6 years in the making...

I remember at the Saint Anthony's Invitation running the unseeded mile. I was probably 15 years old and a scrawny 135 prepubescent boy. I was determined to break 5 minutes in this mile. When the race went off I was out in 1st. I felt so fucking good and was certain that today was my day, not to break 5, but to break 450. The first lap was 68, the half was in 2:18 so I really didn't slow too much. Then I began to fall apart, I was so weak back then and my form was terrible. I remember feeling like I couldn't move my arms and I just wanted to walk off of the track. My last 800m was 2:43. I ran 5:01 and was so pissed off. All I had to do for my last lap was run something like 82, although I can't remember that split exactly, and I ran 84.. disgusting.

Easy morning run: 3
Yesterday we had a workout that I've done two times before that goes a mile at 3k pace (which would ideally be right around 4:55 or so) and then 4x400 at mile pace (which should be somewhere under 70). I haven't raced the mile since that day sophomore year and coach said that today I could just go after it and whatever the rest of the workout was well whatever.. so warming up I felt like crap from running kind of hard the day before and kind of long the day before that. But we get into it and I felt much better than expected, I hung right onto Brendan and Scotty's coat tails. We went through in 72 I think, then 2:24.. dead even. I felt good through 800 and kind of wanted to pick it up but I figured I'd just hang tight. From there we went through 1200 in 3:38 I think and all I was thinking, even though I was still feeling alright, was "PLEASE DO NOT BLOW UP" and I didn't, the last 400 wasn't even that far off from all the others. I finished in 4:51 so I went 2:24-2:27. I think if I had laced up some spikes and got ready for a mile I could go sub 4:40. I was still decent for the 400's after a 10 second PR.. I ran 72-70-70-69. It was great for my confidence and will be even better for a race situation. Today I ran easy with Joe Mac. And Sunday I race 5k at YALE!

Tuesday's Mileage: 10.5

Today's Mileage: 8

Pancakes

It was a pretty nice day today, I went for a run with Tom, Joe Mac, Cat and Brendan. We started real easy around 7 min pace for the first 4 miles but then cut it down to around 6:20's for the next 2 miles. We finished with 3x200m and I felt alright, not great on them, my legs were a little tired probably from going a little longer yesterday but they were all at 31 still which was good. Tomorrow I am going to break 5 in the mile...something I probably should have done a long long time ago, being I ran 5-flat 6 years ago. The workout is a mile at 3k pace followed by 4-6x400m at mile pace.

Daily Mileage: 8

Weekends I prefer the weekends

Gahh. After the workout on Friday I was expecting to be beat to hell on saturday but I really wasn't. I went home for the day to get a suit for formal and all of that stuff so I ran pretty late. I only wanted to get in 6 miles but I probably did a little bit more in 42 mins, I was running kind of quick but I felt good.

Saturdays Mileage: 6

Sunday morning Joe Mac and I got up to run with Coach Sara.. this is probably my last semi-long run of the season and we took it easy anyways. We ran 12 right around 7 min pace and I felt a little tired but, man, my legs have been feeling snappy. I actually feel fast and that is something I am not used to.

Sundays Mileage: 12


Weekly Mileage: 63

Trust

I am starting to realize that the things I have been doing everyday (i.e. abs, pushups, lifting, trying to eat semi-well) aside from running are really beginning to pay off. The only reason I can muster up a 200m stride faster than 33 without looking like I've never run a step in my life is because I've done all of that stuff. I think I have put on close to 5 pounds in muscle but that is something I am okay with at this point, being I'm still right around 145.

That being said I had another baller workout yesterday. I've been saying that a lot lately so I am fucking expecting it to pay out next sunday at Yale. I ran 2.5 miles easy with Joe Mac and Joe Cat, then got into a 4 mile tempo which Joe Mac took me through. It was spot on, another "clockwork" workout. We went 5:39-5:38-5:38-5:40. I was very relaxed and just on cruise control through the first mile, when we got to the lake loop the hills hurt a bit but I tackled them. The last mile got a little difficult, but it was nice to hear Joe's voice and have him bring me through and push me. He kept telling me to trust my training, relax and just find the rhythm. I tried, it's hard, but I thought about Ryan Hall and how smooth his form is - at Joe's suggestion - and just rolled with it. If I had to I could have run that pace to 10k, it would have fucking hurt, but I could have done it. Which would have been a PR close to 2 mins, and that's on the road. I know that I am fit, I have to be fit, after all that I have done it's inevitable. It has to come together, it just does, "It's not fucking rocket science" is the mentality that I am adopting, run a lot, run hard, get better.

Daily Mileage: 9

"If I were given 6 hours to cut down a tree I would spend the first 4 hours sharpening the axe."

Shake, shake, shake it around again

It is amazing how much nice weather can make a week fly by. It has been beautiful this entire week and it just makes me feel good everyday. Yesterday I ran easy with coach Sara for 8 miles or so and felt pretty good considering the 40x200 workout that I just did. My hamstrings were a little tight but nothing to write home about. Today I ran 7 total and did 3x300m on the track in 49-50-49. I am seriously amazing myself with the amount of speed that I have gained. I was going through the 200 in 32-33 and it felt very relaxed, comfortable, and this is after we just ran 6 miles right around 6:20 pace, which also felt like a walk. So today was a very good day. Tomorrow I am down for a 4 mile tempo. I really want to nail it. Hopefully the fact that I have to do it at like 6:30pm won't mess me up too much.

Wednesday's total: 8

Today's total: 7

"The prevailing training philosophy in 1977 was 'more is better', and weekly mileage was the stuff of competition. If Derek Clayton was quoted as running 160 miles per week, then someone else would try 175 miles per week... This approach to training may sound harsh - and it was - but it reaped rewards. Distance running in the U.S. improved markedly, and although there were a few casualties along the way, pure hard work generally paid dividends." - Pete Pfitzinger, two-time Olympian and exercise physiologist

The way things work

My coach called me her guinea pig the other day. That over the past yeah and a half she has used me in testing out workouts and proving to herself that the formula is simple: You mix in a lot of miles with a lot of hard work and adequate recovery and you are going to improve. Over the past few months I have definitely done just that, and things have really been starting to come together for me, as injuries have not been an issue and I have been running higher mileage at a higher intensity than ever before with the three ingredients being tempo, some form of intervals (anything from 2k's to 200's). Aside from the horrible debut 10k I couldn't be happier with how things have been going. Today was another day that I am very happy with. I woke up this morning and went for an easy 3 mile jog to loosen up. It was a great morning and I didn't feel all that bad on the run.

The workout for the afternoon was scheduled as 2 x 15 x 200m = 30 x 200m / with 30 seconds recovery. The 30 seconds recovery was the thing that sounded like it would hurt, but the pace was only down as 37-39 which sounded like a walk, but coach told me to just stick to that to start and if I felt good to start cutting it down a bit. The first 10 were all right around 36, we were rolling, Joe Cat and I were switching off on the lead for a while and running very even 18/18=36. It felt great, I was hardly breathing. After the first 10 I began to cut it down and hit a few 35's and then right around 13 I cranked it up again to 34's. Then I decided not to take the break between sets since I was feeling good and wanted to keep a nice rhythm. From there on out it was 34's the whole way. I was rolling, it was like clockwork. Okay, 29 done, one to go.

Coach: "Joe Cat you have one more, Ryan 10 more after this one!"
All I could manage was to laugh. I was tired at this point but after the workout I was happy that she made the adjustment. The first one of the 10 fell off to 35 but then I got right back on it and managed 34's the rest of the way and my last one was in 33.

Hearing after the workout from Coach that "36:30 is not in the fucking cards for you" was nice.. I am starting to build up something resembling confidence and these legs are starting to feel like they have some life in them. Good things.

Daily Mileage: 13

Raisins

Hello. Today I woke up at 8 and did an easy 8 with some strides in the park. It was a nice morning and that put me in a good mood. I forgot to talk about it, but holy shit. Ryan Hall ran 2:06:17 at the London Marathon. Beast. I can say nothing more.

Tomorrow is 2 x 15 200m = 30x200m.. I haven't done a workout like this is forever, it should very interesting to see how it goes.

Daily Mileage: 8

Epic Fail

Saturday was an absolute train-wreck. I have no idea what actually happened but bottom line is I didn't run anywhere close to what I am capable of. 10k is a tough race and it is very hard to maintain focus. I'm not saying I wasn't shot when I finished but I think I just zoned out, got caught in a pack of guys running too slow, and just fucking fell apart. I was out in 5:27, okay perfect. 2 miles - 11:05, alright.. a little slow but still on it. 17:30 at 5k, just straight downhill.. I just lost about 20 seconds per mile on that one. From there it was all over, I was checked out mentally.. there is no way I am coming back at this point to close in 17 minutes. It was so fucking hot and although the sun was in for a good portion of the day it was out in full force for the 10k and the 3k, which was right after.

On the day our group of guys and girls didn't have a single person run a race to be happy about. We all looked like absolute shit and that means we are probably just tired and run down from the mileage. But I am ready to put this out of my head and just forget about it. I know that I am fit and this race is just a hard effort that I'll use to gain some experience. I got in 14 miles for the day, which was nice. And then today I ran an easy 9 with Tom, Brendan and Cat.. my left side and hips are a wreck from the 10k but all-in-all the run wasn't bad. I have two weeks now until I race again which will be a 5k at Yale University.

Weekly Mileage: 61

Pre-race

Today I went for a real easy 30 mins with Corey and Joe Mac and we did a couple strides. I felt good and it was pretty warm out, which is always nice. Tomorrow I'm racing 10k at the Merchant Marine Academy. I haven't been this excited to race in a while and it should be a very good race for me. There are 20 entries and the fastest seed time is 33 mins, or something like that. So I should be able to get competitive and really fucking go for it. I would love to win the race, but more than that I just want to run a gutsy, and fast, race. I feel like the 10k is one of those races where if you can control yourself and come back in negative splits you can really lay it down to the other guys on the track. That being said, I would love to go out around 5:30 and just relax. Run my first 5k around 17 mins and then come back in a PR and run under 17, which would put me under 34 mins for 10k.

I've got the words to keep the birds humming.

Daily Mileage: 4

Turtles

Today was a nice easy 8 miles on Upper Tibbets with everyone.. I felt tired and just not very fluid, probably from the workout yesterday. But overall I wasn't really sore or anything and I am getting very excited to get out and race on Saturday.

It's time for bed now..

Daily Mileage: 8

Perfect rhythm

This week I feel like things are starting to come together really, really well. Yesterday I did an easy 3 miles in the morning and felt alright and then 8 miles in the afternoon with 3x200m strides. The strides were great. I went 30-31-31 and I am really starting to feel snappy and fast.

Daily Mileage: 11

Today I had to workout in the morning. The workout was 7x600m, coach told me to go through the quarter in 76 or so and that I should average right around 1:54 for the 6's.

I was out in 35 for the first 200 and it for real felt like a walk. I was 72 at the quarter and then chilled and went 1:52 for the first. From there I got into a really solid rhythm and was 36 at every 200 and 72-73 at every 400. The times were 1:52-1:50-1:52-1:50-1:51-1:51-1:49. Coach claimed it to be my "Best workout ever". It was huge because I feel so strong at this point and getting a fast workout like this in gives me a ton of confidence. I am feeling like I can run forever. The 10k at the Merchant Marine Academy is this Saturday and I am ready to rock.

Goal times..

5k: 16:20
10k: ~34
Half Marathon: ~1:17

AM: 8
PM: 4

This is an awesome quote from Chief Isaya, an African Tribesman when he arrived in Britain for the Flora Marathon going on this weekend.. I just think it's great.

"I sometimes run for two or three days when I am with my cattle, and I have to protect them from dangerous animals - like lions. I do not think the marathon will be difficult for us - our shoes are made of car tyres and they are very comfortable."

Blur

I feel like this weekend hardly happened. I was in a daze all day yesterday and spent today recovering and applying for some jobs around the Bronx. Since we have been rolling real hard for 6 weeks now we got a down day where we only ran 3 miles real easy. So that was a nice relief. Then the only workout for this week will be 600's on Wednesday and then I'm racing 10k on the track Saturday at merchant marine academy. I am ready to rock.

Daily Mileage: 3

I am finally here

Okay. So the past four weeks were probably the most successful four weeks of training I have ever had in my entire life. My mileage has been perfect and progressed perfectly, going 70-72-74-76, and I have felt about as good as possible in those four weeks as well as PR'ing at 4 different distances during the stretch. I am seriously confident that now that all of the ground work has been put down and I'm about to start cutting back on the mileage and moving onto the track for some faster stuff that I will see some serious chunks of time come off my of 5 and 10k times.

Today we went to the Rockies for a long run. It wasn't the nicest day like it was yesterday but the rain held off.. I rocked with Brendan and we had a pretty good run. About 40 minutes in I was rolling with Tom and Joe Mac but then they seemed to just flip a switch and they were gone. It felt like we went from 6:30-6 minute pace in a matter of 10 seconds. But it was a good run and we covered 13 miles in about 1:25. It was at least 13 miles cause we were moving.

Alright, so afterwards we went to Pipers Kilt, it is the #1 rated burger in NYC and they have a nasty brunch deal where you get a burger meal and all you can drink for 18 bucks. Gahhh. We drank from like 1-3 and got absolutely shit housed. I got back to my apartment by like 6 or so and slept from 8-11 and now I think it's about time for bed again. Cheers.

Daily Mileage: 13

Weekly Mileage: 76

Potato

Today was basically the best you can ask for as far as weather goes. It's 55 and sunny. I did an easy 4 miles this morning when I woke up and actually didn't feel too bad. I ran through riverdale park. Then this afternoon I ran with Joe Cat, Tom and Brendan for 7 with 3x200m in there to shake out a little bit. I went 31-31-31. Which was great because I really felt controlled the entire time. I'm ready to rock the long run tomorrow and then it's time to cut back.

Daily Mileage: 11

Lemons

Very long day.. I was up at 6:45am for my internship. Got back a little before 6pm. I felt pretty good on my run and was running at a pretty reasonable pace. I only went 6 miles since I am pretty far ahead mileage wise this week so far.

PM: 6

7x800

Alright. Today was a good day. I woke up and got in an easy 5 miles for my morning run, it was really nice out this morning and it put me in a pretty good mood.

The workout this afternoon was 7x800m, I was expecting it to be really tough, but it turned out to be more pace work than anything so I was running at an ideal 5k pace and I felt completely in control the entire time. So I warmed up 2 miles or so with Joe and Sean. I was told to start out 78/quarter and work my way down after 4 or so of the 7 800's. I went 2:38-2:38-2:36-2:36-2:36-2:35-2:36, all with 90 seconds jog recovery. This workout was a good confidence booster.. I was very in control the whole time and felt like I could have run a few more or even dropped down to sub-2:30 if I had to, I'm rolling right now and it feels good.

Then we cooled down a little more than 3 miles to make it about a 10 mile afternoon. This didn't really beat me up at all, my legs feel good right now. I'm a little worn down and excited that after this week is over I'll be cutting back on the mileage and things should really start coming together with some snappier track stuff.

Daily Mileage: 15

Long days..

Wednesday: 8 miles

Today was definitely one of those "I don't feel like running at all" days. I had work at Nike all day and got back around 6pm. I just did 8 real easy, it took me close to an hour so I was crawling, but my legs really didn't feel too bad. Tomorrow is a big workout day so I gotta nail it.

Serious Business.

Most runners will say that you are not really a runner until you have to take a shit on a run. Usually I'm pretty good, of course I have bad days but it happens. Workouts especially I tend to hold things together, but today was a different story entirely. I shit a total of 7 times so far today and 4 of them came on my run.

AM: 4 miles easy.. I felt alright just a little tired during this run.

PM: 2 mile warmup. The workout was a 1500 on the cowpath hard - roughly a 4k on the flats, staying steady and settling into a pace - and another 1500 on the cowpath. It was an alright workout I went 4:50 for the first 1500, then on the 4k I had to stop to go to the bathroom so it really threw me off. That ended up being 13:40 and I just couldn't get into it after that. The last 1500 was 5:09 and I thought I was going to shit myself again. But I'll take it for what it was. 3 mile cooldown.

Daily Mileage: 14

I'm going to give this a try.

After trying a bunch of different ways to keep a running log, and hating just about all of them I am reverting back to blogging. I tried this over the summer and just sort of gave up. But I'm going to try again.

Over the past few months I have been training very hard and things have been going well.. I just had my first outdoor track meet in almost 6 years and ran 16:59 for 5k or that's what I saw when I crossed the line, I think officially it was 17:00 - but in any sense it was a huge PR, although I'm not very happy with the time. It was windy as all shit out and I forgot my flats so I had to run in trainers, but all excuses aside I need to get tougher.

During March I ran 298 miles in 31 days with one day off and overall I've been going for a while now without a day off. Over the next few weeks I'll be putting in a shit load of miles getting ready for 5k and 10k on the track then cutting back and just running hard until the beginning of the summer, when I'll start training for the half-marathon.