The word fugazi{slang for @#$%ed up}sums up this past week,rain,races that didn't happen,tapering for races that didn't happen etc.
Today's bill o fare was 2x150,2x400m,2x150m,close to the workout I ran on Tuesday.
150s,19.50-20.10.
The target time was a little slower but in a week that's seen so little go to plan today didn't seem to be the day to be beating myself up over it.
400s,62.20-64.32.
Again a little brisker than the script called for but it feels that very little I did this past week went the way it was meant to.
150s,20.31-19.72.
Brisk and not far off the opening set.
21 miles for the week.
This week is done it's time to move on begining tomorrow at Swarthmore in the 1,500m,given my last two races fell by the way side I just want to get on the track and race,I don't think that's too much to ask for do you?
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Life W/ The Lions
In a week that's had more than it's fair share of glitches it was nice today to be able to go out at lunch time and conduct an easy 5 miler w/out any issues.
My day began early for me on a Saturday,as a rule unless I'm racing I tend to not set my alarm and just get up when the mood suits me,not today,for the first time in five years I got to watch a live Millwall game on tv.
Unlike their fellow South East London neighbours Charlton and Crystal Palace,Millwall have had to spend the last few seasons in the lower leagues,ergo not much live tv coverage for them back home on Sky muchless the chance to catch S.E.16's finest on either Setanta or Fox Soccer Channel here in America.
The last Millwall game I saw on tv?the 04 FA Cup Final{that's like the Superbowl for those not familiar w/ football/soccer}back then The Lions were plying their trade in the Championship the league below the Premiership,since then they've slipped to League One but thanks to a good season this year reached the playoffs,hence todays game at home to Leeds on Setanta.
Managing to buck a trend that has seen them go 0.8 in playoff games since 1991 Millwall won today 1.0 thanks to a Neil Harris goal and are now 1 game away from a Wembley Playoff final.
Let's not run b4 we can walk,they still need to take care of matters in Leeds on Thursday,I'm not sure if that game will get Setanta coverage which may mean pc mouse in one hand,rosary beads in the other but it'd be nice for the club and it's often much maligned supporters to get a day at Wembley,the 04 Cup Final was played in Cardiff while the new Wembley stadium was being built.
I will be taking a Millwall mentality w/ me to Swarthmore on Monday when I duke it out w/ runners half my age,as it says on the back of their shirts"We Fear No Foe"
My day began early for me on a Saturday,as a rule unless I'm racing I tend to not set my alarm and just get up when the mood suits me,not today,for the first time in five years I got to watch a live Millwall game on tv.
Unlike their fellow South East London neighbours Charlton and Crystal Palace,Millwall have had to spend the last few seasons in the lower leagues,ergo not much live tv coverage for them back home on Sky muchless the chance to catch S.E.16's finest on either Setanta or Fox Soccer Channel here in America.
The last Millwall game I saw on tv?the 04 FA Cup Final{that's like the Superbowl for those not familiar w/ football/soccer}back then The Lions were plying their trade in the Championship the league below the Premiership,since then they've slipped to League One but thanks to a good season this year reached the playoffs,hence todays game at home to Leeds on Setanta.
Managing to buck a trend that has seen them go 0.8 in playoff games since 1991 Millwall won today 1.0 thanks to a Neil Harris goal and are now 1 game away from a Wembley Playoff final.
Let's not run b4 we can walk,they still need to take care of matters in Leeds on Thursday,I'm not sure if that game will get Setanta coverage which may mean pc mouse in one hand,rosary beads in the other but it'd be nice for the club and it's often much maligned supporters to get a day at Wembley,the 04 Cup Final was played in Cardiff while the new Wembley stadium was being built.
I will be taking a Millwall mentality w/ me to Swarthmore on Monday when I duke it out w/ runners half my age,as it says on the back of their shirts"We Fear No Foe"
Friday, May 8, 2009
Detour
Let's get the unpleasentness over w/ first shall we,last nites Masters Mile at the Loucks Games in White Plains didn't happen and rather than go off on tangents,rants etc etc all I'm going to say is it's not the fact I lost out on another race,or the the fact I sacrificed races at Ichan on Tuesday or tomorrow for this but the fact I spent $15 on an entry fee and $45 on train fare for nothing and frankly that's $60 I don't have right now wasted.
That said I wish to move on I've just managed to get a spot in the 1,500m at Swarthmore this Monday and need to focus my energy on that.
Despite everything I went out this afternoon to conduct an impromptu repeat workout to get ready for Monday,2x150,6x300m,2x150m,w/ Franklin Field off limits due to a multi event{Hoptagal???}going on there this weekend I had to conduct it at the Top Cat Bowl.
The drawback doing this kind of workout there is I have to "eyeball"where I think the 150m/300m marks should be,doing 400s/mile repeats are straight forward,it's hard to knawls up one lap!!.
As if to prove my point,"Dib"s MO on the opening 150s was a controlled 24 seconds my first one went 20.27.which given how controlled I ran it didn't seem right,if I'd have gone all Usain Bolt on it maybe but I went at it from a milers prespective not a sprinters so I backed up the next one and went 22.23. and maybe should've left it at just that....but since I was required to do 2x150s I went for a second one from the new hash mark on the cinders and went 24.03.
Following my recovery it was the meat and spuds of the workout 6x300m w/ diminished recoveries w/a target time of 48-49 seconds.
I went:44.76,48.70,47.92,49.20,49.91,53.00.
I'm sure the cynics will say"if you'd have ran the first one better the last one wouldn't have gone tits up on you and while there's a case for that I have to point out my first 300m had a different start/finish than #2-#6 and it's possible I got my hash mark wrong......it's not like I've gone to Home Depot and gone around the track w/ a measuring wheel,#2-#5 were consistant at least.
Final 150s, "Dib" said "you can run these angry...or save your anger till Mondays 1,500'' I ran 21.96-20.61.
To use a boxing quote"I took the fight on short notice"when I woke up this morning I wasn't sure what the day had in store for me,I wasn't sure I'd be able to speak w/ "Dib" till this evening given he's in off on a book signing tour this weekend..........providing they locate the books!!! and I wasn't sure he'd give me the green light on Monday.
In running,as is in life it's how you deal w/ these matters that counts,anyone can be on top of their game when it's all apple pie,it's how you react to adversity that shows what you're made of,sure I've got piss and vinegar running through my veins but I'm done boo hooing yesterday,as I was told back in the day when I first quit drinking"tough times don't last,tough people do" and while that should lead nicely into a Bruce Springsteen lyrical reference"Tougher Than The Rest I'll cite another Bruce,Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden.
"I will do what I do best,walking out on you take my life and leave the rest.
I stand alone now I can see, you won't bring me down for all this pain and misery.
I'm not broken,all this hatred can"t you see,you won't bring me down for all this pain and misery.
I'm not broken"
"Broken"
Bruce Dickinson.
That said I wish to move on I've just managed to get a spot in the 1,500m at Swarthmore this Monday and need to focus my energy on that.
Despite everything I went out this afternoon to conduct an impromptu repeat workout to get ready for Monday,2x150,6x300m,2x150m,w/ Franklin Field off limits due to a multi event{Hoptagal???}going on there this weekend I had to conduct it at the Top Cat Bowl.
The drawback doing this kind of workout there is I have to "eyeball"where I think the 150m/300m marks should be,doing 400s/mile repeats are straight forward,it's hard to knawls up one lap!!.
As if to prove my point,"Dib"s MO on the opening 150s was a controlled 24 seconds my first one went 20.27.which given how controlled I ran it didn't seem right,if I'd have gone all Usain Bolt on it maybe but I went at it from a milers prespective not a sprinters so I backed up the next one and went 22.23. and maybe should've left it at just that....but since I was required to do 2x150s I went for a second one from the new hash mark on the cinders and went 24.03.
Following my recovery it was the meat and spuds of the workout 6x300m w/ diminished recoveries w/a target time of 48-49 seconds.
I went:44.76,48.70,47.92,49.20,49.91,53.00.
I'm sure the cynics will say"if you'd have ran the first one better the last one wouldn't have gone tits up on you and while there's a case for that I have to point out my first 300m had a different start/finish than #2-#6 and it's possible I got my hash mark wrong......it's not like I've gone to Home Depot and gone around the track w/ a measuring wheel,#2-#5 were consistant at least.
Final 150s, "Dib" said "you can run these angry...or save your anger till Mondays 1,500'' I ran 21.96-20.61.
To use a boxing quote"I took the fight on short notice"when I woke up this morning I wasn't sure what the day had in store for me,I wasn't sure I'd be able to speak w/ "Dib" till this evening given he's in off on a book signing tour this weekend..........providing they locate the books!!! and I wasn't sure he'd give me the green light on Monday.
In running,as is in life it's how you deal w/ these matters that counts,anyone can be on top of their game when it's all apple pie,it's how you react to adversity that shows what you're made of,sure I've got piss and vinegar running through my veins but I'm done boo hooing yesterday,as I was told back in the day when I first quit drinking"tough times don't last,tough people do" and while that should lead nicely into a Bruce Springsteen lyrical reference"Tougher Than The Rest I'll cite another Bruce,Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden.
"I will do what I do best,walking out on you take my life and leave the rest.
I stand alone now I can see, you won't bring me down for all this pain and misery.
I'm not broken,all this hatred can"t you see,you won't bring me down for all this pain and misery.
I'm not broken"
"Broken"
Bruce Dickinson.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Win One For The Gipper
An easy 5 miler this evening as I get ready for tomorrows Masters Mile at The Loucks Games in White Plains New York.
It was somewhat of a bitter sweet afternoon,prior to leaving for my run I saw Barcelona snatch a place in the Champions League Final from Chelsea in injury time.
Regular readers of my blog know I'm a die hard Spurs fan,but Chelsea were my first love in soccer/football from 1970 through 1981 b4 I switched my allegiance to Spurs,asides from being my first love in soccer they are also the team my mother and coach both follow so I felt their pain when a place in the final was snatched away from them w/ just over a minute of injury time to be played.
"Dib" and I talked post game,post run,he remained upbeat and philosophical about the defeat but asked me to win tomorrows race for him,he's done alot for me in coming up on three years now so the least I can do is try to honour that request....to White Plains we march and the next part of the plan for Worlds in Lahti.
It was somewhat of a bitter sweet afternoon,prior to leaving for my run I saw Barcelona snatch a place in the Champions League Final from Chelsea in injury time.
Regular readers of my blog know I'm a die hard Spurs fan,but Chelsea were my first love in soccer/football from 1970 through 1981 b4 I switched my allegiance to Spurs,asides from being my first love in soccer they are also the team my mother and coach both follow so I felt their pain when a place in the final was snatched away from them w/ just over a minute of injury time to be played.
"Dib" and I talked post game,post run,he remained upbeat and philosophical about the defeat but asked me to win tomorrows race for him,he's done alot for me in coming up on three years now so the least I can do is try to honour that request....to White Plains we march and the next part of the plan for Worlds in Lahti.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Rainmaker
After two lost days due to the rain I was delighted to be out running again......and I'm sure the people around me were happy I was running also,I fully admit to getting cranky when I can't run,right up there w/ my Iron What? t shirt would be the "Addicted To Running" or "Track Is My Crack" t shirts also!!!
Another nite of the "hurry up offense/two minute drill"at Franklin Field,thankfully it was a short workout on tap:4x150m/2x400m/2x150m.
Tonite was more about control than a "blow the barn doors off"workout,the target time on the opening 150s was 24 seconds and I went:23.39,24.48,23.51,23.63.
I was pleased w/ my ability to run controlled not something I always do well and factor in the chomping at the bit after two days off and the need to get the workout in w/in half an hour I should be pleased w/ myself.
Target time for the 400s was 64 seconds,I went:63.47,65.96.
I would've nailed the second 400 were it not for some bimbo hogging lane 5 as I came off the turn to the finish,I hoped she'd either move out of my way or leave me enough room to squeeze through on the inside of the lane,she did neither which forced me to swing wide into the next lane,the brief hesitation and having to switch lanes cost me a 63/64 second split.
Final set of 150s,target time 22 seconds,I went:22.93,21.82.
I was very pleased w/ my overall workout tonite,if I'm going to get close to my track mile pr of 4.28.1 on Thursday nite it'll be through controlled pace which was what tonite was about,let's just hope it stops raining by then!
"You tell me we can start the rain,you tell me that we all can change,you tell me we can find something to wash the tears away
You tell me we can start the rain,you tell me that we all can change,you tell me we can find something to wash the tears,and I know of the pain that you feel the same as me,and I dream of the rain as it falls upon the leaves and the cracks in the ground like the cracks in all our lives,they are sealed and now far away"
''Rainmaker"
Iron Maiden
Another nite of the "hurry up offense/two minute drill"at Franklin Field,thankfully it was a short workout on tap:4x150m/2x400m/2x150m.
Tonite was more about control than a "blow the barn doors off"workout,the target time on the opening 150s was 24 seconds and I went:23.39,24.48,23.51,23.63.
I was pleased w/ my ability to run controlled not something I always do well and factor in the chomping at the bit after two days off and the need to get the workout in w/in half an hour I should be pleased w/ myself.
Target time for the 400s was 64 seconds,I went:63.47,65.96.
I would've nailed the second 400 were it not for some bimbo hogging lane 5 as I came off the turn to the finish,I hoped she'd either move out of my way or leave me enough room to squeeze through on the inside of the lane,she did neither which forced me to swing wide into the next lane,the brief hesitation and having to switch lanes cost me a 63/64 second split.
Final set of 150s,target time 22 seconds,I went:22.93,21.82.
I was very pleased w/ my overall workout tonite,if I'm going to get close to my track mile pr of 4.28.1 on Thursday nite it'll be through controlled pace which was what tonite was about,let's just hope it stops raining by then!
"You tell me we can start the rain,you tell me that we all can change,you tell me we can find something to wash the tears away
You tell me we can start the rain,you tell me that we all can change,you tell me we can find something to wash the tears,and I know of the pain that you feel the same as me,and I dream of the rain as it falls upon the leaves and the cracks in the ground like the cracks in all our lives,they are sealed and now far away"
''Rainmaker"
Iron Maiden
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Shifting Gears
For the past several weeks my focus had been on a fast 1,500m race at the University of Delaware today,to have that taken away from me at the eleventh hour on Thursday nite seemed in keeping w/ the week I've had.
That said I now had the added bonus of a 4x1 mile repeat that I wouln't have had,I guess a classic case of lemons and lemonade.
I got a little bit of everything w/ the weather ths morning,grey and overcast,humid,rain,sunshine it's days like these I recall the old Cub Scout motto"Be Prepared"jacket and baseball cap if needed,water bottle,bandana also if needed,as it turned out I didn't have use for the former.
I opted to conduct these mile repeats closer to home at the Top Cat Bowl,"Dib" and I agreed that sooner rather than later all my repeats need to switch to an all weather track,I figured once Penn Graduation comes and goes Franklin Field during the week will be my go to track{providing they sort out this nonsence of changing the hours of"open recreation"}and weekend mile repeats will be done out on the Main Line at either Haverford or Lower Merion High School,fingers crossed no trips to Roxboro this year and the attitude I always seem to have to deal w/out there.
#1,74,80,79,70-5.03.29.an uneven opening mile which probably set the tone for the entire repeat,my mantra going in was"74-79" but an 80 second 2nd lap soon threw that off,oh to be able to go,75,75,75,75.
#2,75,81,78,68-5.02.91.more uneven pace and a bastard 81 second split thrown into the mix,I'm sorry but an 81 second split on my mile repeats is as unwelcome as a fart in a phone box.
#3,78,80,81,74-5.13.86.going from a closing lap of 68 to an opening lap of 78 in the space of 5 minutes seemed to set the tone for mile 3,closing in 74 seconds was cold comfort when I could still only register a 5.13.86. mile.
#4,78,80,82,64-5.04.95.haven,t seen an 82 second split in the mile since #,2 on March 14th but I'd have to go back futher than that{Feb 21st} for a closing lap of 64 seconds....and I'd like to point out that was on the opening mile,prior to today my fastest 16th and final lap on mile repeats was a 65 second split also on March 14th.
I'm not sure if mile repeats factor into the rotation next week w/a Thursday race,maybe next weekend,maybe the week after for now I need to put this behind me,enjoy an easy 5 miler tomorrow and get ready for a whole new week come Monday.
That said I now had the added bonus of a 4x1 mile repeat that I wouln't have had,I guess a classic case of lemons and lemonade.
I got a little bit of everything w/ the weather ths morning,grey and overcast,humid,rain,sunshine it's days like these I recall the old Cub Scout motto"Be Prepared"jacket and baseball cap if needed,water bottle,bandana also if needed,as it turned out I didn't have use for the former.
I opted to conduct these mile repeats closer to home at the Top Cat Bowl,"Dib" and I agreed that sooner rather than later all my repeats need to switch to an all weather track,I figured once Penn Graduation comes and goes Franklin Field during the week will be my go to track{providing they sort out this nonsence of changing the hours of"open recreation"}and weekend mile repeats will be done out on the Main Line at either Haverford or Lower Merion High School,fingers crossed no trips to Roxboro this year and the attitude I always seem to have to deal w/out there.
#1,74,80,79,70-5.03.29.an uneven opening mile which probably set the tone for the entire repeat,my mantra going in was"74-79" but an 80 second 2nd lap soon threw that off,oh to be able to go,75,75,75,75.
#2,75,81,78,68-5.02.91.more uneven pace and a bastard 81 second split thrown into the mix,I'm sorry but an 81 second split on my mile repeats is as unwelcome as a fart in a phone box.
#3,78,80,81,74-5.13.86.going from a closing lap of 68 to an opening lap of 78 in the space of 5 minutes seemed to set the tone for mile 3,closing in 74 seconds was cold comfort when I could still only register a 5.13.86. mile.
#4,78,80,82,64-5.04.95.haven,t seen an 82 second split in the mile since #,2 on March 14th but I'd have to go back futher than that{Feb 21st} for a closing lap of 64 seconds....and I'd like to point out that was on the opening mile,prior to today my fastest 16th and final lap on mile repeats was a 65 second split also on March 14th.
I'm not sure if mile repeats factor into the rotation next week w/a Thursday race,maybe next weekend,maybe the week after for now I need to put this behind me,enjoy an easy 5 miler tomorrow and get ready for a whole new week come Monday.
Friday, May 1, 2009
May Day
A new month as the countdown towards Worlds continues.
It would've been easy to be bent out of shape over tomorrows race getting canceled w/ all the mental and physical prep I've put in this week but to quote the Happy Mondays that's"Stinkin' Thinking"and rather than dwell on the negative I can look forward to mile repeats instead tomorrow.
The one drawback of tomorrows race falling by the way side is it's another potentially fast race I've missed out on,I may have to rework next months race schedule to try and redress the balance,a conversation for "Dib" and I over the next few days.
An easy 5 miler this evening,the showers that had blighted most of the day had gone by the time I headed over to ''TCB"as I began to reconfigure my race schedule for what feels like the umpteenth time,it's a good job I write it in pencil!!!
Mile repeats tomorrow and an easy 5 miler to round out the week
It would've been easy to be bent out of shape over tomorrows race getting canceled w/ all the mental and physical prep I've put in this week but to quote the Happy Mondays that's"Stinkin' Thinking"and rather than dwell on the negative I can look forward to mile repeats instead tomorrow.
The one drawback of tomorrows race falling by the way side is it's another potentially fast race I've missed out on,I may have to rework next months race schedule to try and redress the balance,a conversation for "Dib" and I over the next few days.
An easy 5 miler this evening,the showers that had blighted most of the day had gone by the time I headed over to ''TCB"as I began to reconfigure my race schedule for what feels like the umpteenth time,it's a good job I write it in pencil!!!
Mile repeats tomorrow and an easy 5 miler to round out the week
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