Boston University has an interesting history, and in 1968 David Hemery ran his way into a gold and a world record with a 48.12 performance. That time still places him in the hunt for Bronze, as Javier Culson would have nipped him at .02 ahead. When I went to practice yesterday it was a great day to train. Track was clear, and a former sprinter from Boston College was there who trained and competed in the 1960s and 1970s and knew David Hemery personally. I have seen him on the track every year and never knew he ran, as he just waived pleasantly hello each time we crossed paths.He explained after eight reps of repeat quarters, David Hemery collapsed and puked all over the place, confirming his autobiography. While we all know that 400m repeats may overtrain or be unproductive if not done right, the mental component of what is toughness is something of a debate. The ability to get up and do another is sometimes more valuable than elaborate periodization. Pushing the body is a balance, and nobody knows the outcome until the most important meet. I think we are a little too soft now, as throwing up is seen as abuse when sometimes hard training is necessary. The number of reps isn’t important in this story, the question is how hard one goes is up to the mind, not just the written workout.
