Capitol 10k Race Result

2.5 mile w/u + strides
Goal: 10k race @sub-35 and WIN
Actual: 35:33, 2nd place female
Results
5.5 mile c/d
Total: 13-14 miles

I'm overdue on this blog and not likely to catch up for the next few days...so, in the meantime, enjoy this post-race article. Details to come!

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Week in Review

88 miles
4 doubles
6x10 mins. core
4 days in Texas
3 days with Brookelet

What a great week! It started with an early morning farewell run with Caitlin, progressed to absolutely gorgeous shorts-and-t-shirt morning runs with Allison in Austin, then culminated with my bestie Brooke coming to visit for her 30th birthday. Her rock star husband Lance earned huge brownie points by planning the entire thing as a surprise, including a dinner party in the North End on Saturday night that included Brooke's parents and brother and sis-in-law. Fortunately I did not spill the (Boston baked) beans in advance and everything went off without a hitch. Somehow I also found time during the weekend to participate in the Salem 10-mile race and an oceanfront 13-miler around Nahant with Emily. So many of my favorite people in such a short time frame--I love it!

Ready to hit the town--and stay up past 10pm!--with Brooke on Saturday night

 

 

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Number of 800 Repeats > Number of Hours of Sleep

2.5 mile w/u
Target: 6x800m @2:38-2:40 w/2 mins. jog
Actual: roughly the above
2 mile c/d
Total: 8 miles

From Charlotte I headed straight to Austin on Monday morning, and never have I been so thankful to be in Texas. The weather was absolutely perfect every day--low 40s and a spectacular sunrise easing into upper 60s and sunny with no humidity (a particularly rare treat for this section of the Lone Star State). All of this plus the proximity to one of my favorite running buddies, Allison, meant I solidly frontloaded my weekly mileage and enjoyed almost every step.

The same could not be said for my workout on Thursday morning--but to be honest, I'm just proud of myself for making it happen. A late flight home on Wednesday night meant I didn't get into bed until almost 1am, and the promise of an exceptionally busy workday on Thursday necessitated getting up no later than usual if the workout were to have the slimmest chance of happening. Fortunately my partner in crime was game for dragging me around the streets of Salem, keeping the pace honest over the undulating terrain--"This is no Dilworth Speed Loop," he remarked at one point--and though I intentionally didn't start and stop my own watch, I know we were close enough to the prescribed splits for me to earn a semi-enthusiastic "nice work" at the end of it all. For today, I'll take it. 

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The Running Event: Indie 5k

2-3 mile w/u + strides
Target: win
Actual: 5th place, 17:05
Results
3-4 mile c/d
Total: ~10 miles

If you've never been to The Running Event, it really is difficult to describe. I've heard it labeled the four most important days of the year in the running industry, which is debatable. One thing is certain, however; there's really no other event within the span of a year that brings together everyone involved in the business of running, from local independent retailers and their employees to brand reps to media outlets to elite runners. Hell, even LetsRun.com's Wejo made the trip down to Austin for a few days. Regardless of your purpose or perspective, most attendees view TRE as the confluence of a lot of work, a little bit of running, even less sleep, and drinking. Lots of drinking. All of this makes it all the more remarkable that the Indie 5k, a quiet, non-prize money race open only to TRE participants and held at the crack of dawn on a super hilly course on a weekday morning, is arguably one of the most competitive per capita races in the country.

Last year, no one was as surprised as me to see myself crowned the "Fastest Vendor in America" with a relatively pedestrian 17:22 winning time. This year, despite marathon fatigue still lingering in my legs, I hoped to repeat my title. Having done practically nothing faster than a jog since my 5k cross-country outing the day after Thanksgiving, I wasn't super optimistic. My already tepid confidence waned even further as I spotted at least a handful of other legit-looking women on the starting line. Not wanting to endure his own soul-crushing defeat at the hands of Bobby Mack, Mike Morgan, Andrew Leatherby and who knows how many other ridiculously fit guys (some companies actually fly in their ringers for the sole purpose of earning bragging rights at the race), Jordan gamely offered to drag me along. I had no idea if it would help from a physical perspective, but I was hardly in a position to say no.

To be honest, I could share a minute-by-minute recap of the race, but I'd rather not. Not because it's particularly embarrassing, but merely because there's nothing exciting about detailing the myriad ways that every passing minute felt harder and crappier than the previous one. Simply put, I'm tired. And, despite my refusal to admit it, sick. I knew that going in, and I still pushed as hard as I could, but there was really nothing more for me to give.

The irony, of course, is that I ran over 15 seconds faster than last year, essentially tying my 5k road PR in the process, and yet still finished in an underwhelming 5th place. (The results above are split into three categories; manufacturers (i.e., brands like Karhu), retailers (running store employees), and owners (store and manufacturer owners). Technically I could've still retained my title of "fastest retailer in America" had I won the manufacturer category and still lost overall, but as it happens the top 1-5 women all hailed from the same category. Awesome.)

Going into this race, my only goal was to win. Afterward, however, I was more bummed that I'd once again come so close to dipping below 17 minutes on the road and yet still fallen short. I immediately asked Jordan if I could hop into a faster, flatter road race back home in Boston before the end of the year, a notion he instantly shot down. My season, says the coach, is over.

I'm not going to lie; I pouted for a few unattractive seconds. Then we jogged back to the hotel with men's winner and fellow North Carolinian Bobby Mack, and then I spread the gospel of Karhu and Craft all day, and then I cultivated a raging hangover for the following morning courtesy of the Brooks party and all the free booze on the expo floor. And maybe this was just the cheap white wine talking, but by the end of the day the Indie 5k was already a distant memory.

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Week in Review

83-84 miles
3 doubles
5 runs in Austin
2 runs in NYC

What a great week on all fronts! Training, travel, work, weather, time with friends--all went swimmingly, and I couldn't hope to feel better the week after a hard half-marathon effort. I had a blast working out with Allison in Austin and loved catching up with Jay, Heidi and Betsy on a very well-orchestrated run spanning the West Side bike path and Central Park. Jordan and I also spent some quality time at Paragon Sports, our partner for 13.1 NYC next month, educating both staff and customers on the benefits of Karhu footwear and Craft apparel. If you've never been to Paragon, you're definitely missing out as it's quite a shopping experience (not to mention practically an NYC institution). We also reunited with tons of Brownies while crashing at Craig's place in Chelsea, enjoyed several meals with the Holders as well as Jay's sister and her fiance and spent plenty of time on foot soaking up the sunny and mild winter weather. The only way this weekend could've been better is if it stretched on a bit longer--oh wait! It does! Thanks to all presidents past and future and to Huub for giving us the special treat of a Monday off and rare day spent at home.

What's on tap for the week ahead? A trip to Charlotte! As a sponsor of the Charlotte 10 Miler and 4 Mile Run, I'll be representing Karhu at the race and selling some sweet kicks. I couldn't be more excited about returning to the Queen City, especially in light of Caitlin's recent engagement and upcoming wedding dress shopping. I'm looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces and getting in some quality miles with old friends. It's going to be a great week!

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Austin Fartlek With Allison

3 mile w/u
Target (in minutes): 5, 4, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5
5-4-3 @MP, 2-2-3 @1/2 MP, 4-5 @10k
Actual: Above
4 mile c/d
Total: 12-12.5 miles

After spending most of the week working and running--in short sleeves, no less!--in the great city of Austin, I finally felt ready to attempt a workout on Friday morning. My good friend and Olympic Trials running partner Allison, who has gamely volunteered to pace the Rogue Running 3:15 group at Austin Marathon in just a few days, was also interested in trying something uptempo. After requesting a workout based on time, not distance, from Jordan since we wanted to stick to the soft surface around Town Lake, he came up with the above. It looked challenging but incredibly doable, and both Allison and I were excited to give it a go.

Overall, I thought this went incredibly well. Of course, having no idea of our actual pace or distance, in reality we could've royally bombed it. But I don't think so; if anything, we might have been a little quick on our early intervals. The footing was a bit of a challenge in places due to standing puddles and thick, clumpy dirt from the previous night's rain, but the effort was right on point. Aerobically I was quite comfortable and my legs felt pretty darn peppy, and I'm both excited and relieved to feel completely recovered from both the Trials (finally) and the Mercedes Half (quicker than expected). Not to mention today's session served as a perfect opportunity to talk Allison into racing the Philly Marathon with Caitlin and I in the fall since our workout felt just like the Trials again!


Our core group from the Trials with Allison
and me side by side

There was no time for dilly-dallying after the workout as we parted ways in a hurry, Allison to spend a day at the marathon expo and myself to prepare for another cross-country flight. I've got a busy, fun and productive weekend planned in NYC. Time to hit the road (and the air) again!

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Indie 5k: Fastest Vendor in America!

4.5 mile w/u + strides
Target: 5k race @17:25 or faster + extra
Actual: 17:22, ~10 minute rest, 5x60-90 secs. @5k pace
Results
2.5 mile c/d
Total: 12 miles



So, having not run a 5k in many months, apparently I forgot that it essentially necessitates sprinting as hard as you can for three miles and then running even faster for the next 40 seconds. This is inherently not what one would call "fun." However, if said 5k takes place in the middle of the biggest running industry reunion of the entire year, in one of the coolest cities in the country, while most of the participants are either hung over or likely still legally inebriated from the previous night's debauchery, and costs approximately zero dollars to participate--well, that's pretty hard to pass up. And so, just like last year, Jordan and I woke up ridiculously early on the morning prior to the longest and busiest day of the entire event so we could jog over to Zilker Park and line up next to several hundred of our friends and colleagues for a good old fashioned road race. Going in, I felt confident I was fitter than last year--when I popped a 17:29 out of nowhere just a month removed from injury--but I also realized that last year's performance did not take place in the midst of a string of 90+ mile weeks. I was hoping to run faster than the 17:29 I posted then, but more than anything wanting to put forth a quality effort and hopefully add on some more substance afterward.

Lining up a good five or six rows back from the starting line, I found myself standing next to my buddy and former employer Tim Rhodes of Charlotte-based Run For Your Life. Several summers ago I engaged in a memorable 5k battle against Tim, in which I agreed to spot him two minutes and still pledged to run him down. On that day I came up literally inches short, my 16:59.5 no match for his valiant 18:59.3. Currently neither of us are in top 5k form, but we agreed that a 2:30 handicap should just about level the playing field. Customary trash talking ensued, and before I knew it another innocent bystander was invested in the outcome. Tim's friend Paul Epstein, owner of Running Wild in Pensacola, FL, leaned over and asked what I planned to run. When I responded with "somewhere in the 17:30 range," he announced his intentions to run with me. I was thrilled, hoping we could work together but also secretly hoping I could crush his spirits later in the race. (Just kidding...but seriously.) A cursory scan of the crowded starting line didn't indicate that there were any women lined up ahead of me, which was surprising. As I mentioned previously, last year my time barely cracked the top five, so I wasn't expecting this year to be much different. Speculation aside, I knew I would find out one way or the other within the next few minutes.

At 7:30, a full half hour after the expected starting time (hence the lengthy warmup), the gun finally went off. Having run the course last year I knew that after a relatively flat opening 800 meters, we would enter the first of two figure-eight loops. This course layout meant that we would be forced to climb a short, steep, highly unpleasant uphill section not once or twice, but actually four times throughout the race. Two of these climbs would be matched by equally steep and short downhills (think heavy footfalls and pinwheeling arms), while the other two were accompanied by much more gradual descents. As we approached the first uphill, my eyes were glued on the racers ahead as I scanned for other women in the mix. I didn't see any, but found it hard to believe I was in the lead. My hoped-for racing buddy, Paul, put a solid ten meters on me in the first few minutes, but as we approached the first mile marker I found myself gaining on him slightly. My watch read 5:48 as I passed the first marker, but I found it difficult to believe I could be working so hard only to maintain such a pedestrian pace. (Note: I distinctly remember thinking the same thing last year. Either it just takes me an embarrassing amount of time to get warmed up or the first mile is actually mismarked. Naturally I choose to believe the latter. The world may never know.) Shortly thereafter I passed Paul, who hung tough by immediately latching on through the downhill. Near 2k I found myself approaching another familiar face (back?), Donny Forsyth of Charlotte Running Company. Donny is a great athlete and tough competitor, and I knew he wouldn't let me pass him without a fight. Sure enough, despite my best efforts to break away, I could hear his insistent breathing and footsteps right on my heels. I passed through two miles in 11:20 with Donny in hot pursuit.

At this point, it occurred to me that I could actually win. This might sound obvious to someone reading, but again based on past results the thought had never previously entered my consciousness. If there were another woman ahead of me then she was so far gone that I couldn't even see her, much less think about catching her, and for the first time since the race began I actually began to doubt that this hypothetical person actually existed. As I pressed uphill for the fourth and final time, finally beginning to shake Donny, I knew that if I could just hang on for another thirty seconds I'd be home free for the final 600 meters downhill. I pushed through all the way to the line as the gun time clicked just past 17:25 (which I would learn later was actually a 17:22 chip time), pleased with the strength of my effort but still uncertain as to whether I'd actually won. Finally, after asking Jordan and several other finish line bystanders, the victory was confirmed. I hung by the finish line for a few minutes to catch my breath and to cheer/jeer Tim home as he almost outkicked the 50-year-old lady in front of him before setting off across the street with Jordan to add on a few more miles to my workout. Though my legs were shell-shocked and not a little indignant at what I'd just put them through, they finally began to respond about halfway through the pickups. I finished the workout just how I'd finished the race--feeling not exactly fast but unquestionably strong. And though I'm sure many people would dispute this, I now have a ridiculously heavy Texas-shaped trophy proclaiming that I am the "fastest vendor in America." If the hardware says so, I should probably add it to my business card.


The trophy and sweet Timex GPS watch I won

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20x300 Fail (Sort Of)

2.5 mile w/u + strides
Target: 4x(5x300m); first set in 60s, then 59s, 58s, 57s
100m jog @30-35 b/t reps; 500m jog b/t sets
Actual set avgs: 59.5, 58.5, 57.5, 57-flat
2 mile c/d
Total: 10 miles

Every time I attempt a version of this workout, the same thing happens. I look at it on paper and think it's going to be a complete breeze. I mean, come on, starting at 80-second quarter pace? That should be cake. Never mind the fact that I'm in Austin and it's a million degrees and I only have 30 seconds between intervals. Pish posh.

In reality, inevitably, this workout kicks my butt. Every time. I'm still not entirely sure exactly what it is that does me in, but by halfway through the second set--that is, only a third of the way through the entire workout--I was already bargaining with myself for legitimate excuses to stop. Each set went something like this:

First 300: I feel great! Nice and relaxed. This is so easy.
Second 300: Not bad, not bad. A little short of breath but my legs feel strong.
Third 300: Hmm...this is getting a big harder...wait a minute, am I wheezing??
Fourth 300: This sucks. I hate running. I can't believe I have to finish two more before I get a break.
Fifth 300: (Cannot be printed here.)

So, how can I put a positive spin on this? The reality is that this workout directly exposes my weaknesses; namely, well, running fast. I can maintain 6-minute pace virtually all day long, but ask me to break 5:10 for a mile and things will get ugly in a hurry. So as much as I have to drag myself kicking and screaming through this kind of speed work, it's probably one of the absolute best things I can do to increase fitness. With the 8k coming up in 10 days, I'll take any boost I can get.

Also, I choose to look at it this way: When I finished the final interval, my watch read exactly 39:00. If you subtract out the three one-lap jogs and Nuun breaks in between sets, each of which lasted almost exactly 3:10, that would bring the total to 29:30 for 20x400m, or five miles. This means that, including each of the 100m jogs after each interval, I averaged 5:55 pace almost continuously. Not great, but not too bad. (Actually this could be completely wrong. I calculated it all out during my cooldown when my brain was certainly devoid of oxygen. But I'd appreciate it if you don't burst my bubble.)

Overall, though I'm still inclined to label this workout a fail--I honestly thought I could average 55-56 pretty comfortably--I'm just happy to have completed it. And yes, that's the second time in less than a week I've said that about a running performance. Deal with it.

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Who Says You Can't Go Home

One of the perks of my amazing job is the almost constant opportunity to run with different people in new and exciting places. Because I happened to be traveling this week to Texas and Oklahoma--the former being the state where I grew up and the latter being where I spent a summer with Jordan a few years back--this week's running was made extra amazing due to the amount of familiar faces I had the pleasure of seeing.

My first stop, Austin, brought 90+ degree temperatures and, not coincidentally, several days of pre-5:30am wake-ups. On Tuesday morning I hosted a wear test run at Luke's Locker and enjoyed some miles around the Lone Star capitol and Town Lake with some store staff and customers. Wednesday morning found me at the same place, same time for a track workout at a nearby high school. I was fortunate enough to tag along with several of the aforementioned Luke's crew who were also planning a trip to the oval, and though their workout was neither the same pace nor the same rest as mine I still benefited from their presence and encouragement as I pushed through the palpably humid air. On the jog over to the track I met a Luke's runner who shared her incredible story of losing over 100 pounds in the past year, solely through the old-fashioned method of drastically changing her diet and training for her first half-marathon. 100 pounds--can you imagine?! She said she went to pick her dad up from the airport a few months ago and he literally walked by her without a sliver of recognition. This young woman was eager to talk to me about my training and my Trials preparation, but I was quick to assure her with complete sincerity that her progression was much more remarkable and inspiring than mine. Stories like hers make me fall in love with the running community all over again.

Speaking of the Trials, however, while in Austin I also had the opportunity to catch up with Allison Macsas, my roomie from Houston Meltdown 2011. Allison, who runs for Team Rogue Elite, missed the Trials standard by a heartbreaking 30 seconds on that day but just last week redeemed herself with a sub-2:45 in Vancouver. Team Rogue Elite coaches Ruth England and Steve Sisson (who is also the head women's coach at Texas) graciously invited me into their home along with the rest of the female Team Rogue Elite contingent for an evening of delicious wine and food and conversation. As is inevitable with a group of runners, the conversation eventually drifted back to training, and I remained mostly quiet as I listened to Steve espousing his own pearls of wisdom. The one sentiment that stuck with me the most was his notion of "checking off all the boxes" every day. He rightfully believes that one day or one workout isn't any more significant than those that come in line before it or after it, but rather that the sum total of continued consistent training ultimately moves mountains. If you go to bed each night secure in the knowledge that you've "checked off all the boxes" of that day's training--whether it be running, stretching, core, weights, fueling, massage, whatever--then you can rest easy knowing you've done everything you need to do in order to add one more drop in your fitness bucket. For someone like me, this perspective is both challenging and comforting. Challenging because my work and travel schedule often means the only box I check off is hastily stretching a hammy or calf muscle while hurrying through a frantic post-run shower, but also comforting because it means that greatness can be achieved in small increments and gradual accumulations.

As my trip brought me further north to Ft. Worth, the influx of familiar faces continued in earnest. Thursday afternoon I took in an easy afternoon double around the Rivercrest Country Club with my friend and former training partner Cindy. It was just like old times--plus one small addition, as on this day I was also pushing her almost-two-year-old daughter Ellie in the baby jogger. This was my first baby jogger experience, one that left my upper arms sore for several days, and I finished the run absolutely awed by people like Mike Beigay and Mike Kahn who can click off sub-6 miles with their kidlets in tow. Friday morning found me once again running on the familiar Trinity River Trails, only this time with another old training buddy Megan Skeels. A former high school stud (her Texas Relays two-mile record stood for over 15 years) and Arkansas standout, Skeels also went the motherhood route and put her running on hold for a few years before returning to the sport with the marathon Trials in her sights. After a disappointing finish in Houston (noticing a Houston pattern here?) and an agonizingly close 2:46:30 in Eugene a few weeks ago, she may re-train her sights on the half-marathon qualifying time this summer. Whichever route she chooses, I have no doubt she'll be toeing the line with me in Houston in 2012.


Ellie showing off her new Karhus (and her undies...oops!)

At this point you're probably thinking my week of reunion runs must be drawing to a close. Hardly! I was borderline giddy on Friday afternoon as I continued northbound toward Norman, OK and the famed OK Runner shoe purveyors. Jordan worked at OK Runner for almost three years while he was in grad school, and we both consider the entire crew (including Luna Bar-loving pup Lance) to be family. Returning to Norman brought back a flood of memories from the amazing summer that Jordan and I spent living in a crappy apartment above Mr. Roberts Furniture on Main Street. Back then our days consisted of little more than running, slinging shoes, running some more and savoring warm and windy evenings of laughter with friends. (Come to think of it, that's pretty much what our lives are like now too. Sweet!) Norman might not be many people's idea of summer vacation, but the company we kept made every moment enjoyable. I was lucky enough to spend some time with a few of those people this weekend--Scotty, Jerry, Jason, Kristi, Aja, Craig and Jenny, to name a few--and even put in some miles together around town. On Saturday afternoon I experienced what I might consider to be the singular most random encounter of my entire life, during which I ran into my mom's former college roommate in the bathroom of Jason's Deli. The randomness was further compounded by the fact that neither of us live anywhere remotely close to Norman and have not seen each other in about five years, so needless to say it was quite the pleasant surprise! (In the course of our hasty catch-up conversation--which, yes, also took place in the bathroom--I learned that Tina actually reads this blog. Since she is quite an accomplished writer this means I will have to take measures to step up my prosaic game going forward.)


Lance the OK Runner guard dog hard at work

Though every single one of the moments described above made my heart happy, the run on this trip I enjoyed the most took place this morning with my dad. For the final leg of my trip I met my parents in Plano for a post-Mother's Day dinner and hotel sleepover, and this morning I took my dad on a tour of the crushed gravel path on the Frito-Lay campus that Jordan and I discovered a few months ago. At the tender age of 62, my dad ran a blazing sub-22 minute 5k yesterday after hovering in the 22's and 23's for the past year or so. Even more remarkable, we averaged right around 8:15 pace for his long run today, which meant he ran just over a minute per mile slower than his race pace! I hope I'm still running when I'm his age, much less still improving, and it was fun to catch up as we clicked off the miles together.

So that pretty much sums it up--only not at all. It's not exactly possible to articulate how blessed I feel to be able to reunite with so many friends and family in the course of a week, all while getting paid to talk about the sport and the brands I love every day with fellow runners and athletes. Home is where the heart is, as the axiom goes, and this trip brought the realization that I am lucky enough to have several homes and many companions with which to share them.

It's a good feeling.

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Austin Shape Cutting

3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 3x(5x400m) w/1 min. rest b/t reps; 400m rest b/t sets
First set 81-82; second set 79-80; third set 75-77
Actual: 82, 80, 77, 80, 78; 78, 77, 76, 78, 76; 75, 75, 75, 75
Set avgs: 79, 77, 75
2 mile c/d
Total: 9.5-10 miles

Ferocious wind on the homestretch, one million percent humidity, warm but not hot. 3:30 rest between sets, avg. 55 sec. rest between intervals.

Will recap later, just needed to write this down before I forgot.

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The Running Event Indie 5k

2 mile w/u + strides
Target: 5k race @sub-18
Actual: 17:29 (5:47, 5:38, 5:37); 5th place woman
2 mile c/d
Total: 9 miles

For those of you not familiar with The Running Event, it is essentially a giant industry trade show. Virtually every vendor you've heard of (Asics), and some you haven't (Thermajock), attend and set up display booths in a giant expo hall. When I say "every vendor," I mean everything from footwear to socks to accessories to nutrition products. If you can picture a brand that exists in your local running store, it's a safe bet that some of their sales reps and corporate office representatives are in attendance. So to whom are these vendors displaying all their wares? Again, if you picture your local running store, this is where the fun comes in for them. The Running Event is more or less an all-expense paid vacation for their owners and buyers to one of the coolest cities in the US of A. In addition to the huge expo full of products at their disposal, they can also attend several days of clinics and breakout sessions, plus several fancy dinners and a few fun extracurricular activities. One of the most popular of those extracurricular activities is the Indie 5k, a small race that is set up just for Running Event participants on Wednesday morning. Though it may be small, I would venture to say it is one of the deepest and fastest non-prize money races in existence.

When my alarm went off at 5:30 on Wednesday morning--which, unfortunately, is the latest I would be able to sleep for the entire week--I woke up and immediately began my pre-race preparations. The Indie 5k is just a fun and light-hearted event, but having hardly run a single sub-6 minute mile since my injury I was a little nervous about what I could do. I knew from past years that the course, a hilly and winding figure-eight loop through Zilker Park, was by no means easy, and I really wanted to avoid embarrassing myself if at all possible. My new coworker Keith Pierce--a 2:20 marathoner and top-3 finisher at the San Antonio Marathon this past Sunday--picked me up at 6:15, and just a few minutes later we were pulling up to the race location. I located Jordan and his co-worker Lee right away, and we immediately set out into the cool morning air for a warmup jog. Lee was just here for the freebies--the "title sponsors" like Nuun and 2XU were giving away schwag including free $50 compression socks--but Jordan also hoped to post a top time. Considering that former All-Americans like Grant Robison had won the race in previous years, Jordan wasn't too optimistic for the overall victory, but both of us harbored dreams of winning the coveted Fastest Vendor award.

We finished our warmup and started stripping down for the race, mingling and chatting with other friends and race participants. We saw Tim, Beth and Dawn from RFYL, my buddy Mike Rouse from K-Swiss, Scott Schilter from Nuun, North Carolina NB rep Mike Moran, a gaggle of Brooks peeps, Lou and Chuck from Runner's Depot in Ft. Lauderdale, and about 100 other people I knew. The Running Event is essentially a glorified high school reunion for those of us who have been in the industry for a few years, and today's race was no exception. As we lined up at the start I craned my neck to see if I could spot the ringers. Traditionally the women's race is won in a pedestrian 18:40, but I could already tell that wouldn't be the case today. For one, NB professional athlete Sarah Bowman was on the line just a few yards from me, and I knew that I had no chance against a multiple D1 All-American like her. A few other girls looked pretty speedy, though I couldn't recognize any by name.

After a rather long and drawn-out version of the National Anthem--or at least it seemed that way due to the brisk temperature--the starter sent us on our way. Immediately I felt like I was sprinting. I'm not sure if this was because of the early hour, the temperature, the fact that I've done zero speed work in the past few months, or a combination of all three. At any rate, I know that I never felt like I had a chance to settle down throughout the entire race, which is a bit of a new sensation for me. Even in short races like the 5k I usually have at least a mile where I feel calm and in control, but that wasn't the case today. Surprisingly, however, once I mentally acknowledged that this was going to hurt like hell the entire time, my mind was able to relax a bit. The first mile was a grind, as it contained the longest uphill on the entire course, but to my surprise it actually felt kind of good to be working this hard. From the gun I'd fallen firmly into fifth place, with Sarah Bowman just a few yards in front of me and several other girls leading the charge up front. For a brief moment I entertained the thought that they might come back, but by the first mile marker it became apparent that this was wishful thinking. I was slightly discouraged to see how slow my split was--rudimentary math told me 5:50s wouldn't be fast enough to break 18 minutes--but the frustration (and the approaching steep downhill) only fueled my desire to push harder.

About halfway through the course we approached the figure-eight section, which meant crossing paths with the slower folks while simultaneously trying to fight up another hill. I was struggling at this point but knew that if I could keep it together I'd have the opportunity for another steep downhill in the third mile. Seeing a 5:38 split for mile two bolstered my confidence--though I was still working as hard as before, at least my pace was reflecting the effort--and I knew that if I maintained my focus I'd have a chance to run a decent time. I was in no-man's land in terms of race competition, as Sarah Bowman et al had long since disappeared into the distance, but there were plenty of men around for me to work with. The familiar steep uphill/downhill came and went, and for a moment I rejoiced that there were no more hills on the course. A few yards later, to my chagrin, we turned again to go up the figure-eight hill. At this point I was working as hard as I could and would've no doubt fallen apart if the terrain hadn't begun to slope downward toward the finish. With less than a minute to go I could see the finish line banner looming and began to kick for home. Though tired, I felt the strongest at this point than any other in the race, which in hindsight I see as quite encouraging. I crossed the line just a tick under 17:30, ecstatic to have run such a respectable time in my first 5k race since August.

A few seconds later I spotted Jordan, aka Pancho Villa, chatting with some people from Craft and Karhu. I thought it was awesome that our GM Eric, our President Jay and our Bike VP Gilles got up early and jogged over here just to cheer for me. They had plenty of other responsibilities for the day, so to see them take time to come support me meant a lot. As it turns out, Pancho had gone out hard and finished fourth behind former Texas sub-4-minute miler Darren Brown and a few other ringers, with OK Runner friend Jerry Faulkner and my marathon wearied coworker Keith just behind. None of us were sure where our performances would stack up in their respective divisions, as the official results wouldn't be announced until tonight's dinner, but we'd no doubt represented the brands well. Now it was time to spend a few miles cooling down with friends--our OK Runner peeps Jerry and Scotty D, plus Tim Rhodes and Chris Bradle--as we all trotted back down the Town Lake trails to our respective hotels. The Indie 5k was just the beginning of yet another busy day in Austin, but there's hardly a better way to start than a nice hard run with a few hundred of your closest friends in the industry.

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Austin Marathon Sunday

~75 mins.
10 miles

The wakeup call for most denizens of the Hanley household came just before 5am, since the marathon started bright and early at 7. Many people were running and an equal amount were spectating, so despite the early hour there was quite a bit of nervous energy buzzing through the house. Jordan planned to ride Brian's bike and shadow Owen throughout the race, offering him Gu and water and words of encouragement like "Hurry up and finish so we can play pong!" I needed to get in a run myself, so I decided to stay behind (possibly so I could sleep for another hour) and then run down to the race course so I could meet them later at the finish. I bid adieu to everyone else as they peaced out shortly after 6am, then crawled back into bed to catch a few more zzzz's.


Owen wrote "Don't Quit" on his hand, just above the phone number
of the person he planned to call to pick him up after he quit

I put on my costume and set off from Brian's house just after 8am. Jordan called as I was jogging past the UT track and let me know that Owen was solidly in second place about ten miles in. It sounded like he was looking and feeling strong at this point, and hearing the update definitely put some pep in my step as I continued on my own jaunt. I continued through the campus, then took a left on Guadalupe and ran through downtown. I crossed the race course at several points and silently offered up some words of encouragement to Owen and our other friends competing. The weather was almost ideal, if a bit windy, and I hoped everyone was still having a good go out there.


Owen cruising with the marathon leaders early in
the race. Photo courtesy of our bicycle photog.

By the time I hit Town Lake I still had an hour to kill until Owen's projected finish, so I took a spin on the 5-mile dirt loop around the lake to put in some miles and people watch. At one point the marathon course runs parallel to the lake path (I believe on Lake Austin Blvd.) and the energy was contagious, so it was a great morning to be out and about on the streets of Austin. I spoke with Jordan again just as I was finishing my loop, and he reported that Owen had gotten passed at 21 miles and was currently running in third place. I decided to beeline it for the finish area to ensure that I didn't miss anything, so I took a left on Congress and followed the crowds up to the finish area. I'd gotten in almost 75 minutes at that point and decided it was enough for the time being.


My view of the capitol building near the 26-mile mark

After standing around long enough to begin to feel chilly, the press truck and police vehicles drove by, signaling the arrival of the first marathoner. I watched as the first three runners came by and anxiously awaited Owen's arrival. When I saw Jordan's red hat in the distance as he rode up on his trusty bicycle, I knew Owen wasn't far behind. I'm not gonna lie, he looked to be in some pretty serious agony as he rounded the final curve, but Jordan and I were stoked for his respectable fourth place finish and 2:36 debut. After rounding up the rest of our party (including our friend and Dartmouth alum Pete, who nailed his first marathon attempt in 2:41, and Brian, who cruised in at 3:06) it was time to head back home for a round of naps, a round of beers and a sampling of fresh roasted pig. Although a few people with sore muscles might beg to differ, I would definitely call this Austin Marathon experience a rousing success.

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Happy Valentine's Day from ATX

AM: 36 mins.
5 miles
PM: 62 mins.
8.5 miles

I touched down for my super secret surprise trip to Austin late last night and was greeted by Owen and his friend Brian Hanley, my gracious hosts for the weekend. After a late night dinner/breakfast at the Star Seeds Cafe we headed back to Chez Hanley and called it a night. I woke up earlier than I'd hoped the following morning, which was a tad frustrating, but I tooled around on the computer for a few hours before our group was ready to go out for a run. Brian had over half a dozen friends from college in town for the weekend (and including himself and Owen, there were almost 10 people in our party who were to run the marathon the following day), so we assembled a pretty solid group for an easy pre-race run on Saturday morning.

After the run and a shower, Owen and I headed back to the airport to pick up Jordan, who had no idea I was in town. Fortunately he didn't invite his other girlfriend for the weekend because that would've been pretty awkward. I'd received several suggestions about how to stage my big reveal, including locking myself in the trunk of the car and waiting on the baby changing table in the family bathroom, but I opted for none of those and instead just rode up with Owen in the front seat. Those of you who know Jordan know that he is probably the least excitable person ever, so his "surprised" reaction was about on par with what Owen and I had expected, but nonetheless it was satisfying knowing we had pulled the whole thing off without him suspecting anything.

I had another run on tap for the afternoon, so Jordan borrowed Brian's bike and rode along with me. We headed west from his neighborhood past the UT campus and then just meandered around the local neighborhoods. Jordan found some rec fields tucked in among the houses, so we took a spin on the soft grass for a few minutes. Jordan even dropped the bike and tested out the achilles for a lap. It was a pleasant afternoon and there were plenty of people milling around, and I was content having Jordan along for the ride with me.


Manly men readying the pit for the pig roast

There wasn't too much excitement on tap for the evening, as everyone in the house was either running or spectating the marathon early the next morning, so for the most part we just relaxed and hung out and enjoyed a few friendly games of pong. Oh, and readied the pig for tomorrow's pig roast. Basically the actual marathon is a very small part of this weekend and is just an excuse to indulge in an afternoon of meat eating and beer ponging.


Wilbur prepares to meet his delicious end

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