8 weeks until the Boston Marathon

After a great adventure to Boulder, Colorado for the USA Cross Country Championships, my weekly training has slowly come around.  It's still not anywhere where it should be, but it's improving from last week's sickness.

The race itself went a little better than I thought.  I finished 26th in a decent field, but I know I could do better if I was more motivated.  I have too many excuses at the moment, and all I really need to do is put my head down and continue to pound the pavement!  This week was okay, as far as training goes, so I'm going to get back on track and put all distractions aside.  The Boston Marathon is only 8 weeks away, which means, it's just around the corner.  I'll be posting my training until race week.

Official Results from USA Cross Country:
http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2014/USA-Cross-Country-Championships/Results.aspx

Training:

Mon - pm. 8 miles
Tue - am. 4 miles / pm. 12 miles
Wed - am. 8x1000m (3:11, 3:08, 3:09, 3:08, 3:09, 3:11, 3:13, 3:06) 10 miles total / pm. 8 miles
Thur - pm. 8 miles
Fri - am 6 miles
Sat - am. 2 mile shake out, 12k USA XC Race 38:48, 4 mile cool down. 15 total
Sun - am. 17 miles @ 8400' - 9000' feet in Rollins, CO

Total: 88 miles

USA Half Marathon Championships review

With more than 2 weeks after the race, I have finally got some time to write a little bit about my 1:05:38 performance.  I guess I don't have a whole lot to say about this, as I didn't achieve my goal of a sub 1:05:00. The coincidence of this race, was that I ran the same exact time I did back at this championship in 2009.  Looking at that, it's kind of nice to know I can still fade to the same result.  Ideally, I would like to be faster and stronger, so perhaps I am stronger as most of my training has been geared towards the marathon.

Here's a few quick thoughts of my race; I went out a little more conservative than in 2009, meaning I was on pace for the majority of the race.  When I got caught by a group of guys running the pace (4:57/mile), I decided to stick with them and run in the back of the pack, as opposed to race the leader of the group.  This seemed to help me, and I stuck to the pace better than I have in the past.  When I finally faded off pace, I just kept hammering away and trying to stay focus - not that I didn't do this in the past.  At this race, there was always someone around in front of me, so that I could gauge where I should be.  In the past, most races I've run don't have that motivation, which can be hard.

So, all and all, it was a good effort and a pretty good indicator as to where I am at for Boston.  Running a 65 min half with about 10 weeks before a marathon is a good sign.  I'll be ready to roll in Beantown.  And compared to 2009, where I was 24th place; I was way down the list at 39th place.  American distance running is truly improving.

Finishing hard.
photo by Stephanie Ward

Half Marathon Results:

Place	Athlete Name	5k	10k	15k	20k	Finish

1	Meb Keflezighi San Diego, CA	14:39	29:10	43:34	58:12	1:01:23
2	Aaron Braun Englewood, CO	14:38	29:10	43:38	58:25	1:01:38
3	Josphat Boit Mammoth Lakes, CA	14:39	29:10	43:37	58:25	1:01:41
4	Tyler Pennel Blowing Rock, NC	14:39	29:10	43:37	58:31	1:01:44
5	Matthew Llano Flagstaff, AZ	14:40	29:11	43:40	58:33	1:01:47
6	Luke Puskedra Beaverton, OR	14:39	29:11	43:39	58:33	1:01:48
7	Shadrack Biwott Folsom, CA	14:39	29:10	43:38	58:36	1:01:56
8	Fernando Cabada Boulder, CO	14:39	29:10	43:38	58:46	1:02:00
9	Tim Ritchie Brighton, MA	14:38	29:10	43:41	58:46	1:02:00
10	Gabriel Proctor Mammoth Lakes, CA	14:40	29:11	43:43	59:04	1:02:22
11	Sean Quigley Lafayette, CO	14:39	29:13	44:18	59:35	1:02:46
12	Jonathan Grey Minneapolis, MN	14:39	29:11	44:03	59:29	1:02:51
13	Ben Bruce Flagstaff, AZ	14:43	29:37	44:33	59:44	1:02:53
14	Scott Macpherson Columbia, MO	14:47	29:37	44:29	59:39	1:02:56
15	Ahmed Osman Flagstaff, AZ	14:40	29:10	44:07	59:40	1:03:02
16	Elliot Krause Madison, WI	15:00	30:05	45:04	1:00:06	1:03:15
17	Tyler Mccandless Boulder, CO	14:47	29:55	45:04	1:00:10	1:03:25
18	Craig Curley Tucson, AZ	14:41	29:49	45:04	1:00:15	1:03:27
19	Joe Moore Manhattan, KS	15:00	30:05	45:04	1:00:15	1:03:33
20	Joseph Gray Colorado Springs, CO	15:01	30:07	45:04	1:00:23	1:03:42
21	Jeremy Freed Longmont, CO	15:00	30:06	45:04	1:00:30	1:03:51
22	Enoch Nadler Richardson, TX	15:01	30:06	45:04	1:00:31	1:03:55
23	Sergio Reyes Palmdale, CA	14:56	30:06	45:04	1:00:40	1:04:06
24	Brandon Birdsong Manitou Springs, CO	15:00	30:05	45:04	1:00:58	1:04:21
25	Dan Kremske Woodstock, IL	15:04	30:18	45:32	1:01:06	1:04:27
26	Daniel Tapia Castroville, CA	15:00	30:06	45:32	1:01:16	1:04:32
27	Craig Leon Eugene, OR	15:00	30:06	45:25	1:01:11	1:04:34
28	Anthony Solis Sacramento, CA	15:00	30:06	45:30	1:01:18	1:04:35
29	Cole Atkins Blowing Rock, NC	15:14	30:16	45:31	1:01:11	1:04:37
30	Thomas Dialynas Denver, CO	15:21	30:47	46:09	1:01:34	1:04:49
31	Benjamin Sathre Chaska, MN	15:00	30:18	46:02	1:01:34	1:04:51
32	Michael Reneau Minneapolis, MN	15:09	30:42	46:09	1:01:42	1:04:59
33	Eric Ashe Boston, MA	15:21	30:47	46:09	1:01:44	1:05:01
34	Gregory Leak Steilacoom, WA	15:27	30:49	46:09	1:01:43	1:05:02
35	Ryan Kienzle Canton, OH	15:27	30:50	46:09	1:01:43	1:05:02
36	Matthew Williams San Antonio, TX	15:21	30:47	46:09	1:01:47	1:05:06
37	Sean Brown Aurora, CO	15:27	30:50	46:22	1:02:00	1:05:22
38	Connor Kamm Nashville, TN	15:27	30:49	46:09	1:01:46	1:05:29
39	Jesse Armijo Albuquerque, NM	15:09	30:44	46:15	1:02:18	1:05:38
40	Josh Whitehead Madison, AL	15:17	30:47	46:22	1:02:14	1:05:42
41	Jonathan Mott Babson Park, FL	15:37	31:15	46:48	1:02:25	1:05:47
42	Jeremy Criscione Gainesville, FL	15:02	30:38	46:21	1:02:27	1:05:49
43	Kieran O'Connor Arlington, VA	15:27	31:00	46:39	1:02:36	1:05:59
44	Dan Greeno Minneapolis, MN	15:27	31:00	46:52	1:03:02	1:06:26
45	Rory Tunningley Austin, TX	15:21	30:48	46:45	1:03:06	1:06:29
46	David Fuentes Austin, TX	15:27	31:00	46:52	1:03:21	1:06:50
47	John Dewitt Oshkosh, WI	15:29	31:24	47:20	1:03:30	1:06:54
48	Jason Holt Kaysville, UT	15:30	31:21	47:21	1:03:36	1:07:01
49	Jared Carson Austin, TX	15:40	31:35	47:23	1:03:36	1:07:07
50	Brandon Dworak Memphis, TN	15:48	31:45	47:43	1:03:52	1:07:15
51	Daniel Kerr Winston-Salem, NC	15:40	31:35	47:28	1:03:53	1:07:21
52	Logan Sherman Plano, TX	15:48	31:44	47:43	1:03:57	1:07:24
53	Rio Reina Austin, TX	15:38	31:19	47:29	1:03:56	1:07:25
54	Jake Marotz Saint Paul, MN	15:48	31:44	47:44	1:03:59	1:07:25
55	Jake Krong Salt Lake City, UT	16:01	31:56	47:54	1:04:02	1:07:26
56	Christopher Sloane Gaithersburg, MD	15:48	31:44	47:43	1:04:01	1:07:29
57	Matt Barrett Madison, WI	15:35	31:44	47:45	1:04:03	1:07:30
58	Luka Thor Gretna, NE	15:29	31:29	47:29	1:04:08	1:07:42
59	Tibor Vegh Raleigh, NC	15:28	31:19	47:20	1:04:16	1:07:58
60	Jose Munoz San Antonio, TX	15:28	31:25	47:22	1:04:29	1:08:04
61	Riley Cook South Weber, UT	15:29	31:38	48:11	1:05:09	1:08:42
62	Chass Armstrong Greenville, SC	15:38	31:52	48:24	1:05:16	1:08:45
63	Ryan Cosens Costa Mesa, CA	15:31	32:15	48:36	1:05:16	1:08:50
64	Aaron Davidson Lenexa, KS	15:50	32:19	48:53	1:05:35	1:09:08
65	Brian Finnel Madison, WI	16:06	32:27	48:53	1:05:37	1:09:13
66	Matthew Grey Minneapolis, MN	16:01	32:24	49:01	1:05:59	1:09:35
67	Brent Martin Gambier, OH	15:43	32:07	49:28	1:06:26	1:10:02
68	John Coyle Logan, UT	16:01	32:28	50:02	1:06:55	1:10:30
69	Tim Jeffreys Brooklyn, NY	16:12	32:51	49:56	1:07:07	1:10:44
70	Daniel Kahn Houston, TX	16:41	34:11	51:54	1:10:14	1:14:09