hurting some

Sat, 1/27-Ran 3.45 in 28:00 to fitness center. Stretched. Groin still bothering me after a few days. Iced.

Fri, 1/26-Ran 5.5M in 44:15. Stretched a little at home.

Thurs, 1/25-took off

Wed, 1/24-Ran 4.05 in 34:00

Tues, 1/23-Warm up: ran to fitness center (.35M), then did .65M on the treadmill

Stretched for about 8 min

On tap: 10x300m (.19M), setting on 12.0...in :58. 2:00 rest between efforts.

After 5, I felt my groin hurting some, so I stopped and just did some lifting.

Mon, 1/22-took off

My mind wasn't in it to do treadmill 600s.

Sun, 1/21/24-

Warm up: ran to fitness center (.35M), then did .65M on the treadmill

Stretched for about 8 min

On tap: 7x500m (.31M), setting on 12.0...in 1:34. 3:30 rest between efforts.

Treadmill didn't go beyond 12.0. Then again, I am not sure I would've been able to manage 500m at any faster. My mind wasn't in it to do treadmill 600s.

snow and slush

Sat, 1/20/24-

4.5M in the snow and slush...38:30

Fri, 1/19/24-

2M on the road in 18:00, stretched in fitness center, then 1M in 7:45

Thurs, 1/18/24

2.5M treadmill run in 20:00 (8:30, 8:00, 3:30)

6:00 stretch

2.5M treadmill run in 18:00 (7:40, 7:00, 3:20)

Snow day!

1/16/24-Snow day!

Ran to the fitness center (.35M)

hopped on the treadmill to round out a first mile (.65M-->1M)

stretched for about 6-8 minutes

hopped back on the treadmill for .5M in 4:00

answered a few texts

hopped back on the treadmill for .5M in 4:00 (2M)

lifted on two machines, one lower body, one upper

hopped back on the treadmill for .5M in 4:00

lifted on two machines, one lower body, one upper

hopped back on the treadmill for .5M in 4:00 (3M)

lifted on two machines, one lower body, one upper

hopped back on the treadmill for .5M in 4:00 (3.5M)

headed back home (.35M)

Losing pace...in the 800. Can I interrupt the trend?

I've been thinking. With respect to my 800m campaign, I have been losing about 1.5 seconds every couple of years or so: 

Here's what losing pace looks like from my vantage point:

2008/2009: 2:04

2008/2009: 2:02.5

2010/2011: 2:05.5

2012/2013: 2:07

2014/2015: 2:08.5

2016/2017: 2:10

2018/2019: 2:11.5 (600 conversion)

2020/2021: 2:13 (time trial)

2022/2023: 2:14.5 (approx.)

2024/2025: 2:16?? Can I interrupt the trend? It would help if I trained for the 800, which I haven't done in the past five years or so!

Morning of Service at SCH.

1/15/24-Fairly easy 4.6M in 36:15 in 23-degree weather.

After my run, I headed to the MLK Day Jr. Morning of Service at SCH. 

I went solo for the fifth set.

1/14/24.

I met up with the crew at SCH at 8AM on this 30-degree morning. Andrew, Andrew's daughter Honor, Guy, Jeff, new guy Chuck (from Southhampton, Bucks Co.), and perhaps one other rounded out the short distance crew. Lauren, Keith, Craig, and one or two others were doing their thing as well.  

I decided that we would do a super-modified version of the Russian intervals workout. As written for a high school 2:00 800 meter runner, the Russian intervals workout consists of 5 x (3x300m @ 48 with a 30-second/100m jog-rest between runs and an 800m jog/rest between sets.)  This means 5 sets of 3 300s in 48 seconds, with 30 seconds' rest between runs and an 800 meter jog between sets! OMG.  I have done a modified version of this workout in the past. Today's modification would, in a sense, halve the workout as designed.

I decided to do 150s instead of 300s or even 200s.  My plan was for us to take exactly 60 seconds between runs and jog the 650 between sets in 5:00 (I figured some would simply rest for 5:00).  My goal is to build towards the original workout Russian intervals workout described above, at least in terms of volume; the pace would be more modest.  With my goal of 800 race pace, here's what I managed:

Set 1: 24-mid, 60 sec rest, 24-mid, 60 sec rest, 24-high

5:00 650 meter jog

Set 2: 24-low, 60 sec rest, 24-mid, 60 sec rest, 24-mid

5:00 650 meter jog

Set 3: 23-mid, 60 sec rest, 23-mid, 60 sec rest, 23-mid

5:00 650 meter jog

Set 4: 23-mid, 60 sec rest, 23-mid, 60 sec rest, 23-low

5:00 650 meter jog

Set 5: 22-low, 60 sec rest, 22-low, 60 sec rest, 21-mid 

The whole group managed to stick together through the first two or three sets. Andrew made it through four sets. I went solo for the fifth set.  

At this point in my training, this workout was tough but not impossible. 

I suppose I could have started at 23s and seen how the workout progressed. Perhaps next time I will try for 200s in 33s and 32s. I think I could manage 33s. Alternatively, I'd like to do this workout with 30-45 seconds' rest between 150s.  I need to force myself to get stronger and tougher!   

By my estimate, I am in 2:15 condition.  

Saturday, 1/13/24-2.5M in 21:10

Friday, 1/12/24-5M in 40:00

dark morning

1/10/24-On this dark morning after a huge rain storm, which should've been snow, I decided on 9x150....3@23, 3@22, and 3@21...with 2:30 rest (250m--walk 50, jog 50, walk 150) between efforts.

Set 1: 23-mid, 25-low, 24-low

Set 2: 22-mid, 22-low, 22-low

Set 3: 21-mid, 21-high, 21-mid

followed by

1/9/24-5.9M in 47:00

1/8/24-3.67M, then stretched and lifted at the fitness center, followed by .33M run home.

Decent effort today.

Sun, 1/7/24-On this day after a small snow storm, I was the only short distance runner at the track today. Bob, Keith, and Chuck were there, but they were more or less jogging around and such, tapering for a big race. I decided that I would give sit 'n kick a whirl: 5 x (400, 60 sec rest, 150), 1200m jog between sets. I was hoping that I would be able to manage 68s and 24s. My actuals on a cold and wet day: 68, 25; 68, 24; 68, 25; 69, 25; 67, 24. My 1200m rests ranged between 9:00 and 9:30. Decent effort today.

Sat, 1/6/24-1M to the fitness center; stretched; broken 7:00 mile on treadmill; .35M back to Jennings.

wardrobe malfunction

1/5/23-Ran 4.35M (35:35) to fitness center. Lifted for about 10 min. Ran .65M (5:10) to get back home. (Reminder to self: get some new running pants. The ones I wore today, like others, came with a wardrobe malfunction: the draw string popped midway through my run, leading me to either run with an iPhone in one hand and hold up my pants with the other or tuck my pants into the waistband of my compression shorts. Neither was great!

enough life in me

1/4/23-My plan on this very dark morning was 3 x (3x200) with a 200m/2-min rest between efforts and a 400-meter/4-min jog between sets. First set target: 33; second set target: 32; third set target: 31. 

I jogged to the fitness center (.28M), hopped on the treadmill for .5M, stretched for about 8 min, then jogged to the track (.22M)

At 6:30ish, I started well enough with a 33 opening 200. I then faltered with a 35, then came back down to a 34. Set 2: 33,32, 33. Set 3: 32, 31, 31. I wasn't really dead afterwards. There seemed to still be enough life in me to do a fourth set. 

lengthen my run

Wed, 1/3/23-

Decided to lengthen my run today. I tacked some distance onto my route for a total of 5.9M. I was going for 6! I managed this comfortable run in 48:00.

For tomorrow I am thinking of 9x200 with a 200m/2-min rest between efforts and a 400-meter/4-min jog between sets. First set target: 33; second set target: 32; third set target: 31.

Tues, 1/2/23-Still at Lodge at Woodloch.

8:30 warm up | Stretch | 7:50 run | lift | 6:50 | lift

Mon, 1/1/23-AT Lodge at Woodloch in the Poconos.  

8:30 warm up | Stretch | 8:00 run | lift | 7:30 | lift