Sun, 1/31/16
Met up with Rob today for a 600-meter time trial. I warmed up nice and good, trying to work out the stiffness. Once I was nice and warm, I did 2x50 and a 150 in 21-high to get my pace. (I need to remember this when it's competition time!)
The plan was for Rob to run the first 150 as well as the last 200 with me. Rob would try to take me out in 21, so that I could hit 29 at the 200, 59 at the 400 and finish up in 1:29/1:30. After settling into my mindset, I was ready to roll.
Rob blasted out, using the outside of lane 1. I was to his immediate inside and a meter or so back. He pulled off the track at the 150 mark, as planned. I'd do the next 250 solo. I looked at my watch as I hit the 200-meter mark--28. OMG! I was rolling! I felt pretty good. I reached the 400 in 58. Rob joined me and pulled away as I labored a bit. I tried to work my arms and get up on my toes. I hit the 600 in 1:30 and change, on account of a much slower last lap. 28/58(30)/1:30(32).
I believe I could have run 1:28 in last Thursday's 600 at The Armory. I hope this self shows up next weekend at Ursinus when I race the 800! I am hoping for 29/59(30)/1:31(32)/2:04(33).
After the 600, I took a break (about 12:00 or so) and headed into 3x150 pick-ups and 3x200, 800-meter pace.
150s: 22-low, 21-mid-21-low
200s: 30-mid, 29-high, 29-low
3:00 rest between each
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Saturday, January 30, 2016
No action.
Saturday, 1/30-
No action. I'm hoping to do a 600-meter time trial tomorrow morning.
Friday, 1/29-
Took off
Thursday, 1/28
Had planned to go to the Y to do 5 x 1 mile, alternating between the treadmill and donut track, with a little lifting and stretching between each run. Running late out of the house and having to get back home earlier than usual (since my commute has nearly tripled), I was only able to squeeze in three sets.
6:40
6:30
5:57
No action. I'm hoping to do a 600-meter time trial tomorrow morning.
Friday, 1/29-
Took off
Thursday, 1/28
Had planned to go to the Y to do 5 x 1 mile, alternating between the treadmill and donut track, with a little lifting and stretching between each run. Running late out of the house and having to get back home earlier than usual (since my commute has nearly tripled), I was only able to squeeze in three sets.
6:40
6:30
5:57
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
I'll take that as a good sign.
Wed, 1/27/16-Went to the Y to lift for 25 min. Legs and upper body work....
Tues, 1/26/16-Met up with the WC crew for hills. We did an "audible," seeing that the hill was narrow, slushy and slick. At Kevin's discretion, we made our way to the parking garage across from the older, smaller YMCA in town. We would start at the "arm," run up a full level and come back down to the base, run up two levels and come back down, run up to the third level and come back down, etc. We would make 5-6 trips in total, leaving off the last level, which was determined to be too slick. In fact, Scott Burns wiped out on the last hill.
I found this workout soooo doable! I stayed with the top group. Even when Manion, Callaghan, Kevin dropped off a bit, I stayed with Ed and Scott. On account of an early start on the last repeat, Ed and Scott gapped me! When all was said and done, even though the workout was not as intense as our usual one, I felt good about it. In fact, Callaghan made of point of remarking about it. I'll take that as a good sign.
Tues, 1/26/16-Met up with the WC crew for hills. We did an "audible," seeing that the hill was narrow, slushy and slick. At Kevin's discretion, we made our way to the parking garage across from the older, smaller YMCA in town. We would start at the "arm," run up a full level and come back down to the base, run up two levels and come back down, run up to the third level and come back down, etc. We would make 5-6 trips in total, leaving off the last level, which was determined to be too slick. In fact, Scott Burns wiped out on the last hill.
I found this workout soooo doable! I stayed with the top group. Even when Manion, Callaghan, Kevin dropped off a bit, I stayed with Ed and Scott. On account of an early start on the last repeat, Ed and Scott gapped me! When all was said and done, even though the workout was not as intense as our usual one, I felt good about it. In fact, Callaghan made of point of remarking about it. I'll take that as a good sign.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Shoveling, shoveling, shoveling.
Monday, 1/25/16-
Did a 6:45 AM moderate workout.
5x150: 21-mid, 20-high, 20-mid, 20-low, 21-mid
3x200 at about 800 meter race pace: 30-mid, 31-low, 30-mid
(took between 2:30 and 3:00 rest)
Sunday, 1/24/16-
No workout. Shoveling, shoveling, shoveling.
Did a 6:45 AM moderate workout.
5x150: 21-mid, 20-high, 20-mid, 20-low, 21-mid
3x200 at about 800 meter race pace: 30-mid, 31-low, 30-mid
(took between 2:30 and 3:00 rest)
Sunday, 1/24/16-
No workout. Shoveling, shoveling, shoveling.
Saturday, January 23, 2016
didn't feel like I was quick-stepping
Sat, 1/23-Blizzard. No way, and nowhere, to run!
Friday, 1/22- After a slew of texts from Bruce, I learned at 2:45 that the Ursinus meet scheduled for Saturday had been rescheduled for TODAY, beginning at 3:00-something! OMG! The Ursinus coach had been sending us emails about the meeting, in anticipation of the monstrous snowstorm predicted. Little did I realize he had changed the day. I left work early at just before 3:00, raced home, left at 3:20, and made my way to Ursinus!
Knowing the meet would likely run ahead at 4:15, I arrived, saw Bruce and Dave R., paid my fee, and began to warm up almost immediately. As I stretched, I learned that men would race before women. This gave me less time! Argh! I scarcely got in my large muscle stretched before we were called. I ran a few pick-ups on the backstretch to get pace.
Unfortunately, I was assigned lane 1 in heat 8 of 8 with Bruce, Dave, and Andrew in lanes 2, 4, and 5 (I think.). There were two other guys in lanes 3 and 6. I got out okay when the gun went off, with no starting blocks to propel me. I made up the stagger on lane 2 by the 100 meter mark. Coming into the homestretch I got confused. I thought for a second that I was in the wrong lane. There were cones between all the lanes. Because there was no cone to my left to separate my lane from the infield, I thought what was lane 1 was actually an interior lane. So, I wound up running wide and into lane 2, breaking the cone there unnecessarily. The guy in the far lane was way out, probably 15 meters ahead at this point. Another guy and I fought for position at the 200 meter mark, reaching it in 25-high/26-low. He beat me to it. I tried to hold onto him to no avail. Coming up the stretch I tightened, as I looked at the clock tick up 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55.... I thought I had run 55-high or 56-low. My official time was 56.10. Not a total disappointment, I was more miffed that my spikes kept shifting as I ran the turns. As it turns out, the Haverford College guy who won my heat posted the fastest time of the night, 50.50. (I learned that Bruce pulled up during the race, on account of a bad right calf. He needs a couple of weeks to nurse it back to good health. He has to heal up smartly, so as not to place his winter season in jeopardy.)
I jogged a bit and readied myself for the 200, checking outside to make sure the weather was still cooperating. I swapped out my newer spikes for an older pair, a set that bitters my feet at times, though.
I was assigned lane 1 AGAIN in heat 7 of 8. All lanes were filled. At least I was able to use starting blocks. I got a good start out of the blocks but then stumbled midway into the turn. This cost me a little momentum. I got back into the groove, but didn't feel like I was quick-stepping. I got last in my heat, running a pedestrian 25.79.
Body-wise, I felt good. All things considered, particularly being discombobulated, I did okay. Because there are a number of factors that affect racing and race times, I won't let the fact that my times, on their face, have slowed over three meets get me down.
Friday, 1/22- After a slew of texts from Bruce, I learned at 2:45 that the Ursinus meet scheduled for Saturday had been rescheduled for TODAY, beginning at 3:00-something! OMG! The Ursinus coach had been sending us emails about the meeting, in anticipation of the monstrous snowstorm predicted. Little did I realize he had changed the day. I left work early at just before 3:00, raced home, left at 3:20, and made my way to Ursinus!
Knowing the meet would likely run ahead at 4:15, I arrived, saw Bruce and Dave R., paid my fee, and began to warm up almost immediately. As I stretched, I learned that men would race before women. This gave me less time! Argh! I scarcely got in my large muscle stretched before we were called. I ran a few pick-ups on the backstretch to get pace.
Unfortunately, I was assigned lane 1 in heat 8 of 8 with Bruce, Dave, and Andrew in lanes 2, 4, and 5 (I think.). There were two other guys in lanes 3 and 6. I got out okay when the gun went off, with no starting blocks to propel me. I made up the stagger on lane 2 by the 100 meter mark. Coming into the homestretch I got confused. I thought for a second that I was in the wrong lane. There were cones between all the lanes. Because there was no cone to my left to separate my lane from the infield, I thought what was lane 1 was actually an interior lane. So, I wound up running wide and into lane 2, breaking the cone there unnecessarily. The guy in the far lane was way out, probably 15 meters ahead at this point. Another guy and I fought for position at the 200 meter mark, reaching it in 25-high/26-low. He beat me to it. I tried to hold onto him to no avail. Coming up the stretch I tightened, as I looked at the clock tick up 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55.... I thought I had run 55-high or 56-low. My official time was 56.10. Not a total disappointment, I was more miffed that my spikes kept shifting as I ran the turns. As it turns out, the Haverford College guy who won my heat posted the fastest time of the night, 50.50. (I learned that Bruce pulled up during the race, on account of a bad right calf. He needs a couple of weeks to nurse it back to good health. He has to heal up smartly, so as not to place his winter season in jeopardy.)
I jogged a bit and readied myself for the 200, checking outside to make sure the weather was still cooperating. I swapped out my newer spikes for an older pair, a set that bitters my feet at times, though.
I was assigned lane 1 AGAIN in heat 7 of 8. All lanes were filled. At least I was able to use starting blocks. I got a good start out of the blocks but then stumbled midway into the turn. This cost me a little momentum. I got back into the groove, but didn't feel like I was quick-stepping. I got last in my heat, running a pedestrian 25.79.
Body-wise, I felt good. All things considered, particularly being discombobulated, I did okay. Because there are a number of factors that affect racing and race times, I won't let the fact that my times, on their face, have slowed over three meets get me down.
Thursday, January 21, 2016
I should have chosen a different route
Thursday, 1/21/16-
25-degrees
Went to Westtown School at 5:40 AM for a short, pretty easy workout of 3x150 and 3x100, in preparation for Saturday's meet at Ursinus. Given the forecast of 2' of snow and the likely meet cancellation, I am now wondering if I should have chosen a different route.
150s: 22-low, 21-mid, 20-mid. 2:30 rest/jog between runs
100s: 13-high, 12-high, 12-mid. 2:30 rest
Wednesday, 1/20/16-
22-degrees
Two Rustin-plus loops in 33:00 (17:05, 15:55)
Tuesday, 1/19/16
18-degrees
Met up with the crew for some hills. Managed to do all 8 in this cold weather, posting 16:28 (about 5 seconds faster than the last time). I am still after sub-16:00.
The top crew finished in about 15:30.
25-degrees
Went to Westtown School at 5:40 AM for a short, pretty easy workout of 3x150 and 3x100, in preparation for Saturday's meet at Ursinus. Given the forecast of 2' of snow and the likely meet cancellation, I am now wondering if I should have chosen a different route.
150s: 22-low, 21-mid, 20-mid. 2:30 rest/jog between runs
100s: 13-high, 12-high, 12-mid. 2:30 rest
Wednesday, 1/20/16-
22-degrees
Two Rustin-plus loops in 33:00 (17:05, 15:55)
Tuesday, 1/19/16
18-degrees
Met up with the crew for some hills. Managed to do all 8 in this cold weather, posting 16:28 (about 5 seconds faster than the last time). I am still after sub-16:00.
The top crew finished in about 15:30.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Better to call it a day rather than call it a season!
Monday, 1/18/16
Went to the Y. Did about 10 minutes of upper body work and 10 minutes of leg work. Closed with a 3:30 half-mile on the donut track.
Sunday, 1/17/16
Went to the Y. Did about 10 minutes of upper body work and 10 minutes of leg work. Closed with a 3:30 half-mile on the donut track.
Sunday, 1/17/16
I met up with the crew at Radnor HS at 9AM on this 30-degree morning. Bruce, Rob, Chuck K., Chuck S., and Duncan ran with me. Neil, Tim, Mary, Rebecca, and Betsy did their own thing.
I decided that we would do what I did a few weeks back: a 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. For example, I have tried five sets of 2 x 300 or even a couple sets (3 or 4) of 3x300, but never five.
I decided to do 200s instead of 300s. My plan was for us to take exactly 60 seconds between runs and jog the 800 between sets in 6:30, or rest for the equivalent amount of time. My goal is to build towards the original workout Russian intervals workout described above. With my goal of 30 seconds per 200, here's what I managed:
Set 1: 30-mid, 60 sec rest, 30-mid, 60 sec rest, 31-high
6:30 800 meter jog
Set 2: 31-low, 60 sec rest, 30-mid, 60 sec rest, 30-mid
6:30 800 meter jog
Set 3: 30-mid, 60 sec rest, 30-mid, 60 sec rest, 30-mid
6:45 800 meter jog
Set 4: 30-mid, 60 sec rest, 31-mid, 60 sec rest, 30-low
6:55 800 meter jog
Set 5: 29-low, 60 sec rest, 29-low, 60 sec rest, 28-mid
I averaged 15 seconds' less rest than when I did this workout back in December.
While I was hoping to run 30s, which, on average, would have been about a half-second to a second faster per repeat than what I managed a couple of weeks back, this 9:30 AM workout performance was pretty good. I will try not to let the 31s bother me.
By my estimate, an average pace of 30-mid throughout the workout translates to a 31-mid 200 pace within an 800-meter race. This amounts to a 2:06 800 meter race. Seems I am in 2:06 condition.
I would like to do these repeats in sub-30 eventually. Alternatively, I'd like to do this workout with 45 or 30 seconds' rest between 200s. I need to force myself to get stronger and tougher! I would also like to give the breaking the barrier a shot soon.
The rest of the crew did well. Rob started with a 33-second first set, then moved to a 33/32 set, then to a 32/31 set, then to a 31/30 set, and then to a 30 sec set. Perhaps that with a workout average of 32-low sec Rob can race about 2:14. The other guys saw similar patterns (e.g, 33/34s and 34/35s). My buddy Bruce caught a stitch, and after three sets smartly listened to his body and stopped. Better to call it a day rather than call it a season!
Saturday, 1/16/16-
I did two Rustin loops at an easy pace. 14:30/13:00-->27:30. 3.6M
Saturday, 1/16/16-
I did two Rustin loops at an easy pace. 14:30/13:00-->27:30. 3.6M
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