Gate River Build Up

So training has been going really well going into Gate River 15k and I'm really looking forward to racing on the roads again. I kind of need to have a redemption year this year. Last couple of works were pretty good-

2 weeks ago I did 8x 1k's and I took 2.59,2.58,2.59,2.59,2.57,2.58,2.58,2.58 with 2min rest. felt pretty good however I spiked up and had a big blister on my inside foot. I could feel it on the last 4, but it took a lap to get it warmed up. I think thats why I didn't go much faster the 2.57. It will come it will come...

last Tuesday I did a 4 mile tempo in 19.56- 4.59avg. 4.56, 4.51, 5.11, 4.58. Felt pretty good, however I still looking for a little bit fast workouts here pretty soon.

Training is going good, but i'm still not where i was 2 years ago. I hoping that Gate River is that brake out race that puts me back on my game.

I also have a pic of Adrian and I after a workout at the Air Force indoor track! It's so nice to get on a nice warm track and not worry about the outside weather.

One more thing... Our adidas race kit this year are awesome!!! I love the green and they fit great!!!

I'll see you on the other side

(Post Gate River)

Peace!!!!!

One more side note: Some of my old college buddy have a band called Ha Ha Tonka and they have been touring for quite a few years now. I just heard that they have a new album out and more importantly they are in the April 11th Anthony Bourdain's 'No Reservations'! Ha Ha Tonka's Website http://hhtdoad.wordpress.com/

at the races

Yesterday I went and watched Jay run a 10 mile race in Pueblo. I thought it might be hard going to watch a race while I'm sidelined by injury but it turned out to be an AWESOME day. Ashley and David came along as well and we had a blast.
It was so cool seeing Jay run a HUGE minute and a half PR in the 10 mile. It was really inspiring and shows how much hard work and dedication to the little things really pay off in running. Jay has been diligent about his training lately and cleaned up his diet. He also even ate a little bit of breakfast before the race which he usually doesn't do. I REALLY think this is important, especially in longer races.
I know it hasn't been easy for him. Jay works long hours and sometimes gets up before 5 to get his training in. And we share a love of candy and I know how hard it can be to cut back on that :) but im sure a minute and a half PR is well worth it. I'll try and remember that next time I'm reaching for the reese's pieces.
Good Luck to everyone racing at Gate River this weekend. I am insanely jealous.

Back in the saddle

This morning I ran my first workout of the season, that is, in preparation for spring and summer races. Basically, it was just structured strides. 10 x ~60s hills with plenty 'o rest in between. Anyway, it went well, and I'm looking forward to getting back to racing soon. It also helps that the mornings also are getting lighter (until that meddlesome daylight savings sets us back, or forward, again), and the weather's getting warmer. The plan is to start getting in 2 workouts a week, cut back on the weekend snowboard trips, and have my first race in mid-April.

To all running gate river run next saturday, run fast!

Just Numbers

The qualifying time for US Indoor Champs last year was 8:03.00 for 3000 meters. Late in the indoor season of last year I ran a 3k where I was looking to make that time. As I crossed the finish line I could see eight-0-two-point-something on the clock. As I awaited the official time, I knew that if I saw 8:02 then there was a great chance that I ran 8:03. Turns out...I missed qualifying for US Indoors by 0.45 seconds.....8:03.45. For one year I despised that stupid little rational, finite decimal. I mean I REALLY hated it. I had nobody to blame but myself, certainly there was some point during the race that I could have pushed half a second faster. This indoor year I wasn't going to let that happen again.
The qualifying time was the same, 8:03.00. Changing my racing schedule from last year, I decided to run a 3k earlier in the season and get the qualifier out of the way. Feeling fitter than the previous year, I was ready..... 8 minutes and 3.59 seconds later, I had missed it again, by 0.59 seconds. I couldn't believe it but I was still very optimistic because it was my first race of the season and I had more chances (If anything I was encouraged). The race went out slow, another runner fell in front of me in the middle of the race, and I hadn't done anything too fast workout wise.
Well, long story short, I got two more attempts. The first was disrupted by sickness and the second was a solo try that didn't end well, still feeling a bit drained.
I believe that things happen for a reason and although I will now loath the number 59, I will look forward to better things on the outdoor track.
Paul, Jesse, and I talk about a lot of things on our runs (mostly football - Paul and I are huge Broncos fans and Jesse had the misfortune of growing up a Chiefs fan). Apart from gridiron chat, we talk about another passion, running. In all of the conversations, in all of the long runs we do together, we can only come to one conclusion - running can be tough. But everyone knows that.

P.S. Tommy, I'm glad you got to meet Pete.

Maybe I'm Finally Back...I Hope

Last week I attempted come back number five since getting injured 4 1/2 months ago and I think I am finally ready to go. I'm shocked that I am actually feeling good while running because the injury I sustained was one that comes with a very uncertain recovery period. I must say it is a pleasant surprise that I am ready to go. I had tried 4 other times to start running again with each episode lasting only a couple days before I realized I needed more time to heal. On this comeback attempt I have been going strong for 11 days now and hit 50 miles last week. I'm pretty sure its all good but it really could be derailed at any time.

Back in mid September I began having a foot pain and tried many things to get it better only to find out that it was mostly likely a stress fracture of the medial sesamoid bone on my left foot and that it could be anywhere from 8 weeks to it never healing with surgery to remove it as the only option. In each persons foot there are two sesamoid bones, they are tiny pea-size bones that are located on the bottom of your first metatarsal area just back from the big toe joint (see picture). Now the problem with these little bones, as stated above, is that once they are messed up they can become a chronic problem with many cases where healing is either very slow or nonexistent.

The time leading up to my injury was by far the best training that I have ever experienced. I had a 15 week average of 115 miles per week and a top week of 127 miles. And the best thing about these 15 weeks was that I was feeling absolutely phenomenal nearly every day and getting great quality in. It has been an incredibly disappointing and painful process to deal with since I was feeling so good and know that I was ready to have that huge breakout that it seems I have been waiting years to have.

Unfortunately the mileage did catch up to me because little did I know I had been running in neutral cushion shoes all of my life while being a pretty severe overpronator. For years I was able to get away with it while running 80, 90, or even 100 miles per week but the combination of the wrong shoes and repeated 120 mile weeks caused an overall breakdown in my foot stability and foot strike which resulted in the stress fracture. Some people think I'm an idiot for running that much especially since I'm not training for the marathon or even a half marathon but I completely disagree. Sure running more miles means diminishing returns with each mile but I have learned over the years that my weakness is my aerobic capacity so I am trying to do what it takes to make up for that. And if that means running 120 miles per week I am willing to do it. Heck, once 100% full healthy I'm hoping that I can build back up to that mileage.

After getting to a point where I could run with very minimal pain I went and visited Cody and that is how I figured out I was overpronating. He put me on the treadmill at the Boulder Running Company Store and got the video camera rolling and was able to tell right away that I was in the wrong shoes. If any of you haven't ever had yourself looked at on video I would highly recommend you head over to BRC and have them check it out, at best they will simply tell you you are in the right shoes. I've been running in the wrong shoes for years and you could be too.

So now I am left wondering what I will be able to make of this track season and I honestly have no clue. All of those miles I put in are surely still with me in regards to my longterm development. I just need to get in some consistent miles now and get back into shape. My plans are to start out focusing on the 800/1500 and if I feel like my fitness is progressing well I would like to ultimately focus on the 5k as it gets into May and June. At this point I'll be happy if I can set a few PRs during this track season, even if just barely. Then just roll on into the summer and start hitting huge miles again with a focus on having the big breakout next year.