220 yd runs week in review--breathing, length of paces, chant--tactical implications

Review of Personal History of 220 yd Runs

My current personal record for average length of pace over 220 yds: 55 inches per pace

Reviewing the info online after the April 26 run, I discovered that while running I sometimes hold my breath, or simply do not breathe for a while after exhaling, and that this is supposed to be a bad idea. So starting with the April 29 workout, I adhered to an inhale for 4 paces, exhale for 4 paces breathing rhythm.

Despite the 'bad habit' of holding my breath and pausing after exhalation before inhalation, apparently I had been prior to April 29, inhaling at about the same rate as you do when you inhale every four paces.

Looks like the inhaling for four paces and exhaling for four paces, becomes insufficient as a source of air after the first 165 yds or so of the 220 yd run.

During the past week, I figured out how to synchronize the breathing with the chanting (chanting in the mind, not out loud) so as to be able to inhale for four paces and exhale for four paces while at the same time chanting in my mind (I can't chant and count paces at the same time). When I do this, the number of times I have completed the chant tells me how much of the run I have completed.

I find in swimming and in track, it improves performance both in general and in terms of per level of effort expended, when one always knows what fraction of the distance one has to complete, that one has already completed.

But this combining inhalation slash exhalation per a set number of paces with chanting in my mind, will be a challenge when I switch to trying out the inhaling for three paces and exhaling for three paces breathing rhythm.

It may be necessary to re-write the chant so as to be able to synchronize it with the inhale for 3 paces, exhale for 3 paces pattern.

Looking at the speed generated per level of effort put into the run ratio, I find that chanting and counting paces are both better than doing neither. Seems counting paces is a little better than chanting in this regard.

Seems that for approaching maximum speeds running one 220 yd run or several 220 yd runs one after the other, chanting produces the best results.

So apparently, counting paces during the run produces the best performance per unit of effort expended ratio (good for the usual practice session) whereas chanting works the best when it comes to maximizing effort and energy expended during a run or series of runs (effort to set new personal records).

My review of my data for April 22 to May 2 shows the long-paced running does indeed sometimes produce both fast times and also 220 yd runs featuring a long average pace length, significantly longer than the pace length when attempting to run using short or moderate length paces.

Feels like, done properly, the long-paced length style of running is the most enjoyable style, a majestic style.

However, producing a 220 yd run in which the average length of paces is high requires certain things: a fairly fast speed; the absence of fatigue; and, limber loose legs.

On May 2, a day dedicated to the long-paced style, I was only able to produce runs featuring paces on average longer than 4.4 feet on the thirteenth through the sixteenth 220 yd runs of the day.

Summary of Results 220 yd runs April 22-May 2

Length of Pace (level of effort), 220 yd times in seconds

Long paces (max effort)
0:47+0:51+0:55+0:58

Moderate Paces (moderate effort)
60+63+58+63+62+68+61+59
68+66+58+61+57+57+58+52
67+56+57+55+54+53+54+49

Short paces (maximum effort 1st 8 runs, minimum effort 2nd & 3rd 8 runs)
49+49+45+51+50+48+45+45
75+66+67+79+67+70+62+69
??+77+71+70+73+72+70+73

Long paces (minimum effort)
75, 70, 71, 75, 69, 70, 67, 68

Moderate paces (moderate effort)
54 57 62 67 65 71 66 66
65 65 ?? 55 57 60 58 58
67 60 58 60 57 61 60 57

Short paces (moderate effort)
60 60 58 57 57 58 58 57
61 54 54 52 51 53 52 54
70 68 62 61 62 60 57 57

Long paces (moderate effort)
68 67 69 65 65 62 62 62
75 66 63 64 55 55 51 51
82 70 65 62 58 60 62 57

The intellectual challenge is to figure out, which runs out of the twenty-four 220 yd runs run in a given type (levels of effort, styles of running vary) of workout, should be run faster than usual or much faster than usual.

That challenge is above and beyond in the first place realizing, that an effortless acceleration of improvement can be achieved by running some of the runs at faster than usual or much faster than usual speeds, while running other of the runs at slower than usual speeds.

Remember the ultimate goal is to be able to run a mile fast. The faster one can run the mile, the better one's state of health by a certain measure.

Thus simply by applying one's mind so as to effortlessly accelerate improvement in the mile speed, one suceeds in effortlessly improving one's health.

Audio-Visual Note: Video shows angels in the sky clad in white robes blowing trumpets, against background of sun's rays shooting out from behind clouds, while Audio renders audible an 'Allelujah' chorus.

I now estimate:

Using the short-paced style and moderate expenditure of effort per average 220 yd run, I should run the 9th through the 16th 220 yd runs of the 24 220s run, at a faster than usual speed. This would serve to improve the speed for the mile run. Also I should run the 3rd, 7th and 8th runs at much faster than usual speed, which will develop 220 yd speed and 440 yd speed.

Using the short-paced style and near-maximum expenditure of effort per average run, I should run the 3rd, 7th, and 8th 220 yd runs at especially fast speed. This would serve to develop 220 yd speed and 440 yd speed.

The clever tactic on a long-paced, moderate-effort per average run day would be to: go faster than usual on runs 12-15, and much faster than usual on run 1 and 16. This will develop 220 yd run and 880 yd run speeds.

The clever tactic on a long-paced, near-maximum effort per average run day would be to run the 1st run of the day at maximum speed. This would develop 220 yd run speed.

The clever tactic on a moderate-length-paced, moderate-effort-per-run day would be to: go faster than usual on runs 12-16 and 17-24; go much faster than usual on runs 1, 16, and 24. This will develop speed for the 220 yd run, the 440 yd run, and the mile.

Note that after runs 8, 16 and 24 I can look forward to a rest of walking a mile according to the regimen I have been following.

Thus simply by spending some time collecting and analyzing data, by varying which 220 yd runs are run faster than usual or much faster than usual, with such variance tailored to the individual nature I have manifested:

I can relatively effortlessly (if the runs that are not run faster than usual are not run slower than usual), or effortlessly (if the runs that are not run faster than usual are run slower than usual) accelerate improvement in the 220, the 440, the 880, and the mile-- all without ever running the 440, the 880, or the mile.

Day by Day Summary of Track Workouts, Leary Field, Waltham MA, April 22-May 2, showing seconds, paces, inhalations, lines of chant, per 220 yd run:

The usual format was: eight 220s run every seven minutes; a mile walked; another eight 220s run every seven minutes; a mile walked; another eight 220s run every seven minutes; a mile walked.

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April 22

Long-length paces

Four 220 yd runs, avg 52.7 secs
range of times: 47-58 secs

Time (seconds):
0:47+0:51+0:55+0:58=3:31

-- http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/04/47-second-eigth-of-mile-run-april-22.html

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April 23 reported April 24

Moderate paces

Twenty-four 220 yd runs, avg 59.0 secs; range of times: 49-68 secs

Times (seconds):
60+63+58+63+62+68+61+59=8:14
68+66+58+61+57+57+58+52=7:57
67+56+57+55+54+53+54+49=7:25

-- http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/04/725-mile-run-as-eight-220-yard-runs.html

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April 24 reported april 25

Short paces

24 220 yd runs, avg 63.1 secs; range of times: 45-79 secs.

Times (seconds):
49+49+45+51+50+48+45+45=6:22, avg=47.75;
75+66+67+79+67+70+62+69=9:15;
??(estimate 72)+77+71+70+73+72+70+73=578=9:38

For ninth to twenty-fourth 220 yd runs, introduced game of attempting to run the 220s in exactly 73 seconds.

-- http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/04/622-mile-run-as-eight-220-yard-runs.html

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April 26

Long paces

8 220 yd runs, avg 71.0 secs; range of times: 67-75 secs.

Times (seconds):
75, 70, 71, 75, 69, 70, 67, 68

Continued with game of running 220 yd runs in exactly 73 seconds

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April 27

Moderate paces

Goal was to run 220s somewhere in between 73 seconds and maximum speed

24 220s, avg 61.5 secs; range of times, 54-71 secs.

Avg Paces/220 yd run: 161.0
Avg length pace (feet): 4.1
Paces range: 158-172
Range of length of paces in feet (220 yd run with lowest avg length of paces, 220 yd run with highest avg length of paces): 3.8-4.1
(these 4 stats re paces based on observation of 7 220 yd runs)

Avg number of lines of chant per run (based on observation of 4 220 yd runs): 21.3

Avg number of inhalations (breathing) per 220 yd run (based on observation of 4 220 yd runs): 19.25

Times (seconds):
54 57 62 67 65 71 66 66
65 65 ?? 55 57 60 58 58
67 60 58 60 57 61 60 57

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April 29

Short paces

Goal was to run 220s somewhere in between 73 seconds and maximum speed

24 220s, avg 58.0 secs
range of 220 yd run times: 51-70 secs

Avg Paces/220 yd run: 175.3
Avg length pace (feet): 3.8
Paces range: 156-212
Range of length of paces in feet (220 yd run with lowest avg length of paces, 220 yd run with highest avg length of paces): 3.1-4.2

(stats re paces based on observation of 24 220 yd runs)

After a 54 sec 220 yd run that started at 7:24 PM, 'Coach Richard G' of the Waltham Track Club said to me: 'Doing intervals sir? You look good'.

Thus we have the important info that a 69 second 220 yd run is fast enough to impress a somewhat overweight grade-school boy, whereas, a 54 second run is fast enough to impress a track coach.

Thing is, one could surmise that such times are impressive with me because I am poetry in motion. Who knows whether those who are not poetry in motion, would impress at 69 seconds and 54 seconds for the 220 yd run.

Times (seconds):
60 60 58 57 57 58 58 57
61 54 54 52 51 53 52 54
70 68 62 61 62 60 57 57

On this day it was nice to be surrounded by the kids and coaches of the Waltham Track Club. Seemed time went by faster, there was less drudgery, the speeds achieved per unit energy expended were improved through the photogenic surroundings (kids and coaches and parents).

But it was unpleasant to think that these white American folks around me, including the cute kids, could soon end up starved to death like the Ukrainians of about a hundred years ago, due to the malice of the same ethnic group that did in the Ukrainians.

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May 2

Long paces

Goal was to run 220s somewhere in between 73 seconds and maximum speed

24 220s, avg 63.2 secs
range of 220 yd run times: 51-82 secs

Avg Paces/220 yd run: 163.8
Avg length pace (feet): 4.0
Paces range: 143-207
Range of length of paces in feet (220 yd run with lowest avg length of paces, 220 yd run with highest avg length of paces): 3.2-4.6

(stats re paces based on observation of 24 220 yd runs)

Times (seconds):
68 67 69 65 65 62 62 62
75 66 63 64 55 55 51 51
82 70 65 62 58 60 62 57

At the end of the workout, some boys spoke to me, it was getting near 11:00 PM. One of them, a white one, was shocked and impressed, that I was on my fifth mile. The other one, who looked like a handsome mix of East Asian and White, remembered me from having seen me at the Waltham Y.

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I realize there exist those who would disparage the act of putting a few hours into typing up and then blogging, this kind of report.

Fact is, that everything was scribbled in a notebook and on index cards before it was put up on the computer.

After putting the data up on the computer, I acquired insights that I did not acquire when the data was scribbled on index cards and in a notebook.

Putting the data on the computer allowed me to more efficiently (with less time and energy expended compared to working with data scribbled on index cards and in notebooks) analyze the data and present the data and the analysis to myself.

The analysis is based on the presentation to the self, and the presentation to the self is based on the analysis.

After this it was just a little step to turn the stuff I did in the computer for myself, into a blog-post shared with others.

The perceptive realize that my display of competence with regards to the training for improvement in the mile issue, indicates competence in other subjects also.

Analyzing slash reporting about 'unimportant' subjects like track, builds up my endurance, speed, and skill when it comes to analyzing slash reporting about 'important' subjects.

The incredible Google Desktop (disaster for me because one of my computers is 64-bit and it won't run on it properly) showed me that the typing the index card and notebook data into the computer, analyzing it, and typing the report took me 5 hours.

(The Microsoft Windows history told me that the last visited time was the current time for everything, because of the multi-tabbed browser; this was not helpful for determining when I started)

That is, this blog-report of
2257 words, 5.64 book-length pages was produced in 5 hours; which is 1.1 400-word book-length pages per hour, 451 words per hour.

This blog-report reviewed 7 workouts, of which four had never been reported on previously.

So we're down to about 451 words per workout, about one hour spent analyzing/reporting per workout, which is less verbose and time/energy consuming than what used to be the case doing a blog-report for each workout, due to the lumping of several workouts into one report.

I must admit that the level of meaningful important communication produced per word used, is better when several workouts are lumped into one report.

@2009 David Virgil Hobbs

47 second eigth-of-a-mile run, April 22, using long paces style on outdoors track

For the first time since returning to long-distance running in November '08, I ran eigth-of-a-mile (220 yard) distances, taking approx 5 minute breaks between quarter-miles. Like yesterday I ran on the outdoors track at Leary Field, the 'J. Lee Gould' track.

I left the footwear as it was the previous run; last time I gave myself footwear advice was after the March 25 run (http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/03/74-minute-5-mile-run-march-25-using.html).

Results foot-comfort wise:

Left foot/leg: No complaints with regards to track at Leary Field; some slight pain in balls of feet and toes on sidewalk.

Right foot/leg: No complaints with regards to track at Leary Field; some slight pain in balls of feet and toes on sidewalk.

Seems I got used to the softer outdoors track, so when I returned to the sidewalk, there was some pain in the balls of the feet and the toes.

Makes me feel as if I doubt whether I will ever be able to run faster than say ten minute miles on the road/side-walks without experiencing pain. The feet seem to hit the ground faster at higher speeds.

Wednesday April 22:

I ran half a lap, 220 yard segments on the Leary Field track. I stopped for usually approx five minutes after each 220 yd run. I used style B/E, emphasis on long paces.

Time after 5th mile: 90:02 (four 1/8 mile runs + 1/2 mile run + 1 mile walk + 1 mile run + 1 mile walk): The breaks were the usual format: time at end of run or walk segment rounded up to next minute, plus five minutes, equals start of next segment.

I used the following chant (chanted in my mind not with my mouth/tongue) during the 1/8th mile runs:

'Long are our strides as we streamline the sky
Great is our distance per unit of time

(NEW) Doing...just an eighth of a mile
in that long-paced style

Lord of Roads of Magnificence am I
Lord of Roads of Painlessness am I'

The three stanzas were chanted in various orders.

I stretched before starting the run; had coffee, cod liver oil, c-boost drink.
Times recorded today April 22, using style B/E, long paces, running 220 yard segments; times recorded yesterday April 21 using style A/D, quick short paces, running 440 yard segments (totals show mile-times unless noted):

1st, run: 0:47+0:51+0:55+0:58=3:31 for 1/2 mile+ 1/2 mile run at leisurely pace; 2:27+3:22+4:01+3:16=13:06,

2nd, walked: walked at leisurely pace; 3:41+3:45+3:41+3:45=14:52,

3rd,run: 19:15 (leisurely pace); 3:58(ST)+3:56(FL)+3:52(HB)+3:55(HB)=15:41,

4th, walked: 19:47 (leisurely pace); 3:41+3:41+3:51+3:43=14:56,

5th, run: 19:43 (lesiurely pace); 3:00(QS,ST)+3:15(FL,ST)+3:03(QS,HB)+4:01=13:19

The 0:47 time on the first 220 yd segment was a big relief for me, like avoiding hell on judgement day, despite being thoroughly worthy of being damned.

Because, if I am unable to run the 1/8th mile in 45 seconds, I do not stand much chance of being able to run the mile in 8x45=360 seconds = 6 minutes.

But if I can run the mile in six minutes, I can be at the basic aerobic type fitness level I need to be at in order to be a big-shot athlete. It's common knowledge that my weakness is this kind of endurance, and that aside from this weakness I am a super-star.

I realize that modern conditioning for sports increasingly emphasizes anaerobic endurance, the repeated wind-sprints type of thing; such anaerobic endurance drills require an aerobic fitness foundation.

The speed during the 0:47 run was 56% faster than my fastest quarter-mile of 147 seconds yesterday.

The world record eigth-of-a-mile speed is 12% faster than the world record quarter-mile speed (http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/tfn/records/records.jsp?listId=1 ).

My 56% speed improvement running eigth-of-a-mile distances (compared to quarter-mile speed) the first time running the eigth-of-a-mile (220 yard) distances shows how: at the present time, my weakness lies in slowing down from a speed which is approximately equal to my target speed of 45 seconds per 1/8th of a mile, after having run about an 1/8th of a mile; repeatedly running 220 yard segments is what will get me used to running at the speed I need to run at in order to run a mile in six minutes.

The rain interrupted the workout after four 1/8th mile runs. After this I felt tired; I decided to for the remainder of the day, add just 0.5 miles jogged + 1 mile walked + 1 mile jogged + 1 mile walked + 1 mile jogged, at a leisurely pace, bringing the total miles done on a wet rainy day to five.

I felt sick of pressure, trying hard to score a fast time. I think the new stuff, running half-miles, quarter-miles, 1/8th miles, tired me out and got me sick of pressure.

The running and walking at a leisurely pace was such that the time if the first 0.5 miles had also been run at a leisurely pace, for all 5 miles, would have been 96:13.

I can remember how just a couple of months ago, 96 minutes on the outdoors sidewalks course would have been the result of maximum effort and a new personal record (http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/02/running-shoes-1-layer-gel-heel-to-toe.html).

Today the speed at a leisurely pace, 96 minutes for five miles, was 71% of the speed on the course when making a maximum effort (current personal best 68 minutes for the five miles) (68/96=0.71).

This tells me something significant. It tells me that when I feel tired, too tired to work out, I can still go out and do a workout at a leisurely pace that causes me no discomfort whatsoever, at a speed that is 71% of my maximum speed.

This implies that persons such as myself, are liable to skip a workout which we could easily perform at 71% of max effort, on the grounds that we are too tired to work out.

It would be nice at thus juncture to be able to snap a finger and have a humble underling, who has a Phd in statistics, and a Masters in exercise science, to promptly and obediently supply the info as to whether the smartest coaches and physicians think that a workout at 71% of maximum effort, is worth anything in terms of improvement in conditioning and health.

Off the bat, I would estimate that a workout at 71% of maximum effort accomplishes more for conditioning and health than idleness along the grounds that a weightlifter whose maximum for the bench press is 10 repetitions of 200 lbs, would consider 10 reps of 145 lbs to be a worthwhile activity, better than inactivity, so long as the 10 reps of 145 lbs did not result in the body being overworked due to too much weightlifting being done.

In the weightlifting world you often hear it said, especially with regards to weightlifting for the purpose of building up sprinting speed and jumping ability, that it is wise to lift at about 67% of maximum personal capacity and that lifting at a heavier than 67% level can be dangerous or counterproductive.

I think people underestimate the similarity between weightlifting and track. People under-estimated the contribution weightlifting can make to track performance.

The way people used to insist that to train for a mile one must run distances longer than a mile as opposed to distances shorter than a mile, was related to their failure to appreciate the role of simple muscular strength of the right type in the right places when it comes to running, which was related to a failure to see similarities between track and weightlifting (over-specialization of labor again?).

In general a long slow minimally-interrupted five mile run at 71% maximum effort, when one is used to almost daily long but faster minimally-interrupted five-mile runs at 95% or more of maximum effort, can be better than inactivity because the body gets used to the almost-daily 95% efforts on five mile runs, and suddenly switching to just half-mile runs with a break every half-mile, and quarter-mile runs with a break after every quarter-mile, and eighth-of-a-mile runs with a break after every eighth of a mile, hits the body the way withdrawal from an addictive drug hits the body; seems such withdrawal should be gradualized, especially since a five-mile run does not damage the body/mind via side-effects the way an addictive drug does.

I find the five-mile runs promote my general sense of mental and physical well-being. This in turn can result in an improvement in track performance. There is more to life than track performance, and certain types of exercise can improve life in these non-track areas. Improvements in areas of life outside of track, can result in improvement in track performance.

The footwear today was the same as the previous run. This footwear setup is described at http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/03/68-minute-5-mile-run-march-29-new.html .

'Twas a day-time run, and then a night-time run.

The black heavy sweatshirt, long-sleeved collar-less sportshirt made of t-shirt-type material, t-shirt, sleeveless t-shirt, shorts, & headband were a little too warm during the first four 1/8 mile runs.

The weather during the workout (2:33-2:57 PM) was: avg 55 degrees, 1 mph wind, avg 0.25 in/hr rain (http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/wxStationGraphAll?day=22&year=2009&month=4&ID=KMAWESTO6&type=3&width=500&showsolarradiation=1&showtemp=1&showpressure=1&showwind=1&showwinddir=1&showrain=1 ).

The workout started at 2:33 PM; the fourth 1/8 mile run was completed at 2:57 PM. At this point I had to take a break because the rainfall level changed from tolerable (0.2 inches per hour) to intolerable (0.5 inches per hour). The evening portion of the workout lasted from 9:32 PM to 11:11 (109 minutes including breaks).

Advice to myself for the next run fotwear-wise: Same as that listed in the March 25 post (http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/03/74-minute-5-mile-run-march-25-using.html ); no need to do anything.

In accordance with the rotation entered into the blog-record March 15 (http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/03/76-minute-5-mile-long-length-paced-run.html ), run the next run, using style C/F, the syle that combines length of pace with quickness of paces, pausing five minutes after each quarter-mile to rest/take-notes.

Running Tactics Slash Strategy

Yesterday, I estimated that when I ran the 147 second quarter-mile, my fastest of the day, I ran the first 220 yds in 49 seconds (http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/04/25-minute-quarter-mile-run-april-21.html ).

Today I managed to run 220 yards in 47 seconds.

Just goes to show my competence in applied math.

Incidentally, Tom Wolf was on my high school soccer team; he later became an applied math big-shot...once I dreamt that everyone around was a monkey but he was a human...which means that, I am capable of thinking that he is less monkey-like than the people around here).

@2009 David Virgil Hobbs