Thursday night track
Amanda and Katie continued their teamwork/rivalry in the 800m again last night, with both W40s running pbs. We were certain Amanda had broken 2:40 but the time given her was 2:40.20, with Katie just behind that. Amanda led aggressively from the start, with a first lap of around 77 seconds or faster.
Meanwhile Tony Booth broke the ACT M70 record, held before then by Merv Collins, and Merv in the same race as Amanda, Katie and Tony, set a new M80 record.
Perfect conditions later in the evening saw Katie back up, as she does so well, and run 11:58 for the 3000m.
Amanda
Amanda will have another chance to break 2:40 in the AMA Nationals in Adelaide at Easter.
What is the secret to successful 800m running?
Here it is - very simple really - race as many 800m races as you can through the season. It is the experience of racing them that improves you more than anything else. Another tip - don't bust a gut in the first few races. Instead, work up to fast times through the season. And another - think like a sprinter, in training, in approach to racing, in stretching, in warm-up, and especially in attacking the last 200m of the race. And yet another - if you really want to do well in 800m, be prepared to specialise in that event.
And it is good to train with others who also race 800s. You invariably improve together at the same rate!
I think having those 4x800m relay records to attack has helped as well.
Finally, finally, finally; is there the aspect of being able to enjoy the pain of the 800m? It is something special, that pain. Not for the faint-hearted.
Amanda and Katie continued their teamwork/rivalry in the 800m again last night, with both W40s running pbs. We were certain Amanda had broken 2:40 but the time given her was 2:40.20, with Katie just behind that. Amanda led aggressively from the start, with a first lap of around 77 seconds or faster.
Meanwhile Tony Booth broke the ACT M70 record, held before then by Merv Collins, and Merv in the same race as Amanda, Katie and Tony, set a new M80 record.
Perfect conditions later in the evening saw Katie back up, as she does so well, and run 11:58 for the 3000m.
Amanda
Amanda will have another chance to break 2:40 in the AMA Nationals in Adelaide at Easter.
What is the secret to successful 800m running?
Here it is - very simple really - race as many 800m races as you can through the season. It is the experience of racing them that improves you more than anything else. Another tip - don't bust a gut in the first few races. Instead, work up to fast times through the season. And another - think like a sprinter, in training, in approach to racing, in stretching, in warm-up, and especially in attacking the last 200m of the race. And yet another - if you really want to do well in 800m, be prepared to specialise in that event.
And it is good to train with others who also race 800s. You invariably improve together at the same rate!
I think having those 4x800m relay records to attack has helped as well.
Finally, finally, finally; is there the aspect of being able to enjoy the pain of the 800m? It is something special, that pain. Not for the faint-hearted.
