"I got beat by an old guy."

Mon, 4/10-Just ran 4.7M in 35:53.

Sun, 4/9-Despite having competed yesterday, I met up at Radnor HS at 8AM for a workout.  Chuck S., Rob, Neil and Donovan were there. Neil, Chuck and Donovan did their thing, while Rob and I did ours.  After a good warmup on this 45-degree morning, we were ready.  Rob and I decided on 200s at about 800 meter pace.  Once we completed the first one (in about 33-mid), we chose to keep our rest to 90 seconds (1:30).

Run 1: 33-mid
Run 2: 32-high
Run 3: 32-mid
Run 4: 32-low
Run 5: 32-low
Run 6: 32-mid
Run 7: 32-low
Run 8: 32-low
Run 9: 33-low
Run 10: 32-low

I had decided after the 4th 200 that I would finish the workout with a 60-second 400, following a 5:00 rest after 200 #10.  After some hemming and hawing, Rob decided to join me.  He said he'd just run his 400 in the same pace in which we had been running the 200s, which meant about 65 seconds.

I got out to a nice pace, crossing the 100 in 14 and the 200 in 29.  I was on pace, feeling pretty good.  Reaching the 300 in about 44/45, I could feel that Rob was still with me.  With about 80 meters to go, he motored right past me to a workout best ever in 59.xx.  I just kept my form and crossed, as planned, in 60-mid.

Sat, 4/8-Left Bria at her Muhlenberg College visit at just after 11:30 to arrive at West Chester University at a little after 1:00. The M/W 400 was set to begin at 2:10.   I met up with Rob.  We began to warm up at about 1:25/1:30 on this 55-degree, partly sunny day with swirling winds (again).

I'd have heat 3 lane 6, with another guy in lane 7.  The guy in lane 8 scratched.  I got out pretty well, but the wind hit me pretty hard midway through the backstretch.  I told myself not to exert too much energy.  I didn't make up the stagger too much until midway through the curve, where I pulled even.  Two guys on my inside had caught me at that point.  I tried to tell myself to shorten my stride coming down the homestretch as I crossed the line in 55.56.

In heat 4, Rob ran 58.40 to qualify for the Penn Relays 4x400 MR team.  He was ecstatic, and I was happy for him.

Eventually, I warmed up for the 200, where I had heat 5, lane 4.  (Rob scratched.)  After a false start by the Swarthmore College competitor to my outside (He was given a yellow card, a warning.), we finally got things underway.  I felt pretty good, but wound up running much slower than expected--25.29, a full .2 seconds slower than last week's time.  The wind was -1.0.  Yuck.  At least, I was faltered when one of the runners lamented, "I got beat by an old guy."

Fri, 4/7-Went to the track at 5:45 AM for a little pre-race workout.  I warmed up and did 3x100, hoping the tendonitis in my elbow would not be much of a factor.  (I injured it Monday by doing arm curls carelessly.)  It was still a factor, but at least I could swing my arm, more than what I could say all week.  I ran 13-high, 13-low, and 12-high.  Felt okay.