Transformation

Time of day 10:00 AM
Distance 4.00 mi

WUCD Shoe Air Pegasus
Distance WU/CD 6.00 mi

Comments 20-min warm up + drills & strides then the workout as follows...
6 x 1k at Interval pace with 2:30 recovery between each segment.
20-min cool down to conclude the workout...

Headed over the track at Saint Chris around 10 am. This was only my third time getting on the track since starting this cycle back in August. The other two times were nothing too exciting. It was a warm and breezy morning for this time of year. I've been feeling really good over the past couple of days, which is a nice change of pace. I told myself I would just run off feel for the first interval, then take the rest of the workout from there. The first k was 2:54 which felt pretty damn good other than the wind. The times for the entire workout are listed below -
2:54, 2:54, 2:52, 2:52, 2:51, 2:49.....

Really pleased with the effort. I feel like I'm reaching a new level of fitness which is very exciting and just in time for Nationals. Something happened on the third Interval that built confidence and a sense of developing into a greater runner. I felt smooth, strong, and efficient. It's like all the 80 mile weeks, working on form, tempo runs, drills and the racing over the past couple of weeks all came together. I would call this a transition. A feeling that I rarely get and will gladly expect moving forward. On top of all this I've run 90 miles over the previous 7 days. After finishing up I jogged for 15-min and ran barefoot on the grass for another 5. The pieces are becoming a whole which in return is motivating me to train harder and I'm starting to see that my dreams can indeed come true! Happy to get a harder session in. I've been racing well on pretty much mileage only. Going forward I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Great Weekend!

Time of day 7:00 AM
Distance 4.97 mi
Duration 24:09 @ 4:51 min/mi
WUCD Shoe Air Pegasus
Distance WU/CD 6.00 mi
Comments: Pleased with my effort for the most part. Woke up around 4:45, headed over to the race with Skeeter and Bryce around 5:30. It was rather chilly out, 36 degrees to be exact. After parking and walking over to the start we warmed up for 20-min. I then used the restroom and proceeded to do drills in order to keep my body warm. I didn't know what to expect coming in since I haven't been working out too much, and when I have it's been nothing special. I stripped down about 5-min before the race. It was chilly but I did 5 or so strides, keeping warm, preparing to run fast. Before the start I knew going out relaxed, not letting my emotions get the best of me would pay off big time. As the gun sounded we were off and I was up front but didn't feel uncomfortable. As a pack 10 or us came through the mile in 4:49. This was perfect but I knew some of the guys were going to eventually start moving. It was important to stick with the pack through 2 mi since it was breezy and loosing contact would cost me once turning on Grace. My split through 2 was 9:46, not bad but not great. It was Cameron who runs for Zap, another guy and myself off the lead pack. Cameron was moving better than I was over the next mile. I came through 3 mi in 14:46, so 5:00 that mile. No wonder the pack was getting further ahead. I started to piece things together and run as hard and relaxed as I could over the remaining two miles. Cameron made his way up to his teammate who was dropped and I was about 10 sec behind. I hit the 4 mi mark in 19:36, 4:50 that Mile! I started to move hard as I knew there was a downhill finish. Coming down the final quarter mile I could see the clock, knowing a narrowly missed cracking sub 24:00. Pushing through the line in 24:09. A PR by 22 seconds. For where I 'm currently at with my training, I'm very pleased with the effort. It took a while to get some clothes on and get a cool down in. I saw and talked with many people after the race. What a great day of racing and fun with friends and runners who all enjoy the sport! Next up is the Philly 8k next weekend. Really pumped for this one. Need to be a bit more aggressive during the middle of the race. I'm strong and fit, ready to compete and race with the best!
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11/10/10

Time of day 2:00 PM
Distance 6.00 mi
Duration 31:30 @ 5:15 min/mi
Route Pony Pasture
Distance WU/CD 5.00 mi
Comments Tempo workout down at PP. What a great day for working out! I warmed up for 20-min, used the bathroom, did drills & strides before starting.

- 4 mi at 5:15 pace with 2-3 mi rest + 2 mi at 5:10 pace. HR was steady between 160 - 166 once reaching steady state.

- 4 x 30-sec in new Wave Universe to get my legs turning over. I'll be using these flats this weekend. They only weigh 3.7 ounces!!!

I'm ready as I'm going to be for this weekend. I'd like to run sub 24 although I know the workouts don't indicate me running that fast just yet. I know I'm strong and believe the mileage is going to pay off big time this cycle.

Decisions

I have a painting hanging from my wall which is titled "Destiny". I bought it a while back because It looked soothing. It's a painting of a small boat surrounded by a body of water. The other day I was pondering and stumbled upon a quote at the bottom of the picture that reads "The decisions we make not the chances we take determine our destiny." Looking back I've taken more chances rather than making well thought out decisions. Anyhow it's been a while since my last post. A lot has happened over the past couple of weeks. I was putting in all the hard work preparing for the final phase of my training cycle. That mixed with my last few weeks of school and making the transition to a new phase of life.
Two weeks ago I had to make the decision to either race at UNC, or Swarthmore in Pennsylvania. I thought both races would have good 1500 fields so I entered in both and decided last minute to race at Swarthmore. The meet is put on by Villinova and typically attracts some of the best distance runners in the northeast. The meet was held on Monday the 10th and I had two final exams the following morning. I felt fairly confident that I would do well on the exams so Wallid, my mother and I made our way to Pa around noon on Monday. It had been windy the past couple of days and the forecast was calling for windy conditions yet again up and down the east coast. My mom offered to drive me to the race which was really nice for a couple to reasons. The first being we don't spend much time together, and the second being she gets to see me do something that I'm extremely passionate about. She knows how hard I've been working, so her being there meant a lot. When arriving at Swarthmore it was a chilly, breezy afternoon and not many people sitting in the stands. I've come to notice that a lot of the faster meets are at small places like this, that not many people know about. I felt rested since my last workout was some fast 800's from 4 days prior. Looking at the heat sheets I was the 16th fastest seed at a time of 3:45. I couldn't believe that 3;45 might not get me into the faster section. After warming up and doing some drills I went to get my number and was told I'll be in the second of 5 sections. It was almost go time and I didn't get pissed. I told myself I was going to lace up my spikes and run like hell. While doing a few more strides I watched the first section as the rabbits brought the leaders though in 1:57. The winning time ended up being 3:41.99. Next up was my section.

While standing on the line waiting for the starters instructions I told myself I was ready to run fast, no matter what. The gun sounded and I found myself leading the race. Coming through 400 in 59. Feeling smooth I continued to lead through 800 in 2:00. Coming up on the k I was feeling tight but still had my legs, which was nice. I looked up at the clock with a lap to go, 2:45 - 2;46... I though damn I'm slipping a bit. At 1200 I was 3:01 and that's when I started to really tighten up. Around 250 to go some guy went by and a few others tried to do the same. I reacted rather than leaning back falling apart. I even gained some the last 50 but ended up second in a time of 3:47.39. I couldn't be upset. After all it was a 2.5 second pr and I did most of the work. I remember coming down the final straight, seeing the clock click away the seconds, 3:39, 3;40, 3:41 and so on. It was amazing seeing 3:30 anything on the clock and feeling so close to the line. Of course I ran nowhere near that fast but I now know that's a realistic possibility one day. After the race Wally and I did an easy cool down before getting in the car and driving back to Va. Wally ran 3:50.33 which was a good race considering he raced two days ago at UNC. Glad he decided to come along. The journey home was nice although my mom had some starbucks coffee for the first time ever, which led to her talking about anything and everything. She seriously needs to never touch that stuff again. I know she was excited for me and after explaining everything to her she kinda understand it all. I'm lucky to have such a wonderful mother that understands where I'm coming from and respects the decisions I've made, good and not so good.
The following morning I woke after 4 hours of sleep and was ready to get the last two finals OF MY LIFE over and done with. I Graduate on May 22nd although I still have a 6 credit hour internship to do over the summer. It was a great feeling to finally be finished. I should have been racing the night before finals in the past. I don't know what grade i received on each of the finals but my final grades for the semester were 2 A's, 2 B's, and a C in my 1 credit palates class. I couldn't believe she gave me a C although I missed 4 classes due to races, and our class was based on attendance. Guess you can see where my priorities are. Thinking back on it I think I made the right decision to race when I did, missing those classes. Oh well it's over and done with at this point.
Since I raced on Monday my entire schedule was off. I registered for the 1500/5k at a last chance meet at North Carolina A&T which was to be held on Sunday. I had a feeling the 1500 was going to be loaded and didn't want to miss out of an opportunity to crack 3;45. Jimmy was racing in the 5k so we decided to go together. I did 1 workout in between which consisted of tempo and Reps. It was a different workout than I was accustomed to but it seemed to work me, without killing my legs before my race. I did the workout at U of R and after finishing up I talked with coach Taylor from U of R for a bit. Jimmy has been working out with his guys some. We were talking about training and the upcoming meet. He is an extremely nice guy that's passionate about the sport and does a great job with the program over there. We briefly discussed the idea about staring a post-collegiate group in the area. He'son board so i need to get on the ball and make it happen. The day before the meet in Greensboro coach Taylor offered jimmy and I a place to stay after the race Sunday night.

Midday Sunday afternoon we were on our way to Greensboro in hopes of running some fast times. If I would have known how the night was going to go I would have stayed at home and had a few beers. Driving down to the meet took no time at all. We decided to take 360 which is more scenic and less traffic. We arrived at the track around 5pm, where we paid our $30 entry fee, which was shady. After getting fucked we made our way into Greensboro to find a coffee shop and a quick bite to eat. I was racing at 9pm but needed something. Everything was pretty much shut down in the city and it took forever to find a coffee shop. We couldn't find one damn Starbucks in that entire city. We sure as hell passed enough fried chicken joints that would give an entire track team CAD. We soon came across a Carabu coffee shop, or however you spell that. Finally some coffee and a nice chicken wrap from a deli that was open. Once returning to the track we found that all the distance runners were all together on the far side of the stadium. I checked in a while before my race and the lady seemed fucking clueless on what she was doing. She said we would get our number on the start line. I didn't think into too much. I put down a seed time of 3:43 so I would get into the fast section unlike Monday. I went out for a 20 min warm up, returned to the infield to do drills and prepare mentally for the race. The meet was now behind schedule but soon I had my spiked on and a few strides under my belt. Once getting to the starting area the lady started calling off names for the first section. She did not call my name so i instantly knew something was not right. I approached her and she said that I would be racing the the second section. I told her that can not be correct and she said they mixed all the seeds up. Something that would only be done in championship races. Coach Vig came over to see what was going on, and before I knew it all of his guys and the other unattached faster guys from my section were all put in the first section. I was getting fucked right before the race but there was nothing I could do about it. Not only that it had been an hour and a half since I started my warm up. The first section was soon off as i waited to race. A guy from my section offered to rabbit for me since he knew I was getting fucked. Robby Andrews won the first section in 3:42 and a hand full of other guys ran under 3:45. The officials took another 5 min after that section before we were off. We were off and quick as the guy came through the 400, I heard 57 -58. I was thinking shit this is fast, but try to relax. The announcer was calling me by the wrong name, which was the fairly consistent with the direction of this meet. Anyhow we came through the 800 in 1:58 and I was feeling it. The rabbit slowed a lot as he took me through 1000. I came through with a lap to go in 2:46 but i knew the last lap was going to be rough. Nobody was within striking distance, coming through the 1200 in 3:01 just like Monday. The last 300 I was completely lactic and just trying to finish. I won my section in 3:48.33 but was extremely pissed off. After the race they were still announcing me by the wrong name and i blew up on the officials. I drove to this meet to compete with the best. Instead I got fucked while half of the first section ran like shit. I paid $30, drove 3 and a half hours to do what I could have done back home. It's shit like that that test my limits to how much more I can take. It's hard enough and these bastards made it that much harder. There is not a doubt in my mind that I would have run under 3:45 that night. Everyone could tell how frustrated I was, and was entitled to that. People who know me know I like to bitch about things, and they are right. I may complain but at the end of the day I put in the hard work and I busted my balls in that race Sunday night. I left Greensboro knowing that much. There are not too many opportunities to race fast so I'm hoping I'll find the right race and make it happen before my cycle comes to a close. After talking with coach Taylor I calmed down and cheered on Jimmy in the 5k. He looked great for the first 6 laps but died off, running 14:49 which was still a pr. I know he was upset but he will get there. He just needs to keep his head up high and continue putting in the hard work.
That brings me back to decisions. Running is just like anything else in life. It's all about for much your willing to sacrifice to become great. Sunday night was a testimony to that. How many times can you get knocked to the ground, kicked and beaten before things come through. Jimmy and I had a great conversation about this on the way home. It comes down to how badly you want it. If you make the decision to continue with the sport, then give it everything you have. That's what we'll continue to do. I'm extremely fortunate to be given the opportunity to peruse what I love doing, and for that I'm thankful.

Changes

I'm at that point in life where a lot changes are about to take place. My final semester of college is coming to a close. I'm not overwhelmed with exams which is nice compared to previous semesters. I've been doing a lot of thinking about life in general over the past couple of days. Thinking of all the times I've experienced transitions in life. Looking back, these changes have made me stronger and helped me develop as an individual. Although I thrive off consistency as a runner, life's obstacles help me perform at my absolute best. Why that is I can't really be sure of.

I've been reading the book "Again To Carthage" which is the sequel to "Once A Runner". In short both books are about the life of a serious distance runner. What it takes to be the best and what's given up in the process. I'm reading a chapter right now in which Quenton Cassidy, a fictional character replays his childhood remembering moments that lead to his success. So while reading this book, getting ready for a new chapter in life, I can't help but think back on some moments that made me the person I am right now. Why am I in love with this crazy sport? Maybe because it was a way out for me. My first memory of really going out for a run was when I around 10 years old. I was fishing over at Byrd park with some friends and I saw all these people running around the lake. I always ran during soccer practice, but never enjoyed it. For some reason I decided to start running around the lake. The only problem was I had no shoes on. This didn't stop me from running a couple loops around, enjoying every minute of it! I remember how beat up my feet were afterward. Other moments include running the mile in PE my freshman year in high school. My teacher was amazed that I ran 6:04 and told me to go out for the indoor track team to prepare for soccer in the spring. That's when it all started....

Since that day running has been my way of dealing with things. Through the ups and downs I always had that connection. At times I have not run for months due to various reasons, but never did I lose my love for running. I remember changing high schools in January of my junior year. This was a new beginning for me. That outdoor season I told myself that nobody was going to beat me, and in a way I had something to prove. Just thinking that put me a level above everyone I raced against. After high school I didn't run competitively for a few years but once given the opportunity to compete in college, I again felt like I has something to prove. Looking back I ran some great times for my fitness level at the time. At the end of the day I have to look myself in the mirror and ask the question, did I give it everything I had today? Some days you have it and others all the pieces may not have come together. That brings me back to right now. This training cycle has been going great. I've put in all the hard work, starting in January when I was putting in the miles all alone in Colorado, to running through the snow all winter, to busting my ass on the track the past few months. I know what I'm capable of now it's time to go into these next few races with the desire to win! In a few weeks I'll be graduated college and a new start awaits me. Things are really going well. I mean my workouts have been phenomenal, I'm becoming more involved in coaching which is something I have a passion for and want to continue doing for a long time. I would love the opportunity to train somewhere next year and really see what I can run with having all the things it takes to be a great distance runner. The fact of the matter is I need to run certain times over the next 6 weeks in order to ensure myself that possibility. I'm doing things I never thought possible, now it's time to believe in myself again. Whatever the future holds I'm ready!

Vo2 max Intervals

Time of day 2:00 PM
Distance 6.00 mi
Shoe Air Zoom Katana Racer 3
Route Sport Backers Track
WUCD Shoe Zoom Vomero 4
Distance WU/CD 5.00 mi
Temperature 80°F
Wind Significant
Conditions Sunny and Dry
Intensity Very Hard
Overall Feeling Good
Comments Workout as follows... 3 x 1 mile @ interval pace, so 5k pace W/ 4:00 rest between each + 3 x 1000 meters @ 5k goal pace. It's been a while since I've done a good ole vo2 max workout. I've been hammering my legs the past few weeks but it's workouts like this that dictate how fit you are. I don't care if your running a 1500 or a 10k. I warmed up for 20:00 then did drills and a few strides. The other guys were doing speed stuff so I was on my own. This workout was just what I needed. I hit the miles in 4:37, 4:37, 4:40 and the K's in 2:47, 2:45, 2:46. I took 2:30 between the K's. It was a bit windy and hot so I'm very pleased with the effort. I need to take it easy the next few days since the last 4 have been quality. I don't think I'll workout again this week. Maybe a progression run on Wednesday with some strides to follow. After the workout I need 4 x 100 meter accelerations were I stride the first 50 then accelerate the second half. I need to do more of those so my legs become accustom to running fast while containing lactic acid. My form really broke down this weekend and that's something that can't occur If I want to compete at a high level. Easy 15:00 to cool down. I need to hydrate better. I could really feel it afterward.

Workout Monday

Time of day 2:00 PM
Distance 3.50 mi
Route Sport Backers Track
WUCD Shoe Zoom Vomero 4
Distance WU/CD 5.00 mi
Temperature 92°F
Wind Significant
Conditions Sunny and Dry
Intensity Excruciating
Overall Feeling Good
Comments Workout with the Dream Team. Feeling like absolute shit all day I debated doing a workout today. My allergies have been so bad and my legs felt drained from the long run yesterday. I knew today was the day to workout or I would have to do it alone in the morning. I'd like to get some fast intervals in, like mile repeats in 4:35 or faster but since I'm racing the mile at UVA this Friday I'll save that workout for next Monday. I drove to the track before warming up to give myself some extra time. Today's high was 92 and it felt even hotter on the track. Warmed up for 20:00 then did my typical strides and drills. I almost packed everything up and went home but Spooner talked me into doing the 600 / 200 workout. I knew it would be tough but Axel was there so I figured we could get through it together. We were off on the first 600 and i didn't feel bad at all. We came through the 400 in 61 then I picked it up to run 1:29. I was surprised at how good it felt. My timed for the 600 / 200 were as follows.... 1:29, 1:27, 1:28, 1:27, 27, 27, 27, 27. After the first 600 I was alone the rest of the way. I believe the other guys were in the 1:30 - 1:33 range. I felt decent till the last set. We were taking too much rest after the 600 but it's all good. The quality is more important for this workout. This was a lot faster than I've ever done this workout in previous years. The conditions were hot and windy so that makes it even more impressive. The rest was 200 jog after the 600 and 400 jog after the 200. My body has felt fatigued all day so cooling down was painful. All I wanted to do was drink water and take a nap. Unfortunately I had to go intern at EF so no sleep for hours to come. Hoping for a huge PR in the Mile this Friday!
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Racing

The past two weekends I've raced two completely different distances. My first track race of the season was an 800 at the Wake Forest open. Coming into the race I knew I was strong but was unsure in my ability to run a P.R to start the season. In my last post I talked about strength and how important it is for middle/long distance runners. Although I had not done any real speed work up to this point I still managed to run a 1:52.75 P.R. In the process I almost won the race. I just didn't have much of a kick the last 200. With that performance I knew great things were ahead in the upcoming weeks. After the race my allergies really began to act up and have been bothering me ever since. It's that time of year I guess. Not much I can do about it... Just take care of my body and hopefully my body will adjust.

At the beginning of last week my allergies were becoming a real issue. I would wake up at night choking and couldn't sleep for shit. I did however get a great speed workout in on Monday and come cruise interval k's on Wed. My legs have been feeling tired but this is the most demanding part of my training cycle. Unable to find a ride to Raleigh for the 5k Friday night, I knew I was on my own. I had my 1 credit Pilates class at 1pm and left shortly after. This class is really starting to get in the way. Our grade is based on attendance so I decided to go. It's a great class but not ideal for race days. Driving down to Raleigh the weather was rather shity. It was a chilly, rainy, windy type of day. I arrived around 5pm and the race was scheduled to go off at 8pm. It took a while to park but I found a free spot not too far away. The weather was still shity but the track sits really low, like the shape of a bowl. When picking up my packet they informed me that the meet was running 45:00 behind schedule. Immediately I'm thinking I wont get home till 2am. I walked back to my car to get out of the cold wet weather. I tried taking a nap in the back seat but thoughts of the race were going through my head. Everything from can I run what my fitness indicates to feeling sorry for myself. What I mean is all the things I have to do in order to continue racing without the help from others. It's not easy having to get into your own races, paying a $25 entry fee, transportation, and then having to perform at a highly competitive level. You really have to love the sport. Anyhow, once returning to the track I watched some of the action before warming up. On the warm up my legs felt tired, but then again they always do before I race. I got a good 20:00 in then made my way to the infield for drills and strides. The wind was still there but not nearly as bad. Once I was moving around I become more confident in my ability to run a fast 5k. Before I knew it everyone was stripping off their warm-ups and toeing the line. The gun was off and I tucked in behind the Zap fitness guys. This was all off instinct. Coming through the first 200 in 33, then the quarter in 66. This pace didn't feel uncomfortable but I knew it was fast. Before I knew it I hit2:13 at 800, and 2:46 at the k. I knew this was too fast. Two NC State guys went by and I tried working off them. I was 4:28 at the mile and my legs were getting heavy. On a positive note my breathing was great. I thought that was going to be an issue with my allergies. The next two laps were still good. Both in the ballpark of 68. Then the wheels started coming off. Just like every 5k of my life. You would think I would figure it out by now. I know I'm training for the 1500 but there is no reason this should occur. A few more guys went by. I just told myself to relax through 3200 behind Evans Kiegan from Liberty, then make a move with everything I've got the last mile. Coming through 3200 in 9:10 I instead slowed down even more. That chase pack got away and I was soon running in no mans land. I gave up on myself which is something I can't afford to do. If I'm going to sacrifice my life I must not give up on myself when it's go time. I finished the race in 14:31.... A 15 second P.R. That's about the only good that came of this performance. If I was feeling like shit then I could say it just wasn't my day. I'm in 14:10 - 14:20 shape and I have a feeling the 5000 and me will see each other again this year. I got a solid 30:00 cool down in before leaving to head back home. I had to be back in Richmond to help out with the 10k tom as well as working at the running store. I got lost in Raleigh and didn't get home till 2am. What a great way to start the recovery process from a hard 5k. Lets just say I wasn't good for shit come Saturday and even into Sunday. Congrats to everyone to ran the Monument Avenue 10k. It was great to see everyone out there! Running is a great sport and I hope everyone continues running going forward.

Strength

Strength can mean a lot of different things. You have to be physically and mentally tough in order to be a great runner. Over the years I've come to realize that running hard at a decent pace over a duration, also called tempo pace builds strength. This is something I never worked on in the past and would always think, hell I'm a middle distance guy, why do I have to do 10 mile progression runs or 4 - 8 miles at tempo / threshold pace. I would always wonder why I would feel great the first half of a race then all of the sudden somebody puts bricks on my back. For a distance runner this is what I call strength. Being able to maintain a pace that's tolerable but annoying at the same time. You have to also be mentally tough to sustain an honest effort throughout these sessions. This weekend I've decided to forgo the 8k in Va beach and open my track season with an 800 at Wake Forest. I have yet to do any fast repetitions But believe I can pr simply off strength. I've been having lots of problems over the previous two weeks, which is my reason for racing a shorter distance this weekend. In addition I would like to run around 3:45 for the 1500 in two weeks at the colonial relays, so a fast 800 is not a bad idea. Since I want this blog to concentrate on more than just running I will share some of the struggles I've had to endure over the past few weeks. I've stated this before and will say it again. Being successful in life is about making the best of bad situations and holding your head up high. I've been through a lot of shit in my 25 years of life. I'm not saying that entitles me to anything. Everyone goes through tough times. That's what makes us strong. It's not how many times you get knocked down, it's how quickly you get up and keep pushing forward. I'm still figuring things out. This brings me back to strength. I've talked about what makes a strong runner, but these are the things that make a strong person. Over the past two weeks I've had the scare of testicular cancer, IT band problems and the most hurtful has been my relationship with Laura. Letting one things bother me has caused other things to bother me even more. Laura and myself have been split up for about 2 months now. At first I though I could just run through the emotional pain like I always have in the past. It has not been that simple. I really thought she was the one which is unlike anything I've experienced or felt in the past. Although we still talk and I've tried everything to make her realize, but nothing seems to work. You can say whatever you want but when a person makes up there mind that it's over, then I guess it's over. If I knew of the perfect things to say or do, I would. In addition I was experiencing a lot of pain in my lower abdomen and testicles. Very painful at time I might add. This had me worried so on Monday I went the ER and they did some testing. I had a bacteria infection in the epiditimis causing all my pain. They gave me some pain medication along with some antibiotics and a shot in my ass. By Tuesday the pain had subsided although I have felt fatigued from going through the process and taking all the antibiotics. Lastly the pain in my left IT band and knee is still there but not too bad while running. So with all that said things are looking up. I however thought the 800 was a smarter decision based on the events that have transpired recently. Life can get crazy but it's all about staying strong. Below is a strength workout that I did at Pocohontas state park last Friday.

Time of day 3:00 PM
Distance 11.50 mi
Duration 1:06:00 @ 5:44 min/mi
Shoe Zoom Vomero 4
Route Pocohontas State park
Temperature 55°F
Wind Light
Conditions Light Rain
Intensity Hard
Overall Feeling Good
Comments I've been feeling down this week with my IT band hurting, my lower abdomen and balls have also been aching for days. I went to student health to get checked out and they want to refer my to a urologist. She didn't know much so if it keeps up or the pain gets worse I'll see someone soon.

I went out to Poco with the "dream team" to get a tempo/progression run in. I was going to do some reps on the track but figured the continuous left turns could further aggravate my leg. As soon as we got out of the van it started raining. Nobody was really sure what coach wanted them to do so after the first mile I began to turn the run into a tempo effort. With all the hills at poco this is a great workout to get strong without over doing things. There was a group of 5 or us going around beaver lake. At this point I was running just under 6:00 pace. There were some rolling hills and sharp turns making it impossible to run any faster. Once we climbed up to Old mill It was just woodchuck and myself. He is Piotrek's buddy from Poland who is visiting for the week. He seems to be in great shape from the two workouts I've done with him this week. We then hit a series of rolling hills. I was feeling tired but I know how strong my body is right now. I would have taken a lot to drop me. Towards the end of old mill I took a wrong turn. I soon realized it 90 seconds later. We turned around and got back on track. Now Tyler and Justin were a good ways in front of us. We picked up the pace for the last 20:00, which included a lot of climbing the last 10. Up the final climb to the van we finally caught Tyler and Justin. After that we settled in the last couple minutes, finishing together. I'd say the effort the last few miles was close to threshold. So the overall pace doesn't do the effort given any justice. It turned out to be a solid workout so I don't feel bad for not going to the track today.

Workout Wednesday

Time of day 2:00 PM
Distance 4.50 mi
Shoe Air Zoom Katana Racer 3
Route Sport Backers Track
WUCD Shoe Zoom Vomero 4
Distance WU/CD 4.50 mi
Temperature 73°F
Wind Significant
Conditions Cloudy and Humid
Intensity Hard
Overall Feeling Good
Comments Intervals at sports backers... Met with the Vcu guys at Franklin street gym ready to go at 2. Of course we didn' leave for the track till 2:10. If I were coaching this team a lot of changes would take place. No structure whatsoever. Anyhow we were off for a warm up over to the track. It was nice to socialize with all the guys on the way over. I really miss the team aspect of things. It was darn right hot today as temps reached the mid 70's. I've been use to working out with layers on and today was a no shirt day. Once arriving at the track I did another half mile or so before drills. My knee had that burning feeling but I knew that would all go away once I started. I was initially going to do 6 x 800 with 2:00 rest. i decided if those guys were doing something similar then I would switch. Most of the guys were doing 2k, 1k, 2k at Interval pace. This was perfect because the 800's were suppose to to be done at (I) pace as well. It started to become really windy, but again that was nothing new. After a few strides we were off. On the first Interval Piotrek led the first two laps and I took over the last three. We were really consistent with the pace as we hit 70, 70, 69, 69, 70. While running behind piotrek I felt comfortable. I didn't really feel discomfort till 500 to go. I kept the entire interval controlled which is the point of working out. This is something I've learned to do over the years. No point racing in workouts. In my opinion we took way too long to start the 1k. We were waiting on some of the other guys so it was just a pain in the ass. If you need to take more recovery than the time taken for that interval then your running too fast. The 1k felt really good as I took over after the first lap, running 2:45. I bit quick, but again this is due to the long recovery. I went 67, 66, 32... We then took around 4:00 before starting the next 2k. Piotrek again led this time the first thousand before I took over. We came through in 2:54 which felt good. Once I took over the wind was eating me up on the home straight but I just told myself to relax and then open it up running with the wind. The last 200 I could hear a few guys as three of us crossed the line in 5:47. After the first lap the pain in my knee went away, so I was pleased with that. I know it will act up later tonight. After the last 2k I slipped on my spikes for 4 x 200 with 200 jog between. I was running 29 to 30 and it felt rather comfortable. I was feeling tired on the cool down and could have really used an ice bath. It's been months since I've had one of those. Maybe sometime soon. I saw that the Puma mile is on April 17th, with 10,000 and a year contract going to this years winner. I remember gearing up for that race last year and my foot caused my to miss a month of training. We will see how things are going, but I have a feeling I'll be ready to run with the best here soon! I have some big races before that, so time will tell.

Recovery run

Time of day 10:00 AM
Distance 13.50 mi
Duration 1:34:00 @ 6:57 min/mi
Shoe Wave Rider 13
Temperature 55°F
Wind Light
Conditions Sunny and Dry
Intensity Easy
Overall Feeling Average
Comments I was out late last night at Piotrek's party so I didn't meet the EF crew at Westcreek this morning. I was feeling a bit beat up. My knee got really tight after the race yesterday and it didn't help that I was standing all day at work then stayed up late. Laura ran to my house and then I ran with her for 25:00 before splitting off. It felt really good to start off easy and she did a really good job at keeping a solid pace. She is a lot better runner than she gives herself credit for. It was finally a beautiful day and everyone was out enjoying the weather. Laura and I left my house and headed down to the bottom trail, a loop around bell Island before we separated at the canal walk. I picked up the pace a bit, getting into a good rhythm as I ran east on the canal walk then cut up bank street to Franklin. Once on Monument I continued past Boulevard to Malvern. From there I cut through the Windsor farms community and ended up on Douglasdale near Byrd park. My IT band and knee were bothering me and my shoes felt dead. As soon as I got home I stretched and took care of my knee. Hope this doesn't turn into anything serious. Overall a good run although I was feeling beat up and tired towards the end.

First race of the year!

Time of day 8:00 AM
Distance 3.11 mi
Duration 15:07 @ 4:51 min/mi
Shoe Air Zoom Katana Racer 3
WUCD Shoe Wave Rider 13
Distance WU/CD 7.00 mi
Temperature 35°F
Wind Significant
Conditions Sunny and Dry
Intensity Very Hard
Overall Feeling Good
Comments First race of the season. Coming in I knew I was really fit but didn't know how I would race since I've been training hard and just did a workout on Thursday. I've been having a issue with my left knee since completing my workout on Thursday. I think I have some inflammation on the lateral side of my knee. It's where my IT band connects so that makes sense since I've been having issues. While warming up I felt decent. It was suppose to be a nice morning compared to the previous days this week, but a strong wind continued to blow. I did the course as a warm up then some drills over in the grass. That lump of a feeling started to come about 30 or so minutes before the race. I missed that feeling you get right before it's time to perform. I've been busting my ass for months, so it was time to prove to myself that I'm ready to roll this season. I didn't have a race strategy, just wanted to get out the first 800 and test myself. Another great runner in the area, John Molz was also out there. I knew I would have some competition with a $250 first place prize. I did a few strides then stripped down to my singlet, shorts and arm warmers. It was really chilly with the breeze. We were gathered around at the starting line waiting for the gun to go off. When it did John and I were running side by side. We were sizing each other up and I was just trying to relax and get into a nice rhythm. Around the 3/4 mile we turned left and started running into a strong head wind. I've been here before. Most of my workouts have been worst than this the weeks leading up to the race. We came through the mile in 4:45 or so and I was feeling better than I did at the start. I could sense that John was having trouble with the pace and I was soon only hearing my own breathing and footsteps. I was in a groove running alone into the wind. From 1.5 to 2.5 I felt like I was running slightly faster than tempo pace. My workouts had been much harder than this effort so I knew what to expect. I came through 2mi in 9:45. I fell off pace but that's to be expected into the wind. Plus it's a road race and I've learned over the years that you can't trust the accuracy of road races for shit. With a half mile left I picked it up trying to test myself a bit. I didn't really start feeling a lot of discomfort till the last 1:00 or so. I was very pleased with my first effort and winning $250 is a great way to kick off the year. I chatted for a few then did 4 x 200 on the grass to get some extra work in. Duncan was cooling down so we did a small loop that took 18:00 or so. After the awards I was off to work to stand up all day. Not the best recovery but it has to be done. Shamrock is in two weeks. Sub 24:00 is in sight. The question is just how fast can I go.
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Training for March 4th

Time of day 9:00 AM
Distance 5.00 mi
Duration 25:31 @ 5:06 min/mi
Shoe Zoom Streak Xc
WUCD Shoe Wave Rider 13
Distance WU/CD 5.50 mi
Temperature 35°F
Wind Strong
Conditions Sunny and Dry
Intensity Hard
Overall Feeling Good
Comments Cruise Intervals at Saint Chris. I was debating working out today since I'm racing on Saturday. I figured I'm training through the next few weeks and need to stay consistent with things. The workout went as follows ( 5 x mile w 1:00 rest at Tempo pace) My legs are been tired lately but that's why it's called training. I was off for the typical warm up down to U of R to use the restroom then back to the track. The wind was blowing at 15-20 mph which sends a chill through your body on a cold morning. After 20 or so minutes of drills and a few strides I was off... The back stretch was unbelievably windy. These were done a T pace so I was telling myself to relax and let things come. I hit the first one in 5:07. Felt good and a minute later was back at it again. I kept running the first quarter in 75 so I had to tell myself to relax and slow down. The race is this weekend and running fast today was not the goal. My legs were also heavy so no need digging myself a bigger hole. I continued to hit 5:07 on the next two and then went 5:06, 5:04 on the last two. I was soon off to cool down and get the hell out of the cold. Workout stats below:

warm up - 3mi
Drills / strides
5 x mile @ T pace with 1:00 rest (5:07, 5:07, 5:07, 5:06, 5:04)
cool down - 2.5mi

Training for March 3rd

Time of day 5:00 PM
Distance 8.00 mi
Duration 51:00 @ 6:22 min/mi
Shoe Wave Rider 13
Temperature 38°F
Wind Light
Conditions Light Rain
Intensity Easy
Overall Feeling Good
Comments On Wednesday's I intern from 6-10am. Once returning home I was starving so I made a huge breakfast then laid down for a few. Next thing I knew it was 4pm. I had taken a 4hr nap. These things don't happen on accident. My body was trying to tell me something. Jason got home in the evening so we went drove to cary street gym and ran from the car. I was below 40 with a light rain. Not exactly the perfect running weather but we got in a solid 8 mi before hitting the gym. During the run Jason showed me the 5k layout of a race he is trying to organize for next fall. The course was nice and seemed to be fast. Once getting back to the gym I did a nice strength routine for 45 to 60 minutes.

Training for March 2nd

Time of day 8:00 AM
Distance 10.50 mi
Duration 1:09:30 @ 6:37 min/mi
Shoe Wave Rider 13
Temperature 34°F
Wind Significant
Conditions Sunny and Dry
Intensity Easy
Overall Feeling Average
Comments Early morning recovery run with Jimmy. Legs are feeling a bit beat up from yesterdays workout. It's another cold and windy day in Richmond. Can't wait for things to warm up a bit. Anyhow Jimmy and myself started the usual route down through forest hill park, from there we ran the flood wall connecting to North bank trail. It was nice having access to all the trails once again. With all the snow cover the previous two months the trails have either been icy or very muddy.
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Goals

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost two months since returning from Colorado. My last blog was when returning home waiting in the Chicago airport. I have lots to share since my last post. When training in Colorado I was going through a rough patch of injuries and not feeling at my best. Like I always say, that's part of the game. If you want to be great at anything you have to find that perfect balance. That varies from person to person. My first week back from altitude was a disaster. I arrived home fairly late and had to be up at 5am for my internship at Endorphin Fitness. During that first week my sleeping patterns were off and I just wanted to do nothing but sleep. Since I was nursing some injuries I thought it would be best to take a few days off. Since settling back in that first week training has been great! Life has been nuts been I'm doing the best I can. That next week Richmond got hit by a huge snowstorm which was a pain in the ass, literally. I slipped on some ice, falling directly on my hip. I didn't take any time off but decided to hit the treadmill over the next several days. The next week we received more snow, and the pattern has continued for a while. I didn't get the workouts in I would have liked so I decided against racing till March. For once I resisted the temptation in order to prepare my body to deliver to the best of it's abilities when the time is right. I mean yes it would have been nice to see what I could have run after coming down from altitude, but I have some lofty goal and want to achieve those goals by seasons end. So since returning I've put in 8 solid weeks of training. My mileage has been between 70-80 miles a week with a down week every 4th week of the cycle. During that down week I've still been around 65 or so. My workouts have been incredible the past several week. I've also been doing drills several times a week and hitting the gym twice a week. Things I never did consistently in the past. I believe all the small things will help build a better foundation which in return minimizes injuries and helps maximize performance. I've been posting my training on a new site called runpartner.com. I really like the way it's set up and will be sending links from my training log daily to my blog for those interested. Anyhow I'd like to share my goals with everyone. People may think I'm crazy because some of these things I've never come close to doing before. That's my reasoning for sharing with everyone. I'm not scared to put everything on the table and take risks. First I want to stay healthy and enjoy the sport. Yes competing and running fast is important to me, but being happy is my main focus. Next I'd like to run sub 24:00 at the Shamrock 8k on March 20th. That next Friday I will be competing in the 5k at the Raleigh relays. My goal for that race is sub 14:00. After that I will drop down and race a slew of 1500's. I will either compete at the Colonial relays on April 2nd or the Duke invite. This will be my first 1500 of the season. I'd like to run sub 3:45 but time is not the issue at this point. Every race I enter will be to win. I love racing, so putting myself in position to win is what it's all about. The USATF championships are at the end of June. The A standard for the 1500 is 3:41 and the B standard is 3:45. Everything I do this season wil be geared towards qualifying and racing well at the USATF champs in June. My fist race of the season is this weekend at a local 5k in Richmond. I've been feeling tired but hitting all my times while working out. The first place prize is $250! I could use the extra cash and a good solid effort before Shamrock. Like I mentioned I'll be posting my training daily. Hope everyone is having a great year and living life to it's fullest.

Guy

Coming home!

Hello everyone, right now I'm in Chicago waiting for my flight home. Sorry I have not been blogging over the past couple days. Things have been crazy and I spent most of my free time lounging around watching football over the weekend. After running in Vail on Friday I've felt run down and ready to come home. It doesn't help that my foot has been bothering me over the weekend, which killed my motivation to train hard. I mean I still ran 10 miles Saturday morning and 12 yesterday. Putting me at 63 for the week. Not what I envisioned at the beginning of the week. Who knows, maybe my body is trying to tell me something. I did however get in two solid workouts this week. This dull ache in my foot is really pissing me off! Two years ago I had a stress fracture in my left foot, which I ran through for about a month before ending my career at VCU. I'll never forget that day at conference when warming up I could barely run. I tried to run the 1500 final and I had to drop out two laps in... I was sitting in the grass crying. There was absolutely nothing I could do. Just sitting the grass watching the race unfold. Two hours later I jogged two laps in the 800 final so I could score for the team. That was my last race in college, the pity aplause as I was finishing. Not how I had envisioned things coming into the season. I know injuries are part of the game and we all have to go through them. Last spring I was fitter than hell and the same pain appeared in the same foot. I took off the entire month of April, which pretty much ended that season. Once I started training again in the late spring the pain was there, but gradually subsided. From late May till December, I for once stayed healthy and ran huge pr's in distances that I'm not a huge fan of. I put a huge base in over those months, averaging 65-90 miles a week. My main focus has always been track. Yes, road races are fun as is cross country, but there's nothing like that gut feeling I get just before an 800 or mile! Plus most road races are 5k and longer. I have a feeling that I'm capable of running sub 4:05 off my current fitness. I'm so far ahead of where I've ever been before, which leads me to now. I don't think the pain in my foot is another stress fracture. I believe there is some trauma there from when I fractured it two years ago. Maybe tendinitis, a neuroma, hell I don't know, all I can do is guess. I don't have health insurance so I'm sure as hell not going to the doctor so they can tell me there's nothing they can do, here's some medicine that eats up your liver, or better yet a cortisone shot. Anyhow, I'm taking today off since I'll be traveling and need a break. I'll see how things feel tomorrow and play it day by day. Just as I have over the past couple of years. This may be my last shot of competing at a high level. People have asked me, why do you still run, why do you put so much pressure on yourself? To answer that question.... In my 10 years of running I've never been able to put a year together without a long layoff. I only ran in college for 2 years, some of which is my fault, other reasons are beyond my control. It's hard to hang up the spikes when you know how much faster you can run. That's what keeps me going... I appreciate everyone's support. I want to take the time to thank my family for making my trip to Colorado possible. You guy's mean the world to me!. I can't wait to get back home and train with my roommates, past teammates and even forming some type of post-collegiate group. This sport will always be a part of my life in some way, shape or form. I'll do whatever it takes to help promote and get people more involved! I'll leave you guy's this an amazing picture I took while driving out to Vail on Friday. Enjoy!

Workout Thursday

I need to catch everyone up on all that has taken place over the past few days. One of my favorite workouts that I use to do at VCU was 600, 1 minute rest, followed by 200, lap jog x 4 sets. Around noon Enoch and myself were on our way to the CU track. It's only a 5 minute drive from where I was parked. I knew this workout was going to be a bitch but it had to be done. Once arriving at the track I took off for a warm up on the Boulder creek path. Warming up for 19 minutes, I returned to the track for drills and strides. While doing strides my legs felt a bit heavy... It's days like these that having a training partner would be nice. Anyhow, I was soon off for my first 600. Being conservative the first half of whatever distance your running is key at altitude. It's simply amazing how quickly I was reaching my maximal oxygen capacity. Coming through the quarter in 68-70 on the first (3) 600's, finishing in 1:44, 1:43, 1:43. I then jogged for a minute before hitting each of the first (3) 200's in 30. I was trying to relax as much as possible. That seemed to help with staying consistent and getting the most from today's workout. On the last set I hit 1:41 for the 600 and 29 for the 200. It's frustrating because I typically come through 600 meters in these times while doing 1000 meter intervals. I can't wait to workout at sea level next week! My legs are feeling strong, it just feels like someone is squeezing my chest half way through each repetition. Enoch took some great shots while I was working out. I didn't waste much time after completing the workout. I knew he was cold so I took off for a nice and easy 18 minutes. My cool downs are so slow that I'm surprised that everyone doesn't blow past me.

Last night in Boulder-

Soon after completing my workout we were back at the dorms packing everything up, heading back to Enoch's sisters for dinner. Before heading back we stopped by the bookstore. I picked up a few things to take back home. Once getting back a put a load of laundry in and took a nice hot shower. It was nice getting out of the dorms and spending one last night with Enoch and his family. Daisy cooked us a wonderful chicken parm dinner with all the fixings. As I was going to places the chicken on my plate, it knocked the pasta and sauce off my plate, covering the floor. I felt terrible but everyone just laughed as we cleaned it up. I did have two glasses of wine while waiting on dinner, but I assure you that had nothing to do with it. Being exhausted was probably a contributing factor. I was joking around with everyone, telling them that if I had done that in my house I would have been bitching myself out. Hahaha... If you really know me then you know what I'm talking about. After dinner we played apples to apples for a while. It was closing on midnight and all I wanted to do was sleep.

1-15-10

After dropping Enoch off at the airport it was time for a new adventure! I had nothing to do until 5pm, so I drove through the Rocky mountains, all the way to Vail. I took some decent pictures along the way, but I was hard to capture some of the amazing sites. Once arriving in Vail, which is a small ski town, I was out running on the bike path that runs from Breckenridge to Vail. To be honest I didn't feel like running, but I had to be done. It was very cold up there and the elevation was over 9000 feet. I was running slow, taking everything in along the way! A few things were bothering me so I only managed 7 miles for the day. I was parked in a garage that was free for up to an 1hr30min so I didn't have much time for messing around. It would have been one thing if it was a dollar or two, but $10 was a lot for 2hr parking. I quickly changed in the car then headed back to Denver. I will be staying with an old high school friend, Cameron until I leave on Monday. I'm very fortunate to have places to stay, and it's been fun catching up with friends along the way! Cameron lives just south of Denver. He has 4 roommates, all of which have Virginia ties. Once I arrives in Denver I was exhausted from all the driving today. I'm glad I got the chance to see so many amazing things, but it was taking it's toll on me. After a quick shower we grabbed some food and were out to watch his friends band play. We met up with a couple of his friends from work. They asked a tone of questions about why I was in Colorado and seemed interested in what I had to say. This has been an experience I'll never forget... If you have dreams, or things you've always wanted to do, I recommend doing it! You only live once and we all have complete control of our lives. I don't mean drop everything you've worked for and start over. Years down the road I want to look back and ask myself, did you make an honest attempt, did you achieve your goals? I may not achieve all the goals I've set for myself, but I'm going to put up a good fight along the way!

Recovery days

Recovery is the key to success. You don't become fitter by just working out at a high level. Your improvements are based on what you do between scheduled workouts and how you take care of your body. Yesterday I woke up feeling lazy but at the same time wanted to get out and do something. I was staying in the dorms so everything was within walking distance. By now you should all know how much I love coffee! There are tons of coffee shops in town. This time I tried a place on Pearl street that seemed to be packed. I was hungry as well so I ordered some breakfast, which was horrible. The coffee was great as it has been at most of the places I've been. For the most part I've eaten at Enoch's sisters. The groceries I bought my second day have went a long way. Since we were at the dorms I had to grab something out. Guess I've been conservative with my money thus far, so no big deal. After two cups of coffee I was wired and wanted to take a trip. I made my way into the mountains, checking out Magnolia road. This is where the University of Colorado does there long runs during the cross country months. The paved road climbs a few thousand feet before leveling out at the top, turning into a dirt road that rolls for miles and miles. Until today it was probably hard getting to the top with the snow that had fallen last week. I debated bringing my running gear, but wanted my run to be a recovery run, and running on rolling hills at 9500 feet would not be smart. I stopped just before the top to take some unbelievable pictures. One of which I posted yesterday. I positioned the camera on top of the car and set the timer for 10 seconds. I cut part of my head off but that's the best I could do. I continued driving for a while, admiring the scenery. I felt as though I was in another world. The sun felt so close, with a noticeable drop in temperature. Tomorrow is a workout day, or I would come back up to run Mags before leaving Boulder. On the way down was a bit scary. The rental is not exactly meant for climbing mountains. Coming around some of the sharp turns, I was slipping on the sand placed on the road from days ago. I finally made it down safe and sound. Once returning to town I laced up my running shoes and hit the Boulder creek path heading west.

Recovery run-

On recovery days I don't put a time on how long I'm going. I just run slower and make that decision in the ladder stages of the run. Sometimes I start to feel better and I'll go a bit further, but still at a slower pace. Around 15 minutes in I was in the mountains... I then hit a path that was muddy and still covered with melting snow. It's a shame cause these paths take you into the mountains and make for some great running. Plus training on soft surfaces is a lot nicer than asphalt. I tried for a while but was working harder than I wanted to. There is also a slight incline once reaching the mountains. I turned around 20 minutes in, returning back towards campus. I was feeling better and kept going pass the dorms for another 6 or so minutes on the path before heading back. I finished up at 52:00 for around 8 miles. My leg has been feeling much better, which is good considering that my mileage has increased, plus I'm now incorporating some workouts!

Dinner-

Around 5:30 Enoch, his cousin Dakota and myself headed into town for happy hour. The deals they have in Boulder are incredible for happy hour! Wish they had something like this in Richmond. Most of the top restaurants in the area offer great dinner deals from 3-7. Places that are rather expensive, but have lower the rates to get people in before typical dinner hours. We decided on an European restaurant the specialized in French cuisine. I ordered some mussels, a slider with goat cheese, something else that I can't remember, creme brulle and a glass of Merlot. All of it was absolutely delicious! Oh I forgot to mention that I had coffee with my desert. Anyhow, we really enjoyed our meal, which was followed by some interesting conversations. We checked out a local music store that was going out out business... Guess the internet has something to do with that. They had great deals on some DVD's, so Enoch bough a few. Once returning home we put in Green Street Hooligans, which is a great movie. Below is a video that Enoch took with my camera during my workout today. Tomorrow I'll be posting the details of that workout, among other things. Enjoy!

Tired

Since coming out west to Colorado I've run 85 miles in 8 days. Everything is now catching up with me. My body is able to take the physical demands placed on it day in day out. Like I mentioned in my first post, running is about so much more than going out and putting in the miles and workouts. Being great at anything is about being comfortable, finding the right combination of things that work best on a individual basis. So many things have been on my mind, which over time, wheres the body out. Trying to adjust to different sleeping schedules, not sleeping in my own bed, dealing with injuries, missing my girlfriend, staying at different places and living under different circumstances all take a toll of the body after a while. Don't get me wrong, I'm truly blessed to have the opportunity to train in a running mecca such as Boulder. Life is about making adjustments. This is not a vacations for me. Coming to Colorado is one part of the process that will help me become the runners I want to be, as well as helping me grow as a person.

After taking it easy on Monday I woke up bright and early on Tuesday for an easy 4 miles. The temp was a bit chilly but I enjoyed running slowly in order to loosen up my muscles for my workout in the afternoon. Around noon I went into town for some coffee and to relax before hitting up the CU track. I couldn't believe how warm it was. I sat outside of Buchanan's coffee pub enjoying the beautiful weather. I brought my training log and began to plan out my training for the next several weeks. My new internship starts when I get back at Endorphin Fitness, so I'm trying to plan my workouts around when I'll be needed, as well as two other courses I'm taking. Getting in a routine that works best for me is key to limiting stress and achieving my goals. Anyhow, I heading over to Potts field for the planned workout of the day. It goes as follows- 15-20 minutes of warming up + strides/drills + 20 minutes tempo + 4 x 200 @ repetition pace (fast) + cool down. When I arrived at Potts field a few runners were doing workouts, so once I did my drills and strides I decided to do the tempo on the Boulder creek path. The track would have been nice to start out on but I didn't want to get in the way. Plus more runners were warming up on the path, so the track was about to be packed. I was soon off, probably a bit too fast. I passed the distance guys warming up. They seemed rather impressed with my pace and said hello as I went by... I turned around 10 minutes in, making for an out and back. I felt uncomfortable but then again I always do during tempo runs. I do them because they have helped me tremendously, but it the same time I despise them... I don't know what pace I was running. If I had to guess I'd say, 5:10-5:25 pace. I was hurting the last 5 minutes, which is not a good sign. Tempo's should be controlled yet fast. Once again the altitude was kicking my ass. Not as bad as the 400's and 200's the other day, but I was feeling rough. I jogged back to the track for some 200's at repetition pace. The track was packed so I did them in lane 6. Taking 200 meters jog between, I was hitting 30 seconds. On the recovery I was watching the distance guys do their workout. The top group was moving quick, with the Legendary coach Wetmore clicking off splits. On their recovery jog they smiled and said hello on the way by, as did some members from the girls team. Everyone on that track was all about business and it made me wish I could have been a part of something special like that, or even a part of something like that now. Oh well, I'm very fortunate to have the talent, ability and drive to train alone. Not many people do 400's at race pace by themselves. If things go according to plan, maybe I'll be training with a good post collegian group this fall. The 200's were tough, especially after the tempo. It amazes me how long it takes to recovery after each rep. I was soon off for an easy (very easy I might add) cool down on the Boulder creek path. Today's workout posted below.

Am- 4 mi in 27:00
Pm- 2.5 mi warm up, drills/strides, 20:00 tempo @ 5:15 average + 4 x 200 in 30 sec + 16:00 cool down. Around 9.5 mi total and 13.5 mi for the day!

The night Life!

Once returning home I relaxed for a while, then made Enoch and myself a pasta dinner with chicken and corn.... It was alright but not the best I've ever made. Not cooking in my own kitchen has a bit to do with that. Anyhow, we were soon out the door, making out way into Boulder to visit Enoch's cousin, staying in his dorm for a few days. Sounds like a great environment for training. Yet sleeping on another couch in an unfamiliar place. His cousin is a really nice down to earth guy, but his roommates are a bunch of idiots. Nothing like being around a bunch of college freshman. First we had to make an alcohol run for them. Once we returned the entire place smelled like weed. So much in fact, that I caught a contact buzz. Seems like everyone that's not involved with exercise in Boulder likes to toke up. I have no problem with that, but this is all these kids have been doing since staying with them. Enoch and myself split a 6 pack before heading out to a local bar. Finally, time to get out of that fucking dorm! The down side was I was exhausted and I could tell Enoch wanted to have more than a few beers. When we first arrived, we sat down at the bar and ordered a drink. After two or so drinks this place was packed! I had no idea a place could be poppin so much on a Tuesday night. I didn't feel like drinking so I sipped very slowly. I still got tipsy as most of the place was hammered. Enoch was nice enough to pay for the drinks... That boy likes to have a good time! Nothing wrong with that, tonight was just not my night. We left around 1am, so 3am eastern time. On the way back Enoch was trying his karate moves out. We passed a pizza joint while walking back. I figured I could use some extra carbs so I grabbed a quick piece to go. It was pretty damn good, especially at 1am. Soon we were back at the dorms. I was so tired I don't remember passing out. Above is a picture of me on the top on Magnolia road just outside of Boulder.

A New Week!

A lot has happened since my last blog. After my long run in Sunday I was doing every stretch imaginable in order to cure the pain in my piriformis, gluts and It band. I was watching the Cards/Packers game, which seemed to be another disappointment at the time. Sick of sitting around I went into town, back to the Boulder running company to find a roam roller. They had a variety of rollers but I needed one that would fit in my suitcase once returning back to Virginia. After trying a few, I went with this small compact roller. Unlike anything I'd seen before, plus it seemed to be affective. Since I was already out, I walked around Pearl street checking out some local shops. Lots of people were walking around. CU starts back on Monday so that made for lots of traffic. I don't care were you go people always want money... I was hounded for money on two different occasions, within a 20 minute period. Heading back to the car I spotted a Starbucks and needed to get in my caffeine fix. I found a comfortable spot next to the window, where I sipped on my Americano and people watched for a while. That got old after 20 or so minutes so I retured home to catch the end of the football game. Turned out to be really good, although the ref's blew a big call on the last play of the game. Enoch had just won a good amount of money playing online poker and offered to take me out for dinner and even buy a few drinks. We were back in town in 10 minutes. The first place we saw was a nice sports bar, so we checked it out. I ordered a nice dark beer and a big burger. I've been slacking on getting my red meat in this week. Both were great! We even ordered some calamari for an appetizer. It was okay, but not the best I've ever had. I don't remember the name of the beer, but it was damn good! After two beers we were on our way home, where I soon passed out on the couch.

Monday-
After rolling the hell out of my leg Sunday afternoon/night, I woke up feeling a lot better. I debated taking today off but was soon out the door for an easy 6. At first my leg was a little tight but soon felt great. I told myself I was only running 6 so that's what I did. The run was nothing exciting. I went down the main road, 63rd street then took a right on a dirt road that was slick and a pain in the ass to run on. I stayed on that for a few miles, turning around at 20 minutes for an out and back. Once returning I stretched, followed by 25 push ups, 5 minutes of abs, where I alternate the exercise every 30 seconds. This is continuous for 5 minutes, followed by exercises to strengthen my left gluts and quads. These include leg raises, clams, planks and hip flexing exercises... I wasn't done yet! I then did what is called the " The Big Ten". This is 10 push ups followed by 10 crunches, 9 push ups, 9 crunches, all the way to 1 and 1. I then rolled out my leg and relaxed for a while. I need to stay on top of these exercises three days a week. My left leg is significantly weaker than my right so it's no wonder I'm having issues.

Avatar 3D-
I'm not a huge movie fan but everyone is saying great things about Avatar. I told Enoch I had to get out of the house so we headed into town. The TomTom GPS got us to the theater, well kinda. Anyhow we picked up our tickets and walked over to a place claiming to have the best Italian food in Boulder. It was 6pm and the movie started at 7, so we hit up some of the happy hr specials. We both got out own 10 inch pizza for $5! Let me tell you, it was worth every penny. I also had a glass of house red wine, which was also really good. Enoch really enjoyed his as well. I ordered some coffee that they didn't charge me for, then we were off to watch the movie. There is now Starbucks in the movie theater... I wish I'd have thought of that one. What a great idea! I had already had my coffee but was tempter to get more. The movie started off slow but was enjoyable and worth the extra fee for the 3D. Although long, at not point was a ready to leave. I recommend that everyone watch this movie, and don't be cheap, watch it in 3D! Tomorrow I'll be doing an easy morning run then back in town for a 20 minute tempo followed by 4 x 200. Hope everyone is enjoying the blog. Sorry no pictures today:(

The Past Two Days

I guess I have some catching up to do. Yesterday I made my way into town to check out the Boulder running company. I have to admit it's quite the store. It has everything imaginable. It was midday on a Saturday so I knew it would be busy. I thought Road Runner was busy on a Saturday. I walked around checking out the shoes, gear and accessories. I found a really nice running log by Matt Fitzgerald, a nutritionist that has some great books out there. I always complain that logs are not put together correctly but this one does a wonderful job. It has a section for scheduled training-lots of room I might add and a diary for what's actually done. If I were to put a log together it would be comparable to this. I recommend picking one up. It's called " The Runners Diary" unique I know. It was a really nice day in Boulder. I'd say mid 40's with mostly sunny skies. I asked an employee If he could locate me in the direction of some local tracks accessible to the public. He handed to a map of the boulder area that includes a good amount of trails in Boulder and a layout of the city. I found Pots Field which is the CU track located off 33rd street. The track was clear of snow, a mondo surface and the Boulder creek path just behind. I wasn't feeling so great. The Aleve I've been taking for pain is really fucking up my stomach. It contains Naproxin which to be honest is eating your liver alive. Anyhow, after jumping a small fence I was on the track.

First workout at altitude-

I warmed up for 18 or so minute and returned back to the track. Did some drills/ strides and started the workout. My left leg was hurting while warming up, but was thinking it would get better as I starting the workout. I knew my lungs would be burning so the pain would subside. Quarters and 200's with good rest was the workout. I wanted them to be rather quick, but didn't put a time on it since I've never worked out at altitude. Boy was I in for a real treat. I slipped on my lunar racers and was off. After coming though 200 meters in 32 I knew this was different. I was breathing rather hard, really working to hit 63. Gasping for air as I jogged a lap. Each lap jog was just over 2:00. I started the next rep only to manage 64. I couldn't believe it! This was a real bitch. I give those that have to deal with this all the time a lot of credit. I know it's my first workout since starting back and I'm more than a mile above sea level but damn. I felt like I was running 58 or 59's. I hit the next two in 64/65. I then ran 4 200's with 200 jog. I thought those might feel better but they still sucked. Hit those in 32, 31, 31, 30. As soon as I caught my breath, I slipped off my flats and did a short cool down on the BCP. I was exhausted and all I wanted to do was get back home and relax. Later that night my left hip/gluts/quads were acting up. What else is new... Guess they didn't like the idea of working out today. I decided around 8pm to lay down on an air mattress, and was soon out till 8am this morning. Guess the week is catching up with me. Tomorrow is a new day!

The long run-

Over the years I've dreaded the ever so important long run. The reasoning behind this is a very good one. Most of the injuries I've endured are those involving a chronic pain. A pain that's tolerable but really tests the person you are. Until this summer/spring I couldn't train to my potential cause I knew what the outcome would be. The glimpse of great things has always been there and that's what keeps me going. I've been through much worse than the physical pain that runs up and down my left leg. That's what life is all about. How much you can take, how much you are willing to give up in order to prosper and achieve all the things you want from life. That's why at 25 I can't give up this crazy sport. Cause I know what I'm capable of.

I knew early this morning when I was lacing up my running shoes that this run was going to be a pain in the ass. That's literally what is was... Starting out my left gluts, quad and hip were bothersome. It was just something that I'd have to tolerate like I have so many times in the past. The good news was the weather was beautiful as was the view. I was also feeling great aerobically, clicking off 6:20 pace miles on the rolling dirt roads of Boulder. Soon I was 45 minutes in and decided to take the Res, which is the long way back to get in 13.5 miles for the day, making 70 for the week! Very please with my training for the week. I don't know if I'll try to get in two workouts for next week. I may just continue getting my runs in. I have to see how everything's reacting. That's the important thing. I'm trying to plan out the next few weeks but it's tough not knowing how my legs going to react. If it's still an issue once I get get in town I'll probably scratch racing until it's better. I want to fun fast this year, I must be healthy in order to achieve that goal. It's a long season and maybe someone is trying to tell me something. Enoch and myself are going into town to grab some food and a few drinks... Hope everyone enjoys their night! Training poster below-

1/9/10- 2.5 miles warm up + 4 x 400 W/ lap jog + 4 x 200 W/ 200 job + 2.5 cool down.
1/10/10- Long run... 13.5 miles/ 1:27:00

Day 4

Good morning everyone! Yesterday was again, a very cold day for running. I decided to forgo my morning run and go a bit longer in the afternoon. This was the first day I felt tired and wanted to relax till the temp warmed up. Enoch once again followed me on the bike as we took a different route than yesterday. The snow has yet to start melting making for slick conditions on certain parts of the road. The first 15 minutes included a lot of rolling hills, which I could definitely feel. Enoch was pretty sure the roads connected making a loop. The run could be as short as 8 miles and as long as 15. We hit some dirt roads that took us in the direction I ran yesterday(towards the res). Enoch had my camera and biked ahead to get some shots. My breathing was much better now. The runs are great in this area cause you get the affects of the altitude, while running a good pace on flat dirt roads or trails when accessible. You can also get your fix of running up mountains if you really wanted too. Around 50 minutes we took a longer route which took us on a dirt path covered with snow. It was a nice path but a pain in the ass to run through. We then hit the main road 60 or so minutes in and finished up at 70 minutes. My hands were the only thing cold afterward, but at least I didn't have sweat frozen to my face! Since I've been limited on my speed work I did 6 X 20 second strides afterward. The weather is going to be much nicer tom. I'm going to try to hit up the CU track. If that doesn't work I'll do a fartlek on the Boulder creek path. Today's stats posted below...

11mi- 70:00 + 6 x 20 seconds of strides at mile pace

Boulder-

After eating a delicious taco dinner that Enoch's sister prepared, we went out for some night life in Boulder. Nothing too crazy, just getting out having a few beers while interacting with some of the locals. A local bar was recommended to us so we checked that out. The place had a college atmosphere. It was packed for the most part with folks around our age. We sat at the bar and ordered a pitcher of fattire. We had a good conversation going and after a second pitcher(PBR this time), we talked a group of people to my left into playing this touch screen game. I can't remember the name right off hand. You either pick standalis pictures of men and women and pick out the differences between the pictures. There was about 5 of us working together... After five or so games we had a good conversation going. The people here seem to be so friendly and outgoing. A women named Jess was a PT in the area, and there were a few or her co-working and there husbands with them. I told her that my girlfriend was in PT school and it made for good conversation. At this point it was 1am mountain time. I was exhausted and ready for bed. We had stopped drinking an hour before so that contributed to my sleepiness. It took 10 or so minutes to get home. Once getting back I really started to miss Laura. It was late and I soon fell asleep.

Day 3

Good morning everyone! I have a lot to share with all of you. Yesterday I woke up in Golden and was out the door for an easy four miles. By the way my leg is feeling much better! Walking out of the door, I was blinded by the sun reflecting off the snow that had falling yesterday and last night. It was a blustery 8 degrees so I didn't waste much time. The streets were my best bet since they were packed down from the plows. I ran uphill for a few minutes to check out the school of mines, which is just a few blocks from where I was staying. After 10 minutes of running I found some nice trails but didn't stay on them too long due the the fresh powder. I then found the indoor track! I tried to walk in to check it out but it was closed:( Oh well, finished my run and quickly ran inside. I then did a circuit of core and strength. This is an area I need to improve in. If I want to be a complete runner I need to do all the small things.

Longmont Colorado-

After a quick breakfast I packed, grabbed some coffee and was on my way to Longmont. The drive took a good 45 minutes with slow conditions from the snow. Longmont is located 10 minutes from Boulder. When I arrived Enoch was very helpful. He helped me bring everything in, and we did some catching up as I ate way too much food. Enoch was a great runner that I met at the Brevard Distance camp years ago. He ran for the University of Florida. During his time there he has some great performances in XC as well as the steeple. It was by chance that we were in the area at the same time. He no longer runs, although he could get back in no time... While preparing for cross in previous years he would visit his sister to train. He was explaining to me that most of the best trails in the Boulder area back up to his sisters back door! He came up with the great idea of showing me the area on an old mountain bike hanging from the rafters out back.

Afternoon Run-

Before the run Enoch and myself layered up before braving the harsh conditions. After pumping up the tires and fining the seat, we were off! Before heading out Enoch had 5 of so layers on, and I had two pairs of gloves. It was more important for him so stay warm since biking is stationary for much the the body. I couldn't feel my feet or hands for the first 10 minutes, but they began to warm up. We stayed on the main road leading to the "Res" for 5 or so minutes. Everything was covered with snow but I could still move at a decent pace. The (Res) is just outside of the mountains. This is one of the runs talked about in Running with the Buff's. This is a dirt road under normal conditions that runs around the Boulder reservoir. I began to feel my feet and hands and started to really enjoy the run. The reservoir was frozen over as well as everything else. The sun from the snow and ice was overwhelming but so was the site of the Rockies to my right. Absolutely beautiful! To be honest words can't describe. I was telling Enoch that I felt as though I was in a dream! Once rounding the res, we went though a tough area where the snow was deep and hard to get through. I was still moving at a nice pace. To be honest I'm aerobically feeling great right now! Back home my allergies are always acting up from the mold. The air is so dry out west that I have yet to feel stopped up. As we were finishing up Enoch was laughing at me, telling me how ridiculous I look. I knew exactly what he was talking about(take a look at the pic above). This has occurred on two occasions now. The weather will be much improved for the days ahead. I sure do hope so. This snow needs to melt so I can take advantage of the trails and get some decent workouts in. My first race is about a month away! During the indoor season I will be relying on my aerobic foundation. The main focus are the spring and summer months. I need to keep that in mind.

Training was over for the day. It was now time to relax and watch the National Championship game(What a disappointment that was). Anyhow, I really enjoyed my evening with Enoch and his family. We had Chinese and played Apples to Apples. I was exhausted after the game and soon fell asleep. Best night's sleep I've had since being in Colorado. Below I've listed my training for the day...

Am- 4mi/26:30 + strength/core
PM- 8mi/53:30

Day 2

So I didn't sleep for shit my first night in Golden. After posting yesterday from a nice coffee shop in town, my entire left leg has been bothering me... Just a chronic aching pain that sticks with you. I've had this problem before, and actually took a lot of time off from running several times in the past in order to let it heal. What I found out is while I'm running I feel fine for the most part. I'm 1600 miles from home, so not running is not an option.

I woke up bright and early and decided to get a nice morning run in. With hopes of getting the negative thoughts out of my head and enjoying the day. The temp was 35 degrees and it was starting to snow. I ran nice and easy around the outskirts of Golden, while the snow began to intensify. My leg felt okay for the most part as a ran for 36 minutes, just over 5 miles.

After returning from my run I stretched for 10 or so minutes, then I was off to buy some groceries. I got back from the store and had nothing to do so I decided to drive 20 miles north and explore Boulder! It was snowing at a good rate, but I didn't let that hold me back. It's a really nice drive up route 93 which runs parallel with the Rockies. I drove through Boulder for a while, checking out where all the local hot spots were before parking near pearl street. I checked out some of the shops but didn't buy anything. It was snowing and freezing so I went to a small coffee shop 1 block off pear. It had that local feel, and even the personality to make it unique. I was sitting there sipping on my coffee and got to talking with the guy an employee there. This is when I found out just how small the world really is. Not only was he from Richmond, we went to elementary school at Fox together. I talked with him for a while as well as a local coffee shop bum who asked a tone of questions. Seemed like a smart man and he even pointed me in the direction of some great trails... Although it was snowing, I quickly got back to my car and changed into my running gear and was out for a nice run through Boulder. There are a tone of trails in the area, but with all the snow I decided to stay on the boulder creek path which takes you for miles and miles through the Cu campus and also runs west into the mountains, where all the trails are located.

When starting out I felt really cold... My foot and left quad were bothering me at times but I enjoyed running in the snow right along the beautiful boulder creek. It was starting to get slick which caused my pace to vary. Around 30 minutes in I notices that my sweat was freezing to my face and I couldn't see from all the snow. I made my way back to the car, which took a while to find. I have a picture that I'll be posting soon of myself just after completing my run. I then jumped in the car to warm everything up. I forgot to mention that the temp was dropping, and was around 13 degrees at this time. I then drove around Boulder checking out "The Hill" which is a local hangout on the campus at CU. I remember reading about this place in Running with the Buffaloes. I didn't get out to walk around because I was just warming up and wanted to get back to Golden for a nice hot shower. I'll be back plenty of times over the next 10 days! After visiting Boulder I was feeling better about my day. I ran a total of 12 miles for the day and was feeling rather tired... I had a few, well only 2 Tommyknocker's and was about to fall asleep. I then received a lovely surprise as Laura gave me a call from Honduras. This is the first time I've talked to her in 8 days, which has been tough. It was really nice talking with her, and being away from each other has made me realize how much she means to me. I found out yesterday that my friend from Florida, Enoch is staying with his sister just north of Boulder and he invited me to come stay with him till the 15th. I'll be heading that way after a morning run in Golden. The snow will be hard to compete with. I don't know if I'll be able to take advantage of all the great trails.

Run #1- 36:00/5.5mi
Run #2- 45:00/6.5mi

Arriving in Colorado!

So today was the big day!!! I woke up early at 3:30 am anxious and ready to depart for Colorado. I left Richmond International airport at 6am eastern time and stopped for a layover in Chicago. I then departed from Chicago and arrived in Denver at 9:40am mountain time. Up until this point things were going smoothly and according to plan. Once to picked up my suitcase I then headed over to pick up the rental care that I had reserved online. The price I was quoted online was $394. I had to pay $120 upfront and the rest when I arrived to pick up the vehicle. Well the scam artist was trying to pull somethings and told me the total was $590. I didn't know what to do so I paid the total amount but soon realized something was wrong. When looking at the receipt, I saw that $260 worth the charges were optional. I was really pissed at this point and went back inside so ask what the charges were for. A new receptionist was very friendly and explained that these were charges for extra insurance... She apologized, voided the charges and my new balance was $280. Woooh, that's more like it. I then tried to hook up the gps in order to find my way to Golden. The outlet was broken in the car so the gps wouldn't charge. This was starting to become comical. The friendly representative from advantage gave me an upgrade for free!!! I was now on my way to Golden, one of the places I'll be staying and training over the next two weeks. I've never been to Colorado before and as I was driving I saw one of the most amazing sites I've ever seen. In front of me, getting closer and closer was the Rocky mountain range. I arrived in Golden at 12pm Mountain time and was immediately scoping out places to run. I know there are so many but I want to maximize my experience during this once in a lifetime opportunity.

Running for the first time at Altitude-

A local was telling me about some of the trails in town, so I decided to drive about 5 minutes away to a trailhead of the biggest mountain overlooking golden. Hell the view from the top of this mountain was overlooking the world. I literally jumped out of the car and started running straight up for 6-7 minutes to the top. I was told once at the top, lots of trails will take you around the mountain. The pace I was running to the top was rather pathetic... To be honest I almost stopped to walk. I don't think it was the altitude, rather the grade of the incline. If your interested in what I'm talking about, next time your at the gym put your treadmill on the highest possible grade and run. This was twice as steep. The one nice thing was the gravel road leading to the top was very soft, without snow. Once I was at the top I found a comfortable breathing rhythm and made my way around the top. The paths at the top were a mixture of mud, snow and ice... Not the greatest for running. They did however lead me to the opposite side of the mountain. The view was absolutely breath taking! I felt as though I was in a airplane; I could see Denver in the distance as well downtown golden and the beautiful Rockies in the background. As far as the run went I decided to come back down and try to find some paths with less ice and snow. Coming back down was nuts!!! It was so steep I just about fell flat my face. I got back down at 40 or so minutes and ran for another 18 for a total of 58:00 with 6 strides following. My pace was all over the place due to the inclines and rough footing. The altitude didn't seem to affect me at a consistent pace but once I hit an incline, even a short one, my breathing was rather heavy. My foot and hip have been bothering me since I've started my new cycle... It's crazy how that works. I didn't feel my hip so much today but my foot has been bothering me since I finished my run. It's done this before and as long as I take care of the details everything will be fine. I'll try to keep everyone updated daily. I'm not to crazy about writing, but I feel as though I need to write down my thoughts and share my experiences with others.

Day #1- 8.5 miles/6:20-7:00 pace W/6 strides