Planning to run . . . or not

Ed -

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!

A day when I live the motto: Everything in moderation; especially moderation.

This is a day where I eat way too much for too long, then sit around and watch the Lions get crushed by some other football team, and pass out with some child or grandchild playing tonka toys and treating me like a jungle gym.

Can't wait.

But this sort of day doesn't just happen.  It takes planning, dedication and attention to detail.  Otherwise you're full after the first plate and there's bound to be more stuff there than I even want to try to eat, but I don't want to be rude so I've got to at least try everything.

This is why I don't drink beer before eating.  Nope.  Beer can come later after the second plate of pie or cookies.  Actually it's best to stay away from anything carbonated to avoid feeling all bloated artificially.  The real bloat comes later after two or three servings of ham, turkey and mashed potatoes.  So I switch to wine. 

I prefer red, but will start with something light like a pinot grigio to have with salad and fruit, then move onto a Cabernet or Shiraz with dinner.  Once I hit the couch, though it's all Budweiser.

So let's talk about running.  (Who needs segue?)

I had mapped out the next 8 weeks of training with three runs of 8 miles or more, one flamboyant workout, one kettlebell class, and two upper body workouts included in each week.

Then I went to track practice on Sunday with my track team The Pony Express.

It was an extra day where I would've rested so I wanted to do something easy and just hang out with everybody.  So I did a short pyramid of 100, 200, 400, 200, 100 with 60 seconds between each one.  It's always fun running fast on an indoor track because you feel like you're just flying.  In reality my times weren't bad at all.  I ran a 16 second first hundred, then 33, then 1:20, 33 and finally a 15 second for my last 100.

I felt winded and had the lactosis going pretty well, but knew I could do that again with a few minutes rest.  But a couple of the coaches had other plans.

"You have plenty of endurance," Kessner said, "but you need speed."

"Top end speed," chimed in Spoon.

Kessner said, "If you want to run four 80 second 400's back to back then you need to be able to run one in 65 or less."

I can't argue with the logic.  Especially since both of these guys are always ranked in the top 20 in the U.S. and are experienced coaches as well.

We talked about what I had planned for myself over the next 6 months or so, and they basically overruled some of it, so we added one day a week of sprints.

On Sunday after my pyramid workout I ran 5 more 50 sprints against all the sprinters in the group.  The object is to run in control, but at about 90 to 95% of full speed.  Focus on form and foot speed.  Kessner, who's over 55 and still runs the hundred in 12 seconds, was in the lane next to me.

I know he was holding back because I beat him every time.  Actually, I won 4 of the 5 sprints.

Ego had everything to do with that.  I knew these guys were holding back so I kept them in the corner of my eye and then pushed all out the last 20 meters or so to move ahead.

At any rate it was a real confidence booster and so we stretched while they debriefed me on what I needed to do from here.

Once a week find 50 meters or so of flat pavement or a track.  Run a full out sprint and time it.  Wait 5 minutes before doing another.  The idea is to be fully recovered.  The second sprint should be a little faster than the first.  Wait another 5 minutes.  I should get a little bored, but don't rush.  Fully recover.  This isn't interval training.  After about four or five of these sprints my time should begin to slip slower.  When I do one that is about a half second slower than the last it's time to quit.  I'm done.

This will build my top end speed and I will still be doing my three long runs per week to keep my endurance where it needs to be.

When it's time to start the interval training again, my leg speed will be faster than it has been which will make my intervals faster.  And my races faster.

The thing I learned after the first day that I thought seemed sort of easy because I was never breathing hard is that it ISN'T easy.  My butt, inner thighs, and calves still feel sore.  Which caused me to miss one day of running as I rested it to avoid hurting myself right out of the gate.

I may need to take a couple of weeks to move back up to those three long runs with these sprints worked into it all.

So back to Thanksgiving.  Have a Great One!!