I was in no condition to run

Fri, 1/11-

Early AM: mile on treadmill (8:00), hamstring exercises, mile on treadmill (7:30), lifting, stretching, hamstring exercises

Thurs, 1/10

Early AM: mile on treadmill (8:30), hamstring exercises, mile on treadmill (7:30), stretching, lifting, mile on treadmill (6:30), hamstring exercises

Wed, 1/9

Early AM: mile on treadmill (8:30), hamstring exercises, mile on treadmill (7:30), lifting, stretching,  mile on treadmill (6:30), hamstring exercises

Tues, 1/8

Early AM: mile on treadmill (8:30), hamstring exercises, mile on treadmill (8:00), lifting, stretching, mile on treadmill (7:30), hamstring exercises

Mon, 1/7

Early AM: mile on treadmill (9:30), hamstring exercises, mile on treadmill (9:00), lifting, stretching,  hamstring exercises

Sun, 1/6

Biked at YMCA.

Sat, 1/5

Still in Jamaica; biking, lifting, stretching,  hamstring exercises in the fitness center.

Fri, 1/4

In Jamaica; biking, lifting, stretching,  hamstring exercises in the fitness center.

Thurs, 1/3

In Jamaica; biking, lifting, stretching,  hamstring exercises in the fitness center.

Wed, 1/2

En route to Jamaica. No workout.

Tues, 1/1

Iced hamstring 4-5x30 min

Mon, 12/31

Iced hamstring 4-5x30 min

Sun, 12/30

Wayne, Chuck S., and Bruce came by to pick me up to head to The Armory for Sprint Night, Wayne arriving with two nails in his tires! Chuck decided to drive, while Bruce and Wayne just parked their cars.

Our goal was to arrive at the venue at 4:00, as Wayne's 60m was scheduled for 5:00. When we arrived, we met up with several of our other teammates, some trickling in hours later. All told, there were about 10 of us (Wally, John Curtis, John Goldthorp, Ross, Chuck K, newcomer Brock Butler, in addition to the ones named above).

Preregistered, I checked in, and then I checked my name on the competitors' sheets to declare my intention to run both the 400 and 200.

I sat around for a while and then decided to do an 800 to warm up my sore hamstring, pinched a couple of weeks prior. The guys kept asking me if I would race, given what they knew of my impending injury. After lubing up with Icy Hot, Tiger Balm, and Arnicare generously, I stretched for a while as the 60mh and 60m were being contested. With a few minutes before the start of the women's 400, I decided to do some strides and sprints in order to determine if I should run.

I decided I would run.

When I checked in, I saw that I was in lane 4 in perhaps heat 8. John Curtis would be to my immediate outside in lane 5, and Brock Butler would be in lane 2. As we were registering, John G. showed up and angled to get into the race. It seemed he had been successful, with only perhaps 15-20 minutes before the start of the race.

When my heat was called, I made my way to lane 4. BUT, then I was immediately removed from the heat. I had been scratched, with John inserted into my place! The officials argued I had not declared I would run. What the.... I argued my case. In the end, the officials removed John and me and placed us into the final section, 11, me in lane 6, John G. in lane 5. I was disappointed, miffed even.

As it turns out, this was a blessing in disguise. The gun went off, and I felt my hamstring pinch me 50 or so meters into the race. Knowing that I had promised my teammates and myself that I would stop if I felt pain, I pulled up just beyond the second turn, at the 175-meter mark. I had injured my hamstring for real! John had pulled even heading into the straightaway, and I just let him go rather than succumb to ego. He would go on to win the heat in an uncontested 56.13. In heat 8 action, Brock (56.51) would nip John C. (56.86) at the line. In a field of 55 competitors, I was the only DNF. How lonely!

I was in no condition to run the 200. Instead I iced using the frozen water bottle I had brought with me.

Sat, 12/29

Took off