Running Aimlessly Down Under - From 54 to 53 sec 400m

Chivito550

As is traditional after I finish a season, here's my nerdish list of competitions I've competed in throughout 2021. Just outdoors this year. Indoors never happened sadly.

OUTDOOR:

100m:

Pre-season PB: 12.18 (+1.8) - July 2019

1) 12.57 (+0.8)

2) 12.65 (-0.4)

3) 12.70 (+1.9)

4) 12.38 (+1.7)

5) 12.48 (+2.6)

6) 12.30 (+2.5) - Leinster Masters Gold

7) 12.84 (-0.2)

200m:

Pre-season PB: 24.87 (+0.9) - July 2017

1) 25.90 (-0.8)

2) 25.40 (+4.3)

3) 25.58 (+2.5)

4) 25.16 (+0.3) - Leinster Masters Gold

5) 25.84 (+1.8)

6) 26.01 (-1.4)

7) 25.55 (+1.1)

8) 25.71 (-1.7) - National Masters 5th

400m:

Pre-season PB: 54.88 - July 2014

1) 57.71 - National Masters Bronze

4x100m Relay:

Pre-season PB: 47.96

1) 51.47 - National Masters Silver

Chivito550

I haven't updated this log in a full year. Mainly because I hate the new boards site, which has basically given me the kick up the arse I needed to basically stop using it and wasting so much time on it. But also because this log really has virtually no engagement (perhaps partly down to the decline of messageboards) and I felt like I was just talking to myself on it.

But for the sake of continuity, below is a full list of results from my 2022 season:

Indoor:

• NIA Live - Abbotstown (Jan 19th): 60m - 8.19
• National League Round 2 - Athlone (Jan 23rd): 60m - 8.07, 60m - 8.16, 200m - 26.36 (lane 4)
• AAI Games - Abbotstown (Feb 12th): 60m - 8.04, 60m - 8.03
• National Seniors - Abbotstown (Feb 27th): 60m - 8.01
• Leinster Masters - Athlone (Mar 26th): 60m - 8.02 (M35 Silver), 200m - 26.33 (lane 6)(M35 Silver)

Outdoor:

• National League Round 1 - Templemore (May 22nd): 200m - 26.62 (-1.3), 100m - 12.90 (-1.7)
• NI Senior Championships - Belfast (Jun 18th): 100m - 12.97 (+0.6), 200m - 26.57 (-0.7)
• National Seniors - Santry (Jun 25th & 26th): 200m - 26.78 (-2.7), 100m - 13.40 (-3.4)
• AAI Games - Tullamore (Jul 23rd & 24th): 200m - 26.27 (+2.2), 100m - 12.72 (+2.2), 100m - 12.84 (+2.0)
• National League Round 2 - Athlone (Jul 31st): 200m - 26.29 (NWI), 100m - 12.70 (+0.2)

From a results point of view, 2022 was my worst year in athletics since 2011/12 in Australia, which was my first full season as a sprinter.

Admittedly my 60m indoors was good. My 8.01 matches up nicely to my 8.02 from 2020 and outside of my best year in 2017 when I ran 7.80, it wasn't a million miles away from my season's bests from other years (7.97 in 2018 and 7.95 from 2019). I was incredibly frustrated to miss sub 8 by such a small margin, and on quite a few occasions.

It was all downhill come outdoors though, with some very slow times. It was really only the last 2 weeks of the season when I ran some half decent times. The 12.70 with a still wind in my very last race being worth a solid 12.5x with a stronger legal wind.

In addition, I missed both National Masters, after the highs of my bronze last year in the 400m. The indoors got moved because of a request from athletes travelling to Braga, and as a result it was moved to January, very early in the year, to a date that I had made pre-existing commitments for (Nevin Maguire's incredible cuisine!). The Outdoors took place while I was on my honeymoon. And I also missed the Leinster outdoors as the late change in date clashed with the weekend of my stag.

Why did I run so slow? Life took over. I got married in August, so I was very busy with wedding planning stuff. On top of that there was mortgage application/ house searching stuff. And to top it off I moved job early in the year. A lot of life events and changes taking place. All great stuff. But it has meant that my running has fallen right down the list of priorities. I still trained, but the quality wasn't the best. I trained at about 70% of the level of 2021, and you really can't get away with that when it comes to results. I also didn't join my training group all year, opting to train solo on my local track rather than make the trek to Irishtown. To be honest, it was a transition year. I was 1.1 seconds slower over 200m than last year, and 0.4 seconds slower (though not as bad when adjusting for wind) than last year over 100m. Lightyears in sprinting.

2021 was an incredible year for me in terms of athletics, but I never want to see another year like 2020 and 2021 again. Having our lives and normality back has definitely pushed athletics back in terms of priority a bit. In 2020 and 2021 there was very little to do so I trained like an animal as a result. But give me a normal life over lockdown-induced training any day of the week.

Motivation was very low all last season. I'd get pockets of motivation which would last for a few weeks at a time, but I struggled with sustained motivation. I'm currently not at all motivated to get back training and I'm still on my break. I'll have to find the motivation from somewhere. I'm sure it will come back though. It comes in waves.

Wottle

Congratulations on getting married and all the other life adventures.

Maybe a shiny blue track might help with motivation.

AuldManKing

Congrats on the Wedding and other life events - Running is only running - all that other stuff is so much more important!!

I hear you on the levels of engagement around here - not too sure why I post anymore either!!

Chivito550

My annual summary for my 2023 season is below:

Indoor

• League Round 1 (8th Jan): 60m Round 1 - 8.16, 60m Round 2 - 8.08
• League Round 2 (22nd Jan): 60m Round 1 - 8.12, 60m Round 2 - 8.10, 200m - 26.55 (Lane 4)
• National Indoor Masters (5th Feb): 60m - 8.12 (4th), 200m - 26.90 (Lane 4)(4th), 4x200m Relay - 1:45.29 (BRONZE)
• National Indoor Seniors (19th Feb): 60m - 8.22, 4x200m - 1:38.96
• Leinster Indoor Masters (11th Mar): 60m - 8.12 (SILVER), 200m - 26.02 (Lane 5)(BRONZE)

Outdoor

• Dublin Graded Meet 1 (29th Apr): 100m - 13.20 (-1.8)
• Leinster Masters (27th-28th May): 100m - 12.84 (+0.8)(SILVER), 200m - 26.91 (-0.5)(BRONZE)
• Munster Masters (5th Jun): 200m - 26.01 (-0.1)
• DSD Games (18th Jun): 100m - 12.58 (+1.5), 200m - 25.60 (+1.2), 4x100m - 46.16
• AAI Games (16th Jul): 200m - 25.29 (+2.7), 100m Round 1 - 12.38 (+4.6), 100m Round 2 - 12.33 (+2.2)
• National Seniors (29th-30th Jul): 200m - 26.17 (-2.7), 100m - 12.82 (-2.4)
• National Masters (13th Aug): 100m - 12.46 (-0.6)(4th), 200m - 25.57 (+2.1)(5th), 4x100m - 49.88 (SILVER)

My indoor season was pretty terrible. I changed approach late on, and by the time I got to Leinsters I was seeing benefits over 200m. Started the outdoors sort of where I left off indoors, but after Munsters I gave in and bought the Adidas super spikes, having resisted for so long. I was getting fed up missing out on sub 26 clockings by mere fractions. DSD Games was my first meet with the new spikes and the differences were very noticeable. I reckon 0.1 over 100m and 0.2 over 200m. They feel magnificent and I feel faster in training in them.

Overall, I'm delighted with how the outdoor season panned out. Thrilled to get back down to 12.33 for 100m and 25.29 for 200m. Not far off what I ran in 2021, albeit with better shoes.

Chivito550

My annual summary for my 2024 season is below:

INDOORS

• League Round 1 (6th Jan): 60m Round 1 - 7.99, 60m Round 2 - 8.02, 200m - 25.73 (Lane 6)
• National Indoor Masters (13th Jan): 200m - 25.64 (Lane 5)(SILVER), 400m - 57.28 (Lane 5)(4th), 4x200m Relay - 1:54 (5th)
• AAI Games (27th Jan): 60m Race 1 - 8.15, 60m Race 2 - 8.15, 200m - 26.31 (Lane 3)
• National Indoor Championships (18th Feb): 60m - 8.08
• Connacht Championships (25th Feb): 400m - 58.40 (Lane 4)
• Leinster Indoor Masters (9th Mar): 60m - 8.03 (SILVER), 200m - 26.04 (Lane 6)(GOLD)

OUTDOORS

• Leinster Masters (26th May) - 200m - 25.91 (+2.3)(GOLD)
• Dublin Graded Meet (15th Jun) - 200m - 25.86 (+0.5)
• National Championships (29th/30th Jun) - 200m - 25.63 (+1.6), 100m - 12.66 (-0.1)
• AAI Games (13th/14th Jul) - 200m - 26.02 (-2.3), 100m Race 1 - 12.78 (+0.0), 100m Race 2 - 13.00 (-0.9)

My indoor season started amazingly well. I ran my first sub 8 for 60m since 2019, and I ran my third fastest ever indoor 200m in National Masters. I was also chuffed to run a low 57 for 400m later that day, my fastest time since 2015 (albeit I've rarely raced 400m since then). The indoor season took a bit of a dip then, but I managed to find some form in the last meet, albeit still down on my early season form.

I took a week off after indoors, and when I started back I noticed tightness in my right hamstring. I kept an eye on it as I kept training, but frustratingly it didn't go away. It started to get worse. I eventually got my physio to look at it, and he said I had a very low grade tear, and I likely pulled it in my final race of the indoors, without even realising it.

I was still able to train and race for the outdoors, and I managed it well. But it was frustrating as the recovery after each race and tough session was huge. I had little expectations for the outdoor season as a result, so I was stunned to run sub 26 in my first race. In total, I only ran 7 outdoor races across 4 meets - the lowest number of races I've ever run, but this was all I could manage. I was delighted to nab 3 sub 26s, and one near miss. I ended my season 3 weeks earlier than planned and skipped National Masters (which as it turned out I would have medalled in all of 60, 200 and 400 had I run). I had enough of the struggle of managing an injury and trying to compete at the same time. So I started my recovery 3 weeks early, and decided to spend longer in Paris for the Olympics instead, rather than flying home early to run in the Masters.

I'm at 59 times under 26 seconds for 200m now, so hopefully I can grab that 60th time soon. More importantly, I have a goal I set awhile back of running 100 times under 57 (400m) and 26 (200m) combined. I'm at 96 times now. I'd love to hit 100 in 2025. It's only going to get more difficult year on year - and even more so now that we have a baby. :-) It's good to have these targets though, as it keeps the motivation up, long after my PB days have gone.

I took 8 full weeks off with no training, and then started back in the gym for the first time in a couple of years. I did 5 weeks of pure gym work, before starting back running. I feel the hamstring is much stronger now. Still not perfect, but it's in a better place I feel. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

I'm no longer with DSD. After 10 years, and 250 track races with the club, I moved to Celbridge after the indoor season. I won't go into the details of why on a public forum!

SuspectZero

Congrats on the baba man! And great to see you still at it, the prime may be gone but throwing a spanner in father time's onslaught is always progress in itself.

Chivito550

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122854445#Comment_122854445

Thanks for the message. I don't visit these parts anymore. Can I ask what your old username was (I don't recognise this one) so I know who you's sending the kind words? 🙂

SuspectZero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122888787#Comment_122888787

I've had too many to list😋 but I used to be El Caballo in a former life