Well, as the new year approaches, I've been starting to hear a lot of people make affirmations that things are going to change once the clock strikes midnight. I feel almost the same way as I sit here with a bout of sickness and lack of mileage being tallied away on the scoreboards. But I do know, that after the last marathon I experienced and the minimal training that took place once I found out that I wouldn't be racing in New York City occurred; I should be stepping up my game and producing more miles.
I don't feel that there is a motivational factor going on, I feel there is a draining factor that sucks the life out of me. Something sucking my will to live... And of course it's stemmed to those ungrateful kids I teach... I hate to type it, but I am exhausted after a day with them, and if I somehow knew how these kids were, I would have never taken that position. It's a bad thing to say, but I can't comprehend how evil 9 year olds can be to one another. I know I am the teacher, and I'm suppose to teach them right from wrong; which is why my soul gets sucked from my barely standing body each day I pry two children away from each other as they torment their lives just to make themselves feel better...
Well, I will try not to complain publicly anymore and express that the good news is that with the new year, I am halfway done with teaching, and fully aware of the problems parents have on their hands, or lack of parenting. I just need to find a way to not be as drained from work, and run more! Now that problem, seems to be a problem in itself... Do I start to care less? Do I just quit, as many staff members have this year? Or, the one solution I've been missing - run in the mornings and evenings! Run even when I'm tired, because it's only going to make things better! My new plan of action will be to just run as much and as often as possible, and before I know it, Spring will be here and Freedom will be upon the Horizon
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thursday, December 6, 2012
New Olympic Trials Marathon Standards
A) So, the new Standards are out, and many people are a bit discouraged with the bar being raised once again.
B) Why does the usatf want to cripple our sport when the options are right in front of their face to improve our fan base and public interest? Does running a 2:18/2:43 really make those that are seeking participation and interest in our sport increase their efforts and rise to those new standards? As if, because having an "easier" time standard will automatically make runners only run what's expected of them. I don't think so.
C) Bring it on!!! Keep raising that bar, and just try to keep me out! Cause, I ain't backing down and would love to hit that "A" standard to run another great race all on your dime usatf! (Actually, it's the host city that pays for it, the usatf doesn't do jack shit for the runners, except tell us what to wear in the race).
D) WTF?!?! Why excluded all those potential runners, families, and fans?!?! Let's close down an entire city, block off all the streets and let 50 runners occupy it, because they felt that in the last 4 years all they wanted to do was have a chance to make the Olympic Team and represent their country!
E) All of the above wrapped and warped into one giant post.
Well, either way, all the talking and posting on Letsrun or tweets (I don't tweet) isn't going to change the time standards. And, in a selfish kind of way, I don't feel impeded by the new standards. I do feel disappointed though. I knew this was coming, and knew the idiotic thought process behind the usatf and their perception of squeezing down on the lifeline that feeds them - the runner. They (usatf) feel that by increasing the time standards, they are raising the bar, when in fact they are just pulling down the shades and blocking out the light! The more they keep excluding runners, jumpers, and throwers, the less and less people will care about them and move onto more inclusive activities. There is no need to push away all those talented runners. And in my opinion, I'd rather see a bad runner have the opportunity to race in the trials, than a good runner out on the sidelines.
The new times are:
A Standard: 2:15 Men / 2:37 Women
B Standard: 2:18 Men / 2:43 Women
Alt. B Standard 1:05 half marathon Men / 1:15 half marathon Women
All I know, is that a lot of good runners will be left out, and I'm not going to wait until the last minute, or in my case, the last week to qualify. My goal is also the "A" Standard. So, when the window opens on August, 1st, there'll be a surge of runners going after it! Good Luck to us all, and hope to hear that you're training hard and ready to race!
Recovery and Reflection
Well, the worse performance of my life was this past weekend at the Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon. A combination of all events in my life from August until the finish of that race was the greatest indicator of how I felt. Excitement, chaos, turmoil, frustration, anger, happiness, relief, and finally...... acceptance. All this, crammed into 26.2 miles, is that normal or even possible? Well, when you run that slow (for me), then yes! I guess I'm not as down on myself as I could've been, since the New York City Marathon was cancelled, I was just going through the motions.
I've always been told, and have used this saying in my classroom that, "you learn more when you fail". Well, I guess the only thing I learned was the fact that miles are VERY VERY IMPORTANT! As well as the motivation to race hard. After the New York City marathon was cancelled, I guess my thought to run another race kind of floated away. I thought I was excited to race a marathon, and hopefully win one, but once I re-upped my training, and fortitude to go one more month, I guess the fire was already dwindling away. As for racing in Vegas, that city just isn't a place I'd want to be in for more than 24 hours.
So, as the long run soreness escapes my body, along with the self-pity, I am starting to refocus on my next training cycle and what I need to fix. I finally wrote up a plan; actually, two plans, and will be running again by the end of this week. Since I am still busy with school, and dealing with the fact that these 3rd graders need me more than I need them, I will attempt to keep my mileage at 90 miles a week. It's not in the same neighborhood as most of the other "elite" runners out there, but it's all I can manage. And I feel that with that, along with key workouts; the Boston Marathon will be a success!
A side note on the crazyness happening in my class... One of my students' dad was found dead in a burning car in the Bosque (forest area by the Rio Grande). That is the second family member death this year from one of my students... It's a different world down there (Los Lunas), as most of these incidences are Drug related. 'Breaking Bad' is a reality, and I'm here worried about getting mileage in for a leisurely marathon.
I've always been told, and have used this saying in my classroom that, "you learn more when you fail". Well, I guess the only thing I learned was the fact that miles are VERY VERY IMPORTANT! As well as the motivation to race hard. After the New York City marathon was cancelled, I guess my thought to run another race kind of floated away. I thought I was excited to race a marathon, and hopefully win one, but once I re-upped my training, and fortitude to go one more month, I guess the fire was already dwindling away. As for racing in Vegas, that city just isn't a place I'd want to be in for more than 24 hours.
So, as the long run soreness escapes my body, along with the self-pity, I am starting to refocus on my next training cycle and what I need to fix. I finally wrote up a plan; actually, two plans, and will be running again by the end of this week. Since I am still busy with school, and dealing with the fact that these 3rd graders need me more than I need them, I will attempt to keep my mileage at 90 miles a week. It's not in the same neighborhood as most of the other "elite" runners out there, but it's all I can manage. And I feel that with that, along with key workouts; the Boston Marathon will be a success!
A side note on the crazyness happening in my class... One of my students' dad was found dead in a burning car in the Bosque (forest area by the Rio Grande). That is the second family member death this year from one of my students... It's a different world down there (Los Lunas), as most of these incidences are Drug related. 'Breaking Bad' is a reality, and I'm here worried about getting mileage in for a leisurely marathon.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Sin City
As another marathon approaches, I wait for some
kind of cancellation sign to warn me not to show up in Las Vegas. Yet,
the only sign I will be noticing is the iconic neon "Welcome to Las
Vegas" sign that illuminates the strip. And the Strip is exactly
where I'll be at 3pm this Sunday. It was a bit hard for me to pick another
marathon, since I am already hyperactive about picking my next race. So,
once New York was cancelled, I had to, and got to, choose where I could race
next. The thought of not racing also entered my mind, but after the first
couple of months at my new job, and the balancing act of training that goes
with an Über crazy job, I somehow feel
that I owe myself a race.
So,
after my last tiny workout of the week, I feel very excited to get out there
and just gruel through 26.2 miles. I have no idea who'll be toeing the
line, but I'm pretty confident no "big" names will be there.
The only thing I want to do, is run a conservative race, and enjoy myself
out there. I can only hope I have the fitness and fortitude to win this
race, as I've never won a marathon in my life. The Las Vegas Rock and
Roll marathon will be my 6th marathon, and if I can pull off the "W",
that would be an impressive accomplishment. I guess, I could plan
100 scenarios, but once the gun goes off on the Strip, I'll make my best
assessment and race with the best intentions to Win.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
17 days out from the 17th of October and Duke City Half Marathon
I am a little late posting this, but it was intended to be posted on the 17th of October...
Well, 17 has always been my lucky number, and on this iconic day of my birth, I look 17 more days until the New York City Marathon. I think the one mistake many runners make is the constant self-assessment of their training. I too have fallen victim to my own observation as I've created an eyeglass into the past months calculating what went well and where I went wrong with my training. I've already pinpointed it to when I started my teaching job, and the immense amount of time spent at school. I could go further back to the summer heat that kept me comfortably away from logging mega miles. Either way, I still feel the fitness is there and I can run a great race considering the circumstances. I will (and have run a half marathon) on October 21st, as part of the Duke City Marathon weekend, and my last big marathon workout. I planned on racing it as a marathon pace workout, and the success of it couldn't have been better.
The Duke City Half Marathon:
From the start of this race I had two goals: 1) to run it as a workout, 2) win it. Once the gun went off at 7:30 am, I took the lead and started to keep a comfortable pace. My first mile in the Duke City was 5:23, and right away I could feel two Africans sitting on me. I didn't want to worry too much about it, since I was just going to run my own race, but deep down it really bugs me, especially since there's no money involved in this race. Why wouldn't you want to work together and run a decent time together?! Well, this guy didn't want to help out at all. I lead the next 6 miles in, 5:21, 5:19, 5:17, 5:12, 5:17 & 5:12. After mile 7, and after one of the African's faded, the Moroccan put in a good surge on me over the next 2 miles. I could only maintain a 5:21 and a 5:20 for the next miles. Also at this point in the race, the half marathon flips around and runs back into the crowd of other runners. So, after mile 9 and about 20 seconds back from the Moroccan, I decided I could still run a good effort and not kill myself before New York City. I start to clip off a 5:19, 5:18 and another 5:18 for miles 10, 11 and 12. By this point, the leader is slightly fading, but he still feels too far away. All the 10k runners that we are passing on our way back to the finish are cheer me along with encouraging words to "catch him", as if by saying something will automatically create a hidden energy source in me. Well, it kind of motivated me as I was able to drop a 5:09 last mile and attempt to kick towards the finish.
With about 200 meters to go, both myself and the Moroccan are finishing strong, and I was able to gain on him to finish 1 second behind him. It's a bit discouraging to lead a race for that amount of distance, only to be used. I distinctively and deliberately remember slowing down to grab water and allowing this Moroccan to take the lead. But instead, he would slow down to a pace that I didn't feel was honest. At times, I would run next to him to work together instead of right behind him, as he would do, but the pace would still falter. As you can tell, I am a bit frustrated with this, especially since NO money was at stake. I wish I had another gear to out kick him at the end, and snag a hidden prize purse; but in reality, neither scenario happen. My time of 69:45 was a solid effort and indicator of where I am at. And of course, the only indicator of a marathon, is to run one... Which is what is going to happen in 12 days!
More to come on my thoughts on how to race this thing!
Well, 17 has always been my lucky number, and on this iconic day of my birth, I look 17 more days until the New York City Marathon. I think the one mistake many runners make is the constant self-assessment of their training. I too have fallen victim to my own observation as I've created an eyeglass into the past months calculating what went well and where I went wrong with my training. I've already pinpointed it to when I started my teaching job, and the immense amount of time spent at school. I could go further back to the summer heat that kept me comfortably away from logging mega miles. Either way, I still feel the fitness is there and I can run a great race considering the circumstances. I will (and have run a half marathon) on October 21st, as part of the Duke City Marathon weekend, and my last big marathon workout. I planned on racing it as a marathon pace workout, and the success of it couldn't have been better.
The Duke City Half Marathon:
From the start of this race I had two goals: 1) to run it as a workout, 2) win it. Once the gun went off at 7:30 am, I took the lead and started to keep a comfortable pace. My first mile in the Duke City was 5:23, and right away I could feel two Africans sitting on me. I didn't want to worry too much about it, since I was just going to run my own race, but deep down it really bugs me, especially since there's no money involved in this race. Why wouldn't you want to work together and run a decent time together?! Well, this guy didn't want to help out at all. I lead the next 6 miles in, 5:21, 5:19, 5:17, 5:12, 5:17 & 5:12. After mile 7, and after one of the African's faded, the Moroccan put in a good surge on me over the next 2 miles. I could only maintain a 5:21 and a 5:20 for the next miles. Also at this point in the race, the half marathon flips around and runs back into the crowd of other runners. So, after mile 9 and about 20 seconds back from the Moroccan, I decided I could still run a good effort and not kill myself before New York City. I start to clip off a 5:19, 5:18 and another 5:18 for miles 10, 11 and 12. By this point, the leader is slightly fading, but he still feels too far away. All the 10k runners that we are passing on our way back to the finish are cheer me along with encouraging words to "catch him", as if by saying something will automatically create a hidden energy source in me. Well, it kind of motivated me as I was able to drop a 5:09 last mile and attempt to kick towards the finish.
With about 200 meters to go, both myself and the Moroccan are finishing strong, and I was able to gain on him to finish 1 second behind him. It's a bit discouraging to lead a race for that amount of distance, only to be used. I distinctively and deliberately remember slowing down to grab water and allowing this Moroccan to take the lead. But instead, he would slow down to a pace that I didn't feel was honest. At times, I would run next to him to work together instead of right behind him, as he would do, but the pace would still falter. As you can tell, I am a bit frustrated with this, especially since NO money was at stake. I wish I had another gear to out kick him at the end, and snag a hidden prize purse; but in reality, neither scenario happen. My time of 69:45 was a solid effort and indicator of where I am at. And of course, the only indicator of a marathon, is to run one... Which is what is going to happen in 12 days!
More to come on my thoughts on how to race this thing!
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