First Outdoor Meet Revisited
This entire academic year I’ve had problems with my laptop.
Every once in a while I’ll open up a document that I have saved and it will be
“encoded” with triangles, squares, dots, exclamation points, and any other type
of shape or design you can think of, leaving me no other choice but to retype
everything I have completed. This will be the second time I have tried writing
this blog, so hopefully nothing goes haywire.
So obviously, I have some catching up to do. Last weekend
marked my first outdoor appearance at the Carleton Relays in Northfield, MN,
and I opened it with a 1:56.73 800m. Even though it’s still a mediocre time, I
was relatively happy with it since I haven’t run a race in over a month. We
crossed the 400m mark in 55 seconds (much faster than I am used to going) but
it’s still no excuse for allowing myself to get boxed in with 250m to go, which
killed the chance of kicking the last 150m. I fully expect to knock off at
least 2 seconds by the time conference rolls around.
I also ran my first open 400m all season at Macalester
Twilight last night. I went out way to slow (must be all the distance
workouts), and ended up crossing the finish line in a mid 50, a full second and
a half off my PR. To make it even worse, Aaron Buzard was in lane 3 right next
to me (former University
of MN runner, DI
All-American 400m @ 45.7 Indoor). He absolutely destroyed my heat, cruising in
a 46.49. I ran a horrible race, but it as an honor to run with someone that
talented. Plus, it’s always good to get your butt kicked once in a while to
make sure you don’t get a big head.
This weekend we will be heading down to the Drake Relays. I
will only be competing in the 4x400m and Sprint Medley, unless someone from the
sprints crew injures themselves. Our 4x400m is going to get killed (I am the
only one below 50 second on our team), but our Sprint Medley should do well. We
placed 4th last year, so we are hoping to place just as high this
year.
I better head off and get stuff ready before I leave. I hope
you are all doing well, and running fast! God Bless.
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Outdoor Meet #1 is Approaching
As
I guessed earlier, our meet last Saturday was cancelled. However, some of the
team was able to attend a meet at Concordia
College this past
Tuesday, and there were some great performances. The jumpers highlighted the
day with Tre Sayles taking first place in Triple Jump, followed by John
Pimental’s impressive school record long jump of 23’-0 ¾. Congratulations!
While
the sprinters and jumpers competed at the meet, myself and the other three
mid-distance runners on the squad jogged down to Macalester College
and tried to successfully complete a 3x3x300m workout (We are training through
peak week, which is why we didn't attend the meet). Each set consists of three
300m, with a 30 second break between each rep and 5 minutes between each set.
This circuit of 300’s is notorious for turning legs into poles of rubber, so
Monday was spent in eager anticipation of the pain that we would soon endure.
To make a long story short, the 35 mph absolutely slaughtered us. I was
supposed to come through each 300m at 41.25 seconds, but I only hit that time
once. I only completed six before the wind completely shut my system down, and
I average about 45 seconds per 300m. It was an ugly, ugly day at the track.
In
the past though, some of my worst workouts are followed by unexpected great
performances. We are heading down to Northfield,
MN on Saturday to compete in the
Carleton Relays, which is notorious for its strong wind gusts and ample rain.
Despite these conditions though, I am hoping to run a tactical 800m, and focus
on when and where to make moves. I am not expending to post a PR or break any
school records this weekend, but I am ready to run a smart race.
I’m
sure I’ll get in another Blog before Saturday, so I’ll keep this one short. I
hope you all are doing well and working hard. God Bless.
Quote
of the Day (From Yesterday): “This wind sucks and blows at the same time” Dan
Schield
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Working hard, or hardly working?
One of the most difficult aspects of life is watching people receive benefits and accolades they don’t deserve. These people show little signs of hard work, but are continually rewarded for their unreliable and selfish acts. As much as I despise these people, it is impossible not to be jealous of them.
There is a fine line between being “right” and being “jealous” when it comes to judging situations that we deem are “wrong”, and I believe a majority of this stems from the fact that most of us refuse to count the opportunities we are blessed to have. Depending on the situation, you might feel jaded or fed-up with a decision that was made but honestly, how many of us truly appreciate the gifts we were given?
Unfortunately though, even after counting the blessings, we still find it difficult to be content with what we do have, especially when a glimpse of success rises and we are not able to receive it, even after all the hard work we’ve put in. It hurts. What makes me not worthy of this title? Why can’t I have that chance? Haven’t I earned it?
Two types of people come out of this situation. The first group persistently complains until they have exhausted all of their energy for a decision that was already put into play. They might be “right”, but their consistent complaining keeps them stuck in neutral, and any goals they had will be squashed by their own accord. Then there is the second group. They do not spend their time griping. Instead, they learn from the situation and rise above it by setting new goals and establishing a foundation that many will consider to be outstanding. These are the hard workers, and they will grow even stronger.
For those of you who work hard but have not been commended for it, stay focused. The people who have failed you will make you stronger, and you will succeed.
Quote of the day: “It sucks now, but only for now. It’ll get better.” –Dan Schield
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Counting by Fives
Isn't it supposed to be warm out by now? Geez....
Anyways, not a whole lot has happened since I last wrote. I ended up going to an orthopedic doctor before practice yesterday, and he confirmed that I am in the "middle stage of hammer toe". Like most running injuries, the only thing to completely heal it is to stop running, but that is not an option. I have records to break, an 800m title to defend, and chances to run with some of the best athletes in NCAA. Calling it quits because of some jammed, swollen pinky toe isn't a good enough, so I'll just have to pray that my injury doesn't get progressively worse.
The last few workouts we've had were tough, but it was mainly due to weather. On Monday, we did 7 x 200m @ 27 seconds with a 1:30 break, and it was ugly. I did my first one in 26 flat, which was way too quick since I was going into a strong head wind. The rest of the workout I floated around low to mid 27s. Yuck.
Yesterday we did one of my favorite workouts, which I have properly named "Counting by 5's" (You'll see why in a minute) We began the 100m mark and sprinted to the 200m mark in 15.5 seconds, then jogged back 105m to our new starting position. Right away we sprinted again to the 200m, this time in 16 seconds. This pattern continued until we reached a full 200m sprint. For each 5 meters we added on, we had to allow ourselves an extra .5 seconds to cross the finish line. By the time we got to the full 200m sprint, we needed to hit 25.5 seconds. I finished in 25 flat, and I thought I had just run a full 400m. My butt and hamstrings cramped up, and I just had to lie on the ground until I came back to the real world. Overall though, it was a solid workout.
I found out this week that I and some of my teammates will not be able to attend the Mt. SAC Relays in California due to our programs small budget (plane tickets and hotel rooms are too expensive). I have never competed there before, but I was looking forward to running against some amazing athletes. As of now, only two members from our squad will be traveling there to compete, while the rest of us attend the Carleton Relays. It's really disappointing that more of the team couldn't attend Mt. SAC, especially the few individuals who are on the brink of qualifying. In the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that".
We are scheduled to have a meet in St. Peter, MN this weekend, but it will most likely get cancelled due to weather. I will keep you updated. Until then, I will leave you with the quote of the week...
"Runner's are like coal. Over immense pressure and time, they will turn into diamonds"
-Coach J.B
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Hamline Invitational
It has been a rough last few days...
It all started on Wednesday when I put on my shoe for my morning run and noticed that my smallest pinky toe didn't really "fit" inside the shoe. I took a look at my toe and it had swollen to about the size of my thumb. I didn't really know what to think of it, so I tried running on it Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I had to change my running posture to cope with the pain, but it didn't work very well. I woke up today to get ready for the meet, and my toe was still red and swollen. Our university trainer thinks it might be hammer toe or infected, but either way I will have to get examined by a doctor soon. My guess is that the mileage I have been doing lately has just irritated it, and that the swelling will go down once I rest. (I know a pinky toe injury doesn't sound horrible, so doubt me if you must)
I didn't end up running at the Hamline Invitational, so my parents weren't able to see me run which was really hard for me. I was also looking forward to seeing how my hard work would pay off, but that didn't happen either. I would like to list the other if/and/buts...but it really isn't worth it. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, so I am trying to find the good in a seemingly horrible weekend.
On a bright note, three Concordia Track and Field Records were broken. Adam Lemay smashed the pole vault record, Katie Johnson dominated the 400m, and Kaysee Nesmoe launched the disc further than anyone in Concordia's history. There were some other good performances, and hopefully some of those times and distances will help people get a higher place in the Mt. SAC Relay's accepted list. A few members, including myself, are on the fence for that meet, so hopefully things will work out in our favor.
In any case, I imagine the next few days will consist of some major icing sessions, along with some work on a stationary bike. At least its warm out though, and with any luck, I'll be able to enjoy that warmth on the track sometime next week.
I hope you all performed well this weekend. God Bless.
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Preparing for Outdoor: Meet #1
Even though its been a while since I've last written, not a whole lot has happened here in St. Paul. It was beautiful weather on Saturday, so I was able to run in shorts and a t-shirt. The good weather was short lived though, because it snowed six inches today and it doesn't show signs of letting up anytime soon. With some luck, it will heat up towards the end of the week and we'll get outside before the Hamline Invitational on Saturday.
We had a short workout today, which was a nice change. Here is what it looked like
7:30am run: 3 mile jog in 21:00
8:00pm workout: 1.5 mile warm up
3x300m @ 39, 38, and 37 seconds with a 6 minute break between each
1 mile cool down
I can't remember the last time I had to run fast for more than 200m at practice. It felt really good to open up a little bit and work on my form. It was also nice not to think for a change. Usually in longer workouts I am focused on hitting splits during the intervals, but in shorter workouts all I have to do is run fast (and for me that seems to be a bit easier). If you're a mid-distance or long distance runner, I'm sure you know what I mean by that statement.
In other news, some the Concordia Track and Field squad competed at the St. Johns Invitational this past weekend. Although it changed to an indoor meet, there were still some good performances. Adam Lemay highlighted the day by almost qualifying in pole vault, which is pretty good considering this is only his second year competeing! I fully expect him to place at nationals within the next couple years. Freshman Kevin Koglin also did well coming off a hamstring injury which he sustained in high school, and again this year. His 200m time won't turn any heads, but his 100m should be in contention for a conference champion title. We'll see as the year goes on...
I'll leave this blog entry a little shorter today, because I'll have plenty to talk about later in the week. I hope you are all running strong, and staying warm if you're in the north!
God Bless
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Running, but minus the physical part.
I don't really know how to begin this blog. Usually, I have some form of introduction that leads me into my main topic for the day, but for whatever reason I am drawing a complete blank. I guess I will start with Thursday's training log...
7:30am run: 3 mile jog in 19:45
3:30pm run: 4 mile jog in 26:30
Lifting Circuit (focused primarily on hamstring, quad, and shoulder exercises)
10 minute core workout
It was warm enough to run in shorts this morning, but I still had to put on a hat and gloves. The weather is on the fence; too cold for shorts and t-shirt, but too warm for pants and long-sleeve. I was able to hit my lifting exercises hard, and go up in weight, so I felt like I had a productive Thursday. Today on the other hand, was a completely different story.
I didn't start my Friday with a 3 mile run, because I felt like I needed to let myself sleep in for a change. Half way through the day though, I could feel the my muscles aching from Thursday's weights, so the rest of my afternoon was spent in fear of how much pain I would be in by the end of my workout. By the way, the only thing that makes a hard workout worse is thinking about how hard it will be the entire day. Before I knew it 3:30pm rolled around, and it was time to hit the track. Here is what I did...
1.5 mile warm-up run to Macalaster
12x400m @ 70 seconds w/ 70 seconds recovery
1.5 mile cool down back to Concordia
When Coach told me the workout, I was a bit surprised. I had prepared myself for a horrible day of running, but the workout didn't sound horrible at all. That was my first mistake. I underestimated the workout. By the time I was on the 5th rep, my legs were barking at me to give them a break. I definitely hit the weights too hard the day before, so now I was feeling the consequences. I got to the 9th rep and Coach decided to cut the rest by 5, 10, or 15 seconds (It could have been any of those, because I wasn't paying attention anymore. I was just waiting for the phrase "Ready, Go!") I was able to finish all of my intervals around 70 seconds, but it was still frustrating. I have done the workout before with as much as 20 reps in less time, but I just couldn't get my legs to turn over.
As I laid there on the ground, my coach congradulated me and my teammate for working through the pain. He then said a quote that I don't think I'll forget the rest of my track career...
"Remember, we run meets to see where you are physically, but also to see where you are mentally" -Coach J.B-
I always forget how much of running is mental. For instance, I realized that today wasn't a leg workout, but a BRAIN workout. I had to push past that mental barrier of pain from the hard week, focus on my goal, and accomplishment it. Sure, my legs carried me there, but it couldn't be done if I didn't convince myself that I could do it. The same can also be said for race tactics.
Here's a question for anyone reading the blog. I know every athlete thinks about their sport, but how many of them actually practice mental preparation? Do you visualize yourself doing well? What have you done off the track lately that can prepare you to do better?
I hope I didn't switch subjects to fast today. I try to stay on topic as long as possible, but I throw myself into other things. I hope some of this was helpful. If anything, maybe it got you thinking. Feel free to post something!
God Bless, and good luck CU Track and Field Team at the St. Johns Invite!
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Rest: The Key to Success
I woke up to a very wonderful site this morning. There was no snow.
The forecasters predicted 5 inches of snow with a high of 37 degrees, but instead St. Paul received 45 degrees, which basically melted all the snow in the Twin Cities area. The sprinters, jumpers and throwers all practiced inside, but the middle distance squad and myself took a jog over to Macalaster College to do our workout at their facility. Although Concordia co-owns a stadium with Central High School, we are not able to use the track for various reasons, so we have to either run to Macalaster College or Hamline University. Concordia is in the fund-raising stage for a new stadium right now, but it won't be built till after I graduate. Anyways, here's what my workout looked like today...
11:00am run: 3 mile jog in 19:30
4:00pm workout: 1.5 mile warm-up run to Macalaster College
2 by 4 by 200m @ 800m race pace, with 200m jog recovery. 4 minutes between sets.
1.5 mile cool down
The workout focused on switching gears; fast to slow, slow to fast. For example, I would run my first 200m in 28 seconds, then go straight into a 200m jog recovery which took about 50 seconds, and then back into a 28 seconds 200m. This pattern continued for 1 mile, and then we had a 4 minute break before our next and final set. I had never done the workout before, so I didn't know what to expect. The wind was blowing from the west pretty hard, so each fast 200m was directly into the wind. I was still able to dip below 29 seconds for my fast 200m's, but they were extremely difficult. All in all, today was a humbling experience, but I was happy wear spikes outside for a change.
My coach and I also decided that I would not be running at St. Johns this weekend. Instead, I will hit another 50 mile week which will contain 4 workouts, and one of those will be on Saturday morning. I will open up my outdoor season at the Hamline Invitational next weekend, and hopefully put on a good race for my parents who are flying up from Colorado to watch. I'll be entered in the 800m, and more than likely finish the day off with a good ol' 4x400m relay.
I don't have a hypothetical question for today, but I do have a story. I was talking to one of my teammates today (a freshman), and he was trying to convince me that the best way to train is to have hard workouts 5 consecutive days in the week, leaving only one day for rest. He claimed that mechanics and plyometrics don't help with sprinting at all. In his opinion, they were "a big waste of time".
One of the biggest mistakes that many collegiate track and field newcomers make is that they undermine the importance of rest. Many people feel that if there is "no pain, then there is no gain", but that is completely false. Think about any injuries you've sustained from athletics. More then likely, they came from the overuse of that body part. Stress fractures, pulled muscles, and tendonitis are all products of overtraining, and it is all too common in track and field. I'm not a doctor, but I think many will agree that proper rest is one the keys to a successful track career.
With that being said, I am going to kick back in my chair and read a book. I'm sure my legs will appreciate me for it. I hope you all are running hard, and staying healthy. God Bless.
Quote of the day:
"Matt, running a 1:54 800m is going to be as painful as running a 1:52 800m, so you might as well run a 1:52." - Coach J.B -
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Outdoor Season is here....sort of.
Outdoor season is here, but only in the sense of the word. I have yet to set foot on an outdoor track, and I don't believe the temperature has peaked above 45 degrees over the past 3 months. The week before Easter Sunday was awesome, and it looked as if all the snow would soon melt away. However, I woke up Saturday morning to find 8 inches of frozen-to-the-ground snow. I'm getting a little tired of "frozen toes and running nose" conditions, but I'm working through it.
Our indoor track facility is also starting to take its toll on the minds and bodies of my teammates. A good portion of the team is dealing with shin splits, while others are beginning to feel like rats in a maze. We would all like to get outside for a change and run a straightaway longer than 55m, but the weather just isn't allowing it. The team was pretty excited for the first outdoor meet on March 29th at St. Johns, but the excitement quickly faded when we were told the meet was changed to an indoor meet.
Myself, along with the two other middle distance runners of Concordia, had some modified workouts outside last week. Instead of running 300m repeats indoors, our coach took us to a plowed road, and we did our intervals there instead. The cold air hurts the lungs, but I always feel like I am putting forth more of an effort into the workout (kind of a man vs. the elements type of scenario). I also peaked at 50 miles last week, which is the most I have ever done. I know this is not a lot compared to other mid-distance runners, but the mid-distance world is all new to me, so I was proud of my accomplishment.
This week is a bit different though. I am on a low mileage week so my body can recover from the 4 workouts I did over Easter Break. I will only have to run 35 miles including workouts, so I hope to get in some good lifting and strengthen my core with the extra time I get. Here is what Monday's workout looked like for me...
2 mile warm-up @ 7:30 per mile
8 X 200m @ 28 seconds w/ 90seconds recovery
2 mile cool-down
Although my coach says that anything in the low 28's is good, I always go under by at least half a second. I averaged about 27.4 seconds for each 200m, and it felt great. It would have been even better to do them outside, but I won't get back into that rant! Today consisted of...
7:30am run: 3 mile jog in 20 minutes.
3:00pm run: 4 mile jog in 27 minutes, followed by 4 strides to loosen up
Lifting Circuit
I always run in the morning, but it has its ups and down. The down is that I have to wake up early, but the up side is that I am able to work out any soreness from the previous day, making me fresh for running and lifting later that day. Running in the morning also seems to help jumpstart my day by giving me some time alone to think and pray. The positives of running at 7:30am definitely outwiegh the negatives.
I don't want to overdue my second blog, so I'll wrap things up with a quick, hypothetical question. If your first outdoor meet was moved to an indoor facility, and you were given the choice of either run at the meet or do a workout instead on Saturday, what whould you choose to do?
I hope you are all running fast, and staying strong. God bless.
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Representing Concordia University in lane 4 will be....
Honestly, I never thought I would be the "blogging type." I was under the impression that blogging was simply an outlet for those wanting attention, but that is not the case. After reading many posts on TrackShark, I've decided that blogging (at least from an athlete's perspective) is another way to help maintain focus in the goals that we pursue. It's a great way to share ideas, get advice, and talk about what we all love to do; Track and Field. With that, I welcome you to my first of many blogs to come. I hope you find it somewhat enjoyable.
I'll start with a brief introduction. My name is Matt Eicheldinger, and I am currently a junior at Concordia University in St. Paul, MN (Division II). I was an average athlete in high school (Montrose, Colorado). I qualified all four years of high school, placing in both the 200m, 400m, and 4x400m. Somehow I came across Concordia in the midst of my college search, and decided to take the opportunity to continue my education and track career in a state other than Colorado. I came into Concordia as a 200m/400m, but have made the common transition into middle distance. I have been an NSIC Champion in both the 400m and 800m, and have gained All-Conference Honors in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. Although I have come close to an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the 800m, I have not yet made it to the national level. I'm looking to change that this season though...
Our Men's Track and Field program is currently in the rebuilding stage as well. Our sprinting and jumping crews are strong, but we don't have depth anywhere else. To give you an idea, I had to run the 4x800m, 4x400m, 4x100m, 800m, and 400m at the NSIC Outdoor Championships in 2007. This past Fall I was also asked to run in the NSIC Cross Country Championships, because our men's squad didn't have enough people to field a team score (I had never raced anything over 800m before either, so it was quite embarrassing). In any case, our program will need to grow quickly with the NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference) expansion next year. After the expansion, there will be fourteen teams in our conference!
I hope that gives you all an idea of where I am coming from. You'll learn more about me and my running as the season progresses. Excluding this one, my future posts will have my workouts, news in the NSIC, results from meets, and probably a bunch of hypothetical running questions (why not, right?) Tomorrow, I will recap the past week of training, and Monday's workout. With that I bid you all a good night, because I have to wake up and run tomorrow! God Bless.
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Recent Entries
• First Outdoor Meet Revisited
• Outdoor Meet #1 is Approaching
• Working hard, or hardly working?
• Counting by Fives
• Hamline Invitational
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