The Second Wind

Dominance

2012-01-31T16:38:00.000-08:00

What is Dominant?

During the media frenzy that is Super Bowl Week in America it is impossible to not contemplate the idea of the greatest team, athlete, or era of sport. For Americans we are reminded of dynasties such as the Green Bay Packers (13 League Titles), the Boston Celtics (17 NBA Titles), or even the New York Yankees with an unprecedented 27 titles; Nevertheless we as running fans and addicts know that the world of running holds most likely the greatest dynasty to have ever been seen in any era within any sport. Although our sport engulfs many disciplines and events over the past years it is clear that a Kenyan dominance is not only prevalent, it is here to stay.

Bypassing the breakdown of each distance event, the marathon is a clear indicator of the Kenyan desire to be the greatest in the world. Analyzing the current top marathon times on legal courses the Kenyans have secured 129 of the current top 200 with the earliest being in ’95 with Sammy Lelei in Berlin. Although the world record has only been lowered five times in the new millennium (twice by Kenyans) 26 Kenyans have run under the previous world record of 2:05:42 set in 1999 by then Moroccan Khalid Khannouchi. To put it in American mainstream terms it is like John Elway setting a new single season TD record in 1998, and since then a plethora of generally unknown QBs elevating the record to previously unimaginable heights.

With every great dynasty comes at least one notable rival. The Celtics have Lakers, the Yankees have the Sox, North Carolina has Duke, and the Kenyans have Ethiopia. To every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction. That is not always the case in athletics, however most recently was the great rivalry between Paul Tergat and Haile Gebrselassie where Haile certainly had the upper hand. However as rivalries go Kenya is more like the ’72 Dolphins versus the ’76 Bucs, since Ethiopia can only claim 36 of the top 200 current times in the marathon. That may be an extreme example, but consider the idea that if you remove Haile Gebrselassie from the equation Kenyans hold 19 of the top 25 times in the marathon.

It is easy to disregard the remaining 15 countries in the top marathon performances, because they hold a mere 17% of the top times (the USA only has 5 spots thanks to four performances from Morroccan transplant Khalid Khannouchi). But for any elitist who thinks all other nations are just as valuable, consider this – there are 8 countries with 1 performance, 2 countries with 2 performances, and 5 countries with 3 or more (excluding Kenya and Ethiopia).

Its obvious that ESPN, ABC Sports, and those like John Madden wouldn’t pay tribute to the dominance of Kenya/Ethiopia in distance or even USA/Jamaica in sprints; nonetheless it is a necessity that running “fans”* acknowledge the greatness of a legacy in the making. No one knows how long this dominance will last (especially since ‘12 has already produced 11 of the top 200 times), but it is clear it will not diminish in the near future. It is also apparent that track aficionados do not expect an American, Jamaican, or even Ethiopian dominance to take over the sport in 2012.

Just as Boston controlled the NBA, the Steelers controlled the NFL, and Miami controlled the NCAA; Kenya will continue to assert its dominance. The additional benefit for Kenya is that every current athlete is easily replaceable by literally hundreds of thirsty individuals searching for a path to greatness. They do not pay homage to previous champions or wait for the current legend to retire; instead they strive for their own greatness. This is the simplest formulas for historic performances – desperate athletes + inherent dominance + opportunity = greatness

*Fans is merely in quotes for those of us who follow marathons, sprints, and even field events not just as fans but as addicts and geeks that want the best for the sport. We do everything within our social media and posting capabilities to promote the sport in any way possible

Video Diary Post

2011-06-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

3 days in

2011-06-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

I'm only 3 days in, but I wanted to put out a quick update on how the hour training is going. The first two days I did two and then three runs, and this morning I did a 40 minute 5.7 mile run so I still have a little more to go today. The nicest part of this new initiative is that I have something to work towards. Yesterday around lunch I grabbed some clothes out of the back of my car and went for an impromptu 25ish minute run, and had I not been doing this I would have certainly not thought to do that. So far my legs have been a little tired and very slightly sore, but knowing that I can move at any pace early helps me to get out and moving. I have dropped a couple of lbs in the first 3 days, but I expect that to come back in the form of muscle.

Tomorrow Kauren and I are going to do a small 5k up in Brunswick and then Sunday I can't find a race close enough so I'm going to do one long run for at least an hour. I have added a link to the right to my Garmin profile where I am documenting every run, and I will begin to post some videos later on. Thus far I have done a quick video after every run just to document how I am/was feeling. Feel free to comment with any questions about my training, diet, racing, or general running queries. Stay tuned for more updates, videos, and race reports!

And so it begins

2011-06-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

As the saying goes, its time for a change... After 30 sub-par races this year I have decided to begin a new training program. I have struggled to get back to my normal "competitive" running form. So I am going to take advantage of this opportunity to try (and document) a new training program. The basic idea is to run for an hour every day. It is pretty simple, but it provides a daily tangible goal. After months/years of training alone and without guidance I have realized how important goals and milestones are in running.

There are very few guidelines to my approach, all I have to do is run at least an hour everyday. This can be accomplished in 1 or more runs. I am able to exceed an hour on long days and races, and they will not be supplemented by shorter days before or after. The only exception will be cross training, which must be equal to an hour of running (one hour of cycling is not the same). I have a terrible diet including soda, beer, and lots of red meat and although I hope to improve on my diet I will not drastically change my lifestyle habits. Core and weight training will be minimal as they have been through many of my training cycles. I will continue to over-race (barring injury) because I love to race. Anyone who says I race too much does not understand how much I love to compete and how much I love to be around the running community.

While I travel through this journey I will be documenting my progress (or lack thereof) via video-diaries, blogs, garmin logging, and facebook. As of today I weighed in at a non-muscular 152.5 lbs, while I don't expect that to drop much I think I will see more muscle developed and most likely I will drop to 142-145ish which is my normal racing weight. I hope that this new training idea will rekindle my passion of running, and possibly more importantly my ability to race at a competitive level. When you're stuck in a cloud of mediocrity and uncertainty, sometimes you have no choice but to take a leap of faith into the unknown.

What it takes (part 1)

2011-02-08T06:09:00.000-08:00

In the world we live in we are used to immediate information and precise calculations to complete tasks. So it is no surprise that every runner from the weekend warrior to the world record holder is always asking "What does it take to be a better runner?" Well I don't consider myself an expert in running, nor would I evaluate my opinions as the absolute truth; However I like to think my two cents are worth consideration.

In my brief experience (12+ years) I truly believe the first step in progressing is enjoying yourself and the experience. I'm sure there are elite and sub-elite athletes that have preformed well thanks to natural talent and forced hard work, nevertheless I believe no one can reach their full potential without having fun along the journey. For myself I took racing in college very seriously as though nothing else in the world mattered. Once out of college I was much more relaxed and saw races as an experience and community event. Now did I run better times because I was care free or because my body had developed through years of training? (Which comes first the chicken or the egg?) No one can really say, however I will say that in my first few years of training on my own I did runs 1,2, or 3 times a day because I wanted to and I enjoyed it. I also began to see my competitors as friends and training partners, thanks to racing the same group of guys week in and week out. And lets be honest we all want to finish as high in placing as we can, but without the encouragement of those around you (competitors or not) we don't perform as well. There is nothing more encouraging than when somebody, usually on an out and back course, says "Good Job" or "Looking great!".

I believe that in life as well as running if you remain positive and uphold an optimistic outlook then good things will happen. It is difficult to imagine someone who limps through life every day wondering what terrible things will happen and how "things couldn't be any worse". Lets be honest with ourselves in the face of economic hardships, global turmoil, natural disasters, and so on we Americans have one hell of a good life and we need to start appreciating that. We have the unique opportunity to buy $100+ running shoes, listen to our newest electronic gadget on the run, and go out to do a workout because we may have been consuming too many calories in the last few days. If you can't be positive about life or running, then maybe you need to do some soul searching.

Everyday I wake up around 6am and head out in the dark and cold for 4-7 miles. Do you think for a second I consider that is a difficult task to complete? Instead I'm very thankful that I have the freedom to run as often and as long as I choose. If you can't get happy about that, well go see a therapist, because only someone with more degrees and the ability to write prescriptions can help you.

Motivation over the cold

2011-01-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

Each runner encounters their own individual trials during training; including injury, life changes, illness, or just lack of motivation. But each year we collectively confront one hurdle that impedes us all; Winter weather. After a slew of turkey themed races and fall marathons the cold weather sets in and we as runners have to choose whether we want to gain some “winter fur” or are we willing to push through the wind, snow, and freezing temperatures.

With an absence of area road races and numerous reasons not to step out that front door, it’s always easy to stay in bed a little longer or brew up a cup of your favorite hot beverage. However is it worth the relaxation and comfort of a cold winter day to sacrifice spring PR’s? We all know that in the spring there are an endless number of races and that is the time when we all realize how lazy or proactive we’ve been in the winter. With marathons like Boston and the National Marathon (D.C.) does anyone really need motivation? Ok I understand everyone is not running major marathons this spring, how about your big local 10k or Half Marathon? Each runner has their own scenario, but the underlying theme is that you/we need to just look to the near future for motivation.

Once that motivation is achieved its simple. Make sure you have the proper gear depending on your region of training. For me, I use anything and everything to make a run comfortable. My winter attire usually includes long thermal tights, lightweight training gloves, arm warmers, smart wool socks, my favorite Brooks running jacket, and depending on the time of day either a nice winter cap, or ski mask. Everyone has his or her own preference, for myself I like to be as warm as possible without feeling bulky.
Now that you are properly equipped my best suggestion is to assemble a crew of friendly local runners, so that you don’t have to do this alone. If you’re like me and you don’t have that luxury your favorite iPod will do the trick. However, if you choose your iPod please choose positive and “pace-perfect” music. On my long runs I enjoy very calm/relaxed artists, whereas for tempo runs and track workouts, I prefer up-tempo/high-rhythm music.

Beyond all these suggestions I suggest everyone take running one day at a time. No runner skipped straight from beginner to their lifetime PR, and each journey is traveled one step at a time. One of the great things about running is that without training there are no short cuts (unless you actually cut a race course, at which time you should be stoned by the running community). So as you roll out of bed looking at sub freezing temperatures, Gail force winds, and a sore [insert your own body part] there are enough reasons to force yourself out on that run. Whether its that big spring road race, fitting into a wedding dress you bought 2 sizes too small, or achieving the New Year’s Resolution everyone said you couldn’t achieve there is always a horde of things that can motivate you.

All I ask is that no runner let old man winter get in the way of your goals. Even if you reside in a remote location where it is deemed impossible to run outdoors, at least go find a treadmill or some means of cross training. Because at the end of the season there is only one person to blame…

Sooner or later God's gonna cut you down

2010-12-19T11:13:00.000-08:00

After a less than mediocre week of running and a late night out with the Liberty Hospitality crew on thursday (2 hours of sleep) I was not super excited about doing a race on saturday morning. However the SVR Winter Series is one of my favorite running event of the year. Its 8 races in the greater Winchester area and its a great way to stay in shape over the winter; but more importantly its a great chance to make friends in the running community. So this week's race was the Jingle Bell 5k down at Blandy Farm in Boyce Va. The course was mostly snow covered, but fairly flat. In my warm-up I felt smooth and excited to run but I knew that would change at the start line. I hopped out to quick first mile and then settled in for the 2nd and 3rd. I didn't have a watched on so I have no clue of spilts, but if I had to guess it was probably like 5:05, 5:20, 5:30. It was a quality workout and I look in the future to do as many races in the upcoming weekends as I can to try to get some workouts in, however this is not an easy time of year to find races. After the race I went on a cool-down with Matt and Chuck for about 3-4ish miles. All in all it was a good day of running, with a solid race from Kauren and another victory.

This morning I decided to try out my new yak-traks, thanks to our snow covered roads. It was quite odd to run with them underneath my trainers but I would have to say I didn't slip at all. I think I would only use them in extreme conditions, but after last year's massive snow fall I felt that it was a quality product to own. Before I headed out on my run I downloaded a quality tune from Johnny Cash (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxh-FfElY0M) which I shall dub my song of the run for the day. Its an excellent running tune and besides that point, pretty much all Johnny Cash music is amazing..... so for this winter I promote all my running geeks to get yak traks and Johnny Cash Tunes, it will lead to better running...

Against all odds....

2010-12-12T13:13:00.000-08:00

As we hit the road Friday morning to head south to Charlotte NC for the USATF Club XC Nationals, we began to realize that the odds were against us to get to the race and run as a full team. I won't got through the details of all that went down in 48 hours but lets just say it wasn't the easiest travel, race, or experience in general that I have had in my life.

At multiple points we had a full women's and men's team for Runners' Retreat Elite, however due to injuries and scheduling we ended up with 5 men and 4 women. In my past two National Championship experiences I had come in with sub-par fitness and little confidence.... and Dec. 11, 2010 was not very different. I would say I have had a few progressive weeks and am headed to some good times in the upcoming months, but I wasn't ready for this race. After an official USATF team DQ on the start-line thanks to a uniform issue I toed the line with my teammates and headed out with zero expectations. Within the first mile I my chip shoe came untied and I was spiked once in each shin (great start). After rolling through the first mile in 5:07, I chose to stop and tie my shoe with 5.2 miles ahead of me. In the time I lost about 70 places, and immediately jumped up to quickly regain ground. Thanks to that brief stop I came through 2 miles in 5:36. At about a mile and half I saw teammate Ben Ingram about 6 spots ahead of me and I used him to work through the upcoming miles. We both seemed to move up 20-25 spots through 4.5 miles. Unfortunately I developed a bad cramp at mile 3 and was only able to hold it off past 4 miles. Shortly after that I slowed considerably, running my 5th mile in 5:55 and 6th in 5:48. I crept to the finish in 35:07, not something I like to write home about.

As I walked away from the finish area I spoke to a few running friends and took a slow (unhappy) walk back to the tam camp. As I walked back I started to have a bit of an "out-of-shape" runners revelation, before the race I had zero expectations and knew I wasn't going to run well. So I need to understand that not every race can be an amazing one. So I regrouped, enjoyed a cool down with my teammates and just enjoyed the experience. I look at that race as a solid workout that will help me in the future.

After my first margarita and a team Four Loko event, I am very excited about the prospect of future team events. Between Ben, Andy, and I I hope we will begin to get together for team workouts; and in the spring I will be looking for more team competitions. I have spent a majority of the past 4 years training alone, and though it has worked well for me the sky is the limit for how much better I can be with help.

Darkest before the Dawn

2010-12-08T15:13:00.000-08:00

Last night I awoke at 12:50am after having gone to bed at 8:00pm, and I just could not go to sleep. So I went downstairs and decided to watch The Dark Knight because it was within an arms reach and I hadn't watched it in a while. Now I'm no more a fan of cliche movie one liners than the next guy, but one of the themes/lines in the movie is "The night is darkest just before the dawn". As I set out on my morning run well before dawn, that line began to fester in my mind. I did not contemplate how all things seem to be the worst before they can be better, instead I thought that in running and in life we must go through trials and dark times to truly appreciate the light.

For the past few months I have been more than out of shape, grasping at the dream of being back to my old ways of enjoying running and racing every weekend. I sat around in a hypothetical cesspool of my own self pity and runners depression. When runners around me began to report PR's, high mileage, and the occasional runner's high I became jealous... but more importantly I realized that I take for granted my ability to run long, fast, and free. As I completed my very early morning run today just shy of 9 miles I felt as euphoric as I did Sunday crossing the finish line first with the clock reading 15:57. I will be first to admit that I often think the grass is greener on the other side in all aspects of life running, jobs, finances, etc.; however this morning I took a second to sit on my porch and appreciate the fortune I have been blessed with.

I am blessed with a loving girlfriend who would go to the ends of earth for me.
I am blessed with a family that would sacrifice all aspects of life to see a smile on my face.
I am blessed with friends who think first of those around them, long before themselves.
I am blessed with my health and the freedom to stride carelessly each weekend in races with gracious friends and competitors.
I am blessed with a job that allows me the freedom to look to the future and provide for myself and loved ones.
I am blessed.... and am so very thankful

Monday: 4.5 miles @ 5:56 pace, 10 miles on the stationary bike
Tuesday: 5 miles Easy (no watch)
Wednesday: 8.75 miles @ 6:20 pace, 12 miles on the stationary bike

Gettin' the word out

2010-12-05T15:39:00.000-08:00

After nearly a 7 month hiatus on my blog I think its time to return to documenting my running life. And what better time to return than one of the most successful racing weekends that I have had in a very long time. First and foremost lets talk about what has happened since I got back into running a few months ago. I started running again in mid August. My first "race" participation was helping pace Matt Lofton at the Leesburg 10k, the following week I disgracefully jogged through the Annapolis Ten-Miler. Since then I have had a few sub-par races including the Philly RnR Half, however there have been a few glimpses of hope like the Frederick Fair 5k (16:15) and Purcellville Turkey Trot (17:31 for 3.35 miles). This is all a culmination of half-assed training and zero real workouts.

Fast forward to this weekend, Saturday was the first SVR Winter Series race (for anyone within 50 miles of winchester come out and participate, info at svrrunners.org). It was a "trail" race on the third battlefield at Millbrook High School, flat stony trail in the cold winter weather. At the start I questioned my fitness and wanted to sit back and just get the win, but as we left the start line I took the lead and decided to hit the first half hard. After hitting halfway and looking behind me to see no competition I laid off the pace and settled in. I rolled to a 16:30 (maybe my fastest winter series 5k), with 2nd rolling in about a minute behind. I was a little winded from the first half (running about 15:50 pace), but was very pleased with the win.

After working early on Sunday I went out to Innwood, WV for a 2pm race for the South Berkeley Christmas Parade 5k. My legs did feel a bit tired after logging 11 miles the day before but I was excited to run my first back to back race weekend since last spring. After doing some meet and great and the start line with some of the SVR regulars I realized that I could either ran hard alone or relax and take a slow win. At the "G word" I jumped out to an early lead, at the first mile I was 300-400m ahead of the next runner. I decided to just try to run for time and see if I could comfortably get under 16 minutes. After hitting what I though was the 2nd mile in 11:03 I thought I was running slow, only to find out the 2nd mile was way long. I just opened the stride and followed my lead car, and after a "legit" kick in the final 200m I just crept in under 16 with a 15:57. Now I know it was a small race with no competition, but it felt sooooo good to be back under 16 and get the win in front of a big crowd.

Next weekend I'm running at the USATF Club XC Nationals with my good friends at Runner Retreat. I would like to run somewhere around or better than my 33:24 last year. I will do my best to update my running life day to day. For those who continue to read and follow.... thank you. And post some comments and thoughts!

How many steps in a journey?

2010-05-27T10:22:00.000-07:00

Tuesday I got in a solid 3-4 miles of running, followed by 7 miles on the stationary bike. And yesterday I was super cautious about whether or not I had given my leg enough time off.... so I didn't run, but instead got in 8 miles on the bikes at 19.7 mph, spent 15 minutes in the pool (aqua-jogging, swimming, and treading), and finished up with some ab work while watching PTI.

Though I still know I have a long way to go, its encouraging to take slow steady steps to get back to where I've been. The difficult (and rewarding) thing about running is that there is very little room for shortcuts or cheating. When you step on the line for a race you've either done the work or you haven't, and the results are very honest about your fitness level. While working out yesterday I had a flashback to college when we would pull all nighters to prepare for exams or finish papers, and I thought about how running is very much the opposite of that... You cannot pull all all-night workout to get ready to run a PR in the 10k. Heck you couldn't even ramp up your miles the week before a race to improve your fitness. Instead you must work hard then relax, which may be why the sport is so intriguing to me. Finding that balance between destroying your body and allowing it to rest is the eternal struggle of every runner seeking those faster times. For now I will try to maintain my balance and hope that I don't fall off.

Smarter than your average bear

2010-05-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

Its pretty undeniable that once I am back and training, my immediate desire is to be in top shape and burn through my PRs. However in order to get back into form and stay healthy I must use some smarts... So thats why I hit the stationary bike for 30 minutes tonight. Though I am confident that my leg is healing or has healed just fine, I am taking every step cautiously. Tomorrow I will hit the roads/trails again and get back to running, but no matter how much I am training on any given day one thing remains constant... my track geekiness. So until I have some of my own race results to report I will be relying on the pros to keep my readers drawn to competition. So I leave you with the 2007 Pre 2 mile... a stellar race from Craig Mottram, but more importantly Ritz and Teg (future sub 13 5kers)

Back in da Game

2010-05-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Well its been a long time since my last post, and its been a long road of being out of shape and unhealthy. I will give the abbreviated story and then move on. A week after my Half Marathon win in Leesburg I headed out for a long exploratory Saturday run on the AT. I ended up running about 16.5 miles of up and down hilly/rocky miles, which I thought my body could handle; but after the run and the next day I felt a very distinct pain in my lower left leg. Having had 4 stress fractures in the past I knew exactly what the feeling was. So for the next week I didn't run at all and did some stationary cycling. The following Saturday I attempted to run the Apple Blossom 10k in Winchester. All the way up to the start I thought my leg might be ok, but after a 5:00 first mile and a "violent" downhill portion of the second mile it did not feel good. So for the first time in 12 years of running I dropped out of the race. It was one of those lowest of low points in my running career. I was pleased with my willingness to make a smart decision, but I was disappointed with the road ahead.

So for 17 days I didn't run, and with my work schedule I barely got in any exercise. But last Saturday I got back onto the path to being fit by running/walking 2.5 miles. Since then I have run a total of 21ish miles and leg still feels to be healed. To play it safe I will be very slowly increasing my miles and I am still taking a calcium supplement to be safe.

It seems that 2010 will go down as the year of set-backs. First the major snow in Jan./Feb. and now a few weeks away from training when I wasn't in very good shape to begin with. But my goals still remain.... Try to run as many races as possible (but I may stay away from anything above 10k until the fall)... And of course just continue to enjoy running.

My return to racing will occur on Memorial Day with the Loudoun Street Mile. I don't plan on being in very good shape but its the big Runners' Retreat race of the year. Then the only other race on the itinerary is the YAIAA Alumni Track meet on June 12th at Central York High School. So once I am ready for workouts it looks like I might have to do some speedwork.

www.loudounstreetmile.com
YAIAA Alumni Meet

LAWS Run for the Shelter Half Marathon

2010-04-18T13:59:00.000-07:00

After a week of cautious runs and uncertainty about my knee I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to race this weekend, let alone run a half marathon. But with any race that I won the previous year, its hard to not come back and run. So the plan was to get out relaxed and just enjoy the race. With $200 up for grabs for the win I thought there might be some higher elite runners show up, but as I looked around this morning I didn't see anyone.

Andy Marrocco, fellow member of the RRE team and coach at Shenandoah University, was out at the race and joined me from the start. We jumped off the line and headed out at conversation pace for the first mile and still had 20-30 seconds on the rest of the field. As we passed through the first mile in 5:50ish I quickly realized that I wanted to pick up the pace. We went through the next 5 miles in 5:40ish pace (the mile markers were very sparse). I broke away at the hill before 287 I started to pick it up a little more and dropped down to 5:25-5:30 pace for the next 3-4 miles, to try to run a decent time for the day.

The only benefit to an out and back course is the encouragement of oncoming runners, it gave me enough motivation to push until the final 5k. Also it gave me a chance to catch a glimpse of Kauren who is finally becoming a bit of a distance runner, by just randomly jumping into a half (rather than worrying about training for 6 weeks from the race). At that point I decided to back off and not push the pace as hard, to save my body more than anything. And I ended up finishing in 1:14:43 for the win (20 seconds slower than B&A). Kauren had a solid day running 1:45:53, her second fastest half. The positive point to take away from the race was that my knee felt fine and I think with a little more training I'll do just fine in a marathon. I will continue to race as much in the upcoming weekends as long as my knee feels fine. Today marks race number 14 for the year.

Every step counts

2010-04-12T19:01:00.000-07:00

After yesterday I didn't know whether to run or just rest. No surprise I decided to head out for a run after work. My knee still felt a little off, but I was more so sore from the pounding of 10 miles on my quads. I got in a nice 6-7 miles, which was longer than I had expected. I have been icing my knee as much as possible, and just hoping thats all I have to do.

In other, more important, running news. The rotterdam marathon this past weekend produced some monstrously huge times. Including a 2:04:48 (4th fastest time ever) and American Magdalena Lewy-Boulet was 2nd in a huge PR of 2:26 (faster than Kara Goucher thus far). If you get a chance you can watch it on universalsports.com.... glorious

Cherry Blossom 10 mile

2010-04-11T17:47:00.000-07:00

This race was certainly a last minute decision. I had emailed the race director to inquire about a late seeded entry, when I was granted the entry I felt the need to get out there and give it an honest effort.

I traveled down to Alexandria on Saturday night to crash at Matt's place to ease the stress of the following morning. After a very late dinner and staying up to catch a little of "Son in Law" and "Bolt" I finally wondered off to bed. In the AM I awoke to the "Gimme that fliet of fish sandwich" song thanks to screwing with my new phone before hitting the hay. So I quickly hopped out of bed, got my bearing together, made some oatmeal and gatorade, then proceeded towards the metro at 5:50ish. I got to the start area around 6:30 and get my late packet pick-up and a last chance visit to the port-o-shanty. After a quick warm-up and a visit to the bag check I headed towards the start and somehow weaseled my way to the front line (well I was actually behind the first row of Kenyans).

My only goal was to get out at 5:30 pace and see how I felt. Well I went with the flow from the start and although I felt relaxed I went through the first mile 5:15. I knew it was quick but I just tried to settle in and keep rolling, The second mile was a little more conservative in 5:25. In the third mile my knee started to act up and began to realize that I either needed to back off and turn this into a long run, or just stop completely. I have never DNF'd in a race and I wasn't going to start today. So from there on out I just tried to hang around 5:30 pace. I was good through 6 miles, but starting in mile 7 I began to reconsider how much I might be hurting myself. So in mile 7, 8, and 9 I ended up pulling of the course momentarily to walk it off. I surprisingly ended up running my second fastest mile for mile 10, which I certainly didn't try.

Splits:
1 - 5:14
2 - 5:25 (10:40)
3 - 5:24 (16:04)
4 - 5:29 (21:33)
5 - 5:30 (27:04)
6 - 5:30 (32:34)
7 - 5:53 (38:27)
8 - 5:54 (44:22)
9 - 5:54 (50:16)
10 - 5:23 (55:39)

After the race I tried to lay down for a little while, and ice my knee. I didn't do a cool down assuming that it would be no good for my knee. By the time I had driven home my knee had stiffened up big time. I spent the afternoon laid up on the couch trying to ice. I suppose the next week will be taken a day at a time and see if I have any legitimate injury...

A week gone missing

2010-04-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

I've been a little neglectful of my blog this week. I think it was partly due to workload but more so due to the lack of training and a slight injury. But I'll do a quick run down of the week.

Monday: 7 miles easy, 20 minutes Stationary Bike
Tuesday: 4 mile easy, core work
Wednesday: 2 miles easy, 5 mile tempo @ 5:30, 2 miles Easy
Thursday: 5 miles easy
Friday: 9 miles easy, core work
Saturday: 4.5 miles easy

After last weekend's long run I started to feel a little tweak in my left knee, as the week went on it didn't get any better. After my 5 mile tempo on Wednesday I tried to take it easy with the Cherry Blossom 10 miler on Sunday. But with sunday looming I don't think I gave my knee proper rest.

Hippity Hop, the day of salvation

2010-04-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

When this week began the goal for Sunday was to get in a 15ish mile run. But since I went much longer than expected yesterday (14.5) plans sort of changed. So on this Easter morning after I arrived home from church with the fam I decided to go out and just enjoy the glory of the day. It was a beautiful day with a wonderful temperature and there have been few runs that I have enjoyed as much as today's. I headed down towards the Red Lion/Dallastown area and just did a long looping run around southern york. I actually put a bunch of old worship songs on my iPod for the run.. I guess I was inspired by the day and the Easter service at church. The run ended up being 9.2 miles, which was short of my initial goal however it caps off a solid weekend.

I admit my legs were a bit tired from yesterday, but I still felt so fit. And through the whole run I envisioned just owning the Bob Potts Marathon in May (which would be awesome). After the run I quickly changed clothes and went straight to do some yard work with Pops. We worked for a few hours until we were called inside for Easter Dinner. Shortly thereafter I had to leave to drive back to VA. It was a solid day; church with mom and dad, gloriously freeing run around york, manual labor in the backyard, and a delicious dinner with my family. Can't ask for much more than that...

This is your life

2010-04-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

Back home for easter weekend I thought about running a 5 mile race nearby. But I decided to go out with some good old hometown friends for some drinks last night and we didn't get home til about 1:30 am. So as much as I love to race each weekend these days, I chose not to race and instead get some extra sleep and get in a nice longer run.

So I rolled out of bed around 8 ish, grabbed a little fuel and stretched. With no route in mind an no watch to keep track of distance/time I just decided to head down market street and take a look at my old stomping grounds. It ended being a very nice run at a decent pace, but more importantly it was good to get back and see the places I grew up in.

Its not that I have been gone from PA all that long, but most of the major events in my life happened in this town and thats gotta count for something. It was enjoyable to be able to stroll stride for stride past the house I had my first homecoming photos taken, the intersection where I got my first (and only) ticket, etc. Although I have been in VA for almost 4 years now, I still feel like a bit of an outsider. In York I've always felt at home (easy for me to say since I lived here for 20ish years).

Any-who... I still plan on running long tomorrow assuming my legs feel fine. Since I am in town I might head down to the Bob Potts Marathon course to give it a try and get ready for that race in May.

Exploratory run

2010-04-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

The only goal today was get out and enjoy a nice 6-10 mile run. I headed through leesburg at a fairly brisk to casual pace. After making a long loop around the outskirts of town I headed across Childrens Rd. to the Nature preserve and found a nice pass into a large hilly neighborhood between Rt. 7 and Dry Mill Rd. I explored around there for a while finding lots of huge houses and then found a way to get on the bike path. I took the path back to old town Leesburg and then headed straight back to the hotel. It was a very pleasing 8ish mile run. Once I got back to the hotel I grabbed some fluids and did some core work.

After a long week mentally, I am packing it in tomorrow and heading back to PA to spend Easter with my family and enjoy a little SWM reunion time. Along the way I may run the Sauder Egg 5 mile run in Lititz, but as much as I love racing I don't know that this race is worth running. After multiple low key races this year I am sort of ready to focus on bigger races. I just got a seeded entry into the Cherry Blossom 10 miler next weekend, so I'd like to run well there and if that means taking this weekend easy then I am very much willing and able.

Time Crunchin'

2010-03-31T18:47:00.000-07:00

It was a long day with very few windows of opportunity to get away for a run. So as soon as I had the chance I quickly changed clothes and grabbed my green silence for a quick hard run. With limited time I decided to shoot for quality rather than quantity. While I am still without a GPS watch and have no mile markers I just decided to go hard for a 5 mile loop that incorporated the W and OD trail. I'd have to admit that I went significantly harder than I regularly would for a 5 mile run, but it felt good to push it on the run. I ended up completing the full 5 miles in 27:15 (which would have been near a PR back in college). I had worked up quite a sweat and more importantly I had gotten my heart rate and breathing near capacity for a race effort.

Afterward I didn't even get a chance to cool down or stretch. I grabbed a quick shower and got back to the hotel. Given the circumstances I was very pleased with today's run. I was disappointed a few weeks ago running 26:45 in D.C., so to know that I could go out and run a random solo effort and run near the same time was pretty good. Hopefully tomorrow I will have a little more time to get a decent run in.

Frankie says Relax...

2010-03-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

After a couple of days of solid miles and workouts, today was an easy day. Sometimes it is difficult to take easy days knowing that a lot of work must be done before true progress is made, however you have to be patient and give your body (and mind) a rest every now and again. So I went out for quite a lovely stroll around the greater Leesburg area for 5 miles. It was one of those runs where when I was done I felt like I hadn't done anything at all. But with the mental/emotional stress of work and the strain of recent workouts on my legs; this was the perfect day to run relaxed. Tomorrow I'd like to get in another solid workout in, but I may be short on time.

As for a race this weekend? If I head back to York I might try the Sauder Easter Egg run for the first time. But if I am stuck in VA for Easter there is an 8k XC race in falls church or an 8k in Frederick, Md. I have sadly gotten to the point where I not only enjoy racing constantly, but I feel the need to race at least once each weekend.

Rollin'

2010-03-29T17:09:00.000-07:00

After the past two days I have been very pleased with my recent runs and the work I have been getting in. So I decided to hit another tempo run today. I started with a 2 mile warm-up, and then switched to marathon flats for the tempo. I really didn't have a goal other than staying under 5:40 pace. I hit 4 miles in 22:17 with no real concept of splits or pace. I was very even except for when I hit the turnaround, and I did my best not to look at my watch at all. I felt pretty good once I started to cool down so I did a brief 5 minute jog and went for another mile at "tempo". Instead of an out and back I just made it straight out and I hit the half in 2:35 and the mile in 5:12, which was excellent for me. I felt very controlled and most importantly I can feel my strength coming back to me. Afterward I did 2-3 miles for a cool down, and when I got back to the hotel I did some brief budwinters and jogging in the pool. Days like today are significant baby steps towards my future goals.

I spoke with the Pittsburgh Marathon race director today and he offered me an entry in the relay if I could pull a team together. So the race is on to fill out a team. The only other definite member is Jeremy Brady (a shippensburg alum). Other than that I have a bunch of maybes, so I am looking for committed teammates. I have booked two rooms at the Pittsburgh Hampton Inn and Suites for $29 (yea I know I have some connections) and with a free entry the trip is pretty much paid for. In the meantime shoot me an email or comment on this post if you're interested. If any GRC, PR, Pacers, Fleet Feet runners are interested let me know, we can travel up together from VA on Saturday. I want to win this race outright and set a decent event record.

"When people run in circles its a very, very Mad World"

2010-03-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

If you want to understand the mood of the day just take a listen to "Mad World" by Gary Jules (a tears for fears cover). I was out late last night to see Yoko Says No in Leesburg. I didn't get home til about 1:30 am, which resulted in me sleeping in much later than I am used to. All day it has been overcast and cold... Just a gray slow day. So I required more motivation than usual to get out for my long run. The goal was to get in somewhere between 12-15 miles.

I loaded up a genius generated playlist on my ipod based on "Mad World" which provided me with some quality tunes to keep me at a nice relaxed pace. I find that I will end up running the same rhythm as the music I am listening to, I started to do this for my long runs a few years ago (try it out if you haven't yet).

My loop took me out around Hillsboro, down through Purcellville, and back to the farm. I ran watchless so I don't have any concept of pace or splits, but the run ended up being 14.7 miles which took around 1:40 to complete. My legs felt nice and strong the whole run, and I think I hit another step towards marathon shape today. That extra step is the fact that I actually resorted to consuming a recovery drink after the run(I use Recoverite by Hammer Nutrition). Last spring thanks to recommendations from fellow running geeks I started to use recoverite after long runs, workouts, and races. It helps get proper nutrition into your system quickly at a time when your body is depleted. It also helps me to limit any dehydration/protein deficiency related headaches or digestive issues that might occur shorty after the run. Although I find running to be one of the purest and most simple sports, in recent years I have found that there is a lot of extra gear/products (like recovery drinks) that can assist and getting the most out of yourself.

Trooper Manion 5k

2010-03-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

I made the journey out to Winchester for the Trooper Manion 5k this morning, it is a race put on in memory of a VA State trooper from Winchester who was killed in the line of duty. I ran here last year the day before the St. Patrick's day 8k in D.C. and ran a relaxed 17:30 on a course that ended up being 3.28. Before the start I didn't know if they had adjusted the course to the proper distance, so I was prepared to run a non-5k time (if that makes sense).

After a 2+ mile warm-up I did a few stretches and bud winters, then headed to the start. There was prize money 3 deep so I had no clue if anyone might come out of the woodwork to claim the cash. As I got to the start and did a few striders I started to realize that no one else would probably be under 17:00. As much as I like to know that I've got the win and money in the bag, I sort of wanted some competition to push me and get my time down a little. I have run some slow 5k's this season, but most of them have been near solo efforts. Once we were given our commands, I headed out to the lead and decided to try to push the pace at least through the first half (it was another out and back course). The first mile began with 700-800m on a slight uphill. I rolled through the first mile marker in 4:57, and felt quick but I didn't feel like I was working too hard. When I hit the turnaround I saw that I already had a comfortable lead, and thats one of the hardest times to keep working hard. I must have missed the second mile marker but I would estimate that it was around 5:05ish. I tried to keep the same pace going but I think the turnaround slowed me a little. The final stretch was a long straight and I just did my best to lift my legs and finish strong. I crossed the line in 16:05, but I found out later that the course was somewhere around 3.2 miles. I don't usually bother with the calculations of long/short courses but if it was around 3.2 my 5k would have been more like 15:38-15:47 which I am very happy with on a day like today. Afterward I cheered for a few of the other top guys coming in, and then went out for a 4.5 mile cool down with Matt (who rolled out of bed early this morning just to take some photos of the event, now thats sacrifice). I collected my award and a solid 200 bones for my efforts and headed back towards the farm. Tomorrow I am going to get in a nice long run and try to take another step towards being in shape again.

(I think the event awards suffered thanks to excellent prize money)

New Product Report: The Green Silence

Today was the first tryout for my new Green Silence flats, and I have mixed feelings. I ordered a 10.5 which is what I wear in all my other Brooks Shoes (including the ST Racer), but that size feels quite large for a flat. The cushioning and feel is excellent I still think its the perfect 10 miler and half marathon flat. My feet just didn't feel snug like they should in a flat. I may try to return them for a size 10.

It's been a while...

2010-03-25T16:41:00.000-07:00

When Brooks announced the new Green Silence racing flat, they were rolling it out as a new initiative in eco friendly shoe design. When I received my new Green Silence racing flats yesterday in the mail, it meant to me that it was time to get back to work and stop being such a pansy runner.

So today was that fateful day. I went back to the early stages of marathon training with a tempo run at marathon pace. Usually my tempo runs would just be continuous without stopping and changing shoes. But I wanted to test out my new flats. So I went out for a quick 2.5 mile warm-up, then quickly changed footwear and hit the trail. Because I have been without my GPS watch I had to use mile markers on the trail to measure out the tempo. The goal was 4 miles at 5:40 pace, but because of my lack of workouts and lack of understanding of pace I ended up moving faster than expected. I went trough the first 2 miles in 11:07 and felt relaxed and comfortable so I just kept trying to roll at that pace. My final time was 22:01 (just a second of 5:30 pace exactly). I was slightly tired and had worked up a good sweat, but all-in-all it was an excellent confidence booster. Afterward I went out for a quick cool down of 3.5 miles topping of a solid 10 mile day.

This is the first step in a long journey of getting solid workouts each week to prepare for a marathon in 60ish days. I am racing out in Winchester on Saturday and I hope to get in 13-15 miles on Sunday.

A day off to enjoy running

2010-03-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

I inadvertently took the day off from running by attending a track meet at Loudoun Valley. I even made my way out of work at 4 p.m. (which is the earliest I have left work since starting with the hotels in july). A few years ago I started to help coach the cross country team at Loudoun Valley because of my connection with Chris and Nathan. I was always just the volunteer coach so I would only ever be at practice 2-3 days a week. But there is something special about being able to share my knowledge of running, and experience the highs and lows of high school runners. I had the opportunity to work with the varsity boys through hard workouts and watch them emerge as great athletes. When I started to work again last year I could never find the time to help out with coaching and/or joining the kids for a workout. Well today took me back to how enjoyable it was to be a part of the high school coaching experience. Some of the young kids didn't know how hard to run an 800, and some of the older kids required that emotional support to overcome mental barriers. At the end of the day I rang a few bell laps, yelled hundreds of splits, and had a slew of congratulations/condolences. It brought me back to the basics of running and how enjoyable it used to be to try to teach these kids about running.

This goes back to one of my earlier posts "Work vs. Passion". If I had my way and I didn't have to worry so much about a career and paying the bills, this is exactly what I would do. I would do everything in my power to coach others in running and find the time to enjoy many many miles myself. There is an old quote I learned back in my biblical study days that says something along the lines of "Having the knowledge and not sharing it with others is selfish". Now whether or not that is the correct quote the idea is in the right place. In the meantime I shall continue to run many races and enjoy the running community as often as possible.

New Gear of the Day: Brooks Green Silence!
I am wearing them as I type and I hope to test them out this weekend. My next flat purchase will be the Brooks Launch before the Bob Potts Marathon (which I believe I will be running in May)

2010-03-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

After a very easy day yesterday I "jumped back into the saddle" today. Nothing major but I headed out for a longer than usual tuesday run. I maintained a comfortable but quick pace (if that makes sense) for an 8.5 mile loop around the new Wegman's. Not too long ago I posted about how I love to run in the rain because it so relaxing and freeing.... well today's run in the rain was very much the opposite. I was cold, wet, and drenched from the first mile on. Even though I was a bit miserable and lacked the motivation to run, I still got in a fairly decent run.

As I look forward to the upcoming months, I'd really like to get back to good marathon shape by the end of spring and run a may marathon. Recently it has been a struggle to get in the miles that I need, but I am going to start to try to get super fit again no matter what it takes. I think this will likely incorporate some cross training once my road bike is back in service. In the meantime the goal to race myself back into shape is still in full effect...

Easier said than run

2010-03-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

Today I was a bit sore from yesterday's workouts and the physical strain was accompanied by the mental anguish of a long work day that started early. Every morning at the hotel I start the day by a staff "huddle" to go over yesterdays numbers and events coming up in the next few days. Shortly after concluding today's huddle I took my 2009 SVR Winter Series mug up the hall to get some ice cold water to start the day off right (sorry not a coffee drinker). I made it about 3/4 up the hallway when I heard some guest literally yelling at my front desk clerk. I quickly jumped into action and went to find out what was going on. Turns out the old man (80ish) was yelling because his key cards stopped working and he actually thought the hotel was attempting to lock him out of his own room. For the following 15 minutes I tried to explain to the old fart how these things occur and it was no ones fault in particular, while for those 15 minutes he tried to turn down his hearing aid and yell at me about how it wasn't his fault and ask why he was locked out of his room. Finally I ushered him to his room and showed him the simplest task of sliding a hotel key card in a hotel guest room door to open it. This pretty much set the tone for the day, and even late into the evening I continue to think about this situation.

Any who around 5 I headed out for 5-6 miles super super easy. My quads were still fairly tender and I knew after the past three days that I could use a day of "rest." With the rain falling it was a very nice relaxed and slow run. Along the way I got to witness an "accidental" fire on a tractor trailer in the Days Inn parking lot, which added some slight excitement. When I was done with the run I did some aqua-jogging in the pool and sat in the hot tub ever so briefly.

In my line of work (hospitality or customer service) I have had the unfortunate opportunity to come across certain individuals (like the old man this morning) who seem to hate the world around them and do their best to bring other people down to their cynical/negative level in life. And as I go about my days I wonder what has brought people to this stage of life. Most people who know me know that I am generally a positive fun-loving person.... So when I am forced to deal with incompetent hate-filled people like I did today I begin to wonder what has occurred in these people's lives that make them feel like they must demean another human being like they seem to try. I suppose I am just venting a little about people that have rubbed me the wrong way in my professional life, but the point of my rambling is that as fellow humans there should be a certain level of respect that we pay to each other. So as you encounter people tomorrow in your daily on-goings.... think of how your actions could improve or ruin their day. And as in running always aim to improve.

May the Forerunner 305 rest in pieces

2010-03-21T17:22:00.000-07:00

I arose this morning with two possible options for workouts. Either run 12-13 miles with Matt Lewis or join dad and his buddies for a bike ride. After waiting it out for a little while (and throwing down a delicious Boston Creme donut from Maple Donuts) I decided to hop in with Matt on the long run. I jogged down to stonewood and met him at the Lewis homestead. We started out at a nice relaxed pace and headed out on a nice loop around the greater eastern york area. For the first 4 miles my breakfast choice and yesterday's race weighed me down quite a bit, but that is where it pays to have someone to run with. We just kept chugging along as we discussed the finer points in life. We ended the loop by heading past the famed shoe house and climbing the unforgiving hill that my house resides on. So as we hit about the peak we stopped the clock at 11 miles in 6:55 pace, which I was very pleased with. Had I ventured out on my own for this run I would have gone out too fast and it may have ended up being more like a 5-6 mile run. I would have to admit for the second day in a row I felt quite dehydrated from the irregular rising temperatures.

Run Total: 12 miles in 1:23ish

As I returned home dad called me to see if I wanted to join him and his buddies for a 30-40 mile ride at 1 pm. At first I thought it would be a little painful to double up today, but then I reconsidered and thought to myself that it would be a solid workout. So in the hour between workouts I enjoyed 2 fine pieces of fried chicken and a tall glass of pepsi and just tried to relax a little. Then I was off to workout #2. The ride took us out around Hellam and towards the Susquehanna River. Though the guys I was riding with were significantly older than I, the 12 mile run and my lack of experience as a cyclist helped even the playing field. On each hill we climbed, large or small, my quads went immediately into oxygen debt. We ended up only doing 17.5 miles which I was more than fine with, given the fact that I still had to drive 2 hours back to VA.

This, my friends, is where the story turns dramatic. As we geared down from the ride and got ready to head home, I mistakenly placed my dear Garmin Forerunner on the top of dad's car. In the midst of making sure I gave everyone back their cycling gear I had borrowed, I forgot about my own gear. We drove off and arrived at home, after 15-20 minutes I realized what I had done. I jumped in the car like a mother that had left her child at the mall, and went back to retrace our path. No more than 800m down the road I spotted it laying on the shoulder. I quickly pulled over and hoped out, assuming the running gods had been looking over me. But alas..... as I approached the watch, it was painfully clear that this would be its final resting place. A car had run over it.... and I spent the next 5-10 minutes trying to find ever piece I could. I arrived back home in quite low spirits.

Certain running geeks out there will empathize with my unhappiness. Though this is an expensive piece of exercise equipment, it is more so an extension of my running persona (not to mention a fine christmas gift from my parents). So hopefully I will be gaining a brand new forerunner 405 in the near future, otherwise I may be without GPS tracking on my runs for a little while. Now may we all observe a brief moment of silence for my friend and running mate.....the 305

Indian Rock 10k

2010-03-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

The race ended up being at noon on an irregularly warm day. Before the race my legs didn't seem to feel phased by yesterday's impromptu workout. But I still hadn't decided how I would run the race. Every now and again there are some decent runners at these YRRC winter series races, and there were one or two runners who looked decent. So as we headed off the line I just decided to press the pace early to get some separation and then settle in. After the first mile I relaxed a little more, but by the second mile I started to feel fairly drained. It ended up being one of the longer 10k's that I have run in a long time. As I hit the turnaround (it was straight out and back on the rail trail....terrible) I saw that my lead was still substantial but some young guns seemed to still be trying to catch me. So I just tried to keep rolling at the same pace. I slowed quite a bit in the final mile due to some cramps. But I still got across the line for the win in a not so pleasing 34:11. After a quick cool down I got in a solid 10 miles for the day which I was happy with.

On the lighter side Kauren ran just over 48:00 in the race, probably running near a PR for 5k through one of her 5k splits. She hasn't been able to get in much training either, so its encouraging to see her continue to hit solid times in the races we have been running. Its always nice for the two of us to do races together so no matter what one of us runs, there is a good chance the other one will have a positive run. And if we both have a terrible day.... well, then we can enjoy short-term memory loss together.

Tomorrow is either a nice long run or a 30-40 miles bike ride. To be determined in the AM.

Splits:
1 - 5:04.25
2 - 5:20.90 (10:25)
3 - 5:35.62 (16:00)
4 - 5:32.33 (21:33)
5 - 5:33.44 (27:06)
6 - 5:43.60 (32:50)
10k - 34:11

Steamroller

2010-03-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

I had a long day at work topped off by an incompetent bank worker. So Kauren and I were headed up to York for the weekend and by the time she had made it to the hotel I didn't get a chance to run. Instead of blowing off the run and hopping in the car, I told Kauren to go grab some food and then drive north on 15... meanwhile I was just going to start running north. I just wanted to get in an easy 3-4 miles, as per usual I ended up improvising from the first step. It went from an easy pace to 5:50 pace and from 3-4 miles to 6.2. I felt smooth and my pace was pretty even, so I didn't feel the need to back off. I caught Kauren just south of Lucketts and just hopped in the car and headed to York. Once we got home and I climbed out of the car I was pretty tired.

Tomorrow the goal is to run a local 10k and hopefully getting in some decent miles after the race. And possibly a real long run on sunday.

Splits:
1 - 6:36.89
2 - 5:56.89
3 - 5:37.18
4 - 5:33.71
5 - 5:43.55
6 - 5:38.69
10K - 36:13

Garmin Tracking Info

Multi-tasking

2010-03-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

I ducked out of work earlier than usual to get in a workout before taking Kauren out for her birthday dinner. I had no idea of how long I wanted to run, where I was headed, but I ended up just wandering around leesburg. I got in a solid 6-7 miles at a decent pace. When I got back to the hotel I did 20 minutes on the stationary bike and did some core work while watching some march madness on the tube. Somehow I walked away from this workout feeling lazy, which is a feeling that I can't really explain.

Kauren and I decided to head up to York this weekend to see the rents and enjoy the glory of PA. So while I am up there I think I will partake in a YRRC Winter Series race to get in a workout. There aren't any other races remotely close to where we will be, so there aren't many choices. But I look forward to doing the YRRC 10k because its usually a fun small event. Until later, happy trails!

All work and no play makes johnnny a fat boy

2010-03-17T19:41:00.000-07:00

Well there was no run today. I worked from 8ish in the morning til 8ish in the evening. I am very thankful of my long run yesterday because it sort of makes today's lack of exercise a little reasonable. This is exactly the sort of situation where my career trumps my personal interest. I am thankful that for the most part I have been able to cram in runs within my work schedule, but there are days like today where it isn't possible.

Surprisingly I don't have a race planned for this weekend, and it doesn't look like thats gonna change. So maybe I will get in 2 long runs on both days but we shall see. I ordered my new Brooks Green Silence racing flats yesterday so I am very excited to get them and give 'em a test run. Check the link below for info.

http://www.brooksrunning.com/product/1000161D/Green%20Silence

"At a time when I was trying to hide myself from myself he was there to show me a new way" - Gene the Cook

2010-03-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

Today was a glorious day of letting loose and enjoying the run. I had a long day at work thanks to a visit to my hotel from the owner of our company. He was there to evaluate my progress and basically tell me whether or not I am doing a good job. So needless to say once he had left I was ready to relax a little and blow off some steam. Since I was mentally drained I headed out with the intention of doing a very brief run in town and then head home. But I had one of those moments during my run where I had a choice between the pansy 3-4 mile loop on the left and the adventurous difficult 8-9 miles on the right. Well when I got to that point I didn't even think I immediately went right and started to roll up and down the hilly dirt roads.

Not only did I venture down the long winding road, but I started to pick up my turnover and run around 6:10 pace for a majority of the run. This seems to be a characteristic unique to the mentality of endurance athletes. It may be odd to comprehend the pure enjoyment of choosing the longer more difficult path, but moments like this happen in the lonely life of a long distance runner.

These kind of days are crucial on the road to getting back to race shape. And more importantly finding joy in my daily runs is even more valuable to getting back to race shape. I have always said that the only way that I will maintain the longevity of my running career is if I continue to enjoy it. The moment I can't enjoy running is the moment that I have taken my final step on the roads.

Relax...

2010-03-15T17:49:00.000-07:00

4+ miles easy

Nothing big today, after yesterday's debacle I decided it was time to give my body a quick rest before I try to get serious again. Last night and this morning I felt incredibly tired, and i have to assume that has a direct connection with my lack of rest last week and over-racing the past few weeks.

Although I do intend to jump right back into over-racing as early as this coming weekend, I will grant my body the proper time of rest to ensure that I continue to enjoy my running. My spring racing schedule is starting to unfold and I am looking at quite a few races. The cream of the crop might be the Bob Potts marathon back in good old York, PA. I love going back home more than most things in life, but if I can go home and race on my old "stomping grounds" its even better. I am still looking for a half and maybe a few 10ks in the next few months, on top of the regular random 5ks and such. My plans of running the Tough Mudder in Allentown, Pa May 2nd seemed to have fallen through but I think I might travel out to the Burgh and run the half marathon there for kicks.... we shall see.

On another note those of you that did not see or follow any of the world track and field championships this weekend.... you missed out big time. Catch the video on demand at universalsports.com. Watch Bernard Lagat school the elite field in the men's 3k and the most prolific female pole vaulter take 4th at an average height after winning 7 world/olympic titles and breaking the world record 29 times. Watch it and embrace your true inner running geek!

St Patty's Day 8k

2010-03-14T16:31:00.000-07:00

How did I feel today? See picture to the left.

Well just as I was feeling encouraged and in shape I took a chance on this 8k, which sent my confidence right back down the crapper. The race day was in and of itself a complete disaster. I woke up an hour late after my alarm had been going of from 6:30am to 7:30. When I finally realized what was going on I quickly jumped out of bed, threw in my contacts, and jumped in the car. On the way out I was smart enough to grab a small back of honey bunches of oats... so I wasn't racing on a completely empty stomach. Then I got to the race site and I couldn't find parking so I had to pay to park my car 3 levels below the streets. I ran down to the registration tent to grab my number and then waited in line briefly at the Port O' Johns, where I put on my number and D-Tag. Then I got in a brief couple of Bud Winters before taking my bag to the bag check area. All morning I had a distinct pain in my lower back, which I knew would hold me back throughout the race. But despite all of this, when I finally got to the start line I felt like I could still run a decent race and compete.

Unfortunately I was wrong. I looked at the local elites around me along with the ethiopians and I knew I was in for a long race. This was the first year that the race announced prize money 10 deep, so I could tell that it brought some racers out of the woodwork. As the race started I got out comfortably and just sat in the back of the lead group. After about 1200 meters there was some minor separation between me and the front 12 or so. Knowing my lack of training and their ability I was content to be conservative. I had forgotten my watch so I have no idea of my splits, but through the first and second mile I wasn't far off of the leaders. Then I guess they decided to finally race and everything got strung out. I spent a good 3.5 miles completely by myself.

It was one of those races where I contemplated for 5 miles why I was putting myself through this kind of embarrassment. My legs were tired, and more importantly my spirit was shot like a fat turkey on November 24th. As I finally approached the finish line I saw the clock already said 26:?? and I literally shook my head in disappointment. It felt like a waste of a day and a race, I couldn't believe how short I fell of my basic goal of dipping under 26:00. The only encouraging point was that as I spoke to other runners ahead of me, everyone said they ran significantly slower than expected. It was a rainy and windy day but I have a hard time buying into that.... I am just out of shape at this point. Jogging home in 14th place just doesn't cut it for me.

This marks my 6th race in 3 weeks and I definitely need to spend some time doing real training in the upcoming weeks. I think with the number of miles I ran on Wednesday to Friday, accompanied by yesterday's race it is reasonable to admit that I am tired. Nevertheless I just want to be fast again, and I need to work towards that point...

St Patty's Day 8k Results

Shamrock Scrambler 5k

2010-03-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

I headed out to good old Shenandoah Junction, WV to run a small 5k that benefited Multiple sclerosis. I have really enjoyed doing two races each weekend for the past few weeks and I feel like it has improved my fitness greatly. Though I wouldn't suggest it to everyone...or at least I wouldn't suggest running hard twice a weekend.

The goal was to just run for a "sustained effort" and win. I knew that there was a Jefferson High School runner who has run under 16:00, so I knew that I wasn't going to be able to jog and win. So I was prepared to just sit and kick, or I was even willing to let him go if he went out too hard (tomorrow's 8k is a bit more important). As we started he jumped off the line and dashed out to an early lead. I was content to reel him back in and then take the pace once he slowed. Though my initial intention was to take it easy I kind of felt compelled to pull him along and try to run around 16:00. We went through the first mile in 5:05, and although I felt relaxed I decided to back off a bit. It was a windy and wet morning so I didn't want to drain myself.

As we hit the turnaround point he pulled ahead of me and decided to dictate the pace briefly which I was more than happy to allow. But I took the pace over after we went through the 2nd mile in 10:27 (5:22). And we coasted towards the finish. Not knowing how fast I could move and more importantly not knowing how fast he could move, I decided to start moving with 800m to go. So I opened my stride and quickened my turnover and got to the line in 16:16. Not a time to write home about, but I was pleased with my smart running and my ability to conserve energy for tomorrow.

Splits:
1 - 5:04.67
2 - 10:27.42 (5:22.78)
3 - 15:44.65 (5:17.23)
Finish - 16:16.43

Tomorrow's St. Patty's Day 8k should be pretty competitive as they just announced prize money 10 deep for overall men and women. Last year I finished in 8th running 25:47. I think my goal for the race is just to get under 26:00 and try to be competitive. I think in the upcoming weeks I will be back in true racing shape again, but this weekend is no time to be a hero. I have to be honest with myself and acknowledge my true level of fitness.

Cleanse the Soul

2010-03-12T15:42:00.001-08:00

It was one of those days where it was an eternal struggle to get out of bed... Wrapped up in the sheets, and a down pour of rain on our tin roof. So right off the bat I knew it would be one of those lazy days. After a workday that seemed to last 24 hours in and of itself, I slipped out of the office to "play" in the rain. I got in a mediocre 3+ miles to start out at about 6:30 pace. Then took toby for a 1.5 mile jog (see earlier post) and then headed back to the office for another 3+ miles. It ended up being 8.5 miles of strolling in the rain. Yet another relaxing and dare I say "freeing" run which leads me to believe I am getting fit again after a few months of fatness.

There is something special about running in the rain. Not only does it cleanse the runner's soul, the rain seems to make the world smaller and the on-goings of society around me become insignificant. It is just me, my shoes, and the flooding waters.

It is supposed to rain for the next two days, which could make saturday's race a little more fun. And sundays travel to D.C. for the 8k could be some level of depressing. But you gotta roll with it, and enjoy the journey....

Easy does it

2010-03-11T15:40:00.000-08:00

Today's run took me back to my co-worker's house so that I could take care of his dog. My goal for the day was to stay relaxed and enjoy the run, and boy did I achieve that goal. I hit the first 3.2 miles in a nice relaxed pace (no watch, but I would say around 6:40-6:50 pace). Then I went in and grabbed Toby (the dog) and took him out for a 1.3 mile jog (probably like 7-8 minute pace). That jog desperately made me want to get a dog of my own that I can run with. I have always thought that there is no better training partner than man's best friend, and more importantly there is no better way to run relaxed. After getting Toby back inside I set back out to the hotel taking the scenic route. I ran up by wegman's and back the W&OD trail which was about 5.8 miles.

Today was one of those days that reminded me why I fell in love with running in the first place. There is something special about a nice long relaxed run after a long hard day of work. I am finally getting back to solid running form, and after this weekend's races I think its time to get back to sub 15:30 shape and more importantly sub 2:40 shape.

Doin' Work

2010-03-10T17:08:00.000-08:00

Today I got in an unexpected workout. After work I ran to a co-worker's house to take care of his dog while he was gone for spring break. His house was a little over 3 miles from the hotel, and knowing that I would end up stopping in the middle of the run to walk the dog I decided to turn the run into a 2 part tempo workout. The first 3.2 mile run was done in 18:08 (roughly my pace for the half marathon on sunday). It felt relaxed and controlled, then on the way back I kinda let it loose a little more and ended up running 17:51. I got in some bud winters before the run and I decided to through in about 10 minutes onto the end of the run to relax my legs a little.

3.2 miles in 18:08
3.3 miles in 17:51
10 minutes cool down

7.93 miles total

With the excellent weather and exceptional hydration throughout the day I felt pretty good. I am officially entered in the St. Patty's Day 8k on sunday, and looking for a second race to run on saturday. I already ran 8 races this year and I think my goal for 2010 is to run more races than I have in past years... the standard is set at 39 races back in 2004 (which includes many track races) and 36 in 2009. 40+ race this year will include multiple marathons and many long distance races.

Work vs. Passion

2010-03-09T17:19:00.000-08:00

Today I got in a nice 40 minutes on the stationary bike @ 16.5 miles/hr and then 7 miles running on the roads at 6:25 pace. I even got in about 20 minutes of core work in the fitness room at the hotel.

All winter and in recent weeks I have felt the pressure of balancing the workload of my job and trying to stay in shape, and it has not been easy. The winter, time constraints, and lack of motivation have forced me back into a level of fatness that I have not felt since my first year out of college. A year ago I had the pleasure of working part-time at a running store and getting in all of the training I could ever have. That translated into PR's from the mile to the marathon, but a lack of a sense of completion because I could barely pay the bills. Now I am in the highest job I have ever held, making more money than I ever have; but now I struggle to fit in any sort of run or workout. I would say that in my heart of hearts I am happier now with a legitimate career and slower running times than I was last year at this point, but we all have our passions and goals.

My passion is running. It has been my passion since high school and I assume it will always be my passion. People who know me well know that my highest points in life are when I set PR's or place well in a big race. They also know that there is a distinct level of focus and excitement when I get to watch lagat vs. bekele in a 5k, or see a new WR. But there are very few people, especially in our American society, who get to pursue running as a career; and even those people usually only get a 10-12 year window and then must move on. There are other things in life that mean more to me and have a higher priority (I will not argue that), and when I they put me in the ground many years from now those will be the things that are reflected upon. But we each have our own passions and hobbies aside from what we must due to pay the bills and get by, for me it must be running irregularly long distances in comparably fast times. Hopefully I get to enjoy that until the day I die, whether or not I am still running competitively.

The day after yesterday

2010-03-09T10:24:00.000-08:00

After the half-marathon I admit I was a little sore and my quads/hammys were quite tender. But I got in a brief workout after work to make sure that I continue to progress back to legitimate times again. I hit the stationary bike for 25 minutes at around 16 miles/hour, which felt like a decent workout. Then I stepped outside for a quick 4 mile run. The run started out slow and probably resembled more of a waddle than a real run, but I ended up running the final 1.7 miles around 6 minute pace. Once my legs loosened up I couldn't help enjoying the perfect weather, and "Imma Be" came on the old iPod (which I have declared as a glorious running song).

At some point down the road I will need to start doing workouts again but with at least one more race on the schedule this weekend I am relying on these races to get me back in shape. So far I think it has worked, but I do expect to hit a glass ceiling. At which point I must pull out the iron hammer made of Hills, Mile Repeats, and Tempo runs to shatter that glass. Until then, happy trails.

B&A Trail Half Marathon

2010-03-07T14:12:00.000-08:00

The goal of the day was to just win and do it as easily as possible, and that plan pretty much worked except I think I worked a little harder than I needed to. When I woke up this morning I felt good, my legs felt as though yesterday's race didn't affect me at all and in the back of my mind I even contemplated running the full marathon. As the race started I let two runners take out the lead and I just settled in behind them running about 5:35 pace. Than after letting them battle it out about 20 meters ahead of me for a few miles I decided that I wanted to get up and trail off them and see how they were feeling. After about 30 seconds of running off their shoulders and allowing them to bring me back to a 5:45 pace I decided that I need to make a definitive move now so I could just run relaxed for the rest of the race. So around mile 4-5 I just pushed the pace a little and dropped the other 2 runners fairly quickly.

The course is just an out and back course with a little variation in the first 2 miles. So once I made that move I just tried to keep moving through the 6th and 7th mile. At the turnaround we head downhill for about 600m and then turn right back around and go up hill for 600m. At that point I felt completely relaxed and smooth, but as I turned I realized that the 2nd place runner from the Navy Marathon team was closer than I would like. So once I got back to the top of that hill I kept trying to push the pace and move towards the finish. After that point passing the other runners who were on their way to the turnaround (including my Pops and the york men) was enough motivation to get me moving. The last 5-6 miles were fairly lonely but I was able to stay relaxed and comfortable and most importantly I was able to pull away with the victory. There is very few better feelings than being the first overall finisher in a large distance race. Although my time wasn't blazing fast it was a glorious workout and a solid win one year after I won the full marathon here in 2009. After the race my quads and hammy's were fairly tender, but this race was the longest run I have done since my failure at the philly marathon in november.

This race completes 4 decent races in 8 days (1 5k, 2 5 milers, & 1 half marathon). I will be the first to admit that I have a lot of work ahead of me to get to where I want my fitness to be but I am very pleased with my effort through these 4 races. Next weekend I might head down to D.C. for the St. Patty's Day 8k. Until then, happy trails!

Splits:
1 - 5:35
2 - 5:37 (11:12)
3 - 5:40 (16:53)
4 - 5:47 (22:41)
5 - 5:32 (28:13)
6 - 5:34 (33:47)
7 - 5:29 (39:17)
8 - 5:43 (45:00)
9 - 5:41 (50:42)
10 - 5:39 (56:21)
11 - 5:36 (61:58)
12 - 5:44 (67:42)
13 - 5:48 (73:31)

Garmin Info
Half Marathon Results

Van Metre 5 mile

2010-03-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

I awoke this morning with the intention of going with Kauren to the Van Metre 5 miler in Ashburn and providing moral support, however she woke up with a massive headache and decided to stay in bed. Meanwhile it was 6:30 in the morning and I was awake, so I though one of us should go and run the race. There was prize money 3 deep so I knew some decent runners would show up so I chose to settle in for a hard workout and pay no attention to placing. As we started everyone was running unnervingly easy for the first 1200-1600 meters, in the lead group there were 3 ethiopians, 3 GRC guys, 2 PR guys, and myself. After the first mile everyone started to thin out and run their own race. I settled in behind Dustin Whitlow and a GRC guy and ran a comfortable pace. The course was surprisingly hillier than I thought it would be, so my splits were all over the place. After being in no man's land and hurting a little more than I'd like, I hit the final 1.5 miles pretty good. I ended up in 7th in 26:30 which was an honest effort and another solid step back to being in shape again. Tomorrow is the B&A half marathon, if I feel ok tomorrow I think I will take a chance and push my body farther than its ready to go....always a risky choice.

Splits:
1 - 5:14
2 - 5:17 (10:32)
3 - 5:20 (15:53)
4 - 5:27 (21:20)
5 - 5:07 (26:30)

Frolick in a field day

2010-03-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

The weather today was glorious compared to the past few weeks, so I snuck out of work after lunch to get in a few miles before I lost any motivation. My intention was to go short and easy since yesterday's run was longer than I have been used to, however once I got outside it felt like a good day to roll and let my stride loose. I ended up doing 7.5 miles in 6:18 pace which is a run that I wouldn't have thought that I had the fitness to complete comfortably, but sometimes the only way to listen to your body is to let it yell every now and again.

I may be running in the Van Metre 5 miler tomorrow with Kauren just as a little workout. On sunday I will definitely be returning to the B&A trail marathon where I was the overall winner last year. Although I am signed up for the full I have no intention of running 26.2 miles right now, instead I think I can drop down to the half and probably run somewhere between 1:13-1:15. My goal is to just run relaxed early and see what other top runners plan on doing, and decide whether to test my unprepared body or pack it in and enjoy the long workout. Part of me wants to just jump in the full and see what kind of pace I can run, but I've learned in past experiences that hasty decisions often lead to painful war stories.

Pre-Race article
2009 Marathon Results

Baby Steps

2010-03-04T15:00:00.000-08:00

I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful
I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful

Today's workout reminded me of Bob Wiley aka Bill Murray's character in "What about Bob?". More specifically the scene where Bob makes his baby steps down the hallway, out the door, down the street, and on to the bus. Any-who.... if I am going to get back to the fitness level that I need to be at then I need to appreciate the baby steps just like today. I went out for a nice 6:15-6:30 pace 9 mile run. After a long day of work it was the perfect time of relaxation. After the run I was moderately tired, but my knees were feeling a little rough. But all in all it was a stellar run and a great baby step towards the future.

Full Health Refill

2010-03-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up feeling much better than the past two days. With my head free of congestion I wanted to go out and run for hours, but with caution in mind I kept it simple. I went out for a brisk 6+ miles in my new brooks gear (finally came in the mail yesterday). My body still felt somewhat exhausted so my 6 miles felt more like 10, but I am feeling much more fit than expected considering the training. After the run I hit the stationary bike for a decent 20 minutes just to get in some cross-training.

Some racing news, the last winter series race that was supposed to be held this saturday was canceled. So I only have 1 half-marathon this weekend, though I could still run the full. Those who know me well know that I love to race as much as possible. Generally I am not concerned with specific times and placing, but this strategy of over racing has always brought my times down ever since college. The other added incentive is enjoying the local running community... its always fun getting out and racing whether I am up against a former all-american or running in a local road race. So I encourage everyone to get out and run at any local road races, you never know it might be the greatest race you've ever run...

Oh the weather outside is frightful

2010-03-02T17:12:00.000-08:00

With an impending cold (or possible sinus infection according to Kauren), near freezing temperature, and cold rain outside I made the executive decision to hit the stationary bike today. I am not one for indoor exercise but my health needs to be a high priority. So I did 40 minutes on the bike (while watching surrogates, which is a horrific movie). Then I slipped outside to get in a quick up-tempo 3 miles on the roads. I wasn't going to go outside at all, but I needed some natural resistance and more importantly I just wanted to let me legs loose. I hope to get some serious rest tonight, and wake up completely refreshed. Until then, healthy trails...

2 days, 2 races, 2 legs

2010-03-01T15:08:00.000-08:00

The last weekend in February brought two races to our winter/spring itinerary. First the Predicted Time 5 miler in Front Royal, VA (the 7th race in the SVR Winter Series). Like most days recently I woke up feeling slow and out-of-shape. So when we arrived at the race I got in a brief warm-up (2 miles) and had planned on running a relaxed slower race. Every week when I decided that I end up taking it out harder than I should, mainly because I realize this is the hardest workout I get in all week. With no watch I didn't really know my pace, but I think I was somewhere around 5:12 pace for the first 3 miles, then I settled in. It was a solo effort on a "hilly" course and a windy day and I was pleased with 26:45 (for those wondering I predicted 28:00). The successful realization is that this time was faster than any 8k I ever ran in college. Afterward I got in a brief cool-down with Matt Lofton and Brenda Schrank. Though I wanted to get in the mileage I cut it short because I was feeling sick and I knew I was racing the next day.

So fast forward to Sunday, Kauren and I arrive in Arlington, VA for the "Love the run you're with 5k". After a warm-up and Bud Winters drills my legs felt tired and sore. With legit runners at the start line I had no intention of contending for a top position, instead I decided I would go out relaxed and use it as another workout. As we shot off the line Bobby Wade (Pacers) took the lead early and never looked back, but I tucked in a pack of Adam Condit (PR) and Steven Crane along with some GRC guy. We run comfortably through 1200m to a mile, then Crane took off and Adam and GRC guy battled for 3rd. I was content to remain relaxed and wander in no man's land. After just coasting through 2.25 miles I decided to put forth the effort to go after the two guys ahead of me. The final 1200 meters of the race consisted of 400m uphill, 400m downhill, and a 400m straight finish. After maintaining pace on the uphill I dug deeper than usual and closed the 80m on the GRC guy in the final 600m. Although 16:15 wasn't a pleasing time I will accept the effort and I was very pleased with the strong finish. It gives me hope for a day when I am actually training. I hung around the finish to cheer Kauren on to what was almost a new 5k PR (which is amazingly awesome considering the missing training). After a nice 5-6 mile cool-down I met Kauren and newly addicted road racer Paul Beach at the Bar for awards and a complimentary beverage. All in All it was a glorious weekend of winter running and it showed promise of much better races to come. Until next time, happy trails.

In the beginning

2010-03-01T14:44:00.000-08:00

As I commence another attempt at a successful running season I have decided to document my trials and tribulations through my first ever blog. Though I don't know how many people out there care to know about my day to day running experiences, I know there are at least a few fellow running geeks that enjoy keeping tabs on my training and racing schedules. I have been running competitively since 2000 (aka my junior year in high school), at which point I was an under trained and under motivated runner. As I progressed through college the enjoyment and passion of the sport began to intrigue me more and more each year. After four years at Juniata College I had formed myself into basically an average talented running geek. Since that time I have tried to take every opportunity to be involved in the running community and improve on my times. Whether I am running track, cross country, or roads and whether it is a 4x400 or a marathon I have always found joy in competing and being a part of an oddly tight knit community. Now while the snow around me melts and I realize how little I have trained this winter, I am forced to approach every runners inevitable realization...I'm out of shape. So for the months to come I will do my best to document training runs and races, but more importantly my level of motivation and commitment to working out. I hope this is not only informational to those involved in my running life, but I hope it serves as motivation for myself in the future. I am always open to questions about training, racing, and gear so please ask away along the line. I hope to try new products along the line and let you know how certain nutritional supplements and gear work for me. Until later, happy trails!