I think taking it easy before a big race is a good idea, no matter what format that takes. Sounds like he’s cutting the intensity to keep you fresh, while keeping you moving enough to be sharp. You will run just fine. Be patient and trust your talent. With a few races before July you are bound to see improvement.
Remember the talk about relaxing during your 200? Watch this interview with Sanya Richards after her 22.09 PB yesterday. Sound familiar?
Yes, however I can’t seem to relax and let the speed come. Last meet I was trailing behind, coming off the turn I accelerated without tensing up and managed to pass 3 guys, I was the fastest on the straight.
I simply can’t imagine how I’d have run faster by not accelerating
The feeling will come with time and confidence. Just having the confidence to know you’re going to run fast allows you to let go of trying to “control” the outcome by “accelerating”- I am pretty sure you didn’t accelerate at all (unless you are running the 200 terribly unevenly), they just decelerated faster than you, which makes sense as you are a big strong guy. If you would have stayed within yourself and remained patient knowing you’d catch them anyway you might have run faster. Feeling lactate at 180m of a 200 is very familiar to me- it means I forced the race. Try letting them come back to you, just once! 
You can increase your armstroke slightly, but wait for it to kick in- don’t hammer it, if that makes sense.
Wednesday 13 June.
Block work
5x5 hurdle jumps
blocks
3x20m - 3.19 , 3.20 , 3.34
3x30m - 4.34 , 4.39 , /
3x40m - 5.34 , 5.37 , 5.44
No explosiveness, bad execution, was really drained too and the times show. I’m not pushing out of the blocks, my feet just ‘fall’ on the track (if that makes sense) even though I try.
My times are A LOT better with a 3 point start. Really need to work on it…
Are medicine ball throws etc considered high intensity exercises? Can they be done on off days?
There are many different types of medball throws, both high intensity and low intensity. The medball workout download shows a low intensity throws circuit that can be done on a low intensity day. I actually just used it this week in place of tempo because my calves were too sore to do tempo, and it did a fantastic job of giving a full body flushing effect.
At the end of the same download, some explosive throws are shown which could be worked into a high intensity day. Some examples of more explosive throws would be overhead backward throw, squat throw, single hop squat throw, etc.
i’ll buy the medball workout but problem is I don’t know where I could possible do them, oh well i’ll find a place.
Saturday 16 June.
Meet
100m: 11.33 (-0.8) my best time of the run for the season and very close to my PB… adjusted is a 11.27. the coach recorded the race so i’ll be able to see what i did wrong etc.
200m: 22.33 (+0.3) new PB! ive never ran a turn like this. thanks to the advice on running the turn i found here: http://www.charliefrancis.com/community/showthread.php?8505-Running-the-turn
i was actually maybe 1 meter behind the guy who won the race in 21.40 at the end of the turn and then that’s where the distance kept getting bigger between us. however im still not relaxed on the straight…
40m left i started ‘seeing double’ like feeling a bit dizzy, very odd sensation but im so pleased with the new personal best !
We have a new Belgian record on the 400m and also an european season best: 44.56 for K. Borlee !
Congrats on the 200m PB! Glad to hear you ran a nice bend. Sounds like you have the turn figured out…
Well done on the 100, too. Good to see the new warm up is working out for you.
Are we going to get a look at that video??
theres a blurr video of me on facebook, and i have no idea how to download it. also you can just see my last 40m, too bad but from the looks of it my arms still go too far back.
Wednesday 20 June.
Speed/special endurance
3x120m focusing on pushing for the first 30 meters and then run relaxed/sub maximal speed on the straight
3x80m same thing as above
300m - 36.27 that’s a new PB, at practice
Saturday 23 June.
Meet, 400m
50.32 that’s a new personal best.
didn’t go hard enough on the backstretch and second turn, so i had to make up for the lost time on the final straight. i wasn’t as knocked out as 1 month ago when i ran 50.56, so im guessing i can do better.
You’re really kicking goals at the moment. How are things going with the coach??
Nice work! Your 22.3x the other week suggests that 49.x is on the way if you execute correctly. Did anyone get race splits at the 200 /300?
@ hornblower: things are going well now but that’s because ive got a few races to run before i go on holidays. ive got a 100 and 300 coming up this thursday, but i’m not sure about the 300 though. isn’t that a bit much considered the 400 i ran yesterday? i want to be fresh on the 100/200 before i leave.
@ t-slow: unfortunately nobody got the race splits. i was certain i could break that 50s barrier, which i will with better execution. oh well that was my last 400m of the season, maybe one left end of september during a decathlon (yes for fun :P)
Monday 25 June.
Acceleration work
6x5 hurdle jumps low/medium height
4x5 hurdle jumps medium height
2x5 hurdle jumps high height
4x20m with 22lbs sled: 3.85 - 3.62 - 3.54 - 3.50
3x40m without sled: did just 1, hip bothering me again. time: 5.59
The 300 is a fun race! It ends just before things start to suck.
It won’t hurt your 400 either. When is your next 100? I doubt the 300 will be excessively stressful, but when is your 100?
Wednesday 27 June.
Light but long warm up, no A’s skipping bounds etc…
3x20m block starts with full recovery
stretching afterwards
Tuesday 28 June.
Meet
100m: 11.07 (+1.4) - new PB after 1 year of stagnation! my drive phase was really good and explosive, i was 2 meters ahead of the 2nd (11.31) at the 30m mark, and there the distance between us stayed the same.
300m: 35.29 - new PB as well. went strong in the first 100 meters and started to slow down on the curve only to re-accelerate on the straight. i had some energy left.
what a beautiful day! the conditions were really good too, maybe a bit too hot but overall so happy with the times!
Fantastic stuff!
Now that you’re smashing pb’s all over, is this the bit where you need to cool it a bit to avoid a potential injury??
Fantastic stuff!
Now that you’re smashing pb’s all over, is this the bit where you need to cool it a bit to avoid a potential injury??