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SEHS Noon Track + Sam Chelanga

April 9, 2013 (Afternoon)

Exercise Type: Run

Comments:
Got to lunch a bit early, did the Rupp dynamic warm-up, then jogged over to the track. Legs felt sluggish and heavy. Back was pretty good this AM, but I "anterior mob'd it" for good measure, prerun.

So what I've noticed at work - or, like...EVER - is that when I'm standing, my pelvis will shift forward and my thorax backward, causing a compensatory anterior shear/lumbar extension. THIS is what fucks up my back. BUT, I think I'm also taking that into my runs.

So today, I thought about doing the same with running as I have to do otherwise: butt goes back and a tiny hip hinge. This keeps me either straight up and down, OR, a true forward trunk engagement coming from the hips.

Wasn't sure what I was gonna do at first, but settled on some 400s, backward per usual. But as I approached I saw a guy running fast in lane one. F. Got there, did a lap of strides (50m stride, 50 jog x4). The guy running LOOKED like Sam Chalenga, but his form was a little off: he was running solo, and really "back" with his trunk ("that's MY problem!"), so I didn't think it was him. He and I got done with our laps at the same time. While disrobing, I said, "How's it going?"

From there we got to chatting: he was doing 1600s solo, in 4:40 to 4:20 (x4 total) and was struggling after 2. He asked what I was doing. I said 400s. I asked if he wanted help, and said he'd like me to run laps 1 and 3 of the next mile and rest for the 3-4. OK! I was looking to run 70s, but shit...if I'm going to "hone my fast guy self", this is the way!

For the first one, I hung behind him and it felt SUPZ COMFZ. Kept the breathing "normal" til 50 to go and split 67-point. Rested a lap. Then, when he came through, I LED the 3rd lap, another controlled 67-point! The stride felt good; just focused on trunk forward (with that teeny hip hinge back).

He and I rested only about 2-3min between miles. In that time we introduced ourselves; he was, indeed, Sam C. And I told him about his trunk: "You know, you might be struggling a bit solo because you're back in your trunk. Try going forward 'just an inch'!".

Second mile, he wanted 1 and 4. I said I'd LEAD the first lap, then have him pass me, and I'd hang for *maybe* 600m of the first 1lap+....until I DRAAAHPED a 65-point leading the first! I stopped at 400, breathed hard for 800m (2:15ish for him?), then hopped into the last lap, again leading.

I led 'til the last 200 and then he came around...but he didn't pummel me! He made a little push and I let him get a shoulder in lane two, but I hung right in! We both crossed the line in another 65-point. :)

After that, we chatted a bit and he said, "You've got some good speed!" He took a look at my shoes - the Montrail Flys - and said, "You'd be even faster if you had on lighter shoes!". He had those mega-light Nike spikes. We chatted a bit more; he was asking me about his back, and how it related to his forward trunk (he was really "back" and disengaged); I told him about my cue for "a rope connected from your sternum down to the track, 5m in front of you".

Then I took off back for work!

SO AWESOME! The great part was, my stride felt $$$! No back pain, no ab "tightness", nothing. OK, a teeny bit of toe pain on the L, but I think I did a fairly good job of pushing off BOTH legs!

The actual splits:

67.4 (70.9 rest)
67.2 (3:51 rest)
65.8 (2:17 rest)
65.6 --

Ain't run that fast since 'PAC DIED! And it felt good and sustainable! Holy shit, that was awesome! Talking about "Honing the Fast Guy", that was it! Perfect amount of pre-race volume without over-taxing - either energy or mechanics.