Thursday, February 16, 2012

"I don't think I'll be ready by then"

Last time I blogged, I wrote about how I was injured for the greater part of 2011 (but had some very good races when healthy) and how 2012 held a lot of promise for me...if I could stay healthy.

I had a few injuries late last summer/early fall, and wasn't able to fully resume my training until early November; I didn't start workouts until early December.  One day in December, I was working at TC Running Co. when our Team USA Minnesota President Pat Goodwin called to speak with the shop owner.  Adam was not there, so we made small talk about training and such.  She had me entered in the Houston Half Marathon, and I was at no point in my training ready for a half marathon.  She asked about the US Cross Country Championships, which would be a month later, and I responded with "I don't think I'll be ready by then."

Boy, did I underestimate myself.

A month later I was racing a 3k at the University of Minnesota as a tune-up for US Cross.  I had done several workouts that indicated that I would be able to run a decently fast "rust-buster."  The race was set up well as University of Minnesota star Hassan Mead and the D-III NCAA Cross Country Champion, Ben Sathre of St. Thomas, were also racing.  Our pace-setter went through the mile in 4:20, and we were able to close the second half of the race at a quicker pace.  Hassan 8:03, Me 8:06, Ben 8:07.  While this race was nowhere close to personal bests for Hassan and myself, we were both very pleased with our performances given the training we had each been doing.

Photo courtesy of Becky Miller (Gopher Track Shots)
After the Jack Johnson 3k, I felt pretty confident about where I was in my fitness.  The body can forget what it feels like to go so hard for so long when one hasn't raced in seven and a half months.  However, most of my training going into that race was geared toward a long race, such as a 12k (or 7.5 miles).

This last weekend I competed at the US Cross Country Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.  I was going to race against a competitive field, and was looking to earn the opportunity to represent the US at the North America - Central America - Caribbean (NACAC) Championships.  This 12k would be the second-longest race of my life, but I was ready for the challenge.  Selection to represent the USA at the NACAC Championships is based on a top-five individual finish.  

As I warmed up, my legs felt tired.  I've had this feeling before - typically, when I feel tired on the warm-up, I have a good race.  However, mentally, it's not the easiest thing to deal with leading up to a race.  My legs felt like rubber.  "If I feel sluggish on my warm-up, how do I expect myself to race fast for this 12k?" 

As I toed the line and the gun went off, the feeling of sluggish-ness went away.  I got out well, but was pinched off at the first turn.  Weather conditions were at an all-time worst, as temperatures were in the low-20s and a very strong wind was blowing.  I had heard that, with the wind chill, temps dipped into the single digits.  It was my goal to get out with the lead pack and simply settle in and go for a ride - also to get out of the wind.  As many know, things don't always go according to plan.  I found myself about twenty meters off the lead pack and the rest of the field had already strung out.  I would have to do all the work myself to close on the lead pack.  Through 3 kilometers, I still found myself in about 15th place, but within striking distance of the front of the race.  At that point, several guys who got out too fast for their capabilities started to come back - I continued to move forward.  5k, 15:00.  Each 2k loop I was able to pick off a few guys, and found myself in 6th place at 8k.  At 9k I had moved up to 4th.  I glanced back and saw I had a decent gap on fifth and a very sizable lead on sixth.  At that point, I knew I was finishing top five - I felt good, and knew nobody was passing me.  I kept my eye on thrid place, but was never able to close the gap on him.  
Photos courtesy of Michael Scott
With a fourth place finish, I earned the opportunity to compete in the USA uniform in Trinidad at the NACAC Cross Country Championships.  While I earned money for my performance at the US Cross Country Championships and will earn a stipend from USATF for competing at NACAC, I am more excited that I will be representing the United States of America!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

2012 Is Filled With Hope


2011 was a year filled with injury.  I struggled with an Achilles injury that started in late October, 2010 and lasted into the middle of February.   Once healthy, I had a solid month and a half of healthy training to lead into my racing, and I began my racing schedule on April 2.

April 2: Hamline Invitational – A week of training with a barn-burning 5x400m workout (all out quarters) on Monday and a solid 5x 1,000m workout on Thursday concluded with a tune-up 1500m on Saturday.  Going into this race, I was not looking to PR, just get out there and compete on the track for the first time since June, 2010.  The race went out fairly slow, and we went through 700m in 1:50.  I finished in 3:50, running my last 800 in 2:00.  I had no kick, but that was expected going into the race.  I was happy.

April 15: Mt. SAC Relays – This was my first real test.  The 5k. Racing against some of the NCAA’s best.  Throughout the race, I moved up, putting myself in a spot to be competitive and run a fast time.  I made a move with 700m to go and separated myself from the group to chase down the two leaders.  I caught one with 300 to go, but the leader was out too far.  I finished second, only to the 2011 NCAA Cross Country Champion, Lawi Lalang of Arizona.  I PR’ed by six seconds off only about two months of healthy and consistent training.  I was confident for what was to come.

May 1: Cardinal Invitational – The 10,000 meters: the world’s most grueling track race.  I had run three 10k’s prior to this particular 10k, but all were contested at Big Ten Outdoor Conference Championships.  Of those three, two were races that went out slow through at least 5,000 meters, and the third was a race where we simply clipped off 70 second quarters for all 25 laps.  This race went out much quicker.  First 5k, 14:20 – I felt good, ready to run my second half faster.  This did not happen.  I struggled mentally and contemplated dropping out several times.  I did not give in.  I fought to the finish to a “disappointing” 28:46; however, it was a 24 second PR.

May 12: US 1-Mile Championship – What an amazing race!  The US 1-Mile Championship is held in conjunction with the Twin Cities 1 Mile events, so this race was special being in my own backyard.  This race had an amazing field, loaded with talent at many different distances.  It included US Marathon star Ryan Hall.  The race went out hard through the first, slightly uphill, 400 meters.  The pack stuck together through 1200 meters, and started to separate on the downhill.  Guys may have moved too quickly as some came back in the final 200, which had a slight rise.  I finished seventh in 4:04.4.  A new PR and a nice finish in a very talented field.

June 1: Festival of Miles – This race was supposed to be a tune-up, another mile race.  The fellas at Big River Running Company in St. Louis put on a great event; a money mile for the elite men, and an elite women’s 800.  Never have I seen a summer track meet, which is not a National Championship, have so many spectators.  I came into this race knicked up with a flare up in the peroneal tendon in my right ankle.  I had been cross-training for ten consecutive days coming into this race, maybe running a total of 6 miles.  I still raced.  I still competed.  I still PR’ed.  4:02.11.

After the Festival of Miles, I struggled with several different injuries until the middle of October.  Training has been going well since then.  My mileage is up, my workouts are going great.

***Knock on wood***

2011 was filled with injury, but a successful two moths of racing.  I am confident that with consistent and healthy training, I will be successful.

2012 is filled with hope.