JIM McLATCHIE – Fall – USA – 1963
The weather was conducive to getting some decent workouts under my belt. I had decided to arrange my class schedule so that I had time to get in an easy run before lunch. That along with my morning escapades on the grass plus what I was doing in the afternoon should show some improvement in my racing.
Racing cross country in Scotland where I went several years without getting beat and managed to win the National Title as a junior. All the time I spent running in the hills and up and down coal tips made me nearly unbeatable. So I was hoping that with some extra mileage and better weather I would be hard to beat.
Living in a remote village in Scotland I enjoyed getting out in the fresh air and nature and just run along without a care in the world. I fell down a lot running in the snow. Because of the snow I would miss a turn on a road or trail and end up in a six feet drift. I never panicked, I just lay down and rolled out until I could walk out of the drift and then continue my run.
On most days I was running three times a day with a variation of jogging in the morning. At lunch time I ran about 5 miles easy and in the evening on Monday and Wednesday it would be track type workout. The rest of the week easy running up to 10 miles and if racing on Saturday, Friday would be one workout of thirty minutes easy with a few strides. Before track workout I warmed up and cooled down after a workout.
26 days before USA National 10K cross country championships I do not show 30 min easy jogging before class. Started in November 9th 1963
DAYS from National cross country championships
26 – 20 x220 with 30 sec rest between average 30+
25 – AM 5 miles easy/ PM – 4x mile ave 5:10s with 440 jog between
24 – AM – 4 miles fartlek/ PM 9 miles easy
23 – AM – 4 miles fartlek/ PM – 4×440 with 440 jog 1-5 ave 57s last – 54.5s
22– PM – easy 40 min with mile in 5min/ 10 min easy – mile in 5 min raining cool 59 degrees
21 – Race Gulf Federation 4 m XC – 3rd in 19:46sec rainy and 60 degrees
20 – AM 9 miles easy – recovery run
19 – AM long easy run of 17 miles
17 – AM – 35 min easy/ PM 5xmile ave. 4:55s with 440 walk between
16 – AM – 30 mins easy with 6×150 easy/ 8×880 with 440 walk ave 2:11.5s
15– 30 min easy with a few strides
14 – Race Houston 10K Trials for Nationals – finished 2nd in 30:42s
13 – 9 miles easy legs sore – felt tired
12 – Went to beach and ran around 1 hour – legs still sore – stood in water
11 – 1 run around 30 minutes – Achilles aching
10 – Day off
9 – Tough workout – 4×440 with 110 jog – 58.6,59.0,58.4,58.0/ 10 min easy/ 6×110 run bends/ jogged 10 min/ 440 – 54/ felt good
8 – AM – 4xmile with 220 walk between – 4:58/4:48/4:49/4:44/ Later in day left for East Lancing Michigan with team from Houston – Driving
7 – As we were approaching Bloomington, Indiana we heard on the radio that President Kennedy had been shot dead in Dallas Texas. As we had Texas plates on the vehicle we were not so sure what would happen when we stopped for the night and ran a bit to loosen up. We ran indoors – WU – 3 miles fast/slow/ CD
6 – 4:45pm East Lancing Michigan – 40 degrees – 10 miles easy with some strides
5 – 9 miles easy with some strides
4 – NCAA Championships – could not run because of freshman rule ran 4 mile easy with some strides
3 – 4 miles with some easy hills
2 – Chicago 4 miles easy with a few strides – sore throat
1 – National 10,000 meters cross country championships in 48 degrees where I finished second to Tom O’Hara 30:12s to 30:17. I made a move with a mile to go and picked up the pace. I was still leading with 200 from finish and I just fell apart. Jeff Fishback was third in 30:22s.
Friday we drove straight back to Texas and I was dropped off in Beaumont and the rest of the team headed to Houston.