Veteran's Day 10k

In four years at Tufts I was all-NESCAC each year. However, I never made the first team. I was 11th as a freshman, 12th as a sophomore, 8th as a junior, and then finally 9th as a senior. As a freshman I was happy with my performance, the other three years I left my conference championship disappointed. Perhaps the most disappointing of the four was my senior year when I went from being in 3rd place with 1k to go (and moving well) to 9th place at the finish line. To make a long story short as poorly as I ended up running over the last 1000m of the race I still had a great shot at getting my first first-team all-NESCAC. With approximately 300m remaining I was dry-heaving and wobbling towards the line. As a few dudes started to ghost me like Patrick Swayze (including my own teammate Matthew Lacey) I was holding on to 7th place (the last spot). As I willed my failing body (the only time in my entire life this has happened) closer to the finish I could taste first-team. Then I heaved one last time and out of the corner of my eye I watched two of my teammates fly by me right before the line. Josh Kennedy who had finished 7th the year before and Brian McNamara (my roommate for 3 years) shattered my dream of first-team success. Granted, our team ended up winning the meet as we had four guys in the top nine, but I was a little down about it. Yet afterwards, Kennedy and Mac were laughing it up having realized the situation during the final stretch. They knew, yet they did it anyway. No hard feelings though, they did what they had to do.

So, I tell this story because this was pretty much my race today at the Veteran's Day 10k. Will Viviani and I led a great pack of two other Pacer teammates (Bert Rodriguez and Steve Mance) through about 5k, and then all three ended up out classing me in the final 1000m of the race. (However, to his credit Bert ran a pretty gutsy race as he got a few seconds on Will and I at about 4-4.5 miles. Also Mance died in the fifth mile and then came back to life in the sixth which was also pretty awesome.) So this race was basically a team time trial, as we passed only one guy the entire way. Needless to say, the four man pack was a dominating force.

I got off the line really smooth and strong as we supposedly went through the mile in about 4:48. I say supposedly because we also supposedly went through the second mile in 5:12. Something tells me the marker was a little off. Ahead of our pack was a group of foreign friends and our other teammate Steve Crane. They were on pace to break 15 through the 5k so we let them go early. Other than that we were chasing Wilson Komen from Georgetown Running Company (who fell off the aforementioned lead pack) and we never quite closed the gap. So I maintained the lead of our tight pack until just after 5k. Then Bert started getting in on the lead action. From that point until about 4.5-5 there was a lot of lead changing in the group. I think we all grabbed the lead for at least a few strides.

Finally Bert got a few seconds on Will and I, and Mance started to fade a little during the fifth mile. The worst thing about running with these guys late is that they are all faster over the shorter distances than yours truly. So, I knew that even if I got a stride or two on either of them I was screwed. Regardless, I continued to trade mini-moves with Will as we sat about five seconds behind Bert for most of the fifth and sixth miles. As we neared the six mile mark Bert got a few more seconds, Will passed me for good and got a few strides on me, and then back from the dead comes Steve Mance. The photo below shows exactly how it went down. I am the guy presumably in third.

So, four guys from my team got me (the three in the picture plus Steve Crane), which is actually pretty awesome. I ended up 7th overall in a time of 31:33 after a few foreign friends dropped out and two were disqaulified. Don't ask me what happened because I have no idea.

Overall this was a solid effort after my biggest two weeks in over five years. I felt strong today but by no means fresh. I had a little bounce at the beginning but got sluggish towards the end. I am confident that I can run faster with a little rest, and that come January I will run two faster back-t0-back.

94

It's been five years since I have written a 94 in my log. It has also been five years since anything in the 90's followed anything in the 90's in consecutive weeks. So, things are going well right now. Below are my last six weeks of training. I apologize to anyone that is a loyal reader of the blog (if there are such people???), my lack of posts is pretty lame. I like to put a lot of time in to posting, but I haven't really felt like I have had the time. So here are a few bullet points to catch people up:

* Army was an OK race. I went out pretty quick (25:15 @ 5 miles) and actually felt ok, but then at around 6.5-7 I started to feel crappy. I limped home to finish in 51:25. For those of you doing the math at home, that means my last 5 were in 26:10. There is no question in my mind that I peaked at Philly (which is fine with me) and that my five weeks of tapering started to have an impact. I was literally doing nothing and your body needs something in order to sustain a high level of performance.

* I have been stretching everyday. Some days are better than others, but overall this has made a huge difference in how I feel. I also use The Stick a lot. Long term this will help prevent injuries as I raise the bar on my mileage totals.

* I have been taking Endurox for about a month now to help with recovery. I have been feeling great out there, so it is definitely doing something. I usually use about a scoop or so after each of my runs. My flavor of choice is chocolate.

* Steve Crane and I have recieved invitations to run at the Houston Half Marathon, site of the 2009 USATF Half Marathon Championships. This is the race where Ryan Hall broke an hour for the half a couple years back. I am hoping to break 1:06 and inch closer to the trials qualifier (1:05:00), should be a great place to give it a go.

* I am running in two races around DC in the near future. Tomorrow (November 9th) I will run in the Veterans Day 10k down at the Tidal Basin. Next Saturday (November 15th) I will run an 8k Cross Country race at the site of the 2009 USATF National Championships held in February.

* My cousin Sam Brigham of Montpelier High School in Vermont recently finished with the 25th best time at the Vermont State Championships. With this he qualified for the New England Championships held at Derryfield Park in my home state of New Hampshire. At New Englands he ran his best race of the season on a tough course and finished 135th with a time of 17:22. I am pumped for him as this was his first season of XC, mad props to the Brigham crew in Montpelier.

* I am working on some crazy projects right now (literally at this moment), three to be exact. More on those in the future, but they are taking up a lot of my time as well.

* I think the Pats are still a scary team. Once the training wheels come off Matt Cassel things will get interesting I promise. The team played extremely well in that loss to Indianapolis.

That's all I've got right now, I'll write a race recap after the Veteran's Day race. Train hard.

Week: 9, 11/01 - 11/07 Week Miles: 94.01, November miles: 104.51		94.01
Saturday	easy 10.5 over in Arlington, Custis trail and some balance on the track, did a few striders and felt ok out there, great week and a 2008 mileage pr	10.5
Friday	easy run out there today, felt good for most of the way, Roosevelt Island	10.5
Thursday	good run in the morning with Jeff Caron (UMaine Alum), out along the toe path in Georgetown, felt good today, pretty smooth after last night's terrible evening run, did a GU pack at 46 minutes again and think it helped	13
Wednesday	AM - Morning workout, got an extremely early start today, 6:30 AM warm-up, 3 miles easy on the warmup and felt sluggish, snapped out of it to run 20x400 in 69-70 w/ 35 sec rest, felt solid, 4.5 on the cool down PM - Easy 6 miles, stretched and sticked afterwards, felt like crap on this run, was pretty tired and yawning and had the hiccups, I was a mess	18.51
Tuesday	felt ok today, not great, sluggish towards the beginning, Roosevelt Island again	10.5
Monday	11 miles in Baltimore, did a 9 loop and added on grass loops in the middle, felt ok out there even though I did the 20 yesterday	11
Sunday	really solid long run, out on the NCR trail north of Baltimore, did GU packets at around 6.5 and 13 miles out there, was a little tired towards the end but overall had great rythym out there	20
Week: 8, 10/26 - 11/01 Week Miles: 90.51, October miles: 310.01 Top		90.51
Saturday	finishing the week off, Roosevelt Island again, probably a loop PR, had everything working today, didn't push too hard but took advantage of the good vibes, what a great week of training, feel great	10.5
Friday	easy run, out to Roosevelt Island, felt ok out there but not great, still time was pretty good out there	10.5
Thursday	second long run, felt good out there today, took a GU at 1/2 way, out on the capital crescent trail along the canal	13
Wednesday	AM - Workout morning, 12 miles total, 3 up, 4 mile tempo run in 20:20 (5:00, 10:00, 15:04), 2 min rest, 1 mile in 5:05, 4 mile cool down, felt pretty crappy after 2.5 in 12:31, over a pretty dead feeling PM - 6 mile easy run, left ankle is a little sore but worked up over the course of the run	18.01
Tuesday	easy run out to Roosevelt Island, felt pretty sluggish but got through it, time was respectable though	10.5
Monday	easy 10 miler out to Lincoln via McArthur Blvd, felt pretty good but took it really easy	10
Sunday	evening long run, after a long morning of shooting at the Marine Corps Marathon, ran at a good clip and legs were sore towards the end, out in Silver Spring, good tough run	18
Week: 7, 10/19 - 10/25 Week Miles: 82, October miles: 310.01 Top		82
Saturday	easy 10, felt good today, legs and body were fresh this morning	10
Friday	easy 10 in the morning, felt tired but got through it ok, out into DC and back through Arlington	10
Thursday	easy 12 out to Roosevelt Island, felt decent until the last few or so	12
Wednesday	workout day, 3 miles warm up, 7x800 in 2:20 (6-2:22ish, 7-2:25ish) w/ decreasing rest from 60 sec (5 sec off each interval), after the tough 7th one I took a full 3 minutes and did an 8th in 2:21, felt better out there but had lost my fastball, cooled down 4 miles, overall a decent workout but I know that I can feel better out there	11
Tuesday	another day out to Roosevelt Island, about the same time, 1:10:38, felt a little tighter and more sluggish this time around	10.5
Monday	Roosevelt Island, two laps, felt pretty good today, tried to take it easy but was in quite a good rhythm out there,a beautiful fall day	10.5
Sunday	back to real business with a great long run today, absolutely hammering the Shirlington loop, Orange GU around 1:08:44, really chilly as I wore a hat and gloves	18
Week: 6, 10/12 - 10/18 Week Miles: 81, October miles: 310.01 Top		81
Saturday	easy 10 in the morning in Annapolis, woke up @ 5am and was throwing up, tried to rally, successful, 10 was off, but I made it through	10
Friday	easy 10 in the morning, out from Iwo Jima down to the point where Cherry Blossom runs, 1:11ish on the total time	10
Thursday	easy 12 mile day, felt pretty good, three laps and little more on the Roosevelt Island, 2nd lap was my strongest	12
Wednesday	workout day, 3200 in 9:59, 3 min rest, 400 in 69, 3 min rest, 3200 in 9:51, 3 min, 400 in 67, 3 miles warm up, 4 miles on the cool down	11.5
Tuesday	2 laps around Roosevelt Island, decent effort out there, felt ok	10.5
Monday	easy 10, McArthur loop out to Lincoln, tired but not too bad out there,	10
Sunday	long run, Shirlington loop, pretty solid run, pace was pretty good the whole way	17
Week: 5, 10/05 - 10/11 Week Miles: 50, October miles: 310.01 Top		50
Saturday	solid 10 in Baltimore during Em's marathon, up hill, down hill, all over the place for about 68 minutes, felt ok but wasn't enjoying the downhills	10
Friday	easy 8 out there today, felt ok	8
Thursday	easy 8 on the standard loop, felt ok but not great, gave new shoes a go, still too big	8
Wednesday	back to work, easy morning run, 8 miles on the canal	8
Tuesday	staying retired	0
Monday	day off after race	0
Sunday	3 up, 3 down and a 10 mile race in between, Army 10 miler, splits were (5:03, 9:58 [4:54], 15:06 [5:08], 20:08 [5:01], 25:15 [5:07], 30:26 [5:10], 35:39 [5:12], 40:55 [5:16], 46:32 [5;37], 51:28 [4:56], official time gave me 51:25 which was nice, did pretty well early on but moved too early on 2, should have chilled a little longer, last couple were a definite struggle	16
Week: 4, 09/28 - 10/04 Week Miles: 39.5, September miles: 233.5 Top		39.5
Saturday	another day off, because why not?	0
Friday	easy 6 loop, felt good out there	6
Thursday	back was really messed up, but hey, no problem, take a day off	0
Wednesday	6x200 in 33, 200m jog rest, 1xmile 4:43, 2 min rest, 6x200 in 33, 200m jog rest, 3 miles on both sides	11
Tuesday	easy run the day before working out	6
Monday	easy run today, lower left back/butt hurting a little from stretching the previous day, not sure what happened but it worked itself out during the day	6
Sunday	solid run after a weird weekend, did the two laps around Roosevelt Island, felt strong towards the end but apparently ran really slow out there	10.5

Still Alive...

.....just really busy. Here is a photo from me at Army 10 miler. Lots to report, no time to write a good post.

"Life is hard." - Kate Makai

This changes everything? Probably not...

So, I am a few days removed from the half and still on cloud nine. I have done a lot of reflecting about how this all happened and here are few things I realized:

*Stretching was/is huge. Most of you that know me, know I don't stretch. Well, the whole week leading up to the race I stretched for at least 20 minutes each day. This must have caught my body by complete surprise and worked wonders. This has convinced me to start stretching full time.

*Cookies are great, but poisonous. With two and half weeks to go I made changes in my diet. I cut out most of the sweets I usually like to eat and increased my vegetable/fruit count. I was by no means perfect, as my girlfriend and I downed some Jelly Belly's and Snow Caps one weekend, but I really cut back. I held off on my Z-Burger trip until after the half, and let me tell you, it was awesome. But seriously, I have been eating really well the last couple of weeks. I am going to continue the trend, but it won't be easy. I love chocolate.

*The taper was perfect. On Labor Day weekend I was absolutely toast. I hadn't had a "full" good workout since August 6th. I had run two sub-par 5k's (Cigna 5k in Manchester and Alumni Run) and felt like crap. After hitting rock bottom with a 16:22 at Alumni Run I started my taper a week early, making it a three week plan. I was extremely nervous, but ready to try anything. For the next two and a half weeks I struggled. I was running six miles almost every day and all I hoped for was a spark. I had two workouts, one a complete disaster. Yet, through all of this I stuck with the taper plan. Really I had no choice, but as I neared the race I knew I couldn't feel awful forever. Then, when I needed it most, I started to come out of it. With exactly a week to go I had an "average" run, this led to an "ok" run, which led to a "good run". (If you're counting at home we are on the Wednesday before) So with a good run under my belt (the first in weeks), I had a decision to make. Would I workout one last time or not? I decided to push my luck and went for it. My game time decision of a 2 Mile in 10:15 followed by 5x400 in 70 (w/ 35 sec rest) was exactly what I needed. I felt smooth, confident, and had more in the tank. At that point anything was possible, but I kept my expectations reasonable.

*Head games were not a problem. I had an inner confidence last weekend that I haven't had in years. I think the last time I felt it was indoor track of 2004. On Sunday I had no idea what I was capable of but I knew I could run well. I had done the long runs, the workouts, and the running in the heat; I deserved to run well. All of the negativity I had felt just a week before wasn't there. I believed that I had earned it even before I started the race. The best part of it is, for the first time in a long time (maybe high school), I "still" believe I earned that race on Sunday. And you see, that is the hardest part for me. I have a hard time recognizing my good races for what they are.........accomplishments. I always find some way to rationalize every performance or attribute it to something. My 11th place finish at 2002 DIII XC Nats, that was because the race was slow. My 14:31 at the opening meet of my senior outdoor season, I was lucky. My 30:14 at Penn, I had fast people to run with. But in reality, I ran those races, I had earned them. Sorry for the philosophical rant, but it feels good to be working past all of that. I am not out of the woods yet, but I am making progress.

So, here I am, with a new PR, a big PR, a really good PR, now what do I do? Well, I am going to run the Army 10-miler next weekend (Oct 5th), take a week off/really easy, then re-evaluate my short-term goals a little. I know that the little things (stretching, diet, recovery, etc.) are important. I think I am finally ready to start paying more attention to them. There is more work to be done and I look forward to it. I am still the same person, a skinny kid with marginal leg speed...........but I just happen to have a new PR and a little more confidence too.

Here is the week leading up the 1/2:

Week: 09/14 - 09/20 Week Miles: 46		46
Saturday	took the day off before the race, not a terrible idea, needed the rest	0
Friday	felt ok again, had my moments, overall not too bad	6
Thursday	easy 6, felt ok out there but not great	6
Wednesday	3 up, 2 mile in 10:15 (5:07, 5:07), about 2 minutes rest, 5x400 in 69 with 35 sec rest, 3 miles down, felt good today	9
Tuesday	best run I have had in weeks, control was good, felt smooth	6
Monday	easy 8, felt ok out there today, showing signs of life	8
Sunday	easy run with it's moments, felt average out there, but not great, really warm outside.	11

1:06:56

Saying that my half-marathon went well could be the understatement of the year. If you are wondering what I felt like at the finish line, watch this video (yes, it's safe for work, and on a completely separate note, for those of you that think that stupid Giant/Patriots Superbowl was the best ever, just remember who invented the "us against the world" attitude).

So here were my different levels of expectations for the race, this should really put it into perspective for anyone reading:

LEVEL1 - 1:11:04 was my PR, set over a year ago at the New Bedford 1/2 in the freezing cold Massachusetts air. So my first expectation was that I was going to PR, this was not going to be a problem, unless I tanked or dropped out.

LEVEL 2 - My "I ran well" goal was to run 1:09:??. I hadn't felt well for a while, so I backed off my expectations. I thought that if I shot for 1:09 I would at least break 1:10 and maintain some respectability.

LEVEL 3 - My "Best Race" goal was anything under 1:09 all the way to 1:08:00. I didn't really know if this was possible, but I held out hope.

LEVEL 4 - My "Body was kidnapped and replaced by someone else" goal was anything just under 1:08. I mean I would have been pretty pumped with a time that was over three minutes faster than my PR.

LEVEL 5 - My "non-existent" goal was low 1:07's. I didn't really think much about this before the race, so it was kind of out of the question.

LEVEL 6 - My "I use fabric softener but I'm not soft" goal was breaking 1:07. I wouldn't have believed this if you had told me before hand.

However, something happened this week. After a month of not feeling well and finishing my workouts like crap something changed; I had a good day. To be honest, it was expected. I had been following a taper plan, but with less than a week I was still worried. Before I get into the days leading up to the race, let's go back to the race report.

So, I arrived in Philadelphia mid afternoon on Saturday and grabbed a late lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. Yes, this felt pretty touristy but I really didn't care. I was glad to be eating and we were across the street from our hotel. At 5:00 we had a technical meeting where I saw a bunch of people that I have only seen in results or photos. In other words, these were fast people. As I walked in the race people wanted my head-shot in case I placed as one of the top Americans. I was a little embarrassed, as I did not figure to be among that group on even my best day. Still, I did what they asked and sat through all of the rules.

After the meeting Robbie Wade and I went back to our room and watched the Wicker Man on HBO. At some point we got hungry because we skipped the pasta dinner at the elite athletes meeting. (Wait, did you notice what I just wrote? Yeah, we watched the Wicker Man. Yeah, it was messed up. Maybe not the best choice for a pre-race movie) So, we wandered around the streets around our hotel until we found a COSI, where I was able to get a sandwich. (FYI, Philadelphia has a lot weird smells and isn't really my kind of town.) Then after a little American Gangster on HBO, a hot shower, and some stretching it was time for bed.

5:00 am wake up! Actually, it wasn't that exciting. I got my gear on, grabbed some breakfast at the elite athlete room and got on a bus to the line. At the line the people from ING had us all set up with our own tent. There was a ton of food and our own private bathrooms. Ok, fast forward through a short two mile warm up, nipple band-aids, and some vasoline and we are at the start. I did a few striders but with all of the people flying around it was tough to get good ones in. At the line I got right up front and stood next to my teammate Steve Crane, who was standing next to Catherine Ndereba (2008 Olympic Marathon Silver Medalist). They do the anthem, life is good, and I wonder how I will feel out there.

So, bam, the gun goes off and within 200m I knew it. All of the problems with my legs were gone, and I was smooth. Today was going to be a good day, how good was next on the agenda? My first mile was done on feel, so depending on the split I was going to decide my plan of attack. Click, 4:59 for the first mile. This was a best case scenario. Our friends for Africa had taken off and were trying to run 61 minutes, but some of us Americans were content with 5 minute pace. So, I went all in. Yup, a mile into the race. I abandoned my stitched together plan of running a conservative 5:10ish per mile race and packed up with three dudes. So at two miles, I was 10:04 and it was me, two Philly guys, and Robbie. Perfect pack. At four I was still feeling it, as I went through in 20:18. The fifth mile was really messed up, but I remember one of the guys (later identified as Ross Martinson) asking if we were game for 5:00-5:05 per mile. I said "yeah...........as long as I can."

At this point we started to drop Robbie a little, but I had no idea that at 6 miles he would actually drop out of the race. I went through 10k in 31:29, a lot faster than I had envisioned myself running, still I felt good. It wasn't until 8 miles that I really started thinking about my PR for 10 miles (which was a great race for me). At that point I had dropped both of the Philly guys, and felt pretty good about my chances. As I neared the 10 mile mark I couldn't quite put away Ross Martinson. I attempted a few surges, but he hung in there. Still, at 10 miles I PR'd in 50:53. This was awesome, I started adding it up in my head and I realized that I was running the race of my life. Granted, I slowed down a little, but I was still ok. I thought about running 1:07 low, and I made the commitment to finish strong.

In the last three to four miles I started coming up some dudes including Andrew Letherby (someone a lot faster than me) and a few Kenyans. At this point I had my own camera guy on a motorcycle shooting me, just me. I was in shock and convinced myself that the lead master must have been right behind me and they were getting the wide angle. Nope, I just keep rolling and passing dudes.

Wow, did I have balls out there. Too bad I didn't have the legs to match it over the last mile or so, I just sort of ran out of gas. So Martinson and Letherby both got by me again, but I was still ok. It was all gravy, because hey I was through 20k in 1:03:24 and heading for a huge PR. I kicked around the final turn, taking it way too wide, but all I saw was the clock. I had a chance at going under 1:07. In a fury of 70 second quarter speed I willed my body to the line. I looked up and I was under. 1:06:56. Fist pump.

This was the best race of my life. If you line up all of my PR's, this one is far and away my best. It was just so un-real, and I am still in a pretty big state of shock. I was so pumped I did two short cool downs and even jogged up the Rocky steps. Yes, it was just one of those days. I ended up 17th overall and was 3rd among Americans. So, I guess the head-shot came in handy after all.

I am pretty tired of writing so I'll wait a day to post about my previous week. Wish the Patriots had won today, but hey, still a good day.

"Matt Cassel is our quarterback"

That pretty much sums up my last two weeks. It is so funny that the new Patriots season mirrors my running. I mean, I was feeling pretty good about things a few weeks ago until bam, then I wasn't. It's kind of like how I was feeling about the Patriot's season until about 7 minutes to go in the first quarter of week one, then bam, down went Brady.

So, on both fronts I have been trying to convince myself that everything is going to be all right. Unfortunately, I am not sold just yet (on either).

On the running end of things I have been taking it easy the past two weeks. I did some good training for about 3+ months and I am hoping that I can get something out of it next weekend. However, I have yet to finish a workout with some power since mid-August. This week was a complete disaster, as I attempted to do some 600's and tried to get my legs moving a little faster. In the end it was embarrassing, and didn't end well. I finally took a day off this week, with the hopes of an energy boost on Friday. Still nothing, just more tired legs and a weak body. So, what am I going to do? I'll continue to rest into next weekend, but I am not sure what to expect. I guess I'll cross my fingers and hope.

On the football end of things I have been in a state of denial for the last week. I have talked myself into the Matt Cassel era, to the point where I now believe they can win 10 games with the guy. I had observed this guy for last few years, but during this pre-season I had seen enough. Simply put, he was awful. The guy who played against the Chiefs last week was not Matt Cassel, it must have been someone else. I don't know which guy will show up for the rest of the season, but I 'll cross my fingers and hope.

Here are the last two weeks.....(try not to laugh)

8/31 - 9/6 : 71 Miles

Saturday	easy run, feeling a little tired	6
Friday	easy 12, morning run	12
Thursday	easy 8 in the heat, tired and sluggish	8
Wednesday	3 up, 8x1000 w/ 1 minute rest, the first few were in 2:59-3:00, 3:02 for 7, and 3:05 for 8, I was falling apart at the end, did a 5 mile cool down at 8 minute pace	13
Tuesday	6 easy	6
Monday	After a long morning of driving back, I made my way on the 6 loop,	6

Sunday

good solid long run, 14 of it with TUXC

20

9/7 - 9/13 : 53.5 Miles

Saturday	easy 6, not feeling good	6
Friday	easy 6, just trying to get something going	6
Thursday	day off	0
Wednesday	3 miles warm up, 2x600 (1:40, 42), 8x400 (68-69), 2 min rest on each interval, felt pretty awful throughout, 3 miles on the cool down,	11
Tuesday	did my standard 8 loop, felt tired	8
Monday	easy 6 recovery run	6
Sunday	total time of 1:48:38, short 2-3 mile tempo @ 5:20 pace towards end	16.5

NFL Kickoff 08

Here are a few things I think about the upcoming NFL season I think you should know:

* The Minnesota Vikings are good, but not that good.  Anyone who believes that they are going to A) Win their division, B) Win the NFC, or C) Win the Super Bowl is using an illegal substance.  The Vikes are apparently the trendy pick to win this year, but I just don't see it.  I think they are talented, well coached, and good defensively but they have a huge question mark at quarterback.  I love the people who say, "Tavaris Jackson will be fine, don't worry about him."  Well, let's consider that A) young quarterbacks struggle in the NFL, B) mobile quarterbacks don't win consistently in the NFL, and C) average receivers can only take you so far.  In the NFC North I still favor the Packers and Bears, with the Packers a slight favorite.

* The New York Jets are not making the playoffs.  Stop this nonsense.

* The Buffalo Bills are better, but probably won't make the playoffs.

* I still like the AFC South to have three playoff teams, Colts, Jaguars, and Titans.

* Just say no to 19-0.  No team is winning all of their games this season, not even my favorite team.

* The two best teams in the NFL are New England and Indianapolis.

* The Jaguars are good and could contend, but they have to deal with the Colts.  David Garrard is a good quarterback, Peyton Manning is great.  Let's not forget, the Patriots own the Jaguars.

* The Giants will probably (and hopefully) miss the playoffs.

* LT will get hurt, Adrian Peterson will get hurt, and so will Donovan McNabb.  Sad, but true.

* Week Five, your new Chicago Bears starting quarterback is........Rex Grossman.  Mark it down now.

* Don't sleep on the Seahawks and Redskins.

* Don't believe the Cardinals hype, they can score, but they can't defend.

* Your 2008-09 rushing leader is: Joseph Addai (IND), because why not.

* Your 2008-09 MVP is: (still) Tom Brady.  Did you watch pre-season?  Totally different team without him.

* Jerod Mayo, 51, New England Patriots, remember that name.  He is awesome.

 

* Anyone who thinks that Peyton Manning will be any less effective is an idiot.  He's Peyton Manning, he does 100 commercials at the same time, speaks all of JR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings languages, and knows all the defenses from league's 32 teams.  Granted, he'll still choke come playoff time.

* Don't bet on the Atlanta Falcons at all this season.  I have no idea what they are capable of, good or bad. 

* Carolina Panthers.  Have you ever seen a blue panther in Carolina?  Nope.

* Miami Dolphins.  Not so good this year.  It might have been a good idea to keep your best defensive player, draft a real quarterback, and not rely heavily on a burnt out stoner at running back.  I mean I am no Bill Parcells or anything, but who is making the decisions down there.  Oh yeah, that's right........

* Reggie Bush, better year this year.  Book it.

* Steven Jackson, fantasy killer.  One week he is 50 points, the next week he's out.  Don't trust him.    

* The Patriots are still the best team out there.

Nothing to lose

I'll get this out of the way, Alumni Run was fun, but not a great race for me at all.  Matthew Lacey ('06) and I decided beforehand that we would get out quick, but not too quick.  This meant leaving the field behind, but staying in control.  At Grafton, 5 minutes is a fast first mile, so it was important to remember that a good effort didn't necessarily translate to a goood split.

So, the gun goes off and immediately I get to the front.  It's Lacey and I, you would think DWAI, no problems.  However, I felt like I was working about 10 times harder going up the opening hill than he was.  Every step felt like I was running through the ball cage at McDonalds.  Meanwhile, I looked over at Matthew and he was fast.  I was dying at 400m IN!!!!!  About 200m later (600m), we worked our way down hill and I struggled to fully catch up.  600m IN!!!!!  At this point I knew I was in trouble.  However, I also knew I was in shape and just tried to get one stride where things felt right.  I followed Lacey all the way to the mile mark in about 5:07.  He was probably 2 seconds ahead at that point.  The next thing I knew, the race had completely slipped away.

For those of you who don't know, Grafton's weird and difficult first mile is followed up by a fast downhill mile.  If played well, 4:50 is really not a big deal.  Well, on Saturday, it was huge.  I had nothing.  I immediately had to change my outlook and focus on maintaining second place.  I had nothing left in the tank, so this was going to be a problem.  Slowly but surely a pack of dudes were hawking me down.  I made it to the two mile mark and could feel them breathing down my neck.  I made it another quarter of a mile before they actually caught me.  

To my surprise it was new Alumni Dave Sorensen ('08) and Tufts Captain Nick Welch ('10).  This was awesome.  After spending five seconds feeling sorry for myself I remembered that Sorensen was my teammate.  I looked at him and said, "Work with me Sorensen."  Welch, who had pulled alongside us, was not going to beat us.  As crappy as I was feeling I was able to set a great pick for Sorensen, who would go on to finish second.  At this point I thought third was between myself and Nick Welch.  I like Welch, but I loved my chances.

However, as I approached the three mile mark I heard people cheering a different name than Nick's.  I heard, "lets go Jesse."  Simply put, this was a nightmare.  Jesse Faller ('10), Tufts returning All-American, may not have my gas tank over long distances, but he does have a better kick.  In addition to having said kick, he has complete command over it, unlike this guy.  So at about 150 he pulls alongide me, and eventually by me.  What's funny, is that he thought it was over.  I had been dying a slow death the entire last two miles, and he thought there was no way I could respond.  Well, for about 2 seconds that made two of us.  Then, I started thinking sneak attack.  For a split second I held my breath, got on my toes, and attempted to pull alongside.  I wasn't crafty enough, as Jesse looked back and did his best Usain Bolt impression.  All I needed was one good stride and I could have made it interesting.  Instead, it was over, I would finish fourth in a disappointing 16:22. 

But, the Alumni romped, and pretty close to my projections too.  Matt Fortin ('06) and Brian McNamara ('05) came up huge and we had five inside the top eight.  It was truly a dominating performance.  There would be no question this year, we deserved the title.  Mad props to Matt Lacey who also romped at 15:40, setting a Tufts record (Undergrad & Alumni).  Also credit should go out to Dave Sorensen as well, he made up for my bad day out there.  In case you were wondering, yeah, we had more dudes too.  Chad Uy ('07) was 10th and Aaron Kaye ('05) was 12th.  Depth was a huge strength.

Peter Bromka was beaten by Cat Beck.

Overall, I have felt like crap for a few weeks now.  There is no mystery, just a little surprise.  I really believed that I was strong enough to train through August and still run solid at Alumni Run.  I ran solid, but not nearly solid enough.  For the last few days I have been reflecting, "maybe I'm just not that good."  I mean I never thought I was "that good" but I thought with an elevated summer, maybe I could start getting there.  I'm not sure anymore, and that kind of sucks.  

The worst part is that this cycle was supposed to be a bridge to my next cycle.  I have only been running in the low to mid 80's (in singles) to help bridge the gap to the mid 90's (with a few doubles).  But, right now, I haven't been able to do it all.  I can't run the miles without doubles, the 20 mile long runs, the harder workouts, and good races all at the same time.  Unrealisitic, maybe? Unfortunately, those are my expectations, and now my outlook is filled with more doubt and a look to change it all up completely.  I have even had thoughts of focusing on track for the winter.  How the **** does that prepare me to qualify for the marathon trials in three years?  

In the end I just want feel good and make some progress.  With all of the work I have put in since the marathon (yeah I said it), I don't feel progressed.  However, I have one card left to play before I completely give up.  The one thing I did better than my long runs in prep for the marathon was my taper plan.  My father and I put together a researched plan and it worked.  So, this weekend he went back to the drawing board and I went back to my logs.  As I get ready for this half marathon in Philly, I am starting my rest a week early.  The plan also calls for some fast intervals, with less volume in my workouts.  It might work great, it might be crap, but we're going to give it a try.  At this point, I have nothing to lose.

Recently I discovered that I can copy and paste my log into the blog, so that is what I am going to do.  I have cut down the comments, because hey, you don't need to read everything.  Unlike my previous posts it works in reverse.

Week: 17, 08/24 - 08/30 Week Miles: 83, August miles: 376 Top		83
Saturday	Alumni run 5k in 16:22	11.5
Friday	easy 10 today, felt good, rainy morning run	10
Thursday	easy run today	12.5
Wednesday	morning workout, felt ok, still a little sluggish, wish I had more bounce, 16x400 in 69-70 w/ 35 seconds rest,	11
Tuesday	another easy 10 today	10
Monday	easy 10 in	10
Sunday	long run, funny set of circumstances, got to the run late, knew they were heading to Rock Creek, so I hammered all the way till I got to them, took me about 36 minutes, so about 5-6 miles, I was running extremely hard the entire way, then the pace stayed solid throughout the rest of the run	18

Stay the course

*Note: If you are looking for the 2008 Alumni Run Preview, it can be found below this post.

So, last week was my first back in the Washington area. I led off the week by getting another solid 20 mile run in, making it two out of the last three weeks. On this particular run I did a good job of getting fluids the entire time, as my Dad rode the bike again. My time was a little bit better too, but overall I am feeling a little sluggish. My mid-week workout didn't finish as well as I would have hoped, but still pretty solid. Given that I have continued my buildup, I shouldn't be particularly surprised with my lack of energy. My goal is to keep it in the mid 80's for another two weeks and mildly taper into the Philadelphia Distance Run. I don't know how this going to work, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. Here is last week:

August 17th - 23rd

Sun: 20 miles, solid run, a little sore but overall good.
Mon: 10 miles, early in the morning before driving back. Ran down to Tufts and through streets of Somerville.
Tue: 10.5 miles, tough run in the heat, pace was a little quick too.
Wed: 12 miles total, morning workout, 5x1600 (4:56, 4:52, 4:51, 4:50, 4:55) w/ 2 mins rest (400m jog), last one started to get a little ugly in the second half, called it at 5.
Thur: 10 miles, easy
Fri: 12 miles, easy, warm outside
Sat: 10.5 miles, easy
Total: 85 Miles

Tufts Alumni Run 2008 Preview

"From here, you will witness the final destruction of the alliance and the end of your insignificant rebellion"

- Emperor Palpatine (Return of the Jedi)

The Star Wars analogy is often used when referring to the idea of moving from the undergrad team to the alumni. It is something as inevitable as Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader. No matter how good you were as undergrad, no matter how many times you cursed the alumni for beating you at an indoor meet, no matter how many times you said, "I will never do to undergrads what the alumni did to me," (see alumni runs 2002 & 2007) it always happens. We all join the dark side eventually. In years past I have reflected on the transformation of not only myself, but have observed other righteous TUXC personalities as they have succumbed to the pressures of time.

I was there the day the alumni first beat the undergrads, it was my sophomore year. The alumni came boasting an all-star roster, including the newly graduated class of 2002 (JR Cruz, Ben Smith, Jason Mann, Justin Lewis, and yes, even Marc Gould). The undergrads were in shambles. Mike Don, Brian McNamara, and I were all injured over the summer, leaving the race to Matt Lacey and the rest of the freshmen (Neil Orfield, Kyle Doran, Mike Cummings, etc.). It was ugly, it was awful. I tried my best that day (with only a few weeks of abbreviated training) but it didn't matter. I was 19th and the alumni got us. What most don't realize is that this set a whole bunch of "great" things in motion, including the infamous Connie quote "Kyle, your mileage sucked this summer." That year many of us agreed that we would never do that to an undergrad team. While the alums laughed it up, we had to endure a season that didn't begin with a leisurely race against our team's legends. Instead, in our coach's eyes, it began a disaster. Pretty dramatic, huh?

However, never say never. Just as Anakin was swayed in about five minutes of screen time in the Revenge of the Sith (I know, really nerdy), I have changed my mind as well. We all have. I should have seen the writing on the wall. I should have gotten on board earlier. But, better late than never. Beating the undergrad team is now a must.

Remember this? Well, 2008 is going to look a lot like 2007.

In 2007, we captured our second title behind the front running efforts of myself and Matt Lacey. It was epic, but couldn't have been finished off without the help of Josh Kennedy, Matt Fortin, and Mike Don. Our Alumni victory got even better as the undergrads qualified for nationals at season's end. It was a win-win situation for all parties involved. (Except that the undergrads lost the real match-up of the season. )

So, what's in store for 2008? Well, I am past the point of having gone to school with actual members of the Tufts University team. Granted, I know most of the juniors and seniors on the team, but it's not quite the same. So, I have no idea what their future looks like. They'll be good, they have an all-American returning, and a handful of talented seniors, juniors, and sophomores. Good coaching. They also train pretty hard over the summer, so in the end I have confidence in the 2008 Jumbos. But something tells me you aren't reading this to hear about the current guys. Something tells me you want to here about the legends of the fall.

I have struggled with how to approach this preview. Do I give a rankings list like the Has-Beens Mile? Do I give pre-race awards? Do I just give people what to watch for? It really has been giving me fits. I decided that in making my predictions I would not only give my predictions for the top 12, but key match-ups for Alumni Run 2008. So, away, we, go....

Key Match Up #7: Brian McNamara (Alumni) vs. Dave Sorensen (Alumni)
We welcome Dave Sorensen, the two time All-American steeple chaser with open arms. We also welcome the fact that he has been training this summer. Add to the whole situation that he was third place finisher at last year's alumni run, and suddenly the alumni return the top 4 from the race. Hmmmmmm. Well, back to the match up. You all know Brian "Mac" McNamara, a 2005 graduate, the 2006 Has Been's Mile Champion, and a future employee of K&L Gates. What you might not know is that he is training a lot this summer. With his sites set on a fall marathon and possible swing at Boston 2009, he is in shape. I know first hand that he has what it takes to be at the top of the race. For a while I predicted him to be third in the race, that is until Dave Sorensen decided to crash the party. Now I'm not so sure. These two met during the indoor season when Mac beat Dave head to head in a mile. Mac waived his finger like Ronaldo and all was right with the world. Dave would later go on to finish 9th at Division III indoor nationals. I'm not saying, I'm just saying. Ultimately, this match up is a great thing for the alumni no matter who wins.

Key Match Up #6: Josh Kennedy vs Himself I don't even know if this guy is going to show up. Here is a great story for you. So we run the Has Been's Mile this winter, and Kennedy doesn't show up. He lives a block from Tufts, so really he had no excuse. On the cool down a group of us decide to go over to his apartment to find out what's up. We get there and he is getting in his car and asks "so, who won?" I was in shock, he had absolutely no explanation for not even attending. I don't know what happened to this kid. I hope he isn't into second life or something like that. If he shows up to Alumni Run it will be a big deal. It will probably be a huge mental thing for Kennedy, so I am not really sure what to expect from him. Can he over come his second life persona and make the pilgrimage to Grafton? The world awaits, and away, we, go.

Key Match Up #5: Andy Bonventre (Alumni) vs Aaron Kaye (Alumni) Andy put together a good year of racing on the track. Aaron Kaye put together yet another year of being awesome at life. This is going to be a tough call for me. I am not sure who wins this race. If it we're a mile I would give a slight nod to Bons. However, this is a 5k, and it's on Grafton. Until Bons proves that he can A) Run a 5k that's on par with his mile time and B) Beat AK in the game of life, I give the nod to AK. From what I hear I ron Man was a better movie.

Key Match Up #4: Peter Bromka (Alumni) vs The Freshmen (TUXC 08) I know nothing about the freshmen class 0f 2008, but I do know Peter Bromka. Peter is a master of what I call "residual fitness." Only Ben Smith can rival his ability to call upon past year's running without actually training for an event. After doing part of a long run with Peter a couple weeks ago I was convinced that he would step up for this event. He may not beat the top freshman in the race, as at least one always seems to run out of their mind, but he will beat a lot of them. Sunglasses and all, he'll wear his short Nike shorts (one's we have never seen) and try to mow down some freshman on a course he used to live on. And if he doesn't, he'll probably eat a ton at the barbecue afterwards. Sounds like a win-win for Bromka.

Key Match Up #3: Mike Don (Alumni) vs Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot (TUXC) This could be a huge match up when it comes to team scores. I expect Jerzy to be up there after a great freshman year and a solid summer of training. I expect Mike Don to be up there because he's Mike Don. I trust that he has trained a little for this event, so the early read has Mike Don with the edge. Last year Mike showed up as the gun was about to sound, that won't happen this year. Jerzy is dangerous, but it's Grafton and I trust Miguel on the farm. In addition to the team battle this is a battle for tall and short people all over the planet. Mike Don is tall enough to play point guard for team USA, Jerzy is half the size of Dustin Pedroia. I am not making fun of them, just pointing out an observation. Alumni vs TUXC, Tall vs short, who wins?

Key Match Up # 2: Nick Welch (TUXC) vs Jesse Faller (TUXC) Two classmates: one the captain (Welch), one the All-American (Faller). Jesse Faller has mastered the charge at the end of the season. With his 14:31 at the end of outdoor track he had us all asking: how? Welch has consistently improved over his time at Tufts, is this his breakout season? Alumni run could provide our first glimpse as to who is the lead dog for TUXC. I'll keep a majority of my comments close to the chest, but I'll give you this bone to chew on. Welch will be the top finisher for TUXC at the Alumni run. His training has looked good so far and he has the experience to run a solid effort at his team's first competition. Although this combo helps TUXC at the top of the standings, it won't be able overcome the "sith."

Key Match Up#1: Matt Lacey (Alumni) vs Nate Brigham (Alumni) For the first time since the Spring of 2005, we have a legitimate question mark in front of us. Who will it be? Matthew and I have beaten each other over the last few years, but either Matthew was in shape and I wasn't, or I was in shape and Matthew was hurt. Our schedules couldn't align and things never lined up for a "real" race. I don't discount any previous efforts, because they were all legit. Take last year for example, Matthew and I were both in good shape all summer. However, just weeks before he missed some time due to injury. The alumni run dream match-up was still great, but not at 100%. My consistency allowed me to escape with the victory. This winter, roles were reversed at the Has-Been's Mile, as Matthew was ready to rock and I was just getting my year started. Now, finally, after three long years, it's time for a battle. I don't know what will happen, but I do know that we're going 1-2. We talked a few weeks ago and discussed going sub 16 and even making a run at Andrew Pitts' record. This time the hype is real, this time the teacher and the apprentice go head to head.


Top 12 Predictions

12 - Ryan Lena (TU)
11 - Random Freshman (TU)
10 - Matt Fortin (A)
9 - Jerzy Eisenberg-Guyot (TU)
8 - Jeff Ragazzini (TU)
7 -Mike Don (A)
6 - Jesse Faller (TU)
5 - Brian McNamara (A)
4 - Nick Welch (TU)
3 - Dave Sorensen (A)
2 - Matt Lacey (A)
1 - Nate Brigham (A)
0 - Usain Bolt (JAM)

Team scores:
Alumni - 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 7 = 18
TUXC - 4 + 6 + 8 + 9 + 11 = 38
Jamaica - 0

Yeah, I have a lot of faith in my fellow alums, maybe too much. I just have a feeling about this race. I am pretty confident in the top 3, but beyond that, anything can happen. If you're scoring at home, if the Alumni team goes 1-2-3, the race is literally over. I wish all parties involved the best of luck and let the debate begin. Will the legends of the fall reign supreme? Will the young bucks fight back with grit and determination? Will the dark side prevail? Well, you already know the answer, go ahead, say it. Say yes................yes.

The Home Front

So I went home for a couple of weeks, which was lovely. I didn't accomplish a tremendous amount while there, but then again, that wasn't my goal. I did manage to see my family, get some good training in, chill with a few friends, and watch a ton of Olympic swimming; so I've got that going for me, which is nice.

I don't really have a ton to say about my visit, other than I ran a race and didn't run it all that well. I approached it sort of like a workout, in the sense that I didn't rest, didn't workout that week, and didn't get too nervous beforehand. With all that said, it was still a race in my mind, and I wish I had felt a little better on the day. I went out in 4:50, about 5-8 seconds slower than I had planned on. Immediately I knew my hopes of a sub-15 finish were on life-support. Even though I didn't feel all that great I hung in there the second mile, only dropping down to a 4:59. So, two in 9:49 was not ideal, but not horrible. Then it got pretty interesting. I really struggled the last mile, with the last 400 resembling a three-legged race (it was really not my day). I just ran out of gas after my sluggish start. I got passed by a kid who registered himself as Sal Manilla; quite embarrasing. I never really gave up out there, which is a good sign, but they don't give gold stars for effort in this sport. My training is going better than my finishing time of 15:30, so I'll take it for what it was, a solid race effort. Below are my last two weeks of training.


August 3rd - 9th

Sun: 10 miles, solid run after the drive, felt really good.
Mon: 20 miles, waited an extra day for the long run, good decision I suppose. Had my dad out there on a bike helping me out with fluids, huge help. Didn't feel so great out there, but got through it.
Tue: 10 miles, easy.
Wed: 14.5 miles total, workout in evening, slight drizzle and cool, 20x400 in 69-70 w/ 200m jog rest (1 min) at the MV track. This was my first workout alone after working out each week with the Pacers, felt really good today.
Thur: 10 miles, tired not such a great run.
Fri: 12 miles, easy w/ Alyssa's gentleman friend Chris Hamel, good run.
Sat: 9.5 miles, easy w/ Mac, Skip, & Makai
Total: 86 Miles


August 10th - 16th

Sun: 17.5 miles, easy, good lung run with Mac & Bromka out in Eastham, MA.
Mon: 10 miles, did a mile towards the end of the run in 5:10 to wake-up my legs, maybe this wasn't a great decision.
Tue: 12 miles, felt good.
Wed: 10.5 miles, did the first half easy with my Dad and sister, then the second half at my pace (perhaps a little too quick). Not exactly an easy pre-race effort.
Thur: 10 miles total, 5k race in 15:30, buh.
Fri: 12 miles, easy, felt pretty awful the first 7.
Sat: 10 miles, not a bad effort to finish the week off, felt better.
Total: 82 Miles

If you are still reading at this point, let me give you a heads up. My 2009 Tufts University Cross Country Alumni Run preview is coming.

Can't Use the Crutch

Last week was another good week, best so far since the marathon. It's funny, that is how I have been measuring things as of late. My writing most often features the phrase "since the marathon." I am not exactly sure what this means, but I think it's a crutch. Saying it or writing it gives me a way out, an excuse. Almost as though I am waiting for some bit of running enlightenment. However, let me assure you (as I am sure you already know), there are no miracles in running. Only opportunity and preparation meeting, then deciding they want to hook up with success. It's a little like that new New Balance commercial, but I like the way I said it better. I can't take all the credit though. Connie Putnam and Ethan Barron tried to drill this in to my head over four years at Tufts. Too bad I didn't listen.

No more, "since the marathon."

I took this week off from racing, as I drove home to New Hampshire on Saturday. The trip was not great this time around, as everyone decided to drive north that day. Traffic jam after traffic jam killed my spirits, especially in New York. (On a side note I listened to National League baseball on the way home, Braves vs Brewers. For all you AL fans out there, trust me, this was no thrill.) However, I made it home without incident, stopping only once. That stop was in Massachusetts for gas and ice cream. Not bad if you ask me.

If you haven't run today, get out the door when you can. Can't use the crutch.

July 27th - August 2nd

Sun: 17 miles, this after a race again, however I felt much better and the weather was a little cooler this time, humidity is a killer though, stay hydrated
Mon: 10.5 miles, humid run, tired
Tue: 10.5 miles, easy, felt terrible
Wed: 13.5 miles total, workout @ 7am, 12x1000 in 3:05-07, 80 sec rest, humid as can be, I sweat the weight of gatorade jug out there, good workout though, stayed strong throughout
Thur: 10.5 miles, easy
Fri: 10 miles total, 2.5 easy out to Gilman School track in Baltimore, then 8k in 27:56 (6:08, 5:54, 5:37, 5:19, 4:56), 2.5 easy on the other side, nice little excercise, felt strong
Sat: 10 miles, easy (then I drove home 9 hours)
Total: 82 Miles

Fred Smoot can be my wingman anytime

Ok, so I am a little late on this, because last week was well, a week ago. Still, I have been busy doing nothing this week. I have done a little bit of work, but for the most part I have been a waste of space. I am not sure if that is really going to change much over the next few weeks, but at least my location will. My plan is to head home to NH for a couple of weeks, with my sights set on the Cigna 5k in Manchester on August 14th. I ran 15:16 last year, but this year it's time to break 15.

Last week I did another race, this time a 5k in Crystal City. This race started at 8pm so I had all day to hang out and work myself up into frenzy. Surprisingly I held it together for most of the day. I took a nap, ate some Cheeze-Its, and drank some water. The pre-race details aren't anything spectacular. I showed up about an hour early and warmed up about 45 minutes before with the Pacer guys. It was hot as balls out, but at least there was a breeze this week. Humidity is weird around here. Most of the time it sucks and it plays mean tricks too. Sometimes it will go away for a day, and you think life is okay. Then it comes back and you remember how much it sucks, especially to race in. (those are some of the worst sentences I have ever written)

So, I did a few striders and it seemed like everyone and their mom had a Pacer jersey/shirt on at the line. I know it was a Pacers sponsored race, but wow, what a following. Also, this was just a normal 5k around here and they had like 1700 people, that's crazy. FYI: that's a 1/3 of the people at Tufts.

So the gun goes off and people are hammering. A substantial group at the front was surely looking to cash in on the Fred Smoot Smack Down challenge; 80 dollars to the leader at the mile. At about 800m in I was in about 8th place and running about 4:35 pace. After that I slowed down a little and hit the mile in about 4:40. (Now, it's up for debate as to the accuracy of this mark, because I didn't think my second mile was all that slow and I went through in 9:45. For those of you doing math at home, that's a 5:05 second mile. I don't think so.) The Smack Challenge was won by former NY high school standout Kevin Tschirhart in 4:25 with Steve Crane (the race winner) a stride behind. As it was I got off the line too fast, I didn't need a sub 4:30 to completely trash my race.

So, as I said I went through 2-miles in 9:45 and was in fourth place. I got real close to Robbie at this point, but I could never quite get right on his shoulder. He would hang on to third and I would hang on to fourth as I finished in 15:29. Overall this was a solid effort and a step forward. I cooled down four miles and tried to avoid the free Bud-Light they were handing out at finish area. I think that was a good life decision as we don't know what happened to Robbie for our long run the next morning. In hindsight I wish I had gone out a little easier and tried to work the second mile more, but hey when Fred Smoot calls, you answer.

July 20th - 26th
Sun: 14 Miles, after the Rockville 8k this run was on a short turnaround, and it was unbelievably hot, I was lucky to survive this run.
Mon: 10.5 miles, easy run
Tue: 10.5 miles, easy run
Wed: 10.5 miles total, take down workout, 1600-4:47 (400m-2min rest), 1200-3:32 (400m-2min rest), 800-2:17 (400m-2min rest), 600-1:39(400m rest), 400-62 (200m rest), 2x200-30 (200m rest)
Thur: 12 miles, easy run, unbelievable weather (in a good way)
Fri: 10.5 miles, easy run
Sat: 10 miles total, 5k in Crystal City 15:29
Total: 78 Miles

Racing Returns

So, this past week I made the decision to return to racing. On Saturday I jumped into the Rockville Twilight 8k, held at roughly 8:45-9:00pm. This race was a pretty cool event, as they had an "elite athletes room" prior to the race. It made me feel a little weird to be sitting in an air conditioned office before warming up, but with the 90+ temperature outside I wasn't complaining. I spent the time chilling alongside fellow Glover Park resident Rich Wilson (Amherst 07'), as we tried to hide out in one of the conference rooms. Emily decided she wanted nothing to do with the "elite" base and decided to camp out near the car; her call I guess.

In this office building I saw a bunch of dudes, fast ones too. This wasn't a run-of-the-mill 8k, this was a fast race. Among those who showed up were speedsters from the Georgetown Running Company (pretty much their whole team), Michael Wardian, Dave Berdan, and Robbie Wade. There were also a handful of foreign athletes there and a ton of fast women, including the seventh place finisher in the Olympic Trials 5k (Julie Culley). Considering where I am right now, seeing all of these people put me at ease. I wasn't thinking about winning the race or even trying to make the top five. I was focused on running "my race", a conservative approach, but still a hard effort.

The warm-up was relatively uneventful, but slightly frustrating as they delayed the start of the race by about 10 minutes. Race officials claimed that they were waiting for the sun to go down completely before starting the event. I don't know if I believe it, but it made a difference in the temperature during the race. Overall the weather was pretty terrible leading up to Saturday, mid to high 90's with the kind of humidity that hurts your body. All week I had been leaving for my runs a little after 7:30pm, doing my best to avoid excessive exposure. I was used to the conditions, but still, it was hot as balls out, and the air quality was awful. Finally, the field begins to line up and I end up sneaking in on the left side at the last second. I was probably in the second row back, but I had 6'6"ish Scott Anderson plowing the way for me.

The gun went off and a group of athletes of African descent immediately took charge. I was doing my absolute best to stay in control and not follow. I camped out a little behind Michael Wardian and Robbie Wade for the first 1/2 mile and tried to get comfortable. My goal for the race wasn't to run 25:00, it was to run a controlled race right above the "red-line." During the second half mile Wardian and Wade started to put a few seconds on me, but I was still right behind them. They likely went through the first mile around 5:00 and I went through in 5:07. My first mile was exactly what I wanted it to be, between 5:05-5:10.

Over the next few miles I was all over the place (5:20, 5;13, 5:29), but I maintained a consistent effort level throughout. It should be noted that miles two and four feature some more rolling hills, with the fourth mile being the most difficult on the course. Granted, I slowed down a little in the fourth mile, but I was actually moving up in the race standings. Overall the course was honest, not too difficult and not a bowling alley either. For my fifth mile I managed to pick things up and closed in 5:00. Now, to be honest, the fifth mile is about 50 meters short (because it's 8k not five miles). So in reality, the fifth mile is probably 5:10ish, which is still a good sign.

I had a bunch left towards the end, but the heat was definitely starting to get to me. I could see a couple of guys I recognized ahead, including Jake Klim (GRC) and Lewis Butler (Pacers) over the last mile, but I would have had to use everything to get up to there. Rather than kicking my brains out, I "surged" to the end maintaining my composure. For my first race back I was happy to finish in 26:10. I ran into a fired-up Wardian in the chute afterwards, as he ended up running 25:30, an exceptional race in the heat. Robbie Wade also ran a fantastic race, finishing in 25:07 for fifth overall.

I cooled down an easy three miles, jogging through the neighborhoods of Rockville. I felt good and had no problems after the race. I took water throughout the race and drank a bunch afterwards. Recovery was not going to be a problem. It appeared as though I had accomplished all of my goals for Saturday, but yet something felt incomplete. I can look at this race and say I did exactly what I wanted to do, but that's only partly true. Do I wish I had run faster? Of course. Do I get frustrated that I broke 25 this winter for 8k and ran 25:14 for the first 5 of a 10 miler too? YES!!! However, I have to remember the circumstances to keep me grounded, confident, and hungry. Saturday was my first race in almost two months, it was hot as balls, there was mega competition, and I have only scratched the surface of working out. These aren't excuses, they are the reality of the situation. On Saturday I was ready to run 26:10 and I did. I am what I am at this point, and I am content. Hopefully, I'll keep improving and be better next time.

Another interesting note is that I have joined up with the Pacers-Brooks Racing team around here. This was a decision I had been weighing for quite some time as I had narrowed my club/team search to two groups. I had people advising me to go in several directions, but ultimately this seems like the best fit for me right now. I never wanted to burn any bridges, and in choosing a group I hope I haven't. I am extremely excited to be a part of the Pacers training/racing group and appreciate the support of Pacers Running Stores and the guys on the team. I have been on board for about four weeks now, and I look forward to training/competing week-in and week-out. I'd also like to give props to the Georgetown Running Company guys, who are a great group of runners/people and were extremely welcoming this past winter/spring. In the end everyone just wants to get faster, so I'll train with anyone that isn't a Jets fan.

Ok, so here is the past week's training:

July 13th - 19th
Sun: 16 miles, easy run but a little quicker the 2nd half, felt ok
Mon: 6 miles, needed and easy day, had a headache all day, run was excellent though
Tue: 10.5 miles, felt great today, breathing was good, legs felt ok, pace was even
Wed: 11.5 miles total, 7am workout day, 14x400 in 70ish w/ 200m rest (approx 50sec - 1 minute), I was actually hoping to do 16, but my body started to break down on 13 and 14, pulled the plug and felt pretty terrible the rest of the day, ridiculously hot out
Thur: 10.5 miles, felt ok today, easy run
Fri: 10 miles, easy, felt good
Saturday*: 11 miles total, 8k race in 26:10 for 14th
Total: 75.5 Miles

*(I followed up my race with an early Sunday morning death march of 14 miles in 90+ heat, poor life decision)