)  
2:04.472 (32.230)   
2:36.721 (32.249)

When our heat for the 600 meter was up, I felt a little sluggish. I tried to turn my thoughts positive.  There were seven of us, three on the back line and four up top.   When the gun went off, I was not very aggressive at all.  I fell right behind Peter.  At the 100m mark, I realized that I would be behind at the break.  I was right.

In order to avoid falling too far behind, I surged over the last 20 meters of the backstretch to beat someone at the turn.  I was in fifth place now; there were two guys behind me.  At the 300 mark, I could see that Peter Brady had surged and was now in the lead.  I certainly wish I could have been there.  Coming up the homestretch and closing in on 400 meters, I saw 59, 60, having seen 29 at the 200.  I was at 60 seconds.  Knowing I should have hit the 400 at least a second faster, I started to push, going to my arms, trying to get my knees up and pressing with my toes.   I felt myself gaining on the group.  I kept driving.  I saw the clock as I hit the top of the straightaway: 1:23, 1:24, 1:25, 1:26, 1:27, 1:28, 1:29, 1:30....  1:31.49  it was.  I was of course hoping to better my time from three years ago.  A little more umph and I could have hit 1:30.  

Overall, I felt good about the race, particularly since I ran 29.836 (29.836) 1:00.547 (30.711) 1:31.483 (30.937)   Between this even race and the first races of this season, I have some work to do.  I know I am a second or so off where I should be for the 400 and two or three off where I should be for the 800.  

Rob ran a nice race as well.  Initially miffed, he was beaming with joy, and for good reason, when I told him he ran even splits: 32.508 (32.508) 1:04.568 (32.060) 1:37.235 (32.668).


I am hopeful that we'll both reach our 400m and 800m goals this season.  I'd like to run :54 and 2:05, respectively.  30.5, 61.5 (31), 1:32.5 (31), 2:05 (32.5).  Oh smack!

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

I was tight!

Jan 10, 2017

I headed to my alma mater, Swarthmore College, to use its battered, non-competition track.  I chatted it up with Pete Carroll and one of his assistants, John Noon, before warming up in the drab, drafty and somewhat crowded field house.  The infield was being used, and there were, go figure, runners about. 

I tried to get myself nice and warm and stretched out.  I was tight! I managed to get started at close 6:30 or so, having arrived at 5:50.  My tepid plan was to do some four (4) 200s at 600-meter race pace.  

Run 1: 31-low
Run 2: 31-low
Run 3: 29-mid
Run 4: 30-low

I took 3:30 between each run, feeling the effects of yesterday's loops and conveyor belt. 

Come spring, I'd like to be able to do 8x200, the first four 29-30 and the second four in 26-27.  This would compare well to my college days when we'd do 4x200 in 27-28 and 4x200 in 24-25.

Monday, January 9, 2017

again today

Mon, 1/9-Went to the Y again today, this time arriving at 5:45 AM.  Ran a 7:30 mile, stretched, and lifted for 20 minutes.  I then cooled down a mile.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Not my thing

Sun, 1/8

On this 18-degree day, I went to Swarthmore College to see whether its indoor facility was open so that I could do some 200s, but it was closed.  I drove back to WC area and decided to go to the Y.  Did the usual alternating between lifting and running on the donut track and treadmill.

6:30 on donut track
stretched-4:30 min
6:30 on treadmill
lifted legs and arms 4:30
6:00 on donut
lifted legs and arms 4:30
6:00 on donut (treadmill not available; the one that was available is stuck on a slight incline--not my thing!)
lifted for 4:30
5:55 on treadmill 

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Plans

Plans for the week:

Sun-8x200 (Hopefully, Swarthmore's beaten down indoor track is open!)

Mon-Go to Y.  Arrive at 5:40.  Mile, stretch, mile, lift, mile, lift.  Should be 35 min.

Tues-2x150, 2x100

Wed-take off; try on new spikes, which should arrive by then.

Thurs-600m race at The Armory. Seed time: 1:29.22.

En Route

Sat, 1/7/17- took off. En route.

Fri, 1/6/17-ran 2M, treadmill. Out of town.

Thurs, 1/5/17-up super early; traveling.  Took off.

Wed, 1/4/17-ran 4M around neighborhood.  30:30.

Tues, 1/3/17-First hills day with the crew.  Awful.  Legs had nothing, despite easier workout: rather than go up the hill and back eight times, we went all the way to the top every other time; alternate times we went halfway up and then back down.  Took me 13:00.  Spent the entire time with second group, or equivalent.  

Monday, January 2, 2017

Easy Peasy

Jan 2, 2017--

Went for an easy 5M run.  37:50, 7:28/mile.

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Happy New Year!

Jan 1, 2017

Inspired by a 2015 Facebook post from Peter Brady in which he reported doing 8x200 in 28-low with a 200-meter jog between runs, I did 8x200 with a 200-meter jog between each run.  My jog-rests ranged between 1:55 and 2:00. 

30-low
30-mid
30-mid
29-mid
30-low
30-mid
30-low
29-low

This workout felt pretty good, although my legs felt heavy  My initial hope was that I'd run these in 30-flat...in order to gather momentum towards Peter's 28-low 200s.  My times coincide more with 2:10 800 meters.  If I am to run sub-2:05, I need to hit 28-high/29-low consistently.  Alternatively, I need to run 30s with a 90- and then 60-second rest.  I'd hope a second 8x200 workout (w/ a 200-meter jog of 2:00) would yield sub-29s

Happy New Year!