Originally posted April 13, 2000, on egroups

Courtland Gray (right) and Canadian Harold Morioka engage in one of their many titanic clashes at the 1999 world WAVA meet in Gateshead, England. Here Gray wins gold in the M55 100-meter dash, beating Morioka, 12.30 to 12.43.


Photo by Ken Stone

Courtland Gray, M55 sprinter, hurdler

In the interests of those wanting more about workouts, allow me to share a few that have been helpful to me. I have discovered two primary things as a masters runner.

1) You have to practice running fast. It is impossible to achieve your meet potential practicing mostly intervals and slow runs, and

2) You can do so much more that you think you can do.

Also, a key to workout efficiency is less recovery time between reps and sets -- just like in the gym. Suffice it to say, I could not agree with much of the workout plan sent into the NMN last month by the good doctor reenburg. Practicing at "50-75% speed" with periodic tests at 90% won’t get it for me. I tried that. Then again, he runs track events from 100m to 5Ks. Not something many of us do seriously. A serious runner should decide if he/she is a sprinter or distance runner. A serious sprinter should know he/she needs to work much harder.

SIX SAMPLE WORKOUTS

1) At desired 400m pace (400 time x .25) , run first 100m, stop and walk back 50m. Run 100m at same pace, stop and walk back 50m. Continue completely around the track as above. That will be 7 X 100m at consistent
pace with a 50m walk rest period. Each 100m will nearly simulate your feeling at that stage of the 400m race. Studs do it twice. I just do it once and head for the house. Avoid running the first three fast and burning out. Pick a pace you can achieve, then go faster as you progress.

2) Run a 300 about 95 %, starting from start line. At 300m mark, stop and wait about 60 sec. Then blast up the final straight away to the finish line the best you can. Rest 10 minutes and do it again. A third, if you can. I
can’t.(or won’t.) Try to run negative splits for the 300, i.e., run the last alf faster so you can practice sprinting faster when you are more tired. Don’t just go out fast and try to hang on. Anyone can run fast when they are fresh. Betcha don’t usually do that, do you. Good secret!

3) Run 98% 200m, walk/jog 200m and do it again. Then go home.

4) Courtesy of Ross Dunton: 4 X 200 with 50 m jog between 200s Rest 10-12 min. Repeat . Do three sets if you can. Try to do all at the same speed. If you can’t, slow down the first ones. I did this once a week for a while, especially in early season. In 2nd set, I had to walk between 200s. This keeps your pulse rate where it belongs (way up!). Killer.

5) Another once-a-week workout, training for improvement in 400 IH. 2X500. While a few of my 50+ friends like Steve Robbins can zip out practice sub 60 400s like they are nothing, I am not so blessed. I try to run the first 400 in 60, then push the last 100m the best I can. Times are not important to me in this -- quality effort and improvement are. (I don’t see the 500 on the meet schedule.) Some I do in spikes, but never two in spikes as I sometimes have calf strains. Some I do on a cinder track in big shoes. This got me over the hump (under 60 sec) in 400 IH times. They hurt. Bad. For serious runners only.

6) Various top speed sprint exercises and starting practice. Buildups, repeat 60m, ins and outs. Keep them at short distance, say 30m or so since
top speed is maintained only for a short time. This is speed day. Run fast, then go home feeling good and not tired. Resist the temptation to go run 300s.

The key is to train all your energy levels. Not just running long distances -- useless for sprinters. Not just top speed -- useless for 800m. Not just midspeed -- useless in the home straight. But you have to be able to run fast, run fast for a longer period, and be strong enough to do the workouts. You pass through several stages of oxygen consumption and lactic buildup (I am getting out of my technical and scientific competence now.) during a race, and you have to work on all aspects of that in your training.

So mix up the workouts, keep your body reacting and adjusting to speed, endurance, and speed endurance. I got those workouts by asking people I respected. When I started, I thought 4X200 with a lap walk was a hard workout. I suppose it was a decent way to build up, however.

 

World champion Gray displays one of the many medals he won at Gateshead, England.

Photo by Ken Stone