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Thursday Track Crew |
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 Thursdays are track days for a small group of men and women. This is not a formal thing -- the exact workout depends on who's there (usually numbering from fifteen to thirty) and what they feel like doing -- but the group is very reliable about showing up. A typical workout might be something like six 400 meter intervals at 70-100 seconds (that's a pretty big spread, but we get a big spread of ability, too), or a 400-600-800-600-400 pyramid, or laps that include 100m striders, with folks doing more or less, faster or slower. We even got covered in the Centre Daily Times! If this appeals to you, meet under the Rec Hall bleachers at noon, or show your face at the Penn State outdoor track (indoors in winter, at the new Multi-Sport Facility) around 12:20 or so on Thursdays. Say "hey!"
The Thursday Track Crew is a group of runners who suffer from the delusion that regular speed workouts will help them run faster races, even though quite a few in the group are past their prime. And, in fact, the workouts have helped a number of
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Last Updated on Friday, 19 March 2010 14:12 |
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Thursday Track Report: Roadkill Practice |
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Written by Bwana
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Friday, 03 February 2012 10:28 |
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February 2, 2012
It was decidedly unwinterlike, but not very springlike
either as John Domico, Judd Michael, Lance Bland, Mike Casper, George
Lesieutre, Ken Davis, John Ake, Kevin Becker, Kirk Rager, Dana Todd, Monika
Houston, Tony Huang, Rob Peterson, and Marty Mazur headed for the track. Though
the sun wasn't very strong, the runners didn't want to risk seeing their
shadows, so they went inside the Multi-Sport Facility. There, Jerry Steffy was
just leaving after having warmed up the track.
Bwana couldn't decide whether he should call out a
workout for the last winter Indoor Mile, or to start people working on their
spring 5Ks. He split the difference and had them to a flat-topped pyramid:
3-4-4-3 laps at close to mile race pace. Bwana himself was undecided about how
hard to run this workout, since he's running Saturday's mile race. So he ran
half of it pretty hard and the other half not at all.
Quite a few of our erstwhile regulars seem to be holed up
with Punxsy Phil these days. Bwana can't decide what to do about this. Maybe
just leave a warning: You know all groundhogs you see on the roads with tire
treads on them? They're the ones who didn't do track workouts over the winter! |
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Thursday Track Report: Somber Soddenness |
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Written by Bwana
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Friday, 27 January 2012 09:00 |
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January 26, 2012
It was dark, drab, and rainy as John Domico, Lance Bland,
Judd Michael, Ken Davis, George Lesieutre, Dana Todd, Jim Laudermilch, newcomer Monica
Houston, Michael Goldfine, and Marty Mazur headed for the track. They had to ply their way between
cars and walkers headed to the Bryce Jordan Center for the JoePa Memorial.
There was some question as to whether the MSF would be open, but the trackers
were prepared to run on the outdoor track if it wasn't. Well, Tom Cali, Bob
Cornwall, Jon Thurley, Dean Capone, Meira Minard and Esther Prins weren't
prepared. They did something or other at Rec Hall. Do they have a maypole court
set up there?
The MSF was open. There was a reception going on in the
upper lobby for the Penn State Lettermen and their families. But the Trackers
made their way unobtrusively in through the lower doors. Some of the Lettermen
even watched as we did a light workout. Light because a few of the runners were
planning on doing Friday's Indoor Mile. Bwana did a few 2 lappers.
Over the years, we've done several JoePa related
track workouts. I distinctly recall the workout we did when JoePa won his 324th
game to pass Bear Bryant among major college coaches. Joe and Sue Paterno were
generous supporters of the NVRC Marathon Teams for Centre Volunteers in
Medicine. Regular runners would often happen upon Joe on one of his long walks,
which became shorter and less frequent in recent years. And, of course, the Rec
Hall crew passed JoePa's house every Monday on their regular Toftrees run. As
the Track Crew headed back to Rec Hall, there were even more people converging
on the BJC. Bwana watched the tribute to JoePa on BTN.com. Very nicely done. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 03 February 2012 10:29 |
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Thursday Track Report: Into Each Life Some Pain Must Fall |
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Written by Bwana
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Friday, 20 January 2012 09:02 |
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January 19, 2012
Winter, such as it is this year, seems to have finally
settled in to the area. The rain we've had since last summer is finally turning
to snow. It was cloudy, windy, and cold, with the threat of
coming snow as Jim Myers, Lance Bland, Blake Cohen, Travis, Frank Rodenbaugh,
Esther Prins, Kelson and Michael Goldfine, Bree Studenka, Marty Klanchar, Andy
Maguire, Mike Renz, Bob Cornwall, Some Guy, and Marty Mazur headed for the
track. Meira Minard, Jim Moore, and Dean Capone accompanied the group but
steered clear of the track workout to put in some road miles.
Bwana called out an indoor favorite, the fast and furious
NX3X300 with short (100 m) rests between each 300 in a set, running these at or
slightly faster than mile race pace. Most of the crew figured N=3 was enough
pain for the day. The fast pace and the short rests is good training for the Indoor
Miles, and should also help you gut out your final charge in a Spring 5K. Bwana
averaged 67 for his 9 300s. That translates to a 5:59 mile pace, so he
definitely ran them faster than his current race capability. He may have to
find out just what that capability is at next Friday's Indoor Mile!
Turnout has been OK but not stunning lately. Bwana would
like to see 25 or more at the track every week, rather than the 15-20 he's been
seeing of late. That means those of you who still have not extracted yourselves
from the Barcalounger since Christmas need to start showing up! C'mon! It only
hurts the first time! |
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Last Updated on Friday, 27 January 2012 09:00 |
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Thursday Track Report: Who Are You Gonna Believe, Me Or Your Lyin' Eyes? |
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Written by Bwana
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Friday, 13 January 2012 07:46 |
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January 12, 2012
It was probably warm and calm enough outside to do an outdoor workout. It was drab and calm with temperatures in the low 40s as John Domico, Lance Bland, Ken Davis, Andy Maguire, Michael Goldfine, Blake Cohen, Frank Rodenbaugh, Jaimie Wright, Misty Formie, Jim Laudermilch, Dana Todd, Kirk Rager, Rich Harter, newcomer Trevor, Rob Peterson, and Marty Mazur. But true to his word, Bwana brought the Crew indoors, in part to get the Indoor Milers ready for Saturday's meet.
Tom Cali and Dean Capone found some reason why they didn't need to continue with the Crew, and headed out as soon as they saw the newly painted lines on the track. But the rest of the Crew did a flat-topped pyramid: 3-4-4-3 laps in lane 5 at just slower than mile pace. The rest between reps was just long enough to allow runners to be able to do the next rep, but short enough to make it a gasping challenge.
Bwana was surprised at the relatively light turnout. He kept poking his head out the back door of the MSF to see who might be outside. There were a couple of runners he didn't recognize from afar. They could have been anyone, so those of you who didn't make it today can tell Bwana that you were one of those two and he'd be none the wiser (though Meira would have to gain a few inches to be convincing). At least until Spring, maybe that's the plan for those who want to slack and shirk: hope there's someone at the outdoor track and rely on Bwana's lyin' eyes. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 20 January 2012 09:03 |
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