Half Marathon Week

This is a particularly big week for me as my college team has the NCAA South Central Regional Championships, and I've got the Dallas White Rock Lake Half Marathon. I would have wanted to be in much better shape for this race, but i am what I am and will race as hard as I can off of my current fitness level.

Sunday -- 13.25 miles total -- 79:59; 6:02 pace. 3 miles warm up + 2 x 2 miles w/ 5 minutes recovery + 1M recovery jog (7:01) + 4 x 600m in 1:40 w/ 1:40 recovery + 3 miles cool down.
2 x 2 miles -- 10:24, 10:14
600m -- 1:41, 1:43, 1:43, 1:42
Felt really good.

Monday -- 6 miles a.m. in 43:33 on treadmill. Nice and easy. 9 miles w/ Dan this afternoon on Merrifield in 62:47...nice and relaxed...perfect day for an easy run. 15 miles total.

Tuesday -- 9 miles a.m. w/ Hannah and Garrett around Mountain View. Progressed through the run well. Faster than I wanted to go, but was trying to keep pace with those two. 60:08. 6 miles p.m. tonight w/ Dan. Nice and easy on merrifield. 15 miles total.

Wednesday -- 5 miles a.m. w/ Hannah on merrifield. She's becoming my morning run partner because she runs right at 6:45-55 pace and that's perfect for my a.m. runs. Tonight I've got 4 x 1600m in 4:36 w/ 3' recovery. Had a 2 hour nap this afternoon which is odd, because I never get those...2M recovery around Jackson Middle School, 4 x 1600m w/ 3' rest in between, then 2M cool down on the football field.
Splits are as follows:
4:38, 4:36, 4:37, 4:39
*Really successful workout. First time this cycle that I had good weather on the track. I'm pumped. I definitely think it's the running easier that is letting me hit these workouts. Sunday was a good one and now today was too.

Thursday -- 6 miles a.m. 43:00 nice and easy. 60 minutes very easy...calling it 9 miles...not sure it was though. Calves are really sore.

Friday -- 60 minutes extremely easy. Was very sore, especially in the calf region. Made it through the run, which makes me happy. What doesn't is the half on Sunday and my lost voice and sore calves today.

Saturday -- 37 minutes...finally felt good, aside from the pasta resting in my stomach. Took care of the run though...just have to get to the half tomorrow.

Total Mileage -- Should have 86 miles for the week, depending on tomorrow morning's run. It's a low week, but I've got a hard long run Sunday (aka The Dallas Half Marathon).

Men's Olympic Trials Marathon

PREDICTION

Top 10 Overall
1. Alan Culpepper
2. Ryan Hall
3. Abdi Abdirahman
4. Khalid Khannouchi
5. Peter Gilmore
6. Brian Sell
7. Dathan Ritzenhein
8. Trent Briney
9. James Carney
10. Jason Lehmekuhle

*Yes, I know I left out Meb, the returning silver medalist from the 2004 Athens games, but that is because I do not expect Meb to finish if he races. I predict Culpepper will run the smartest race of the group, chasing down Hall and Abdi who will break the race open around mile 22. Khalid will be with Hall and Abdi, as will Sell, but the two will not be able to maintain the torrid pace that Hall set. Culpepper will reel in the two leaders with 2 miles to go and hold both off for the victory. Gilmore will run a smart race and will finish just ahead of Sell who begins running backwards (not literally) with about 800m to go. Ritz is never a player after the half.

don't panic

I've used this title so many times before. This time, I really mean it. I'm not going to panic. I'm a talented runner who has put in the work. My college guys proved to me yesterday that it is possible to race hard.

Sunday -- 4 miles a.m. easy w/ Hannah around San Antonio. 9 miles total w/ 4 miles tempo...5:33, 5:13, 5:30, 5:06...21:23 for the effort...not what i was looking for. Still can't control myself very well.

Monday -- 7 miles a.m. w/ Hannah in very cold and wet conditions. Nasty! 9 miles won Merrifield Road. First 6 w/ Dan in 41:50, next 3 solo total of 61:09...windy and cold. Old man winter is definitely here.

Tuesday -- 6 miles on the treadmill. 40:00...9 miles tonight easy on the treadmill...6:40 pace...60 minutes even. People keep asking me why am I on the treadmill. I just wanted to get off of merrifield for a few days, no other reason. I don't like the cold...

Wednesday -- 6 miles a.m. in 42:45 on merrifield road w/ Hannah (she actually left me with about a mile to go)...taking tonight off...too much stress...stomach is in shambles...opted for a good meal and a good night of rest and relaxation.

Thursday -- 6 in the morning with the team. Running the 3rd mile hard, just to do it with the guys, and then doing 4x300m strides. Warmed up for 2 miles before dropping a 4:46 effort on the 3rd, then relaxed for 3 miles w/ the group (ash alford, rachel, matt, etc.)...didn't do the 300's as I needed to get to a District XC Meet. 9 miles this afternoon. The first 6 w/ Dan, the next 3 solo. 61:17 for a nice an easy jaunt up and down merrifield road.

Friday -- 14 miles nice and smooth in 89:28...

Saturday -- 6 miles shakeout with Tabbitha. 9 miles p.m. first 6 miles w/ Hannah, last 3 solo...all on merrifield. Conditions were perfect!

Total Miles -- 95 miles!!!

black and blue

I was waiting a long time for this huge breakout race. I'd like to forget about it. Time to get back to business.

Sunday -- 12 miles around Whiterock Lake in 75:12...great morning to run. Nice temps, good company, great views...legs were fresh being I didn't actually run yesterday.

Monday -- 6 miles a.m. 38:56 (first 2.5 w/ Hannah, last 3.5 solo)...felt okay. Stomach was a bit shaky. That happens when you eat yogurt after 9 p.m. and run at 6 a.m. 9 miles p.m. 56:14...first 5 w/ Dan, next 4 solo...on merrfield road, little faster than i wanted, but i'll take it.

Tuesday -- 6 miles a.m. 40:00 solo on merrifield. wanted to run no faster than 6:40's and ended up averaging 6:40's. so all in all good run. Ran in pants for the first time since it was a little chilly. 9 miles p.m. 57:58...first 5 w/ Dan, next 4 solo...all on Merrifield Road. Felt much more controlled than in the past. Maybe because it was.

Wednesday -- 14 miles total. 6 miles tempo in 5:15 pace, failed. Managed 33:28 for 6 miles. About 5:34-35 pace. Felt horrible. 14 miles total...just over 90 minutes of running.

Thursday -- 5 miles easy w/ the long distance guys...33:38...9 miles this afternoon on Merrifielld. First 5 w/ Dan, next 4 solo...64:33...very relaxed...very easy.

Friday -- 14 miles on the treadmill...nice and relaxed...felt good...real good.

Saturday -- 10 miles a.m. around San Antonio...another relaxed run. Got it in. 5 miles at the State School in San Antonio during the Heartland Conf. Championships.

Total -- 99 miles...nice week. 1 bad workout. Several enjoyable runs.

my grace is gone

Last week was very solid. 95 miles with two days cut short due to travel and work. Not bad getting in the mileage. I'm going into this week with the Chile Pepper. I'm pumped because this has been my favorite cross country course through out my post collegiate days. Hopefully another successful run in Fayetteville is in store.

Sunday -- 12 miles around WRL w/ Matt Hansen. Nice effort, running 78:18 for the total...which is a little more than 12 miles. Really humid, but felt good.

Monday -- 5 miles tempo at 5:25 pace in the a.m. + 45' fartlek p.m. (7 miles steady)...so for the tempo this morning I laced up my new Nike XC Streak racing flats (which will be debuting in Arkansas on Saturday...) and took out to the tempo course. My goal was of course to run 5:25 pace, but not really extend it much past that. In the past I get too involved and really begin to hammer and I did not want that to be the case today. 1M warm up in 8 minutes (felt horrible) + 5M tempo + 1M cool down for 7 miles total.
5:30, 5:26, 5:17, 5:09, 5:11...for 26:35...too fast. 6 miles in 39:49 w/ Dan on Merrifield. Had some major stomach problems on the last mile. Took care of business afterwards though.

Tuesday -- 4 miles a.m. + 1600m in 4:36 + 5 miles steady + 1600m in 4:36 p.m. Gabe said I could cut down my easy runs to 4 instead of 6 or 7. So that was the plan this morning, but my achilles felt like it was going to explode, so I just did 20 minutes on the flat ground that is Mountain View College, then rolled it with the foam roller and am now engaging in an all out assault of ice and massage. So tonight I had scheduled 1M in 4:36, 5M steady, 1M in 4:36...so I had to run on our grass track. Not that big of a deal, considering we had the wheel and could measure it out. I felt great during the warm up and it was finally not hot...anyways, I ran the first mile in 4:42 which was really disappointing...then the 5M steady w/ Dan, and then the last mile in 4:41...I really don't like not hitting splits...or paces...but I'm taking this as a step in the right direction. I finished faster than I started and more comfortably.

Wednesday -- 5 miles easy this morning w/ Hannah and Garrett. 33:39 (I erased before I could really remember it)...we finished the last 2M in 6:29, 6:03...read this quote on Mario's blog this morning...sort of encompasses the attitude I've been needing...
"I don't really get nervous about races anymore or performing a physical test...I've put so much work into training that not performing is not an issue." - E-mail this afternoon from Brockton Bad Boy James Campbell, the most hardcore motherfucker I know. 5 miles in the p.m. w/ Dan on Merrifield Road in 34:38...7:36, 7:03, 6:53, 6:34, 6:30...nice and easy did it.

Thursday -- 4 miles a.m. + 1200m in 3:27 + 5 miles steady + 5 x 300m cut downs p.m. 4 miles this morning on Merrifield Road in 26:06...7:14, 6:39, 6:14, 5:58...I feel like I'm learning patience w/ these morning runs...just not sure if now is the time to get patient?
Nice workout this afternoon running 1200m in 3:27 on the nose (68,70,69) and then 5 miles in 30:53, then 5x300m cut-downs. I'm ready for Chile Pepper.

Friday -- 20-30 minutes a.m. + 20-30 minutes p.m. 20 minutes this morning on Merrifield Road. Iced achilles afterwards. Leaving for Fayetteville in 2 hours. 20 minute shakeout on the course.

Saturday -- Chile Pepper Invite 10k -- DNF