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OTC All-Comer's 1500m

July 16, 2015 (Night)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 70s, breezy but perfect

Comments:
Got to the track around 6:20, and ran into Scott Williams, a new (faster) guy who's in town for a traveling SLP job. Nice guy. He's been running with us on and off for the past month. He was also racing the 1500m and 3K.

Warmed up easy down Agate and back with CA, then did stretches and strides.

Hayward Field is f-ing amazing. Gosh, it shocks me how much I take it for granted. I wasn't too horribly nervous; just apprehensive about how much it would hurt and-or not having a great stride.

TONS of racers tonight. When it was time to assemble, there had to have been 30-40 people, including a lot of HS and college-age kids. They split us into two groups. Standing there, I thought, "Oh, they'll do, like, sub-5:00". Nope.

"WHO THINKS THEY'LL RUN UNDER 4:30??"

Oh, shit. I stepped up. I KNEW it'd be close, but it could be really bad. The reality is, I've done NO "mile" speed faster than 75. 400-800s in 78-80, 300s in 75 pace, and only the 200s I've done have been around 70 or faster per lap pace! This could be rough

So when we toed the line - STILL a huge group of us, maybe 20! - for the first time in my career for a track race, I toed behind in the second row.

And the gun went off.

Form focus: after my revelation this weekend, the BIG focus was BIG, "Rupp Hips" and "Salazar Stride' foot recovery: hip straight up, pull through, then "suck underneath". Other than that, no swivz, and TRY to stay forward.

It worked fairly well.

Took off down the backstretch fast to the corner, then things bottled up. I was almost jogging a bit as people filed into a line around the bend. Stayed VERY relaxed through 300m. Tried to move up a bit because I knew we'd be slow. Heard 72+ for the lap.

I did my classic 500m move-up - about 5 places - then kept form focused. 1.5 laps in...I felt GREAT! "Wow, this is fun!" I thought, but I was still way back. 2nd lap in 2:24-point...but still feeling great!

200m later...UGH, wow I could feel it! But, I did my K move-up, going after guys I knew - including a couple local Master's rivals (Orestes and Orin) and Scott, who was just in front. Split the watch with 400m to go then gave it my best - but didn't strain. Still tried to have good hips, quick feet and arms, and whole + straight ahead feet.

I reeled in Scott but ultimately didn't get him. Hit the line at 4:32, deeply satisfied!

Splits were clockwork:
72.4, 72.7, 55.7, 71.3

SOLID. Really happy, and DAMN, was it fun!

Post-race: LB was standing at the finish with Tommy, up for Trailwork! Hugged him, then reconvened with CA, who video'd the race for me. Then we all went for a cooldown up into the hills (where Hannah and some other UO-climbing-Waldo volunteers were doing a workout).

I thought I'd do some additional speedwork, but I was FRIED. So we just jogged back to the truck.

Man, I was REALLY, REALLY happy with the effort. Straight 72, totally in control? Off of like NONE of that work? Stoked. ANd just had FUN!

PM: beers at Wild Duck near campus with CA, LB and Tommy.

VIDEO: stride was actually solid:

- very little swivz, like none
- good, big (but efficient hips)
- good arms

Deficits:
- too upright
- slow cadence

Those two are probably tied together. When I try to anti-swivz, it keeps me upright, and upright slows the footstrike+cadence