Race Report: AAU Masters Indoor Championships

 Hello Runners.

Yesterday I competed in the AAU Masters Indoor Championships in Virginia Beach.  USATF has cancelled everything due to Covid, but AAU kept this meet on the calendar - so many on my Team (Athletics East) made the drive down.

This is my first and only indoor meet this year - I did attend two meets last year.  I ran the 1500 / 3k / and the 4x400 relay.  It was fun, rewarding, and TIRING.

Virginia Beach is about a 4 hour drive from my house, so I drove down on Saturday afternoon, had dinner with the Team and checked into a hotel Saturday night.  My first race was not until 1:00 on Sunday, so I was able to sleep in, have a small / light breakfast around 10:00 and made the short drive to the Virginia Beach Sports Center.  I arrived around 11:00.  I'd forgotten what a "thing" it is to register for an indoor meet; spike check, security, race officials, when/where can I warm-up, etc.  The facility and the 200m track is GREAT.  All brand new and fast, with banked turns and bouncy surface.  If you like indoor racing, this is the place to be in the Mid-Atlantic region.

First Race: 1500 (Start time: 1:00)

• My goal for this race is "Less than 5:00".  
• I thought I could go as low as 4:55, but really wanted to get under 5:00.
• This translates to 39" - 40" every 200m lap.
• There's a big screen right in your face as you finish each lap, so it was easy to know if I was on pace.
• I didn't run with a watch - I've found thru my limited experience on an indoor track, that I NEED to pay attention to the track and the runners around me, not looking down at my watch.
• I was in a race with some much faster runners - the winner won in 4:27 in a 4-way sprint finish.
• After the first 200, I let these faster guys go, and became the leader of a "second pack" running each 200m a few seconds slower than the lead group.
  
• I went into "Time Trial" mode - and tried very hard to click thru each 200m in 39" - 40".
• I already had that lactic acid feeling in my arms after the 3rd lap, so I knew the next four laps were going to hard....
  
• After 4-5 laps, I was pretty much on schedule, but it was slipping - very slightly - away....
• With 200m to go I was 2 seconds behind 5:00 pace.  I had to GO.
• Just then, a Team Mate of mine passed me, and I got in behind him as we kicked for the finish.
  
• With his help, we ran the last 200m in 36", coming in at 4:58!
• Goal achieved!
• I tried as hard I could to come back around and win our own little race, but I was pipped at the line.  But I'm pretty sure had I just time trialed it in I would not have gone under 5:00.
  

Second Race: 3k (Start Time: 6:00)

•  Yes - that's right.  5 hour wait for my next race.
•  Good and bad.  More time to recover from the 1500, but also more time to get stiff and frankly lose motivation to run again.
• I watched my Team Mates race shorter distances, 800m, 400m, etc.
• Around an hour before the start I did my warm-up routine as if I hadn't already raced.  I really didn't know what else to do.
• I wasn't feeling too bad as we lined up for the race, pretty much recovered from the 1500.
• My goal for this race is 10:30.  3:30 per k.  42" per lap.  5 laps per k.
• As with the 1500, there was a "lead pack" that soon left me.  I was now running with another Team Mate (no, not the same one as the 1500), in the "second pack".
• We were on track thru the first k.  Coming in around 3:29.
• The 2nd k I let a gap grow between me and my Team Mate - I was falling behind schedule.  I lost 5 seconds to my goal: 2nd k was 3:35.  This was a MENTAL failure.  I was tired, realized I had 6' to go, and got cautious.  I was tired, let negative emotions in, and started to use the excuse I had already run a 1500...and this is hard.
• In the 3rd k, my Team Mate started to come back to me some, so I decided I was going to catch him.  I was able to pick up the pace some, and almost caught him.  Once again just got pipped at the line.
• Overall Time: 10:37.
• This is 7 seconds faster than the 3k I ran last year (which was NOT after a 1500), so I don't feel too bad about it.  I think I could have run 10:30 had a not had the mental lapse in the 2nd k, and some fatigue still in my legs from the 1500.

4 x 400 Relay (Start Time: 6:40)

• What would a Team Meet be without the 4x400?
• All hands on deck, take the baton, run two laps as fast you can, and give it to someone else.
• I was second leg, ran a 1:12 on dead legs.
• It was fun....build team work.

What did I learn?

• I'm a better racer when I have someone to chase down.  I'm not good at front running.  I already knew this - but it was definitely reinforced in these meets. Every time I had some to follow/catch, I was able to find another gear that was NOT there when I was leading the train.
• Nike DragonFly's are pretty good.  Not sure I'm a lot faster in them, but I do notice some bounce and my feet / lower legs are not as beat as when I use other spikes.
• I can run fast when I'm tired.  
• Mental - dude it's all mental.  Just f*cking run!  There's more there - 

 I haven't done ANY mile pace work going into this meet.  I did two 3k workouts over the last 6 weeks, and that's it.  I feel good about getting a little faster for outdoor events later this Spring / Summer.

Next up:  DCRR Fort Hunt 10k next Sunday.  Loudoun Street Mile on Labor Day...and whatever pops up on the calendar.

Onward.