Blogs : Joshwyn Abrams

This Love Affair I Have With Running

Tuesday while recoping from another hard work out......A commerical came on the television set that made perfect sense to me.  It was a new balance commercial, and it talks about the relationship a runner has with running.  If you haven't seen it yet I won't spoil it for you, but if you have seen it..you should be able to relate.

There are days when I love this sport, and there are days when I hate this sport.  Track is like a relationship in my opinion.  Think about it....Don't you fight with doing certain workouts?  Don't you spend quality time with it?  Aren't there days that you've rather home and sleep in? 

Now to the workouts....Nigel busted my tail this week.  I'm sitting at this computer and my legs are sore....What's worse I have been running for months now.  Why am I sore?  My professional opinion is that he makes me run hard every single day to run a blazing time later this season.  My unprofessional opinion is that he cares less how my body feels before, during and after practice. 

Monday March 31, 2008 

I got to practice and did my usual warm up and asked Nigel today's workout...Today workouts consisted of 3 sets of run a 300m jogg and 100m and run 100m.  So basically we did 500s today.  He started our workout with slower times and we ended with faster times.  Thus far this week, I've been practicing like I did in high school meaning that the guys would run and I would start 8-10 meters after them.  So we start are first set.....The guys go and then I go....for some reason when I run from behind at practice I get flashbacks from my days at Penn Relays.  My first 100m was relaxed and I gradually picked it up around the 200m mark by the time I got on the backstretch I coasted by Murdock. Nigel called out the time, but I had a two second delay since I started later then everyone else.  My time was 42 and they ran 44.  I finished first....We couldn't break it down after the 300m we had to jog 100 meters and then try to run the last 100m in 14 seconds.  The 100 meter run part didn't hurt as it did in previous weeks, but it was uncomfartable.

The second set Nigel dropped the time...He wanted up to run 42 or better.  "Set Go" The guys got out...I started 10 meters after them and ran the same race I did for the first set...I crusied the first 100m kinding watching them and running off of them, when I got to the 200 meter mark my body literally told me you can kick now and that was when I made my move...Same result as the first....My time was 39 seconds, I jogged my 100 meters and then ran the last 100 meters. That 100 meter one was much harder then the first.

The last 300 meter run...Nigel asked us to put or spikes on.  He said he wanted them under 39 seconds.  "Set go",.....The guys got out...and I started 10 meters after them....This time these cats were rolling.  I cruised my first 100 meter and starting picking it up at the 150 meter mark instead of the 200 meter mark.  I try to catch them on the back stretch, but this time I couldn't...They were to far in front... they came thru there 300m at 36 seconds I came through my ine 37.  By this time my legs and buttocks were on fire.  Nigel was like whats wrong..."At that point I was so furious that I didn't even want to talk to him".  This was the first time I've ever been introduced to a cramping feeling in my butt.  I could barely even walk.

***I forgot to mention that my recovery time between each set was 5 minutes***

After the workout we did 10 stepovers over the hurdles.  Then we went to the weight room.  Today was upper body and my workout was the following:  Bench press 10x135pds, 6x175pds, 5x205pds and 3x225pds. 

Tuesday April 1, 2008

Today the kids had a track meet that I had to work the finish line, but we still held practice just at a later time.  Before the meet I went on a 2 mile run.  My first two mile run ever.  And honestly it felt pretty darn good.  I wasn't even breathing heavy, but when  I got back to the track the kids were like "Coach A...Why you sweating so hard?".  The guys and girls won the meet and then it was time for practice.  Our workout was to run the following hard 220m, 180m and then 4x100.  Our recovery time between each was 5 minutes.  These weren't timed, but they were hard.  Again I gave the kids about a 8-10 meter lead and it was a bit harder for me because I had to try and run someone down.  "To the average person watching me run with the boys...It would probably look like I'm getting smoked and trying to play catch up, but trust me...it's not that at all.  After today's workout I was exhausted.  Caprice said to me "Coach A..... are you really that tired?

I'm still trying to get used to running hard and recovery time between sets that is less then 6 minutes.

Wednesday April 2, 2008

Today's workout started off quality and ended up speed and technical.  We started our workout with a quality 350m.  Again with previous days I gave the kids about an 8-10 meter lead.  These kids were rolling on the 350m.  I was in the back...and when I say back...I was in the way way back for the first 250 meters.  Again a penn relay flashback came to me so I pressed a bit harder on the straight a way...I caught three runners before I got to the finish line.  The boys ran 43 for the 350 meter mark.  I came through 44.  So you do the math to see what I ran if I started after them.

After practice I headed over to the weight room and worked on my lower body.  Leg curls/Leg Press/Hip Flexors and abs.

****Thanks for taking the time out to read another blog****  Good luck to those competing this week.

Training

9:02 PM, April 3, 2008 .. Posted by Anonymous

How is it training with high school guys, the Murdock kids ran 48.39 and 10.43, what do you think you will run later on. Why did the coach make you jog 100 rather than walk.

Training Response

9:08 PM, April 3, 2008 .. Posted by joshwyn

Justin Murdock is a beast...To be honest all the guys I run with are beast....There all All-American. Murdock should run 47 maybe even 46. He's a freak of nature. We were talking yesterday and he's trying to make the Junior Olympic team...and he could any of the events he runs 100, 200, or 400. He just started running the 400m this year so he's still kind of a novice.

That 100m jog was supposed to be our recovery, but Nigel likes to work on strength......That's the reason for the jog after the 300m and right before the 100m run.

My goals for this year is to run personal best times in each event I run.

Thanks for reading