Keeping Your Speed on Track in Winter



Tim D

For the past couple of winters, I’ve frequented the indoor track races at the Track and Field Center at the Armory in Washington Heights.

Unlike some lifelong runners, I never ran track in high school or college. So I approach these indoor events mostly as opportunities to air it out and get in a little speedwork in the dead of winter without worrying about black ice or wind chills. (I know this winter seems largely benign so far, but regrettably it is only mid-January.)

Races are held on the Armory’s six lane, 200-meter banked track. The Mondo surface, sort of like a rubber carpet, is widely considered to be the fastest indoor track in the world. Spikes (1/4 inch or shorter) are permitted, but unnecessary. Your current racing shoes will do.

Armory Track and Field Center

There are six main “all-comers” meets held at the Armory during the local indoor season, which runs from late November to mid-March.

The first meet was the Armory’s own Holiday Classic, which was held back on Dec 26. This meet was mostly for serious Open and Masters track racers.

But starting earlier this month, the NYRR hosted the first of its “Thursday Night at the Races” series, which is conducted on four staggered winter Thursdays. Obviously, once again serious track racers account for the much of the turnout. (I usually run in one of the later heats for each event, which are seeded based on anticipated time.) But the atmosphere is supportive and there are no awards.

If you’re still feeling a little wary, check out the results from January 5th on the NYRR web site.  And click here to see a YouTube video of a 200 meter Thursday Night at the Races event from 2011.

The remaining 2012 dates and distances offered are as follows:

• Jan 19:  3000m (W), 5000m (M), 800m, 1500m, 4 x 400m relay
• Feb 09:  Mile, 8 x 200m relay, 800m, 3000m
• Feb 23:  1500m, 10000m relay

On most nights, if you run multiple events, you can accumulate 3+ miles of anaerobic training. This is a great way to train your body to race with fatigued legs in a controlled environment. It’s also useful for evaluating your pacing without needing to factor in hills, wind, etc. But most of all, running with/against other runners who are faster than you is one of the best ways to get faster yourself!

There is one last hurrah at the end of the indoor season if winter happens to be overstaying its welcome as the daffodils begin appearing in Central Park. In mid-March, Front Runners New York hosts their own track meet at the Armory, attracting a crowd similar to the NYRR nights, but with a few more events:

• Mar 16:  Mile, 400m, 200m, 800m, 2-Mile, plus 2-3 different relay events

If you go, take the A or C train to 168th Street and walk one block west to Fort Washington Avenue. The entrance is between 168th and 169th Streets. Meets start at 7:00pm and women run before the men. Entry is $20 per night, which allows you to run as many races as you wish. Times are recorded manually and results are posted online a few days later. 

One cautionary note: a few runners find the number of turns associated with racing on a 200m track troublesome. Feeling your obliques a bit after an indoor track session is OK. Abnormal or sharp pain is not. (The banked track does help in this regard.) There is no need to be totally scared off from indoor tracks altogether, but runners should know their own bodies and use their own discretion.  Also, be forewarned that depending on the turnout, the final heats sometimes end well after 10:00pm. (Attendance at these NYRR events builds a little bit with each successive meet.)

But if you still find yourself charged up from all that racing, a pint at Coogan's is waiting for you right around the block!

-Tim D