Polished off what I feel was a pretty solid week. The runs have been coming pretty easy the last couple of weeks. That's partly due to me being hooked-in to the process again. I've finally arrived back at the point where I look forward to running everyday, and once I am out on the run, there's nothing else I'd rather be doing. However, my long run yesterday did take me a few miles to get "checked-in" to. But once I was there in the moment, into the run, it went swimmingly.
This coming week will be a cut back week. I think I'm going to do a three up, one down build-up schedule through the spring. The past three weeks I went 36, 46, 51, so I think I'll keep it to 40-45 this week, and then look to go 50-55, 55-60, and 60-65. That should set me up to have a down week before the Trudge which would be pretty nice. After that, I'm looking to hit a race per month going forward to Big Horn.
One of my questions or concerns with a mileage build-up is seeing how much I can actually do. In the past, I've been able to stay healthy and run well on 80 miles per week. A couple of times in college, I got into the 90s (I've never had a 100 mile week) and broke pretty badly. Seemed like as I got over 85 and into the 90-95 range, I fell apart. The weeks after those 90+ weeks were typically in the 50s since I was on my ass trying to recover. That's pretty pointless.
I'm not sure if I am a different runner than I was then. I'm a slightly larger body than a lot of distance runners and I've often hypothesized that my extra mass simply can't handle the stress of that many miles. I would like to revisit this and see if I can, if I'm smart about it, get to running in the 90s or triple digits comfortably. However, I don't want to sacrifice something like Big Horn just so I can test my durabilty. I think, for now, my eventual goal is to get back to that 80-85 range and make myself comfortable there. Once I feel like I can handle that long-term, I may push a little harder and see what I can handle.
That may be getting ahead of myself. I'm feeling pretty comfortable with this 40-50 range right now, but I haven't been into the 60s in five or six years. One step at a time.
Mon. Jan. 9 - 6.5 miles in 45 min (6:56 pace). Easy loop on the Greenbelt in the morning. Still a little surprised about how good I feel following the snow shoe race. I guess when one actually trains, a long race like that doesn't necessarily cripple a person.
Tues. Jan. 10 - 5.5 miles in 40 min (7:16 pace). Post-work run along a shortened Spring Creek loop. I had a hard time seeing things in the dark eventhough I had my headlamp on because of all the traffic and blinding headlights. Not the most fun run I've had.
Wed. Jan. 11 - 4 miles in 29 min (7:15 pace). Morning run on the Greenbelt in the blowing snow. Weather rolled in overnight and made it kind of a crappy day. I had intended to get out after work for another quick 4-miler, but decided, given the conditions, I wasn't that ambitious. Ultimately, this was a good decision. Not worth getting hurt in bad weather for four stinkin' miles.
Thurs. Jan. 12 - 11 miles in 1:23 (7:35 pace). I met Jeff and Patrick for a lunch run. It turned into a little longer of a run than I had planned, but running-wise, I felt pretty good. However, I made a huge rookie mistake (I really, REALLY should know better) and did not wear enough clothing. I got home to change for the run, checked my indoor/outdoor thermometer, saw that it was 34 degrees, exclaimed, "Yes!" and proceeded to put on shorts and a single long-sleeved shirt. We had a rule in college that if it was 25 degrees or warmer, you wore shorts. I, in my stupidity, neglected to account for the freezing wind chill (something, again, I should always account for since I live in freakin' Wyoming), and that wind cut right through my shirt. I was very glad to get home and get in the shower.
Fri. Jan. 13 - 5.5 miles in 38 min (6:54 pace). Warm-up to the fieldhouse, 2xhigh knees, butt kicks, side-bounds, karioka, and speed skaters, 8x180m laps averaged in 34 sec with 90m half lap same as jog rest. Hit number eight in 28.6. Had a little more speed this week than last week, but felt very tired after this one. Cool down home.
Sat. Jan. 14 - 5 miles in 36 min (7:12 pace). My old Monterrey Heights-Bar X-Western Hills loop in Cheyenne. Pretty windy morning causing me to fight it a little more than I wanted, but otherwise I felt good.
Sun. Jan. 15 - 13.5 miles in 90 min (6:40 pace). Sunday long run in Cheyenne. I didn't get out until 1:30 or so, and as I alluded to earlier in this post, I spent a few miles around Mustang Ridge trying to find a physical and mental groove. Once I got out on Storey and headed east to Ridge, I found that groove and started clicking off the miles. I had wanted 13-15 today, and as I came up on 13, I decided that was enough for today. I was happy with the pace. Sub-seven pace still seems a little fast to me, but it was very comfortable today. That's a good sign.
Totals:
Week's Miles: 51
Running Time: 6:02
Year to date: 107 (13:19 running time)
Gear: Asics SpeedStar 5 (462 miles) Saucony Peregrine (148 miles)
Monday, January 16, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Patti Fiasco - Electric Smile (Live) And an Injury Report
Saw The Patti Fiasco at the Wyoming student union last night for a rocking free show. Though they are based out of Fort Collins now, this band originated up north here in the WYO. Very energetic and fun.
And my injury update: I got home from the show last night and as I was getting into bed, I stubbed my little left toe on the bed post. I didn't think anything of it until I woke up in the morning and found my toe covered in blood. Split the damn thing open at the cuticle. Awesome.
And my injury update: I got home from the show last night and as I was getting into bed, I stubbed my little left toe on the bed post. I didn't think anything of it until I woke up in the morning and found my toe covered in blood. Split the damn thing open at the cuticle. Awesome.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Week Ending Jan. 8 & Snowy Range Snow Shoe Races
Back-to-back decent weeks for the first time in a long time. Also strung together two consecutive good races. And I just got back from the doctor with a clean bill of health. My shoulder is still a little dinged up from my flailing at Silent Trails. I have a pretty good-sized trapezoidal spasm and the bump in there that concerned me is more than likely an inclusion cyst, both of which should eventually work themselves out. My other concern was some discomfort I was feeling in my lower left abdomen that I was concerned might be a hernia. I had a hernia repaired once when I was a toddler, so this was not out of the question. However, the doc found no evidence of that and my issue is more than likely a simple lower abdominal muscle strain or pull thanks to the races I've run the last two weeks. So, now that I've shared a lot of personal information, let's get on with the show.
Mon. Jan. 2 - 5 miles in 35 min (6:54 pace). I got out for an out-and-back on the Greenway in Cheyenne after sitting on my butt all day.
Tues. Jan. 3 - 4 miles in 30 min (7:36 pace). My four mile out-and-back on the Greenbelt in Laramie. I had planned to continue on and do the south loop, but Saturday's race caught up with me and I called it at four. Did a quick round of core work after.
Wed. Jan. 4 - 7 miles in 63 min (9:00 pace). I got up early for some snow shoe fun at Happy Jack in the rising sun. I went down Pole Creek until the snow stopped, then turned around and went up Aspen and Forest, turned around and went up Middle Aspen for a couple of minutes, and then came back in up Pole Creek. It was a beautiful morning up on the trails.
Thurs. Jan. 5 - 6 miles in 42 min (7:00 pace). Did what I am now referring to as the Spring Creek Loop in the morning. Felt pretty alright.
Fri. Jan. 6 - 5.5 miles in 38 min (6:54 pace). Friday form work. My house to fieldhouse, 2xhigh knees, butt kicks, side bounds, karioka, followed by 8x180m laps in 35 sec with 35 sec half lap jog rest. Hit the last one in 30 sec. Not feeling much speed this morning. Renovations of the indoor track at the fieldhouse are pretty much complete and they look great!
Sat. Jan. 7 - 15 miles in 3:18 (13:13 pace). Snowy Range Snow Shoe Races! My dad drove over early to pick me up and we drove up the mountain to the ski area. I signed up for what was billed as a backcountry 20K, and met the seven other crazy people who decided to do that silly race as well. Sam and Jenn Malmberg were there, as was Mr. Martisius, who decided to forsake speed in the name of wearing the largest snow shoes I have ever seen. It was like he had his own personal catamaran. Our start time was 8:30am, with the 5K and 10K starting later. After some pre-race instructions and course directions, Josh Fuller started us with a hearty blast of his vuvuzela.
From the horn I took the lead with what I thought was a pretty conservative pace. The first mile or two worked us up out of the ski area and toward Libby Creek trail. Once on Libby Creek, I took a good digger when my snow shoe cleat grabbed a tree branch hidden by snow. That allowed Sam to get back on my tail. As we worked around Libby, I started to feel the 10,000ft. elevation and decided to start hiking the climbs. I expected either Sam or Kyle Fanning, who had caught up to us by that point, to pass me on the climb up from the creek and onto Libby Ridge. Neither did, however, with Sam expressing that he was content to follow me since I was the one who knew where we were going. The course was very well marked, so I'm not sure I believe him. I will concede that out of the three of us, I was the only one who knew these trails.
I pulled into the first aid station at about 1:05 into the adventure. Sam Vogel and Fuller were there with cheer, water, and fig newtons (yum!). I had put 20-30 sec. on Sam by that point, but I waited at the aid station so we could head out together. From the aid station, we entered my favorite part of the course; a quick, few-miles long downhill on Barber Lake trail.
I pulled into the second aid station around 1:49 on my running time. I was feeling pretty good at that point, and had built a comfortable lead on Sam and Kyle. Again, though, I waited for Sam at the aid station so we could continue together. At the aid station, we asked the volunteers there how far along we were. One answered, "about half way." I thought, "no way, we're at least two-thirds done." However, I should have recalled the old saying about how in a mile race, it's the third lap that is the farthest from the finish line, not the first. This proverb would prove correct.
From the second aid station we entered the rolling Corner Mountain trails that had a little more snow on them. As I crested a rise, a large bull and large cow moose bolted in front of me, eliciting my cry of , "HOLY SHIT!" I yelled at them a couple more times as I continued, but we went our separate ways and called it good.
Next was the crux of the course. From Corner Mountain we hopped back on Barber Lake road for a short distance before making a turn up a forest service road. I have camped off that road many times, but it produced the most difficult part of the race. For a couple of miles, we trudged through mid-calf to knee-deep snow. The only other evidence of humans out there were the two sets of snow shoe tracks left by those who marked the course the day before. I tried to just settle in and walk in the previous tracks to avoid having to break much trail. I found my trek poles to be particularly useful at that time. I theorize I built up a good lead on Sam and Kyle on the section, since they did not have poles and I envisioned them struggling to stay upright without them.
I finally got on a groomed ski trail around the ski area and was thinking, "hey, I might almost be done!" It was wishful thinking. Alec had us finish with the 5K loop around Hanging Lake. I was pretty cooked at that time, and struggled to make myself keep running. I also struggled to keep my pants on. After three hours of sweating and getting wet from the snow, my pants were so heavy with water that I had to fight to keep them over my ass. That was my last couple of miles; cursing, wanting to be done, and constantly pulling up my pants.
Finally, I heard the joyful cry of the vuvuzela at the finish line. I pulled up my poles and sprinted as best I could to the finish. I crossed in first in 3:18:16 and was immediately handed a Pabst from Fuller. After some congrats, back-slaps and handshakes, I turned around to see Kyle coming in. Three miles before, I had no sighting of the guy, was certainly minutes ahead of him, and then he pulled to within 40 seconds of me at the finish. He must has been burning on that last 5K. Had the race been a mile longer, he might have had me dead to rights.
That was the race. Some conferring at the awards ceremony concluded that the course was actually about 25K, with multiple GPSs reading between 15.2 and 15.5 miles. So, we all proposed that next year, Alec should probably bill this as a 25K, not 20K. Some accuracy, please.
What a well executed race. Alec worked his butt off and it showed, and I think it was worth it. Hopefully others agree. Great job from all the volunteers and sponsors who made a heck of an inaugural race. I hope to see everyone again next year, with a few more out there as well!
Sun. Jan. 8 - 4 miles in 30 min (7:36 pace). A quick morning running on the Greenbelt to shake out some of the junk from the race. I was actually feeling pretty darn good considering the thrashing the day before. I should train for races more often. Seems like I'm not crippled if I do.
Totals:
Week's Miles: 46.5
Running Time: 7:17
Gear: Asics Speedstar 5 (422 miles) Saucony Peregrine (144 miles)
Mon. Jan. 2 - 5 miles in 35 min (6:54 pace). I got out for an out-and-back on the Greenway in Cheyenne after sitting on my butt all day.
Tues. Jan. 3 - 4 miles in 30 min (7:36 pace). My four mile out-and-back on the Greenbelt in Laramie. I had planned to continue on and do the south loop, but Saturday's race caught up with me and I called it at four. Did a quick round of core work after.
Wed. Jan. 4 - 7 miles in 63 min (9:00 pace). I got up early for some snow shoe fun at Happy Jack in the rising sun. I went down Pole Creek until the snow stopped, then turned around and went up Aspen and Forest, turned around and went up Middle Aspen for a couple of minutes, and then came back in up Pole Creek. It was a beautiful morning up on the trails.
Thurs. Jan. 5 - 6 miles in 42 min (7:00 pace). Did what I am now referring to as the Spring Creek Loop in the morning. Felt pretty alright.
Fri. Jan. 6 - 5.5 miles in 38 min (6:54 pace). Friday form work. My house to fieldhouse, 2xhigh knees, butt kicks, side bounds, karioka, followed by 8x180m laps in 35 sec with 35 sec half lap jog rest. Hit the last one in 30 sec. Not feeling much speed this morning. Renovations of the indoor track at the fieldhouse are pretty much complete and they look great!
Sat. Jan. 7 - 15 miles in 3:18 (13:13 pace). Snowy Range Snow Shoe Races! My dad drove over early to pick me up and we drove up the mountain to the ski area. I signed up for what was billed as a backcountry 20K, and met the seven other crazy people who decided to do that silly race as well. Sam and Jenn Malmberg were there, as was Mr. Martisius, who decided to forsake speed in the name of wearing the largest snow shoes I have ever seen. It was like he had his own personal catamaran. Our start time was 8:30am, with the 5K and 10K starting later. After some pre-race instructions and course directions, Josh Fuller started us with a hearty blast of his vuvuzela.
 |
| Pre-race meeting. |
 |
| And we're off! Note Fuller in back with the vuvuzela. |
I pulled into the first aid station at about 1:05 into the adventure. Sam Vogel and Fuller were there with cheer, water, and fig newtons (yum!). I had put 20-30 sec. on Sam by that point, but I waited at the aid station so we could head out together. From the aid station, we entered my favorite part of the course; a quick, few-miles long downhill on Barber Lake trail.
I pulled into the second aid station around 1:49 on my running time. I was feeling pretty good at that point, and had built a comfortable lead on Sam and Kyle. Again, though, I waited for Sam at the aid station so we could continue together. At the aid station, we asked the volunteers there how far along we were. One answered, "about half way." I thought, "no way, we're at least two-thirds done." However, I should have recalled the old saying about how in a mile race, it's the third lap that is the farthest from the finish line, not the first. This proverb would prove correct.
From the second aid station we entered the rolling Corner Mountain trails that had a little more snow on them. As I crested a rise, a large bull and large cow moose bolted in front of me, eliciting my cry of , "HOLY SHIT!" I yelled at them a couple more times as I continued, but we went our separate ways and called it good.
Next was the crux of the course. From Corner Mountain we hopped back on Barber Lake road for a short distance before making a turn up a forest service road. I have camped off that road many times, but it produced the most difficult part of the race. For a couple of miles, we trudged through mid-calf to knee-deep snow. The only other evidence of humans out there were the two sets of snow shoe tracks left by those who marked the course the day before. I tried to just settle in and walk in the previous tracks to avoid having to break much trail. I found my trek poles to be particularly useful at that time. I theorize I built up a good lead on Sam and Kyle on the section, since they did not have poles and I envisioned them struggling to stay upright without them.
I finally got on a groomed ski trail around the ski area and was thinking, "hey, I might almost be done!" It was wishful thinking. Alec had us finish with the 5K loop around Hanging Lake. I was pretty cooked at that time, and struggled to make myself keep running. I also struggled to keep my pants on. After three hours of sweating and getting wet from the snow, my pants were so heavy with water that I had to fight to keep them over my ass. That was my last couple of miles; cursing, wanting to be done, and constantly pulling up my pants.
Finally, I heard the joyful cry of the vuvuzela at the finish line. I pulled up my poles and sprinted as best I could to the finish. I crossed in first in 3:18:16 and was immediately handed a Pabst from Fuller. After some congrats, back-slaps and handshakes, I turned around to see Kyle coming in. Three miles before, I had no sighting of the guy, was certainly minutes ahead of him, and then he pulled to within 40 seconds of me at the finish. He must has been burning on that last 5K. Had the race been a mile longer, he might have had me dead to rights.
 |
| Finally frickin' done. |
 |
| Alec's hand comes from out of nowhere to shake mine. |
 |
| I got me a medallion! |
What a well executed race. Alec worked his butt off and it showed, and I think it was worth it. Hopefully others agree. Great job from all the volunteers and sponsors who made a heck of an inaugural race. I hope to see everyone again next year, with a few more out there as well!
Sun. Jan. 8 - 4 miles in 30 min (7:36 pace). A quick morning running on the Greenbelt to shake out some of the junk from the race. I was actually feeling pretty darn good considering the thrashing the day before. I should train for races more often. Seems like I'm not crippled if I do.
Totals:
Week's Miles: 46.5
Running Time: 7:17
Gear: Asics Speedstar 5 (422 miles) Saucony Peregrine (144 miles)
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Cave In - Vicious Circles [HQ audio]
Enough with the acoustic/indie/melancholy stuff. Back to the basics with one of my favortie bands ever-Cave In. This latest album of theirs is a great amalgamation of what they've done in the past while also sounding fresh and unique.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Past Two Weeks-Resolution Run-Year End Thoughts-Looking Forward
Time to finish off 2011 and move on to 2012 (say it "two-thousand and twelve," that will make Ryan Lunde very, very happy!). This particular post may be long-winded; I have some things to cover. First, let's round up the last two weeks of training (or more appropriately, non-training).
Tues. Dec. 20 - 6.5 miles in 48 min (7:23 pace). Greenbelt run after work. Felt pretty decent, especially considering I hadn't run since the previous Wednesday.
Wed. Dec. 21 - A.M. 3 miles in 21 min (7:00 pace). Quick morning run on the Greenbelt to complement this evening's pub run.
P.M. - 5 miles in 41 min (8:11 pace). Start at the Alibi, on to Front Street, Ranger, Bud's, Altitude for dinner, and a night cap Guinness with Harnisch at 3rd Street. Nice, relaxed social run with great company.
And that was it for that week. I went home to Cheyenne for Christmas and neglected to do anything other than eat for the next four days.
Totals:
Week's Miles: 14
Running Time: 1:09
Tues. Dec. 27 - 4 miles in 29 min (7:15 pace). Quick post-work run on the Greenbelt to loosen up. Followed with a thorough core workout. Felt good to do something physically productive after sitting on my ass for nearly a week.
Wed. Dec. 28 - 8 miles in 75 min (9:22 pace). Snow shoe run in the morning before work. Parked at the Summit trailhead and proceeded down Crow Creek, up and out Headquarters, Browns Landing, Summit, and Headquarters back in to the trail head. I had a skier mouth off to me when I used a section of groomed trail to connect Headquarters and Browns. I ignored him.
The nordic ski club grooms a network of trails at Pole Mountain all winter long. I have a small grudge going with the local skiers concerning my use of these groomed trails with my snow shoes (I don't ski). The skiers can be particularly dickish about snow shoers being on the groomed trails. My response is to point out that Pole Mountain is NOT a ski resort. It is a multi-use recreational area within the boundaries of a public-use national forest. Therefore, as a good, tax-paying American citizen, I'm going to snowshoe wherever I damn well please. Especially considering the groomed trails follow the established trail system in most places, and you don't see me whining when I see skiers on what have been designated (by the nordic association, no less) as "snow shoe" trails.
I've been fighting with those guys for the better part of ten years. I'm just going to continue to ignore them and snow shoe where I want. Free country.
Fri. Dec. 30 - 4 miles in 29 min (7:15 pace). Post-work Greenbelt run. Tried to do a short 6x35 sec. with 35 sec. rest pick-up in the middle, but I'm not sure I was really picking it up all that much. Oh well.
Sat. Dec. 31 - A.M. 3 miles in 21 min (7:00 pace). Fought the wonderful Wyoming wind which has made its reappearance this week. Hurricane force gusts (90mph) with sustained speeds of 35-55mph. Awesome.
P.M. - 8 miles in 53 min (6:37 pace). I drove to Cheyenne mid-morning through some amazing weather (wind, blowing snow, little visibility) and learned, when I got to town, that I-25 south to Colorado was closed. Chris Schabron and I had been planning to head down for the KRFC Resolution Run 5K in Fort Collins that evening. At noon, we decided that we were going to stay home. By 3pm, the wind had died down, the sun had come out, it warmed up, and most importantly, the roads south had opened. Race started at 7pm; Chris and I decided at 5pm that yes, we would head down for the race.
My dad drove us down so he could watch and we got to the CSU (boo!) campus about 40 min before race time. Packet pick-up left us with about 15 min to warm-up as best we could.
Now, I wasn't feeling super hot on the ride down (I still don't; there is definitely something wrong with me) and I hadn't been very consistent with my running over the last month and I hadn't raced since Silent Trails, nearly three months before. So, I had zero expectations going in and was hoping to perhaps place top-ten and maybe run in the 17s.
The race started and I went out conservatively. At the half mile or so, I was feeling pretty good so I decided to catch up with Nick "Cosmo" Cramer who had gone out with the lead group. I caught Nick and was surprised at how good I was feeling after that little surge. I yelled at Nick for not wearing his Hungry Dog jersey and decided we should start rolling up the ten or so guys in front of us. I went through the mile at 5:12, which surprised me since a) I had no idea I was running that fast and b) that 5:12 felt very good.
I continued on to the second lap (different course this year from when I last ran in 2009) and continued rolling up the guys in front of me. By half-way around the second lap, I had caught up to Sam Malmberg. I sat on him for a few seconds before deciding to continue on around him. I entered the finishing lap around the oval in second place. I could see first place way out in front of me, already nearly half-way around the oval. That would be Scott Foley, a former Central High runner who was part of the senior class I "coached" in 2007. He's finishing up his last year at Boise State, and has been running phenomenally as of late.
I came into the finish feeling fantastic. Crossed the line in second place in 16:23. I have no idea where that race came from, but I won't question it. I felt great the whole race; never once feeling like I was struggling. Scott finished in 15:31, which he ran solo toward the tail-end of a 90 mile week. I'm impressed. That kid is arriving. I think if he sticks to it, he can make a push for the marathon trials in 2016.
The Laramie/Cheyenne crew cleaned up. Scott first, me second, Chris 9th (17:32), Sean 10th (17:38), and Cosmo 11th (17:40). If that had been a cross country race, we'd have won handly. Good times.
December Miles: 110
Sun. Jan. 1 - 9 miles in 60 min (6:40 pace). I went out to loosen up, my calves being particularly tight after the race the night before. Ended up feeling pretty good, so what was originally meant to be about a 7 mile run around the parks turned into a nine-miler with the capital loop added on. Turned into a nice day and...NO WIND!!!
Totals:
Week's Miles: 36
Running Time: 4:27
Gear: Asics SpeedStar 5 (397 miles), Saucony Peregrine (122 miles)
Now, I had mentioned that I wished to discuss this past year. While it was challenging and sometimes very difficult, it was also rewarding and eye-opening. I was motivated to begin this blog as more a motivation tool for myself than a way to share my training and thoughts with others, and in that regard, it has worked out pretty well. While I am still prone to some periods of being undisciplined and unmotivated, I have trained pretty consistently all year, something I hadn't done really since college.
I sat at my desk last January staring at a figure: my mileage from 2010. That number was 772. Since I started running when I was a 15 year old high school sophomore, that was the least I had ever run. And it showed. I was an ill-defined, slow, beer-bellied 185 pounds. I was unhappy and moody. I was 27 years old and questioned whether I would ever be able to recapture that little bit of my youth.
I'm not sure what it was I missed most. I think it was the sensation of running with little effort. For the past few years, the inconsistency with which I had run, due to injuries, apathy, and a myriad of other excuses, had made it impossible for me to run without it feeling like a struggle. And when I knew it would be a struggle, I would force myself to do it. And when I got tired of forcing myself to do it, I simply didn't do it. And the greatest gift I've ever had in my life was gone.
So, back in January, I vowed to make myself try a little harder. I made myself find the motivation and inspiration to get out and get it done. And in the course of twelve months, I found that there are many things I can do if I just try. And in the process, I made some close friends and rediscovered a part of myself I thought may have been lost forever. I am really glad to have it back.
I ran 1564 miles in 2011. I started the year at an amorphous 185 pounds and sit here today a much leaner and meaner 162. I brought my 5K time down from 18+ to 16:20. I ran my first sub-five mile in over three years. I improved consistently all year. I got some mojo back, I became a little more like my old self. I took steps to pursue my own happiness with diligence. I stopped drinking so damn much. I started eating a lot healthier. And I ran my first ultra; enduring the epic 50 miles across the Wind River Range with an amazing and inspiring group of individuals.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Patrick Eastman, Jeff French, and Alec Muthig for adopting me into their fold and showing me what running truly is, fun. I had lost that over the years between taking things too seriously in college, to spending a couple of years in there hating running and hating myself for not doing it. This year, I truly fell in love with running. The act of it, the practice of it, the fun of it. It's been an incredible year, and I thank the above mentioned guys for the help and friendship.
Here's to 2011. I think it will prove to have been a beautiful stepping stone to bigger and better things in 2012. And with that, I need to go run!
Tues. Dec. 20 - 6.5 miles in 48 min (7:23 pace). Greenbelt run after work. Felt pretty decent, especially considering I hadn't run since the previous Wednesday.
Wed. Dec. 21 - A.M. 3 miles in 21 min (7:00 pace). Quick morning run on the Greenbelt to complement this evening's pub run.
P.M. - 5 miles in 41 min (8:11 pace). Start at the Alibi, on to Front Street, Ranger, Bud's, Altitude for dinner, and a night cap Guinness with Harnisch at 3rd Street. Nice, relaxed social run with great company.
And that was it for that week. I went home to Cheyenne for Christmas and neglected to do anything other than eat for the next four days.
Totals:
Week's Miles: 14
Running Time: 1:09
Tues. Dec. 27 - 4 miles in 29 min (7:15 pace). Quick post-work run on the Greenbelt to loosen up. Followed with a thorough core workout. Felt good to do something physically productive after sitting on my ass for nearly a week.
Wed. Dec. 28 - 8 miles in 75 min (9:22 pace). Snow shoe run in the morning before work. Parked at the Summit trailhead and proceeded down Crow Creek, up and out Headquarters, Browns Landing, Summit, and Headquarters back in to the trail head. I had a skier mouth off to me when I used a section of groomed trail to connect Headquarters and Browns. I ignored him.
The nordic ski club grooms a network of trails at Pole Mountain all winter long. I have a small grudge going with the local skiers concerning my use of these groomed trails with my snow shoes (I don't ski). The skiers can be particularly dickish about snow shoers being on the groomed trails. My response is to point out that Pole Mountain is NOT a ski resort. It is a multi-use recreational area within the boundaries of a public-use national forest. Therefore, as a good, tax-paying American citizen, I'm going to snowshoe wherever I damn well please. Especially considering the groomed trails follow the established trail system in most places, and you don't see me whining when I see skiers on what have been designated (by the nordic association, no less) as "snow shoe" trails.
I've been fighting with those guys for the better part of ten years. I'm just going to continue to ignore them and snow shoe where I want. Free country.
Fri. Dec. 30 - 4 miles in 29 min (7:15 pace). Post-work Greenbelt run. Tried to do a short 6x35 sec. with 35 sec. rest pick-up in the middle, but I'm not sure I was really picking it up all that much. Oh well.
Sat. Dec. 31 - A.M. 3 miles in 21 min (7:00 pace). Fought the wonderful Wyoming wind which has made its reappearance this week. Hurricane force gusts (90mph) with sustained speeds of 35-55mph. Awesome.
P.M. - 8 miles in 53 min (6:37 pace). I drove to Cheyenne mid-morning through some amazing weather (wind, blowing snow, little visibility) and learned, when I got to town, that I-25 south to Colorado was closed. Chris Schabron and I had been planning to head down for the KRFC Resolution Run 5K in Fort Collins that evening. At noon, we decided that we were going to stay home. By 3pm, the wind had died down, the sun had come out, it warmed up, and most importantly, the roads south had opened. Race started at 7pm; Chris and I decided at 5pm that yes, we would head down for the race.
My dad drove us down so he could watch and we got to the CSU (boo!) campus about 40 min before race time. Packet pick-up left us with about 15 min to warm-up as best we could.
Now, I wasn't feeling super hot on the ride down (I still don't; there is definitely something wrong with me) and I hadn't been very consistent with my running over the last month and I hadn't raced since Silent Trails, nearly three months before. So, I had zero expectations going in and was hoping to perhaps place top-ten and maybe run in the 17s.
The race started and I went out conservatively. At the half mile or so, I was feeling pretty good so I decided to catch up with Nick "Cosmo" Cramer who had gone out with the lead group. I caught Nick and was surprised at how good I was feeling after that little surge. I yelled at Nick for not wearing his Hungry Dog jersey and decided we should start rolling up the ten or so guys in front of us. I went through the mile at 5:12, which surprised me since a) I had no idea I was running that fast and b) that 5:12 felt very good.
I continued on to the second lap (different course this year from when I last ran in 2009) and continued rolling up the guys in front of me. By half-way around the second lap, I had caught up to Sam Malmberg. I sat on him for a few seconds before deciding to continue on around him. I entered the finishing lap around the oval in second place. I could see first place way out in front of me, already nearly half-way around the oval. That would be Scott Foley, a former Central High runner who was part of the senior class I "coached" in 2007. He's finishing up his last year at Boise State, and has been running phenomenally as of late.
I came into the finish feeling fantastic. Crossed the line in second place in 16:23. I have no idea where that race came from, but I won't question it. I felt great the whole race; never once feeling like I was struggling. Scott finished in 15:31, which he ran solo toward the tail-end of a 90 mile week. I'm impressed. That kid is arriving. I think if he sticks to it, he can make a push for the marathon trials in 2016.
 |
| 2011 KRFC Resolution Run. Southeast Wyoming crew (L to R): Me, Chris Schabron, Scott Foley, Sean Wilde, Maya Wilde, and the famous Rick Bishop. |
December Miles: 110
Sun. Jan. 1 - 9 miles in 60 min (6:40 pace). I went out to loosen up, my calves being particularly tight after the race the night before. Ended up feeling pretty good, so what was originally meant to be about a 7 mile run around the parks turned into a nine-miler with the capital loop added on. Turned into a nice day and...NO WIND!!!
Totals:
Week's Miles: 36
Running Time: 4:27
Gear: Asics SpeedStar 5 (397 miles), Saucony Peregrine (122 miles)
Now, I had mentioned that I wished to discuss this past year. While it was challenging and sometimes very difficult, it was also rewarding and eye-opening. I was motivated to begin this blog as more a motivation tool for myself than a way to share my training and thoughts with others, and in that regard, it has worked out pretty well. While I am still prone to some periods of being undisciplined and unmotivated, I have trained pretty consistently all year, something I hadn't done really since college.
I sat at my desk last January staring at a figure: my mileage from 2010. That number was 772. Since I started running when I was a 15 year old high school sophomore, that was the least I had ever run. And it showed. I was an ill-defined, slow, beer-bellied 185 pounds. I was unhappy and moody. I was 27 years old and questioned whether I would ever be able to recapture that little bit of my youth.
I'm not sure what it was I missed most. I think it was the sensation of running with little effort. For the past few years, the inconsistency with which I had run, due to injuries, apathy, and a myriad of other excuses, had made it impossible for me to run without it feeling like a struggle. And when I knew it would be a struggle, I would force myself to do it. And when I got tired of forcing myself to do it, I simply didn't do it. And the greatest gift I've ever had in my life was gone.
So, back in January, I vowed to make myself try a little harder. I made myself find the motivation and inspiration to get out and get it done. And in the course of twelve months, I found that there are many things I can do if I just try. And in the process, I made some close friends and rediscovered a part of myself I thought may have been lost forever. I am really glad to have it back.
I ran 1564 miles in 2011. I started the year at an amorphous 185 pounds and sit here today a much leaner and meaner 162. I brought my 5K time down from 18+ to 16:20. I ran my first sub-five mile in over three years. I improved consistently all year. I got some mojo back, I became a little more like my old self. I took steps to pursue my own happiness with diligence. I stopped drinking so damn much. I started eating a lot healthier. And I ran my first ultra; enduring the epic 50 miles across the Wind River Range with an amazing and inspiring group of individuals.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Patrick Eastman, Jeff French, and Alec Muthig for adopting me into their fold and showing me what running truly is, fun. I had lost that over the years between taking things too seriously in college, to spending a couple of years in there hating running and hating myself for not doing it. This year, I truly fell in love with running. The act of it, the practice of it, the fun of it. It's been an incredible year, and I thank the above mentioned guys for the help and friendship.
Here's to 2011. I think it will prove to have been a beautiful stepping stone to bigger and better things in 2012. And with that, I need to go run!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Quick Thoughts on the College Sports Mess
Boise State among NCAA schools out to block scholarship change - Andy Staples - SI.com
This article hits on a key aspect of what is wrong with the illusion of "amateur" and the "student-athlete." Staples makes a good point about the schools themselves contributing to the problem, along with the outdated and draconian rules of the NCAA (a "governing" body that has become very similar to the old AAU, an administration the NCAA originally fought against). The schools can, in essence, hold student-athletes hostage by denying release requests, even going over the head of the supposed governing body, the NCAA.
I had something similar happen to me. I initially signed a National Letter of Intent for a track scholarship as a 17-year-old high school senior with a small Div. II school. After a year, I came to the conclusion that the school, both athletically and academically, was not a good fit for me, so I chose to transfer to the University of Wyoming. While I had no issue with being accepted to the university and transferring my credits, I ran into a problem with being released athletically from the Div. II school.
Now, while student-athletes are required to sit out a year of eligibility when transferring between schools in the same division, that is not a requirement when transferring between divisions (i.e. transferring from Div. II to Div. I). I contacted the head track coach and athletic director of the Div. II school, told them my plans to transfer and reasons for doing so, and asked to be released from my NLI with them. I was assured that this would not be an issue, so I went home for the summer and didn't think much of it.
However, after a month of not hearing anything, I decided to check in and see what was the hold up (I had called Coach Sanchez that summer and was quickly told that he couldn't talk to me since I was, as he succinctly and accurately put it, "someone else's property"). When I called the athletic offices of the Div. II school, I was met with a run-around and told that the AD was gone on vacation. Time was an issue here; since I was attempting to walk-on at Wyoming (I remained a walk-on my entire career at UW), and Coach Sanchez was hamstrung by severely limited roster spots on the cross-country team thanks to UW's application of Title IX rules (that's a rant for another day), I was desperate to get my name on his roster list before he turned it in to the athletic department at the start of the season. Once the list was turned in and the roster spots filled, no one could be added thereafter.
The Div. II school did not release me until a week before school started at Wyoming that fall semester. I have no idea why they sat on that release form for months on end, and I was never given an explanation. It seemed to me that they did it simply because they could. And yes, some would argue that since I had, in definition, signed a contract with the school who in turn paid the majority of my tuition that year, it was dishonest of me to quit after one year. But I didn't quit; I continued to go school and eventually earned a degree in a subject not offered at the Div. II school (a core point in the NCAA grad school exception). And I fulfilled my one-year obligation considering scholarships are renewed on a yearly basis. In the end, I was forced to sit out one year anyway since by the time I was finally granted my release, the UW team had already started its season. I burned a year of eligibility because someone in the athletic department at the Div. II school either wanted to stick it to me for some unbeknownst personal reason, or because someone couldn't be bothered to sign a form and file it in a timely manner.
This is a problem. College athletics are so concerned with the money grab that common decency and common sense are being ignored. Yes, athletes on full-ride scholarships do not have to pay for school, but as is currently being addressed, those scholarships cover only tuition and fees, not cost of living. I can assure you that between a full credit load, studying, practice, travelling to meets, etc., I did not have much time for a job. I had some help from academic scholarships, but most of my college bill (primarily cost of living) was paid with student loans. And trust me, I am not the only student-athlete for whom this was an issue.
I'm not comfortable with the pay-for-play idea because it favors only a select group of individuals (football and basketball players). Yes, I know those sports make money, and my sport does not, but my sport also boasts higher graduation rates (figures from when I was in college, having enrolled in 2001) and cumulative team GPAs (the 2000-2001 UW men's XC team was awarded Academic All-American honors with a cumulative team GPA of 3.78). Obviously, there needs to be a greater emphasis on graduating and actually earning a college degree. That is made more difficult when student-athletes from under-privledged backgrounds, primarily football and basketball players, can't accept money for food because they would then be accepting a "gift" and thus deemed ineligible by the NCAA, or that a scholarship is not tied so much to performance (I do believe that there should be performance-based incentive for an athletic scholarship, sorry) but whether or not the school decides to renew it from year to year. And as stated in the linked article, a new coach can come in and essentially clean house, discarding players that may not fit their particular scheme. What happens to those student-athletes? They can transfer, but always run the risk of dealing with what I dealt with and with what Todd O'Brien is currently dealing with. And there isn't a damn thing the student-athlete can do to stop them.
This article hits on a key aspect of what is wrong with the illusion of "amateur" and the "student-athlete." Staples makes a good point about the schools themselves contributing to the problem, along with the outdated and draconian rules of the NCAA (a "governing" body that has become very similar to the old AAU, an administration the NCAA originally fought against). The schools can, in essence, hold student-athletes hostage by denying release requests, even going over the head of the supposed governing body, the NCAA.
I had something similar happen to me. I initially signed a National Letter of Intent for a track scholarship as a 17-year-old high school senior with a small Div. II school. After a year, I came to the conclusion that the school, both athletically and academically, was not a good fit for me, so I chose to transfer to the University of Wyoming. While I had no issue with being accepted to the university and transferring my credits, I ran into a problem with being released athletically from the Div. II school.
Now, while student-athletes are required to sit out a year of eligibility when transferring between schools in the same division, that is not a requirement when transferring between divisions (i.e. transferring from Div. II to Div. I). I contacted the head track coach and athletic director of the Div. II school, told them my plans to transfer and reasons for doing so, and asked to be released from my NLI with them. I was assured that this would not be an issue, so I went home for the summer and didn't think much of it.
However, after a month of not hearing anything, I decided to check in and see what was the hold up (I had called Coach Sanchez that summer and was quickly told that he couldn't talk to me since I was, as he succinctly and accurately put it, "someone else's property"). When I called the athletic offices of the Div. II school, I was met with a run-around and told that the AD was gone on vacation. Time was an issue here; since I was attempting to walk-on at Wyoming (I remained a walk-on my entire career at UW), and Coach Sanchez was hamstrung by severely limited roster spots on the cross-country team thanks to UW's application of Title IX rules (that's a rant for another day), I was desperate to get my name on his roster list before he turned it in to the athletic department at the start of the season. Once the list was turned in and the roster spots filled, no one could be added thereafter.
The Div. II school did not release me until a week before school started at Wyoming that fall semester. I have no idea why they sat on that release form for months on end, and I was never given an explanation. It seemed to me that they did it simply because they could. And yes, some would argue that since I had, in definition, signed a contract with the school who in turn paid the majority of my tuition that year, it was dishonest of me to quit after one year. But I didn't quit; I continued to go school and eventually earned a degree in a subject not offered at the Div. II school (a core point in the NCAA grad school exception). And I fulfilled my one-year obligation considering scholarships are renewed on a yearly basis. In the end, I was forced to sit out one year anyway since by the time I was finally granted my release, the UW team had already started its season. I burned a year of eligibility because someone in the athletic department at the Div. II school either wanted to stick it to me for some unbeknownst personal reason, or because someone couldn't be bothered to sign a form and file it in a timely manner.
This is a problem. College athletics are so concerned with the money grab that common decency and common sense are being ignored. Yes, athletes on full-ride scholarships do not have to pay for school, but as is currently being addressed, those scholarships cover only tuition and fees, not cost of living. I can assure you that between a full credit load, studying, practice, travelling to meets, etc., I did not have much time for a job. I had some help from academic scholarships, but most of my college bill (primarily cost of living) was paid with student loans. And trust me, I am not the only student-athlete for whom this was an issue.
I'm not comfortable with the pay-for-play idea because it favors only a select group of individuals (football and basketball players). Yes, I know those sports make money, and my sport does not, but my sport also boasts higher graduation rates (figures from when I was in college, having enrolled in 2001) and cumulative team GPAs (the 2000-2001 UW men's XC team was awarded Academic All-American honors with a cumulative team GPA of 3.78). Obviously, there needs to be a greater emphasis on graduating and actually earning a college degree. That is made more difficult when student-athletes from under-privledged backgrounds, primarily football and basketball players, can't accept money for food because they would then be accepting a "gift" and thus deemed ineligible by the NCAA, or that a scholarship is not tied so much to performance (I do believe that there should be performance-based incentive for an athletic scholarship, sorry) but whether or not the school decides to renew it from year to year. And as stated in the linked article, a new coach can come in and essentially clean house, discarding players that may not fit their particular scheme. What happens to those student-athletes? They can transfer, but always run the risk of dealing with what I dealt with and with what Todd O'Brien is currently dealing with. And there isn't a damn thing the student-athlete can do to stop them.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Gregory Alan Isakov That Moon Song
I've been on a weird, acoustic, indie kick lately. Might have something to do with my mood of late. This comes courtesy of Alec Muthig, who introduced me to Isakov. Again, lyrically, I'm digging what he has to say.
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