"The night joggers were out as usual.
The young man could see dim figures on the track even in this pale light, slowly pounding round and round the most infinite of foot paths. "
Once a Runner (first two sentences)
Todays workout is 12 minute Warmup VERY FRESH effort; 2 Sets of 5x40 Seconds GFGFG (1 minute recovery jog between reps) [4 Minute recovery jog between sets] 5 minute Warmdown VERY FRESH
The code translation is start your run with 12 minutes of running at a VERY FRESH effort then go immediately into 2 Sets of 5 repetitions of 40 seconds of running alternating your Effort in this manner. 1st repetition GOOD effort, 2nd repetition FRESH effort, 3rd repetition GOOD effort, 4th repetition FRESH effort, 5th repetition GOOD effort. You get a 1 minute jog after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th repetition. Then you get a 4 minute jog after the 5th repetition and before you start the second set of exactly the same thing. After you finish your second set you go into a warmdown of 5 minutes of running at a VERY FRESH effort. I love this workout.
Today's quote is the start of the book Once a Runner and it's a moment when Quenton Cassidy - the main character -- is about to reflect back on the last four years of his life -- an Olympic cycle. Today's message is a reflection on what happened Sunday night at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials final night.
Here is a quick summary of the highlights by event in order.
Womens Javelin -- Olympic Trials Record
Mens 5000 meter run -- Olympic Trials Record
Mens 800 meter run -- Olympic Trials Record
Womens 100 meter Hurdles -- Olympic Trials Record and World Lead
Womens 1500 meter run -- Olympic Trials Record
Mens 400m Hurdles -- Olympic Trials Record
Womens 400m Hurdles -- Olympic Trials Record, World Lead and WORLD RECORD
I have spent a lot of time watching races on "the most infinite of footpaths" and I have never seen an hour of track and field like Sunday nights final races.
And what happened in a number of these races further down the fields may have been even more incredible. Think of what happened in the womens 1500m run which rewrote the US ALL TIME performance list. That race alone set the #2, #3, #4, #10, #11, #12 best performances on the ALL TIME list.
Look at Emily Mackay's (who finished second in the 1500m) truly amazing performance progression over the last 6 years at 1500m per @FastWomen
2109: 4:27.45
2021: 4:17.37
2022: 4:08.97
2023: 3:59.99
2024: 3:55.90 (so far) When does this progression slow down?
In the Mens 800m Hobbs Kessler (who is only 21) just became the first American man since 1976 to qualify in both the 800m and 1500m runs.
To jump back to Saturday, the womens 200m may have captured the intensity and the emotion of this meet. The favorite Sha'Carri Richardson, who will represent the US in the 100m, finishes 4th in the 200m defeated by several less heralded athletes including Brittany Brown who's tweeted is featured today.
The US Olympic Track and Field Trials is often considered the greatest track meet in the world, and it did not disappoint this weekend. The questions I ask myself now are is this a new era in this sport and how did we get here.
More on that another day.
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