Workout 3x(4x400m) w/1min b/reps and 3min b/sets … goal time Tavares/Derrick 80’s; Jacquennee 90’s

Tavares – 78.5/83.0/79.9/82.1, 81.6/81.8/81.5/82.2, 81.7/81.8/86.3/85.8

Derrick – 67.7/74.8/74.2/75.8, 80.9/76.8/78.8/77.6, 78.8/77.6/77.7/72.7

Jacquennee – 83.3/91.1/94.0/95.5, 88.9/94.0/98.6/96.8 … only did 8

Averages

Tavares – 80.8/81.7/83.9, 82.1

Derrick – 73.1/78.5/76.7, 76.1

Jacquennee – 90.9/94.5/92.7

Tavares (fr) had a decent workout going, but had restroom issues so he actually took 9min between set #2/3 instead of 3min. I was going to have him do a fourth set because of that and because he was handling everything so well, but the last two reps he was having issues again (hence, slower times), so I just stopped it. He seemed to be having no problem with keeping the pace steady… his HR was 168 after #4 and 180 after #12.

Derrick (sr) started out WAY too fast on the first one, coming through 200m in about 31-32. I thought he’d be in real trouble the rest of the workout, but he actually turned out quite ok. He’s never broken 2:00 in the 800m, so I thought he’d have more troubles with this workout. He’s the one I’ve mentioned before I thought had a smoothness about him and with his height/stride thought he’d be a candidate to be running 1:53-54, even though he’s a virtual rookie (I think he said last year was his first year back running for about 3 years or so). He’s a senior.

Jacquennee (sr) has no sense of pace or ability to sustain a ‘longer’ workout like this. She was also very negative mentally throughout… it was hard to get her to start each one without me specifically telling her GO! She is mentally and physically and aerobically weak, and I’m not sure how ‘into’ things she really is.

Jacquennee and Derrick are the only two that I have any issues with as far as motivation to get the work done. Everybody else is completely on board with everything. (Even tonight’s group that had to start in the pitch black dark at 6:30pm and do 8x300m was still out there doing all the throws/jumps/hurdles/low walks/cooldown that was prescribed.) Because everybody practices at such varying times, I’m contemplating prescribing a little less for them in an effort to get their motivation toward the work to improve. My thought is that if I were able to get them excited about the work, then adding a little more to it may be able to get me more work out of them. Rather than wear them down mentally to the point where they take all of Christmas break completely off. Or, maybe I’ll keep them on this same plan while we’re working together, then just give them that ‘freedom’ a little more during break.

The next progression in this workout for Tavares is probably to either add a fourth set (he seems like he’s stronger and this would be better for him), or to just go a minute rest straight through 12. With Derrick, I think adding more quantity isn’t going to be the best thing… so I’ll either make this a minute rest straight through 12, or I’ll turn the 4x400’s in each set to 2x800’s, and keep the rest at a minute between the reps and 3min between the sets. If I did that I can also do 800-400-400 in each set if after the first set I determined he couldn’t handle it. I’m still trying to figure out how to change things up for Jacquennee for the best results… because it won’t do any good if I have to work to convince her after 6 that she’ll survive through 8 and then we can stop the workout like I had to today.

Workout 4x(2x300m) w/1min rest b/reps and 5min b/sets … goal time 48-51

Chris – 47.7/52.3, 47.2/48.0, 47.6/50.3, 50.1/47.4

Rob – 47.7/52.3, 47.2/48.0, 47.6/50.3, 50.1/49.0

Eric – 47.7/52.3, 47.2/50.5, 50.0/52.3, 50.1/49.0 … #1, 3, 5 over two hurdles on homestretch

Marcell – 50.5/53.2, 50.9/51.2, 48.5/48.0, 48.6/46.8

Devon – 50.9/51.2, 48.5/48.0 … hamstring tightened during break after second set, and numbness in foot again

*These two guys did it in pitch black at night. Joel Redhead ran w/them. Devon joined Marcell during his second set and ran even w/Marcell/Joel on the two sets he did with them.

Averages

Chris – 50.0/47.6/48.9/48.7, 48.4

Rob – 50.0/47.6/48.9/48.7, 49.0

Eric – 50.0/48.8/51.1/49.5, 49.8

Marcell – 51.8/51.0/48.2/47.7, 49.7

Devon – 51.0/48.2, 49.6

Last time averages (6 reps) vs. this time (8 reps)

Chris – 49.6 / 48.4 … 1.2 faster

Rob – 49.5 / 49.0 … 0.5 faster

Eric – 50.5 / 49.8 … 0.7 faster

Marcell – 49.5 / 49.7 … 0.2 slower

Devon – 50.2 / 49.6 … 0.6 faster (*only did 4 this time)

Chris (so) looked really good throughout this workout. They were much more aggressive on the first one in each set this time as opposed to last time. And he really showed some drive the last 100m of the last one, and pulled away from the other guys (they were even w/100m to go).

Rob (sr) looked pretty steady throughout. Really nothing too distinctive about his workout, other than just being more aggressive up front this time as opposed to last time we did this.

Eric (jr) seemed a little slow off the start for each one… almost lethargic like he didn’t want to start each one. I’m curious why that is, because afterward he was still excited about how he was faster this time despite doing more. He commented that he felt like he was able to run faster over the hurdles than the flat ones because he knew he had to be aggressive on the hurdles. (The hurdles were set up 25m from the finish line and 10m from the finish line.) He spoke of a little general tightness in his legs. I’m wondering if he’s starting to show some of the signs of cumulative training and the increased volumes we’re doing. I’ll be keeping a closer eye on him over the next couple days and I may back him off a little more than the others. Perhaps he’ll be my ‘indicator’ athlete, and whenever he starts showing some of these signs I’ll back him off, then just keep a real close eye on the rest of the group.

Marcell’s (sr) first two sets were really comfortable/relaxed, and he said he just couldn’t figure out how fast to run. Probably related to it being pitch black. But overall for the workout he ended up averaging as well as the rest of the guys. And he did it much more efficiently, and was able to probably leave with more confidence than the others. They were all stoked about getting a real good hard workout in, but they were more clutching their knees and out of breath when I was congratulating them on a good workout… whereas Marcell seemed like he was ready to go do another set. He looked ridiculously comfortable running the 46.8 to finish. And he looked by far the best between the reps during the 1min break; he was the most eager to get to the line for the next one. After the workout he commented that he felt he was just ready to roll, and that he felt like he could probably go through that workout in 42’s. While I am somewhat skeptical about that fast, I have no doubt that he’s got something in the tank right now.

Next week I’m planning on doing 3x300m with more break and faster (start at 42-43), as a way to let them open up a little without going nuts. The following week I’ll be testing them before the Thanksgiving break. However, Marcell expressed his desires to not test before Clemson. And given his injury history, I’m apt to agree with him and keep things going the speed limit instead of testing the radar. If he stays healthy, he may just be the most talented of the group… and that is saying a lot.