I don't want to write much about it. Too many words and thoughts are a distraction. I'd rather just focus on my nutrition, exercise routine, training, mental preparation, and rest periods.
I'll write about it post time-trial attempt (March 10, 2020 at SVSU University Fieldhouse).
* * * * *
March 10, 2020
SVSU Mile Time Trial
300 meter indoor track
6:02.78
4th best effort ever
82.04 Masters A-G Points
Best effort for a mile on a track, ever
Equivalent to a 5:56.1 mile @ age 66, two years
ago...
Equivalent to a 4:31.3 mile @ prime age, in my late 20s or thereabouts...
* * * * *
2020 Splits and Data
Splits time pace accumulated time accumulated pace
300 meters 1:05.75 5:52.7 1:05.75 5:52.7
600 meters 1:07.85 6:04.0 2:13.6 5:58.4
900 meters 1:09.6 6:13.4 3:23.2 6:03.4
1200 meters 1:09.15 6:11.0 4:32.35 6:05.3
1500 meters 1:07.1 6:00 5:39.45 6:04.2
109.344 meters :23.33 5:43.4 6:02.78 6:02.78
Last 447.664 yards (from 1200 to finish) @ 5:55.53 pace, the 1st 300 of which was @ 6:00 pace and the final 109.344 @ 5:43.4 pace.
2018 Splits and Data
Splits time pace accumulated time accumulated pace
109.344 meters :22.63 5:33.1 :22.63 5:33.1
300 meters 1:06.18 5:58.35 1:28.81 5:49.2
600 meters 1:07.57 6:02.5 2:36.38 5:54.8
900 meters 1:09.9 6:15 3:46.28 6:00.8
1200 meters 1:09.71 6:14 4:55.99 6:03.8
1500 meters 1:06.71 5:57.1 6:02.7 6:02.7
Pre-race, race, & post-race review and perceptions:
I hadn't accumulated much confidence over the ten week mile training period, January 7 to March 10, 2020. I had maybe three workouts that I considered good, the best being track night #8, followed by #7 and #3. There were two planned workouts aborted and modified, never a confidence booster; and #8, the best workout (4x300/100meters, 300s @ below 6 minute pace, 100s @, recovery pace of :45) PLUS a 400/300/200/100 at from 6 minute pace to progressively faster, was followed by a disappointing #9 workout, only a week away from the March 10 time trial. The goal in #9 was to run a 3/4 mile at 6:00 pace, but I could only manage 600 meters at that pace. What a hope destroyer that was!
I had been working with David, a friend of mine, who made a hypnotic suggestion recording for me to listen to repeatedly. While the recording was somewhat helpful, my doubts remained strong because of my perception that workouts weren't going well.
But a day or two before the time trial I started to quit obsessing and accept the fact I would probably not make my goal and to be okay with whatever the result was ... to just let it go. Anything around 6:15 would be acceptable; and under 6:10 a bonus. This had a considerable effect on my mood and state of mind, changing it from dread to light-heartedness, and further, unexpectedly, reversing my sense that 6 was out of the question. I developed an attitude that you never know, and to just be ready in the moment should things go well.
On March 7 or 8, I arranged to borrow a track clock from the Heritage High School track coach, Gary Loubert. It would take some of the stress off of glancing at my stopwatch while running, never easy while moving at maximum effort.
On race day, I went to the track early and set up the clock, making sure I had a good handle on how to operate it. I gave the job to start the clock to Sizzle, who had already finished his heat. I prearranged with Sharon Pilaske and Sara Beth Keogh to be my pace partners, each of whom beat me in the Week One time trial (Sharon @ 6:23, Sara Beth at 6:25, and me at 6:27). Both of these female runners were 43 to my 68 years of age. I told them the pace and the plan, and they agreed we could push each other to success.
My thinking about a sub 6:00 mile centered primarily on my age. I knew from statistics (Masters Age-Graded Performance Comparisons/Calculator) that a mile that fast would be equivalent to the mile I had done when I was 30, a 4:28.1. Did I think it was possible to do that that day? Yes. Probable? No. The plan was in place: run at 6 minute pace for as long as possible and hope to have something left for the push to the end. The goal for each 300 was to be at 67 seconds as follows: 1:07, 2:14, 3:21, 4:28, 5:35 then go like hell for the last 109 meters. If you could. I knew that even if we were behind with a quarter mile to go, the goal could still be reached.
Warming up, I felt pretty rested. A few 60 meter striders at race pace didn't seem to be very difficult.
We lined up, after a few preliminaries, the starter said go.
I settled into my pace from the GO, as it seemed to me ... but a young guy established the lead within the first lap (he didn't look exactly like a runner/miler, but he was young, early 20s as it seemed to me, and that's all it takes, normally, for somebody who has trained a bit to run 6 minutes). I settled in behind him, tracking him. I don't think I was ever out of second (maybe Tim Fouchia led me for a little?), and there were moments, after the young guy stretched his lead a little, I got it back or gained on him. I glanced behind me a few times and saw that there was a runner or two or three near me but not on my tail; they (likely Sharon and Sara Beth) never challenged my lead.
At the end of lap one, the clock obviously wasn't started properly, showing 50 seconds, which was unfortunate because now all I had to verify my pace for the remaining 4 laps plus was my stopwatch, which, except for one moment when I caught what I thought was my pace, was useless other than to take my 300 splits for post-race review. I was running by feel rather than a clock. I knew there would be (and felt it to be so) a sag in pace in the middle two quarters (400s/440s) of the mile; and my hope was that I could make it to the 1200 mark with something left after having not slowed too much. But I remember thinking, "This isn't that bad. I am handling this okay. I am doing okay. I might have a shot." But running at this pace is still bad all the same, and comfort doesn't exist. It's just a matter of hanging on and seeing how much bad you are willing to pile on, and to keep pushing as the lactic acid builds in your muscles, if you can, stride by stride. I had no idea where I was with respect to the clock, but I knew it was a going to be a good mile effort all the same.
With 409 to go, I began the last urge to the line, a gradual increase in pace. With 300 to go, I pushed some more, started to land and push off on my toes, but not too much. I still feared a collapse before getting to the end. With 200 to go, I pressed harder, getting up higher on my toes. I didn't hear or perceive anybody coming up from behind. With 109 to go ... I wouldn't say I sprinted or ran as fast as I could, but I was moving pretty well. I could breathe. I wasn't getting light-headed. The line was in my site after the final turn. Later I would learn I was running at 5:43 pace. I crossed the line and immediately looked at my watch. To my surprise, I almost duplicated my 2018 effort, a mere 8/100ths of a second slower, 6:02.7 to 6:02.78. I was happy with that, didn't second guess what might have been, and I wasn't nearly as exhausted as I was two years earlier. My recovery came much sooner that the 2018 effort.
March 16, 2020.
109.344 meters :23.33 5:43.4 6:02.78 6:02.78
Last 447.664 yards (from 1200 to finish) @ 5:55.53 pace, the 1st 300 of which was @ 6:00 pace and the final 109.344 @ 5:43.4 pace.
2018 Splits and Data
Splits time pace accumulated time accumulated pace
109.344 meters :22.63 5:33.1 :22.63 5:33.1
300 meters 1:06.18 5:58.35 1:28.81 5:49.2
600 meters 1:07.57 6:02.5 2:36.38 5:54.8
900 meters 1:09.9 6:15 3:46.28 6:00.8
1200 meters 1:09.71 6:14 4:55.99 6:03.8
1500 meters 1:06.71 5:57.1 6:02.7 6:02.7
Pre-race, race, & post-race review and perceptions:
I hadn't accumulated much confidence over the ten week mile training period, January 7 to March 10, 2020. I had maybe three workouts that I considered good, the best being track night #8, followed by #7 and #3. There were two planned workouts aborted and modified, never a confidence booster; and #8, the best workout (4x300/100meters, 300s @ below 6 minute pace, 100s @, recovery pace of :45) PLUS a 400/300/200/100 at from 6 minute pace to progressively faster, was followed by a disappointing #9 workout, only a week away from the March 10 time trial. The goal in #9 was to run a 3/4 mile at 6:00 pace, but I could only manage 600 meters at that pace. What a hope destroyer that was!
I had been working with David, a friend of mine, who made a hypnotic suggestion recording for me to listen to repeatedly. While the recording was somewhat helpful, my doubts remained strong because of my perception that workouts weren't going well.
But a day or two before the time trial I started to quit obsessing and accept the fact I would probably not make my goal and to be okay with whatever the result was ... to just let it go. Anything around 6:15 would be acceptable; and under 6:10 a bonus. This had a considerable effect on my mood and state of mind, changing it from dread to light-heartedness, and further, unexpectedly, reversing my sense that 6 was out of the question. I developed an attitude that you never know, and to just be ready in the moment should things go well.
On March 7 or 8, I arranged to borrow a track clock from the Heritage High School track coach, Gary Loubert. It would take some of the stress off of glancing at my stopwatch while running, never easy while moving at maximum effort.
On race day, I went to the track early and set up the clock, making sure I had a good handle on how to operate it. I gave the job to start the clock to Sizzle, who had already finished his heat. I prearranged with Sharon Pilaske and Sara Beth Keogh to be my pace partners, each of whom beat me in the Week One time trial (Sharon @ 6:23, Sara Beth at 6:25, and me at 6:27). Both of these female runners were 43 to my 68 years of age. I told them the pace and the plan, and they agreed we could push each other to success.
My thinking about a sub 6:00 mile centered primarily on my age. I knew from statistics (Masters Age-Graded Performance Comparisons/Calculator) that a mile that fast would be equivalent to the mile I had done when I was 30, a 4:28.1. Did I think it was possible to do that that day? Yes. Probable? No. The plan was in place: run at 6 minute pace for as long as possible and hope to have something left for the push to the end. The goal for each 300 was to be at 67 seconds as follows: 1:07, 2:14, 3:21, 4:28, 5:35 then go like hell for the last 109 meters. If you could. I knew that even if we were behind with a quarter mile to go, the goal could still be reached.
Warming up, I felt pretty rested. A few 60 meter striders at race pace didn't seem to be very difficult.
We lined up, after a few preliminaries, the starter said go.
I settled into my pace from the GO, as it seemed to me ... but a young guy established the lead within the first lap (he didn't look exactly like a runner/miler, but he was young, early 20s as it seemed to me, and that's all it takes, normally, for somebody who has trained a bit to run 6 minutes). I settled in behind him, tracking him. I don't think I was ever out of second (maybe Tim Fouchia led me for a little?), and there were moments, after the young guy stretched his lead a little, I got it back or gained on him. I glanced behind me a few times and saw that there was a runner or two or three near me but not on my tail; they (likely Sharon and Sara Beth) never challenged my lead.
At the end of lap one, the clock obviously wasn't started properly, showing 50 seconds, which was unfortunate because now all I had to verify my pace for the remaining 4 laps plus was my stopwatch, which, except for one moment when I caught what I thought was my pace, was useless other than to take my 300 splits for post-race review. I was running by feel rather than a clock. I knew there would be (and felt it to be so) a sag in pace in the middle two quarters (400s/440s) of the mile; and my hope was that I could make it to the 1200 mark with something left after having not slowed too much. But I remember thinking, "This isn't that bad. I am handling this okay. I am doing okay. I might have a shot." But running at this pace is still bad all the same, and comfort doesn't exist. It's just a matter of hanging on and seeing how much bad you are willing to pile on, and to keep pushing as the lactic acid builds in your muscles, if you can, stride by stride. I had no idea where I was with respect to the clock, but I knew it was a going to be a good mile effort all the same.
With 409 to go, I began the last urge to the line, a gradual increase in pace. With 300 to go, I pushed some more, started to land and push off on my toes, but not too much. I still feared a collapse before getting to the end. With 200 to go, I pressed harder, getting up higher on my toes. I didn't hear or perceive anybody coming up from behind. With 109 to go ... I wouldn't say I sprinted or ran as fast as I could, but I was moving pretty well. I could breathe. I wasn't getting light-headed. The line was in my site after the final turn. Later I would learn I was running at 5:43 pace. I crossed the line and immediately looked at my watch. To my surprise, I almost duplicated my 2018 effort, a mere 8/100ths of a second slower, 6:02.7 to 6:02.78. I was happy with that, didn't second guess what might have been, and I wasn't nearly as exhausted as I was two years earlier. My recovery came much sooner that the 2018 effort.
March 16, 2020.
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