First Race

Of 2008. Indoor track is fun! I enjoyed this “meet” as much as I did the previous one on December 16. Again I ran the 200m, 400m, and 800m races, plus the one-mile racewalk this time, skipping only the one-mile run. This was the Challenge Resolutions races at Bethel College, the third of a series of five events. Times are not up as I write, but I think my times are:

Race	Dec 16	Today
200m	35.3	34.5
400m	1:19.2	1:19.0
800m	3:01.3	2:56.5
Walk		12:27.0

I probably should have been disqualified in the race walk, because (I’m told) my knees bent sometimes as my foot hit the ground. Rules: (1) Always have one foot on the ground, and (2) Knees must be straight from the time that the foot hits the ground until the time that it is supporting the body’s weight. This requires a rewiring of some 66-year-old brain circuitry, which I was unable to fully accomplish in my first racewalk, but fortunately a walker in these races is not DQ’d unless three out of three judges say so, and one of the judges was particularly kind. Nonetheless they ALL thought that practice might benefit me :-)

My time for the 200m and 800m are significantly better than on the 16th, so now I consider them to be PRs. And I can do better, especially in the 400m. Next time I’d like to take another second off the 200m, at least three off the 400m, and a few more off the 800m.

Last time I started the 200m and 400m from a standing position, but this time I started from a set position, crouched with hands on the ground. I think it helped. Unfortunately, I practiced this start a few times before the race and somehow pulled my left hamstring a little, so for the actual start I had to switch feet. Training might have helped! But happily the hamstring did not bother during any of the runs, only the last practice start, and I’m not feeling it now as I write. I think it will heal quickly.

Tomorrow morning I get the results of the latest round of myeloma blood tests, possibly the most important set of tests since my diagnosis. Fingers crossed, toes too, ears if I could. Prayers are invited.

Happy New Year everyone!


Today's pre-race breakfast: Organic oatmeal, organic fat-free milk, blueberries, Don's fruit/berry/nut mix, banana, Hershey dark chocolate.


Last night's salad: Organic salad greens, cucumber, avocado, spicy nuts (Christmas present by a nice niece), pitted organic dates, Danish blue cheese, raspberry vinegar.