2020 the Year of Canceled Meets

                                     Covid-19 Cancels all Meets for rest of 2020 

I had hoped 2020 would be a better year for me.  2019 found me unexpectantly weaker with lack of energy.  Isn't all illness unexpected?  This was totally not even in the realm of thought.  However, I did go to Meets, competed poorly in many and hung on in a few.  But by the end of 2019, I was much better with the potential to remain so, possibly for at least a year (with continued quarterly revamps.)  

So, by January I began training again. I competed in the regional SouthEast Masters Indoor Championships at JDL in Winston Salem, NC January 12th and even registered for the March Indoor Masters in Baton Rouge, which I looked forward to.  At the indoor regionals,  I only registered for two sprints, the 60 and 200m,  plus shot, and both weight throws.  Again, I found myself up against it as regards the sprints,  For the 60m, I waited too long for the weight throws (started late) and to get three throws in, thereby ending up with no warmup. I ran a slow 12.83 60m. I then went back, along with Barbara Warren to get in three more throws, unfortunately using a heavier weight in error on the last two.  And so it goes. My weight throws were 6.79m and for the super weight 3.79m. I was able to get in a few warmup jogs for the 200m so I managed to run 47.44.  Not too bad compared to summer 2019. Shot was 6.21m.

 I continued training about once a week, usually at the Duke track sometimes at Raleigh's Buffaloe Rd Park track which has a very hard surface, so it is a good thing I never train in spikes. I was still doing Camp Gladiator, three days a week, eventually five. I bought a Training for Toronto 2020 WMA. shirt, though I had not yet registered, to commit myself to keep training. 

But I was still having stamina and knee issues.  I could barely do a 200m, many times cutting the first two of three short.  I had a lot of work to do to at least get up to basic par.  It was a bit discouraging. 

 

One of my outings January 25, 2020  two hours at Duke,  57 degrees Fahrenheit

  Tried 400m Nope. Maybe got as far as 200m.

  Tried two 300ms. Nope. Again got maybe 200m

  three 200m -- first two stopped short of finish line.

  four 100ms, with 2 to 3-minute rest between.

February 6 tried jogging greenway.  I would do this on and off, hoping to improve stamina, but I usually got no more than 200m before having to walk, regardless of how slowly I ran.  My knee still a problem.  I finally went to a Sports PT person February 18 and several times thereafter, getting home exercises each time. Essentially she said I needed to build up glutes to take the pressure off of the knees.  I had enough home exercises to keep me doing something every day

Another outing, February15 to a state park with a mostly flat hard packed sand surface. I paced out 210 steps which is approximately 150m.  I then tried running seven of these.  I could not complete #s six and seven. My legs were achy by #6.  My times were close to 55 seconds (one at 44). Aiiii!  Not at all competitive.  A 200m would be well over a minute.  Well over.

February 26 another Duke outing.

three sets of (4x40m at 100%) 2 minute rest between sets.  Averaged ten seconds by third set.

6x100 @ 100% with 5 minute rest between each.

24.62

23.47

23.03

23.24

23.41 (slowed up at 90m)

23.54

I had other outings at Buffaloe, sprinting 180s, 160s and 120s  I tried various methods in the 200s - fast, float, fast, versus medium, float, fast, and normal, for 170m then fast for 30m. 

 

March 13th was supposed to be my first day competing at USATF Masters Indoor in Baton Rouge.  I was back at Duke on March 8th trying 200m but only getting 150m or 100m. I gave up.  I dropped to 60m. Not a great outing.  But as it turned out, it was all for naught anyway.  

By this time COVID-19 had arrived in the U.S.  We were all watching the news and hoping it would not impact us.  Then, the warnings about older people and those with underlying conditions being most at risk.  Flying was not recommended.  Ah, cruds!  I decided I should check with my doctor since I was obviously old (79, for those who are trying to guess)  but also might be considered as having an underlying condition, though in remission. I got an all clear. I was quite happy. Then, a few hours later, Indoor Masters was canceled.  Shortly after, we heard that one of our track and field leading lights, Mary Roman, had passed away from Covid-19.  The third in her town to do so. Stunning and sobering.

 Then, like dominoes following the postponement of the Olympics until 2021 (heart break for them), more of our Meets were canceled, WMA 2020 in Toronto, followed by USATF Masters Outdoor.  I had previously registered and booked flights for both.  Like others, I had to scramble to cancel flights, dealing with no refund but graced with a credit ticket to be used by January 2021.  And so far, all but one of the other Meets we may have considered. Huntsmen Senior Games in Utah October 12th has not yet been canceled. Their decision will be announced on July 31.  One other Meet Angela Staab and I have considered is the South Carolina Open and Masters Meet.  So far it has been scheduled and canceled twice. I have not registered.

I have kept this basically short as Angela and I have been writing a document on our Covid quarantine related thoughts, from a trackster's perspective,.  

I am still going to track, on Sundays now with two others when we can find one we can get on, one way or another. I fear I will soon be back at hard surface Buffaloe, with no Meet goal in mind. I must mention Barefoot Willie, William Rhoad, who will go to any meet within driving distance. He lives in NC but competes for the Philadelphia Masters. He recently went to a Meet in Jacksonville Fla, which did not practice social distancing and consisted of mostly teens and twenty-year-olds.  He plans to go to another soon.  This is not a meet I would consider.  Just driving there and staying in a motel is risky.

For the Virtual WMA, being conducted on the same dates as Toronto would have been, both Angela and I will be doing throws at a Piedmont Pacers Throws Meet. Angela will also be doing track events during that time frame. With an injured knee from a July 3rd sudden stop, I am currently not able to run so doubt I will do any sprints.

.

And so goes 2020. I fear 2021 will not be much better.  I hope the Olympians can safely have their competition in Japan next year.

JUly 19, 2020.  After hurting my knee even walking downhill after that was painful.  I did no running until this past week, during Camp Gladiator. Tuesday hobbling and thursday somewhat better. I took 400mg of ibuprofen after and then again early afternoon. Thursday afternoon I practiced 65m or so sprints.  The knee seemed okay and I iced it and later took more Ibuprofen. 

Saturday, July 18, I ran the 100m, 200m, and then 400m at a track in High Point, officiated by the Piedmont Pacers, There were only three of us sprinting! Two men and me, so I ran with (behind!) them.  I only warmed up for 15 minutes since I had planned to run 15 minutes after the men, giving me a half hour to warm up.  My knee hurt from the drive there (pressure of seat against back of leg) so even with 15 more minutes of warming up, I would not have run much better. My times were so so. But I knew ahead of time that I would be last in all of the virtual WMA sprint events. Also, the oldest but I was glad to see I could slowly trot the 400 without walking.   After the slow sprints, I went to Winston Salem for the Throwers Meet. It was hot and humid.  I was SO thirsty. I drank at least 82 ounces of liquid on Saturday.  Water, green tea, beet juice water, iced coffee, and an energy drink.

And that is how 2020 is going.