“The need for Speed“

So while I have done fairly limited speed training since my THR in December, 2020, over the last couple months, I focused on the 5K distance and I’ve started throwing in some more fartlek and shorter stride type intervals on flat grass surfaces.

A good triathlon buddy of mine, one of those ultra competitive types 😉 talked me into doing the golden age games, a Seniors track meet last weekend.  Without formalized speed training workouts and as it was the first time I had raced on a track since my senior year of high school, 1989, I posted the following times

2:37 – 800m
68 sec – 400m
5:27 – 1500m

This qualified me for the Florida senior games and as long as my right hip pain (my non-replaced side) stays relatively pain-free, I’m going to compete and continue racing the shorter distances.  Note that my replaced side has no pain and interestingly, I feel like I am in lesser pain when running the speedwork on both the grass and rubberized – polyurethane track surfaces.  Perhaps this is due to the stride and gait change with faster running???  or maybe the softer services? Or maybe a combination of both?

As always feedback and comment is appreciated in this great forum!