Saturday, May 27

JUST ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL

The late May weather has been ideal for interval training. I arrived at the cinder track at about 7:00 p.m.  Most of the 800m oval was shaded and the temperature was in the high 60s. My plan was to get a good warm up and run some quick 400m intervals.  I was a bit tentative seeing as this was the first three consecutive days of. training  In quite a while. I took a long warm up of running and walking and stretching and straightaways. Feeling no leg issues, I began my first 400 interval at a very conservative pace of  2:O2.  I was pleasantly surprised. After a 3 minute walk and jog I managed a second interval at 1:55. And the third one was at 1:59. I was not feeling any aerobic stress only worrying about my legs that were starting to get heavy. But I decided to push the last one a little bit and ran a very credible 1:46. It took a while to recover but I pressed forward and ran a comfortable 800m to conclude the workout. The entire event was over three miles in about 42 minutes including warm up and cool down.

I really can’t judge the level of my fitness at this point, but I kind of like the way it’s going. I will be running  two tune-up races in mid June that should give me a good idea where I stand as I head to Pittsburgh in mid July for the Nationals.

Stats remain steady and legs are feeling good. Tomorrow, Sunday, will be a day off.

• 5/17 –  3  miles at Turkey Swamp Park. 36:00
• 5/18 – Walk
• 5/19 – Swim and running water for 40 minutes
• 5/20 – Walk
• 5/21 – Walk
• 5/22 – 4 miles on cinders 61 minutes in motion, with 3 miles  in 33: 00 of modified Fartlek, 18 speed segments of 1 minute at below 8 minute pace.
• 5/23 – Walk
• 5/24 – Walk
• 5/25 – 3.22 miles on cinders in 51:00 with 18 speed segments at 8:00  pace or better
• 5/26 – 2 miles run and walk at turkey swamp park in 30 minutes.
• Lately I’ve been doing extended walking on rest days. Taking more frequent rest days to avoid injury training toward senior nationals.
• Relying on Modified Fartlek technique on workdays.  It allows me to get more mileage and significant speed work with limited amount of foot strike a
• Stats are stable, weight (145), sleep (9 hrs av.), diet (9),and am heart rate (54); feet and legs are injury free

Good series
May 9 – 3 miles at a Turkey Swamp Park with speed segments throughout and three hills at the end.
May 10 – rest
May 11 – at Cinder track 3.8 miles in one hour and seven minutes total – warm-up 1 mile with five speed segments – workout -4×400 m in 147 to 151+ one
final 400 m at 2:08.
May 12 – rest
May 13 – weighs
May 15 – on cinders warm-up was 1000 m plus stretch +5×100 m speed segments Workout was 3×1000 m at 5:30 – cool down 800 m .- total distance 4 1/2 miles
The goal was to run thousand meter repeats under 10 minutes. It turned out I was able to run all of them under nine minute pace to my surprise. I have been putting off that work out for a while for fear of not being able to complete it successfully. I’m glad I did it.

Stats – weight is 144 pounds – sleep is averaging 9 to 10 hours nightly – resting heart rate remains consistent at 54 bpm – no leg or foot issues – diet is consistent and healthy.
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Good series
May 9 – 3 miles at a Turkey Swamp Park with speed segments throughout and three hills at the end.
May 10 – rest
May 11 – at Cinder track 3.8 miles in one hour and seven minutes total – warm-up 1 mile with five speed segments – workout -4×400 m in 147 to 151+ one
final 400 m at 2:08.
May 12 – rest
May 13 – weighs
May 15 – on cinders warm-up was 1000 m plus stretch +5×100 m speed segments Workout was 3×1000 m at 5:30 – cool down 800 m .- total distance 4 1/2 miles
The goal was to run thousand meter repeats under 10 minutes. It turned out I was able to run all of them under nine minute pace to my surprise. I have been putting off that work out for a while for fear of not being able to complete it successfully. I’m glad I did it.

Stats – weight is 144 pounds – sleep is averaging 9 to 10 hours nightly – resting heart rate remains consistent at 54 bpm – no leg or foot issues – diet is consistent and healthy.
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Brian has been chosen to be inducted into the athletic hall of fame. Any former athlete or friend of Ryan‘s interested in attending the inductee dinner, please contact Mr. Fas at. 2223bta@gmail.com so he can send you info

Good series
May 9 – 3 miles at a Turkey Swamp Park with speed segments throughout and three hills at the end.
May 10 – rest
May 11 – at Cinder track 3.8 miles in one hour and seven minutes total – warm-up 1 mile with five speed segments – workout -4×400 m in 147 to 151+ one
final 400 m at 2:08.
May 12 – rest
May 13 – weighs
May 15 – on cinders warm-up was 1000 m plus stretch +5×100 m speed segments Workout was 3×1000 m at 5:30 – cool down 800 m .- total distance 4 1/2 miles
The goal was to run thousand meter repeats under 10 minutes. It turned out I was able to run all of them under nine minute pace to my surprise. I have been putting off that work out for a while for fear of not being able to complete it successfully. I’m glad I did it.

Stats – weight is 144 pounds – sleep is averaging 9 to 10 hours nightly – resting heart rate remains consistent at 54 bpm – no leg or foot issues – diet is consistent and healthy.

It’s been an exciting and memorable two weeks as I visited Ireland with my son Robert for my 80th birthday. It was an eight day trip filled with lots of pub visits, lots of historic, Irish buildings, and stories, and a elegant Irish wedding.It also included miles in my house in Greenfield and the locating of my grandmothers purse and baptismal records at Saint Patricks church in Castlereagh Roscommon.

May 7th, Sunday

The early, spring sunshine was perfect for breakfast on the patio with Arlene, Kristen and Gracie.  A long walk and jog with Gracie served as a solid warm-up  for a late afternoon jaunt  in the park.

Today the trails at Turey Swamp Park were quite inviting, flat  and firm and shady in the 76* afternoon. I ran a happy  3.5 miles in 40 minutes.  A very fine day indeed!

Steady , positive stats

💚  🇨🇮   April 16 thru April 24 –  My son, Rob, arranged a whirlwind tour of Ireland to celebrate my 80th birthday.  We traveled hundreds of miles across emerald countryside, through small towns with friendly pubs, explored Ireland’s bustling cities and experienced an elegant Irish wedding in a restored castle.  Along the way we had a few Guinness , visited the remains of the O’Rourke castle and found the birth and Baptism record of my grandmother, Ellen Rourke, at beautiful Saint Patrick’s Church in Castlerea, Roscommon County.  It was an unforgettable journey!

Training-  I only managed 1 run during the trip through historic Saint Stephen’s park in central Dublin.  Since returning I have slowly gotten back into the routine of training.  It is approximately 9 weeks until the national senior games in Pittsburgh in mid July.   So, there is some serious work to do.  I’ve conducted 6 successful workouts in the last 8 days, mostly moderate mileage.  During Friday’s beautiful afternoon weather I ran 8 x 200m under :56 with 2 1⁄2 minutes recovery walking and jogging. That covered 3.8 miles in total with warm up and cool down.  I even spiked up for part of the workout, 2 x 200m.  Saturday was a day of rest with surprisingly springy legs.

Stats are getting back to normal with lots of sleep and good food and a temporary beer break.🙄