Thursday Track Report: Bottoms Up!
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
August 14, 2014
The weather around here, pretty much since Mother Nature tipped her hat to Arts Fest and provided appropriately warm and muggy weather, has been very un-summerlike. Outside of a few days in late July, it has seemed like September, and a rainy one at that. Summer topped out early. Or has it? Some people, I think, are hoping so. Specifically those running upcoming late-summer marathons, including our Mount Nittany Marathon in just two weeks. In the meantime, summer track attendance has bottomed out. Today, there were just barely enough for a quorum. Judd Michael, Costas Maranas, Andrew Maguire, Mike Zimmerman, Mike Martin, Dean Capone, Tim Bracken, David Lloyd, Sara Noss, and Marty Mazur braved (?) the mostly sunny skies and low 70s temperatures (and low humidity) to get in a track workout.
Bwana wanted everybody to feel a little bit twitchy. Fast-twitchy, that is. So, today’s workout was two sets of 6X200 with short rests. The 200s were run at a little faster than mile race pace, but not a sprint! The rest was too short (100m) and the volume too big for that. It’s a relatively easy workout, though you can always pump up the volume (2X(8X200) or 3X(6X200)) when you do this with more time on your hands.
The last of the late-summer short races are coming, including Herbie’s Hometown Loop this weekend. Then it’s mOUnTaiNBACK prep, fall marathons, and the Nittany Valley Half. Bwana will mix in some short stuff, but soon most of the track workouts will be high volume, long reps. Enjoy the rest of the summer, because September is already here!
Thursday Track Report: Beating The Bushes
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
August 7, 2014
Early August, usually the time of year when we have the lowest track attendance. Summer heat and humidity is wearing on people, so that even those who aren’t on vacation are having a mojo problem. Bwana has to beat the bushes hard to get anyone out to the track. But this summer has been pretty mild, we’ve gotten a crop of new regulars to take up the slack of the vacationers. Attendance has been pretty good. This week, Tom Cali, Judd Michael, George Lesieutre, Costas Maranas, Frank Zaffino, Jim Laudermilch, Kevin Becker, Jaimie Wright, Mike Zimmerman, Mike Martin, Mike Renz, Jake Clements, Andrew Cunningham, David Lloyd, Alex Wouden, Adam Ilgen, Mike Casper, John Hook, and Marty Mazur headed for the track under sunny skies and mild temperatures.
Speaking of beating the bushes, Bwana’s warm-up speech was a “last call” for sign-ups for the DCR. Commissioner Sheakoski is looking to fill out at least 6 6-person teams in what may be his last year at the DCR helm. As is always the case, several DCR regulars are committing to other facets of the race, from Supra duos to departmental nerd teams all the way to the total cray-cray the solo ultra effort (Mikes Renz and Martin). But Bwana was still successful in his recruiting call: Adam Ilgen and David Lloyd will run the Relay, each for the first time, under the DCR flag. We’ll be having the Draft soon, and just in time for the Discovery Series mOUnTaiNBACK training runs, which start in two weeks!
Bwana’s workout today was 6 X 1 lap, progressive. Start with a lap in Lane 2 and mark your time. Just don’t do that first lap too fast! After a 200m rest, move out to Lane 3 and equal or better that time (but don’t get too frisky!) Rest again and move out to Lane 4, etc. You must equal or better your last lap time. Each lane change means a longer lap and the last one can be a challenge!
Bwana hopes you’re all having a great summer and looks forward to 30+ person attendance in the weeks to come!
Thursday Track Report: Formula 1
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
July 17, 2014
Thursday Track Report: Messin' With Ya
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
July 31, 2014
The weather has been messing with us for a few weeks. Ever since Arts Fest, it can’t decide whether it wants to be summer or fall or the monsoon season in Bangla Desh. Tom Cali, Judd Michael, George Lesieutre, Costas Maranas, Michael Goldfine, Jake Clements, Mike Weyandt, Andy Maguire, Mike Zimmerman, Jaimie Wright, Dana Todd, Jim Laudermilch, David Lloyd, Tim Bracken, Adam Ilgen, Sara Noss, and Marty Mazur headed for the track under questionable skies.
Bwana decided to mess with the Crew with a workout he’s only given a couple of times (so that no one can get used to it): 3X(2X500). Run a 500 at around mile race pace. Take a short, 100 m jogging rest, then do another 500 at the same pace or better. A longer 500 m rest will get you back to the start for another rep. Do this 3 times. The workout is basically 3X1000 with each 1K cut in half and a short rest inserted. The odd distance and short break are done to mess with your pacing. Run those 5s hard and don’t worry about what you have left. See if you can get enough of it back after the breather to do another.
A couple of people were messing with themselves, doing this workout less than 2 days after the inaugural running of the revived Tuesday Evening Workout. Bwana remembers the last time we did the double weekly workouts 4 years ago. The first couple of weeks made for hard Thursday workouts! We hope to continue the Tuesday workouts into September, so quit messing around! Step up your game!
Thursday Track Report: Arts Fest Is More Than A Race!
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- Written by Bwana Bwana
July 10, 2014
Arts Fest week, and the week after Bwana broke down and canceled Thursday Track (outside of Thanksgiving and Christmas, that happens about once every 25 years). Those two factors led to a light turnout, and the latter factor means Bwana has made the full transition from hard-ass to softie. Lance Bland, Mike Renz, Jake Clements, Mike Martin, Tony Kwaznica, Mike Zimmerman, Nikita Fedkin, Jim Laudermilch, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur made the trip to the track under pleasant (for Arts Fest week) conditions: clouds, breezes, moderate humidity, and temperature below 75.
Bwana gave the old Whitman Sampler today, but this time as an upward ladder (and missing the bottom rung): 400-600-800-1000 with 200m rest between reps. Start the 400 at 5K race pace, but then carry each successive rep at that pace. That might seem like a slow start when you’re doing the 400, but the short rests and lengthening reps catch up to you. Run the 1K at a little harder than your race pace and you’re ready for any of this weekend’s races!
Bwana suspects the missing members of his Crew were out preparing for other aspects of Arts Fest weekend. He’s pretty sure there will be no slouches in the NVRC contingent at the strudel munching contest, the chicken-on-a-stick eating competition, and the Pickle’s Pitcher Fest. Good luck to all running on Sunday!