body weight 160
five foot ten

Gonna need to be at my peak performance this will be a long journey but I have my mind set on this and confident i can do it.

June 14th

8x4 atg squat 8x4 15 sec rest 185lbs
Glute bridge 2x12 95 lbs 2 min
Reverse hyper 3x12 35lbs 2 min
power clean 3x5 155 3 min rest

60m:  7.05
100m: 10.73
200m: 22.24 (09, ran a 21.8 hand time and 22.30 this year - do not train for them)

Age: 18
Height: 5ft8
Weight: 149 lb (was 143 at ‘racing weight’ last year but havent trained since late June)

Last season was a heartbreak for me, was chasing the World Junior qualifying standard of 10.64, got 9 hundredths short of it and then got a minor hamstring tear ... it also ruled me out of the English Schools champs (where i am based despite being Irish) which i was one of the favourites to win, and looking at the winning time i certainly felt i wouldve won. I dont get another chance at either of these competitions which was really hard to take. This year i am an u23/senior even though it will only be my third season of training and competition. It is the first time i havent really felt motivated or excited by the season. I ran for Ireland at the European Juniors in my first full season and therefore a season without international competition is a failure to me which is why this season seems quite bleak. Hopefully once i get into training properly i will start to put it all behind me.

This year I will be aiming for the European U23s in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The standards are 10.55 and 21.34. It will be tough but I am still developing and have the potential to run those times as i wouldve ran faster if I hadnt got injured - my training was all geared towards my schools champs 2 weeks after I sustained my injury so I do not actually see 10.73 as my PB I feel I definately wouldve ran under 10.65. My coach believes I should concentrate on 200 next year, as you can tell from my PBs i have a relatively strong top speed as my 100m PB is a lot better than my 60m PB. He said he was really excited to see what i could do over 200 last year but I was concentrating on the 100, ironically I injured myself running a 200m at the Irish Junior Champs in late June. I had earlier ran 10.73 in my first race of that day and only ran the 200 to get a time as I wanted another race (100 was straight final).

Basically, I need to run super quick next season to even start making up for this summer ... I believe i am ready to start doing this - a big breakthrough was on the horizon last year as i was very consistent but just not getting the big time (as i didnt get to my peak, and i didnt have the conditions). As you can tell by my weight I am very slight and have been doign one weights session a week from November 09 to May ‘10 (and the early sessions were prep not much lifting) and i have also onyl been with my new ocach for this same period. I am young both in biological and training years as well which also means there is plenty more room for improvement along with technical improvements - poor start/drive phase and my mechanics leave a lot ot be desired.

Hope you enjoy my blog ...

I am back after a disaster 2010 Season with plenty of injuries.  This year I am back full recovered and well planed.  I am hoping to go sub 11 or close to it as possible.  My 2010 season ended very early but I am back way stronger than I was.

BW - 66kg

PB
60m - 7.42 (2010)
100m - 11.50 (2009)
200m - 24.29 (2009)

Male
Age: 17 (just turned 17 two days ago) - grade 11
Body weight : 148 pounds
Height: 5’9

Sprint Personal Bests

60m - 7.31 (2010 indoor)
100m - 11.34 (0.0 wind) - 2009 outdoor
200m - 23.11 (1.4m/s tailwind)- 2009 outdoor
400m - 56.2 - 2009 early outdoor
4x100m - 43.75

Lifting Stats

Bench Press - high 200s - 300 (1RM)
Below Parallel Squat - 305x4 (just below parallel, not ATG)
Above Parallel Squat - 365x3
Power Clean - 190x1
Deadlift -  385-405x1
Push ups (burnout) - 65
Pull ups (burnout) - 15

Goals

100m - 10.99 and faster
200m - 22.59 and faster

2009-2010 Indoor Season

Opener in December : 7.46
Previous Personal Best from previous year : 7.48
New Personal Best : 7.31

Previous 100m PBs

Freshman (2008 outdoor season) : 11.95 (1.5m/s tailwind)
Sophomore (2009 outdoor season) : 11.34 (0.0 wind)

Previous 200m PBs

Freshman (2008 outdoor season) : 24.57
Sophomore (2009 outdoor season) : 23.11

Indoor 60m/200m Progression

Freshman: 7.79/25.3
Sophomore: 7.48/24.74
Senior year 1: 7.31/24.2

2010 Outdoor Season

First meet on march 31st likely, it will be in a indoor track that is outdoor sized. The next meet, and maybe even the one after that will also be at this track. Will run another prep outdoor meet in start of May, and then district qualifiers middle of May. Regional Qualifiers end of May, and Provincial Championships start of June. After that school season will be over, and summer season will begin.

My age group: As a senior this year (grade 11), I will have to face people who are grade 12, and grade 13 (5th years in high school), making the competition much more difficulty of course.

My name is John and I am from Liverpool in England.

I have recently taken up sprinting having come from a power lifting background.
A friend of mine is a double Olympian who insists if I can get my 30 metre sprint speed up to a good level then I could have a shot at the British Bobsleigh team for the 2014 Olympics in Russia. He has recently competed in Vancouver and is also the team Sprint coach so he has the required contacts I would need.
I do however need to pass the GB selection criteria at the next trials in August or at the one after that, in the Summer of 2011 at the very latest to stand any sort of chance.

My target therefore is to work incredibly hard to get my short sprint speed up whilst simultaneously working on my 100m for all around speed.

I currently stand a long way off. My stats are below:

Age - 30
Weight - 88kg
Bodyfat - 20% Tested by Harpenden calipers yesterday
100m pb - 12.85 Tested at the Trafford Open 4 weeks ago (Electronically)
Squat - 160kg
Deadlift - 220kg
Bench Press - 125kg

I will be training at least twice every single day to get my body in some sort of athletic condition. I work in a gym so will easily find the time.

My first target is to reach 80kg bodyweight. I feel a lot of improvement could be made relatively quickly with the loss of all of my unrequired bodyfat.

I realise that what I have stated is an extremely lofty ambition.

Time will tell just how realistic it is…...

I hope you enjoy reading about my journey.

John

Background Info:  I am 24 years young.  I currently train with Mike Young and the HPC group in Cary, NC.  I have been down here for a year now and am getting ready to start up training after taking about a month off.  I have been training for the decathlon for 3 years now.  In college I was a long, triple and high jump guy who also ran the 100 and did both relays.  I trained post college for two years up in West Chester, Pa where I went to school under Jason Kilgore.  I owe a lot of where I am right now to him because he was a super track nerd/coach and he developed me a lot as an athlete and made me love the sport.

Current PR’s/Maxs:
Heptathlon: 5573
Decathlon: 7316
100: 10.72
Long Jump: 7.44
Shot Put: 13.11
High Jump: 2.15
400: 49.25
110: 14.51
Discus: 38.84
Pole Vault: 4.15
Javelin: 41.38
1500: 4:55
60h: 8.26
60: 6.98
1000: 2:47
TJ: 15.20
Power Clean: 285
Squat: 385
Bench: 245
SLJ: 3.42
STJ: 10.2x (in spikes)
OHB: 15.2x
BLF: 14.8x

Obviously I need to improve on the throws (especially jav) and that has been a focus big time this year and will continue to be a big focus along with PV.  My 1500 will be a lot better when I decide to not run like a puss which will happen this year.  Mike and I have talked a lot about this upcoming year and we will do more with the throws in the fall and continue it through the winter time and not neglect it as much during indoors.  I want to focus a little more on upper body lifts and also improve my shoulder flexibility since it is really horrible and I think will help some with pv and jav. I also think I am under performing in the 400 and I think it’s partially due to race plan but I am hoping to go 48 mid next year.  Although I have been doing the dec for 3 years, I have only done 4 decathlons and 5 heps so I think experience will help in the future.  I am hoping to continue training for the next 2 years at least and see where it takes me.  I realize that I may never make any olympic team or anything like that but to go to USA outdoors and compete against some of the best guys would be awesome, and I don’t want to have any regrets about how good I could be.  There are also things like the Thorpe Cup which I think would be awesome to get a chance to represent the US in something like that. I have made USA Indoor Combined Events twice and had opportunities both times to get top 3 but blew it because of PV and HJ but I am now just using that to motivate me.  I am super motivated and have a ton of support from family, friends and coaches and I love what I am doing right now.
Goals for 2010/2011
Heptathlon: 5750
Decathlon: 7650

Goals:

1) Commonwealth Games qualifying standard (7.85m)
2) European Championships qualifying standard (7.90m)
3) 5 meets over 7.70m

Start training on Sunday after this week off.

My goals this year:
1) Make the 100m squad for the European Championships
2) Be in the 4x100m final squad at the European Championships
3) Make the Commonwealth 100m Team

To do the above, I believe I will have to run sub-10.10, possibly quicker. I also intend to do a few 200s, and would like to go sub-20.80.

I have a week off now to recover, then hitting training hard! 12 weeks until first outdoor race!

Lifetime bests (from 2000) are:
100m - 11.34
Long Jump - 6.51
Shot Put - 13.30
High Jump - 1.88
400m - 50.1
110hurdles (42”) - 15.38
Discus - 39.50
Pole Vault - 4.45m
Javelin - 55.16
1500m - 4:22
400 hurdles - 53.85

I’m probably 5-10% off those right now.  Trying to regain competitive condition and score 6500 points this year and 7000 in 2010. 

I’m limited to 8-10 hours per week, and current training is on 2nd 4 week cycles of 1-2-1 (Week 1 - higher volume/lower intensity; Weeks 2-3 Higher Intensity/lower volume; Week 4 - Recovery + Technique). 

Last week workouts (week 3):

Monday:
Active warm-up - 1.5 miles of jog and drills
Hurdles - drills, then 5x5 hurdles at 90-100%
Long jump - Take off drills from 5 step - going 16-17’ (6-8 jumps)
OHB Shot throws x5
Discus - stand - 3 throws.  Full 3 throws
2x2x300 - 48/46; 42/41

Tuesday -
AM - Row - 5k - 18:11 (Concept 2 rower)
PM -
Bench - 5x5 - 230
Mad Dog - 1x10 - 135
Clean - 5x5 - 220
Weighted Pull-ups - 45# - 3x5
Miscellaneous Abs

Wednesday -
Active Warm-up
HJ approach work
Plyos - Bounds, depth jumps, hops, 3 step take-offs
3x 30/50/100/150 at 12.5 or better 100m pace

Thursday -
Body weight Circuit
Push-ups x 50
Pull-ups x 20
Incline Sit ups x 25
Burpees x 50
Bear Crawl (50m)
Jog 350m

Repeat x 3

Friday - 3 mile - active jog (varied pace and drills mixed with light jog pace)

Saturday - Meet

Long Jump - 5.44 (only one fair mark, but a couple fouls over 6.00).  First time jumping in a meet and first runway work since 2000. Javelin - 52.26
200m - 23.6 (Hand time)

My technique on everything is rusty, but coming back with practice.  Big concerns are: Core strength needs help.  Recovery is not what it used to be.  I could still stand to drop 5% of bodyfat (currently 6’2” 195 @14% bf).  Jumps are not good.  My capability is still there to jump (34” vertical and 10’6” standing LJ) but is clearly not converting to good marks off the board. 

Will continue posting workouts.  Would love any/all feedback.

Matt