byLarry EderI love indoor track.
My first visit to an indoor meet was in the winter of 1974. Some of my teammates at De Smet Jesuit were running the mile, 2 miles and 4x880m. It was in East St. Louis at an armory, I believe. The track, if one would call it was designated by street cones. There was no curb. And then, I saw the most magnificent performance that I had ever seen!
In the 4x400m, each runner ran 3 laps for their leg. The floor was an old wooden basketball floor, waxed to perfection. The 4x400m relay team from East Saint Louis was stunning. They were all wearing black Chuck Taylor high tops, sliding around the turns as if they were speed skating! The focus in their faces and the screaming from the fans was deafening! These young men blew the field away. One of the guys had the coolest Afro that I had ever seen. Before his leg, he put his pick in his hair, with true defiance, then, he took off! I swear this guy’s hair pick did not move for 440 yards. I remember going up to him and saying how cool his team ran. He smiled at me, and I smiled back. I was so amazed that four guys could run so fast, sliding around each turn and exchanging batons easily, and with precision.
Watching that relay team was like watching a true work of art! These guys knew exactly what they were doing. It was stunning.
Oh, and my teammate won the mile and guys took third in the 4×880. Brother Jim, our coach, was very happy.
I remember that event 48 years later like it was yesterday. Tremendous running and my brain stuck on this young relay runner, going fast and furious, and his pick did not move during a 50 second quarter!
Today’s workout for you: Friday: warm-up, 40-50 minutes moderate running, 6 x100m stride outs, cooldown
February 19, 2022, Muller Indoor GP, Noah Lyles just edges Ronnie Baker, both timed in 6.55, Lyles set a PB, photo by Getty Images / British Athletics
2022 RunBlogRun Spring Middle Distance Daily Track Training (800m-5000m), Week 7, Day 5
Monday: warm-up, 40-50 minutes moderate running, 6 x 100m stride outs, cooldown
Tuesday: Warm-up, 55 minutes running on trails, 15 minutes easy running, then, 8 times 2 minutes hard, 3 minutes easy, with 15 minutes easy running, and cooldown, (hard running at 1500m pace)
Wednesday: warm-up, 40-50 minutes, moderate running, 6 x 100m stride outs, cooldown
Thursday: warm-up, 55-minute fartlek, 10 minutes running, then 16 x 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy, 13 minutes running, then cooldown
Friday: warm-up, 40-50 minutes moderate running, 6 x100m stride outs, cooldown
Saturday: warm-up, Racing on the relay, 4x400m, plus a 1000m, or an 800m, cool down
Sunday: 65-70 minutes moderate pace, on trails
Larry Eder
