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

2010!

First I want to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year! I decided a few days ago that I wanted to do something new this year. I got to thinking, and thought that blogging about my upcoming trip to Colorado as well as my training and racing for the 2010 season would be a great way of keeping everyone updated. I will be leaving for Denver, CO on Jan 5th and plan of returning on the 18th. I will be staying in Golden, CO which is is just west of the city. For years now I've wanted to visit Colorado. Distance running has been a huge part of my life. It's helped me cope with so many situations, making me the person I am today. Coming off a great season in 09, I've set some lofty goals for myself in the upcoming months. I will be graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelors degree in Exercise Science this spring. Let me add, it's been a long time coming. This is a transition year for me and I truly believe that my performances on the track will reflect what/where I'll be in the fall. You only live once and I want to make sure I've given it my all before it's time to move on. My last race in the 09 season was the club national XC championships in Lexington, Kentucky on Dec 12th. I finished 48th with a time of 31:17 for the 10k distance. That was a great race for me. Especially since my concentration is for the 1500/3k distance indoors and maybe a 5k or two outdoors. We will have to wait and see how things are progressing. After that race I took a week completely off from training and have recently started up again. This is my second week of base mileage, so the first few days at altitude may be a challenge. Right now I'm taking everything one day at a time. I don't want to overdue things just because I have a great opportunity to train my ass off for two weeks. From here I'll be blogging daily about my training as well as the obstacles along the way. Becoming a great distance runner is about so much more than just running. I hope everyone enjoys the blog and I look forward to sharing my thoughts and feelings of my journey along the way. If you have any questions feel free to ask. Until next time,

Guy