Thursday, December 27th
8:30 AM - 5 Miles, 34 min
Winchester
My legs were feeling pretty ragged today from the workout last night. Since tomorrow is a planned tempo run, I decided to keep things short and make up for it tomorrow with a little more quality.
Friday, December 28th
7:30 AM - 2 min
8:15 AM - 4 Miles, 30 min (treadmill)
So after taking an easy day yesterday, I woke up this morning feeling much better. My legs were a little looser and I was ready to get out for a nice comfortable tempo run. This would just be a moderate workout between Wednesday's track session and Sunday's Millennium Mile. As I walked out the door, I noticed that the stairs were a little slick... then when I got out to the road, I realized that everything was covered in a fresh layer of black ice from the rain we got last night. I thought to myself, "this should be interesting". Sure enough, 2 min into my warm up (about the time I encountered the first turn), my feet slid from beneath me and I hit the ground. I hit hard! I think I hit my knee first but there wasn't much weight behind it so it only got a few cuts. My hip, however, hit next and had the bulk of my weight behind it. As I lay sprawled out in the road for a couple minutes, I tried to assess the damage while people began to gather on the sidewalk, watching the freshly splattered road kill try to make his way back to his feet. I knew right away, I was not going to be finishing my run. I struggled just to hobble back to the house.
I wanted to try to get something in though, mostly to keep the joint from locking up on me. But I was done with running on the roads today, so I went into the store early to use the treadmill and see if I could do anything in the condition I was in. The hip was already getting pretty stiff so I started the first 5 min or so at 8:00+ pace and was only able to get down to 7:30 pace during the run. I managed to get 30 min in but it certainly wasn't pleasant. I then had to work for 12 hours as I hobbled around the store with pain and discomfort. Walking isn't easy, stairs are brutal, and some stretches are near impossible. Even pushing in the clutch while driving is painful. This all makes me very unhappy. I'll have to take things day by day, but right now, i'll have to pass on the race this Sunday.
I haven't really complained much about the weather on here so I'd like to do that now. I'm not even two weeks into my indoor season and I am already sick of winter. I miss having my trails to run on, I miss my long runs that aren't interrupted by traffic or snowbanks. I miss not having to cut my stride short when going through snow and ice, I miss the way things were a few weeks ago. All I want is to run fast, really fast! I want to be able to work hard in my training and enjoy that work. With the way things have been, it's a struggle just to get in an hour out in this crap. The only times that I've been comfortable and have had a glimpse of hope for my goals has been inside on the track. I just want to get back into a steady training routine. I'll do whatever I have to in order to get these things done, but it would be nice if I could get a little cooperation sometimes. Lately, it seems that not many things have gone my way and I just hope that I can fight my way through it and give myself the best opportunities for success.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Crazy 8's
Wednesday, December 26th
7:30 PM - Track Workout @ Reggie
22 min warm up
6 x 800m @ 2:14 w/ 2.5 min rest
2:13.0, 2:14.7, 2:14.1, 2:14.6, 2:13.2, 2:11.8
Avg = 2:13.5
22 min cool down
10 more min inside w/ Said Ahmed
Total = 11 Miles, 80 min
Sluggish. First three were fine and felt pretty smooth, so at that point I figured it would would be a fairly easy workout. But I started feeling my calves tighten up on the 4th one and then the last 2 just didn't feel as relaxed as I would have liked. It may be from the 15 hours in a car this weekend, or running up a mountain yesterday, or the long day at work today, or that extra serving of dessert at the party, or that extra round of beer at the bar. Whatever it was, it put a little junk in my legs today. Nothing to worry about though... this is what happens around the holidays. I don't regret any of those things I mentioned above and I know I'll be fine by the end of the week. I just need to be careful and pay attention to things when I start getting tightness or discomfort. And if I'm still turning in 2:12s while feeling sluggish, things can't be too bad. Then again, 2:12s just barely gets the B standard in the 5K ....but we won't think about that right now.
I was late to practice today because of work, so I did everything solo. However, I saw Said Ahmed there doing 20 x 300m by himself so we tried to exchange words of encouragement throughout the workout. Once I got back from my cool down, Said had finally finished his workout and asked me if I wouldn't mind doing an extra 10 min with him inside. I gladly tacked on a little extra as we had a chance to chat about training and race plans for the season.
7:30 PM - Track Workout @ Reggie
22 min warm up
6 x 800m @ 2:14 w/ 2.5 min rest
2:13.0, 2:14.7, 2:14.1, 2:14.6, 2:13.2, 2:11.8
Avg = 2:13.5
22 min cool down
10 more min inside w/ Said Ahmed
Total = 11 Miles, 80 min
Sluggish. First three were fine and felt pretty smooth, so at that point I figured it would would be a fairly easy workout. But I started feeling my calves tighten up on the 4th one and then the last 2 just didn't feel as relaxed as I would have liked. It may be from the 15 hours in a car this weekend, or running up a mountain yesterday, or the long day at work today, or that extra serving of dessert at the party, or that extra round of beer at the bar. Whatever it was, it put a little junk in my legs today. Nothing to worry about though... this is what happens around the holidays. I don't regret any of those things I mentioned above and I know I'll be fine by the end of the week. I just need to be careful and pay attention to things when I start getting tightness or discomfort. And if I'm still turning in 2:12s while feeling sluggish, things can't be too bad. Then again, 2:12s just barely gets the B standard in the 5K ....but we won't think about that right now.
I was late to practice today because of work, so I did everything solo. However, I saw Said Ahmed there doing 20 x 300m by himself so we tried to exchange words of encouragement throughout the workout. Once I got back from my cool down, Said had finally finished his workout and asked me if I wouldn't mind doing an extra 10 min with him inside. I gladly tacked on a little extra as we had a chance to chat about training and race plans for the season.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
A familiar mountain climb
Monday, December 24th
9:00 AM - 10 Miles, 69 min
Auburn, ME
Nice run before we left for Vermont. All the rain had melted away most of the mess on the roads so it was a little easier getting around than it was yesterday.
Tuesday, December 25th
Christmas Day
8:00 AM - 7 Miles, 49 min
Bennington, VT
9:00 AM - 10 Miles, 69 min
Auburn, ME
Nice run before we left for Vermont. All the rain had melted away most of the mess on the roads so it was a little easier getting around than it was yesterday.
Tuesday, December 25th
Christmas Day
8:00 AM - 7 Miles, 49 min
Bennington, VT
In the last few years, my mom, dad, sisters, and I have traveled to the small town of Bennington, VT for Christmas. This is the town in which my father grew up and where my grandfather (now 90 years old) still resides. Each year, I usually do the same run on Christmas morning (give or take a few miles). The run starts at the top of Jefferson Heights at my grandfather's house and goes through the town while passing several important landmarks. I'll first run past the cemetery where my grandmother is buried, and then down to the park where we used to feed the deer as kids, past the ice cream stand where we would get our famous frappes (which has since burned down twice), and past the high school where I would sometimes do workouts when we visited in the spring months. After hitting these spots in town, I always finish the run by heading up a small mountain to the famous Bennington Monument (pictured above), the site of the Battle at Bennington. This is a bit of a climb and is never easy to do at the end of the run. But I do it anyway. It's become part of my routine when I'm there and is always a nice site to see. The view of the towering needle, the statues of both Colonel Seth Warner and John Stark (victor of the battle), while also taking in a small piece of history and just having a sense of accomplishment when I reach monuments base. It's a quality run and is usually followed by a quality day with family. We proceeded to have a pleasant drive back to Maine and opened presents in the evening. Now I'm heading to bed as I'll be rising early to travel again in the morning and work a full day before getting on the track in the late evening.
I may see some of you at Reggie tomorrow but I have no guarantees. So until next time, enjoy the remainder of this Christmas day and stay tuned for good things to come.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
A time for catching up
Sunday, December 23rd
8:00 AM - 9 Miles, 61 min
Auburn
A slushy mess. Tried my best to stay on the back roads away from traffic.
8:00 AM - 9 Miles, 61 min
Auburn
A slushy mess. Tried my best to stay on the back roads away from traffic.
Today was the only full day that I would be home over the holiday. We'll be leaving for the green mountain state in the morning to spend Christmas with my grandfather and then I head back to Medford to work on Wednesday. Fortunately, I was able to do a lot of catching up in this time. The majority of the afternoon was spent with the extended Morency side of the family (my mom's side). In this time, I had some really great conversations with aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, all which can also be called friends. I have never had one group be as collectively interested or supportive in my life as these have. You can always tell when someone is just pretending to be interested and I never felt that once in their presence.
After the Christmas party, I had an even greater bond with one of the many "rocks" in my life, non other than Dan Campbell. Campbell was my high school track coach, but really has been so much more than that. He was the one that first began the development of my passion for running. He fed my dreams and kept me motivated in the early years. Since then, I have had so many people add to that inspiration, and a lot of people guide me along the way, but I always go back to Campbell for advice on the big picture. We talked last night for over two hours and covered just about every aspect of my life... as it is now, and as it could be in several months or several years. Per usual, I left his house feeling better than when I arrived, a little less worried about what has (or hasn't) happened in my past and a little more excited about what could happen in my future.
Lastly, I concluded the evening by going over to Liz's house. I first spent time talking with her parents, who have always been so interested in my life's pursuits. Then after Mr. and Mrs. Eddy went to bed, I was able to spend some more quality time with Liz, DJ, and Joel, three amazing people that I know will always be in my life no matter where the journey takes me or what obstacles I encounter along the way.
I have mentioned all these people in the past but on this day, I just wanted to emphasize how much their presence is known.
Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Late night run at home
Saturday, December 22nd
10:00 PM - 5 Miles, 35 min
Auburn
Had to open the store early today and wasn't able to get out early enough in the morning, so after a long day at work and a drive up to Maine, I laced up the ol' 1223s and went out for an easy run through the streets of Auburn ...my old stomping grounds. Just enough to loosen up the legs and just enough to not feel guilty when writing this entry.
10:00 PM - 5 Miles, 35 min
Auburn
Had to open the store early today and wasn't able to get out early enough in the morning, so after a long day at work and a drive up to Maine, I laced up the ol' 1223s and went out for an easy run through the streets of Auburn ...my old stomping grounds. Just enough to loosen up the legs and just enough to not feel guilty when writing this entry.
Friday, December 21, 2007
A great day
Friday, December 21st
7:30 AM - Track workout @ Reggie
20 min warm up
7 x 1200m @ slightly faster than tempo pace w/ 1 min rest
3:39.8, 3:37.7, 3:39.6, 3:37.8, 3:37.0, 3:38.3, 3:34.7
Avg. = 3:37.8
25 min cool down
Total = 12 Miles, 77 min
So today began with a bit of a bumpy start. I had plans to meet with Jess at 6:30 so we could head over to Reggie for an early workout. However, I screwed up and overslept ...something I never do. Anyway, after battling some terrible traffic, I finally made it over there about 40 min behind schedule. Once that initial stress had worn off, things were better and I proceeded to have a great workout.
Jess and I warmed up inside since the sidewalks were not very welcoming to runners. Usually I don't do the inside thing but it wasn't bad at all today. As for the workout, I figured it shouldn't be too difficult but would still get me breathing pretty hard. When I talked with Kevin about it on Tuesday, we agreed to go about 5 min pace (3:45) on all of these. I started the first one and hit 75 for the first quarter ...perfect. So I just relaxed and finished it up at the same effort. As I finished, I saw 3:39 on the watch. It was a pleasant surprise because it felt real easy. I seemed to keep this trend going throughout the workout, usually hitting 74-75 on the first quarter and then running 71-72 for the next 2. This wasn't really a planned way of doing it, it was just how it happened. So I was very happy with the workout as it was a solid pace with short rest and I felt very much in control. Not to mention, I had been sound asleep 60 min prior. Jess and I finished at about the same time so we proceeded to cool down inside and then got out out of there quickly so she wouldn't be too late for work.
I actually had the day off from work today so I was able to go back to my place, get in some core work and have a nice breakfast after the workout. I had a bunch of stuff to do during the day so it was good to have the time to do it all and not feel rushed. Things were going well throughout the day but it was all made perfect by having a great evening in the city. Dinner, theater, lights, snow, nice conversations... everything was great. I even made it home with some new toys to play with. It was a wonderful evening and was nice to get away from all the stress in our lives. Really, I probably couldn't have asked for any better. Having said all that, with about 10 min left in the day now, I'm going to get ready for bed and prepare for another full day tomorrow. Christmas has arrived, winter is here, a new track season is on the rise, and I'm ready to take it all in. Today was a great way to start it all on a positive note.
7:30 AM - Track workout @ Reggie
20 min warm up
7 x 1200m @ slightly faster than tempo pace w/ 1 min rest
3:39.8, 3:37.7, 3:39.6, 3:37.8, 3:37.0, 3:38.3, 3:34.7
Avg. = 3:37.8
25 min cool down
Total = 12 Miles, 77 min
So today began with a bit of a bumpy start. I had plans to meet with Jess at 6:30 so we could head over to Reggie for an early workout. However, I screwed up and overslept ...something I never do. Anyway, after battling some terrible traffic, I finally made it over there about 40 min behind schedule. Once that initial stress had worn off, things were better and I proceeded to have a great workout.
Jess and I warmed up inside since the sidewalks were not very welcoming to runners. Usually I don't do the inside thing but it wasn't bad at all today. As for the workout, I figured it shouldn't be too difficult but would still get me breathing pretty hard. When I talked with Kevin about it on Tuesday, we agreed to go about 5 min pace (3:45) on all of these. I started the first one and hit 75 for the first quarter ...perfect. So I just relaxed and finished it up at the same effort. As I finished, I saw 3:39 on the watch. It was a pleasant surprise because it felt real easy. I seemed to keep this trend going throughout the workout, usually hitting 74-75 on the first quarter and then running 71-72 for the next 2. This wasn't really a planned way of doing it, it was just how it happened. So I was very happy with the workout as it was a solid pace with short rest and I felt very much in control. Not to mention, I had been sound asleep 60 min prior. Jess and I finished at about the same time so we proceeded to cool down inside and then got out out of there quickly so she wouldn't be too late for work.
I actually had the day off from work today so I was able to go back to my place, get in some core work and have a nice breakfast after the workout. I had a bunch of stuff to do during the day so it was good to have the time to do it all and not feel rushed. Things were going well throughout the day but it was all made perfect by having a great evening in the city. Dinner, theater, lights, snow, nice conversations... everything was great. I even made it home with some new toys to play with. It was a wonderful evening and was nice to get away from all the stress in our lives. Really, I probably couldn't have asked for any better. Having said all that, with about 10 min left in the day now, I'm going to get ready for bed and prepare for another full day tomorrow. Christmas has arrived, winter is here, a new track season is on the rise, and I'm ready to take it all in. Today was a great way to start it all on a positive note.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Track talk
Thursday, December 20th
8:30 AM - 6 Miles, 41 min
Winchester/Arlington
So I apologize for not having much on here the last few days. My mind has been a bit jumbled and I didn't want to bore you guys with any of that.
We're finally in track mode now so let's talk track. I had my first track session on Tuesday and all things considered, I felt much better than expected. The pace felt easy in the beginning and still felt controlled as I dropped it down in each set. It's always exciting to get back on the track this time of year because it's so much different than cross and it just adds a new thrill to all the work we've put in over past few months.
As for racing, I hope to do as much as possible in the little time I have. Indoor is such a short season so there is so much packed into that 4-6 weeks in January and February. And since I'll be traveling to Ireland at the end of my season, it will be cut even shorter.
Having said all that, here is my tentative schedule right now. I'll need to go over this more with Kevin before I make things final but this will give you an idea at least.
Dec 30 - Millennium Mile (Londenderry, NH) ???
Jan 13 - Dartmouth Relays - Mile
Jan 20 - GBTC Invitational (Harvard) - Mile or 3K
Jan 26 - Terrier Invitational (BU) - 3K
Feb 9 - Valentine's Invitational (BU) - 3K or 5K
Feb 21 - Armagh Road Race (Ireland) - 5K
Feb 24 - Ras na hEireann (Ireland) - 6K
The Millennium Mile is starting to look more and more appealing to me as time goes on because I know how much fun it is. But I still plan to wait and see how I'm feeling that week and what the weather looks like before deciding for sure. For a couple of the track races, I'll also need to wait and see where I'm at before deciding on which event to do. As for times, my goals lie on a couple different levels. I have some realistic goals that I would be very happy with, and then I have some bigger goals that some may think are a little beyond my grasp. These are the goals that always keep one hungry for more. Not that I think they are unrealistic, I just know they will be hard as hell to hit and I'll need to work my ass off to get there. But I tell you what, if I do hit them, you'll be looking at one happy camper.
It's always hard to tell how things will go this early in the season so I wont actually throw out any numbers right now. But I will say that the main focus will be on the 3K, and that I will be aiming for some fast times there with a national qualifier in the back of my mind. If I want to have any shot at a trials qualifier this spring, I need to at least come close to the Indoor standards this winter. I have a lot of confidence coming off a successful cross season and I think my strengths will show even more on the track. For those JC Experience enthusiasts out there, I'll have you know that I plan on tapping into some never before seen JC speed this year, so be on the look out and maybe I'll surprise even myself. I've got about 3 weeks 'til the first track race and then things will start to move along pretty quickly, so I have to start my focus now and make sure not to slip anywhere along the way. From now on, every little bit counts.
See ya on the track!
8:30 AM - 6 Miles, 41 min
Winchester/Arlington
So I apologize for not having much on here the last few days. My mind has been a bit jumbled and I didn't want to bore you guys with any of that.
We're finally in track mode now so let's talk track. I had my first track session on Tuesday and all things considered, I felt much better than expected. The pace felt easy in the beginning and still felt controlled as I dropped it down in each set. It's always exciting to get back on the track this time of year because it's so much different than cross and it just adds a new thrill to all the work we've put in over past few months.
As for racing, I hope to do as much as possible in the little time I have. Indoor is such a short season so there is so much packed into that 4-6 weeks in January and February. And since I'll be traveling to Ireland at the end of my season, it will be cut even shorter.
Having said all that, here is my tentative schedule right now. I'll need to go over this more with Kevin before I make things final but this will give you an idea at least.
Dec 30 - Millennium Mile (Londenderry, NH) ???
Jan 13 - Dartmouth Relays - Mile
Jan 20 - GBTC Invitational (Harvard) - Mile or 3K
Jan 26 - Terrier Invitational (BU) - 3K
Feb 9 - Valentine's Invitational (BU) - 3K or 5K
Feb 21 - Armagh Road Race (Ireland) - 5K
Feb 24 - Ras na hEireann (Ireland) - 6K
The Millennium Mile is starting to look more and more appealing to me as time goes on because I know how much fun it is. But I still plan to wait and see how I'm feeling that week and what the weather looks like before deciding for sure. For a couple of the track races, I'll also need to wait and see where I'm at before deciding on which event to do. As for times, my goals lie on a couple different levels. I have some realistic goals that I would be very happy with, and then I have some bigger goals that some may think are a little beyond my grasp. These are the goals that always keep one hungry for more. Not that I think they are unrealistic, I just know they will be hard as hell to hit and I'll need to work my ass off to get there. But I tell you what, if I do hit them, you'll be looking at one happy camper.
It's always hard to tell how things will go this early in the season so I wont actually throw out any numbers right now. But I will say that the main focus will be on the 3K, and that I will be aiming for some fast times there with a national qualifier in the back of my mind. If I want to have any shot at a trials qualifier this spring, I need to at least come close to the Indoor standards this winter. I have a lot of confidence coming off a successful cross season and I think my strengths will show even more on the track. For those JC Experience enthusiasts out there, I'll have you know that I plan on tapping into some never before seen JC speed this year, so be on the look out and maybe I'll surprise even myself. I've got about 3 weeks 'til the first track race and then things will start to move along pretty quickly, so I have to start my focus now and make sure not to slip anywhere along the way. From now on, every little bit counts.
See ya on the track!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Running while I work
Wednesday, December 19th
4:00 PM - 6 Miles, 42 min
Melrose
I had a long day today and wasn't able to get out in the morning so fortunately, Sarad was working with me tonight and I was able to cut out for a bit to get my run in. It was cold, dark, rainy, and depressing but I got it done.
4:00 PM - 6 Miles, 42 min
Melrose
I had a long day today and wasn't able to get out in the morning so fortunately, Sarad was working with me tonight and I was able to cut out for a bit to get my run in. It was cold, dark, rainy, and depressing but I got it done.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Just numbers today
Tuesday, December 18th
I don't really have much to say so here ya go...
7:00 PM - Track Workout @ Reggie
23 min warm up
3 x (400, 400, 800), 1.5 min rest, 2.5 min between sets
69.8, 68.5, 2:17.2
67.9, 67.3, 2:13.1
64.2, 65.0, 2:09.8
22 min cool down
Total = 10 Miles, 72 min
I don't really have much to say so here ya go...
7:00 PM - Track Workout @ Reggie
23 min warm up
3 x (400, 400, 800), 1.5 min rest, 2.5 min between sets
69.8, 68.5, 2:17.2
67.9, 67.3, 2:13.1
64.2, 65.0, 2:09.8
22 min cool down
Total = 10 Miles, 72 min
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Getting back on track
Sunday, December 16th
2:00 PM - 9 Miles, 60 min
Winchester - back roads
Please excuse the pun above, but it seemed fitting for this entry. Not only am I starting my indoor track season, but I'm also be getting back into a regular training routine of daily mileage, getting proper sleep, eating right, etc. All things that have not occurred in the past week.
After Club Nationals, the plan was to take about 4 days off. Well, that was extended a bit. With the combination of getting ready for our "New Balance Boston Festive Occasion", the ridiculous amounts of snow we've gotten, extended hours at work, and just the holiday season in general, that 4 days turned into 7. It's not a huge deal but I was certainly anxious to get back out there.
So the party last night went really well. We had a great turnout and people seemed to have a good time. I got up this morning after a not very solid 5 hours of sleep to shovel our cars out of the driveway and send Karina on her way home before the weather got worse. Then after doing a little clean up work around the house and relaxing on the couch for a couple hours, I finally got out for a run. The weather conditions certainly weren't ideal but it didn't matter; I was glad to be running. Even though it had only been a week, it felt like it had been forever since I last laced up those shoes. I decided to run up through Winchester and stick to the back roads where there was little traffic and I had a little more space to get out of the messy stuff. The legs felt loose and fresh and I just took it easy as I thought about the upcoming season.
This is the official start to my track season and I have to say I'm getting pretty excited. I have switched all my focus from hills and grass and mud and other XC fun, to pace and speed and fluidity on a small rubber oval. Learning the difference between a 32 and a 33 second lap and feeling that change of pace in every stride I take and every muscle I move will be mastered through many practices and races on a uniform and always consistent medium - the track. In cross country you can't always measure success based on a time; you always need some sort of comparison or benchmark to go by. In track, however, the times are about as black and white as they come. My performances will have an instant meaning to anyone that looks at the results. I will constantly be measured against performances of other runners across the country; some which I've never raced against. Yet based on these numbers, we will be placed in an order that will dictate fairly accurately which athlete is better, a comparison that can only be changed by racing that person. This comparison of numbers is accepted universally because there are very few outside factors that would affect them. No terrible weather conditions or course abnormalities, just a 200 meter oval that will be pretty much identical at each venue we encounter. This certainly doesn't mean that "racing" is negated, there will be plenty of that this season! Many fierce battles and exciting finishes lie ahead, but in the end, we will all be measured by the numbers. So what will my number be? Only time will tell.
Welcome to track season!
2:00 PM - 9 Miles, 60 min
Winchester - back roads
Please excuse the pun above, but it seemed fitting for this entry. Not only am I starting my indoor track season, but I'm also be getting back into a regular training routine of daily mileage, getting proper sleep, eating right, etc. All things that have not occurred in the past week.
After Club Nationals, the plan was to take about 4 days off. Well, that was extended a bit. With the combination of getting ready for our "New Balance Boston Festive Occasion", the ridiculous amounts of snow we've gotten, extended hours at work, and just the holiday season in general, that 4 days turned into 7. It's not a huge deal but I was certainly anxious to get back out there.
So the party last night went really well. We had a great turnout and people seemed to have a good time. I got up this morning after a not very solid 5 hours of sleep to shovel our cars out of the driveway and send Karina on her way home before the weather got worse. Then after doing a little clean up work around the house and relaxing on the couch for a couple hours, I finally got out for a run. The weather conditions certainly weren't ideal but it didn't matter; I was glad to be running. Even though it had only been a week, it felt like it had been forever since I last laced up those shoes. I decided to run up through Winchester and stick to the back roads where there was little traffic and I had a little more space to get out of the messy stuff. The legs felt loose and fresh and I just took it easy as I thought about the upcoming season.
This is the official start to my track season and I have to say I'm getting pretty excited. I have switched all my focus from hills and grass and mud and other XC fun, to pace and speed and fluidity on a small rubber oval. Learning the difference between a 32 and a 33 second lap and feeling that change of pace in every stride I take and every muscle I move will be mastered through many practices and races on a uniform and always consistent medium - the track. In cross country you can't always measure success based on a time; you always need some sort of comparison or benchmark to go by. In track, however, the times are about as black and white as they come. My performances will have an instant meaning to anyone that looks at the results. I will constantly be measured against performances of other runners across the country; some which I've never raced against. Yet based on these numbers, we will be placed in an order that will dictate fairly accurately which athlete is better, a comparison that can only be changed by racing that person. This comparison of numbers is accepted universally because there are very few outside factors that would affect them. No terrible weather conditions or course abnormalities, just a 200 meter oval that will be pretty much identical at each venue we encounter. This certainly doesn't mean that "racing" is negated, there will be plenty of that this season! Many fierce battles and exciting finishes lie ahead, but in the end, we will all be measured by the numbers. So what will my number be? Only time will tell.
Welcome to track season!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
A great season completed
Another season has come and gone and another chapter in my life has been written. However, this chapter was different from all the others; this period of my life presented great possibilities and could quite possibly be the start to something great, something I never thought I would attain in this journey. I can confidently say that this was the most successful season of my career thus far. Not only because of the performances that I had in that time, but because of the realizations I've come to, the decisions I've made, and the mentality that I've kept day after day. After making the decision to quit my job at CDM just a few months ago, I knew that things were going to change. I knew then how much I wanted to do this, how much I wanted to be a great distance runner in the United States. I was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.
This cross country season was very important in that I would see my progress toward those goals, however it was not the focus of this dream. It was simply a stepping stone on the path to greatness. I still do not know where that path will lead or when I will reach it's destination, but I do know it is the correct path to take. I am certainly a different runner than I was a year ago, and really, I am a different person in general because of what has happened in that year; the people I've met, the experiences I've had, and the struggles I've faced. I have so much to be thankful for and I just want to say that this has not been a solo effort. I could not have accomplished any of my success without the help of certain people along the way. I'd like to mention a few of those people now to give them the recognition they deserve. As I continue this quest for greatness, I hope that I can give back to them the same support and inspiration that they continue to give me every day.
So these are the people that have had the most impact on my life and it's successes, and I can't thank them enough for what they've done.
These are my secrets to success!
Diane Caron
Paul Caron
Mark Driscoll
Dan Campbell
Kirby Davis
Adam Goode
Josh Trevino
Liz Eddy
Joel Hill
DJ Sipe
Beth Snow
Rusty Snow
June Snow
Ethan Hemphill
And so many more...
Thank you!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Club Nats
Saturday, December 8th
USATF Club National XC Championships
10K - 31st Place - 32:47
So here's my rundown of the weekend...
I have to say it was a weekend of mixed emotions. Prior to the race, I was constantly going back and forth between being extremely excited that I would be racing some of the best athletes this country has to offer and seeing how I measure up, to feeling terrified of getting out there for the same exact reasons. This is a usual mixture that I would get at a big race, obviously heightened at this level.
The race itself was like nothing I've ever experienced... 450 runners slinging themselves through 6-8 inches of mud while trying to stay upright and not get trampled by everyone around you. At certain points in the race, I was going as hard as my body could fathom and probably would not be under 5:10 pace. I consider myself a strength runner and pretty powerful, meaning I have a long stride and I use a lot of force with each strike of my foot. In this stuff, that all seems to just go away. My legs were working harder than usual and seeing less result. After 3 miles, my legs were extremely heavy as the lactic acid filled them quickly and all I could do was just hang on, trying not to lose any spots. In the 5th and 6th miles, I made several attempts to move up and catch what seemed to be a sea of runners in front of me. I knew that 20th place could only be a maximum of 80 meters ahead of me, yet it seemed an impossible distance to make up. As it was, it would take me a good half mile to close a 10 meter gap with some of these guys.
As I'm writing this, I realize this sounds like I'm complaining about the race and will finish by saying I wasn't happy with how it went. That's not what I'm trying to say at all. I am actually very happy with my race and I think it is about where I should have been in that field. What I am trying to say is it's not the race feeling that I had envisioned in my mind those thousands of times in workouts and long runs over the last several months. I would always picture myself in a great deal of pain, but running down athletes and pushing past people at a fast paced rhythmic aggression, not inching by someone at 5:20 pace and feeling like my feet were giant suction cups. So to sum things up, I am happy with my race and know that I ran hard the whole way, not giving up anywhere along the way. However, I never felt that rush of excitement that I so longed for, that thrill that I thought I'd have while hanging onto a pack of runners in the last mile, flying around the turns and sailing into the finish chute feeling that I had just pushed my body to the absolute limit.
Also in a race where there are so many people and the places are so close together, a good runner can never be fully satisfied unless he wins the race. Knowing that top 20 was 16 seconds away and top 10 was 30 seconds away, being able to see these people just a few yards in front of you after 10 kilometers of shifting back and forth... you just can't help but think, "I could have picked that up somewhere on the course", "I could have worked just a little bit harder to go around that guy in the 5th mile", and so on.
Other emotions throughout the day included extreme spikes of excitement and admiration for our NB Boston ladies. These women are truly incredible. I had to restrain myself from blowing all my energy during their race as I watched Erin and Jess charge up into the front pack. I've seen up close what these ladies have done this year and I know how hard they had to work to get here. I am proud to say that the women were 2nd as a team and Erin and Jess placed 5th and 7th respectively. I simply cannot praise these women enough.
The rest of the evening kept with the theme of emotional swings with such moments as meeting new people and having great conversations with other northeast connections... witnessing a guy get thrown against a wall and tasered... singing along with Journey and Jon Bon Jovi... having to leave the party early because of drunk idiots and over aggressive cops, forcing us to drive around for an hour trying to find a place to continue the party... spending time with Mark and Katie at the hotel and bar...... followed by other happenings that would leave me in various states of turmoil as the evening came to an end and the rapidly approaching morning flight was just a few short hours away.
Since returning from Ohio this afternoon, I've had a couple good phone calls that have helped iron out some of these emotional spikes, but still leave me feeling that there was something to be desired in West Chester, Ohio. Something that we'll have to remedy in the near future.
Looking ahead, I'm taking a little break here before indoor and then starting up again with a new season and possibly a new format to the blog.
Stay tuned.
USATF Club National XC Championships
10K - 31st Place - 32:47
So here's my rundown of the weekend...
I have to say it was a weekend of mixed emotions. Prior to the race, I was constantly going back and forth between being extremely excited that I would be racing some of the best athletes this country has to offer and seeing how I measure up, to feeling terrified of getting out there for the same exact reasons. This is a usual mixture that I would get at a big race, obviously heightened at this level.
The race itself was like nothing I've ever experienced... 450 runners slinging themselves through 6-8 inches of mud while trying to stay upright and not get trampled by everyone around you. At certain points in the race, I was going as hard as my body could fathom and probably would not be under 5:10 pace. I consider myself a strength runner and pretty powerful, meaning I have a long stride and I use a lot of force with each strike of my foot. In this stuff, that all seems to just go away. My legs were working harder than usual and seeing less result. After 3 miles, my legs were extremely heavy as the lactic acid filled them quickly and all I could do was just hang on, trying not to lose any spots. In the 5th and 6th miles, I made several attempts to move up and catch what seemed to be a sea of runners in front of me. I knew that 20th place could only be a maximum of 80 meters ahead of me, yet it seemed an impossible distance to make up. As it was, it would take me a good half mile to close a 10 meter gap with some of these guys.
As I'm writing this, I realize this sounds like I'm complaining about the race and will finish by saying I wasn't happy with how it went. That's not what I'm trying to say at all. I am actually very happy with my race and I think it is about where I should have been in that field. What I am trying to say is it's not the race feeling that I had envisioned in my mind those thousands of times in workouts and long runs over the last several months. I would always picture myself in a great deal of pain, but running down athletes and pushing past people at a fast paced rhythmic aggression, not inching by someone at 5:20 pace and feeling like my feet were giant suction cups. So to sum things up, I am happy with my race and know that I ran hard the whole way, not giving up anywhere along the way. However, I never felt that rush of excitement that I so longed for, that thrill that I thought I'd have while hanging onto a pack of runners in the last mile, flying around the turns and sailing into the finish chute feeling that I had just pushed my body to the absolute limit.
Also in a race where there are so many people and the places are so close together, a good runner can never be fully satisfied unless he wins the race. Knowing that top 20 was 16 seconds away and top 10 was 30 seconds away, being able to see these people just a few yards in front of you after 10 kilometers of shifting back and forth... you just can't help but think, "I could have picked that up somewhere on the course", "I could have worked just a little bit harder to go around that guy in the 5th mile", and so on.
Other emotions throughout the day included extreme spikes of excitement and admiration for our NB Boston ladies. These women are truly incredible. I had to restrain myself from blowing all my energy during their race as I watched Erin and Jess charge up into the front pack. I've seen up close what these ladies have done this year and I know how hard they had to work to get here. I am proud to say that the women were 2nd as a team and Erin and Jess placed 5th and 7th respectively. I simply cannot praise these women enough.
The rest of the evening kept with the theme of emotional swings with such moments as meeting new people and having great conversations with other northeast connections... witnessing a guy get thrown against a wall and tasered... singing along with Journey and Jon Bon Jovi... having to leave the party early because of drunk idiots and over aggressive cops, forcing us to drive around for an hour trying to find a place to continue the party... spending time with Mark and Katie at the hotel and bar...... followed by other happenings that would leave me in various states of turmoil as the evening came to an end and the rapidly approaching morning flight was just a few short hours away.
Since returning from Ohio this afternoon, I've had a couple good phone calls that have helped iron out some of these emotional spikes, but still leave me feeling that there was something to be desired in West Chester, Ohio. Something that we'll have to remedy in the near future.
Looking ahead, I'm taking a little break here before indoor and then starting up again with a new season and possibly a new format to the blog.
Stay tuned.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
A chance for something great
Thursday, December 6th
8:00 AM - 6 Miles, 41 min
Winchester
This morning was cold yet again, with the wind chill down to about 2 degrees, but it didn't matter... I had other things on my mind!
Tomorrow morning, I leave for West Chester, Ohio, host to the USATF Club National Championships. I've been talking about this race for quite a while now, probably since the first day I started this blog and the first day of my fall training. Four months have passed since that point and what then seemed to be an eternity away is now just around the corner. I have worked hard, very hard in that time. I've had some good days and some not so good days, I've made many choices along the way (some tougher than others) but all for the better good of accomplishing my goals. I've seen some results of that work already and I have to say I've been happy with what I've produced... but I want more. This race on Saturday will be the accumulation of everything else I've done this season, what I've done this year, and what I've done in this lifetime. This will be the biggest race of my career thus far and even though I know there will be bigger races to follow, I have to put everything on the line now in order to show myself the possibilities that may follow. Through the cold, mud, snow, rain, and wind, I'll be fighting my way to my own future, and only I can decide what that will be. I know I am ready for greatness and West Chester, Ohio may be where I see some of it.
8:00 AM - 6 Miles, 41 min
Winchester
This morning was cold yet again, with the wind chill down to about 2 degrees, but it didn't matter... I had other things on my mind!
Tomorrow morning, I leave for West Chester, Ohio, host to the USATF Club National Championships. I've been talking about this race for quite a while now, probably since the first day I started this blog and the first day of my fall training. Four months have passed since that point and what then seemed to be an eternity away is now just around the corner. I have worked hard, very hard in that time. I've had some good days and some not so good days, I've made many choices along the way (some tougher than others) but all for the better good of accomplishing my goals. I've seen some results of that work already and I have to say I've been happy with what I've produced... but I want more. This race on Saturday will be the accumulation of everything else I've done this season, what I've done this year, and what I've done in this lifetime. This will be the biggest race of my career thus far and even though I know there will be bigger races to follow, I have to put everything on the line now in order to show myself the possibilities that may follow. Through the cold, mud, snow, rain, and wind, I'll be fighting my way to my own future, and only I can decide what that will be. I know I am ready for greatness and West Chester, Ohio may be where I see some of it.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Thinking about the race
Wednesday, December 5th
8:00 AM - 8 Miles, 55 min
Winchester
It was pretty raw out there this morning but once I got past the icy turns and became acclimated to the temperature, I was feeling pretty good. The legs were light and weren't feeling any effects from the track session last night.
Now that we're in the last few days before go time, I'm starting to think more about the race and how things are going to play out. I looked over all the entries today and I have to say it is really stacked! There are upwards of 450 people entered in the mens race alone. Teams like Zap Fitness, Indiana Invaders, McMillan Elite, Team Indiana Elite, Team XO, Bowerman Athletic Club, and about 50 other teams will all be there in full force. Looking at this on paper, it seems almost impossible for someone like me to make the top 20. However, that is still my goal and just because it doesn't sound realistic, doesn't mean I can't fight like hell to make it happen. This will be by far the most competitive field I've ever raced in and I can't wait to see how I measure up.
"The start of the World Cross Country event is like riding a horse in the middle of a buffalo stampede. It's a thrill if you keep up but one slip and you're nothing but hoof prints."
-Ed Eyestone
8:00 AM - 8 Miles, 55 min
Winchester
It was pretty raw out there this morning but once I got past the icy turns and became acclimated to the temperature, I was feeling pretty good. The legs were light and weren't feeling any effects from the track session last night.
Now that we're in the last few days before go time, I'm starting to think more about the race and how things are going to play out. I looked over all the entries today and I have to say it is really stacked! There are upwards of 450 people entered in the mens race alone. Teams like Zap Fitness, Indiana Invaders, McMillan Elite, Team Indiana Elite, Team XO, Bowerman Athletic Club, and about 50 other teams will all be there in full force. Looking at this on paper, it seems almost impossible for someone like me to make the top 20. However, that is still my goal and just because it doesn't sound realistic, doesn't mean I can't fight like hell to make it happen. This will be by far the most competitive field I've ever raced in and I can't wait to see how I measure up.
"The start of the World Cross Country event is like riding a horse in the middle of a buffalo stampede. It's a thrill if you keep up but one slip and you're nothing but hoof prints."
-Ed Eyestone
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Hittin' the oval early
Tuesday, December 4th
6:00 PM - Workout @ Reggie Lewis
25 min warm up
7 x 400m @ 69.2, 68.9, 68.8, 68.0, 68.5, 69.9, 67.5
(90 sec jog rest)
25 min cool down
Total = ~9 Miles, 67 min
Since the roads were iced over and the weather was cold and windy, Kevin gave us the option of working out at Reggie tonight. Normally, I'm not one to hit the track while still in XC season, and typically I would be one to tough it out in rough weather. However, I opted to play it safe and workout indoors. I figured I would have more comfortable leg turnover at Reggie than on the icy roads and that was my main priority for what would be my last workout before nationals. Most people ended up staying outdoors so Jess and I were the only ones that ended up going to the track. The workout went pretty well, I felt comfortable throughout and the place was pretty empty so there was no traffic. I was planning on doing 8 repeats but after hitting the seventh a little faster, I decided to cut it short there and end the workout feeling good. Jess and I warmed up and cooled down on the normal loop which was slick in some spots but overall not too bad. When I got home, I made a huge dinner and ate way too much but only felt a little guilty about it. Now, I'm gonna get to bed early and keep my promise of getting plenty of sleep this week.
6:00 PM - Workout @ Reggie Lewis
25 min warm up
7 x 400m @ 69.2, 68.9, 68.8, 68.0, 68.5, 69.9, 67.5
(90 sec jog rest)
25 min cool down
Total = ~9 Miles, 67 min
Since the roads were iced over and the weather was cold and windy, Kevin gave us the option of working out at Reggie tonight. Normally, I'm not one to hit the track while still in XC season, and typically I would be one to tough it out in rough weather. However, I opted to play it safe and workout indoors. I figured I would have more comfortable leg turnover at Reggie than on the icy roads and that was my main priority for what would be my last workout before nationals. Most people ended up staying outdoors so Jess and I were the only ones that ended up going to the track. The workout went pretty well, I felt comfortable throughout and the place was pretty empty so there was no traffic. I was planning on doing 8 repeats but after hitting the seventh a little faster, I decided to cut it short there and end the workout feeling good. Jess and I warmed up and cooled down on the normal loop which was slick in some spots but overall not too bad. When I got home, I made a huge dinner and ate way too much but only felt a little guilty about it. Now, I'm gonna get to bed early and keep my promise of getting plenty of sleep this week.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Wintery mix
Monday, December 3rd
7:45 PM - 6 Miles, 41 min
Winchester (roads)
I had some stuff to take care of this morning and the weather was crappy so I waited until after work to get out for a run, hoping that the roads would be clearer. It was a little better but still pretty slick in some areas. I had to baby step around every turn to make sure I didn't end up on my ass. Other than that, it was a pretty good run. Once I got onto the back roads of winchester, I was able to open up my stride a bit more and start thinking about saturday. I kept it short and easy and hope to keep things that way the rest of the week. Right now I'm exhausted after a long day so I'm gonna get to bed and make sure I don't get myself sick.
7:45 PM - 6 Miles, 41 min
Winchester (roads)
I had some stuff to take care of this morning and the weather was crappy so I waited until after work to get out for a run, hoping that the roads would be clearer. It was a little better but still pretty slick in some areas. I had to baby step around every turn to make sure I didn't end up on my ass. Other than that, it was a pretty good run. Once I got onto the back roads of winchester, I was able to open up my stride a bit more and start thinking about saturday. I kept it short and easy and hope to keep things that way the rest of the week. Right now I'm exhausted after a long day so I'm gonna get to bed and make sure I don't get myself sick.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
December
Saturday, December 1st
9:00 AM - Workout @ Weston
29 min warm up
3 x 5 min (3 min rest) @ 5K-8K pace
4 x 1 min (1 min rest) @ fast pace
27 min cool down
Total = 13 Miles, 88 min
Sunday, December 2nd
12:30 PM - 12 Miles, 82 min
Fells
Saturday was a really great day. I had been feeling a little tired and run down the last couple days so this was just what I needed to get back in the groove. I felt so smooth during the workout and it was short enough that I could go a little harder and not pay for it in the end. Roland and I started to pull away in the 2nd interval and just ran side by side for the remainder of the workout. It was definitely pretty cold and windy out there today which is a change from what we've had but it didn't affect the workout too much and should just toughen us up for what we may be facing at club nats.
After practice, I went to work for a few hours, and then headed downtown to meet up with Jess. We had a nice dinner at Trident and then went over to see some of her college friends in Allston. It was definitely a lot of fun and I finally had the pleasure of experiencing the Sirens. So it was a full day and probably just what I needed to finish out my week.
Sunday was a relaxing day. I slept in and didn't go running til noon time. I had a nice relaxing long run and felt great. After the run, I got a few things done around the house before meeting up with Beth, one of my closest friends from high school. It was great to catch up with her and we covered a lot of ground while hanging out at the Joshua Tree. Now it's snowing, which I think is kinda cool since it's the first real snowfall of the year but I also have to keep reminding myself to stay in cross country mode. I keep thinking about track now but I still have one more challenge to tackle before we move on.
Training Log (Nov 26 - Dec 2)
Monday: 8 Miles, 54 min
Tuesday: 2+ Mile tempo (12:18), 6 x 1 min hills, 2+ Mile tempo (11:33); Total- 12 Miles, 79 min
Wednesday: 9 Miles, 59 min
Thursday: 6 Miles, 41 min
Friday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Saturday: 3 x 5 min (3mr), 4 x 1 min (1mr); Total- 13 Miles, 88 min
Sunday: 12 Miles, 82 min
Total = 66 Miles, 7 runs
Overall, a very good week. Right where I wanted to be number wise and I'm feeling very relaxed and ready going into the last week of the season. It's getting real close now!
November: 291 Miles
9:00 AM - Workout @ Weston
29 min warm up
3 x 5 min (3 min rest) @ 5K-8K pace
4 x 1 min (1 min rest) @ fast pace
27 min cool down
Total = 13 Miles, 88 min
Sunday, December 2nd
12:30 PM - 12 Miles, 82 min
Fells
Saturday was a really great day. I had been feeling a little tired and run down the last couple days so this was just what I needed to get back in the groove. I felt so smooth during the workout and it was short enough that I could go a little harder and not pay for it in the end. Roland and I started to pull away in the 2nd interval and just ran side by side for the remainder of the workout. It was definitely pretty cold and windy out there today which is a change from what we've had but it didn't affect the workout too much and should just toughen us up for what we may be facing at club nats.
After practice, I went to work for a few hours, and then headed downtown to meet up with Jess. We had a nice dinner at Trident and then went over to see some of her college friends in Allston. It was definitely a lot of fun and I finally had the pleasure of experiencing the Sirens. So it was a full day and probably just what I needed to finish out my week.
Sunday was a relaxing day. I slept in and didn't go running til noon time. I had a nice relaxing long run and felt great. After the run, I got a few things done around the house before meeting up with Beth, one of my closest friends from high school. It was great to catch up with her and we covered a lot of ground while hanging out at the Joshua Tree. Now it's snowing, which I think is kinda cool since it's the first real snowfall of the year but I also have to keep reminding myself to stay in cross country mode. I keep thinking about track now but I still have one more challenge to tackle before we move on.
Training Log (Nov 26 - Dec 2)
Monday: 8 Miles, 54 min
Tuesday: 2+ Mile tempo (12:18), 6 x 1 min hills, 2+ Mile tempo (11:33); Total- 12 Miles, 79 min
Wednesday: 9 Miles, 59 min
Thursday: 6 Miles, 41 min
Friday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Saturday: 3 x 5 min (3mr), 4 x 1 min (1mr); Total- 13 Miles, 88 min
Sunday: 12 Miles, 82 min
Total = 66 Miles, 7 runs
Overall, a very good week. Right where I wanted to be number wise and I'm feeling very relaxed and ready going into the last week of the season. It's getting real close now!
November: 291 Miles
Friday, November 30, 2007
Tired
Friday, November 30th
8:00 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min
River loop
I had a tough time getting out of bed this morning and was feeling really tired on the run so again, I just kept it short. That was followed by a long day at work and a bunch of stuff to do around the house. Right now, I just want to get to bed so I'll wrap this up and get on that asap. Workout tomorrow at Weston so hopefully I'll feel a little better for that but I'm sure the crappy weather won't help much.
Goodnight.
8:00 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min
River loop
I had a tough time getting out of bed this morning and was feeling really tired on the run so again, I just kept it short. That was followed by a long day at work and a bunch of stuff to do around the house. Right now, I just want to get to bed so I'll wrap this up and get on that asap. Workout tomorrow at Weston so hopefully I'll feel a little better for that but I'm sure the crappy weather won't help much.
Goodnight.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
From one thing to another
Thursday, November 29th
4:00 PM - 6 Miles, 41 min
River loop
Felt pretty good today. Wasn't able to run this morning because of PT so I ran after work. I got a solid 5 miles in before it got dark but the trail was getting pretty hard to see in that last mile. I was going to tack on a few more on the road but decided to just keep it short instead. I also hadn't eaten that much today so I was getting pretty hungry and wanted to get back and tame my growling stomach.
So this morning was my last scheduled PT visit with Holly. My insurance covered a two month period for this injury and we utilized that entire period, doing two visits per week. We definitely made a lot of progress in that time. Thinking back, it actually seems like it was more than just two months. We did a lot of strength work on my right side, increased mobility and reduced a lot of inflammation within the fascia. I still can't say that this thing is 100% gone but it is definitely a lot more manageable than it was 2 months ago. Holly does such a great job and I really enjoyed working with her. She explored several avenues that I hadn't taken previously, including the Iontopheresis and the night splint. She also gave me several exercises that I can continue to do on my own to ensure it doesn't go in the wrong direction again. I'll still keep in touch with Holly periodically and will probably try to schedule an appointment with her every once in a while, depending on how things feel.
Since I'm done with that and wont be going to PT twice a week, I'll have time for something else. That something else is probably going to be chiropractic therapy. I mentioned back in September that I had seen a chiropractor on Charles St. that Liz and Gabe had suggested. After taking X-rays, Dr. Quigley compared my back to that of a 50 year old and recommended that I proceed with adjustments and therapy over a period of 3 months. At the time, doing this was not very convenient for me with my heel issues and the fact that it was a half hour commute in the opposite direction of work. I still wanted to take this diagnostic seriously but decided to hold off for a while.
So during my sessions with Holly, I've been exposed to a really great sports chiropractor, Dr. John Marchese, that actually works with Holly in Woburn. So I plan on meeting with him soon and see where things go from there. In case you're wondering, I'm not just looking for things to spend money on or take up more time; I just want to make sure I'm taking care of the most essential equipment I have (my body) and not have it fall apart on me any earlier than it should.
4:00 PM - 6 Miles, 41 min
River loop
Felt pretty good today. Wasn't able to run this morning because of PT so I ran after work. I got a solid 5 miles in before it got dark but the trail was getting pretty hard to see in that last mile. I was going to tack on a few more on the road but decided to just keep it short instead. I also hadn't eaten that much today so I was getting pretty hungry and wanted to get back and tame my growling stomach.
So this morning was my last scheduled PT visit with Holly. My insurance covered a two month period for this injury and we utilized that entire period, doing two visits per week. We definitely made a lot of progress in that time. Thinking back, it actually seems like it was more than just two months. We did a lot of strength work on my right side, increased mobility and reduced a lot of inflammation within the fascia. I still can't say that this thing is 100% gone but it is definitely a lot more manageable than it was 2 months ago. Holly does such a great job and I really enjoyed working with her. She explored several avenues that I hadn't taken previously, including the Iontopheresis and the night splint. She also gave me several exercises that I can continue to do on my own to ensure it doesn't go in the wrong direction again. I'll still keep in touch with Holly periodically and will probably try to schedule an appointment with her every once in a while, depending on how things feel.
Since I'm done with that and wont be going to PT twice a week, I'll have time for something else. That something else is probably going to be chiropractic therapy. I mentioned back in September that I had seen a chiropractor on Charles St. that Liz and Gabe had suggested. After taking X-rays, Dr. Quigley compared my back to that of a 50 year old and recommended that I proceed with adjustments and therapy over a period of 3 months. At the time, doing this was not very convenient for me with my heel issues and the fact that it was a half hour commute in the opposite direction of work. I still wanted to take this diagnostic seriously but decided to hold off for a while.
So during my sessions with Holly, I've been exposed to a really great sports chiropractor, Dr. John Marchese, that actually works with Holly in Woburn. So I plan on meeting with him soon and see where things go from there. In case you're wondering, I'm not just looking for things to spend money on or take up more time; I just want to make sure I'm taking care of the most essential equipment I have (my body) and not have it fall apart on me any earlier than it should.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Looking ahead
Wednesday, November 28th
11:30 AM - 9 Miles, 59 min
Fells - short loop plus add on along the river
Legs were a little heavy for the first few miles but loosened up and felt pretty good in the 2nd half. It was a nice day and hard to believe December is just a couple days away. The month of December looks to bring much excitement to the table as we will first be concluding our XC season at the Club National Championships and showing what NB Boston can do both on and off the course. That will then be followed by the highly anticipated team dinner, hosted by yours truly a week later. Finally, the start of the indoor season will commence as we begin practices at the good ol' Reggie Lewis Center. So there's a lot to look forward to in the next few weeks and I'll be sure to share that excitement with you guys as these things get closer.
11:30 AM - 9 Miles, 59 min
Fells - short loop plus add on along the river
Legs were a little heavy for the first few miles but loosened up and felt pretty good in the 2nd half. It was a nice day and hard to believe December is just a couple days away. The month of December looks to bring much excitement to the table as we will first be concluding our XC season at the Club National Championships and showing what NB Boston can do both on and off the course. That will then be followed by the highly anticipated team dinner, hosted by yours truly a week later. Finally, the start of the indoor season will commence as we begin practices at the good ol' Reggie Lewis Center. So there's a lot to look forward to in the next few weeks and I'll be sure to share that excitement with you guys as these things get closer.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Last hard workout
Tuesday, November 27th
6:00 PM - Workout @ The Res.
24 min warm up
2+ Mile Tempo to the hill @ 12:18, 3 min rest
6 x 1 min hills, 3 min rest
2+ Mile Tempo (slightly faster) back to the res @ 11:33
16 min cool down
Total = 12 Miles, 79 min
Felt pretty good going into the workout today. First tempo felt really relaxed and well within my comfort zone. The hills were fast but felt very controlled. I started feeling my calves tighten up toward the end of the hill repeats so I was a little cautious going into the 2 mile run back. After the first few minutes, I felt fine, so I started to push the pace a little. I was aggressive going up the hill and felt strong but was definitely a little tired once I got to the top. Fortunately, the last mile or so was all a steady decline so I was able to just coast and cruise in at a solid pace. Tonight was probably my last hard workout before nationals so I figured going a little harder at the end would be good. After tonight, the next week and a half will just be smooth sailing going into the race. I just need to make sure I get plenty of rest, eat right, and don't do anything stupid. If I can do that, there's no reason I can't accomplish the goals I've set for that race.
6:00 PM - Workout @ The Res.
24 min warm up
2+ Mile Tempo to the hill @ 12:18, 3 min rest
6 x 1 min hills, 3 min rest
2+ Mile Tempo (slightly faster) back to the res @ 11:33
16 min cool down
Total = 12 Miles, 79 min
Felt pretty good going into the workout today. First tempo felt really relaxed and well within my comfort zone. The hills were fast but felt very controlled. I started feeling my calves tighten up toward the end of the hill repeats so I was a little cautious going into the 2 mile run back. After the first few minutes, I felt fine, so I started to push the pace a little. I was aggressive going up the hill and felt strong but was definitely a little tired once I got to the top. Fortunately, the last mile or so was all a steady decline so I was able to just coast and cruise in at a solid pace. Tonight was probably my last hard workout before nationals so I figured going a little harder at the end would be good. After tonight, the next week and a half will just be smooth sailing going into the race. I just need to make sure I get plenty of rest, eat right, and don't do anything stupid. If I can do that, there's no reason I can't accomplish the goals I've set for that race.
Monday, November 26, 2007
One more pair for the pile
Monday, November 26th
8:00 AM - 8 Miles, 54 min
River path
Felt great, a little wet out there but the temperature was nice. I just started on some new shoes (another pair of the 1223's). They've been working pretty well for me so I figured I'd stick with the same thing. I logged 491 miles (7 weeks) on the last pair before retiring them to the "pile" (shoes that still have plenty of use left in them, just not for running anymore). These pictured below are just from the past year.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
An epic morning
Sunday, November 25th
9:30 AM - 15.5 Miles, 112 min
Concord Minuteman trails w/ Jess
Today I had a chance to experience running in the historical town of Concord. You may know this town as home to great American authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, or where the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired and start of the American Revolutionary War began. Well, more importantly, it is also the home of New Balance Boston standout, Jessica Minty.
On a gorgeous morning, we started the run from Jess' mom's house and ran through town over to the Minuteman National Historic Park. We followed the scenic trail through the park into Lexington (about 6 miles long) and turned around to follow the same trail back. It was a really great run and I couldn't have asked for a better location. I now know why it is one of Jess' favorite places to run. After the run, we concluded our morning by going to brunch at a nice little cafe in town and had some great home style food. Overall, it was a great morning and gave me some quality time with a quality friend.
Training Log (Nov 19-25)
Monday: 7.5 Miles, 50 min
Tuesday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Wednesday: 8 Miles, 53 min
Thursday: T-Day 4 Miler (19:32), 10 Miles, 58 min
Friday: 12 Miles, 78 min
Saturday: 9 Miles, 60 min
Sunday: 15.5 Miles, 112 min
Total = 68 Miles, 7 runs
Great week. Daily runs are feeling easy, I'm recovering well after the races and can't wait for Dec. 8th.
9:30 AM - 15.5 Miles, 112 min
Concord Minuteman trails w/ Jess
Today I had a chance to experience running in the historical town of Concord. You may know this town as home to great American authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, or where the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired and start of the American Revolutionary War began. Well, more importantly, it is also the home of New Balance Boston standout, Jessica Minty.
On a gorgeous morning, we started the run from Jess' mom's house and ran through town over to the Minuteman National Historic Park. We followed the scenic trail through the park into Lexington (about 6 miles long) and turned around to follow the same trail back. It was a really great run and I couldn't have asked for a better location. I now know why it is one of Jess' favorite places to run. After the run, we concluded our morning by going to brunch at a nice little cafe in town and had some great home style food. Overall, it was a great morning and gave me some quality time with a quality friend.
Training Log (Nov 19-25)
Monday: 7.5 Miles, 50 min
Tuesday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Wednesday: 8 Miles, 53 min
Thursday: T-Day 4 Miler (19:32), 10 Miles, 58 min
Friday: 12 Miles, 78 min
Saturday: 9 Miles, 60 min
Sunday: 15.5 Miles, 112 min
Total = 68 Miles, 7 runs
Great week. Daily runs are feeling easy, I'm recovering well after the races and can't wait for Dec. 8th.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Runnin' in the dark
Saturday, November 24th
6:30 PM - 9 Miles, 60 min
Winchester (roads)
Legs felt great today. The only thing was my calves are still a bit tight from the race so my right soleus/achilles was cramping up a bit in the last couple miles. I had to stop for a minute to stretch it out, which made it better. I would have liked to run this morning but I was pretty tired and had to drive back from Maine to work today, therefore, I had to wait til later and run in the dark. I'll try to get some sleep tonight before meeting up with Jess in the morning for what should be a nice long run in Concord.
All for now.
6:30 PM - 9 Miles, 60 min
Winchester (roads)
Legs felt great today. The only thing was my calves are still a bit tight from the race so my right soleus/achilles was cramping up a bit in the last couple miles. I had to stop for a minute to stretch it out, which made it better. I would have liked to run this morning but I was pretty tired and had to drive back from Maine to work today, therefore, I had to wait til later and run in the dark. I'll try to get some sleep tonight before meeting up with Jess in the morning for what should be a nice long run in Concord.
All for now.
Friday, November 23, 2007
A great opportunity
Friday, November 23rd
12:30 PM - 12 Miles, 77:50 (25:59, 26:01, 25:50)
Spring Road
Great run today, a little tight from the race but felt really good and ran very comfortably the entire way.
So I apologize if I've left any of you in suspense from the post I made a couple days ago. I've talked to many of you about this already either in person or over the phone but now that I've made my decision final, I'll share it with the rest of you.
So here it is. As a result of my performance in Sunday's race, I was selected (along with several other "rising stars") to represent the US in Ireland this coming February. The trip is fully funded and includes two races where I would be competing against international talent as well as get to spend time with some great athletes, all while experiencing the fascinating Irish culture. This is a great opportunity for me and I was very excited to have the offer... so you may be asking why I had to think about the decision of accepting it. The down side of this opportunity is that it falls on the same week at the US Indoor Championships. If most people looked at my track times, they may see this as an easy decision, thinking that I'd have no chance of hitting the 8:03 qualifying mark. However, one of my major goals this year was to qualify for this meet and compete well there. I believe that I can run that time this year and still have every intention of doing so. I do think that competing at the National Championships would be an amazing experience and one that very few get in their lives. But as I was told by a good friend today, the achievement is in qualifying and not in the race itself. The more I thought about this decision (while also conferring with several close friends) the more I realized I couldn't say no to this Ireland experience. So as you can probably tell already, I decided to accept the trip to Ireland and therefore give up any possible option of competing at USAs. I'll have to talk things over more with Kevin about the structure of my winter schedule and what I ultimately want to get from the season, but I still plan on maintaining my goals on the track and I believe there can be some great results that will hopefully set me up well for outdoor.
I'll probably give some more details about the Ireland trip as it gets closer but for now, I know only that I am going and these are the races that I'll be running.
Feb 21 - Armagh Road Race (5K)
Feb 24 - Ras na hEireanne (6K)
Thanks again to all of you that helped me realize the right decision with this and for sharing your opinions on the matter.
12:30 PM - 12 Miles, 77:50 (25:59, 26:01, 25:50)
Spring Road
Great run today, a little tight from the race but felt really good and ran very comfortably the entire way.
So I apologize if I've left any of you in suspense from the post I made a couple days ago. I've talked to many of you about this already either in person or over the phone but now that I've made my decision final, I'll share it with the rest of you.
So here it is. As a result of my performance in Sunday's race, I was selected (along with several other "rising stars") to represent the US in Ireland this coming February. The trip is fully funded and includes two races where I would be competing against international talent as well as get to spend time with some great athletes, all while experiencing the fascinating Irish culture. This is a great opportunity for me and I was very excited to have the offer... so you may be asking why I had to think about the decision of accepting it. The down side of this opportunity is that it falls on the same week at the US Indoor Championships. If most people looked at my track times, they may see this as an easy decision, thinking that I'd have no chance of hitting the 8:03 qualifying mark. However, one of my major goals this year was to qualify for this meet and compete well there. I believe that I can run that time this year and still have every intention of doing so. I do think that competing at the National Championships would be an amazing experience and one that very few get in their lives. But as I was told by a good friend today, the achievement is in qualifying and not in the race itself. The more I thought about this decision (while also conferring with several close friends) the more I realized I couldn't say no to this Ireland experience. So as you can probably tell already, I decided to accept the trip to Ireland and therefore give up any possible option of competing at USAs. I'll have to talk things over more with Kevin about the structure of my winter schedule and what I ultimately want to get from the season, but I still plan on maintaining my goals on the track and I believe there can be some great results that will hopefully set me up well for outdoor.
I'll probably give some more details about the Ireland trip as it gets closer but for now, I know only that I am going and these are the races that I'll be running.
Feb 21 - Armagh Road Race (5K)
Feb 24 - Ras na hEireanne (6K)
Thanks again to all of you that helped me realize the right decision with this and for sharing your opinions on the matter.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
A Turkey Day PR
Thursday, November 22nd
Thanksgiving Day 4 Miler - Portland, ME
21 min warm up
4 Mile Race - 19:32 (1st Place) - 4:48, 4:54, 4:51, 4:58
PR by 27 seconds
17 min cool down
Total = 10 Miles
Today was my 6th time running this race and in those past 5 attempts, I've never been able to win the damn thing. I've been 2nd once (2006), 3rd three times (2001, 2003, 2004), and 7th once (2002). I've also been beaten by two Olympic Trials finalists (Matt Lane and Brendan Mahoney) in that time. Finally, in my 6th try, I was able to find myself on top. I knew I wasn't going to be able to touch Matt Lane's course record of 19:04 on this hilly course but I ran strong and was able to get myself a new 4 Mile PR, a free pair of New Balance running shoes, and a nice spotlight on the Channel 8 news. All of these were great things to walk away with, but the biggest thing I was happy to get was a very hard, comfortable effort and a performance that is consistent with my current fitness along with my past races this season. I didn't really want to wait around in this race and play games, so I just took the lead from the start and ran the pace that I felt the most comfortable at. I was joined by a couple younger guys (Jon Wilson and Mike Griffin) but after we hit the mile in 4:48 and started charging up the 600m hill, their footsteps became much fainter. After this point, I was running solo, just following the lead car. I just stayed relaxed throughout, focusing on my perceived effort and thinking about all the things that got me there and the things that still lie ahead.
Also in a race that attracts over a thousand people each year, I have a lot of old friends and supporters that I get to see in this annual tradition. It really adds to the experience and is so great to catch up with all my Maine roots. Again I can't say enough how much I've appreciated the supportive messages from everyone over the past few days; it continues to make these accomplishments so much sweeter.
Thanksgiving Day 4 Miler - Portland, ME
21 min warm up
4 Mile Race - 19:32 (1st Place) - 4:48, 4:54, 4:51, 4:58
PR by 27 seconds
17 min cool down
Total = 10 Miles
Today was my 6th time running this race and in those past 5 attempts, I've never been able to win the damn thing. I've been 2nd once (2006), 3rd three times (2001, 2003, 2004), and 7th once (2002). I've also been beaten by two Olympic Trials finalists (Matt Lane and Brendan Mahoney) in that time. Finally, in my 6th try, I was able to find myself on top. I knew I wasn't going to be able to touch Matt Lane's course record of 19:04 on this hilly course but I ran strong and was able to get myself a new 4 Mile PR, a free pair of New Balance running shoes, and a nice spotlight on the Channel 8 news. All of these were great things to walk away with, but the biggest thing I was happy to get was a very hard, comfortable effort and a performance that is consistent with my current fitness along with my past races this season. I didn't really want to wait around in this race and play games, so I just took the lead from the start and ran the pace that I felt the most comfortable at. I was joined by a couple younger guys (Jon Wilson and Mike Griffin) but after we hit the mile in 4:48 and started charging up the 600m hill, their footsteps became much fainter. After this point, I was running solo, just following the lead car. I just stayed relaxed throughout, focusing on my perceived effort and thinking about all the things that got me there and the things that still lie ahead.
Also in a race that attracts over a thousand people each year, I have a lot of old friends and supporters that I get to see in this annual tradition. It really adds to the experience and is so great to catch up with all my Maine roots. Again I can't say enough how much I've appreciated the supportive messages from everyone over the past few days; it continues to make these accomplishments so much sweeter.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Spring Road
Wednesday, November 21st
12:30 PM - 8 Miles, 53:03 (26:47, 26:16)
Spring Road
12:30 PM - 8 Miles, 53:03 (26:47, 26:16)
Spring Road
This is where I ran the majority of my miles in high school, a dirt road along the perimeter of Lake Auburn. It's been a while since I've logged miles on this road and a lot has changed in that time. However, this trail has not. It is the same trail that I've known for many years, a place I know so well, I could describe each twist and turn, and each hill along the way with the most precise detail. The air was crisp today and there was a fresh layer of fallen snow. I could see traces of footsteps from runners and walkers that had already been out this morning, but in the time I was running, I saw no one. The woods were calm with the only noise being the rhythmic panting of my own breath. I felt so comfortable as I was completely separated from all the distractions of life, it was just myself and my thoughts.
Over the past few days I have had quite a few things to think about, things that I need to face on my own and figure out for myself. After my performance on Sunday, I was presented with an opportunity; a tremendous opportunity that would be very hard to pass up. However, in taking this opportunity, I would have to sacrifice another potential life changing opportunity. I've been talking with close friends and I think I know what my decision will be, but I still need to think it over a bit more before I make it final. When that happens, I'll be able to fill you in a bit more.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Quickie
Tuesday, November 20th
7:30 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min
River path
I was late getting out the door this morning so I didn't get in as many miles as I would have liked. I was actually feeling pretty good and would have enjoyed going further but I had to go to PT before work so was tight on time. After work, I spent some quality time with Jess and Liz, which is always a plus. Then I headed north to the great state of Maine. Liz was heading up at the same time and needed a ride so she joined me for the trip and made the drive much more enjoyable. Now I'm home in good ol' Auburn so I'm going to take advantage of the mini vacation and try to get some rest.
P.S. If you have a chance, check out this video link. Dan did a pretty good job putting it together.
USATF New England XC Championships
7:30 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min
River path
I was late getting out the door this morning so I didn't get in as many miles as I would have liked. I was actually feeling pretty good and would have enjoyed going further but I had to go to PT before work so was tight on time. After work, I spent some quality time with Jess and Liz, which is always a plus. Then I headed north to the great state of Maine. Liz was heading up at the same time and needed a ride so she joined me for the trip and made the drive much more enjoyable. Now I'm home in good ol' Auburn so I'm going to take advantage of the mini vacation and try to get some rest.
P.S. If you have a chance, check out this video link. Dan did a pretty good job putting it together.
USATF New England XC Championships
Monday, November 19, 2007
What's next?
Monday, November 19th
8:00 AM - 7.5 Miles, 50 min
River path
My hamstrings were tight starting out, particularly the right one. Started real easy and progressed into a comfortable pace as the legs loosened up. Overall, I felt pretty good. My body was definitely tired, so I know I ran hard yesterday... but mentally, I felt like I was ready to do it all over again. We have less than 3 weeks til nationals and I just want to get there as soon as possible. These next few weeks are just about maintaining what I have and feeling prepared for what lies ahead. I have worked really hard over the last 10 weeks in preparation for this so there isn't a whole lot more that I can do fitness-wise. You may ask, 'if that's the case, how will nationals be any different from NEs?' The truth is I'm not really sure. I felt like I ran as hard as I could yesterday, but at the same time, I believe I can run harder at Nationals. The reason for that is this... I know that my confidence, experience, and motivation will be so much more developed on that starting line because of what I did yesterday. There will be much more at stake and there will be no boundaries, therefore, I will refuse to fail.
The finish of NEs was just over a day ago, yet it has felt like an eternity ago. I have been showered by congratulatory messages and have had some long conversations with some close friends. All of this has reaffirmed in my mind how much I want this. --What is "this"?-- I can't really answer that right now. All I know is that I want it more than ever. My passion continues to grow with every step I take. I try not to get too far ahead of myself, but I can't help but start to think about the track season ahead. How will my current fitness translate onto that small rubber oval? Where do I set my goals and how do I continue to improve? I still have so many questions about myself that I want answered. I just have to be patient and be ready for each passing opportunity, because one of those opportunities could be my ticket to greatness.
Thanks again for all the messages and thank you to those of you that continue to believe in me.
8:00 AM - 7.5 Miles, 50 min
River path
My hamstrings were tight starting out, particularly the right one. Started real easy and progressed into a comfortable pace as the legs loosened up. Overall, I felt pretty good. My body was definitely tired, so I know I ran hard yesterday... but mentally, I felt like I was ready to do it all over again. We have less than 3 weeks til nationals and I just want to get there as soon as possible. These next few weeks are just about maintaining what I have and feeling prepared for what lies ahead. I have worked really hard over the last 10 weeks in preparation for this so there isn't a whole lot more that I can do fitness-wise. You may ask, 'if that's the case, how will nationals be any different from NEs?' The truth is I'm not really sure. I felt like I ran as hard as I could yesterday, but at the same time, I believe I can run harder at Nationals. The reason for that is this... I know that my confidence, experience, and motivation will be so much more developed on that starting line because of what I did yesterday. There will be much more at stake and there will be no boundaries, therefore, I will refuse to fail.
The finish of NEs was just over a day ago, yet it has felt like an eternity ago. I have been showered by congratulatory messages and have had some long conversations with some close friends. All of this has reaffirmed in my mind how much I want this. --What is "this"?-- I can't really answer that right now. All I know is that I want it more than ever. My passion continues to grow with every step I take. I try not to get too far ahead of myself, but I can't help but start to think about the track season ahead. How will my current fitness translate onto that small rubber oval? Where do I set my goals and how do I continue to improve? I still have so many questions about myself that I want answered. I just have to be patient and be ready for each passing opportunity, because one of those opportunities could be my ticket to greatness.
Thanks again for all the messages and thank you to those of you that continue to believe in me.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
New England XC Championships
Sunday, November 18th
USATF New England Championships
20 min warm up
10K - 30:39 (1st) - 4:51, 10:00, 15:38 (5K), 20:01, 24:45 (8K)
(PR by 12 seconds, Course PR by 40 seconds )
18 min cool down
Total = 12 Miles, 69 min
Monday: 0 Miles, 0 min (feeling crappy)
Tuesday: 5 x HB to the top (Avg=1:47), 10 x 200m hills (34-38), Total- 14 Miles, 90 min
Wednesday: 10 Miles, 66 min
Thursday: 7 Miles, 50 min (pain in left tibia)
Friday: 4 Miles, 27 min (feeling crappy)
Saturday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Sunday: NE Champ! - 10K (30:39), Total- 12 Miles, 69 min
Total = 53 Miles, 6 runs
The mileage this week was quite a bit lower than planned for a few different reasons, but the end result came out just right, therefore I am very satisfied and not worried about the numbers.
USATF New England Championships
20 min warm up
10K - 30:39 (1st) - 4:51, 10:00, 15:38 (5K), 20:01, 24:45 (8K)
(PR by 12 seconds, Course PR by 40 seconds )
18 min cool down
Total = 12 Miles, 69 min
Today went very well. There was not one moment in this race where I lost control or did not feel within myself; I never felt like I was on the verge of falling off pace or would get broken by surges or breakaway attempts. I was feeling very confident going into this race and had no doubts that I could do what I did. This does not mean that I ever thought it would be easy! or that I was not nervous going into the race. I certainly knew it was going to be hard, and because of that I had to be focused completely on what I was there to accomplish.
As expected, the race went out conservatively in front so we had a pretty large pack through 1.5-2 miles. After 2 miles, it seemed to string out a bit more, with Roland and myself switching the lead and David Bridgewater (b.a.a.) poking his head in from time to time. Between 2-4 miles, I just tried to stay as comfortable as possible without letting the pace slack at all. Somewhere in that 2 miles, I suddenly found that I was running by myself and had broken away from the others, even though I hadn't made any hard moves or changed the pace much. So after hitting 4 miles in about 20:00, I tried to start leaning on the pace a bit more and really wanted to work hard to open the race up. I felt strong and was running smooth so I was actually a little surprised to hear Roland catching back up to me. I thought I might have been slowing down without realizing it but really, he was just running really hard. He caught me at about 8K and took the lead for maybe a quarter mile. I was concerned but did not lose contact and just stayed in control. After that stretch, I was able to regain the lead and just continued to push over the last mile.
It was a huge victory for me and is yet another goal that I can check off my list this year. I have never been more confident than I am now and I have never known my body and its abilities as well as I have over the last few weeks. So many factors have brought me to this point and I have so many things to attribute to these accomplishments. Most of all, the support of my peers. I could not have won today without the support of my family, or the constant encouragement and motivation that I get everyday from my friends and teammates (Jess, Rupprecht, Mario, Gwyth, Drisc, Kirby, and so many others).
I also just want to congratulate Jess and the rest of the ladies team on their domination in the womens race. They really made a statement out there today.
So thanks again and stay tuned for the season finale in three weeks when the members of NB Boston test themselves on the national scene.
Training Log (Nov 12-18)Monday: 0 Miles, 0 min (feeling crappy)
Tuesday: 5 x HB to the top (Avg=1:47), 10 x 200m hills (34-38), Total- 14 Miles, 90 min
Wednesday: 10 Miles, 66 min
Thursday: 7 Miles, 50 min (pain in left tibia)
Friday: 4 Miles, 27 min (feeling crappy)
Saturday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Sunday: NE Champ! - 10K (30:39), Total- 12 Miles, 69 min
Total = 53 Miles, 6 runs
The mileage this week was quite a bit lower than planned for a few different reasons, but the end result came out just right, therefore I am very satisfied and not worried about the numbers.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The day before
Saturday, November 17th
7:30 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min (River path)
6 x hard strides on the soccer field (in spikes)
Today was better than yesterday.
The past couple days of rest have been helpful. I know I'm in good shape, so now I just need to get on that starting line feeling good. After this morning's run, I think that should be a better possibility. No matter what the weather is like tomorrow, no matter who show's up for the race, and no matter how my legs feel on the starting line, I am confident that I can do well based on what I've done over the past few months, and and based on my experiences over the past 10 years. I am by no means an expert at this sport, but over those 10 years, I have made steady progressions toward becoming an elite athlete. I am worlds better than when I entered college, I am better than when I left college, and I am better than 3 weeks ago when I last raced. I am confident and I am strong, therefore, I will make tomorrow a good day.
"Mind is everything. Muscle - pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind."
-Paavo Nurmi
7:30 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min (River path)
6 x hard strides on the soccer field (in spikes)
Today was better than yesterday.
The past couple days of rest have been helpful. I know I'm in good shape, so now I just need to get on that starting line feeling good. After this morning's run, I think that should be a better possibility. No matter what the weather is like tomorrow, no matter who show's up for the race, and no matter how my legs feel on the starting line, I am confident that I can do well based on what I've done over the past few months, and and based on my experiences over the past 10 years. I am by no means an expert at this sport, but over those 10 years, I have made steady progressions toward becoming an elite athlete. I am worlds better than when I entered college, I am better than when I left college, and I am better than 3 weeks ago when I last raced. I am confident and I am strong, therefore, I will make tomorrow a good day.
"Mind is everything. Muscle - pieces of rubber. All that I am, I am because of my mind."
-Paavo Nurmi
Friday, November 16, 2007
Cutting it short
Friday, November 16th
8:00 AM - 4 Miles, 27 min
River loop
Weather was crappy and I wasn't feeling that great so I opted to cut the run short with hopes of putting in a few more miles after work. 7:30 rolled around and I got home still not feeling the greatest; I just wanted to eat and get to bed. I want to feel good on Sunday so I don't want to push anything now just to get a few extra miles in. Hopefully after some more rest, tomorrow will present a better day.
8:00 AM - 4 Miles, 27 min
River loop
Weather was crappy and I wasn't feeling that great so I opted to cut the run short with hopes of putting in a few more miles after work. 7:30 rolled around and I got home still not feeling the greatest; I just wanted to eat and get to bed. I want to feel good on Sunday so I don't want to push anything now just to get a few extra miles in. Hopefully after some more rest, tomorrow will present a better day.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
A stroll through the park
Thursday, November 15th
4:30 PM - 7 Miles, 50 min
River path up to Sandy Beach Park
Ran in the rain along the river and looped around the park a few times. I wanted to stay on the soft stuff to make sure I wasn't aggravating anything. I felt alright, just kept it real easy and tried to monitor everything as I went. I want to make sure nothing creeps up on me and puts me out of commission before nationals. This weekend should be good; it looks like the weather might add some fun to the race conditions, but I don't think it should be much of a factor in how I execute my race plan. The team certainly looks good so it will be interesting to see what our full squad looks like on paper.
That's all for now.
4:30 PM - 7 Miles, 50 min
River path up to Sandy Beach Park
Ran in the rain along the river and looped around the park a few times. I wanted to stay on the soft stuff to make sure I wasn't aggravating anything. I felt alright, just kept it real easy and tried to monitor everything as I went. I want to make sure nothing creeps up on me and puts me out of commission before nationals. This weekend should be good; it looks like the weather might add some fun to the race conditions, but I don't think it should be much of a factor in how I execute my race plan. The team certainly looks good so it will be interesting to see what our full squad looks like on paper.
That's all for now.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Trails or roads?
Wednesday, November 14th
11:30 AM - 10 Miles, 66 min
Fells
Felt good throughout the run. The weather was great and I felt like I was cruising along effortlessly. I seemed fully recovered from yesterday's workout and didn't have any localized pain or fatigue anywhere. However, a few hours later, I was noticing some pain in my left shin which was getting annoying. I'm pretty sure it's just some mild tendinitis and I think it may be from running on some rougher trails lately. The Fells trails are a little rocky to begin with and when you add the frost on the ground lately covered by a thick layer of leaves, it presents a few more ankle turns throughout the run. I figure it's still better than running on the roads though. So I'm icing the shin as we speak and hopefully I won't need to talk about it anymore this week.
11:30 AM - 10 Miles, 66 min
Fells
Felt good throughout the run. The weather was great and I felt like I was cruising along effortlessly. I seemed fully recovered from yesterday's workout and didn't have any localized pain or fatigue anywhere. However, a few hours later, I was noticing some pain in my left shin which was getting annoying. I'm pretty sure it's just some mild tendinitis and I think it may be from running on some rougher trails lately. The Fells trails are a little rocky to begin with and when you add the frost on the ground lately covered by a thick layer of leaves, it presents a few more ankle turns throughout the run. I figure it's still better than running on the roads though. So I'm icing the shin as we speak and hopefully I won't need to talk about it anymore this week.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Hills 'N Drills
Monday, November 12th
0 Miles, 0 min
A big goose egg. I was feeling pretty lousy in the morning and not much better in the evening so I figured I could use a day off. I hadn't taken one in quite a while so even though I felt guilty all day, I think it was very beneficial.
Tuesday, November 13th
6:00 PM - Hill Workout
16 min warm up
Drills
17 min over to the hill
5 x Heartbreak to the top (1:51, 1:49, 1:48, 1:47, 1:44); Avg= 1:47
10 x 200m up the hill (34-38 sec)
18 min cool down back to the res
Total = 14 Miles, 90 min
Worked out with Ryan C, Fabian, Maloney, and Nieskens. Felt really smooth on all the hills, never had to push it too hard. It was nice to get moving a little faster on the 200s and get up on my toes a bit more than usual. I think it was a perfect workout for me this week since I've been feeling tired and needed something that wasn't going to kill me but at the same time had enough quality to give me confidence going into Sunday's race. I'll keep things easy the rest of the week and barring illness or injury, I think this weekend should go well.
0 Miles, 0 min
A big goose egg. I was feeling pretty lousy in the morning and not much better in the evening so I figured I could use a day off. I hadn't taken one in quite a while so even though I felt guilty all day, I think it was very beneficial.
Tuesday, November 13th
6:00 PM - Hill Workout
16 min warm up
Drills
17 min over to the hill
5 x Heartbreak to the top (1:51, 1:49, 1:48, 1:47, 1:44); Avg= 1:47
10 x 200m up the hill (34-38 sec)
18 min cool down back to the res
Total = 14 Miles, 90 min
Worked out with Ryan C, Fabian, Maloney, and Nieskens. Felt really smooth on all the hills, never had to push it too hard. It was nice to get moving a little faster on the 200s and get up on my toes a bit more than usual. I think it was a perfect workout for me this week since I've been feeling tired and needed something that wasn't going to kill me but at the same time had enough quality to give me confidence going into Sunday's race. I'll keep things easy the rest of the week and barring illness or injury, I think this weekend should go well.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Bring on the taper
Sunday, November 11th
10:30 AM - 12 Miles, 84 min
Fells
Legs were still tired but it was a good run and got some of the tightness out from yesterday. Kept the pace easy.
Training Log (Nov 5-11)
Monday: 9 Miles, 61 min
Tuesday: 2+ Mile tempo (12:34), 3mr, 8 x 1min hills, 3 mr, 2+ Mile tempo; Total- 14 Miles, 88 min
Wednesday: 10 Miles, 69 min
Thursday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Friday: 9 Miles, 60 min
Saturday: 1 Mile @ 4:50, 3mr, 4x (3min, 2mr), 4x (2min, 1.5mr), 4x (1min, 1mr); Total- 15 Miles, 92 min
Sunday: 12 Miles, 84 min
Total = 75 Miles, 7 runs
Solid week, legs are a little tired so I'll gladly welcome the easier weeks ahead.
10:30 AM - 12 Miles, 84 min
Fells
Legs were still tired but it was a good run and got some of the tightness out from yesterday. Kept the pace easy.
Training Log (Nov 5-11)
Monday: 9 Miles, 61 min
Tuesday: 2+ Mile tempo (12:34), 3mr, 8 x 1min hills, 3 mr, 2+ Mile tempo; Total- 14 Miles, 88 min
Wednesday: 10 Miles, 69 min
Thursday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Friday: 9 Miles, 60 min
Saturday: 1 Mile @ 4:50, 3mr, 4x (3min, 2mr), 4x (2min, 1.5mr), 4x (1min, 1mr); Total- 15 Miles, 92 min
Sunday: 12 Miles, 84 min
Total = 75 Miles, 7 runs
Solid week, legs are a little tired so I'll gladly welcome the easier weeks ahead.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Tired legs
Saturday, November 10th
9:00 AM - Workout @ Weston
27 min warm up
1 Mile @ 1st mile of 10K race pace (~4:50), 3min rest
4 x 3min, 2min rest
4 x 2min, 1.5min rest
4 x 1min, 1min rest
16 min cool down
Total = 15 Miles, 92 min
I had to do the workout on my own today since the team was practicing later at Franklin Park whish I couldn't do because of work, so I went to the usual spot at Weston HS to get the job done. It was pretty cold out there this morning so I kept a few layers on throughout the workout. I really wasn't feeling motivated to start these intervals so I wanted to get it done as quick and painless as possible. I think it was just a combination of having a couple long days in a row, the cold weather, being out there by myself, and the fact that my legs were just tired. The workout wasn't bad, it just took a little more focus and mental toughness to get through it. I think I probably started off a little on the aggressive side as well, which probably didn't help. I knew the mile and the 3min intervals were the more substantial part of the workout so I wanted to make sure I wasn't easing off the pace or holding back too much. By the 2 min and 1 min intervals, my legs were definitely feeling more sluggish and both my quads and hamstrings were feeling fatigued. Anyway, I just tried to keep my form and get it done. It's hard to gauge my efforts/pace for the workout but I'm sure it was still pretty solid.
This will be my last higher mileage week (over 75) so as I start tapering, I think I'll feel some more life in the legs. I'm pretty exhausted right now so I'm probably gonna lay low tonight and get to bed early. I also want to give a shout out to Rupprecht, my west coast counterpart, who ran a huge PR (24:52) today at the SCA Championships. He has a lot of talent and has been working really hard this year so it's nice to finally see him get the results he deserves. Nice job buddy!
Quote of the day:
"Watching him run was watching a man fighting a battle within his heart. I was watching the American Dream, the historical struggle to make something of yourself, refusing to settle for ordinary, and having little time to do it. He would pass by, sweat flicking off his spiked out hair, and his eyes would haunt me because they were so deeply burrowed into something I couldn't see."
-Lauren Fleshman (speaking about close friend Ryan Shay)
9:00 AM - Workout @ Weston
27 min warm up
1 Mile @ 1st mile of 10K race pace (~4:50), 3min rest
4 x 3min, 2min rest
4 x 2min, 1.5min rest
4 x 1min, 1min rest
16 min cool down
Total = 15 Miles, 92 min
I had to do the workout on my own today since the team was practicing later at Franklin Park whish I couldn't do because of work, so I went to the usual spot at Weston HS to get the job done. It was pretty cold out there this morning so I kept a few layers on throughout the workout. I really wasn't feeling motivated to start these intervals so I wanted to get it done as quick and painless as possible. I think it was just a combination of having a couple long days in a row, the cold weather, being out there by myself, and the fact that my legs were just tired. The workout wasn't bad, it just took a little more focus and mental toughness to get through it. I think I probably started off a little on the aggressive side as well, which probably didn't help. I knew the mile and the 3min intervals were the more substantial part of the workout so I wanted to make sure I wasn't easing off the pace or holding back too much. By the 2 min and 1 min intervals, my legs were definitely feeling more sluggish and both my quads and hamstrings were feeling fatigued. Anyway, I just tried to keep my form and get it done. It's hard to gauge my efforts/pace for the workout but I'm sure it was still pretty solid.
This will be my last higher mileage week (over 75) so as I start tapering, I think I'll feel some more life in the legs. I'm pretty exhausted right now so I'm probably gonna lay low tonight and get to bed early. I also want to give a shout out to Rupprecht, my west coast counterpart, who ran a huge PR (24:52) today at the SCA Championships. He has a lot of talent and has been working really hard this year so it's nice to finally see him get the results he deserves. Nice job buddy!
Quote of the day:
"Watching him run was watching a man fighting a battle within his heart. I was watching the American Dream, the historical struggle to make something of yourself, refusing to settle for ordinary, and having little time to do it. He would pass by, sweat flicking off his spiked out hair, and his eyes would haunt me because they were so deeply burrowed into something I couldn't see."
-Lauren Fleshman (speaking about close friend Ryan Shay)
Friday, November 9, 2007
Long day
Friday, November 9th
7:30 PM - 9 Miles, 60 min
Winchester (roads)
So my day started at 3:30 AM this morning as I needed to help Tony out with a road race in south boston. I don't know who thinks having a road race at 6am on a friday is a good idea, but it was pretty easy work so I was happy to help him out. However, after getting back late from the game last night, it made for a tough awakening. Since I helped with that, I didn't have time to run before work, so I didn't get my run in until after working a 9-hour open to close shift. Despite all that, I actually felt pretty decent on the run so I'll take it.
Now I really need to get to bed so I can get up early again tomorrow and do a solo workout. I wish I could join the team for practice at Franklin Park but I have to be at the store by noon and practice is at 1pm, so they'll have to do without me.
Goodnight.
7:30 PM - 9 Miles, 60 min
Winchester (roads)
So my day started at 3:30 AM this morning as I needed to help Tony out with a road race in south boston. I don't know who thinks having a road race at 6am on a friday is a good idea, but it was pretty easy work so I was happy to help him out. However, after getting back late from the game last night, it made for a tough awakening. Since I helped with that, I didn't have time to run before work, so I didn't get my run in until after working a 9-hour open to close shift. Despite all that, I actually felt pretty decent on the run so I'll take it.
Now I really need to get to bed so I can get up early again tomorrow and do a solo workout. I wish I could join the team for practice at Franklin Park but I have to be at the store by noon and practice is at 1pm, so they'll have to do without me.
Goodnight.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Goal!
Thursday, November 8th
7:30 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min
River loop
Overslept a little and was late getting out the door today so I was only able to get in about 6 miles before going to PT. Felt a little rushed but was fine with having an easy day. After work, I went to Jess' place, relaxed for a bit over some pizza, then proceeded to make the trek down to Foxboro, where we saw the Rev's win their 3rd straight conference title and advance onto the MLS Cup. The game was a lot of fun and was highlighted by a Twellman bicycle kick goal (pictured below).
7:30 AM - 6 Miles, 40 min
River loop
Overslept a little and was late getting out the door today so I was only able to get in about 6 miles before going to PT. Felt a little rushed but was fine with having an easy day. After work, I went to Jess' place, relaxed for a bit over some pizza, then proceeded to make the trek down to Foxboro, where we saw the Rev's win their 3rd straight conference title and advance onto the MLS Cup. The game was a lot of fun and was highlighted by a Twellman bicycle kick goal (pictured below).
Nice connections
Wednesday, November 7th
11:30 AM - 10 Miles, 69 min
Fells
Felt a little tired today so I just kept it easy and relaxed. Went for a massage with Glenn afterward. I had to go out to Hopkinton to see him, which is a little bit of a hike, but it's worth saving the extra $40 that I'd have to pay if I saw him at the Wellesley location. He feels bad about it but he can't specify his own rate with the other organization like he can in his private practice that he shares with another lady. Anyway, as I get to his office, he was just finishing up with his previous patient, and of course, it was none other than Justin Lutz. It ended up being a neat coincidence because as the three of us were talking, Glenn offered each of us a couple tickets to the Revolution game tomorrow night. Since Glenn works with the team, he gets hooked up with some sweet tickets. So tomorrow night, Justin, Joanie, Jess, and I will all be on the 40 yard line at Gillette Stadium watching the Eastern Conference Championship game and having a damn good time.
That's all for now.
11:30 AM - 10 Miles, 69 min
Fells
Felt a little tired today so I just kept it easy and relaxed. Went for a massage with Glenn afterward. I had to go out to Hopkinton to see him, which is a little bit of a hike, but it's worth saving the extra $40 that I'd have to pay if I saw him at the Wellesley location. He feels bad about it but he can't specify his own rate with the other organization like he can in his private practice that he shares with another lady. Anyway, as I get to his office, he was just finishing up with his previous patient, and of course, it was none other than Justin Lutz. It ended up being a neat coincidence because as the three of us were talking, Glenn offered each of us a couple tickets to the Revolution game tomorrow night. Since Glenn works with the team, he gets hooked up with some sweet tickets. So tomorrow night, Justin, Joanie, Jess, and I will all be on the 40 yard line at Gillette Stadium watching the Eastern Conference Championship game and having a damn good time.
That's all for now.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
A slight change of pace
Tuesday, November 6th
6:00 PM - Workout @ BC Res/Heartbreak
26 min warm up
2+ Mile Tempo over to the hill - 12:34; 3 min rest
8 x 1 min up the hill (crack to pole), jog down rest; 3 min rest
2+ Mile Tempo back to the Res - 11:54
16 min cool down
Total = 14 Miles, 88 min
It got pretty chilly this evening (mid-lower 40's) so I did the whole workout in tights and gloves. Did the first tempo with long sleeves but was able to warm up enough and do the rest in just the short sleeve. Felt great tonight; a very solid workout with Mario, Ryan C, Brad, Maloney, Fabian, and Nieskens. The first tempo was real smooth and we all stayed close together, the hills were fast but never felt too hard, and the last tempo felt real good. I got in a nice rhythm and just cruised at a fast but comfortable clip. This workout was a little different from the usual stuff we'd expect from Kevin but I liked it a lot. It was good to make myself change between gears and be able to still hold a hard effort after hitting the hills hard. It wasn't as much of a mental toughness workout like some other one's we've had but it definitely showed strength in the training I've done.
We're getting into the last month of the season and even though there is still a lot of racing left to do, I feel the bulk of the work has been done and now I can begin to bring the mileage back a little and hopefully see the legs start responding more and more. We've got about a week and a half til NEs and 4 1/2 weeks til clubs so we're getting close. I'm feeling confident in my abilities, the team looks great, and I'm pretty pumped to see how things turn out. Hopefully things will come together and we'll have some break throughs both individually and as a team.
6:00 PM - Workout @ BC Res/Heartbreak
26 min warm up
2+ Mile Tempo over to the hill - 12:34; 3 min rest
8 x 1 min up the hill (crack to pole), jog down rest; 3 min rest
2+ Mile Tempo back to the Res - 11:54
16 min cool down
Total = 14 Miles, 88 min
It got pretty chilly this evening (mid-lower 40's) so I did the whole workout in tights and gloves. Did the first tempo with long sleeves but was able to warm up enough and do the rest in just the short sleeve. Felt great tonight; a very solid workout with Mario, Ryan C, Brad, Maloney, Fabian, and Nieskens. The first tempo was real smooth and we all stayed close together, the hills were fast but never felt too hard, and the last tempo felt real good. I got in a nice rhythm and just cruised at a fast but comfortable clip. This workout was a little different from the usual stuff we'd expect from Kevin but I liked it a lot. It was good to make myself change between gears and be able to still hold a hard effort after hitting the hills hard. It wasn't as much of a mental toughness workout like some other one's we've had but it definitely showed strength in the training I've done.
We're getting into the last month of the season and even though there is still a lot of racing left to do, I feel the bulk of the work has been done and now I can begin to bring the mileage back a little and hopefully see the legs start responding more and more. We've got about a week and a half til NEs and 4 1/2 weeks til clubs so we're getting close. I'm feeling confident in my abilities, the team looks great, and I'm pretty pumped to see how things turn out. Hopefully things will come together and we'll have some break throughs both individually and as a team.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Just an ordinary monday
Monday, November 5th
8:00 AM - 9 Miles, 61 min
River run
Felt smooth. I thought it was colder outside so I overdressed a bit. Slow day at work but it was nice to have Sarah come into the store for a while. She's been having some trouble with her shoes and some pain in her legs so I tried to help her out as much as I could. She's already been a great addition to the team and should have lots of success in the future. Other than that, just the same old grind. Mario predicts hills tomorrow (probably 12 this time) so I should get to bed soon and rest up for a tough workout.
Happy Birthday Mom
8:00 AM - 9 Miles, 61 min
River run
Felt smooth. I thought it was colder outside so I overdressed a bit. Slow day at work but it was nice to have Sarah come into the store for a while. She's been having some trouble with her shoes and some pain in her legs so I tried to help her out as much as I could. She's already been a great addition to the team and should have lots of success in the future. Other than that, just the same old grind. Mario predicts hills tomorrow (probably 12 this time) so I should get to bed soon and rest up for a tough workout.
Happy Birthday Mom
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Sunday summation
Sunday, November 4th
9:00 AM - 16 Miles, 103 min
Fells from Carters (Saugus)
Went up to Matt Carter's place for a long run with him and Maloney. I felt great today, perfect day for a run and other than some pain on the top of my left foot, nothing was really bothering me. We started off easy and worked into a pretty solid pace for the majority of the run with the last couple being at or below 6:00 pace. After the run, we made an epic breakfast with just about everything you could think of (waffles, eggs, bacon, fruits of all kinds, etc). It was great and was fun hanging out with the guys as we proceeded to just watch the games and catch up on recent happenings.
I also want to congratulate NB Boston's own Karina Johnson on an awesome marathon PR (2:56) today in NYC and my former teammate and roommate, Adam Goode on his win at the Manchester Half Marathon (and winning $1000 for his efforts). I was also very surprised to hear that B.A.A. runner Mark Miller competed (2:28:39) in the full marathon there, placing 2nd.
Training Log (Oct 29-Nov 4)
Monday: 10 Miles, 69 min
Tuesday: 10 Miles, 67 min
Wednesday: 2 x 5 min (tempo pace), 2 min rest, 10 x 1 min (faster than 5k pace), 1 minute rest; Total- 13 Miles, 76 min
Thursday: 12.5 Miles, 85 min
Friday: 9 Miles, 61 min
Saturday: 10 x 3 min (10k-8k pace), 2 min rest; Total- 16.5 Miles, 109 min
Sunday: 16 Miles, 103 min
Total: 87 Miles, 7 runs
All in all, it was a great week. I was feeling a little tired on a few runs but felt very strong in the workouts this week and am really looking forward to the weeks ahead. One more week of solid mileage then it's easy does it for the remainder of the season.
October: 276 Miles
9:00 AM - 16 Miles, 103 min
Fells from Carters (Saugus)
Went up to Matt Carter's place for a long run with him and Maloney. I felt great today, perfect day for a run and other than some pain on the top of my left foot, nothing was really bothering me. We started off easy and worked into a pretty solid pace for the majority of the run with the last couple being at or below 6:00 pace. After the run, we made an epic breakfast with just about everything you could think of (waffles, eggs, bacon, fruits of all kinds, etc). It was great and was fun hanging out with the guys as we proceeded to just watch the games and catch up on recent happenings.
I also want to congratulate NB Boston's own Karina Johnson on an awesome marathon PR (2:56) today in NYC and my former teammate and roommate, Adam Goode on his win at the Manchester Half Marathon (and winning $1000 for his efforts). I was also very surprised to hear that B.A.A. runner Mark Miller competed (2:28:39) in the full marathon there, placing 2nd.
Training Log (Oct 29-Nov 4)
Monday: 10 Miles, 69 min
Tuesday: 10 Miles, 67 min
Wednesday: 2 x 5 min (tempo pace), 2 min rest, 10 x 1 min (faster than 5k pace), 1 minute rest; Total- 13 Miles, 76 min
Thursday: 12.5 Miles, 85 min
Friday: 9 Miles, 61 min
Saturday: 10 x 3 min (10k-8k pace), 2 min rest; Total- 16.5 Miles, 109 min
Sunday: 16 Miles, 103 min
Total: 87 Miles, 7 runs
All in all, it was a great week. I was feeling a little tired on a few runs but felt very strong in the workouts this week and am really looking forward to the weeks ahead. One more week of solid mileage then it's easy does it for the remainder of the season.
October: 276 Miles
Saturday, November 3, 2007
So much excitement and so much tragedy
Saturday, November 3rd
9:00 AM - Intervals @ Weston
30 min warm up
10 x 3 min, 2 min rest
(10k pace working down to faster than 8k pace by the last few)
29 min cool down
Total = 16.5 Miles, 109 min
Very solid workout today with JLutz, Ryan C, Roland, Brad, and Maloney. The conditions weren't too bad at the start but got progressively worse and worse every minute we were out there. By the last few workouts, when we were running pretty hard, the wind was pushing against us, the rain was coming in from the every direction, and the ground was sliding around beneath our feet. I think these conditions actually helped me with the workout as it made me really dig down deep and be mentally tough. I just imagined it as if I were out on the race course and had to fight through similar conditions. The legs were getting tired but overall, I felt very strong and very confident in my ability to run hard (even when I am very tired).
Today also became a date that so many people will remember for so many reasons. I could probably go on and on about what happened today so I'll just keep things simple with a few important points.
Congratulations to everyone that toed the line at today's Olympic Marathon Trials; just making it to that race is an amazing accomplishment.
Congratulations to Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Brian Sell who will now go on to represent our nation at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Congratulations to our local hero, Nate Jenkins, who placed 7th, beating Meb, and officially making him one of the top marathoners in the country.
Lastly, let us always remember Ryan Shay for his tremendous achievements and for being someone who always worked extremely hard in chasing his dreams and living life the best way he knew how. My heart goes out to Alicia and the rest of his family.
9:00 AM - Intervals @ Weston
30 min warm up
10 x 3 min, 2 min rest
(10k pace working down to faster than 8k pace by the last few)
29 min cool down
Total = 16.5 Miles, 109 min
Very solid workout today with JLutz, Ryan C, Roland, Brad, and Maloney. The conditions weren't too bad at the start but got progressively worse and worse every minute we were out there. By the last few workouts, when we were running pretty hard, the wind was pushing against us, the rain was coming in from the every direction, and the ground was sliding around beneath our feet. I think these conditions actually helped me with the workout as it made me really dig down deep and be mentally tough. I just imagined it as if I were out on the race course and had to fight through similar conditions. The legs were getting tired but overall, I felt very strong and very confident in my ability to run hard (even when I am very tired).
Today also became a date that so many people will remember for so many reasons. I could probably go on and on about what happened today so I'll just keep things simple with a few important points.
Congratulations to everyone that toed the line at today's Olympic Marathon Trials; just making it to that race is an amazing accomplishment.
Congratulations to Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Brian Sell who will now go on to represent our nation at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Congratulations to our local hero, Nate Jenkins, who placed 7th, beating Meb, and officially making him one of the top marathoners in the country.
Lastly, let us always remember Ryan Shay for his tremendous achievements and for being someone who always worked extremely hard in chasing his dreams and living life the best way he knew how. My heart goes out to Alicia and the rest of his family.
Friday, November 2, 2007
And it's on!
$100,000 on the line... I'll take a stab at it!
This was probably the hardest race prediction I've ever attempted. For a running nerd like myself, knowing as much about these athletes as I do, you'd think it wouldn't be that hard. But with this field over a marathon distance, it is so hard to call. I pretty much knew who my top 5 picks were but I couldn't decide on an order... I could realistically see any one of them winning the race. And then predicting the 6-10 was even harder because there were probably 20 guys that I knew I had chance at making those spots. So anyway, after all my considerations, I came up with the following prediction.
1. Abdi Abdirahman
2. Ryan Hall
3. Dathan Ritzenhein
4. Alan Culpepper
5. Meb Keflezighi
6. Brian Sell
7. Peter Gilmore
8. Clint Verran
9. Daniel Browne
10. Ryan Shay
So we'll see tomorrow how well I did, and I'll definitely be in front of my computer at 7:30am to watch it all go down in what will probably be the greatest US marathon race in history. As we all know, the harder a race is to predict, the more exciting it is to watch.
This was probably the hardest race prediction I've ever attempted. For a running nerd like myself, knowing as much about these athletes as I do, you'd think it wouldn't be that hard. But with this field over a marathon distance, it is so hard to call. I pretty much knew who my top 5 picks were but I couldn't decide on an order... I could realistically see any one of them winning the race. And then predicting the 6-10 was even harder because there were probably 20 guys that I knew I had chance at making those spots. So anyway, after all my considerations, I came up with the following prediction.
1. Abdi Abdirahman
2. Ryan Hall
3. Dathan Ritzenhein
4. Alan Culpepper
5. Meb Keflezighi
6. Brian Sell
7. Peter Gilmore
8. Clint Verran
9. Daniel Browne
10. Ryan Shay
So we'll see tomorrow how well I did, and I'll definitely be in front of my computer at 7:30am to watch it all go down in what will probably be the greatest US marathon race in history. As we all know, the harder a race is to predict, the more exciting it is to watch.
Just what the doctor didn't order...
Friday, November 2nd
9:00 AM - 9 Miles, 61 min
Along the river and around the lakes
Was slow getting out the door this morning and feeling a little sluggish. I wasn't sure how far I was gonna go so I stayed close by and just ran along the river path. After a few miles, the legs started feeling lighter and I was moving along rather comfortably so I put in a solid 9 miles.
After the run, I went to my physician's office to get that prescription I needed for the Dex Solution. I actually met with my physician's colleague Dr. Shah, an Indian woman who had a very heavy accent and was a little difficult to understand. First she wanted to know a little bit about me, what I do for a living, etc. I told her some general information but focused on the fact that I was a competitive runner since that was my main reason for needing the prescription. So she says, "Ohh, you do malatons!"
"I do what?"
...."malatons"
"oh, marathons! ....no, not every runner is a marathoner."
She then asked me why I was there and what I needed. I proceeded to give her a thorough lesson on plantar fasciitis, how I've been treating it, and how iontophoresis could help. She wasn't very familiar with this procedure and seemed confused as to what I needed, so she proceeded to try to talk me into getting a cortisone shot. I told her that I did not care to use that method and gave her another lesson on how cortisone shots can actually cause damaging effects to the tissue fiber or worsen the problem down the road if not used in the right circumstances.
She then agreed with me and said she could prescribe the Dex Solution. As she was looking it up in the system, she says, "This is a cream right?", I said "No... I need a 1% injectable solution used for local Iontophoresis" ...5 min later, "ok I think I found it. I'll fax this over to CVS and you can pick it up there". I go to CVS to pick it up and they tell me that they can't give it to me because my physician did not specify any directions for use. They called the office to get them but just got the answering service (not that they would know the directions for use anyway). I told the pharmacist that I would not be the one using it but rather my physical therapist would be applying it using iontopheresis and was fully aware of the application methods. Then, they tell me that the solution prescribed was actually an oral solution, and not the injectable solution that I asked for. So I just gave the pharmacist Holly's number and told them to call her to get any information they needed.
Finally, I received the right solution and the right directions as described by Holly. Then, about 3 hours later, my physician's office calls to tell me that they need the directions for use in order to get my medication. Sparing them the details of their incompetence, I just told them I took care of it and was able to get the prescription I needed just fine. So after all that, I got what I needed but had to spend $15 and an hour of my time just to give my physician a lesson on running injuries.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure this Dr. Shah is very knowledgeable in the field of medicine, but when it comes to running related issues, I think I'll just stick to the specialists.
9:00 AM - 9 Miles, 61 min
Along the river and around the lakes
Was slow getting out the door this morning and feeling a little sluggish. I wasn't sure how far I was gonna go so I stayed close by and just ran along the river path. After a few miles, the legs started feeling lighter and I was moving along rather comfortably so I put in a solid 9 miles.
After the run, I went to my physician's office to get that prescription I needed for the Dex Solution. I actually met with my physician's colleague Dr. Shah, an Indian woman who had a very heavy accent and was a little difficult to understand. First she wanted to know a little bit about me, what I do for a living, etc. I told her some general information but focused on the fact that I was a competitive runner since that was my main reason for needing the prescription. So she says, "Ohh, you do malatons!"
"I do what?"
...."malatons"
"oh, marathons! ....no, not every runner is a marathoner."
She then asked me why I was there and what I needed. I proceeded to give her a thorough lesson on plantar fasciitis, how I've been treating it, and how iontophoresis could help. She wasn't very familiar with this procedure and seemed confused as to what I needed, so she proceeded to try to talk me into getting a cortisone shot. I told her that I did not care to use that method and gave her another lesson on how cortisone shots can actually cause damaging effects to the tissue fiber or worsen the problem down the road if not used in the right circumstances.
She then agreed with me and said she could prescribe the Dex Solution. As she was looking it up in the system, she says, "This is a cream right?", I said "No... I need a 1% injectable solution used for local Iontophoresis" ...5 min later, "ok I think I found it. I'll fax this over to CVS and you can pick it up there". I go to CVS to pick it up and they tell me that they can't give it to me because my physician did not specify any directions for use. They called the office to get them but just got the answering service (not that they would know the directions for use anyway). I told the pharmacist that I would not be the one using it but rather my physical therapist would be applying it using iontopheresis and was fully aware of the application methods. Then, they tell me that the solution prescribed was actually an oral solution, and not the injectable solution that I asked for. So I just gave the pharmacist Holly's number and told them to call her to get any information they needed.
Finally, I received the right solution and the right directions as described by Holly. Then, about 3 hours later, my physician's office calls to tell me that they need the directions for use in order to get my medication. Sparing them the details of their incompetence, I just told them I took care of it and was able to get the prescription I needed just fine. So after all that, I got what I needed but had to spend $15 and an hour of my time just to give my physician a lesson on running injuries.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure this Dr. Shah is very knowledgeable in the field of medicine, but when it comes to running related issues, I think I'll just stick to the specialists.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Just what the doctor ordered
Thursday, November 1st
4:30 PM - 12.5 Miles, 85 min
Fells plus add on by the river
Nice and easy today. Other than the usual little aches and pains, the legs felt pretty decent. Felt fully recovered from yesterday's workout which was comforting.
On another note, I haven't really talked much about how PT has been going. I'm still seeing Holly twice a week and will probably do so until my allowed number of visits have been used. Even though I'm not seeing drastic changes, I think the things we've been working on have helped a lot. Holly's been great and has put a lot of effort into getting this thing better. Along with wearing the boot at night, every week will be something new and more challenging for me so there's a nice progression in the exercises and strength work. It also keeps things from getting old.
Today she mentioned that she'd like to try iontophoresis with a dexamethasone solution. This will help by medicating the injury directly and will work deeper than just the ultrasound and stim treatment. The only thing with that is I have to get a prescription from my primary physician. Since I was just assigned a random PCP with my new health plan, I figured it would take a while to get in and see him. Luckily for me (and very surprisingly so), I was able to get an appointment for tomorrow morning. I'm sure it wont take very long as he'll probably just agree that I have plantar fasciitis, he'll prescribe the dex solution, I'll pay the $15 co-pay and be on my way. He may also try to make some other suggestions that he thinks I haven't thought of in order to make himself sound useful. Things like "maybe you should take a break from running" or "your shoes might be the wrong support for you". In which case, I'll just say thanks for the help and keep walking. But then again, he could surprise me and actually know something about running injuries. I guess we'll find out tomorrow.
Now, I need to go figure out my top ten prediction for saturday and win myself some money.
4:30 PM - 12.5 Miles, 85 min
Fells plus add on by the river
Nice and easy today. Other than the usual little aches and pains, the legs felt pretty decent. Felt fully recovered from yesterday's workout which was comforting.
On another note, I haven't really talked much about how PT has been going. I'm still seeing Holly twice a week and will probably do so until my allowed number of visits have been used. Even though I'm not seeing drastic changes, I think the things we've been working on have helped a lot. Holly's been great and has put a lot of effort into getting this thing better. Along with wearing the boot at night, every week will be something new and more challenging for me so there's a nice progression in the exercises and strength work. It also keeps things from getting old.
Today she mentioned that she'd like to try iontophoresis with a dexamethasone solution. This will help by medicating the injury directly and will work deeper than just the ultrasound and stim treatment. The only thing with that is I have to get a prescription from my primary physician. Since I was just assigned a random PCP with my new health plan, I figured it would take a while to get in and see him. Luckily for me (and very surprisingly so), I was able to get an appointment for tomorrow morning. I'm sure it wont take very long as he'll probably just agree that I have plantar fasciitis, he'll prescribe the dex solution, I'll pay the $15 co-pay and be on my way. He may also try to make some other suggestions that he thinks I haven't thought of in order to make himself sound useful. Things like "maybe you should take a break from running" or "your shoes might be the wrong support for you". In which case, I'll just say thanks for the help and keep walking. But then again, he could surprise me and actually know something about running injuries. I guess we'll find out tomorrow.
Now, I need to go figure out my top ten prediction for saturday and win myself some money.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Speedier stuff
Wednesday, October 31st
6:00 PM - Workout w/ JLutz, Ryan C, Brad, Maloney
BC Reservoir
24 min warm up
2 x 5 min @ "tempo" pace, 2 min rest
10 x 1 min @ faster than 5K pace, 1 min rest
16 min cool down
Total = 13 Miles, 76 min
So this was a shorter than usual workout but it was much faster than what we've been doing. The first 5 min interval was really comfortable and probably right at 5:00 pace. The second interval started about the same but ended at closer to 4:40 pace. This could be a combination of both Justin and I pushing the pace but I think Justin did a bit more leading than I did. It was good though; we were both feeling good and just decided to work a little harder than planned. This carried through to the 1 min intervals. They should have been at about 14:30 5K pace and were probably closer to 14:00 pace. It's hard to tell on the dirt and in the dark but we knew we were going faster than the workout stated. Not a big deal, it still felt pretty controlled and since it's a shorter workout, it shouldn't stick around in my legs for too long.
6:00 PM - Workout w/ JLutz, Ryan C, Brad, Maloney
BC Reservoir
24 min warm up
2 x 5 min @ "tempo" pace, 2 min rest
10 x 1 min @ faster than 5K pace, 1 min rest
16 min cool down
Total = 13 Miles, 76 min
So this was a shorter than usual workout but it was much faster than what we've been doing. The first 5 min interval was really comfortable and probably right at 5:00 pace. The second interval started about the same but ended at closer to 4:40 pace. This could be a combination of both Justin and I pushing the pace but I think Justin did a bit more leading than I did. It was good though; we were both feeling good and just decided to work a little harder than planned. This carried through to the 1 min intervals. They should have been at about 14:30 5K pace and were probably closer to 14:00 pace. It's hard to tell on the dirt and in the dark but we knew we were going faster than the workout stated. Not a big deal, it still felt pretty controlled and since it's a shorter workout, it shouldn't stick around in my legs for too long.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Celebrity spotting
Tuesday, October 30th
4:30 PM - 10 Miles, 67 min
Fells
Legs were tight and heavy starting out but felt better towards the end. I just kept the pace at cruise control and tried to keep things relaxed.
I also saw Lindsey Scherf out on the trails walking her dog. Lindsey is the US Junior 10,000 meter record holder and recently ran a marathon "for fun" in which she qualified for the Olympic Trials with a 2:41. She's definitely a name to look for over the next couple years. (However, I know my friend KG has taken a few victories over her)
On another note, I didn't realize this until afterward when I looked at the results, but Delilah Dicrescenzo (the girl that inspired the song 'Hey there Delilah') was 5th in the womens race on Sunday.
These are the only interesting things I've got today, but I might have more to talk about as we get closer to the trials this weekend.
4:30 PM - 10 Miles, 67 min
Fells
Legs were tight and heavy starting out but felt better towards the end. I just kept the pace at cruise control and tried to keep things relaxed.
I also saw Lindsey Scherf out on the trails walking her dog. Lindsey is the US Junior 10,000 meter record holder and recently ran a marathon "for fun" in which she qualified for the Olympic Trials with a 2:41. She's definitely a name to look for over the next couple years. (However, I know my friend KG has taken a few victories over her)
On another note, I didn't realize this until afterward when I looked at the results, but Delilah Dicrescenzo (the girl that inspired the song 'Hey there Delilah') was 5th in the womens race on Sunday.
These are the only interesting things I've got today, but I might have more to talk about as we get closer to the trials this weekend.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Gettin' chilly
Monday, October 29th
9:00 AM - 10 Miles, 69 min
Fells - up to the North Res and back
The October weather has finally arrived. For the first time this season, I had to wear a hat and gloves for my run. Yesterday was gorgeous for the race and then the temp dropped about 25 degrees today. My legs were feeling pretty tired from yesterday so I just kept things real easy which will most likely be the theme for this week.
Quote of the day:
"By now, most of the hard training is done—just a couple more weeks to go until race time. Over 120 guys will show up on that line outside NBC studios (maybe I can get Matt Lauer's autograph) ready to roll. They'll have done high triple digit mileage weeks, 12 mile tempo runs, and endless hill repeats. I have a secret weapon, though. Something the other 119 guys don't. I've been watching the 'Today' show every morning before I go running. That kind of dedication can't be coached into someone, it comes from the heart, and I'll be counting on that when November 3 rolls around."
-Joe Driscoll (Zap Fitness)
9:00 AM - 10 Miles, 69 min
Fells - up to the North Res and back
The October weather has finally arrived. For the first time this season, I had to wear a hat and gloves for my run. Yesterday was gorgeous for the race and then the temp dropped about 25 degrees today. My legs were feeling pretty tired from yesterday so I just kept things real easy which will most likely be the theme for this week.
Quote of the day:
"By now, most of the hard training is done—just a couple more weeks to go until race time. Over 120 guys will show up on that line outside NBC studios (maybe I can get Matt Lauer's autograph) ready to roll. They'll have done high triple digit mileage weeks, 12 mile tempo runs, and endless hill repeats. I have a secret weapon, though. Something the other 119 guys don't. I've been watching the 'Today' show every morning before I go running. That kind of dedication can't be coached into someone, it comes from the heart, and I'll be counting on that when November 3 rolls around."
-Joe Driscoll (Zap Fitness)
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Mayor's Cup and a New PR
Sunday, October 28th
22 min warmup
Mayor's Cup 8K - 24:30 -NEW PR (4:43, 5:02, 4:55, 5:05, 4:45)
19 min cooldown
Total = 11 Miles, 66 min
Today was the Mayor's Cup XC Race and the official start to my cross country season. Mayor's Cup is one of the coolest, most competitive post collegiate XC races in the country. Outside of the US Championships and Club Nationals, there aren't many post collegiate cross races that draw as much talent as this one does. Everything today went very well. The weather was perfect, the course had dried off from yesterday's rain and I was able to execute the race I had planned on. I actually haven't been feeling that great on daily runs over the past week and was nervous about how I would perform today. However, I knew that I had put in the work and was in shape to run sub 5:00 min pace for 5 miles.
So the gun went off and I went out strong to get position early in what was a quick but fairly relaxed 4:43 mile. Over the next mile, I moved up a few spots and soon found myself in between 2 packs... the leaders who were setting up to run mid 23s and the chasers that were just hoping to pick off those that went out too hard and would come back to us. So for most of the race, I was running solo or with 1-2 other guys. I also wasn't feeling very well after 2 miles so not having a pack to run with made it tough. I just tried to stay relaxed and focus on the next guy up ahead. After hitting 3 miles in 14:40, I knew I had a chance of running a PR but I was feeling pretty tired and was worried that I might blow it. I just kept telling myself that I was in good shape and if I could just get through that 4th mile, I would be able to pull it together for a fast finish. I held strong and ended up passing a couple guys in that mile. I hit 4 Miles in about 19:45 but didn't have anyone in sight to chase down so I had to just go after the time. After I crested the bear cage hill, I was able to see someone up ahead of me so I tried my best to close that gap over the last 800m and fell about 5 seconds short of passing Jarrod Shoemaker (the 2005 winner).
I finished in 24:30 which was a lifetime PR by 2 seconds and a course PR by 51 seconds, good enough for 10th place. This was a huge confidence builder and proved that even when I'm not feeling up to par, I can still execute and race well. I have grown much more confident in my abilities over the past year and I think this is a big step towards accomplishing some of my goals later in the year. The consistency is definitely there so now I just have to wait for that day when I feel great and have a break through performance. I'm feeling pretty confident about my next 2 races this season and hope to show even more progress over those 6 weeks.
I also just want to call attention to a few others that raced well today. In the mens race, former AE rival Andy Allstadt ran a solid 24:51, followed by my friend and former teammate, Kirby Davis who finished in 24:55. There were also solid performances from the NB Boston crowd with Mark Coogan (25:26), Brad Klinedinst (25:35), Ryan Carrara (25:41), Justin Maloney (25:49), Fabian Mejia (26:00), and Mario Fraioli (26:02) to round out a solid top 7. Throw in a few other guys that have been on the sidelines and I think we'll be a strong force at NEs and Club Nats.
On the womens side, leading the way for NB Boston was newbie Kristen Coon (17:30), followed closely by Erin Dromgoole (17:38). Then the trio of Karina Johnson (18:48), Sarah Crispin (18:49), and Catherine Regan (19:05) all ran very well to round out the top 5 and give the team a 4th place finish.
Now we just need the Sox to finish off the series and this great day will be complete.
Training Log (Oct 22-28)
Monday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Tuesday: 10 x HB (Avg=1:47); 13 Miles, 87 min
Wednesday: 10 Miles, 70 min
Thursday: 10 Miles, 67 min
Friday: 8 Miles, 52 min
Saturday: 5 Miles, 35 min
Sunday: Mayor's Cup 8K - 24:30; 11 Miles, 66 min
Total: 63 Miles, 7 runs
Week started out rough but ended much better. Now that I've got my legs back under me and I have 3 more weeks til New Englands, I plan on bumping my mileage back up to 80, hold that for a couple weeks, and then start tapering back over the last 4 weeks going into Club Nats.
22 min warmup
Mayor's Cup 8K - 24:30 -NEW PR (4:43, 5:02, 4:55, 5:05, 4:45)
19 min cooldown
Total = 11 Miles, 66 min
Today was the Mayor's Cup XC Race and the official start to my cross country season. Mayor's Cup is one of the coolest, most competitive post collegiate XC races in the country. Outside of the US Championships and Club Nationals, there aren't many post collegiate cross races that draw as much talent as this one does. Everything today went very well. The weather was perfect, the course had dried off from yesterday's rain and I was able to execute the race I had planned on. I actually haven't been feeling that great on daily runs over the past week and was nervous about how I would perform today. However, I knew that I had put in the work and was in shape to run sub 5:00 min pace for 5 miles.
So the gun went off and I went out strong to get position early in what was a quick but fairly relaxed 4:43 mile. Over the next mile, I moved up a few spots and soon found myself in between 2 packs... the leaders who were setting up to run mid 23s and the chasers that were just hoping to pick off those that went out too hard and would come back to us. So for most of the race, I was running solo or with 1-2 other guys. I also wasn't feeling very well after 2 miles so not having a pack to run with made it tough. I just tried to stay relaxed and focus on the next guy up ahead. After hitting 3 miles in 14:40, I knew I had a chance of running a PR but I was feeling pretty tired and was worried that I might blow it. I just kept telling myself that I was in good shape and if I could just get through that 4th mile, I would be able to pull it together for a fast finish. I held strong and ended up passing a couple guys in that mile. I hit 4 Miles in about 19:45 but didn't have anyone in sight to chase down so I had to just go after the time. After I crested the bear cage hill, I was able to see someone up ahead of me so I tried my best to close that gap over the last 800m and fell about 5 seconds short of passing Jarrod Shoemaker (the 2005 winner).
I finished in 24:30 which was a lifetime PR by 2 seconds and a course PR by 51 seconds, good enough for 10th place. This was a huge confidence builder and proved that even when I'm not feeling up to par, I can still execute and race well. I have grown much more confident in my abilities over the past year and I think this is a big step towards accomplishing some of my goals later in the year. The consistency is definitely there so now I just have to wait for that day when I feel great and have a break through performance. I'm feeling pretty confident about my next 2 races this season and hope to show even more progress over those 6 weeks.
I also just want to call attention to a few others that raced well today. In the mens race, former AE rival Andy Allstadt ran a solid 24:51, followed by my friend and former teammate, Kirby Davis who finished in 24:55. There were also solid performances from the NB Boston crowd with Mark Coogan (25:26), Brad Klinedinst (25:35), Ryan Carrara (25:41), Justin Maloney (25:49), Fabian Mejia (26:00), and Mario Fraioli (26:02) to round out a solid top 7. Throw in a few other guys that have been on the sidelines and I think we'll be a strong force at NEs and Club Nats.
On the womens side, leading the way for NB Boston was newbie Kristen Coon (17:30), followed closely by Erin Dromgoole (17:38). Then the trio of Karina Johnson (18:48), Sarah Crispin (18:49), and Catherine Regan (19:05) all ran very well to round out the top 5 and give the team a 4th place finish.
Now we just need the Sox to finish off the series and this great day will be complete.
Training Log (Oct 22-28)
Monday: 6 Miles, 40 min
Tuesday: 10 x HB (Avg=1:47); 13 Miles, 87 min
Wednesday: 10 Miles, 70 min
Thursday: 10 Miles, 67 min
Friday: 8 Miles, 52 min
Saturday: 5 Miles, 35 min
Sunday: Mayor's Cup 8K - 24:30; 11 Miles, 66 min
Total: 63 Miles, 7 runs
Week started out rough but ended much better. Now that I've got my legs back under me and I have 3 more weeks til New Englands, I plan on bumping my mileage back up to 80, hold that for a couple weeks, and then start tapering back over the last 4 weeks going into Club Nats.
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