Rest and Recovery

It’s been just over a month since my last race.  Indoors is officially over and now its time to get ready for the real thing…OUTDOORS!! Throughout the indoor season I competed in an array of sprints events to help work on facets of my outdoor 400. 

After taking a week to chill and train in Texas, it was back to the grind.  The volume went back to what it was in the beginning of base training, but now the intensity is way up there.  The thing about getting faster is it doesn’t make workouts any easier.  I’m seeing a lot of improvements according to the stop watch, but its still just as hard as it was in October. 

For the past two weeks I’ve been on some what of a teeter-totter.  My goal for this year is to represent Canada internationally at some point to prepare me for next years Olympics.  In March I ran a ‘test’ 4x400 in Ottawa and I thought it went pretty well, it was my foot in the door for a possible Team Canada.  The problem with the foot in the door is sometimes the door swings open and shut, and that can hurt. 

Next week I get my opportunity to get my whole body in! I will get my opportunity to don the Red and White for the first time at Texas Relays in Austin (Texas of course).  This opportunity is both exciting and nerve racking all at the same time.  I know this is my chance to prove that I can run with the best of them, not only in Canada, but internationally as well. 

My training has been altered a bit to accommodate for this meet, so my body will be ready.  Now I just need to work on the mental part and I should be ready to go!

LoveJoy Weight Room

                                           

Indoor Field house with 40 yards of Field Turf

     

Full 8 lane outdoor track
	Field Turf infield

Fully Equipped Weight Room

 

                                                                                               

By far the best weight room I’ve ever lifted in and amazing facility all around!

In the Dirty South

Friday was the last workout of the week and I finally felt my body loosening. I put on extra layers for my warm up and made sure my body was gonna be ready to go. After jogging, stretching and all my drills sweat was drippin down my brow and I knew I was ready to go. As soon as I walked out of the field house I walking into what felt like a gale force wind. I looked up at the flags and both red, white and blues were fully erect from the wind. After doing a couple excels down the home stretch I knew I would have to do my workout on the other side. In the past 10x150 would kill me, but I looked forward to knocking this one out of the park. Working hard off the corner and maintaining down the stretch was the plan, and work that plan is what I did. Before I knew it I was on number 8, still moving good and not even feeling tired. I finished feeling amazing, which was something I hadn't felt all week.
I took my time and made my way to the weight room. The facility at my sister's school is amazing! I look forward to lift just so I can chill in the weight room. *note to self: take pictures of awesome weight room*
After I was all said and done we headed home to get ready for a little trip.
Shreveport, Louisiana is 4 hour drive away so we decided to hit it up for 'Mardi Gras'. Its a little smaller then the one in New Orleans, but still should be good.

Feels So Familiar

So around this time last year I found myself in a very similar situation, sitting on a couch in northern Texas. A lot has changed since then. I was training hard then, I'm training harder now. I was traveling a lot then, now I'm a little more settled. I had goals back then, I've made some accomplishments now.
I just finished a pretty successful indoor season, and I'm looking forward to what outdoors will bring. Every time I stepped on the track, I was able to set a new personal best, no matter what the distance. From 60m to 400m I've been improving. Finishing off the season second in the 400m was one of my many highlights. I was super close to breaking 39 in the 300m, if only I hadn't tightened up at the end, but now I know for next year.
I'll be in Texas for a couple more days, and I'll try to enjoy the hot weather while I can. Back to some hard training when I get back home, but I look forward to it.
I use to dread workouts that hurt, but now I look forward to them. The more I hurt in practice, the less I hurt in races....I kinda like it that way :-)