UNM Lobo Indoor 3k

Running a PR is always something to be happy with, which is what occurred this past weekend.  It was another UNM indoor race, with loads of runners in all sorts of events.  Allyson Felix was at the meet and she ran a Stadium record in the 400m in 52.05!  So that was sweet to see.  Then it was nice to see some of the UNM guys and girls run well leading up to the mens 3k.  I knew in the weeks leading up to this race, that it was going to be stacked with a grip load of studs and NCAA All-Americans.  So, it was nice to see that I made it into that heat, as there were two heats of this race.  

To name a few guys, we had: Rory Fraser (13:39 5k), Patrick Smyth (1:02 half-marathon among other top 5 performances at USA Championships), Ben Bruce (8:26 sc), Jason Lehmekule (5th at the US Marathon Trials, 2:14) and a couple of other sub 14:00 5k guys.

So, with all this talent in the field and a rabbit to pace the leaders through at 8:05 pace for 3k, it was going to be exciting.  There was a waterfall start, and since I was seeded second to last in this heat I was on the waterfall on the outside lanes, which was fine.  Once the gun went off, everyone took off like a bat out of hell.  Our little group didn't cut in, until the 100m mark and I positioned myself around 6th or 7th place through the first 400m.  After that point, I was still running in lane 2 so I decided to move up and sit on the inside lane, but there was no way to get in unless I moved up to 4th place behind Rory and Smyth.  So, like an impatient runner I did exactly that.  I was nice and secure in 4th place through the 800m mark in about 2:13.  The pace started to heat up and I was holding on while a few guys passed me as we hit the mile in about 4:24.  I was in about 7th place at this time and Jason Lehmekule started to move and pass a bunch of us on the outside.  At that point I decided I could go with him and position myself back in 4th place, since at this point the rabbit dropped off and the leaders were now: Smyth, Fraser and Lehmekule.  I was in 4th again for a short amount of time as Ben Bruce passed  me and then Aucencio Martinetz passed me as well.  Naturally, I tried to stick on them but could only hold their pace for a few hundred meters and would fade off of each of them.  I could hear the announcer and the crowds going nuts, since it was a great battle between UNM's Rory Fraser and Team USA Minnesota's Patrick Smyth at the bell lap.  I could see them killing each other as I was trying to close the gap on Lehmekule, since Bruce and Martinetz passed him, but that didn't happen in the finally 200 meters.  The crowd roared to Fraser's win of 8:08 and a wake of runners that still bettered the Stadium record of 8:10.  Four guys went under the old record and Lehmekule finished in 8:13 as I was kicking in just under 8:20 with a new PR of 8:19.99.  

It has a catchy ring to say 8:19, instead of 8:20... So I was full of smiles and happy to run that fast before the US Cross Championships.  I know two of those guys in my race are racing Cross, so its going to be a great race out there in Spokane.  I am getting excited and wonder how fast I could run a 5k at sea level...?  Sub 14:00?  And I don't know if I'll get the chance to do that this year.  It would be nice, but it also would be nice to make a US Team.  I think I'll go for the US team and see what happens.

Results:

http://www.golobos.com/sports/c-track/stats/2009-2010/unm13010_res.html

Article:

http://www.dailylobo.com/index.php/article/2010/02/dashingfellows_best_their_own_times 

Indoors... among other things

This week shall be another attempt at an indoor race.  I will be racing the 3k here in ABQ and hope to run a PB, which was set here last year at the same meet.  It should be a good one.  Besides that, I feel that training is going well.  I had a few hiccups in the past 2 weeks which were minor sicknesses that hampered training to a minimum.  When sickness occur they always tend to mentally bring you down more that physically; from a runners standpoint that is.  I felt that my fitness and consistency were compromised, which has a huge effect on me when training was going so well.  And after looking back at my log and the trend of sicknesses that I've had, its clear that it was contributed to lack of sleep.  A funny hypothesis I made was that I always get sick after a wedding; which happened over the summer as well.  Nevertheless, its over and training is going well again.  This weekend shall be a testament to that thought.

Also, with so many great things happening in the marathon these past couple of weeks I "consulted" with my roommate (Allen Wagner) about doing a marathon this spring.  After Twin Cities I was eager to run another marathon.  The only thing holding me back in my mind was the idea of developing and working on my speed over the spring.  And when "working" on speed, it meant racing shorter distances on and off the track.  But, the more I think about it, I can always work on speed during marathon training.  The only thing that I can't attain from working on speed, is actually going to a bunch of track races and racing a PB.  But, at this point its out weighed by the fact that I haven't qualified for the US Olympic Trials and want to!  So, that's why I will be racing one this April.  I know its going to go well!       

Lobo Mile

Well, this past weekend I ran the mile here in Albuquerque and it went well.  The UNM indoor track is an amazing facility and I always enjoy racing on it.  Although, this was only my second time racing on it, it was still a great experience.  There were about seven guys in our race, of which two of them are sub 4 minute milers at sea level.  Kris and I knew we had no business racing those guys, so we decided to trail them and close fast.  We went out somewhat conservative and then I started to press the pace in attempts to close the second half of the race faster than the first half.  One of the UNM guys (Matt Everett) was with me when we separated from the chase pack and then with about 400 to go I started to push even harder with the intent to "kick".  The winner of the race ran 4:08, second was 4:10 and I was third in 4:14.  Matt ran 4:18 and Kris ran 4:24.  All in all it was great to get on the track and move that fast.  It is something well needed before US Cross.

Race Video:

http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view_video/236281/265880

    

UNM Lobo Opener

Tomorrow is the first indoor race of the year, and I shall be racing the mile.  Its more of a workout than a race, but its going to be a great performance and effort.  A couple of OTC guys should be in the race, so I won't be anywhere near them.  Updates of the race should be posted.

2010 Training

2010 is going to be a great year, I can already tell.  Training is going to be great and the friends and family that encompass this new year are going to be great companies for these wonderful experiences.  However, I have one minor set back, and that is while I write this I am a bit under the weather.  Yet, it's nothing too serious and as I watch my other training partners get healthy and logging in the miles, I can only hope that we will be running new pr's and competing against some good guys.

The most immediate goal that has been on my mind since last year is focused towards the USA Cross Country Championships next month in Spokane, Washington.  This 12k cross country race is something that I cannot wait to race and do well in.  I hope to make a US National Team and represent my country in running.  It would be such an honor and dream come true to achieve.  There will be a few of us out there, and a buddy of mine lives in Spokane, so the experience is going to be great.  The weather; God willing, should be miserable!  Snow, windy and mud should prove to be a great cross country experience.  And the training leading up to this race has been great!  Mileage has been relatively high, but could be higher and the quality of the workouts has been great.  Yet, my biggest problem has been rest.  My recovery runs have been great, but the amount of sleep has been awful.  I have about 5 weeks till the race and I need to incorporate more sleep into my training in order to make that team.