Thursday, July 14, 2011

400m repats.... ALL DAY, EVERYDAY... A "Torrential" downpour

As mentioned, I'm going to list my training, and give more running to running accounts of my training. And I can finally say my goal again, "I want to make the Olympic Trials Marathon this January." I have pushed back my qualifier attempt, given the broken femur, torn hip flexor, and torn glute... but if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again. So, I'll shoot for a qualifier this November or December as I will take the half marathon qualifying route. To which, that is a sub 65 half marathon. A harder qualifier than the marathon itself, at a respectable 4.58 mile pace or faster for 13.1 miles. 'Juicy.'

Help an orphan squirrel-

www.youtube.com/user/mktb000?v=f1ImydMx6VI&feature=pyv&ad=7828583892&kw=squirrel


To build up confidence, and what I'm famous for, 400m repeats.

3 weeks ago, as of tomorrow, I will have done the following the last  handful of 400m workouts in this repetition - 16- Then went to altitude- 18- 16- 22- 27- 30... And today was 34. Problem with today's workout, a respectable storm was coming through, and I  postponed the workout. As it was a last minute decision in the process of finishing up a warm-up. Rarely, will I cancel a workout snow, rain, ice, or whatever, but today, with the hail that came down 10 minutes later, I decided, "For once Clay, you weren't 'completely' retarded."







2 minutes later, "Nevermind, scratch that," I was already in a pissed off mood. My thoughts, "Mother nature can go kill herself before she wins this battle."



As I procrastinated with the 400m workout, it was already dusk. Another issue, a rather large storm cloud was approaching. I thought, it doesn't look 'that' bad. I mean, the hail was already done... And it probably didn't help that I was jamming to this as the apocalypse of storm clouds approached- www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtlw9eVMypo

As the warm-up is finished, I find myself brushing my right foot across the gravel/dirt track, "smoothing" it out. Problem is, I estimated doing this for a solid 5 minutes. To tell you the truth, there was nothing wrong with it, as I kept sliding my foot from side to side on the ground, scattering now non-existent gravel across the underlying dirt. At times, I can be a 'bit' OCD, to such a degree, people notice... Usually not... "Usually." At times, "Clay, if you touch your shoe laces one more time... ONE MORE TIME, I SWEAR... I SWEAR!!!"


Typically, I do have it under control, but sometimes, eerrrr, "I HAVE to fix that, I HAVE to touch that." The only time it affects my daily life is when I'm taking notes in class. As I will repeatedly write over everything I've written down, over and over and over again til the point  it looks ridiculously bolded, inky, and of course, 'cool'. - 20 minutes later - Class ends, and I'll have little to nothing of what the teacher said, as I could only focus on re-writing over a paragraph I had, 'lucky me,' it included my thoughts making a time machine. Personal thoughts on the issue, "Money."

I throw down a few light strides. I throw off my black nike pants, a grey rain jacket, change into my workout socks, "Yes," there is such a thing, and of course, throw on bright green racing flats. As a few drops are shed from the sky, a dark loom in the air, let's get'it down.

As I churn the first few repeats, I feel rusty. Beginning to wonder if my 7.5 mile tempo I did was still in the legs, "Aaaaaaannnnndddd, it was." As is human nature, the brain, and I believe it's the left side, is the side that produces negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Crazy as it goes, being self conscious of the long workout, annoyed by being tired.... My thoughts, "Will you shut the hell up! I'm in charge." Beginning to get more "Errrr" from the weather, and the already tired legs, I will NOT be denied this workout. I will NOT.

By repeat #5 it starts raining, actually, that's an understatement, it POURS. Repeat after repeat and 10 into the count of 34, wind picks up, lightning streaks across the sky from all directions. "Bring it on, Bitch!"

Even more pissed off, as if, mother nature was to have some say in my workout, I continue forth. As I paced back in forth, 60-70 seconds between reps, a walk-joggish rest in-between, wind blasting heaving rains in my face... Again, and again, and again... This would not lead to me being a happy camper, by any means.

By the the 16th repeat, the track is completely saturated, the inside of the track containing a puddle all around the 400 meter gravel oval. And yet, I still would NOT be denied this.

Perseverance, well if that's what you want to call it, but it's more than that. It's some kid that makes out a false enemy and thinks mother nature is some symbolic being trying to piss him off, and boy... I still believe it.


I know what you're thinking reading this, what is wrong with this kid?! I assure you, that question has been asked many times, each time, nothing more than a baffled response of, "I don't know..." and look of confusion is put forth.


Repeat after repeat, feet striking the ground, crunching of the gravel, water splashing, gravel gathering places only the imagination can think of, I continued forth.

By repeat 27, cold and the continued blasting of heavy rain into my face, to which, only led to me making sure I was to win this battle. And I swear to God, I will kill mother nature. My current thoughts can be expressed in this song-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kJMH916DS4

By repeat 34, the last and final repeat, a slight chill in the air, and what do you know, the bitch, known as mother nature, stops the pouring, no wind, no nothing. As I roll off the final repeat, "FINALLY!" My favorite part in running, the cool-down. I can listen to some music, and gather my thoughts. As I grab my bag, and trot to the bleachers to change from soaked racing flats into soaked trainers, I did not care. I get to enjoy the cool-down, that's all I cared about momentarily.

I kid you not, and I couldn't make this up if I tried. It starts to rain... that's an understatement... a torrential downpour is cast forth, as some sort of sick joke. "Well, so much for listening to some jams to enhance my buzz from the workout. Lightning being cast forth, rain slapping my face, I did not care anymore. Tired of being soaked, cold, and yes, the continuing of rain slapping me in the face for the whole 2 hour workout. I decided... to cut the cool-down short. I proceeded to trot 10 minutes, and call it a day. I immediately proceed to trot over to my car, Shout out to the sky, "TAKE THAT BITCH!" And gladly went home, and wrote in my journal, Clay - 1 vs. Mother Nature - 0.

By the way, I don't have a journal. I'm not 'that' nerdy. Close though!

To the people that want an update on training, here is the last 8 days, and "Yes," the volume and miles of runs and workouts is growing fast.

July 6th-

 25 min. warmup- 30x400m, gravel/dirt track- 30 minute cool-down

20 minute bike later

July 7th-

70 minute run

25 minute run later

July 8th-

35 minute run

80 minute run later

July 9th- My EASY day-

35 minutes easy

25 minutes easy later

July 10th

3 mile warmup- 12k tempo, that raised 1000 feet first half (Dear God, that was tough)- 10 minute cool-down

50 minute run later

July 11th-

70 minute run

22 minute run later, followed immediately by 16 minute bike spin

-Sore as a mug-

July 12th- 

80 minutes/strides

20 minute run later

July 13th-

3 mile run

20 minute warmup- 34x400m in torrential downpour on gravel/dirt track-10 minute cooldown. (Pushing bike off till tomorrow, and 'light drills', SECRET drills)

Run range from 6000-7300 feet for these 8 days of running/training. Also, typically on rolling hills, excluding 400m repeat days.


I may take a down week for 400ms next week (maybe 26?), then do 40 the next week. I might race a mile road race, and/or 3k road race that occur on the week days next week... I'll keep you informed!

-clay j. mayes the 3rd

Also-   www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGhZHlpSE6k

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