stir it up
One week until the start of my 2008 outdoor track season which will commence at Mt. SAC Relays. So far this year I’ve raced an indoor 1500m and 3000m and, a 15km road race. All the races have gone well and my training is going as good and consistent as it’s ever been. I’ve also been feeling very healthy and my body has kept up to the pounding as well as I can ask of it. This year I’ve done more volume in tempo and fartlek workouts than in previous years, such as today’s workout of 20 times 2 minutes. The longer sessions and the 15km race last month will allow me to handle the 25 lapper better than before. At least one question still remains… flats or spikes for the 10 000m? I’ll decide after the 5000m next Friday.
I’m not really expecting a fast time out of the gate next week as I’ve done very little running at 5000m race pace. There are two reasons for the lack of 64’s in my diet. First off, I’m gearing towards the 10 000m in the early part of the season and secondly, being at 7000 feet altitude does not allow me to run intervals as quick as I would at sea level. A typical mile repeat up here is about 15 seconds slower, so I’m not even doing my mile repeats at 10 000m goal pace. However, I do feel really fit so I’m not going to count out a fast time but, the main goal is to set up the May 4th 10 000m. Preliminary start lists came out yesterday for Mt. SAC and the 5000m will be a competitive race. Also, by the sounds of it, the 10 000m on May 4th should be stacked (no suprise there), and it will have a little more international mix than in past years from the European continent.
I’ll take some pictures this weekend and post them. I took a bunch of pics when I first got here but I haven’t touched my camera in a couple of weeks.
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FLOAT ON 
hi Reid, in these last few posts you’ve been writing from Flagstaff, it seems like you’re following a traditional ‘live high-train high’ training program. and you remarked about how you can’t hit the same times for intervals that you would be able to at lower altitudes. i’m just curious if you know of athletes down there that use supplemental oxygen units to simulate a low altitude environment for high intensity workouts. I’m thinking more this would be the permanent residents of the elite running community.
i’ve been reading about the use of portable supplemental oxygen tanks by US cross-country skiers and speedskaters in their build up to the Salt Lake Olympic games… are runners doing the same?
Cheers, Ben
All the best on Friday, Reid.
I’ve only heard of athletes using more oxygen up here to acccelerate recovery. Either by having a tank and mask at the track or a tent by the pool. I still think it would be hard to hit specific times. A lot of athletes go down to Sedona (4500ft), Camp Verde (3500ft) or Phoenix for specific sessions.
thanks Skuj… now I’ll have take ‘all the best on Friday’ as being able to do a workout by then.
Yeah…saw the more recent entry. Sounds very familiar, Dude. This has happened to me numerous times, most often when I get stressed out about something….everything tightens, my posture becomes shyte, and consequently the back / calf / hamstring thing occurs, rather like you described. Is your back inflamed? ie Sideways, looking into a mirror, is the lower back curve more like a straight ruler? Have you tried anti-inflammatories? Do you do much core-work? (Lower ab?)