Is Tennis Valuable Cross Training?

I am soliciting the readers' input on whether tennis (singles, not doubles) is valuable cross training for a runner. My observations indicate that playing a full match of singles tennis with an equally ranked player can be a tremendous workout. However, after a week like this one, in which I played tennis three times, and only ran three times, leaves me with questions, and a feeling like I didn't train properly. The day immediately following tennis, in particular, seems difficult, and the first mile of my run was slow and awkward. Usually by the 3rd mile my legs felt better, but I can't help thinking that the muscle use is so different from running (side to side vs. straight ahead) that tennis could actually be detrimental to running. A typical tennis match for me consists of about 1 to 1.5 hours of play, with many small sprints, which can't be more than 5 or 10 meters, maybe 20 meters when chasing a lob shot from the net to the baseline. At the end of a long rally, I am quite winded, but short rallies don't accomplish much aerobically. Overall, it seems like a good workout, including the arms, but I'm wondering it really helps with running and racing. Any thoughts?

Raybuck's Tennis Ranking Questioned

Following a second straight loss to a USATF 4.0-ranked player last night under the lights (6-3, 7-5), the USATF contacted Mark Raybuck and threatened to downgrade last year's 4.0 ranking. Raybuck was upgraded from a 3.5 after forcing some 3-setters and finally winning two matches against a 4.0-level player last summer. However, this season has not been so fortunate, with two straight losses prompting the call from the USATF. Raybuck had his chances last night, leading the second set 5-3, but then losing 4 straight games, including several double faults. He is scheduled to play against the same player next Monday night. If Raybuck wins that match, the USATF has informed him that they will re-consider the downgraded ranking. As usual, Raybuck's running ability was prominently displayed throughout the match, literally shocking his opponent by running down what would be for others impossible drop and lob shots. His final comment to the reporters after the match was "I may not be able to hit the ball, but I sure can run!" (now this post can legitimately appear under Mark and Eric's Running).

And one last mention regarding this post - I did have the only ace of the night, a solid 1st serve down the center line on the ad side of the court. Wish I had a radar gun on it, as my opponent really didn't even have a chance to move towards the ball. It surprised me as well!

Phase 2 Training Continues!

My phase 2 training was very successful this weekend, including a Phase 2 track workout Friday, 5 miles at an 8:30/mile pace on Saturday, and 7.14 miles at an 8:45/mile pace yesterday. The Phase 2 speed workout differed from Phase 1 by including one 800 meter interval at the beginning of the workout (2:58), followed by 6 400s, rather than just 8 400s. Phase 2 includes more endurance work: hence, the 800. The 400s were all between 80 and 81 seconds, with one stray 81.3, and a final 79.3. This workout was encouraging, as quite often, I am the only one at the track foolish enough to be doing speed workouts. Friday, I encountered 3 other people doing some semblance of speed. The first was an older guy with gray hair, running laps, but throwing in 200 meter intervals at a good clip. When I told him it was tough getting old, he said "yes, but we're fighting it!" Then, later, a young couple showed up and without any warmup, started doing 400 meter intervals. The interesting part is that the husband (or boyfriend), gave the woman a "head start" each lap, then started his watch and took off, but timed it perfectly so that he "won." I think he was running about 75 -second intervals, by the looks of it. Does this remind you of anything? I wonder if he lost one of the intervals to his wife, if her handicap would have been suddenly and severely slashed?

Mile Time Reaches Plateau as Phase 2 Begins

Before a vacation to Key Largo, I made one last stab at a mile, running 5:28.5, about 0.7 seconds better than the previous 5:29.2. At least it was an improvement, but the curve (see graph above) indicates that I have potentially maximized my performance in the Phase 1 Training Program. Phase 2 has now begun! Let's define Phase 1 as Sub 5:30, and Phase 2 will target sub 5:20.

8K Race Results!

As a "kickoff" to his "Phase 2" sub-5 mile training, Raybuck completed a hilly, 8K road race last Saturday, finishing in an acceptable 32:42 (6:35/mile), with a sub-6 minute final mile (although downhill). He finished 15th overall out of 141 runners and 2nd in the 50 to 54 year old codger division (see photo). Click on the title to link to the complete results (Laurel Run 8k).

"I'm still not where I want to be" said Raybuck to the clamoring reporters after the race, "but Phase 2 is definitely underway!" When asked why his current training is referred to as "Phase 2" Raybuck replied "Because Phase 1 is complete."

Note: Raybuck's Parsons colleague Eric Felter also ran in this event, and finished in a very respectable time of 34:16 (6:54 per mile), 19th overall, and 5th in a very competitive 40 to 44 year old age group. When questioned by reporters, Felter stated that he was rather pleased with his time, having lowered his time from 2 years ago, thus defying age.

(Course with mile markers shown above)

Mile Time Drops Again!

Last Saturday I jogged to the track, put on the Lunarlite racing flats, and ran a "low-key" time trial with noone around. Tough to get psyched up for it, with no fans, especially after the May 6 "race" environment, but I don't want to let long intervals pass by without a trial.

I was targeting sub-5:30, or 82.5 seconds per lap, but the first lap was 84. I was afraid I would end up around 5:40, but told myself it was a mental exercise, and I would finish no matter what. I tried picking up the pace for lap 2, but went through in 2:48, another 84. Again, I tried pushing, and managed 82 seconds for the 3rd lap, or around 4:10. I applied a lot of pressure the final lap, especially the last 200 meters, and managed a 79.3, ro 5:29.3.

The bad news? 30 seconds to go for sub-5. The good news? I have only done one formal track speed workout so far, and am starting weekly track workouts. I hope to see the times drop a little faster once those workouts start kicking in!

Tour Journals

In our mini reunion, Eric confessed to a desire to hike the Appalachian Trail. For those of you not familiar with the concept, hiking the Appalachian Trail (or AT as it is known to its fans) involves hiking about 2200 miles over some very rugged terrain, and doing it in the course of about six months.

Now, hiking the AT is a worthy goal, but I suggested to Eric that such a goal is better suited to the young, or at least those young enough to consider running a sub-5 minute mile. Anyway, I encouraged him to consider something like my goal: riding a bike across the U.S.A. Biking across the U.S.A. only takes about three months, it can be done (if one so desires) while staying each night in comfy hotels, and is regularly accomplished by geezers such as ourselves. (The average age of Adventure Cycling Trans Am rides is something in the neighborhood of 60!) To inspire him, and increase my hit count, I pointed him to my recently completed tour journals of two bike trips that Kim and I took in the Finger Lakes region. They were week long tours that we did in 2007 and 2008. If you are interested, you can find them at:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/fingerlakes2007

and

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/FingerLakes2008

Enjoy.

Chris

Mile Quest Continues!

I ran in a mile "race" last night. My old alma mater, Fillmore High, held an open masters mile at the beginning of the Fillmore High School Invitational track meet. Thus, it had all the bells and whistles of a typical track meet, with electronic timing, officials, 1st, 2nd, 3rd call for the mile, announcements from the press box, some high schoolers and spectators cheering, etc. In fact, my name was mentioned as a former Fillmore athlete, along with my "former" 4:19 mile time.

I did not get any photos, although my wife videotaped the race. Once I have managed to digitize the tape, I'll post at least part of it here.

In summary, I ran a 5:33 (a true mile, as we backed up about 9 meters from the 1600 start line), and came in 3rd out of 6 runners, with the winning time by a Houghton College track athlete at 5:00.3, 2nd place at 5:24 (40 year old, also former Fillmore graduate, with the Fillmore 3200 meter record at 9:26). My splits were a bit erratic, with 81 for the first lap, then 2:49 at the half (88 seconds), 4:15 at the 3/4 (86 seconds), then close to 78 seconds for the final lap! I'm still awaiting the official electronic time, which I am hoping is under 5:33.

The good news is that I chopped 10 seconds off of last week's 5:43. The bad news is that I have 34 seconds to go to break 5 minutes, and that is a very long 34 seconds! But the good news is that I have not really done any track speed workouts yet, and plan to start those next week (quarters, halves, 200s, the works). I will also continue to add distance to my weekly long run, which should be about 7 miles this weekend. The bad news is that everything hurts now (knees, hips, etc.).

Mark

Dr. K. Strider mini-Reunion

Eric and I had a mini reunion at the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem Massachusetts. The Hawthorne Hotel is conveniently located across the street from the Salem Witch Museum, and is near the House of Seven Gables.

Also in attendance was Eric's wife Harriet, and my wife Kim. Kim, an honorary Strider for her participation under the team name in the Kwaj Rust Man, was anxious to meet the "father" of the team.

We had a great time catching up, and I remembered to bring along the camera to document the event!