Gettin' Back The Guns

Yesterday, I completed a workout that seems to be a staple for many 400m & "sprinter type" 800m runners in my club, a fast and furious 2 sets of 2X200m, with 1 min between runs and 8 mins between sets. I did this workout once before during the indoor season, at a time when my running was completely lacking any sign of the animalistic aggression that I remember bringing to the table when I ran as a teenager. My times in the winter session had averaged out to 31.4. per 200m. This is loosely indicative of me being able to at that time, run a 400m in around 62.8 (maybe minus one second or a few tenths in an actual race). This time, the workout was different. I averaged 28.5 after a blazing first one in 26.9. Going out hard like that, I know that I'm definitely getting back some of the beserker rage, that is, the confidence to run aggressively in the face of inevitable pain to come. It also has to do with being properly in tune physically with the goals in your mind. My goal being pretty simple when put into words: "run faster than you ever have before".

There are a few reasons why I've been able to turn a corner lately. One is that I'm lighter now. If you've been checking out my blog you may have noticed the theme of weight loss reverberating throughout my journey. I started running at 210, I was probably down 190 during the indoor season, and am now down to 180. I think I could still lose another 10-15 pounds, but I'm going at that slow and steady. I never like to rush things with regard to my development as an athlete. A little extra adjustment time goes a long way towards keeping me healthy & happy & injury free. I mean, I did lose 30 pounds over a period of only 13 months, that's actually quite a lot, considering I wasn't a human blimp or anything to start out with. And I'm proud to say that I've achieved that much without ever dieting, only eating healthier and training consistently.

Something else that has helped me hit new highs is racing. I raced my first 800m a few weeks back and although the result was a little disappointing (I split somewhat fast for me, 66, and finished in 2:21), it helped get me hungrier. I've been anxious to better that performance ever since, because I know I can'tbe too far off a 2:12 at least. At my second meet last weekend I ran what felt like a really solid 400m, in 56.9. Now, that's nothing to write home about, but it sure as hell is a long way from where I was a year ago, and proves to me that I got the guns back.