Not Feeling Well

I've had some important things going on wit work. I've had a nasty head cold. Excuses? Sure. But I'm also supposed to be tapering. I don't feel right when I don't run. Grrrr..

Week in Review

Distance: 38.6 mi.
Time: 4:45:20.

I ended a streak of eleven consecutive days of running by skipping a run today. I came down with a mild virus that got a wee bit nasty after my tough outing in the south Charlotte wind yesterday. Also, several of these runs were only in the 2- or 3-mile range, so my weekly total still isn't very high. No matter. I have put in more than enough work to run a good half, and with the race less than two weeks away, it's time to dial things down ever so slightly.

Race Group Workout

Distance: 11.6 mi.
Time: 1:19:11.

Warmup: 3.45 mi. @ 7:20 ppm.
Workout: 5k @ 8k pace w/ 3:30-jog recovery + 3.5 mi. @ half-marathon pace.
Cooldown: 1.05 mi. @ 8:55 ppm.

I put my second workout of the week on hold this past Thursday when Brinkley asked me to pace him during the race. He had signed up to run Charlotte's 10-Miler. I was excited to see how this event would transpire, as it's a rare distance and a first-time event. Suffice it to say that Start to Finish did a fantastic job.

Now, back to the part where I'm supposed to pace David: this would be a little tricky considering that he's a bit faster than me; how are you supposed to pace someone that's faster than you? I figured I would just pick a spot and see if he had a pack to run with, and if not, just hang on at a pretty hard effort for as long as I felt up to it. He wouldn't need my help but I figured it could be fun.

This course starts at the Earth Fare at Johnston Rd/485, winds down Johnston to 51, then traverses the extent of the McMullen Greenway. A race down the greenway - how awesome! I parked at the Johnston Rd entrance to the greenway, said hi to Kati and Ben, then went ahead and got in gear. It was pretty cold. I wouldn't have the luxury of coming back to the car to change shoes so I went ahead and slapped on the racers.

I did a fast warmup, including one mile at about 6:45 pace, to get the legs ready for the uptempo pace. When I saw flashing lights approaching near the one-mile mark of the greenway, I stepped off to the side and watched the runners come through. I spotted Aaron Linz and Eric Bilbrey, along with a few others, before seeing Dave approach. He had a small pack just ahead of him and no one close behind. I took off and then eased in.

18:54.6 for 3.11 miles. 6:04, 6:03, 6:08, 0:38.

I immediately decided I wouldn't be hanging around with Brinkley for long. The pace was well ahead of what I needed to be doing in a workout, especially after having come down with a mild virus. Besides, after the first mile I was more in the way than anything else. Dave formed a pack with Walt Guyer and a few other dudes as I tucked in behind and eventually slowed down. I came through 5k in about 18:50 after we passed Kati and Ben, and I was done.

0.43 mi. jog @ 8:13 ppm.

I took about three minutes and change to jog and rest and waited to see who else would come through. I decided to get a few miles at 6:20 pace or so. When I saw Michelle and Dalena running together, I called out that I would join them momentarily. They seemed approving of this idea, so I stretched for a bit and took off down the greenway again.

22:33.7 for 3.56 mi. 6:12.9, 6:15.8, 6:34.7, 3:30.2.

We hopped off at Trader Joe's and began the toughest section of the course - the hilly finish. It was windy and at first I was trying to stay out of the way but then I realized I could make myself useful by pulling in front of the girls and blocking the wind. Dalena thanked me as I apologized for not thinking of that sooner! We turned into some neighborhoods and things got pretty rough, as reflected in the splits above. I was amused at the sights of Bert and Ernie, also known as Kahn and Thomas. At one uphill I turned and tried to shout encouragement; the ladies were fighting hard.

Things got easier after that as I pulled off about half a mile from the finish. Dalena and Michelle went on to grab the first and second spots on the women's side.

As for me, I got in an excellent day's work. This was similar to what I had done the previous Tuesday: make the body tired, then try to run half marathon pace (or thereabouts) for a few miles.

Runch Break

Distance: 3.05 mi.
Time: 22:26.60.
Pace: 7:22.

I had to do some work from home before today's runner's lunch aka "runch," the group that meets at the Burger Company every Friday. I rolled up to one of my accounts to pick something up and then ran from there. Mike Kahn needed a ride to the runch so I ended up cutting my run short. Running through the Southpark area made me feel grateful for the areas in which I normally run. Wide, safe neighborhood streets are nothing to take for granted. This was not an enjoyable run. I really enjoyed the runch, however. We had a lively group today. I was also able to pick Mike's brain on the ride over about web design, networking, and computer logistics. You can find Mike's web design resources here.

I have also been talked into pacing Brinkley for tomorrow's 10-mile race. I have improved but I'm not on Dave's level right now, so this is going to be a pretty hard effort for me. I better start hydrating...

Reviewing the Neighborhood

Distance: 6.92 mi.
Time: 51:48.59.
Pace: 7:30.

It's hard to believe I've lived in Eastover for almost four years. Today I ran one of the few routes that I'm actually going to miss. It's a loop that goes up through some hills off Randolph and Wendover before cutting over towards part of the Booty Loop, on Selwyn. The legs were very tight yesterday but felt fresh again today.

Extended Cooldown

Distance: 2.07 mi.
Time: 15:41.31.
Pace: 7:35.

As the title indicates, this run was simply an extended cooldown after yesterday's workout. I barely had time for a run today but I didn't want yesterday's hard effort to be the lingering memory for my legs. Don't look now, but I've also got a small streak going - seven consecutive days with no time off. Ha! It's a start.

Speed Endurance

Distance: 9.7 mi.
Time: 1:12:08

Warmup: 2 mi.
Workout: 4*1/2-mi. @ 5k pace w/ 1/4-mi. jog rest + 5-km @ half marathon pace.
Cooldown: 1.6 mi.

This morning, just before lunch, I hit the Speed Loop with the Lunar Racers in my hands and some faster miles on my mind. My goal for today was twofold: I wanted to work on some speed, get the heart rate up high, and then try to run 3-4 miles at half marathon pace after I was already tired. Logistically speaking, this didn't quite go as planned, but I'm pleased with the effort.

2:55.5 (2:17 for 1/4-mi. rest); 2:50.8 (2:07); 2:51.8 (2:06); 2:53.8 (2:19).

I got the legs and arms pumping and was able to maintain focus on each repetition. After some water from Rebecca's porch and a brief rest, I set off down East Boulevard for the last part of the workout.

19:31.52 for 5k. 6:06.25, 6:09.25, 6:34.88, 0:41:14.

I am not using East Blvd. for speed work ever again; I shall find anoter route to the greenway. It took all I had to keep the downhill first mile from getting out of control. It took all I had to keep the uphill third mile from getting away. This was also a good bit harder than I wanted; while I'm still trying to find my half-marathon pace, I can assure you it isn't sub-6:10. I also did a good bit of car-dodging, narrowly avoiding an incident at East and Scott Avenue.

I certainly accomplished my goal of running hard when tired, but my body is clearly aching for some shorter races right now.

Evening Reunion

Distance: 5.31 mi.
Time: 44:03.
Pace: 8:18.

This is the first time I have run on a Monday in over a month. With Adrienne back from cobra-charming in India, we put together a decent group to run easy from the Dowd. It was great to have Thomas back out there, and even better to have my running buddy back. I was glad to keep the pace easy and relieved to get my weekly mileage off to a head start.

Week in Review

Distance: 40.7 miles.
Time: 5:10:56.

I believe it must take a good bit of mental toughness to run 17 miles and finish hard without any company. I'd say that was the highlight of the week, but I got in some great track work as well.

This was a necessary down week. One of the reasons I wanted to drop from a full to a half is that I won't have to amp up my mileage too quickly. For the coming week, though, I do plan to push it, before it's time for a short taper.

Short Stretch

Distance: 3.74 mi.
Time: 29:17.
Pace: 7:50.

Naturally, I was a bit tight on this one, and since I had little time before my presence was needed at the airport, it was a short run. I basically got in just enough to put me over 40 for the week.

Exploring the Town

Distance: 17 mi.
Time: 2:07:37.46.
Pace: 7:30.

I went long today, which means I again bailed on the Sunday group. I was happy to get it done early, though. I needed one last big long run, and a fast finish, and the body was up for it today. I mostly cruised around but brought it home with a 6:37 after basically making a circle around the center city. I did lock down the training-friendly apartment I mentioned in an earlier post, and I picked up some good vibes by rolling through there near the end of this one. Running all over the city really bangs home the idea of how far one is going, but man, it sure is fun sometimes.

Just Miles

Distance: 2.85 mi.
Time: 21:51
Pace: 7:41.

The title says it all; this was simply a small amount of time on the feet. I did break a sweat.

Eggers Burns

Distance: 8.9 mi.
Time: 1:08:40.

Warmup: 2.2 mi.
Workout: 5*600 meters w 2-min rest + 2*1600 meters w 400-m jog rest.
Cooldown: 1.7 mi.

I had hoped to join the Charlotte Runners at the Philosopher's Stone run tonight, for a tempo, but of course they were doing some sort of themed run for Valentine's Day. Avoid. Eggers came to my rescue with a call for 600-meter repeats at the Marion Diehl track. Eureka!

I was feeling a good bit under the weather and would be working with depleted glycogen stores on this one. Dreaming of doughnuts, I chased Eggers around the asphalt oval, 600 meters at a time. He was really burning and I was content to sit back a bit. He encouraged me to fight through breathing and energy woes, but I bolted for a water fountain as soon as I had finished my fifth.

Splits (rest): 2:06 (.11 mi. in 0:57.4); 2:05.7 (.21 in 2:00); 2:08.2 (.15 in 2:00); 2:03.4 (.14 in 2:00); 2:01.85 (.16 in 2:00).

That third one is worrisome as it represents an ongoing issue with me - losing focus in the middle of a race or workout. After some water for my parched lips, I went back to the line for two versions of the metric mile, 1600 meters.

5:44.1 (400m in 2:42); 5:35.2 (.11 mi. in 1:32).

Positive feelings abounded after a strong close. It was great to have Eggers out there for pacing and encouragement, even though we did different workouts. We cooled down back to his house and called it a day, with plans for more track work in the near future. It was nice to get the legs moving with something other than a tempo run.

New Digs?

Distance: 8.22 mi.
Time: 1:03:29.
Pace: 7:44.

Today, I took what I hope to be the final steps in landing a place of residence that will greatly benefit my training, among other things. I want to live near the areas in which I always run, and my potential home will also be a positive change for my lifestyle in general. Excited about the possibilities, I took off from Freedom Park for today's easy run and ran all around what I hope will soon be my neighborhood. My muscles were tight today, though. I felt greatly encumbered and stopped for an extending stretching session on the speed loop. I felt much better after that and eventually worked my way into cruise mode.

Change of Plans

I announced in my previous post that I have decided to scrap a full marathon in favor of a half. That decision warrants an explanation, and I will attempt to do give you one here. The following is my reasoning, in order of importance:

Training.  Marathon training, albeit not where it needed to be, did wonders for my fitness level last fall. Based on my recent 8k I would guess that I'm in about 17:40-ish shape for a 5k right now. I was struggling to break 19 as recently as five months ago, so that's a significant boost. I believe it to be a case of endurance meeting speed, which has always been my strength. However, my mileage is still not very impressive. I am struggling to get to 50 per week right now, and that's not high enough to get me where I want to be for the 26.2. By running a half, I hope to gain an idea of where I really am for longer races while also capitalizing on the work I've put in. The fact that Mitchell and Eggers each co-signed this plan further validates my decision.

Finance.  Wrightsville went out the window when I realized my friends were headed to Tobacco Road instead (something about fast women and sponsored entries...), which would have put me on my own for lodging costs and gas. The entry fee was also over $100 last I looked. As for Tobacco Road, there was, I believe, an $80 entry fee and I would have had a free place to stay. I still would have spent about $100 on gas, however, and stayed longer, thereby increasing my dining expenses. I estimated the total cost of this marathon to be around $260, which really isn't bad for a good event. However...the Corporate Cup half is local, so there are no travel or lodging fees. With an assist from my buddy Jeremy, I received a free entry through a coupon code. I will obviously drive to the race site, and I will probably go out for a breakfast afterward, but the definitive cost of me running this race is exactly $0.00.

Logistics.  My sister's family is in the process of an Army move throughout March, and will need my help. I myself will be vacating my apartment at the end of March. Adding a full marathon 150 miles away on top of all that - plus the usual social and professional responsibilities - is a bit much. Even for me.

So, there it is. I have made my decision, and I feel good about it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make some tweaks to my training plan.

Week In Review

Distance: 47.3 miles.
Highlights: a lot of rest.. double on Sunday.. good drill work.

I should have easily hit the 55-mile mark, and instead failed to break 50. I am at least running consistently, though, and that's a change for the positive. This was a week that involved a couple big days, but no speed.

Things have changed all of a sudden on the racing front. I am no longer running the Wrightsville full and have instead opted for Charlotte's Corporate Cup half. Stay tuned for a more detailed post on that topic.

Valentine's Run Double

Distance: 4.6 mi.
Time: 35:55.
Pace: 7:49.

I met the CRC group at Freedom Park for a Valentine's Day-themed run. I missed the memo to wear red or pink, but the Hovises had on enough of each color to count for everyone. We kept the pace easy, something I was rather thankful for, and a few of us went out for Italian afterward. I was hurting for some calories after the day's work.

To Freeze Or Not To Freeze

Distance: 15 mi.
Time: 1:54:58.
Pace: 7:39.

I was excited about meeting the contingent led by Paul at Old Bell this morning, but a busy night at work and an aggressive cold front had me rethinking things. Also, the idea of having to be in a certain place at a certain time is one of the many things that is making running feel like a job to me these days. I need to snap out of this eventually lest I become a running hermit, but for today I was willing to exchange good company for warmer temperatures.

I set out my back door in the direction of McAlpine Park by way of Randolph and Sardis. Once there, I took a system check and realized I would be better served by cutting this one short and doubling up later.    The sidewalks were prevalent on this one, and my legs took a pounding, all felt in the groin and hamstrings (certainly better than if it was the knees and shins, mind you).

Bite Me

Distance: 8.47 mi.
Time: 1:05:01.
Pace: 7:41.

After some hard running followed by some hard slacking, it came as no surprise that I was very tight on today's easy run. I ran around the neighborhood for awhile. I stopped at Kati Robertson's place to congratulate her on a good 5k earlier in the day, but she was not home. With lonely spirits I trudged towards home, by way of Selwyn Avenue, whereupon I would find my left hand in the mouth of a very large dog. I was approaching a woman who was having a hard time getting Fido to sit and stay at the crosswalk. I zigged when I should have zagged, and as I put my hand out to keep the animal at bay, it jumped up and took hold of said hand. He didn't clamp down hard, though; if anything I think he was trying to play. The woman apologized profusely but I just shrugged and ran home.

Drills + Slacking

I am a little bit behind on training - yes, again. I am trying to find the routine that works best with my schedule without also making running feel too much like a job. While I'm certainly doing better than I have in awhile, I'm still not where I need to be in this regard.

I did get ahead on drills at the tail end of the week. I got in some serious calf work on Thursday, and the result is I am waking up without tight, sore feet for the first time in a long time.

Short Junk Run

Distance: 4.71 mi.
Time: 36:02
Pace: 7:39.

I wanted to keep things short and easy today, so there isn't much to report here. A friend of mine honked at me for wearing short shorts on the way back home, but as I always say: when your legs are this sexy, ya gotta show 'em off. I joke, I joke!

System Update

I have increased the mileage lately, and I'm pleased to report that the body has handled it well thus far. I have been eating and sleeping much better than I did last fall, and while I haven't nailed down an exact routine, I've been doing my drills more and more as a method to prevent injury. ("Drills" consists of lunges, calf raises, wall sits, and post-run stretching more than normal).

I have done two good long runs already after fearing that I had gotten behind: an 18.5-miler and a 20-miler. I hope to do a 22 and another 20. As far as races are concerned, I have to say that I am indeed going to pass on the Cupid's Cup 5k. I am eyeing the Charlotte 10-miler that goes down the McMullen greenway and is held later this month. The mileage will only get higher and the work even harder between now and then, but after that it will be taper time. 

Long Medium Run

Distance: 14.5 mi.
Time: 1:55:41.68 - 7:58 ppm.

Clearly, I did not intend to run over 14.5 miles today, but that's what happened. I do want to start getting in a better medium-long run, but it will need to be more like 10-13 miles, not pushing 15. However, Adrienne wanted to do 10 today and she's leaving for India tomorrow, so I wanted to run with her. I started from and finished at the Dowd so that's where the extra miles come in to play. 

Week In Review

Distance: 48.8 miles.
Highlights: five days of running... Winter Flight 8k... 20-mile long run... New racing shoes.

I keep trying to hit six days of running for the week, and it keeps not happening. I pushed the distance close to 50 again, however, thanks mostly to the 20-miler. I ran in racing flats twice - once for an easy tempo run and once at Salisbury's Winter Flight 8k. I continue to progress and I'm really looking forward to running more short races, but for now, I'm happy to be gearing up towards Wrightsville's full marathon.

For this coming week, I am due for a shorter long run but I don't want to cut back the overall mileage. I do, however, want to keep things pretty easy. I may not even do a workout, unless I get antsy.

Do It While You Can

Distance: 20.0 mi.
Time: 2:32:47.15 - 7:38 ppm.

I wasn't really sure what I would end up doing today, but I was determined to get in at least 15. It didn't happen this morning. After the race yesterday Adrienne and I each went straight to work. There was no run this morning because of church, after which I was still feeling exhausted. But David Brinkley wanted to meet, and I knew I would hate myself later if I didn't get in a good run. He wanted 15, and I told him I would meet at his house in Madison Park and do 15-20 myself, depending on how I felt.

We started off slowly enough running towards the Booty Loop. It was here that we encountered Compton, and I stopped him to ask what he had planned for the day. Like us, he had just started his long run and wanted to keep the pace easy, having raced the Winter Flight yesterday as well. As evidenced by the map, we end up basically running around in circles for most of this one. I actually thought that made it go by a lot faster. The three of us were together for 9 miles before Compton branched off to go home.

We headed back behind Montford and crossed Park Road right at the McAlister's, towards Dave's house. He was ready to be done and I was tightening up a good bit. When we got back to his place I spent a few extra minutes stretching and taking water. As before, I had been taking Gu chomps throughout this run, and I actually felt pretty well-fed - just very tight in the legs. I had still felt great a few miles earlier, however, and so I was determined to go the full 20. I told Dave I didn't want to be in this position again next week - desperately needing to amp up the distance and not knowing if I had it in me.

I didn't want to go too far from Dave's house, so I just ran back and forth on Seneca for the last five miles - towards South, then back the other way, then back towards South and back to Dave's. Seneca is a tough road to run on when you're tired; it's very hilly. We had kept the pace easy throughout but I was pleased to get the 20 done.

2012 Winter Flight 8k

Warmup: 1.98 mi. in 17:11.4 - 8:41 ppm.
Race: 5.02 mi. in 29:46.67 - 5:56 ppm. Splits: (1) 6:02.38; (2) 6:11.34; (3) 6:08.42; (4) 5:51.35; (5) 5:28.15.
Cooldown: 2.09 mi. in 18:25.94 - 8:50 ppm.
Chart
Map
Graphs

Race Results

Eggers' race recap

My true goal for today was to somehow prove to myself that I'm in as fit as I believe to be - in other words, to simply gain some confidence as I progress towards my second marathon. I felt like I could go under 30 minutes, so that was my time goal. I achieved both of these things, even surprising myself a bit in some respects, and I'm quite pleased with the day. I will write the recap now and add a couple pictures later...

This race was not scheduled until 10am - a good thing considering the hour-plus drive we had ahead of us. Baum and Mitchell were going to carpool from the east side of town, and Adrienne and I hit the road at 8am after a breakfast of waffles and strawberries. I don't normally eat that much on race day, but I figured I could get away with it due to the later start. I also had a few glasses of white wine and some sushi the night before.

Adrienne and I arrived on the campus of Catawba College right at 9am, then phoned Eggers when we couldn't see any kind of direction as to where to go. His response was something like, "yeah, it's tough to find - I spent the morning before the race last year kind of running around campus like a mad man. You'll just have to figure it out. Good luck." Perhaps I should have called Mitchell instead. Adrienne's intuition found us in the right place a few moments later. She went inside to get our bibs while I parked, and when I met her we bumped into Mike and Brian, as well. There was a decent crowd of runners inside the gym, conversing and trying to stay warm.

The four of us darted around for a bit, trying to figure out where the starting line was so we could dump our stuff (racing shoes, extra clothes, etc). I spotted John Compton and he helped out with the start location, then we took off for a warmup. We ran into Eggers, fashionably late as always, and got in just under two miles, most of it on the first part of the course. It was about 45 degrees and lightly drizzling - perfect weather for a race, in my opinion. Mitchell found a dry spot for our bags and we ran into Kevin Ballantine. He and I both had the same goal and talked at the Runner's Lunch the day before about trying to work together to hit said goal. I told him I wanted to start out conservatively without getting too far behind - 6:10 or so - and he mentioned that the first mile was the only fast mile of the course, so it might behoove us to bump it down to 6-flat. Ok, fair enough. Speaking of the course, I'm usually pretty stressed about making sure I know what awaits me in a race, but I would not have such an advantage today. I just tried not to worry about it and just do what I can. It was kinda neat to be racing in an unfamiliar atmosphere.

I slapped on my racers and headed back to the start. Adrienne and I wished each other luck as she settled back a bit and I found a spot on the front row. For reasons unbeknownst to any of us, former Olympian and record-holder Joan Nesbit was the guest of honor, and she gave a few words at the start. Pretty neat, right? But again, it wasn't really clear why she was actually there, unless I just wasn't paying attention (the likely scenario). There was a prayer and I looked around at my competition. I was on the far left, with Kevin in the center. We exchanged knowing "oh-there-you-are" nods. I didn't see Eggers anywhere, though. A bit after that, there was a mark-set-horn, and we were off.

I made a point to get around any crowds up front, found myself right behind Dan Matena and some orange-clad Asheville studs, and then slowed way down. I let a good number of people pass me, ducking my head back a couple times until I saw Kevin. We eased into a comfortable sub-6 mile pace and went down a treacherous hill that was followed by a sharp right turn. Kevin had predicted that "at least four people" would bite the dust here. I eased up a good bit and took the turn with caution. We conversed quite a good amount here, with Kevin providing some very helpful pointers about the course. It sounded like things were going to get pretty tough sooner rather than later. Mrs. Nesbit sidled up next to us for awhile, chatting and asking what he had planned to hit as goals. When we told her sub-30, she said, "Oh boy, I've gone out too fast, then!"

We hit the mile in about 6:02, feeling pretty happy with keeping the plan, but I was questioning things. My legs felt tight and my lungs were struggling to grab air. I think this is where experience saved me a bit; in the past I might have gotten scared and eased up, but instead I just told myself that my body was getting used to the pace and working out the kinks. Kevin and I began to reel in several runners after the mile mark as we turned off the road and into some side roads, making a few turns in the process. I had a couple steps on him at this point, and during one sharp left I turned my head just quickly enough to see that Eggers was about 10 meters back, waiting to pounce. That inspired me, and it was here that I left Kevin and began to mow down a good bit of runners in front of me.

The details begin to get a little hazy at this point. I will take that as a good thing - a sign that I was very much zoned-in, focused on racing and not worrying about much else. Again, I didn't have any real idea what I was going to see as far as the course was concerned. The blank memory may hurt the entertainment value of this recap, however!

So I broke away from the early pack and came across the first female and a masters runner, working together up a long, steep hill. This would be Miss Molly Nunn and Mr. John Anderson. I felt comfortable and went right on by them. I quickly learned that they weren't about to let me get away without a very serious fight.

John and Molly hung right on my shoulder, and I began to feel rather used. It was about this time that Eggers came strolling past the three of us, and for a moment I felt a bit deflated. Here I was thinking I had a great chance to finally beat my longtime friend - at a time when his training is down and mine is up - and he's flying past me up a steep hill.

I put the demons to bed and just tried to keep Molly in my sights. John had left to hang with Eggers, now about 10 seconds ahead, and Molly was wasting me on the uphills, with me gaining some ground back on a short down or a flat section. We did this for what seemed like an eternity, but I think it was really a little more than a mile and a half. My second mile was 6:11; my third was 6:08.

Working the hills and enjoying the country-like setting of the highway lanes, the four of us raced on. There was a lone runner up in the distance - an African-American Masters runner named Joseph Willis - and, it seemed, no one close behind. Compton, Matena, Mitchell, and the Asheville men were obviously long out of sight up front.

I split a 5:51 for the fourth mile. Again, the details are hazy, but sometime a little before or right after that marker, I finally found an opening with Molly. She appeared to ease up slightly right at the same instance that I found some more air in my lungs. I went for it. I slid to the outside and sprinted past her, trying to keep pressing before she could pass me back again. We came to another huge hill, and I feared for a second, but rebounded to keep pressing in an effort to reel in John. He slowed down some and I caught him at the top, nearly running into him as we made a turn back into campus and prepared for a fast finish. I knew I had him.   With no more uphills, I knew I had him, and it was time to set my sights on someone else.

I thought about screaming, "Eggers, don't slow down!" but he seemed to get that idea. There were a couple instances when I thought he appeared to be coming back to me, but alas, that was not the case. He caught Joe Willis going around the track as I tried to bring them both back. I am confident I gave it everything I had. I had not been passed by anyone the whole race, except for Eggers. Maybe next time? Willis stayed in front of me, too; I would have had him with another ten meters but I didn't have another ten meters. I ran into him in the finish chute, then apologized; he was cool and slapped my hand. I accepted a piece of paper that had an "8" written on it - hey, this is just like high school! Eggers whooped my ass and I have to hand in a number. I had run my last mile in 5:28 and my last three miles in 17:27. I didn't even think I had that in me. What more could I have done?


I waited for Adrienne - despite claiming to not worry about time, she broke 36 minutes, and finished first in her age group! Kevin and Brian weren't quite as pleased with their performances, but each has had some minor setbacks recently. We will all be there in due time. There was some racking-up of awards and a jubilant post-race lunch, but I will have to save that for another post.

I hope you all enjoyed reading. 'Til next time.

Keeping It Clean

Distance: 3.4 mi.
Time: 25:53.13 - 7:37 ppm.

I had intended to run more like 7-9 miles this morning, but I was lazy and didn't get out of bed on time for that, given lunch plans and a meeting I had later in the day. With a race tomorrow, I suppose it's just as well that I only ran 3+ around the 'hood. The legs were pretty tight. I did the workout late Wednesday night and nothing yesterday, so hopefully I was able to run out a little bit of the junk today.

Racing This Weekend

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have decided to toe the line this weekend. I managed to get in a good, 18-mile long run last weekend, and I want to see where I am physically. I feel like I am getting in increasingly better shape, and I want a chance to prove it on the road course. The Salisbury Winter Flight 8k stakes claim as the oldest race in the state. I don't know anything else about it, but I have a lot of friends in the community that have run it. By all accounts, it's not a fast course at all, featuring several steep and gradual climbs. It does finish around a track, which sounds pretty awesome, and if it's a big race there will be some competition to push me. So there's that. We also have a fun group headed up to compete: myself, Brian Baum, Eggers, and Mitchell - and I even convinced Adrienne to sign up, as well! Brinkley was game but had to back out due to a friend coming in town at the last minute. We're all looking forward to this one.

Breaking In The Racers!

Warmup: 1.51 mi. in 12:51.6 - 7:58 ppm.
Workout: 5.0 mi. in 32:27.5 - 6:29 ppm.
Cooldown: 0.79 mi. in 6:30.87 - 8:15 ppm.

I finally bought a pair of racing flats recently, and they arrived last Thursday via UPS. They are the Nike Luna Racer 2. They came in several different colors, but only a select few styles were on sale. I ended up with fluorescent orange and teal - Miami Dolphins colors. They were only $50 with the sale and they look pretty badass. I ran around them some in the parking lot when they arrived, but today I wanted to put them to work. I  have signed up for the Salisbury Winter Flight 8k this Saturday, and I wanted to try these before toeing the line.

I showed up to the Met to run the Tuesday night Meetup route, once again on Wednesday and by myself for this week. I was a bit pressed for time so I cut my warmup short and then changed shoes. I felt light and very fast with these bad boys on my feet. I did stop about a mile into the workout to make a shoelace adjustment, but after that, everything felt great. To my pleasant surprise, the pavement didn't beat up my feet too badly. I finished the run and didn't have any blisters or any kind of pain at all, and I seem to have figured out the lacing setup - always an issue for me.

I averaged 6:29 pace again for the five-mile route. It didn't feel all that hard, which is good because the race is just a couple days away. More on that later, though. I begrudgingly cut my cooldown short, as well, because I had somewhere to be later, but I managed to get in a good bit of calf stretching later on in the night.