On the Bubble

At this point in the season, I've started to produce some decent workouts and feel like a different runner. I've also managed to get one rest day completely off of running during the week, but this is usually not planned, as I feel too tired to start my day off at 5am, get a run in, head to school to teach all day, then attend class all night. So the past few Tuesday's have been a "rest" day, as I only juggle two things around throughout my day, instead of three things. Although, I am still able to get in around 115 plus miles a week in 6 days, so I feel pretty strong.

The workouts are also going very well. On my easy days I feel like a slug, especially in the early morning darkness that starts each day. Just as the sun rises over the Sandia's, my pace increases and I start to feel energized by the coming of a new day. The soreness also dissipates from the body as I finish an easy 10 miler nearly every morning. I guess you could say I am a boring runner, but I feel completely happy getting in the miles needed to produce a fast marathon. I start to think about the most random things while running in the darkness. Most of the time it's about getting to the Trials, and getting to toe the line ready to run the race of my life. I know I only have 2 more chances to get there this year, but I would much rather prefer to make it 1 chance. And that 1 chance will be in Indianapolis.

At this point in my running career, I feel that I should be in Houston, running the US Olympic Marathon Trials, and be 100% ready to race. And just as most of my qualifying attempts in life; from qualifying for CIF prelims in high school, to getting the "B" standard in college to compete at the NAIA Nationals, to being one of the last runners to qualify for the USA Track and Field Championships, my sole goal was just to make it to Nationals. So, if I am forced to run a full marathon one month before the Trials to qualify, I will be the same runner I've been since high school... Just trying to make it into the big meet, and not in contention of doing well there. Although, things could change in the next 2 weeks...

I have an opportunity to control my own destiny by hitting the US Olympic Trials "A" standard on November 5th in Indianapolis for the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon. If I can hit the time there, then I will not have to worry about running a full marathon to qualify, which I feel completely positive I can do, but don't wish to do one month before the trials. I would like to save a good marathon effort for the trials, and actually do very well there.