Week 4 June 24, 2008
Laura and I race directed this week with Steve and Jennifer Carter in Minnesota with Taylor's for the Fleet Feet Conference. It was fun, stressful and rewarding all in a few hours.
I was hurting coming in, with a knot in my inner right calf that I just could not work out. I certainly was not on top of my game and knew very quickly that this would be a hard run, but not an all out effort. Plus I was struggling with an blocked right eye tear duct that left me with an infected eye and eyelid. This was really bothering me and I had worked from home for the last two days.
The weather was steamy compared to the previous weeks that we had run here and I decided to carry a bottle with a little bit of water in it for the 3 and 2 mile race.
I did not push Linda down in warm ups:) She fell on her own accord. Maybe it is how I lull people into a state of comfort with my chatting while we run that causes them to forget their surroundings and fall down. Maybe not:)
In the 3 mile I ran a 19:24 for 7th overall. Splits were (3:05+3:10)=6:15, (3:07+3:45)=6:52, (3:19+2:58)=6:17. I walked up part of the hill.
In the 2 mile I ran a 13:16 for 5th overall. Splits were (3:20+3:34)=6:54, (3:19+3:03)=6:22.
Week 3 June 17, 2008
This week at the races was a little different as I ran a double today and was in the middle of a mileage junkie phase. This would be my fourth 14 mile day in a row when all was said and done.
I arrived late because of extended family in town and would have to leave early in the end. I rushed through a 2 mile warm up just in time to stretch for a minute before the start of the 1 mile. Normally I would just use the first run as a true warm up, but I ended up running with Jason Reneau and we ran a little faster than normal. We ran stride for stride and clocked a 6:28 (3:24 and 3:08). I knew that tonight would be a fast night.
In looking around at the start of the 3 mile race, I could not believe how many fast people were there. This was an all star class better in talent than previous weeks and any race I can remember. Reneau, Riddle, Bowman, Purinton, Taylor, Blaise, Chase, Satterfield, Temple, George, Mike Greene, Elmore and a ton of other fast UAH studs. Plus Emily, Brooke and Linda on the female side. A-m-a-z-i-n-g-!
I pushed hard out of the gate thinking that I would just see who wanted to race and who was just out for a jog. I pushed for the first half mile behind Bowman 2:58, but was quickly passed by Riddle and George and Jason. By the 1 mile mark, Temple passed as well and despite a 6:06 first mile, I was now in 5th place.
The second mile was 3:32+3:12=6:44. I struggled up the hill and it took a long time to get my legs back. It was basically the same result as last week. I ran a good start and then my legs felt like cement coming up the hill. I really felt the fatigue of miles and racing when climbing this hill.
My last mile downhill was 3:12+2:49=6:01. I had to push really, really hard in the last half mile as I could tell that Blaise was closing in on me. I would say that he made up 1/8 to 1/4 mile on me in the last mile. I talked to him afterward and he said that he really turned it in. I was all out and just holding on.
In the end I CR'd the course for me at 18:39. This was about 5 seconds faster than last week. I was pretty happy with that. Riddle ran with Reneau and Temple ran with Bowman. Then there was me, pushing alone. Either I need to get faster to hang with these ultra-fast guys or someone else needs to get kinda fast like me so we can duke it out. I'd love to run against someone who would battle with me week in and week out.
After a quick break, we went out on the 2 mile race. I really don't know how I was able to run 12:22 last year on the 2 mile. I think I must have done this on really fresh legs. I ran my tail off and was still 11 seconds off that CR for me. My splits were 3:11+316=6:27 and 3:12+2:53=6:05 for 12:33. I finished 4th overall in a much smaller field. I was going to hold back and run slower, and even mentioned that to Dink going out. But like every other competitive environment, once I warmed up, I really turned it on late and cruised in. I was not gassed when it was over, but fairly fatigued.
All in all, it was a pretty good night again. That makes 16 races in the last 100 days. What am I thinking? I don't even have a goal race in mind!
Week 2 June 10, 2008
I was feeling relatively sluggish before running tonight. My body had just gotten used to central time again after a week in Las Vegas on pst. I also had raced hard on Saturday at Eurocross, and had amassed 3 days in a row of 10+ miles. Plus after a 2 mile warm up with Linda and Joey, the other runners began to arrive. Despite this being a 'fun' race, the number of fast runners who I had not seen in many months were all walking up to run. As far as the fast runners to total runners ratio, it was much higher than I had seen in quite some time. Again, 'fun' race, but I was still intimidated. Names like Satterfield, DeWitt, Allen, Eaton and a dozen current and former UAH track stars all decided to show up on the same night.
My plan (as it developed) for the 3 mile race was to push the pace early and see who was going to run seriously and who was just there for fun. We ran in a pack through the field and into the woods around turn one and it was clear that maybe but a dozen people who contend. By the mile turn around (0.42 miles), I threw in a burst of speed and passed two guys to take the lead. From there I continued to run hard as the course goes through it's rolling hills. I went through the first mile in sub 6 pace.
As I ran down the hill and into the flats near the highway, I could tell that it was down to maybe 5-6 people, but couldn't tell who they were. I knew someone was close behind, but I didn't sneak a peak to find out. I saw Joey as the out and back trails combined and he looked surprised to see me in the lead. Either that or he was surprised to see the gap that the top 4 runners had put on everyone.
The course was really dusty and without any water to wet my throat, I resorted to a tactic that I despise; licking the sweat off of my arm. I just need enough to ease my breathing on a damp throat, as opposed to sucking are when the windpipe feels like sandpaper. Disgusting? Yes. Helpful? Slightly.
I started to climb the hill and then realized that I was being tracked down by George. He has been strong lately and I could tell that he was running the hill with power. I chatted with him for a second as he passed and continued the climb. At the top my legs felt dead, but I pushed on anyway. My half mile split (for the mile with the hill) was 3:27.
Now past the two mile mark, I was able to get my legs back and push the pace to near 6 minute miles again. Near the next tee box, Mark Eaton also put a surge on and ran past me. He is a UAH runner and capable of a ~ 1:12-1:13 half if I remember right. He ran effortlessly as he closed the gap on George and then ran with him to the finish.
I ran the last section through the field pretty well, averaging around and then below six for the last 1/2 mile. As I made the second to last turn, I could see that Dwayne was behind me but that I could coast in if I wanted. I crossed the finish line in 18:43 (unofficial as of yet), which is 6:14 pace. I think that my previous best last year on this course was 20:07, so I had a great improvement. If I take out the hill climb, I ran the flats and downs (somewhat technical) in 6:06 pace.
I was very happy with the results given my pre-race lethargic legs.
After a non existent cool down, we went out on the 2 mile race. The numbers were down to maybe 50 and we went out slow. We ran behind Tom Smith's daughter through 0.20 miles as all of the guys didn't want to pass her. She is ~5? years old. Again, the pack separated and it was down to 4 runners. We went through the first mile in a high 6 and then the second mile in a low 6 for a finishing time of 12:59 (unofficial). At the 1 mile mark I asked the guys I was with (including George and Mark) if they wanted to pass and they said no; that they were just comfortable with the pace. This was a hard tempo run, not really a race. We chatted most of the time. In the home stretch, we ran shoulder to shoulder, crossing the finish line at the same time, making it a 4-way tie for first. The gal handing out the finish line cards through them up in the air and we randomly picked them up. I ended up with the #1 card by chance, but by no means was first. Two of the other three could have dropped me near the start, but we chose to run together for camaraderie.
Overall I feel pretty good for my first XC race(s) of the season.
Week 1 June 3, 2008
Traveling out of town and did not make it.