Penn Relays 5k

16:44: Not a total disaster, but certainly not what I was hoping for! Will update more later...

Update: Well, later is now. Here we go.

AM: 3 miles
PM: 2 mile w/u + strides
Target: 5k race @16:30 or faster
Actual: 16:44
20 min. c/d (2.5 miles)
Total: 7.5-8 miles

After a leisurely morning on the Harrisburg waterfront, we arrived in Philly just after 2pm. This would afford us a full five hours to lounge around our Chinatown hotel before departing for the track in the evening. Normally this amount of down time would drift by in a painfully slow manner. Not so today, because I had a very special treat: Jilane came to watch me run!! For those of you who don't know, Jilane is the "J" of the original "Team MJ" for which I started this blog. Coincidentally (or not...?), today marks the exact two year anniversary of the first night she and I met. I also haven't seen her since the Peaches' wedding extravaganza in October. So, needless to say, I was absolutely stoked that she was making a special trip to watch me run and stay for a slumber party. She arrived around 4 and kept me occupied until go time.

Once we got to the track, I only had a few minutes to spectate before starting my pre-race prep. After checking in and securing my number, I set off for a few miles on the streets around Penn. My 10k warmup at Stanford, run in the darkness of the campus trails, was pensive and very solitary. Tonight, surrounded by the rush of freeway traffic below and the steady pulse of the city, could not have been more different. I felt nervous, antsy, ready to get the race started. I finished up my warmup inside the stadium--unlike most meets, the infield was free for the taking--and cinched up my spikes a few minutes before go time.

We toed the starting line just after 9:15. There were nearly 40 girls in my race, and the officials spread us out into three waterfalls. I was in the middle waterfall and, worst of all, was the girl farthest to the outside of the track. In hindsight, I know this meant I should've made a beeline for the rail (and for the front of the pack) if I wanted good positioning. In actuality, I blew it.

The gun went off and I was immediately lost in a sea of elbows and ponytails. During the first lap I found myself quite literally jockeying for position but always settling for a second-rate spot. I should've fought harder, moved more decisively, and asserted myself. I didn't. I'm pretty sure I was almost in second-to-last place at this point, and for no good reason. The first lap was 83 seconds--slower than my 10k pace and almost 5 seconds slower than the pace I was hoping to maintain tonight. The second lap wasn't much better, and I spent the majority of it in lane 3 trying to go around people. I think I split the 800 around 2:44, but honestly I had no idea at the time. I would spend the entire rest of the race simply trying to catch up. I didn't see a single split of the night--not a mile split, not a 3k split, nothing--which should tell you how busy I was trying to fight my way up to where I thought I belonged. I never settled in, never got comfortable, and never felt like I was running my race. That, as I'm sure you well know, is a very frustrating feeling.

Honestly, the rest of the race is a blur. I tried to kick things in the last few laps--looking at Simmons' splits afterward, I think I split 2:35 for the final 800--but honestly I just wanted to be done at that point. I crossed the finish line in 16:44, a full 15 seconds slower than I expected to run. Granted, the time was a PR by 10 seconds. It also earned me an automatic qualifying spot for Nationals. But to only run 10 seconds faster than I did two months ago indoors, knowing how much fitter I am now, was a huge disappointment.

There's not much more to say about the race without dwelling on the negative. Instead, I'll focus on a few positives: It was awesome to have both Jilane and Ozzie there to cheer me on. Oz, thanks for postponing your beer drinking for at least 15 more minutes to come watch me. Jilane and I also cooled down with Neely Spence (D2 indoor 5k champ who ran 16:13 tonight for fourth place), and it was fun to get to know her a little bit better. Thanks to Cornell coach and LetsRun founder Robert Johnson for tracking me down afterward and giving me the opportunity to catch up with an old friend. And lastly, a big shout-out to my teammates Holly and Jess for running 36:33 and 37:14 respectively in the 10k. Huge PRs and provisional qualifying marks for both of them. Putting all this in perspective, the race itself was just a slight hiccup in the way of what turned out to be a very successful night.

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Harrisburg Riverfront

AM: 6 miles
PM: 29 mins. + strides (4 miles)

I was supposed to meet Caitlin at the Dowd to run at 6am. I didn't. I suck at life. Instead, Jenna came over at 6:30 and we got in a quick six before hitting the road.

Aaaaand nine hours later, we arrived at our interim destination: Harrisburg, PA. To my pleasant surprise, the city had a lovely riverfront area and downtown. Fortunately our hotel was located adjacent to both, which meant we had some viable options both for our shakeout run and for our subsequent dinner.


Me, Alex, Jenna, Jess, Patricia, Holly, Simon on the evening run.
Photo courtesy of Maraya.

After spending literally all day in the car, I expected my legs to feel like mush on the run. Instead they actually felt fresh, quite possibly the best of the week, and I could've easily gone farther if tomorrow's race weren't looming in my mind. Instead, I cut the run at four miles, went up to the room to grab my spikes, and indulged in some strides on the grass near the river. The air was cool, the sun was setting, the water was calm. I'm not saying I'm booking my vacation to Harrisburg any time soon (although did I mention that the Hershey factory is just down the road?), but as far as road trip stopovers go it wasn't half bad.


Me feeling artsy with my spikes.


Harrisburg sunset underneath the bridge

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Best Long Run. Ever.

1 hour 29 mins.
13 miles

You know those runs where everything just clicks? The pace feels comfortable, your legs are fresh, and perhaps you even have good conversation as a bonus? Against all odds, this turned out to be one of those runs. I say "against all odds" because the volume and intensity of this week logically suggested that today's long run would be a slow slog-fest. Instead, it was simultaneously uptempo and relaxed without involving any additional effort.

The best part, and yet another element that makes runs like this so rare, is that for the first time I can remember (and I have a good memory), we held together a solid group of girls for almost the entire run. Tanya, Jess, Maraya, Jenna, Pezz, Holly and myself cleaved together from the outset and somehow managed to stay together for a solid 11 miles. This NEVER happens. But despite seeing consistent splits of 6:55 to 7:05 after a 7:30 opening mile, no one fell off or dropped back. Perhaps it was because no one really "raced" this weekend, or because the weather was so gorgeous, or maybe it was just a pack mentality after the first few miles--whatever the reason, I was digging it.

In an effort to capitalize on the rare speediness of this run, I decided to pick up the pace the final few minutes and see how my legs would respond. I closed the last 1.5 in 9:15 with a 6:05 final mile, a pace I don't think I've ever touched in a long run before (and did I mention I have a good memory?). Now, the purpose of this whole entry isn't to brag about how fast I am, but rather to illustrate how much more beneficial (and, as an added bonus, more enjoyable) a run like this can be when a solid crew is involved. Though it would be naive to hope for a replica of this experience next week, I think it's realistic to aim for another quality group effort.

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JCSU Invitational

AM: 5.5 miles
PM: 3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 1500m race @don't drop out
Actual: 4:48
10 min. c/d (1+ miles)
Total: 5 miles

So this afternoon was the Johnson C. Smith Invitational, a meet held more or less on our home track. Since this was one of the two "everyone must participate for NCAA reasons" meets on our schedule, it meant that, well, everyone had to participate. Including those of us who'd just done 6-mile predator runs the day before. The nice part is that there were literally no expectations placed on today's performances other than the requirement of finishing, which is a task I thought I could manage. I toed the line for the 1500 with Tanya, Jess, Holly, Patricia and about 15 other girls. Yup, there were a lot of us bunched up on the track.

Prior to the race Tanya had decided she wanted to run hard. Why not, she reasoned, since it's the only 1500 she'll race all season? I wanted to share her ambitions but just didn't know if it was smart to go all-out during what was turning into my biggest training week of the entire year. Don't get me wrong, it would've been cool to run a fast time, but I just didn't think it was worth it in the big picture sense. So, while Tanya and the other girls spiked up and maintained a semblance of seriousness on the warmup, I opted for flats and a more lackadaisical attitude. I was pretty sure I didn't want to finish last, but beyond that I wasn't setting the bar too high.


Tanya solo-ing her way to a 1500m PR

Predictably, Tanya shot out like a rocket from the start. (She would end up clocking 68 for her first lap, quite a bit faster than her goal of 72.) I sort of remained bunched up in the pack, content to tuck in with those around me for the majority of the race. I passed through 800 meters in 2:34, comfortable but noticing the lingering effects of yesterday's workout in my heavy legs. There would be no sprint finish from me. While Tanya kicked her way to a very respectable 4:28 (which works out to about a 4:47 mile and--this part should be embarrassing for other D2 1500-meter runners--puts her in second place on the current national performance list), I was still halfway around the track shuffling my way home. Miraculously, I passed almost everyone else in the race--or rather, they passed me going backwards--and ended up finishing in third place overall. My 4:48 finish time indicated that I'd evenly split the race down to each 400 meters, which I suppose is somewhat of an accomplishment. More importantly, I was able to not get last while preserving my legs and lungs for another day.

Best part of the afternoon? I made off with a bag of bagels, three bananas, five granola bars and an almost full jar of peanut butter (the kind with honey!) from the team's snack stash. Shhhhh...don't tell. Totally redeemed the time spent at the meet.

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Doubling Up

AM: 56 mins. (7.5 miles)
PM: 3 miles
60 mins. weights + core

For the first time in as long as I can remember, I was actually able to join the team for two practices in one day (normally I can't even make one). Thus, my morning run and weight-lifting session were both done with company instead of solo, which always makes things more enjoyable. Things that were not enjoyable include my calves (rocked from the spikes yesterday), the rest of my legs (hurting from the workout) and my stomach (didn't eat a big enough lunch today and suffered a serious sugar low as a result; had to steal saltines from Jenna's bag during weights to avoid total body shutdown).

More importantly, the entry lists for Nationals were solidified yesterday. Everything looks as expected on the women's side, although I was slightly surprised to see that they took 15 girls in the 5k. They only took 12 in the men's 5k, which unfortunately means that Futsum was the first guy out. Terrible position to be in. This was a result of Adams State qualifying--and declaring--6 guys in the 5k and 6 guys in the mile. No, that was not a typo. Yes, I said 6. The depth and talent of their team is absolutely staggering. At any rate, I'm disappointed that Futs is out but excited to travel to ABQ with Tanya, Simon and Nelson this weekend!

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A Little Help From My Friends

AM: 3 miles
PM: 3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 16x400 w/90 sec. rest @5k pace (80) or faster; hammer #11 and #15
Actual: 76, 80, 80, 79, 77, 76, 75, 75, 74, 74, 71, 75, 74, 74, 70, 75
2 mile c/d
Total: 9 miles

After running almost all of my recent track workouts solo, I'd all but forgotten what a difference it makes to have a solid group on the track together. Somehow the stars aligned and we were able to assemble an all-star cast for today's shape cutting: Tanya, Pezz, Maraya, Holly, Jess and myself. Maraya and Holly would only be running 8-12 intervals but the rest of us were stepping up to 16. Having not run this many 400s in quite a while, I was both apprehensive and excited to see what I could do. Judging from the warmup, I didn't think anything special was in store. My legs felt decent, but it was quite cold and very windy outside, making it almost impossible to get the blood flowing. I did my best to push that out of my mind and just focus on the workout.

With that in mind, you can understand why I panicked a bit when I saw the split for my first interval. The times for #2-5 reflect me fighting to keep the pace from getting out of control; the rest of the workout reflects me throwing my reservations out the window and just going for it. I cannot stress how much it helped to have the other girls out there at the same time. There was always someone in front of me who I could chase, and always someone behind me who I was trying to fend off. In between intervals we encouraged each other and rallied for the next go. When all was said and done, each of us agreed we had a much better workout together than we would have on our own. Even the wind seemed less bothersome than usual. Every way you look at it, this workout brought out the best in us.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I threw on my spikes for the last four intervals. Believe it or not, I haven't worn spikes in almost a year--I even wore flats in my recent 5k and 3k at the Armory--but I'm planning to bust them out at Nationals. With only 10 days until the race, it's probably time for me to start adjusting to them. I'm pretty sure my calves will be less than thrilled with me tomorrow.

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Standard Sunday

1 hour 35 mins. (13 miles)

Back in Charlotte, back at McAlpine. I can't complain, though; the sun was shining and having Jess and Pezz as company helped pass the time quickly.

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Valentine's Day Long Run

1 hour 27 mins. (12 miles)

Twas a beautiful morning out at McAlpine today. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the geese were squawking, and the muddy trails were traversed by many Queens athletes in pursuit of their long runs. I maintained a very relaxed pace with Tanya, Jess and Jenna for the first hour or so, enjoying the sunshine and conversation. Jess fell off a bit after that, complaining of hip pains, so our group was reduced to three for the remainder. We picked things up to sub-7 for the final few miles but never really pressed beyond that. Despite this being my longest run since August, my legs felt light and fresh throughout. Definitely a positive way to close out the week.

It is worth noting, however, that today's run wasn't nearly as exciting as last year's Valentine's weekend festivities. Oh well, I suppose you can't have a cross-country surprise visit and a post-marathon pig roast every year.

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Saturday in the City

AM: 3 miles + strength
PM: 4 miles

After yesterday's race and a fairly late night in the city, it would've been ideal to sleep in this morning. However, Tanya, Jess and I really wanted to make it back to the Armory for Simon and Nelson's mile race at 10:50, which necessitated a fairly early start to the day. Despite snowstorms all around us, Manhattan somehow managed to dodge the winter precipitation, which meant the streets were clear and dry when we ventured out for an easy shakeout run. It was still windy and very, very cold--I was layered up like a homeless person--but I suppose that's all part of the NYC experience.


Brrr! Jess and me layered up in Central Park


Inside the fountain at Columbus Circle

The girls and I meandered around very slowly, which my weary legs appreciated, stopping every so often to snap a few photos. The turnaround point came before any of us were ready, but we had to get back quickly in time to clean up and make the 45-minute walk/subway/walk trip to the Armory. Turns out the trip was even longer for the boys this morning--they accidentally hopped on the #2 train instead of the #1 and made it halfway to the Bronx before realizing their mistake. They managed to hop off and run the rest of the way to the Armory, making it to their race with a few minutes to spare. Nelson didn't have the best race, clocking 4:18, but Simon ran brilliantly and missed the D2 auto time of 4:09 by an eyelash with 4:09.24. I know he would've liked to hit the mark, but I'm confident he'll make the cut with this provisional time.


Keeping it cool on the subway


Coach Simmons, TZ, Mad, Oz and Becky taking in some Armory action

After the morning race excitement subsided, I took a short walk from the Armory to Ozzie and Becky's place on 175th. Becky had graciously offered to cook brunch for me, Ozzie, and fellow Brown alums Madeleine and Pat, which meant that pancakes and eggs were soon enjoyed by all. Before long it was time for me to ride back downtown so that I could get in another easy run, shower, and then head back up to the Armory to watch Tanya race the mile. (Yes, it would've been easier to just bring my clothes to Oz and Becky's but no, I'm not that smart.)

I ventured out for my second Central Park run of the day solo (Dad, don't tell Mom) and had a great time. Despite the weather--neither the wind nor the cold had abated much since the morning--there were tons of people out and about, and I enjoyed every minute of this relaxed (read: slow as molasses) jaunt. An hour later I found myself back at the Armory to watch Tanya. She ran well, clocking another automatic qualifying time of 4:53 despite hoping to run a bit faster, capping off a solid showing by Queens Track and Field at the New Balance Invitational.


Apparently Oliver Coconut is a full-blown alcoholic

The remainder of the evening was spent hanging out with Pat, Oz, Becky, and their beloved bird Oliver Coconut back on 175th. We rallied for a trip downtown later to meet up with Madeleine and her bro, which made for my second night in a row of a post-midnight bedtime. Crazy, right? Better get to bed so I can enjoy a Central Park long run in the morning.

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Great times with great friends--no better way to spend a Saturday night!

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Greetings From NYC

AM: 53 mins. (7+ miles)
PM: 3 miles + strength

What a busy day! It started before the crack of dawn, when Jordan and I dragged ourselves to the Dowd to meet the group again. (Remember how I said waking up early would get easier? For some reason that only applies on Wednesday. Thursday still sucks.) I hung back with Ben for most of the run, wanting to keep things super easy in light of tomorrow's race, and felt very relaxed and comfortable throughout.

The rest of the morning was spent packing and traveling...to New York City! Woohoo! I'm so excited to be here for the weekend and to race tomorrow! The group o'travelers includes myself (racing the 5k), Coach Simmons, Jess (5k), Futsum (5k), Alex (5k), Simon (mile) and Nelson (mile). Tanya is also running the mile and will join us tomorrow. Our hotel is located right in the middle of everything; we are next door to the Letterman show, a block from Times Square, a 3-minute jog to Columbus Circle and Central Park, and less than half a mile from the Museum of Modern Art. The rooms, while small, seem palatial compared to the shoe boxes we stayed in last year. The best part about racing on Friday afternoon is I should have time to enjoy the city and explore my surroundings, plus meet up with some friends while I'm here.


Columbus Circle, with Central Park to the upper left of the frame

After settling in for a few hours, Jess and I embarked on a shakeout through Central Park. We entered through Columbus Circle and immediately found a wide dirt path on which to run. We ran past the soon-to-be defunct Tavern on the Green, then passed through an underpass where a bagpiper was playing a song that seemed to be just for us. We reluctantly turned around after what felt like just a few minutes; both of us were eager to continue, but needed to be mindful of the reason we were here. Besides, we'll have plenty more opportunities to explore the park before our 5pm flight on Sunday.


Tavern on the Green, an NYC landmark

The rest of the evening was very low-key. We're both anxious to race tomorrow--I run in the Championship section at 2pm and Jess runs in the Collegiate section at 9pm--and I'm looking forward to challenging the PR I set last year at this same meet. See you after the race!

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Slow and Sloppy McAlpine Run

76 mins. (9.5-10 miles)

I met Jess at Old Bell for today's long-ish run, uncertain but hopeful about the trail's conditions. As it turned out, this run more or less sucked. The snow was several inches deep and too soft in most places to support our weight, which essentially meant we were sinking in and spinning our wheels for most of the run. There were several miles on the Footlocker course that weren't too bad (possibly because it was under tree cover and therefore didn't see as much precip hit the ground?), but overall this was a very slow and frustrating go. On the bright side, the landscape was beautiful and the sun kept temperatures very comfortable throughout.

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Racing the Weather

2.5 mile w/u
3 mile predator @ 17:52 (5:58, 5:59, 5:55)
2.5 mile c/d
Total: 8 miles

The impending inclement weather was on everyone's minds this morning, so Jess and I planned to go to McAlpine for our workout immediately following her morning class. Though no precip was falling at the time, it wasn't much of a stretch to imagine what would unfold later in the day. Thick, low-lying clouds, temperatures in the low 40s and falling, and a stiff, blustery wind greeted us upon our arrival at Old Bell. There wasn't much dilly-dallying before beginning our warmup.

As soon as we got started, it became apparent that the trail would be running much slower than usual. Normally the densely-packed dirt is almost as firm as your average neighborhood street, but apparently Parks and Rec had recently added more soil in response to last week's heavy rainfall. As a result, many sections of the trail were as soft and uneven as running on a beach. I wouldn't mind during a normal run, but for today's hard effort it would prove frustrating.

After some debate, Jess and I decided to be as un-creative as usual and stick with a familiar course: out and back from the one mile mark on the Footlocker course. This meant that we'd have a nice little tailwind boost early on, but would face a stiff headwind for the last mile or so of the run. Makes you tougher, I suppose. We started out at a brisk clip but due to the wind assistance I felt like I was jogging. In fact, I felt amazing all the way to the turnaround point despite the iffy terrain. By the time I hit the 2-mile marker, however, the wind had begun to wear me down. The section from 2 to 2.5 felt like an absolute crawl; sure enough, I went through the half mile mark in 3:03, my slowest section yet. I dug in and increased the effort as much as possible toward the end, surprising myself by closing in 2:52. It definitely didn't feel easy, but in the end I ran 25 seconds faster than on this exact same workout two weeks ago. Further, the weather conditions were perfect on that day and the dirt was a non-issue, which makes today's run that much better than the previous one. I'm still not fit, but it's satisfying to see that I'm getting there.

Speaking of satisfying, after one of the best hot showers I've experienced, the rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing with coffee and peanut butter M&Ms. The first flurries began to fly around 5, and it occurred to us that we should probably fortify our supplies for the weekend ahead. What started as an innocent and well-intentioned trip to the grocery store turned into a huge mistake. Apparently everyone within a five mile radius of Dilworth/Myers Park was convinced that the apocalypse was upon us and thus needed to stock up on necessities like milk, frozen pizza and alcohol. The line for the self-checkout was backed up farther than at a Jonas Brothers album signing, and we spent a good 30 minutes queueing up with the masses in hopes of taking home our own rations of said necessities. It was absolute chaos. Fortunately we made it home before the streets became undriveable and settled in for the night. Stay tuned for winter wonderland photos tomorrow morning!

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Going the Extra Mile

73 mins. (10 miles)

My day started when I awoke at 8:30 to Jordan standing over me and taunting, "I just ran 20 miles. What have you done today?" He's always showing off.

When I did get around to running--10am practice with the team at McAlpine--it pretty much sucked. It was rainy, McAlpine was a soggy mess, and my legs were tired and confused and more than slightly put out about having to run the day after an unusually hard effort. If it weren't for Jenna and Jess to keep me company, I would've really been hating life. Instead my hatred was moderate at worst. The silver lining was that, believe it or not, this is the longest run I've done since before I got injured in the fall. For some reason I've been stuck on a 9-mile plateau, but today I really overachieved.

Time to settle in with a warm cup of coffee and some homework. Ah, the perfect Sunday afternoon.

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Predatory Musings

AM: 30 mins. ellip + stretching
PM: 3 mile w/u
3 mile predator in 18:17 (6:08, 6:09, 6:00)
2 mile c/d
Total: 8 miles

Jordan and I left around 2 to meet the team for an early afternoon workout at McAlpine. I planned on doing a short, cautious predator run (oxymoron, right?) while Jordan had the world's longest workout on tap. Good thing he's fast so I wouldn't have to wait around for him all day. The best part about today's practice, in addition to it being much earlier than normal, was the absolutely gorgeous weather. I swear the temperature was almost 60 when we started; combined with the ample sunshine and a light breeze, it made me feel like we were back in California for a few hours. I think it's supposed to rain all weekend, but this was definitely a special treat.

Coach Simmons had instructed Jess and I to run together, started at "around 6:30 pace" for the first mile. I knew that wasn't even remotely realistic given the perfect weather and Jess's penchant for starting off too fast. If anything, our second mile would be the slowest since it involved a 180-degree turnaround.(Our course was an out-and-back starting at the first mile marker on the Footlocker course, then running back toward Old Bell to the 1/2 mile marker just beyond the underpass, then returning to where we started.) Sure enough, despite starting out with the intention of being conservative, we passed through the first 1/2 mile in 2:56. From there we slowed to what felt like a jog in order to come through the mile at 6:08, finally locking into pace as we passed the Footlocker staging area.

I wasn't sure how long Jess and I would stay together--last track season I was quite a bit faster than her, but she ran an solid xc season and was thisclose to making All-American, so I knew she was quite a bit fitter (and I obviously less fit) than this time last year. As it played out, we stayed together until the turnaround, at which point I began to put a bit of distance on her. I came through the second mile marker eager to see if I could get the legs turned over on the last mile without straining too much--after all, this was supposed to be an "easy" predator run. I'm pleased to report that I split my third mile the fastest, but not so pleased to report it didn't feel quite as lackadaisical as I'd hoped. Seeing as I haven't run any sort of tempo since, well, Nationals, I suppose that was to be expected. Jess came through about 15 seconds back looking strong at the finish.

Also of note, for some reason this workout really wrecked my stomach. Even hours later I felt sick and vaguely nauseous. I'm attributing this mostly to dehydration, as admittedly I haven't been drinking too much water the past few weeks. When the temperature is as cold as it has been lately, the last thing I feel like doing after a run is pounding a cold beverage. Sometimes I'll look at my watch and realize a full hour has passed without me consuming anything liquid except maybe some coffee. Not good. I definitely need to be aware of this and monitor my fluid intake going forward.

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McAlpine Monday

AM: 30 mins. ellip.
10 mins. stretching
2x20 water pump extensions=80
PM: 44 mins. (6 miles)
10 mins. stretching, water pumps

I felt absolutely great on the afternoon run today. Despite arriving late to McAlpine and having to play catch-up (thanks to Jordan, of course), it only took a few minutes for my leg to warm up and feel normal. Just after the first mile marker, Jordan and I ran up on a guy wearing a pair of Karhus. Needless to say, Jordan was pretty excited, and I would wager that this marked the first time ever that three people were running in Karhus at McAlpine concurrently. History in the making, folks.

At the start of the Footlocker course Jordan found a few of the Queens guys, and I opted to venture backwards from the pond in hopes of running into Jenna and Jess. About a mile later I found them, and we continued on together for the rest of the run. My legs were itching to squeeze the pace down but I could tell they were comfortable where we were, so being the team player that I am I just relaxed and enjoyed the company. Still, it's a great feeling to have some pop in the legs.

Oh, and because I'm growing tired of typing it, unless otherwise specified I'm doing the water pumps and other lower leg strengthening exercises twice a day. I feel like this is a prudent course of action given where I'm at right now and where I want to be going forward. I'm also back on the liquid iron twice a day too (I took an inadvertent break when I left my bottle here instead of toting it to California over the holidays). At this point I'm teetering on the edge of not sucking, so I need to utilize every possible advantage to keep things headed in the right direction.

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Itty Bitty Teeny Weeny Baby Workout

AM: 30 mins. ellip.
PM: 2.5 mile w/u
2xmile w/3 min. rest (6:00, 5:44)
2 mile c/d
Total: 6.5 miles

I figured today was as good a day as any to attempt a super easy, teeny tiny baby workout. Almost everyone is gone for the holidays already except me and Jess, so we agreed to meet up in the early afternoon for this effort. We decided the best course of action was to run to Myers Park High. The overwhelming pro for this is that the track is a very easy two-mile jog away. However, the con is that more often than not Queens runners have been kicked off before finishing their workouts. This would be my first attempt, and I figured that since we would be out there for literally less than 20 minutes that we just might evade detection.

I was wrong. Within a few minutes of our arrival, school let out and members of the MPHS track team began trickling over to the oval. Since no coaches seemed to be present (at least not at first), we had no option but to cross our fingers and keep rolling. As for the workout itself, things started horribly. This was my first hard run since Nationals almost a month ago--and, as you may recall, I wasn't exactly in top shape for that either--and my leg has been iffy the past few weeks. But still, I expected 6-minute pace to feel like a jog. It didn't. Both of us were surprised at how much we were laboring during the first interval, our legs and lungs burning at the effort of bringing the pace down to a respectable clip. The rest period--a time interval I would normally scoff at--seemed over before it had begun, and I didn't exactly have high hopes for the second mile.

And then, surprisingly, things turned around. We went through the half in 2:50--a full 13 seconds faster than we'd opened the previous mile--and I felt like I was barely laboring. On the third lap we were nearly brought to a complete halt by a group of utterly moronic high school boys who apparently had no idea what to make of words like "Track!" and "Lane One!" and "Move!" being shouted at them; even so, we managed to pick up where we'd left off and finish strong, closing to the line in 5:44. Now, I get that 5:44 isn't fast, nor is it a time I would be proud of during a workout when I'm even remotely fit. But to run the second mile a full 16 seconds faster while feeling significantly better--that's the part I'm pretty pleased with. In fact, I felt so good at the finish that I contemplated tacking on another interval, but the coaches had arrived at that point and were giving us the evil eye. It was clear we'd worn out our welcome.

So, congrats to me; I can run one interval at the pace Jordan runs for a marathon. Olympic Trials, watch out.

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Sunday From Old Bell

AM: 58 mins. (8 miles)
PM: 20 mins. pool

For the first time in what seems like forever, I met up with the rest of the team for a Sunday run at McAlpine. I covered most of these miles with Jess, Jenna and Tanya, keeping the pace relaxed but upbeat. The first few miles were painfully cold and windy, but once the sun crested the trees the conditions grew much more bearable and I actually began to enjoy the run.

I have to admit, however, that this whole lower leg/soleus thing is still not completely gone. I wouldn't say that it's painful, but I do experience some nagging discomfort that should've gone away after taking four days off this week. At this point I can't tell if it's something I can run through without making it worse, or if it will require a complete layoff (obviously longer than the one from this week) before things are back to normal. Right now it's annoying but manageable.

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Angel Mounds Recovery

40 mins.
5 miles

I woke up this morning surprisingly un-sore. (That would change later, but I made sure to appreciate it for a limited time.) Coach Simmons had offered to drive everyone who was so inclined for a run (and a few people who weren't, but that's a different story for a different day). He'd tried to scope out a place ahead of time and found something that sounded promising: Angel Mounds, a park/levee system that was supposedly near our hotel. After a 15-minute drive we had reached the desired destination, and it did indeed look promising. With no further ado, I set out with Jess on what promised to be a very slow, very short recovery run. Unfortunately it didn't take long to discern that the park--or at least the section Coach Simmons had stumbled upon--was quite small. In fact, the side trail we'd meandered down ended up looping us back around to the main trail that led back to the parking lot. Normally this would've been very frustrating, but since we only needed to run two of these loops to hit our "goal" mileage it wasn't a big deal.

After showers and lunch, it was time for QU to vacate the Holiday Inn Express that had become our home for the weekend. The rest of the team departed to the airport, while Jordan and I set off for my cousin Jennifer's house for the night. She and Jade graciously offered to host us before we continued northbound to Ohio for the Thanksgiving holiday. Time to drown my sorrows in gravy and cranberry sauce.

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NCAA DII National Championships

Early AM: 5 min. shakeout
Noon: 2.5 mile w/u + strides
6k race in 22:57
~1.5 mile c/d
Total: 8-8.5 miles


My littlest fan, my cousin Jennifer's daughter Jade. They live in Evansville
and came out to watch me run.

It's hard to believe that today is actually the National meet. Even harder to believe that I actually have the opportunity to run it, what with everything I've gone through this season. It hasn't been easy, but dammit, I'm here.

The girls loaded up and headed to the course around 10 so we would have plenty of time to warm up. We lucked out and were treated with an absolutely gorgeous day for a race, almost identical to the conditions at Regionals if just a touch warmer. As we warmed up, I felt myself growing increasingly nervous. I was telling Jess this morning how ironic it is; the entire point of our season is training for these races, then when they finally arrive we can't wait to get them over with. That was definitely the case today, and the last half hour before gun time was absolute torture. For me it was particularly bad because, unlike almost everyone else in the field, I knew I wasn't fit. I knew I wasn't going to have the race of my dreams, and most of all I knew it was going to hurt like hell.

After strides, our pre-race prayer and about 10 trips to the bathroom, it was finally go time. The gun boomed and I was sprinting across the field with 200 of my competitors. I remember distinctly thinking, as I neared the funneling of the field into the woods about 400 meters in, that I was in waaay over my head. I was sprinting for my life and was easily in the back 1/3 of the field. Some people might feel good for the first half of the race or so, but I was already in the hurt tank. We reached the first hill, a short and steep downhill followed by an equal but opposite uphill, then rounded a corner into another open field. Another 200 meters of uphill was followed by a 180-degree turn, then a nice downhill section through the mile marker. I passed the mile in 5:55--about 25 seconds faster than at Regionals--and was still basically in last. However, I was slowly and steadily catching people--in fact, by the end of the race I would realize that after that first 600 meters I was never passed again--and starting to fall into somewhat of a rhythm. Before I knew it, I reached The Hill. Remarkably, it almost felt easier running quickly than it did during our pre-race run, and though my quads were burning I still managed to make it up without too much strain. I passed Holly somewhere in the next uphill section, then continued to wind around the course past the start/finish area. 3k came quickly, but I didn't hear a split. Not that it mattered; at this point I was in survival mode. The second loop of the course seems like a blur in hindsight, but I do remember a few things--slipping in the mud near what was formerly the mile marker; Jordan yelling at me to catch Maraya; seeing someone point at me and say "97" and realizing in disbelief that, despite passing people the entire race, I would still barely make it out 100th place. I kicked for the finish but had nothing left, and managed to cross the line just a few ticks under 23 minutes. Definitely not a good time, but a full 70 seconds faster than I'd run two weeks prior on a much easier Regionals course.



This post is already pretty lengthy, and I haven't even touched on the team aspect of the race, or the men's race to follow. Briefly let me say that the Queens women's team ended up 20th--not great, but a respectable showing for our first ever Nationals appearance. We also trounced Columbus State, the team who beat us by one point a few weeks ago--they ended up last today. Though I know not everyone on our team was thrilled with her performance, we all gave it everything we had. That's something to be proud of.

As for the men, I don't have the energy to recap their entire race. Somehow they managed to get 7th overall, despite Mike not running and our #2 runner on the day, Futsum, dropping out with 1k to go due to an acute cramp. He was in 11th place when he dropped, so clearly that hurt the team score. Oscar ran a great race and finished 7th overall, but several of the other guys went out way too hard and paid the price at the end. One thing is certain however; they ran with heart, and it was evident as each person crossed the line that they had run literally as hard as they possibly could.

I guess I will close out this post and this cross-country season now. It certainly wasn't what I'd hoped it would be, but sometimes you just have to make the most of what you have. I did that, and came out on the other side eager to get in shape for track and redeem myself. More importantly, I'm so proud of my teammates and what we all managed to accomplish together.

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The Miles Just Keep On Coming

AM: 9 miles
2x20 water pump extensions=80
PM: 30 mins. pool

That's right, people, you read it correctly. Guess who has two thumbs and just ran NINE miles today??

>>>this guy<<<

So anyhow, Jordan and I met the Queens team at Old Bell for their last long-ish run before Nationals next week. (Incidentally, let me pause at this moment to acknowledge that Jordan got a job while he was in Austin this week. Though video game manufacturers around the country are no doubt cursing this development, I'm pretty darn excited. Especially since I helped him obtain said job and was promised a new outfit in return.) After a week away from Charlotte he was anxious to meet up with his love Simon and I was equally anxious to attempt my longest run to date. Much to my relief, the adductor felt fairly normal upon waking up this morning, which (hopefully) means a crisis has been averted there.

The run started out very casually, with Tanya, Jenna and I sort of heading up a group and Maraya, Jess and Holly close behind. By half an hour in we'd reorganized, and I found myself sticking with Jess and Holly throughout the remainder of the run. We kept the pace very relaxed until the final few miles back to Old Bell, where each of us opened up just a bit and blasted some killer 7-minute miles. Damn, I'm good. In all seriousness, I did feel pretty good, and was pleased that I finished up the run strong and in control despite the distance. The weather was beautiful, the company was pleasant, and the atmosphere among the group was fantastic. Everyone is pumped for next weekend, and I'm incredibly thankful that I finally get to be a part of it.

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