Workin' the AO

Time: 76:48
Distance: 11+ miles

Yesterday I got a call from Scotty D and he wanted to do a workout involving some 800s. He was going to use Pickard and I would use the Active Oval. We were wanting to stay relatively on the same schedule this week and despite running a bit uptempo yesterday 800s would work. Meagan and I warmed up from her apartment to the AO which took 23:05. I stretched a bit and did a couple light strides.

Target: 8-10 x 800 in 2:35 dropping down with 2 mins rest.
Splits: 2:35 (2:03), 2:32 (1:58), 2:34 (1:58), 2:34 (1:57), 2:31 (2:00), 2:32 (2:01), 2:33 (2:01), 2:26 for 34:21 total.

I started the workout on the far side of the AO where there is an Atlanta Track Club starting post. I was trying to stay relaxed on the crushed gravel surface as long as possible and especially into the headwind along the backstretch. While I was working out Meagan was doing circuits on the steps near the start line. She decided to jump into the fifth interval which meant I went through the 400m mark a touch quicker (73 vs. 75 to 76). I was making a little 2 min loop which cut across one of the quadrants of the AO in order to get back to the starting point on time. On the final 3 intervals Meagan met me about at 400m and ran the remainder in stride. On the last interval I dismantled Meagan with the unleashing of a Chebii'esque finish.

I've wasted about an hour searching every possible video source for a video of Abraham Chebii's incredibly fast final 200m. There are none. Chebii was a great finisher circa 2001 to 2003. He could close sub 25 seconds to beat the likes of Meb, Geb and Bekele. Here is what one iaaf.org article had to say about his abilities:

Abraham Chebii may be the most explosive kicker in recent distance running history. Even in an era in which a top-class 5000 runner has to be able to close a 13:00 race with a 55 second last lap, Chebii stands out. In the Grand Prix Final at the end of the 2002 season, he clocked 50.68 for his last 400 meters, and he didn't start his full sprint until 250 to go. As he says, however, "It is easy to kick when the pace is slow. You must be able to follow a fast pace and then kick." Which is what he trained himself to do over the 2002-2003 off-season. The most convincing evidence of that training's effectiveness came in the Rome GL, where Haile Gebrselassie, having been outsprinted by Chebii in Paris, started driving for home from 600 meters out, with Kenenisa Bekele and Chebii in tow. Haile was spent by the final turn and moved wide to let Kenenisa through, but Chebii slipped through the gap as well and bounded after the sprinting Kenenisa. He passed the Ethiopian with 50 to go and was timed at sub-25 for his last 200 -- in a 12:57 race.

If you can find a video of one of his finishes, let me know.

Cooled down 19:22. My hip felt okay but I can tell it is tight. It feels like my upper right leg is congested. It's a bit hard to explain, but I need to have someone look at it soon.