Sat, 7/27/24-took off. Hammy rest.
Fri, 7/26-took off. Resting hammy.
Thurs, 7/25/24-Went to the track to do 10x150 with 60' rest at 800m race pace. Newcomer John was on the track and asked to join me. I ended my campaign after five efforts, as my hamstring began to make its ire known. In the end, I would expend a feeble effort: 24-low, 25-low, 24-high, 25-low, 25-mid.
Wed, 7/24/24-Took off. Resting hamstring.
Tues, 7/23/24-Took off. Resting hamstring.
Mon, 7/22/24-Took off. Resting hamstring.
Figuring I had taken it fairly easy this week, I met up with the crew for 2 x (4x200) with 60 sec rest between repeats and four minute rest between sets.
Joining me were Chuck, Kate and John, and a "new" John. Andrew would step in for the last one or two after his work with Chuck Shields.
Given my hamstring woes, I figured I'd shoot for 32/33 on the first four and 30/31 on the second four. My workout did not go as planned.
Effort 1: 33-high. Slower than expected. 60 sec rest.
Effort 2: 33-mid. Slower than expected. 60 sec rest.
Effort 3: 33-low. Pretty much spot on. 60 sec rest.
Effort 4: 33-mid. Decent, although I was hoping for 32-high/33-low. 60 sec rest.
4:00 rest
Effort 5: 32-low, although my hamstring started bothering me.
Effort 6: 32-low.
Effort 7: I crossed the 200 mark in 15, but I took the last 50 meters easy...for 33-mid.
Effort 8: Nope. I stopped. No need to make an unforced error. Argh!
Tues, 7/17/24-took off
Mon, 7/16/24-really easy 3.5M in 30:20 on account of a sore hamstring and humidity
Sun, 7/14/24
400m “breakdown” workout– Sunday, Jul 14, 2024
A few of us set out to do this workout, choosing the pace that made sense. Chuck, Kate/John (and her phenom of a daughter and her daughter's friend), Bruce, and perhaps one other joined in. While some stepped in and out of the series or simply didn't finish, the effort was good. I stuck to the 58 sec row, as my right hamstring started to ache.
Fri, 7/12/24-
3.5M in 28:15.
Thurs, 7/11/24-
3.45M (28:00) to fitness center.
Stretched.
Lifted.
.55M (4:30) back home
Feeling sluggish lately.
Wed, 7/10/24
Alison and I met up today to do 8x300* with 90-sec rest broken into 2 sets of 4 with 5 mins between sets. Target for me was coming through the 200 in 35/36 on first set and 33/34 on second set. This would mean 54s for the first set and 51s for the second set. The targets for Alison were 57s for the first set and 54 for the second set. (Alison would opt out of the second set due to discomfort in her calf.)
Actual:
Set 1--(35) 53-high, (36) 54-high, (36) 54-mid, (36) 53-high
Set 2--(33) 51-low, (33) 51-mid, (33) 51-high, (32) 49-low
(Note: Alison, running in lane 3 and starting three seconds ahead of me, ran the first effort way faster than target pace, in 53.xx! Her remaining runs were in the 57-range.)
*This workout was inspired by none other than Mark Williams, who, on Sunday, 7/7/24, posted the following on Facebook: Goal workout this Sunday morning was 8x300 with 1 min rest broken into 2 sets of 4 with 4 mins between sets. Target was 32-33 on first set and 30-32 on second set.
Actual -
50.1 (33)
49.8 (33)
48.4 (31)
48.5 (32)
48.3 (31)
47.8 (31)
45.2 (30)
44.7 (29)
(It's humbling that my faster series was slower than Mark's slower series. Even if I'm just returning from vacation, this is telling! I would like to try this workout again on 60' rest or a bit faster than today's effort on 90' rest. In the end, I undershot this workout. My performance was no better than what I had done the last time I did 8x300. Moreover, there have been times when I alternated between 48/49s and 52/53 on 90 sec to 2-min rest. Do better!)
On 7/9/24, Mark then did 3x400 with 4 mins rest target pace was 58-60.
Actual - 58.6, 59.6, 58.5
Mark writes, "This is a Nick Symmons workout and he uses it as an 800 race predictor. the goal is to keep the 400 consistent and if you take the 2nd and 3rd 400 times that should estimate your 800 time."
(I would like to try this workout at 65-67 pace)
Tues, 7/9-At about 8:45am...4M in 31:50 around the Cherry Creek. Stretched afterwards.
Mon, 7/8-At about 9:00...3.1M in 24:30 around the Cherry Creek, Denver, CO neighborhood. Stretched and lifted a little afterwards.
Sun, 7/7-Fitness Center: Mile in 8:30, stretched, mile in 8:00, lifted for a few, used elliptical machine for a mile, stretched.
Sat, 7/6--Fitness Center: Mile in 8:30, stretched, mile in 8:00, lifted for a few minutes, mile in 8:00, lifted for a few, ran to 7-Eleven and back (1M) (had to pick up a couple of times)
Fri, 7/5-Took off. En route to Denver.
Thurs, 7/4/24-Independence Day!
Figuring I had given my body an extra day of rest, I headed to the track at 8:30 this morning for a session: 8x200 in 32, with 60 seconds' rest. I was a bit surprised to see as many of fifty people at the field, some walking and talking leisurely in lane 1. Nonetheless, I warmed up and tried to get my head straight. As I put on my spikes, I wondered if I'd need to adjust my workout; there were simply too many people in and out of lanes 1 and 2. I decided to proceed as planned.
Effort 1: 31-low. A second faster than expected. 60 sec rest.
Effort 2: 33-mid. A second slower than expected. 60 sec rest.
Effort 3: 32-mid. Pretty much spot on. 60 sec rest.
Effort 4: 32-mid. Decent, although I want to get comfortable for 31-high/32-low. 60 sec rest.
Effort 5: hamstring and knee started bothering me. I took the last 50 meters easy, reaching the 200m mark in 33-low.
I stopped. No need to make an unforced error. Argh!
Wed, 7/3/24-took off. I wanted my legs to have a day of rest before hopping on the oval for a hard workout. I have to determine what I plan to do tomorrow!
Mon, 7/1/24-Welcome to the first day of the Saturday of summer!
Recovery run: 3.5M in 29:25 (M1 ~9:15, M2 ~8:25, M3 ~8:00, M4 pace ~7:30...3:45). Left knee and especially my right hamstring are bothering me.
Sun, 6/30/24
Left Hillsborough at 9:40 in order to arrive at Kean University (Mid-Atlantic Championships) at 10:30, believing that my 400m scheduled for 11:30 would go off on time. Not. On this humid 85+ degree but windy day, I was seeking season bests in both the 400 and 200. Soon after the 200, I would be on 4x400MR duty for team points.
Even though I learned the meet was running behind by as many as 30 minutes, I grabbed my race bib and started my warm up at 10:45. I wasn't if there would be a race walk, and I wasn't sure about the hurdle situation. At any rate, after warming up I busied myself with chit-chat and drills before grabbing my hip number.
The race would go off after 12:00. There would be five in our heat. I was assigned lane 4 in our event, 400 meters M50-54. I learned that Mark Williams would be on my immediate inside, in lane 3. Bummer! I had hope to be to his inside. To my immediate right would be teammate John Noon. The race plan was to get out comfortably but not hard, especially given the headwind on the backstretch. When, not if, Mark caught me at about the 200m mark, I would go with him. I got out pretty well. Things felt pretty good, although I was surprised by how sharp the first turn was. When Mark caught me at 200, I attempted to go with him but there was not much fight in me. Sadly, I ran 58.50, hoping I'd break 57 today...following 57.04 four weeks ago at Monmouth. I was disappointed, walking away like I had just done a workout 400. https://share.icloud.com/photos/01eEkM33HFnZI0Ni1Wbu2QMBg
It was time to set my sights on the 200m, scheduled for 1:15. Since the meet was still running behind, I figured my race would go off at about 2:15. In our 200m M50-54 heat, lanes 1-6 were taken. I would be assigned lane 2, with Ross in lane 4. My race plan was to make up the stagger on the runner in lane 3; he turned out to be faster than I expected. It was then to drive my knees and hold good, relaxed form coming down the homestretch. I pretty much did that. Although the sharp turn was a nuisance, I ran 25.78, my best time since turning 50 a few years back!
https://share.icloud.com/photos/041IFfmxu19jeEfrMH6PsjmRg
The 4x400MR would go off at about 2:30, a full hour behind schedule. The officials called for the event immediately following the 200. At least I had a total of about 15 minutes' rest, since I would be running anchor on one of the three teams. I told myself I would stride out a 70! When I got the baton from Andrew I had the idea that maybe I could run 65 instead. I saw 3:46 on the clock. Coming off the the first turn, which was sharp, my right hamstring seized up, just shy of a pull. I then slowed down sensibly. I took it easy, crossing the line at 4:58 or something like that.
After helping the team take down the canopy and gathering my stuff, I left at 3:00.
I got home just before 4:00. All is a day's work!
