Sparkie's rundiary

Headed out to Homebush for the All-Comers meet this afternoon. A comedy of dramas (including 2 runaway dogs) made me 30 minutes late, but my first event started 30 minutes later than I thought, and the ARDUOUS registration process ended up taking 30 seconds.

Decided to do the BIG program, entering the 110m hurdles, 100m, 400m, triple jump, high jump, javelin and 3000m steeplechase. I picked up some sprinting spikes at the Sydney Running Centre on the way through - a nice discrete gold pair - think Michal Johnson without the speed. Is the running market so full of exhibitionists that a simple black pair are deemed not financially viable?

The first event, the 110m hurdles saw me tackling the tall timber for the first time in 10 years (a phrase you'll hear often over the next couple of weeks), and despite winning the over 35s, and running within 3 tenths of my best, it was still an appalling display of technique (agricultural as Colin would say), and has probably surpassed javelin as my worst event (actually, I think hammer throw still retains that honour). 20.40 for the record - 318 points. On the plus side, there is really no scope to go backwards from here, and working on my technique should be able to reign in a couple of seconds, putting it into the league of the respectable. However, there is a LOT of work to be done here.

Things picked up in the 100m, which I also won, in a lacklustre 12.80 seconds, but once again into a headwind. The people I beat all said it was a great run - but they would say that, wouldn't they. Definitely feel I've lost a bit in the speed department, although looking back I have run worse times in the past, and gone on to run low 12s weeks later, so once again, technique and strength are the focus here.

Unfortunately, the triple jump was on at the same time as the 100m, and by the time I got there, they were into the fourth round, and indicated "better luck next time". As I would have had to do a couple of jumps before the 100m, and I only won by 0.06 seconds, and I got a benchmark for the triple last week, it was probably best that I missed it.

Next up was the 400m, where I drew the inside lane (my preference - I like to see who's in front of me). In the first 50m or so, my left quad started to twinge, and I debated whether to drop out, but decided to see if I could run through it. By the 200m I had made up the stagger, and was feeling comfortable and ready to kick down. However, the quad had got progressively crampier, and with great reluctance, I pulled out. The winner (who I was already ahead of) ran 56.6 - so I think a 54 was on the cards today - however, obviously it wasn't to be.

Was preparing to head home, when another runner recommended I see the on-duty physio. Not knowing they existed, I thought it was a great idea. Some mild prodding indicated nothing more than a slight spasm, so 20 minutes of ice while I watched the 1500m races was the order of the day. Obviously the other events were out the window, but a day's rest and a few easier days training should make things right.

Although disappointed, this is not really a major setback (prepare for contradictory post in a couple of days) - just one of those things that happens when you do fast races. However, I have taken a few things away from today:
1. I am probably capable of running faster than my body is capable of handling. No more racing for a few weeks while I give the body a chance to catch up. Admittedly, the 100m was faster than I have run for years, so it was bound to stress the body. However, I can't keep doing this on a weekly basis, so I will have to slowly get the body used to running at this speed on a regular basis.

2. New shoes - probably should have broken them in during a sprint drill session, so the body was able to get used to the different muscular stresses in a more controlled manner. Likewise, doing the hurdles event without any previous hurdling practice was always going to test the body.

3. More strength training. This needs to become as rigid in my schedule as running, and for the next two weeks, if I can only fit in one session a day, weights will take precedence over running. I have been running really well the last three weeks, but it is middle-distance training, and today was sprinting, so the preparation wasn't directly translatable to the event.

4. When the body rebels, stop then and there. Had I pulled up at 50m, things would have been even less worrying. Results at this time of year are meaningless, and I need to stop worrying about them.

5. Ration sprint events - yes the double decathlon requires you to be able to do ten events a day for two days - but my body is not at this point yet, and will not by bullied on this subject. A maximum of four events per meet till the end of January - 1 sprint, 1 jump, 1 middle-distance and 1 throw.

A good win in the 1500m division 2 by Strider Ray Wareham (4:18). Would like to think I could have mixed it up with him - but there is plenty of time for that this summer.