Fast track but not this trackster - SEM indoor Jan 22 2017

Hardware failures, mice, and laziness deterred me from keeping up with recent track events. So it is catch-up time.

After the required Senior Games State Finals track outings at the end of September, where I ran on my heels due to an Achilles injury,  I did no running until November, all slow social outings. I ran my first road race on Thanksgiving Day, the traditional Turkey Trot 8k, trotting a spectacular 57 minutes. One more road race in mid December (Rocky Mount's Mill Chill 4-miler) at an easy pace finished out the “running” for the year.

During this period, I had to cut back on Camp Gladiator training and when there, I was tentative: I held back on some things and avoided Achilles stress.

Forget track outings! I finally returned to the Middle School circle during the last week of December, when school was out.

If only the track was this nice!

I had about two more weekend track workout attempts prior to South East Region Masters Championships at JDL Fast Track on January 22, 2017. I was heavier than I would have liked but with all those holiday goodies (some still not consumed) how could it be otherwise? An example is an overflowing plate of sizable fudge squares, chocolate and sugar cookies, and other items brought by a friend, who surely, if one believed in the Devil, would have thought was encouraged by the same. (FOX TV's Lucifer, however, would be welcome.)

Jane Barnes and I traveled to the event together. This was to be her first event since having to go to Florida to get in her National Senior Games qualifications. She'd had foot surgery during late summer. Jane was going to do the 60m and 200m and I was planning on the 400m, 60m, and 200m. I had been thinking that the 400 would be first but it was the 60m. I warmed up outside and some inside. From my outings to the Middle School, I knew my leg turn over was cruddy. Really slow. 

SLOW       SLOW   Really Slow

Barbara Warren was there, all wrapped up in her thigh and ankle wrappings, full of enthusiasm for the multiple events she had in store. She had just entered a new age group, which in track, can be an optimistic, rather than discouraging event.

Barbara Warren @ USA Masters

So the 60m heat was a mixed AG one. In Lane 1 (or 2?) was speedy Jane Barnes, then Cynthia Marcelais ATC, me, and Barbara Warren to my right. I had decided to try my start using one block. Off we go – Jane – gone! Cynthia and Barbara quite a bit ahead of me. I tried but the distance between just kept increasing. I was last across. Jane crossed in 09.33 and I got there in 12.19. I was both disappointed (not surprised) but also glad that I was not slower than the time I predicted – 12.20.

Next up was the dreaded 400m. Only the three oldest were in this one: Barbara, Angela Staab, and me. I struggled throughout. I maintained a moderate pace during the first half but on the second back stretch I was breathing hard with very little left to finish. The same slow pace lasted through the final 60m, resulting in 1:51.75. Maybe my slowest 400m to date. (in retrospect – had I but known! Ha ha )

My pace was a little better initially in the 200m but still very slow leg turnover. The last third was an effort. Legs and lungs not happy. I was a second slower than my predicted time, finishing in 44.48.

I had already signed up for the February USATF Masters Indoor Championships. It wanted marks, so I had used the only ones I had at that point: my Senior Games, run on heels times. Both the 60m and the 400m were not too far off from what I had just done, though the JDL 400m was far worse!

Less than a month to go did not foretell of a great improvement. 😡😡

And so it goes.  😡