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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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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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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12x400? Really??

AM: 30 mins. ellip.
PM: 2.5 mile w/u + strides
12x400
2 mile c/d
Total: 7.5 miles

Oh, workout, how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways. For starters, it's hard to get motivated to rip off some hard intervals when it's been pouring rain and gusting 30 mph winds for the past 36 hours. Damn you, Hurricane Ida! Throughout the day as I stared dubiously at the tropical storm-esque conditions outside, I maintained hope that Coach Simmons would come to his senses and postpone the workout until tomorrow. I was wrong.

Come 4:20pm (thanks for being late, Edgar), the entire group of us loaded up and headed out for...Uptown? Apparently there's a small gravel trail running through a neighborhood just past Uptown that Simmons had scouted out for us to use. The trail itself is only about 800m long, but it has a few offshoots that meander around behind a neighboring park; thus, you could complete at least a 2 mile warmup without covering the same territory a dozen times. The reason Simmons chose the trail was for it's consistent grade throughout; basically, no matter which end you started the interval on, the 400m stretch consisted of a steady downhill for 200 meters followed by an equal uphill for the next 200 meters. A bit unconventional for speed intervals, but seeing that the course in Evansville isn't flat we might as well get used to the undulating terrain.

By the time everyone had warmed up, stretched, strided and donned the neon glowstick bracelets that Simmons provided (just in case we wanted to go to a rave afterward), the sky was growing increasingly dark. Obviously the rain had a bit to do with that, but it was also already past 5pm. With the only lights coming from the adjacent neighborhood, we would soon be running in near-pitch darkness. Starting off the workout, I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of pace or feel. I'd hoped to sort of just tuck in behind Jess, Holly and Maraya and lock in to their pace. After clocking a 77 for the first interval, I knew that was just not realistic for me. My lungs and legs were already burning, and the 2:30 interval meant we had just over a minute's rest between each go. By the third one I knew I was unequivocally in over my head. Survival became my only goal, and I literally had to coach myself on each interval to just make it to the next one. Had I allowed myself to focus on the entirety of the remaining intervals, things would've gotten pretty bleak.

As far as pace goes, I'm not sure what I ran. Jenna was standing at the halfway point shouting out splits--mine consistently ranged from 37 to 39, but obviously that's on the downhill section--but the increasing darkness and the fact that I was wearing gloves made stopping and starting my watch impractical. Oh, and the wind and rain didn't help either. Not that it matters anyway; for me this was completely about effort. The final few intervals I was all the way in the hurt tank and felt like I was crawling on the uphill, but I managed to stick it out and complete the workout. Though I finished several of them with Holly, I never caught Maraya or Jess, but thankfully was never caught by anyone else either.

Overall, I suppose I'd consider this workout a success despite how terrible I felt. To say this was tougher than Saturday's race would be a gross understatement. However, I shouldn't have expected anything grand given that I haven't done this type of workout in forever. Not only have I been injured for two months, but even before that I'd stopped doing workouts since before my half-marathon in June. In fact, a quick glance at the blog shows the last time I did 12, 16, 20 or 25x400 was in March. Had I considered that before today's outing I would've probably had more realistic expectations about how this would turn out. Though I wouldn't say this workout was fun, I'm positive it will provide me with some tangible fitness gains come Nationals.

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Southeast Regional Championships

Early AM: 1/2 mile shakeout
AM: 2.5 mile w/u + strides
6k race
1+ mile c/d
Total: 8 miles



The morning of my first and possibly last XC meet started bright and early--literally. It started early because the entire team woke up for a 7:15 am shakeout prior to getting the day started. This consisted of me waking up just in time to throw on a pair of shoes and walk out the door. I was immediately greeted by the 31-degree chill that permeated the air, and was thankful that the sun was already shining brightly.

Once our wog was complete, it was time to get packed up and ready to head to the course. The women would be running first, at 9:30, so our warmup began almost immediately upon arrival. I was excited to see so many familiar faces who had made the drive from Charlotte to watch us--Jeannie (our athletic director and, might I add, fellow Horned Frog alum), Tim (our compliance officer), Chandler and pup Sanford (both decked out in Queens gear), xc alum Sairy, both Jess's and Holly's parents, and of course Jordan and Tanya. This would really make a difference for me later in the race each time I received a much-needed boost from their shouted encouragement.


Pre-race prayer with QU Athletic Director Jeannie King

Over almost before it began, our warmup was uneventful. It also became apparent that despite the cooler temps, the sunshine made previously considered accessories like gloves and arm warmers unnecessary. In fact, once we finished our strides and huddled up for a pre-race prayer, I was quite comfortable in nothing but my singlet and spandex. Mentally, however, I wasn't quite as comfortable. I found myself unexpectedly much more nervous than I'd anticipated, in equal parts because of worrying about my hip (though it felt fine to this point) and about contributing to the team.

Once the gun went off, however, none of that would matter. The old competitive instincts took over and I allowed myself to turn off my thoughts and get swept along with the masses. I knew it was imperative that I take things incredibly easy the first two miles, as I had no idea how my body would respond to almost 4 miles of hard running (considering that my predator run last week was 2 miles and Tuesday's 800s only amounted to 3). The first mile passed quickly, and this would be the only mile split I would hear: 6:21. It's probably for the best that I didn't hear any others, as I would've no doubt grown frustrated with my pace. Instead, I pushed all thoughts of time completely out of my head and instead concentrated on the sole goal of catching people. I was feeling surprisingly in control at this point, and could already tell that some of the girls around me were breathing much more heavily than I was.


The elusive Dark Knight caught on film while tracking our race

Between miles 1 and 3 I saw several familiar faces, including Jordan (several times), Jenna, Scott, Chandler and most of the guys. I'd told them in advance not to patronize me with things like "You look great!" or "You're almost there!" when both of those comments were obvious lies. In fact, I specifically asked the guys to think of something funny to say instead, and I had to crack a smile just before the 3 mile mark when Oscar shouted, "Okay, um, sorry I can't think of anything funny...but...enjoy the experience!"


Doing work

And, surprisingly enough, I was enjoying the experience for most of the race. My deliberately conservative first half meant that although I was certainly fatigued toward the end, I was nowhere near as cashed as I'd expected/feared. I was surprised to find myself passing Holly around the 5k mark, and knowing that Jess and Maraya weren't that far ahead gave me a confidence boost. The last time I saw Jordan he'd told me I was in 14th place, and at this point the realization dawned on me that I was going to be able to snag a top 10 spot. There was a small group of girls ahead but I was gaining on them, and I knew I had enough in the tank to pass before the finishing straightaway. Once I rounded the final bend there was nothing standing between me and the finish line but a 200-meter straight shot (and, of course, the building lactic acid). I launched into my version of a kick, which felt impressive enough to me but evidently wasn't enough to shake the girl who walked me down in the final 10 meters. Sigh. Still, in the end I finished in 9th place, a solid third on our team behind Maraya (5th) and Jess (6th). I knew Holly was close behind and hoped Katie was as well, but at this point I wasn't sure what our team score would be.


Futsum, Oscar and Simon jump out to an early lead in the men's race

There wasn't much time to reflect on our results at this point, as the men were set to start in a few minutes. For the next half hour I "cooled down" by running back and forth over the course trying to catch the Queens guys in as many places as possible. The team making it to Nationals was a certainty despite Mike being injured, but it was still fun to watch them completely dominate the competition (and to watch Oscar win by an eyelash in a sprint finish with a Kenyan from Columbus State). With 6 Queens runners in the top 15, victory was certain before the race was even over.


Oscar's photo finish

For the women, however, the results were still up in the air. We were fairly sure we'd routed former champs Lees-McRae, as we put 4 before their 2nd, but the red and white Columbus State uniforms seemed to crop up quite a bit in the top 20. When the scores were finally posted, it showed us in second place--by one point. 68 Columbus State, 69 Queens. Though this automatically gave us a team berth to Nationals, it also caused a bit of a stir with our coaches. Because the race was not chip-timed, nor were the promised backup cameras in place at the finish, the only scoring system to fall back on was the pull-tag system. Thanks, D2. Scott made a prudent move to challenge the final results and request a recount, though I think we all knew the outcome would remain the same. Was this score correct? Probably, but who knows. Oh, and the girl who passed me in the final seconds of the race...yup, she was from Columbus State. Shoot me.

I've already rambled on far too long, so let me close out now with a few final thoughts. First and most importantly, history was made today for Queens XC. Never before has the school sent a women's team to Nationals. We all know that we sit in a weak region and that two weeks from now we'll be in an entirely different ballgame, but today was simply about celebrating all the hard work and dedication this team has put in this year. For myself, today was a solid start. Honestly I'm just thankful for the opportunity to be out there, even if it is this late in the game. The hip felt fine, and I'm confident my fitness will increase exponentially over the next few weeks. This may turn into one of the shortest cross-country seasons on record, but I'm determined to make the most of it. Overall, I couldn't be prouder of my team and more excited to represent Queens at D2 Nationals on November 21st.

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Let's Do This

AM: 30 mins. ellip.
15 mins. core
PM: 3.5 mile w/u
6x800m @ 2:56, 2:55, 2:56, 2:58, 3:02, 2:55
1.5 mile c/d
Total: 8 miles

Today's workout was the first I've done with the other girls on the team. They had a pre-race of 3x800, 2x400 on tap, while I was planning to keep the 800s going. Coach Simmons planned for us to run this workout on the third mile of the Footlocker course, which is mostly wooded and slightly rolling. My main goal was just to tuck in behind the lead girls (Maraya, Holly and Jess, with Jenna setting the pace) and try not to die.

After settling into a somewhat comfortable pace on the first interval I knew I would be able to hang in there. Jenna helped out a ton by running with me after the other girls started their 400s around the pond, and without her I'm sure I wouldn't have run as "fast" as I did. As for the hip, I definitely felt awkward the first 10 meters or so of each interval, but developed a rhythm after that. I'm a bit anxious to see how it will feel tomorrow, but as of now I'm pleased to make it through the workout in one piece.

Also of note, this time change is ridic. We were running in pretty much pitch darkness by the cooldown.

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Conference Carolinas Champs

AM: 3 mile run
30 mins. ellip.
3 mile run
PM: Conference Meet



I had toyed with the idea of running Conference today, for nothing else than to help the team, but Simmons vetoed it. Probably for the best. The meet is at McAlpine, which is a notoriously flat and fast course, but there is one very short and very steep uphill followed by an equally short and steep downhill and a sharp righthand turn. This would no doubt spell trouble for me and we decided there was no point in risking it.

At any rate, Jordan and I headed out to the park early in the afternoon to volunteer and cheer on our team. Not surprisingly, this ended up being the worst weather day of the entire week--warm, humid and windy--and I knew our team and others were hoping for the cooler fall weather we'd been experiencing the past few days. Typical. I was cursing the fact that I'd worn jeans after about 10 minutes, but there was nothing I could do except roll them up and hope for the best.

I won't steal Jordan's thunder, so I'll let him tell you about the "race" he won before the meet started. Let's just say it involved the pond, basketball shorts and a sprint finish. After that, his duty for the day was to ride the lead bicycle (which, unfortunately for Jordan, ended up being the $20 bike Mike procured at Wal-Mart) in front of both the girls' and the guys' races. Tanya and I had the task of calling out splits at the 2-mile and 3-mile marks, both of which were around the pond and were spaced about 100 meters apart. Thus, we could easily get from one to the other after the majority of people passed our first spot but before the leaders reached the second one.

First up was the girls' race, and my teammates were hoping to capture their first ever conference title. Hard to believe they've never won before because this conference is absolutely, positively, unbelievably terrible--but, to be honest, this is the first year Queens has actually had an entire girls' team that was committed, focused and talented. The goal was to beat Lees-McRae, the yellow and green "powerhouse" of the region that, despite not having any standouts, usually does a remarkable job of running their top 7 extremely close together.

The first time I saw the girls after the start was when they reached the pond after coming down the hill. At halfway it was clear that Jess, Maraya and Holly would all place in the top 5 or 6. More importantly, all three of them were ahead of the first Lees-McRae girl. The problem is that once the first Lees-McRae girl showed up, so did 5 of her teammates. They had almost their entire top 7 in between our third and fourth girl; not good. I could see that Katie, one of our freshman, was gaining on their pack, but I wasn't sure if she would be able to make up any ground after they entered the woods again.

When they finally reappeared a mile later, I could tell the point totals were going to be close. Finishing 2nd, 4th and 6th meant that Queens had done a great job with our top 3; however, the final two were going to be important. I saw Katie approaching the final turn a few yards back from the Lees-McRae 5th girl and I knew she had to catch her. So, naturally, I found it my duty to run up pretty much right in her face and scream, "Go get that girl, Katie! We need those points!" I pretty much screamed my head off as she ran the final 200 meters and ended up nipping the Lees-McRae girl just before the tape. I didn't know it at the time, but her move ended up winning the meet for us. Once the final scores were tallied, Queens edged Lees-McRae by the slightest of margins, 50 to 52. Had Katie not passed that girl the score would've been tied and then gone to the highest-placed 6th runner. Queens only ran 5 girls (we had a few injured, a few sick, a few playing it safe like me), which means by default we would've lost. The girls were soooo excited when the results were announced, and I was so proud of them. They ran tough and strong and competed well.


Oscar and Futsum jump out to an early lead,
with Nelson and Simon in hot pursuit

The guys race was less exciting, mostly because of our utter domination. Even without Mike running, we perfect scored and had the sixth place guy as well. I believe the order was Oscar, Futsum, Simon, Nelson, Matt and Alex. If we can get Mike healthy again by Nationals, I honestly think the guys have a shot at making the podium.

This entry is already too long and filled with too many details, so I'll close here by simply saying how proud I was of my team, and how anxious I am to get out there and compete. Come Regionals, I'll have my chance. I won't be fit and I won't be fast, but I'll give 100% for these girls.

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Sunday Funday

AM: 60 min. walk with Sanford
PM: 45 mins. ellip.

As I type this two days later, I'm still pretty sore from walking Sanford. Or rather, should I say, from Sanford walking me. That puppy is a bundle of energy, and while she doesn't weigh an ounce over 30 pounds she is deceptively strong. Our walk started at Queens, where I left the car with Jordan so he could accompany the team to McAlpine. From there Sanford dragged me down Wellesley, along the main thoroughfare of Queens Road West, then down Princeton into Freedom Park. Once in the park we made several friends, including an adorable rescue mutt named Murphy and a variety of joggers. After making a big loop in the park we headed back to Chandler's place by way of Jameston, one of us still full of energy and one of us thoroughly exhausted.


My view for most of the walk

My workout in the afternoon was a bit lackluster, but to be honest my legs and feet were pretty tired from the morning walk and from the hour Jordan and I spent on foot at the Festival in the Park. Forty-five minutes was about all I could take on the torture machine before my legs and feet were aching, so at that point I was more than happy to call it quits. Plus, I wanted to watch Jordan and some of the guys on the team play a pickup soccer game on the elementary school fields next door. It was a great time and they were actually much more coordinated than I expected. It was also one of the most diverse sporting events I've ever attended. I counted one Ethiopian (Futsum), one Kenyan (Nelson), one German (Simon), one Norwegian (Marius), one El Salvadorian (Benny), one Mexican (Jordan counts for the purpose of this census-taking exercise), one Jamaican (Oscar) and Devin (who technically is Irish...by way of New Hampshire). A little later in the game I was joined on the sidelines by Holly, then by Chandler and Sanford. If I had the slightest thought that my morning walk had worn Sanford out, it was quickly dispelled by watching her sprint full speed after the boys for the next half hour. What I wouldn't give for that kind of energy.

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3 Miles=3 More Than Last Week

Friday, 9/25
AM: 30 mins. ellip.
15 mins. core
PM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 25 mins. "predator"

Thursday, 9/24
60 mins. ellip. incl. 5x5 mins. on, 5 mins. off

Wednesday, 9/23
AM: 25 mins. core
25 mins. pool
2 mile run, 1 mile walk
active stretching
PM: Chiro
40 mins. ellip.

Tuesday, 9/22
AM: 60 mins. ellip. incl. 15x1 min. on, 1 min. off
PM: 25 mins. pool
active stretching

Monday, 9/21
AM: 25 mins. core
25 mins. pool
1 mile run, 1 mile walk
PM: 45 mins. ellip.

Yup, I've run 3 miles so far this week. Don't act like you're not impressed.

In all honesty, though, it didn't feel great. I'm still kinda gimpy and my right quad feels like it's doing absolutely nothing. It's like the muscle just died or went to sleep or something. I did both of my "runs" with Holly post-morning practice, and both times my leg just felt tight/stiff/awkward from the get-go and never really got better. It never got unbearable or anything, but it certainly wasn't normal. I can definitely tell that it's muscle-related, not bone, which six weeks ago I would've thought was a good thing and now seems to just be semantics. The doc says I can continue attempt a wog every other day if I feel like it, so long as it's not more than a few miles at a time. And I gotta be honest, the prospect of running two miles in pain is more appealing to me than not running at all. I miss it soooo much. I suppose I'll give it another try one day this weekend and see if things have improved at all. Tomorrow is an unlikely option since I work all day, but perhaps Sunday.

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Probably Not My Smartest Idea

50 mins. (6.5 miles)
2 mile walk

When I woke up this morning my hip felt noticeably better than the previous day. This made me happy, since I didn't want to miss out on yet another run at Moses Cone while everyone else did their long runs. Originally I was also supposed to go long, but at this point I would take anything as opposed to sitting it out yet again. Plus, it was an absolutely gorgeous day--sunny, slightly cool, and a touch less humid than in previous days.

The run started out at a conservative pace around Bass Lake with Jess, Jenna, Holly and Maraya (an incoming freshman), then halfway around the lake we took one of the side trails that would wind gradually up the mountain. They had plans to run all the way up to the fire tower, while I was hoping to make it up to the Manor with Jess before turning around. The trail is literally uphill the entire way until you choose to turn around, gaining altitude all the while, so the 8-minute pace we managed going up felt harder than the watch would suggest. My hip felt okay but not great going up, and every few steps I would feel a twinge of discomfort. Probably not good.


Gorgeous view of the Manor from Bass Lake

After stopping to stretch and admire the view at the Manor, Jess and I turned around to begin the descent back to the lake. Aaand that's when the level of discomfort increased from around a 2 to, oh I'd say about a 6-7. The downhill was way worse than the uphill, which I suppose I could've conjectured ahead of time, but of course stupid me refused to be patient. Oh well. Decided to walk a few loops around the lake when I returned, with the combined intention of keeping my hip loose and killing time while everyone else finished their runs. Oh, and to snap a few pictures.


Bass Lake scenery--could be a postcard.

I should probably take a few days off when I get back to Charlotte.

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Well, That Was Embarrassing

57 mins.
7.5 miles

This morning we broke from the norm and headed out to Reedy Creek Park for our run. The park is located in far north Charlotte, near UNCC, and has several miles of dirt and gravel trails. The guys and girls teams started out together but quickly strung out, and I found myself running with Holly and Jenna (the new asst. coach) for the remainder of the run. The pace was fairly slow but the run was still challenging due to the constant undulating hills. Plus, none of us were very familiar with the trails and we were constantly approaching forks in the road with no idea of which way to turn. Half the time we picked an option that took us somewhat in the right direction and the other half of the time we ventured a few meters down a trail only to realize it wasn't the one we needed to take.


A wintertime view of the Reedy Creek Park trails

Despite the lack of structure on this run, all was well until about five miles in. At that point my right hip flexor, which had been feeling slightly fatigued throughout the run, really started to bug me. The muscle almost felt like it was strained or pulled, though I have no recollection of doing anything yesterday that might have aggravated it (although my hips did feel vaguely out of whack during the workout), and the feeling of mild discomfort intensified dramatically over the remainder of the run. I was grateful to see the parking lot come into view just after 55 minutes as I hobbled to the finish.

At that point I figured the hip flexor was going to be the extent of my problems. Since we were waiting for several members of our team to return from their runs, I sat down on a nearby ledge and tried to relax. After a few minutes I started to feel vaguely nauseous. A few minutes after that I started seeing spots--sort of like what happens when you stand up too quickly after sitting down for a long time. I remember turning to one of the girls next to me and mumbling, "I think I'm going to pass out." Aaaand that's all she wrote. Next thing I know, I woke up from what felt like a lovely nap to discover about a dozen people standing over/around/behind me trying to ascertain whether or not I was dead. It certainly wasn't one of my finer moments. Jordan, of course, was still running and was completely oblivious to the entire situation. Worst. Boyfriend. Ever.

So anyhow, after a few minutes of laying down and a few swigs of Gatorade I felt relatively normal. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why this happened, as nothing like this has ever occurred before. My guess would a combination of dehydration (3 bouts of physical activity yesterday, most of which took place in the heat), exhaustion (still not caught up on sleep from the last two weeks and the travel days) and really low blood sugar. Had I not already decided to skip the evening run due to my hip flexor, this would've definitely solidified my decision.

Need I comment on the irony of me staying healthy through the entire summer, then getting banged up literally two days after my return to Charlotte? Yeah, I didn't think so.

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5k x 2, or "Getting My Mojo Back"

AM: 1 mile w/u
5k "race" in 23:xx
Total: 4+ miles
Original Pancake House
15 mins. core
PM: 2+ mile w/u
2.5 miles of 5k "race" @6 min. pace
2 mile c/d
Total: 7 miles

So, at the risk of calling this prematurely, I'm marking today on the calendar as the day when I kinda-sorta-almost turned a corner and felt like my old self again. If the next few days go well, I might actually withdraw from my funk. Fingers crossed!

Now for the recap. First of all, this morning's "race" was super fun. Tanya and I were up fairly early for a Saturday so we could jog the easy downhill mile from the prison to the start of the Great Harvest 5k. We met up with Jeff, as well as my friends/classmates Jenny, Clint, Jason, Chris, and our awesome professor Kim right at 7:40 by the chip-timing table. Some of them, like Jason, were running their first 5k ever, which I thought was pretty cool. I guess having been a runner and worked in the industry for so long, I forget how fun and exciting the everyday neighborhood 5k can be for people who are just discovering the sport, but it's pretty cool to see my friends genuinely pumped about trying something new. (As an aside, here's my plug for you to watch and "vote up" Jason's documentary on Mixed Martial Arts, which he just produced for his Master's thesis project.)

For Tanya and myself, this "race" would just be a fun, easy run and a hope to score some freebies. It was much more significant for Jeff, who would be attempting his first steps since before his epic foot surgeries. Just like some of the newbies, he was nervous and excited, but for different reasons. Wanting to rally with our "team," we joined them near the back of the 500-person pack at the starting line so that we could ease into the pace. Naturally, our first mile was super slow, but Jeff and Tanya and I gradually picked up the pace until we were running comfortably by the end. I think I caught our final mile at 7:10, which is neither fast nor slow, and we were all pleased to see that Jeff felt comfortable and pain-free the entire time. The three of us stopped short of the finish line so we could cheer for each of our friends as they completed their races. It was pretty awesome to see each of them finish strong with grins on their faces, and I was proud to see them out there pushing themselves.

Almost 12 hours later, Holly and I set off for High Point (which, incidentally, is a gorgeous campus in the middle of a trash dump of a town) to race another 5k. She was hoping to break 19 minutes for the first time, and Jeff wanted me to take her through the early stages of the race and keep her from going out too fast with the rest of the pack. Of course, this implied that I was capable of running ~6-minute pace in my current state of woe, which hasn't exactly been proven over the past few weeks. I was desperately hoping I would be able to do my job, for my own sake but especially for Holly's, and I wasn't taking this responsibility lightly.

The gun went off at exactly 9:35, and I found the pace almost immediately. I could tell Holly was feeling antsy, but knew she needed to save herself for the final mile, so after fighting her for a lap or two I basically ordered her to fall in behind me and stop thinking. We cruised through the first mile in 6:02, and I was pleasantly surprised to feel pretty strong. By no means was I jogging, but the pace wasn't forced at all. Jeff was in the infield on the backstretch, and I looked for his splits each time we went by to make sure I was on pace. I guess I can be a metronome when the situation calls for it, as I never wavered from 90's or 91's for the first two miles. We passed the two-mile mark in 12:04, and at this point I told Holly that it was time to race. We picked up the pace a second or two on the next few laps, and I could tell she still had plenty left in the tank.

Just short of 2.5 miles, I felt a slight twinge in my foot. It was nothing major, but I knew I should probably be smart and heed its warning. This was my first time wearing flats since the day I hurt myself, and I didn't want to risk anything tonight. Also, a small part of me wanted to see Holly finish this off by herself. I wanted her to know that she was capable of doing this solo. After a few final words of encouragement, I pulled off the track and into the infield. For her final three laps I still got my exercise, sprinting back and forth on the grassy infield to cheer her on. She was really dropping the pace, and at this point the question wasn't whether she would break 19 minutes, but by how much. I don't think I've ever cheered for someone so intensely as I did when she rounded the final turn and I started running alongside her to urge her on. I could see the determination on her face and knew she wanted this more than anything. She crossed the finish line in 18:37 and immediately dissolved into tears, exhausted and proud of what she had accomplished. As a freshman who couldn't break 20 minutes in cross-country, she's come a long way in less than a year. I'm so proud of her and can't wait to see what she achieves throughout the rest of her running career.

Sorry this entry is so long, but it was a huge day. I ran twice, I didn't feel like crap running 6-minute pace, I helped Holly set a PR, I watched Jeff successfully complete his first run in months, and I enjoyed some cinnamon nut French toast with a group of cool new friends. It would appear as though all is right with the world.

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Attempting a Workout

2+ mile w/u, 3 miles uptempo, 2 mile c/d
(7-7.5 miles)

Jordan, Tanya and I woke up fairly early this morning to get our run out of the way before things heated up. Jeff and Holly were headed to McAlpine so we hitched a ride with them. Tanya planned to do a 400m workout, and Jeff wanted me to attempt a 3-mile tempo run of sorts. He encouraged me to not use a watch and I certainly had no objections, so the plan was just to run on effort and get the legs turning over.

Once again, Jordan was a trooper and volunteered to run the uptempo section with me. He thought it might actually help his legs loosen up, and again I (selfishly) didn't discourage his efforts (although I did make him promise to back off if he felt any twinges). We decided to just run the Footlocker course, with Jeff accompanying us on the Purple People Eater, so after a few miles of warming up we set off. While I stuck to the original plan of no watch, I saw both Jeff and Jordan surreptitiously starting theirs at the outset. After confirming that neither of them would a) tell me what pace I was running; or b) post the time in their respective blogs, I was able to relax and just run.

Overall, this went about how I thought it would. Meaning, I felt slow. I was glad to complete my first "workout" in a month, but not particularly encouraged about my apparent fitness levels. My foot felt okay during the run but began to twinge on the jog back to the parking lot, which means I need to be extra attentive to icing for the rest of the day. I guess this is a step in the right direction, but I sure wish things were falling into place more quickly.

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Jordan is a Winner After All

60 mins.
8+ miles

I ran with Devin, Tanya and Holly at McAlpine. But who cares about me, the big story of the day was that Jordan WON the OKC Marathon! I can't even articulate how excited and proud I am, and I'm still smiling as I type this four days later. Simply put, my boyfriend is a badass. For a complete rundown on the race, including a few links to post-race articles and video, I will direct you to Jordan's blog.

To further demonstrate what a trooper he is, Jordan proceeded to jump on a flight just a few hours after his marathon victory so that he could come visit me for a few days. Several delays and gate changes later, he arrived here just past midnight. His dad and Roger are in town to visit as well, fresh off the boat from a South American cruise (and, I am happy to report, swine flu free). I'm looking forward to spending the next few days with them and convincing Jordy to hobble through a few runs with me.

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Conference Carolinas Championship: Day 2

17 min. w/u (2+ miles)
5k in ~20:05
17 min. c/d (2+ miles)
Total: 7-7.5 miles

After a restful night's sleep, we enjoyed a laid-back morning lounging around the cabin and drinking coffee before heading to the meet around noon. I was slated to run the 5k with Jess and Holly, mostly just as a test for my foot. Jeff encouraged me to run as slow as I wanted to and even drop out if my foot began to hurt, but I was fervently hoping that wouldn't be the case. After a two-mile warmup with Holly, I was feeling cautiously optimistic. Jess, on the other hand, has been suffering from a knee injury of sorts (maybe even IT band related?) and could barely walk, so her role in the race would consist of starting, running about half a lap, and summarily dropping out. Hey, we need 14 people. Put it on the board.

At any rate, I was seeded first in the race based on my 5k time at the Armory. This is embarrassing for several reasons, namely because I planned on jogging but also because it gives you an idea of the lack of depth in our conference. I had no intentions of winning the race, but was hoping my teammate Holly would put up a strong fight. She's been hoping to break 19 minutes all season and looked poised to do so today.


Running the 5k. Note my stylish French braid,
courtesy of Chandler.

From the gun, I settled in comfortably at about a 6:30 pace. Or, I should say, it was comfortable for the first mile. After that point it became readily apparent that I hadn't run in over two weeks. Don't get me wrong; it certainly wasn't race effort, probably not even tempo effort, but it was not the jog I've come to expect 6:30 pace to feel like. Blame it on the altitude?? The good news is my foot felt fine throughout, and according to my loyal fan and spectator Tanya I wasn't limping or altering my stride. I'll take it. Meanwhile, Holly ran a super race, finishing just over 19:10 (18:55 with the altitude conversion) and securing third place. She was pumped and I was happy for her.


Spectating the afternoon races. L to R: Tanya, Jess, Sarah, Katie,
Chandler, Holly

In other notables, our men's mile relay (consisting of the same people as last time, only substituting Futsum for Eli) actually won the conference championship in 3:28. The other teams should be ashamed of themselves; considering that Futsum had finished the 5k a mere 10 minutes previously, Devin and Nelson had both already run 2 races on the day, and Mike is definitely not a sprinter. But hey, a W's a W.


Devin takes the lead in the pivotal moment of the 4x4

Back to the cabin for a night of revelry and merriment. Looks like I'm sticking around to join the team at Moses Cone in Blowing Rock for a run tomorrow assuming the foot holds up.

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Back to Work

AM: 4 miles
15 mins. core
PM: 59 mins. + 4x10 sec. hill sprints
8 miles

Today Jeff showed me my training for the next month, which looks to be pretty intense. We're introducing a few new elements, such as a new core routine, new strength routine in the gym and a group of short, intense hill sprints within my Monday run. My long runs are also ratcheting up to the 16-18 mile range, effective this weekend. When I lay it all out like that it sounds like a lot, but I'm excited to mix things up a bit and challenge my body in a few new ways.

My runs today were decent and I almost feel back to normal. Tomorrow I will be running a few miles uptempo (but not hard enough to designate it a "workout") and then meeting Jeff in the gym to learn a few new moves. Should be a fun time.

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