WEDNESDAY

It has been unseasonably mild since I’ve been back in California with temperatures mostly in the 70’s and low 80’s.  Sacramento, where the Nationals will begin tomorrow has been 5-15 degrees warmer and they are forecasting 95 degrees for tomorrow.  I am prepared with a lot of fluids, a hankerchief for under my cap to protect my neck, a white t-shirt and plenty of sun block.  I have plenty of food and I’ve even packed breakfast so I don’t have to rely on the hotel buffet (these are normally pretty bad)

My biggest concern is my left achilles tendon.  Anyone reading this blog knows this has been a major obstacle for me since last September.  I’ve never gotten it healed and today it is pretty tender.  I have also set my goal for the 1500 meters to 7:30 with hopes that I can kick a bit and finish in 7.  If my achilles holds up, I’m pretty confident that I can do this.  If it doesn’t, well, it’s questionable how far I will get.  I may be unable to finish the 200m…

Today I went to Campolindo and did full approaches at 80% speed, some accelerations into the curve, a little discus and a 400m at 7min pace.  Basically I just walked through everything checking my “notes” as I went along.  I feel good (aside from the tendon).  Fast and strong and ready to go!

MONDAY

Received 30-mins of long jump coaching today from Tiffany Chiang.  Corrected my take-off, impressed upon me to drive my lead knee.  We also got my steps, more or less. 85 feet on 17-stride approach.

• Dynamic warm up
• 2x 100m strides
• 4x accelerations

LONG JUMP

• 3 short jumps
• 8 full jumps

DISCUS

• Line drill
• 6x standing throws
• 6x south africa
• 6x full throws

Had a sauna and 1-hr massage in evening.  Masseuse was EXCELLENT!  Karen at American Family Tubs and Massage.

Back in California

TUESDAY

Two workouts today, Long Jump and 1500m a.m. at Campolindo track, Weight lifting p.m.

LONG JUMP/1500m

• Dynamic warm up
• 100m strides
• 4x Accelerations
• 10x Full approach runs 50%-100% speed
• 10x Short approaches with 6 jumps
• 2x 400m @1:39 and 1:50 rest 1:20
• Cool down

WEIGHT TRAINING

• 3×4 cleans
• 3×8 squats
• 3×5 dead lift
• Core

TUESDAY

Have come to realize that my 6 minute flat goal for the 1500 meters will not be attained so have begun training for a 6:30 pace.

• Dynamic warm up
• 4 x accelerations

LONG JUMP

• 8x full approaches
• 8x 4-step approaches and jumps

1500

• 400m @ 1:45 rest 1:15
• 400m @ 1:39 (6:30 pace with “finishing kick” last 100m)
• 5x 100m @ pace rest walk 100m
• Cool down

Training in Oscoda

THURSDAY

Hot and humid.

The track at Oscoda is even more worn than Parkside’s in Jackson.  There were patches of torn up rubber that needed to be avoided.  And the temperature is rising.  The remainder of my time in Michigan it would be hot and humid.  That’s ok – good for for training!

The great thing is that the long jump pit is open and the sand is excellent (which makes sense considering it is only 3 miles off the shore of Lake Huron.

I had the track all to myself.  It would be so for every workout and is a good example of the physical activity of the citizenry here.  It’s tough to get off your ass and work out when you’re obese.  I am reminded that it was Oscoda and the obesity problem here that inspired me to get moving in the first place.

LONG JUMP/JAVELIN/1500

• Dynamic warm up
• 4 x 20m accelerations
• Lots of pop ups
• Short approaches and jumps into pit
• Long approaches and jumps into pit
• 6x 1-step turbo jav throws
• 6x 3-step turbo jav throws
• 6x 5-step turbo jav throws
• 2x 400m @1:36 rest 90sec
• Core work
• Cool down

THURSDAY

On Parkside track.

• Dynamic warm up
• 4x 20m acceleration

SPEED / LONG JUMP

• Starts
• Pop ups
• 4x100m strides

• Cool down

Active Recovery

Had a pretty active week of workouts planned in preparation for the Manteca Senior Games coming up on Saturday May 15th.  Unfortunately the workouts have to be completely re-designed/dumped because of the latest strain of my left Achilles tendon.  This is a drag because I’ve gotten very little long jump practice in and feel very unsure of my ability to even hit the board at full speed. My discus technique is a joke – not that the planned training could fix that before Saturday- only to say that it adds to my insecurity, and now I’m worried about hurting myself in the 200.

The Achilles injury is driving me crazy.  I need to get some ultra sound sessions and professional rehab (and rest!) for it.  The possibility of a total rupture is frightening and all too real.

To top it off, the high school track where I work out is hosting the conference meet this year – 3 afternoons of trials and finals on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.  That REALLY cramps my prep!

MY GOALS FOR SATURDAY’S MEET

• Relax and have fun
• Meet people and make friends
• Learn some technique
• Compete to win but MONITOR MY ACHILLES SITUATION
• Scratch the long jump or pass on jumps if Achilles flares up
• Scratch the 200 if Achilles is really bad
• 28 meters (92 ft.) in the discus
• 4.27 meters (14 ft.) in the long jump
• sub 30 second 200 meters

SATURDAY

Beautiful day in Manteca and my first competition.  Please see My First Meet for details.

Results:

• Discus: 31.5 meters (fourth place)
• Long Jump:  13 feet 10 inches (4.22 meters) (second place)
• 200 Meter Dash: 29.27 seconds (third place)

I was relaxed, had fun, met people and made friends, learned stuff, competed to win and monitored my achilles situation (more or less)

And I reached  2 of 3 goals and very close on the third.  A good day indeed!

FRIDAY

A lot of stretching and visualizing.  Attended the DFAL conference meet at Acalanes high school

THURSDAY

Did a kind of dry-run of stuff I need to do when I get to the meet.  I warmed up much in the way I plan to warm up on Saturday (although I couldn’t jog my usual 800m because of the achilles strain).  I walked off my long jump approach and did a few jog throughs and pop ups.  I walked the 200m to put together my race plan.  I did a few easy starts out of imaginary blocks and then finally I threw the discus as I would guess it will be done in competition (warm ups and actual throws).

• Stretching
• Sprint warm up
• Builds – 20m very easy
• LJ approach jog throughs and pop ups
• Starts from blocks
• 6 discus warm up throws
• 6 full throws (longest just over 30 meters)

WEDNESDAY

Achilles quite sore so did some pool work, that is, running intervals in the deep end of the pool.

• 3x 60sec @80% / 60 sec. rest
• 4x 40sec @95% / 1:20 rest
• Cool down

TUESDAY

Lots of work.  In the afternoon I went to the Frosh day of the conference meet. Light stretching/rehab in the evening.

MONDAY

Nice day.

Original plan was to focus on the long jump.  Instead I threw the discus.

DISCUS AND SPRINT FOCUS

• 800m warm up
• Stretching
• 4x 30m builds
• 4x 30m starts/acceleration
• Standing throws (9x)
• Middle position throws (3x)
• South Africa (3x)
• Full throws (9x)
• 400m cool down

SUNDAY

Nasty cold and rain.

Since it was Mother’s Day and my knees and achilles were really hurting, decided to skip the usual weight training session. Took the family out for dim sum and later a movie and book browsing instead.

FRIDAY

Nice day.

And an even better than nice day because I GOT TO POLE VAULT!!

That’s right.  I held on to a long pole, ran, and vaulted my 54 year old body into the air and into a landing pit and it WAS AWESOME!

The plain fact is I only did approaches, plants and (I don’t know what you call it) swing ups and into the pit.  But it was so much fun – I didn’t want to stop.  John, the PV coach, the top vaulter and the school and the other vaulters all were impressed.  Honestly, I did well considering it’s been nearly 40 years.  I really think this is still my event.  I’d definitely like to try the high hurdles as well.

Achilles still pretty sore so I had to lay off serious sprint/long jump/1500m work.

DISCUS  (POLE VAULT) and LONG JUMP FOCUS

• 800m warm up
• No stretching – stupidly
• 12 standing discus throws
• 2 second position throws
• 2 south africa throws
• 12 full throws (working with “Troy”, HS thrower – fun!)
• A bunch of pole vault stuff
• Long jump approaches (slow)
• Pop ups
• 400m cool down

MONDAY

Nice day.

Foot (blister) felt good enough to run sprints on it (not discus spinning or long distances though).  Was a good day in that I seemed to hit the mark most every LJ approach and really tore into the curve using a new-to-me technique in 200m.  Didn’t do any jumping today.  Just full approaches.

• 800m warm up
• Stretching (sore calves – had to keep stretching throughout workout)
• 4x 30m builds on grass
• 14-step approaches on grass (5x)
• 14-step approaches on track (in spikes) (5x)
• Start and running curve 95-100% – 100m (in spikes) (2x)
• 400m cool down

Active Recovery

SUNDAY

Javelin on the hill.  Threw a few @30m

• 800m warm up
• Stretching
• Lots of sand ball throws
• Double-handed javelin throws (10)
• 1-Step throws (10)
• 3-step throws (10)
• 5-step throws (10)
• 7- to full approach (8)

FRIDAY

• 800m warmup
• Stretching
• 4x20m accelerations
• 12 long jump approaches – half into pit
• short approach jumps off jump ramp into pit
• increasingly longer approach jumps off jump ramp into pit
• 2x400m 1:26/90sec rest/1:37
• cool down

THURSDAY

Rest.

WEDNESDAY

New rotational shoes are awesome!

• 800m warmup
• Stretching
• Sand bag warm up throws
• Standing throws (10x)
• 2nd position throws 2x
• South Africa 2x
• Full throws (10x)
• 2 x 400m/90 sec rest
• 800m cool down
• Stretching

TUESDAY

Light workout.

• 800m warm up
• Stretching
• Acceleration runs 6x 30m
• Long jump approaches 14-step 8x
• 2 x 400m/90sec rest
• 800m cool down
• Stretching

MONDAY

No workout.  None planned because I was scheduled to give blood in the morning plus I was tired.

Crazy news is my iron count was too low to give.  11.6 – needs to be 14.  I’ve never been even close to as low as 14 below.  I don’t know what is happening but it explains my intense fatigue.  That is to say I don’t think I’m overtraining.