It's hard to believe that this time last year my 3,000m pr was 9.38.3. and here I am slightly boo hooing the fact I missed a chance to go sub 9 on Thursday,it's another classic example of how we as runners are never or seldom satisfied w/ our performances!
B4 I go any further let me state for the record that although I was nursing a sore throat and subsequently minor congestion on my lungs this in no way is being used as an excuse for falling short of my desired sub 9,Rod Laver once said and I quote"once you step on to the court you are admitting to yourself,your opponent and the fans you're fit enough to play....don't walk off afterwards saying you were ill or injured"
I'd feared for a few days my throat was getting sore,by Thursday I was croaking and subsequently the congestion on my lungs has forced me to shut things down for a few days to shake this completely so that I can resume training Monday or Tuesday at the latest.
As is my won't I seeded myself in the fast heat,if you're going for time in a race it's the best way although it's always curious to check the results afterwards to see where your time would've stacked you up in the next heat,case in point my 2.06.0 in the last Thursday Nite meet earned me 9th in heat 1,I'd have finished 5th in heat 2.
The race plan was to try and clock 36 seconds per lap to clock 4.48 for the mile and come through the bell in 8.24 and hope for a 34/35 second final lap to clock 8.59/8.59....easier said than done!
In a 17 man field w/11 runners on the starting line and 6 of us on the turn we broke at the top of the back straight and thus the battle to slot in where we wanted to be began,I came through 200m in 36 seconds oblivious to where I was positionally w/in the race,I was aware there were runners behind me so I wasn't last which although it's about time and not place you still never want to be last.
1.10 at 400m a slight pick up in pace,after this my splits become blurred,when they're coming around thick and fast over 200m it's hard to recall them all.
I hadn't planned to focus on kilometer splits to be honest but w/ Ian Brooks calling attention to us going through the first k I looked up to see 2.58 after 5 laps,on pace for sub 9.
The 1k split threw me off for recalling my mile split,I know I looked up each time I came through the finish but I just don't recall my mile time,I do know my 2k split was 6.01 still on pace for sub 9 but I was beginning to slide back through the field,I began to lose contact w/ Matt Chaston and Jimmy Lynch.
I was well shy of the 8.24 I needed at 2,800m but drove hard over the final lap to close in 9.08.3 and finish 14th of 17.
Slightly disappointed that I not only missed sub 9 but also missed a pr 9.07.1. but this time last year I hadn't even ran my 9.13.6. or 9.11.4. so clearly I'm doing something right.
Here we are in late February I have 10 more months to lower my pr and go for that sub 9,the question is when?I have 1 more indoor race scheduled in three weeks time b4 switching to outdoors and focusing on Worlds and Nationals,maybe post July I can look for a 3,000m to join the sub 9 club.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
But Not Tonite
#4 Thursday Nite At The Races
3,000m 9.08.3 14th/17
Indoor Pr by 3 seconds{9.11.4}
1 second slower than outdoor pr{9.07.1}
Full Account to come
3,000m 9.08.3 14th/17
Indoor Pr by 3 seconds{9.11.4}
1 second slower than outdoor pr{9.07.1}
Full Account to come
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
A Whiter Shade For Pale
Just when I thought I could start planning two a weeks on the track I awoke to a freshly laid blanket of snow all over this morning.
Thankfully we only got a few inches and frankly if we get the rain they're calling for on Thursday and Friday it could be all gone by the time I plan to hit either Lower Merion or Temple on Saturday.
By the time I hit Cobbs Creek Parkway for my 8 miler at 4.20pm it was 35 degrees and sunny, a far cry from the overcast skies and slight chill in the air yesterday and despite the snow on the ground it wasn't too bad,at times conditions were a little slick underfoot but given this was my last run b4 Thursdays race I wasn't looking to brake any land speed records...or bones,caution was the watch word of the day,it always is but on the eve of a race my sense of caution goes up a level or two.
Rest day tomorrow,a few chores post work in place of my run and my usual pre race Pasta meal,there's nothing on tv tomorrow so a few hours to catch up on my dvr and a chance to relax b4 my only legit crack at sub 9 for 3,000m this season....no pressure....
Thankfully we only got a few inches and frankly if we get the rain they're calling for on Thursday and Friday it could be all gone by the time I plan to hit either Lower Merion or Temple on Saturday.
By the time I hit Cobbs Creek Parkway for my 8 miler at 4.20pm it was 35 degrees and sunny, a far cry from the overcast skies and slight chill in the air yesterday and despite the snow on the ground it wasn't too bad,at times conditions were a little slick underfoot but given this was my last run b4 Thursdays race I wasn't looking to brake any land speed records...or bones,caution was the watch word of the day,it always is but on the eve of a race my sense of caution goes up a level or two.
Rest day tomorrow,a few chores post work in place of my run and my usual pre race Pasta meal,there's nothing on tv tomorrow so a few hours to catch up on my dvr and a chance to relax b4 my only legit crack at sub 9 for 3,000m this season....no pressure....
Monday, February 21, 2011
Cloudbusting
A live shot of Flogging Molly,I was much closer to the stage at the House Of Blues on Saturday nite than this photo....and I lived to tell the tale,to say it gets lively down the front at a Flogging Molly gig is a bit like saying it gets busy in rush hour in downtown Manhattan!!
I also didn't get home till 4am so thankfully yesterday was a scheduled day off,if push came the shove I could've ran,I did last year when I got home at 3am after seeing Flogging Molly in Atlantic City but having ran for six days Monday through Saturday and clocking 65 miles there was no need and w/ that a well earned day off was the order of the day.
No such luxury today, a 10 miler on tap after the great weather of last week,old man winter was back to remind us he isn't through w/ us just yet,and after 66 degrees on Friday it was 36 degrees this afternoon and grey and overcast w/ a slight chill in the air that said four weeks ago I ran 10 miles in 23 degrees so really how bad was it today??
Obviously the threat of snow overnight and in to the morning puts a crimp on tomorrows planned 8 miler,I really don't want to have to miss a day tomorrow and then run 8 miles Wednesday prior to my sub 9 attempt at 3,000m at The Armory but I can only play the hand I'm dealt so fingers crossed it's not as bad as the weather people are calling for.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
A Blustery Day
Given that I am Eyore{I do all the donkey work!!!}I only needed Pooh,Tigger and Piglet to show up at Lower Merion this lunch time and we could've sang"hail hail the gang's all here"!!!
Like any good runner worth his or her salt I'd paid attention to the weather,I'd known since Thursday that today would be windy,but how windy???if the extra breeze that greeted me upon opening the front door at 10.20am wasn't enough to alert me to the conditions then one of the lacrosse goals in lane 1 of the track and not the infield was!!!.
At least the snow that covered the infield and lanes 2-8 last Sunday was gone and the sun was out but sweet jaysus the feckin wind,I ditched my warm up bottoms only because looking down at them flapping in the breeze was enough to tell me there was an extra second per repeats waiting to happen!!
#1 400m 72.06.A promising start,it was my 5th repeat last Sunday b4 I notched a 72.
#2 400m 72.99.Obviously not a fluke,last weeks average of 72s was looking like falling......
#3 400m 74.82.Smuck! this is what happens when you don't focus mentally on the task at hand!
#4 400m 71.24.Much more like it!knee lift,leg turnover,total focus=faster split
#5 400m 71.43.See what happens went you pay attention to the fundamentals??!!
#6 400m 71.80.Rollin'rollin'rollin' keep them doggies rollin'.....
#7 400m 75.26.There she blows!!!Dear God the wind going into the first turn just stood me up,good job I worked the home straight to keep it below 76.
#8 400m 71.70.No wind and back to 71s,repeats are so much easier when you're not fighting the elements!
#9 400m 76.32.DOH!Just wasn't there mentally or physically on this one,need to keep that focus all the way round,it's only 1 lap!!
#10 400m 74.24.Got stood up by the wind just b4 the 200m mark and had to fight my way into the bottom turn.
#11 400m 75.09.Constantly fighting the wind going in to the top turn was taking a toll but I was almost done,going out swinging.....
#12 400m 68.94.To say I ran the shit out of my final 400m is perhaps underselling it a tad!!
Flew into the top turn and threw everything including the kitchen sink at this one,final repeats no matter what distance deserve that and I did not let myself down,back to 68s,nice!!!
All in all a good workout,I shaved a second off Sundays average of 72 in windy conditions and God willing next week not only will the wind NOT be a factor but I'll also becoming in to 14x400m repeats not off the back of a 16 miler the day b4.
65 miles for the week 2 repeats and a long run,I feel I've earned the right to blow off some stream tonite at Atlantic City's House Of Blues to Flogging Molly,who's up for blowing the froth off a couple of cold ones???
Like any good runner worth his or her salt I'd paid attention to the weather,I'd known since Thursday that today would be windy,but how windy???if the extra breeze that greeted me upon opening the front door at 10.20am wasn't enough to alert me to the conditions then one of the lacrosse goals in lane 1 of the track and not the infield was!!!.
At least the snow that covered the infield and lanes 2-8 last Sunday was gone and the sun was out but sweet jaysus the feckin wind,I ditched my warm up bottoms only because looking down at them flapping in the breeze was enough to tell me there was an extra second per repeats waiting to happen!!
#1 400m 72.06.A promising start,it was my 5th repeat last Sunday b4 I notched a 72.
#2 400m 72.99.Obviously not a fluke,last weeks average of 72s was looking like falling......
#3 400m 74.82.Smuck! this is what happens when you don't focus mentally on the task at hand!
#4 400m 71.24.Much more like it!knee lift,leg turnover,total focus=faster split
#5 400m 71.43.See what happens went you pay attention to the fundamentals??!!
#6 400m 71.80.Rollin'rollin'rollin' keep them doggies rollin'.....
#7 400m 75.26.There she blows!!!Dear God the wind going into the first turn just stood me up,good job I worked the home straight to keep it below 76.
#8 400m 71.70.No wind and back to 71s,repeats are so much easier when you're not fighting the elements!
#9 400m 76.32.DOH!Just wasn't there mentally or physically on this one,need to keep that focus all the way round,it's only 1 lap!!
#10 400m 74.24.Got stood up by the wind just b4 the 200m mark and had to fight my way into the bottom turn.
#11 400m 75.09.Constantly fighting the wind going in to the top turn was taking a toll but I was almost done,going out swinging.....
#12 400m 68.94.To say I ran the shit out of my final 400m is perhaps underselling it a tad!!
Flew into the top turn and threw everything including the kitchen sink at this one,final repeats no matter what distance deserve that and I did not let myself down,back to 68s,nice!!!
All in all a good workout,I shaved a second off Sundays average of 72 in windy conditions and God willing next week not only will the wind NOT be a factor but I'll also becoming in to 14x400m repeats not off the back of a 16 miler the day b4.
65 miles for the week 2 repeats and a long run,I feel I've earned the right to blow off some stream tonite at Atlantic City's House Of Blues to Flogging Molly,who's up for blowing the froth off a couple of cold ones???
Going Long.....On A Friday
Thanks to a quirk of schedule I found myself w/ yesterday off work and due to a last minute change in plans regarding my Saturday trip to Atlantic City it made scheduling my weekly 16 miler a lot more practical,frankly getting home around 4am on Sunday morning does little for the prospect of a 16 miler later in the day so by knocking out the 16 miler Friday and hitting Lower Merion Saturday I'll have logged my 65 miles for the week and for the first time in a long time Sunday will be a rest day.
The freakishly good weather continued,it hit the mid 60s yesterday afternoon,although prior to my 1pm departure it was grey and overcast so it didn't feel ready to embrace the time honoured three Ss shades,short sleeves and shorts,maybe a bit soon to subject the running public to my paleness in mid February,there will be plenty of time for that over the coming months.
For a Friday afternoon I was surprised at the number of runners,cyclists and lone rollerblader out there taking advantage of the good conditions,clearly I was not alone in getting the day off.
54 miles so far this week w/ 11 more on tap at Lower Merion tomorrow to round me out at 65 for the week w/ 2 sets of repeats in the mix,it's funny looking back at last years training log as I got ready for the Mac C'ships on March 6th and again the week after I upped my mileage to prep for Indoor Nationals,on both occasions I pr'd in the 3,000m,9.13 and 9.11 this time out the steaks are a little higher as I'm chasing a sub 9 3,000m,something to ponder on the 400m repeats later today.
The freakishly good weather continued,it hit the mid 60s yesterday afternoon,although prior to my 1pm departure it was grey and overcast so it didn't feel ready to embrace the time honoured three Ss shades,short sleeves and shorts,maybe a bit soon to subject the running public to my paleness in mid February,there will be plenty of time for that over the coming months.
For a Friday afternoon I was surprised at the number of runners,cyclists and lone rollerblader out there taking advantage of the good conditions,clearly I was not alone in getting the day off.
54 miles so far this week w/ 11 more on tap at Lower Merion tomorrow to round me out at 65 for the week w/ 2 sets of repeats in the mix,it's funny looking back at last years training log as I got ready for the Mac C'ships on March 6th and again the week after I upped my mileage to prep for Indoor Nationals,on both occasions I pr'd in the 3,000m,9.13 and 9.11 this time out the steaks are a little higher as I'm chasing a sub 9 3,000m,something to ponder on the 400m repeats later today.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Afternoon Delight
I refer to a run of course.....I'd have to be lucky to get lucky,that said I did find myself working up a good sweat,elevating my heart rate and being slightly out of breath at the climax....sorry the end....and I may've exalted the lord's name once or twice during!!!
Another day off meant hitting Cobbs Creek Parkway at lunchtime after picking up Precious from the vets,she had a Ovariohystercectomy a fancy term for being spayed,$422 on top of the $465 I paid on her last visit, a serious dent in my Australia fund but a healthy kitten,the $$$s will find their way back to my account,I can't put a price on "the little girl's" health and well being,I want her to live a long and healthy life just like her big brother Hobbes who God willing will be 17 in June.
A glorious afternoon to run,66 degrees unheard of in mid February,while yesterday saw me shed my gloves and thermal skull cap,today saw my jacket get discarded and frankly tomorrow I think my warm up bottoms will get left behind....of course as I plan to hit the track on Saturday the wind is scheduled to pick up,can't have it all I guess.
Since tomorrow is another day off and Saturday nite I'm off to Atlantic City to get my jig on to Flogging Molly I'm doing my long run tomorrow and hitting the track at Lower Merion on Saturday,trust me I'm not scheduled to get home till 4am.....now you know why I want Sunday as my rest day!
Another day off meant hitting Cobbs Creek Parkway at lunchtime after picking up Precious from the vets,she had a Ovariohystercectomy a fancy term for being spayed,$422 on top of the $465 I paid on her last visit, a serious dent in my Australia fund but a healthy kitten,the $$$s will find their way back to my account,I can't put a price on "the little girl's" health and well being,I want her to live a long and healthy life just like her big brother Hobbes who God willing will be 17 in June.
A glorious afternoon to run,66 degrees unheard of in mid February,while yesterday saw me shed my gloves and thermal skull cap,today saw my jacket get discarded and frankly tomorrow I think my warm up bottoms will get left behind....of course as I plan to hit the track on Saturday the wind is scheduled to pick up,can't have it all I guess.
Since tomorrow is another day off and Saturday nite I'm off to Atlantic City to get my jig on to Flogging Molly I'm doing my long run tomorrow and hitting the track at Lower Merion on Saturday,trust me I'm not scheduled to get home till 4am.....now you know why I want Sunday as my rest day!
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