Thursday
4x50 focus on arms swinging me off the track
Weights - SL vest + 20kg&12kg, vest chins
Sunday
Weights - hip flexor toe lifts :2 12kg
Added a couple of exercises to my routine. Noticed that at top speed I’m not quick/strong enough to get my knees up in time, so I’m working on that. I’ve also slightly changed my SL back extensions so that it hits the chain a little harder in my weak spot - pushing the knee forward and the heel back.
Ran particularly well on thursday with the focus off the legs and entirely on the arms. Seemed to help me generate more power…
I sometimes use a timer to keep track of my times, although that stopped working a few weeks ago and I haven’t replaced it yet. However, I am getting pretty good at knowing how fast I’m going just by feel. In recent weeks I’ve had a few runs videoed, and the times that I though I ran were quite close to what the actual time was.
That being said, I’m also looking into the possibility of purchasing a gps watch of some kind. Trouble is, I’m not too sure what would be the best option to do the job required…
What model was the timer? Can you get it repaired?
I’m also looking into the possibility of purchasing a gps watch of some kind. Trouble is, I’m not too sure what would be the best option to do the job required…
A GPS watch is a great tool for distance runners, but lacks the accuracy needed for sprinters. eBay has a used Brower that might be an option. What country do you reside?
I usually get someone to film me and then open the video in Windows movie maker, slow them down to 0.125x speed and check the timer at the bottom of the video to check my time. Costs nothing and is accurate to about 0.03s.
I actually made a video of a stopwatch to test the accuracy of the video/software clock. it was pretty much spot on, so if I have a video I can get the time. the trouble is that I train alone and I have found it difficult to get a single shot with me starting and finishing…
the “timing system” I’ve been using is a kitchen timer that beeps on the second and divides each second into 6ths. it’s not perfect (you have to count the beeps to get the time, although if you know approximately what the time will be it is easier to use - ie. if 60m is around 7.5s you know you’re crossing the mark either slightly before or slightly after the 7.5s mark), but it cost me only $10! I also use it to keep track of rest times between reps.
this is why I haven’t bought one yet, although boldwarrior uses something in conjunction with an app. I should have looked into that option, but I would have to ask him what it is that he uses as I can’t remember the details.
Running on a Track will generally be faster than running on a grass track.
You could have a very slow track which is slow to run on and compare it to an ideal grass track which is fast in your experience. ( this could be perceived or real).
Manufacturing tracks is a business. Calibrating how fast a track will be in real time is part of the manufacturing expertise of installing a track.
Apparently the track made for the Olympics in 1988 was very fast.
We learned the track was to be calibrated even faster in Atlanta.
Was this true?
When a track is very fast it can bring out underlying injuries more rapidly.
Relaxation is essential in sprinting.
It’s more difficult to maintain relaxation when you run on a surface that is not perfectly even.
Producing perfectly even grass tracks is difficult. Maintaining perfectly even grass tracks would be even more difficult.
Surfaces do not dictate relaxation but it’s difficult to avoid reacting to varied surfaces.
Sat
3x50
Weights - sl squat, 20kg vest + 40kg weights
I’m gradually bumping up the intensity of the weights. I usually find that helps my start quite a bit. Next will be sled work.
I’m finding the 50m distance to be quite good. 30m to get to top speed, 20 to maintain, stop well short of the 7.5s mark. I can get in the key components without getting too wiped.
Weather is getting a lot hotter and work is more stressful. First proper meet is next weekend…
Wednesday
3x70m, walk back recovery
Sl back ext
Resisted hip flexor lifts
Fast arm/knee drills
Thurs/fri
Epsom and massage on armpit/shoulder area.
Sat
Foam roller around shoulder
Light hamstring rub
Brief warm up runs
100m, 12.15s, 1.3w
I gave my wednesday session an extra bump and I’ve been feeling it ever since. I gave out a solid going over prior to my warm up today and I could really feel the looseness in my hips and shoulders. Concentrating on thrusting elbows back seemed to really work, so I used that in my race. When I got to the 40 mark in second place I expected everyone to run past me as they usually do, only this time I was able to hold on to the line. There were some good runners in my race, so it was pleasing to beat them. The guy who finished first ran 10.99 last week, so I had no chance of taking first place.
12.15 is actually my fastest ever season opener, and beat my last season’s best by 0.07, so I must be doing something right…
well, the foot injury that was so excruciatingly painful for about a day and a half has now subsided into something fairly minor. it seems to me that the pain must not have been caused by tissue damage, rather by something going out of place in my foot. sometime on friday the pain and stiffness started to fade away, so that must have been around the time things started to right themselves.
to say I’m relieved is an understatement, although I still missed out on a day of pro racing at macksville. chiro reckons I should be right to do light jogging on about wednesday or thursday. whilst there is novery little soreness when walking I can still get a smear of pain if I turn my foot in certain directions, and there is a hint of unsteadiness in the joint…
Thu-fri
Light upper body and core
hip flexor stretching
Sat
4x30 20/10
Lunges :5 20kg
Db sl/sa clean, 20kg
Sl back ext 1:3
Hip flexor raise, 1:10, 8kg
hip flexor stretching
I had a few weeks off the track trying to get myself right. The foot has progress well, but there has been an ongoing issue with tightness in my right hip flexor. I tried all I could to get rid of it, but strangely enough it only started to go away when I finally resumed sprinting…
Tue
2x50m high skips
2x50m fast leg cycles (1x each side)
2x50m build up sprint
Rev lunge, 2:5 20kg, 2:1 40kg
Cut the track session a bit short due to some tightness in the upper right hamstring. Slightly overdid the back extensions the other day, and that affected my session today…