400's
Got so much I want to write about today.
I'll start with the workout. Back to the track today. The first workout of the day was:
GP, last time we talked, said four or five times that my times for these ten reps should average 75 seconds, they didn't all have to be 75 seconds. GP was perceptive to repeat this, as it took at least that many times for something like that to penetrate my skull. I'm used to the all or nothing thinking saying that if I don't nail each one in 75 seconds the workout will be a failure. This took some of that pressure off.
Today I was not fearing the 400s. Actually I was looking forward to going fast. The best way to describe it is that I wanted to go up to the mountaintop and, once there, look around.
I started on them and that feel quickly dissipated. The first rep I went out hard in what I guessed would be 75 seconds, only to clock it in 76.1. The next four went by in 75.2, 76.5, 75.0 and 75.7 and I was quickly getting frustrated. I wanted to go under 75 seconds to make up time and really pushing but still falling short. And I still had 5 reps to go and no way did I see myself lasting through them. It really felt like I was pushing these out, like (for those of you who've played football) working out on a blocking sled.
I was still out of breath when I started rep #6. It was survival mode, and I switched tactics. Instead of pushing to go faster I instead focused on my stride and pictured myself running fast. It didn't seem like I was running fast, but I imagined myself as being fast and looking fast. To my surprise this lap came in at 74.6. I tried this again for the next lap, visualizing another 74 second quarter. Sure enough, lap #7 clocked a 74.0. I was amazed, and now with three laps to go the end was in sight. Laps 8 & 9 were run the same way, not focusing on speed but on form - long strides and steady turnover. And the times kept coming - 74.7 and 74.4. And now I was on lap #10. Last one. I could give this my all now and I found I was out of gas, couldn't find a kick. Despite this the lap went by in 74.9 and I was done.
This made for an average of 75.1 seconds per 400, with the reps getting faster as the workout progressed. I finished that workout feeling like Moses coming down from Mount Horeb, my eyes having witnessed a revelation. Those last five laps were a totally different way to run. Instead of brute force I used more mental finesse and my body responded better than it ever has at that speed. This is really amazing to me. All kinds of thoughts going through my head in the aftermath of this.
The first one is that I've broken through something, that in thinking like this I can run more relaxed and faster. The possibilities are again limitless. The second thought is that this feels like masters running. The body may not be capable of what it used to be in years past, but by using my head I can compensate and still compete. Hard to explain further so I'll substitute a metaphor. It reminds me of a scene in the movie Colors, where Robert Duvall, as a veteran cop, tells his rookie partner, played by Sean Penn, a joke that I'll link to here (warning: the joke is a bit off color). I get the joke now.
I had other stuff that I wanted to blog about but I don't have time to do so, so I'll save the material for tomorrow. I am just really really pumped at how well this workout went and for the first time see sub 16 as being really attainable on March 17. But there still remains much work to do and only a little over three weeks to do it.
Call it 8.5 miles total in 63:33. Just as I left the track there was thunder and lightning and I returned to USP drenched. Got another workout on tap for this evening: 4 miles in 30 minutes.
I'll start with the workout. Back to the track today. The first workout of the day was:
2 mile warm up, mile strides:
10 x 400 – 100 jog in 48 seconds between repeats. Pace per 400. avg 75.
1 mile cooldown.
GP, last time we talked, said four or five times that my times for these ten reps should average 75 seconds, they didn't all have to be 75 seconds. GP was perceptive to repeat this, as it took at least that many times for something like that to penetrate my skull. I'm used to the all or nothing thinking saying that if I don't nail each one in 75 seconds the workout will be a failure. This took some of that pressure off.
Today I was not fearing the 400s. Actually I was looking forward to going fast. The best way to describe it is that I wanted to go up to the mountaintop and, once there, look around.
I started on them and that feel quickly dissipated. The first rep I went out hard in what I guessed would be 75 seconds, only to clock it in 76.1. The next four went by in 75.2, 76.5, 75.0 and 75.7 and I was quickly getting frustrated. I wanted to go under 75 seconds to make up time and really pushing but still falling short. And I still had 5 reps to go and no way did I see myself lasting through them. It really felt like I was pushing these out, like (for those of you who've played football) working out on a blocking sled.
I was still out of breath when I started rep #6. It was survival mode, and I switched tactics. Instead of pushing to go faster I instead focused on my stride and pictured myself running fast. It didn't seem like I was running fast, but I imagined myself as being fast and looking fast. To my surprise this lap came in at 74.6. I tried this again for the next lap, visualizing another 74 second quarter. Sure enough, lap #7 clocked a 74.0. I was amazed, and now with three laps to go the end was in sight. Laps 8 & 9 were run the same way, not focusing on speed but on form - long strides and steady turnover. And the times kept coming - 74.7 and 74.4. And now I was on lap #10. Last one. I could give this my all now and I found I was out of gas, couldn't find a kick. Despite this the lap went by in 74.9 and I was done.
This made for an average of 75.1 seconds per 400, with the reps getting faster as the workout progressed. I finished that workout feeling like Moses coming down from Mount Horeb, my eyes having witnessed a revelation. Those last five laps were a totally different way to run. Instead of brute force I used more mental finesse and my body responded better than it ever has at that speed. This is really amazing to me. All kinds of thoughts going through my head in the aftermath of this.
The first one is that I've broken through something, that in thinking like this I can run more relaxed and faster. The possibilities are again limitless. The second thought is that this feels like masters running. The body may not be capable of what it used to be in years past, but by using my head I can compensate and still compete. Hard to explain further so I'll substitute a metaphor. It reminds me of a scene in the movie Colors, where Robert Duvall, as a veteran cop, tells his rookie partner, played by Sean Penn, a joke that I'll link to here (warning: the joke is a bit off color). I get the joke now.
I had other stuff that I wanted to blog about but I don't have time to do so, so I'll save the material for tomorrow. I am just really really pumped at how well this workout went and for the first time see sub 16 as being really attainable on March 17. But there still remains much work to do and only a little over three weeks to do it.
Call it 8.5 miles total in 63:33. Just as I left the track there was thunder and lightning and I returned to USP drenched. Got another workout on tap for this evening: 4 miles in 30 minutes.
posted by seebo | 2:28 PM
4 Comments:
Is this the same Seebo that once chastised me for saying a run was 8.9 miles instead of rounding up? Looks like someone is becoming a trackhead.
Anyway, I'm not sure the whole "being fast" thing is just in your imagination. But I get what you're saying.
I'm glad to see all of these workouts are paying off, mentally and physically. From the excitement in your post I know what you are feeling. Here's to hoping it carries straight through March.
Nice workout, and a very interesting revelation to boot.
Nice work Seebo. It sounds like you're coming around in a hurry.
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