Time: 29:34
Distance: 4.27 miles
Map

I had a busy day visiting accounts for the first time. I dropped in Run For Your Life where Meagan works, drove up the road and said hi to the guys at Charlotte Running Company, and then drove out to TrySports. I also picked up my samples for Craft, Karhu, Balega and Fuel Belt this afternoon. My apartment is now covered with product and Meagan is none too pleased.

When I finished transporting all the gear upstairs I decided it was time to go for a run. It was dark. It was drizzly. And, I didn't want to do it. I returned Tanya's truck to campus and had 30 minutes before Meagan's class let out. I got in some running through the Myers Park neighborhood and ventured into Freedom Park. There isn't a whole lot of action on the roads once the sun sets. I wouldn't say it was fun running in the dark, but I'll have to get used to it.

Rental Car Return

Time: 17:16
Distance: 2.17 miles
Map

I had to return the Hyundai Elantra this morning and decided to run back from the Avis location. I figured I could get in at least 30 minutes but the run ended up being really short. Also, Mr. Garmin decided not to record the first 4 minutes of the run so I really ran longer than 2.17. Such a pathetic effort anyway.

Week in Review

Time: 190:50
Distance: 26.39 miles

What a lousy week of training. I didn't run Weds, Thurs, or Fri. and only logged 9 miles over the weekend. It doesn't help when you catch the swine flu. This week was supposed to be the week where I was able to relax and get in some great training. So much for that. There was no Turkey trot and no workouts either. Wretched.

Oh well. I guess it's good that I'm nearly fully recovered and back in familiar training grounds. I'm not sure what this next week will bring but it can't be as poor as this one.

Baby Steps

Time: 34:27
Distance: 4.5 miles

Meagan and I ran in the park near the house this morning. I felt better than I did yesterday and wasn't coughing nearly as much.

Later today we drove from Mason, OH back to Charlotte, NC. The drive went well until we hit toll booths in Virginia. I hate tolls. They slow you down and take your money. Worse deal out there.

Back Out There

Time: 33:00
Distance: 4.5 miles

It felt good to be out on the roads again this morning. I nearly hacked up a lung in the process, but I was out there. The run never felt great but the legs were moving. Since this week is pretty much a waste I've decided not to try to salvage anything with a big weekend.

No Run

Time: none
Distance: none

I'm feeling a little better easy day but not in a place where I think I should run. I spent the day hanging out at the house playing Wii, watching football, taking naps and snacking.

Thanksgiving Post

Time: none
Distance: none

I need to jump back on the posting bandwagon with some updates. Where to start? Oh yea, I'm sick. Again.

It's Turkey Day here in Ohio and I would have loved to have run the 100th Annual Thanksgiving Day Race in Downtown Cincinnati. A couple of years ago I placed second to Chris Reis on cold day in the 'nati. Mr. Reis took top honors again this morning but I wasn't in attendance. I was at home recovering from what could only have been the swine flu. Yesterday, I had a temperature of 103 which basically ruled out any possibility of running.

I did feel good enough to eat a plate of food and two pieces of pie. However, I'm still not anywhere close to feeling like a champ. So bad in fact that on this holiday I took an AFD. I know, what is the world coming to? This week is pretty much turning out to be a bust. I was hoping to get in some good training here in Ohio but the illness derailed all of that. It looks like I'll have to regroup and refocus for next week.

Swine Flu

Time: none
Distance: none

I have the Swine Flu. Achy back, coughing, running nose and a temperature of 103. My brain is being cooked. Hopefully I survive the night.

Mason, OH

Time: 45:23
Distance: 6 miles

Meagan and I finished our drive from Terre Haute to Ohio last night. This morning we ran around the neighborhood streets and into a nearby park. I got in the 45 minutes I was looking for and hoped to run a workout later this afternoon. I started feeling sick as we shopped and didn't get back out the door.

Terre Haute, Terre Haute

Time: 49:55
Distance: 7.07 miles
Map

There is a little saying they have in Indiana... It goes, Terre Haute, Terre Haute. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. Terre Haute!

At least that's what Mr. Nick Neely told us when the Brown XC team ran pre-nats in '04.

Jenna, Meagan and I arrived to the DI course moments before the men's race started. The guys were milling around the start line doing strides and preparing for battle. I don't feel the need to recap the entire race but I will say that Sammy Chelanga is a beast-child. He put on a show and made a mockery of the entire field.

Other points of interest:
Brown XC runner Christian Escareno went out hard and tanked the final 3k.
I saw Christian Tabib.
I exchanged an awkward moment with Craig Lake.
It was good seeing Conor Holt and Camille.
Big ups to OU placing 12th. Before the season they were unranked.
Funny comment of the day to Marty Smith who said "overwhelmed" when asked how the team was doing.

After the race, the three muskateers went for a run and talked about the racing. Meagan stopped short but Jenna and I continued on. We finished with a blistering 6:40 mile.

Running Like Nascar

Time: 28:05
Distance: 4.32 miles
Map

Last night we stayed at Meagan's cousin's house in Evansville, IN. This morning we are driving to Terra Haute, IN for DI nationals. I needed to run over to Hertz and pick up our trusty rental car which on paper didn't seem like that big of a deal. The Hertz location was only 4.2 miles away, the perfect distance for a morning run. Not exactly.

A long stretch of the run was done along a highway where cars were going Nascar speeds. The Doppler Effect was in full force as the cars raced by. This wasn't the scariest of runs but definitely not one of the safest.

Week in Review

Time: 280:39
Distance: 38.90 miles

I guess this is what it's like to run and work. I need to figure out a better way to accomplish both running and working. I think my plan will be to double every day knowing that some days that's just not going to be possible. Run more than I should some days, knowing that I will probably have to take a zero in a few days.

Busted Long Run

Time: 39:43
Distance: 5.63 miles

I needed to run 16 miles today. It didn't happen. There is a state park just behind the hotel in Henderson, KY and I thought that it would be conducive for me to fit in 16. It wasn't. I heard there was a golf course that you could run on and there was, but it was being golfed. I didn't want to be that guy who runs on the golf course while others are trying to enjoy the round they paid for. I made a few loops on the roads in the park. It was boring. I ran on a trail for about .5 miles. It took about 5 minutes to go .5 miles. Today just wasn't my day.

I stopped around 5 miles into the run to do some hill sprints. I really got after it to the point where my arms hurt. Once I was done, I ran back to the hotel and accepted my failure.

DII Nationals

Time: 39:29
Distance: 6.24 miles
Pace: 6:19
Map

I got in late last night to Henderson, KY but luckily we didn't have to be up early. I spent a relaxing morning by the Holiday Inn Express breakfast line. I wasn't eating but I definitely drank a pot of coffee.

When it was time, we drove out the the course in Evansville, IN. Southern Indiana University was hosting the race and the course took place on some backfields and frisbee golf course. It seemed like a decent venue to host a race, not the best but I've seen far worse.

Benny and I needed to get in a run and decided that it would be best to run the men's 10k loop. I needed to form a viewing game plan for the race and running the course would allow that to happen. We were running a little short on time and the pace of the run kept creeping down. I was feeling good having not run much the last 3 days and finally getting the chance, I wanted to make the most of it.

The course is brutally tough. The first loop is common between the men and women. One hill to worry about but the rest is a challenging cross country course. However, on the second loop that the men run, the back hills portion, is rough. And I mean rough. At about 3 miles the harriers will be sent up a monster of a hill, down a really long stretch and then straight back into the hill on loops 1 and 3. There will be some grimaced faces later in the day!

I was feeling the pain on my easy 6 mile run, so I could only imagine what was to come when the real running starts.

Women's 6k:
A few impressions from this race: 1) The Adam's State women race with white makeup and black lipstick. They look beat up. 2) DII schools almost make a mockery of themselves with all the capes, paint and swords. It definitely adds to the atmosphere, but perhaps not in the best way. 3) Meagan look shocked just before the mile when she was in 135th-ish place. She had the look of "why are there 134 other girls in front of me? She moved up well to finish 93rd. 4) The Queens team really needs a fifth runner. Know anybody? 5) This is not the best spectator friendly course. I had a hard time seeing the athletes more than 4 or 5 times. At regionals it was at least eight. 6) Neely Spence went out hard and paid the price. She was will eventual winner Jessica Pixler at 2.7 miles, but wound up 43rd overall. 7) I covered only 1.74 miles during the race.

Men's 10k:
1) The Adam's State team is really, really good. We already knew that. They ran a dominating race up front. 2) There is a lot of foreign blood in the lead pack. At one point I think I counted 12 of the top 15 as being foreign. 3) It's much easier to beat the women to important spots on the course than it is the men. 4) Several people made comments as to me being German Fernandez when I was racing around to cheer. 5) Simon Stuetzel loves to take it out hard. Today he paid for it. 6) Oscar ran a great race to finish 7th overall. 8) Futsum dropped out with a mile to go. 9) The Queens team placed 7th overall despite Futsum dropping out with a mile to go. 10) I ran 2.34 miles while cheering.

During the brief awards ceremony I fit in another 14:39 and 2.01 miles.

I'm an Idiot, but So is Delta

Time: none
Distance: none

I'm an idiot. Plane and simple.

I was up at 5:30 am this morning and left the hotel in Peabody, MA for Logan Airport. My destination for the day was Evansville, IN but it wasn't going to be the easiest day of travel. My first flight would take me to Atlanta and eventually I would get to Nashville, TN. The plan was to wait at the Nashville airport until Chandler, Tanya and Benny arrived on their drive out to DII nationals. The caravan would pick me up at the airport and then we would make our way up to Evansville.

I was going to have several hours at the Nashville airport and by several I mean at least six. I was prepared for my extended stay at the airport and had some work to do. Everything was going as planned until I showed up to the Starbucks in the B Terminal. I opened my back and realized that I didn't have y computer with me. I know I had it when I got on board the plane in Boston, but after that who knows. I was pretty certain that I left it on the plane, or at the airport in Atlanta. Stupid.

My next move took me to the Delta lounge where I hoped took get a little advice about how to file a report. I was told that I had to talk to baggage service down by baggage claim which is exactly what I didn't want to hear. If I had to go down to baggage claim, then I wouldn't have access to the food and internet at the gates.

I went down to baggage claim and the lady with Delta was extremely helpful. She put my info into the database and gave me a number to call to report the missing laptop. All was complete about 45 minutes later and I figured it was about time to find my checked luggage. Originally, I had planned to pick up the bag moments before leaving the airport but the original plan was out then window. I couldn't find the bag next to any carousel or near the Delta baggage service office. I eventually had to speak with the woman who helped me earlier and she asked to see that little luggage tag that you usually throw away.

Turns out that my bag ended up in Bermuda. My day went from bad to worse as now I didn't have spare clothes or toiletries for a few days. I wasn't going to have an address until next week which complicated matters further. I guess the code for Bermuda is BDA and the one for Nashville is BNA. Who knew that a simple mistake could take you to the Caribbean when you were destined for Tennessee. That would be a great surprise to end up with beaches and sunshine when you were expecting the Titans and the Grand Ole Opry.

Things started to go my way a few hours later when I got a call from a woman in Ft. Lauderdale telling me that my computer had been located. All the proper arrangements were made for getting my laptop back. Just before getting picked up I received another phone call from Delta baggage service confirming the location of where I needed my bag delivered. We dotted our "t's" and crossed our "i's" and then I was told that for my troubles Delta would tuck some travel vouchers into one of the bag's pockets. Sweet deal.

Moral of the story... don't be dumb and leave your computer on a plane, but if you do make the airline feel bad for you so that their service is above and beyond what they would normally provide. It also helps if they lose your bag and see the need to compensate both parties' ineptitude.

Treadmill Time

Time: 36:30
Distance: 5 miles

Again, I was down on the treadmill for some time on the feet. I'm ready wrap things up here this afternoon and head off to DII nationals. This afternoon's bike session doesn't really pertain to my territory, but it will be good prep to become familiar with the direction of the company. Great stuff.

I probably should have run at the hotel in Peabody, MA but I wasn't feeling the need.

Karhu Kool-Aid

Time: 22:51
Distance: ~3 miles

Today we learned about the fulcrum technology in Karhu shoes. Huub Valkenberg is the CEO of the company and is responsible for bringing Nike to Russia and India. Since buying Karhu, Huub has become a big believe in the brand and put a lot of research into the shoe's technology. We learned results of a test where Karhu was pitted against Asics and while it's much too detailed for me to explain here, I'll say that the fulcrum is awesome. If I wasn't drinking the Kool-Aid of Karhu before, I am now.

The group had an early break after a visit to the brand's shoe designer's office. Dan has prototypes all over the place with shoe sketches and molds detailing improvements to the current line. We came dressed to run and did just that after our session. I wanted to put in more miles but everyone was content with the short jog and it was lunch time. I fear that my training is going down the shitter this week.

Too Cold Not to Treadmill

Time: 35:00
Distance: 5 miles

I made the mistake of not bringing enough warm clothing to sales meeting. I was worried that I'd catch grief for wearing old Brooks, Nike, Adidas or Asics gear on the runs. I only have two Craft pieces and I'm reluctant to get them dirty with sweat. It was a stupid mistake as I don't think anybody really cares since I'm new. In fact, Danielle from Colorado wore Saucony's on the run because she, too, is new, and used to work for the competitor. Oh well.

I was down at the fitness facility before 7 bells to fit in some miles that were oh so fantastic.

Group Jaunt in Portsmouth

Time: 22:29
Distance: 2 miles

Yes, that is really slow. This afternoon the sales team took a break and suited up in our running costumes to go for a jog. My new boss, Paul Perrone, and I ran down the other members of the group after getting out the door late. Paul sounded a little like Johnny G when he would run 5 or 6 miles with the Brown XC team. Lots of coughing, hacking and uncomfortable breathing. It was a little gross and worrisome but Paul managed well. Maybe not well, but not dead.

We finished up the run at Runner's Alley which is the local shop. It was cool seeing Craft on the hangers in the store after just learning about Layer 1 (aka base layer). I've been taking tons of notes and will be excited to get the samples of the gear in a few weeks. Good thing I'm sample size.

Exploring Portsmouth

Time: 69:58
Distance: 10.02 miles
Pace: 6:59
Map

I ran with Lee Greenberg this morning through the streets of Portsmouth. Great little towns they got up in New England, I tell you. Around 15 minutes into the run Lee, the sales rep out of Chicago, and I ran into a fit looking guy about age 50. We got to running with him and he told us that on Sunday he was running the Philly 'thon. His goal was to run in the 2:50s which is pretty badass. That's like faster than Wee Man. Snipe!

We dropped Lee back at the hotel and then I ventured out and heard some stories about Portsmouth. I found out that Mark Coogan lives in the area and that the winner of this year's Marine Corps Marathon is from the town. Who knew that Portsmouth was the training Mecca of the northeast?

Sheraton Treadmill

Time: 43 mins
Distance: 6 miles

I hate treadmills. Absolutely hate them. I got in to Boston around 3 pm and then waited for the remaining members of the party to arrive. Sales reps from across the country are flying in for this meeting up in New Hampshire. I was picked up outside the terminal by a limo service, though it was a van and not a limo, but he still had a white board sign with my name on it. Pretty sweet.

On the drive up to Portsmouth I listened intently to Kim and Danielle from Colorado and Keith from Portland talk about their various brands. I had no idea what they were talking about as they could have been speaking in French. Most of their brands come from the biking world, a world that is very foreign to me. I'm now glad that I don't have Craft Bike at this point in my career. Maybe in a few years I'll take that on but for now, I'll be overwhelmed with Craft Run and XC. Steve from Santa Cruz, CA was the last to be picked up and we were off to another New England state.

Once at the hotel I felt the need to shake the legs out on the treadmill. It's the first time that I've run on one in quite some time and it still sucks. I managed 2.25 miles before I accidentally pulled out the safety mechanism. My mistake allowed me to take a break and regather mentally for the next 3.75 miles. Glad I ran, not glad that it was on the 'mill.

Up and Out and Off

Time: 57:01
Distance: 8.57 miles
Pace: 6:39

I was out the door early so that I could squeeze in a few miles before heading to the airport. I'm flying up to Boston and then eventually Portsmouth, NH for the Craft/Karhu FW10 sales meeting. The streets this morning had a bit more action than I expected and it's good to see all the potential customers out along the Booty Loop. I really need to get a new Garmin Ant Stick because I think the memory on the watch is getting used up.

Week in Review

Time: 583:04
Distance: 88.99 miles

I'm glad to be putting in the miles. I need to focus on some quality base training where I'm just building strength. With a lot of travel coming up I'll be lucky to just get in miles when I can. I'll need to take advantage of stocking mileage when it is possible. Body is feeling good.

McAlpine Sixteen

Time: 103:00
Distance: 16.26 miles
Pace: 6:20

Splits: 7:35, 6:50, 6:37, 6:32, 6:23, 6:25, 6:30, 6:10, 6:27, 6:36, 6:12, 6:03, 5:54, 5:50, 5:56, 5:32, 1:29

Meagan and I went out to the Old Bell parking lot to meet up with Queens for the weekly long run. This was definitely the first time all season where I was going longer than anyone on the team. They have DII nationals this coming Saturday and were going to be taking it easy. And, by taking it easy I mean that by mile 3 their pace was already sub-6:20. Simon and I opted to play it safe and not push the pace up front. We ran our own clip and chatted about the race, and my new job. Have I mentioned that yet?

I fell into a nice groove around mile 11 when Simon departed to get back to Old Bell. I was out their solo and needed to hurry things along. My sweet spot right now is around 5:50 pace where I feel comfortable but know I'm running fast and efficient.

Hunged Over

Time: 65:17
Distance: 10.04 miles

Had a great night with Carmody and some of his buddies last night. We played a few games of pong in the death zone of a backyard that is Hanley's house. Cups everywhere. Couches everywhere. Terrible scene. The one great decision I made last night was to not go out on the town after the games of pong.

I was up and out the door a little after 7 to hit up Town Lake. I was worried that I wasn't going to be able to find a parking spot. The run started out slow and gradually progressed into something respectable. I ended up averaging about 6:30s which means the final few miles were of some quality. I couldn't find my Karhu Fast_Rides which meant I had to run in the Lunar Racers.

Austin Night Run

Time: 42:41
Distance: 6.44 miles

I spent much of the day at coffee shops in Austin. I was all hyped up on the 'feine and decided I needed to hit the streets. I attempted to run the same loop as last night with Mike, but somewhere near the hospital I took a wrong turn. It didn't mess me up too much, but I ran an extra half-mile.

Zilker Park

Time: 55:12
Distance: 8.78 miles

W/u: 16: 10 for 2.11 miles
W/o: 26:28 for 5.01 miles
C/d: 12:34 for 1.66 miles

This morning I set out with Mike Carmody to run a workout near Town Lake. We left before 7:00 to meet up with a few other UT guys who weren't racing regionals. We ran a short warm up to Zilker Park and then got to work.

The team was doing a 20 minute tempo/threshold effort around the perimeter of the park. The assistant coach who was present wanted Mike and I to run as our own group due to NCAA regulations. I was glad to have someone to workout with this morning and it was going to be interesting if I could get into xc mode. The park was a little torn up from SXSW or Austin City Limits, one of the big music festivals had torn up the normally golf like grass. It took my stride a few minutes to get used to running on the wet surface. I have to admit that I was shocked to see an opening split under 5:30.

Our splits were: 5:17, 5:16, 5:17, 5:17, 5:20.

Mike ran with me for the first 20 minutes and then stopped. I didn't struggle the last lap but wasn't able to keep the same rhythm. Overall, I'm really pleased with how this workout turned out.

I was supposed to run a few 400s after the 5 mile tempo, but the ribs from the night before were calling and after the first quarter I called it a day.

Ribs, Beer and a Run

Time: 42:14
Distance: ~6 miles

This afternoon I was offered the sales rep position with The Genesis Agency. I met up with Paul Perrone at The Running Event and we went over a few things before him asking me to join the team. I am very excited to have a new position and know it is something that I will do well at. I helped break down at the expo and then met up with some new friends at Paul's house. We were shown some of our products and then before leaving I was handed a rack of ribs.

Why did I just tell you that? Well, I was really hungry and at some of those ribs around 7:00 pm before Mike Carmody came home from class. He said he was going running and I couldn't refuse. I ran 6 miles with him after eating ribs, tortillas and drinking a few beers from Hanley's kegerator. Wise decision? Probably not, but I didn't feel as terrible as one would expect. You always gotta train for the occasional beer mile. That's what this was tonight.

Oh yea. I have a J-O-B.

Town Lake

Time: 57:17
Distance: 8.72 miles

I ran on Town Lake this morning and happened to run into Sara Bei (aka Sara Hall, Ryan Hall's wife). She was in town for the Running Event and to meet with Lance Armstrong about how to run a successful organization. Sara and Ryan have started the Hall Steps Foundation just recently. It was fun catching up with her and it made 20 minutes pass by really quickly. We departed on the far side of the Run Tex bridge and then I ran back to 0.0.

After the run I did a few strides to check up on my turnover. It felt a little awkward doing so.

The Running Event

Time: none
Distance: none

That bitch Ida was still in town this morning. I could hear her torments as I decided to roll over and go back to sleep. There was no point in getting a wet, dark and windy run in before leaving for The Running Event in Texas.

Jeff emailed me with some training and I promptly started following it by taking a day off. Oh well. I didn't have the chance to run in Austin after interviewing with Paul Perrone (TGA) and Jay Duke (Karhu). However, I did get to meet up with Oscar and Scotty D of OK Runner fame. We had some good times at the Hula Hut on Town Lake.

Uncle Reebok via Keith Kelly bought Brian Hanley, Mike Carmody and me a beer at the Hilton bar. It was a fun night but a relatively quiet one on Sixth Street.

Last Minute Miles

Time: 68:12
Distance: 10.35 miles

I have managed to misplace the Garmin connector device that uploads workouts. Not good. Hopefully I didn't lose it.

I nearly didn't run this afternoon because of the weather. Hurricane Ida made her presence known this morning and she didn't let up. I was content to sit on the couch and prepare for my trip to Austin, TX but then I heard the team wasn't going to McAlpine. There was a chance for me to run with some guys near the Queens campus and I wanted to take advantage of it.

I put my rain costume on and set out in the rain. I ran into Mr. Stuetzel in Freedom Park and we continued on for a few miles. It wasn't that cold out so it terms of comfort, it was no where near miserable. I finished up with a few quick miles around 6-minute pace. Glad to have some miles for the day.

A Jilane Type Day

Time: 54:39
Distance: 7.40 miles
Pace: 7:23
Map

Given the fact that Jeffrey still hasn't got me any sort of training schedule, I'm content to create one myself. Today's running called for 15 miles in the morning, 1.5 miles in the late morning and another run in the afternoon.

Meagan was running "long" with Jenna from Old Bell and since I had nothing better to do, I thought to join in the fun. We ran easy, but I could tell there were already some miles in the legs. The biggest discomfort was a slight cramp in my left shoulder/upper arm. It was either a cramp or a warning sign for a stroke. I started feeling good by mile 5 and finished tired but strong. There is nothing like a 15-1.5-7.4 mile day. Take that Jeff.

Distinguished Mr. Stuetzel

Time: 94:44
Distance: 14.71 or 15.00 miles (JK vs. SS Garmin)
Pace: 6:25
Map

Last night Simon and I had this text conversation:

Me: What time you running long tomorrow?
Simon: Hey buddy. Coach wants me to run at 7:30. I'm very happy if you'll come.
Me: Ok cool. How far you going boss?
Simon: Mister Kinley, we're happy to tell you that Mr. Stuetzel is running approximately 15 miles tomorrow. We look forward to welcome you in McAlpine Headquarters.
Me: My distinguished Mr. Stuetzel, I would be ever so obliged to join you on the 15 mile jaunt through the trails of McAlpine. I'll see you at the top of the morning.
Simon: Mr. Kinley. Mr. Stuetzel is happy to pay homage to you by his attendance. --Scott Simmons alias The Dark Knight (personal assistant to Simon Stuetzel)

In the morning we fell in love and lived happily ever after.

Just kidding. The run went well but the biggest shock occurred at 2.5 miles when we looked back and saw Edgar was tagging along. Edgar hasn't run in over a month, barely cross-trains and ran 34:10 at regionals on Saturday. Today, he walked Simon and I down by mile 3 and ran with us for the next hour. Either Edgar is a beast or he hid in the woods during the race. I can't explain how he was able to run 6 minute pace so easily this morning though.

Once back on campus, I had to run over to get the car from Meagan who was at work. I took a short cut through Freedom Park to arrive at Run for Your Life around 1.5 miles.

Week in Review

Time: 522:20
Distance: 78.66 miles

An almost legit week of training but my highest in about a month. The legs continue to feel fresh and I'm slowly becoming more motivated to train. It appears there are three weeks to get in shape for the Thanksgiving Day Race in Cincinnati. I can make that happen.

Congrats to the Queens men's and women's team who both qualified for DII nationals.

Shortened Long Run

Time: 65:15
Distance: 10.15 miles
Pace: 6:25
Map

I started my run at McAlpine with Tanya and Meagan for the first two miles. The legs were feeling good and I could tell that I was going to have a solid run. I eventually dropped the ladies and ran the Footlocker course twice before heading back to Old Bell. I clicked off splits of: 7:35, 7:19, 6:47, 6:32, 6:23, 6:13, 6:12, 5:58, 5:49, 5:38. Meagan was only going for 6 miles so I was instructed not to take that long. The Queens boys are going to run long tomorrow so I will probably go long then.

DII Southeast Cross Country Regionals

Time: 43:47
Distance: 6.00 miles
Map

I scooped up Tanya this morning and we drove out to Wingate, NC where the DII regional meet was being held. The women would kick off the day at 9:30 which left Tanya and I just enough time to get in a run. We set out on the course and did the men's 10k loops. Our run gave us a chance to preview the best spectating locations along the course and it built excitement for the races. The race course wasn't too challenging with a few rollers on the back portion of the race, but nothing that would make or break a performance.

The women's race started and it was time to become spectator/cheerleader for the Royals who had never qualified a team to nationals. The squad is lead by Jessica Neville, Maraya Slatter, Holly Annas and a newcomer to the xc scene, Meagan Nedlo. Ms. Nedlo was running her first and potentially last collegiate cross country race if things didn't work out for nationals. Just after the mile mark Jessica was running in 5th, Maraya and Holly in a chase group around 9th-12th and Meagan was in the second chase group around 14th-17th. The all important fifth girl, Katie Snow, loomed around 50th.

I made a mad dash from the back section to just beyond 2.25 miles where a spectator could easily cheer for the runners three times. At this point Jessica remained in 5th, Maraya now in 7th, Holly in 9th, Meagan in 14th, Katie in 39th. With about a mile to go the team battle was shaping up, but not with the expected team. It always seems that when you are focused on one school's jersey, another team goes unnoticed and they are the squad that is going to make it close.

I stood at the final turn where there is about 180 meters to run. The girls continued to move up the final mile but it was going to come down to Katie. Maraya caught Jess at the line to take 5th and 6th. Meagan was battling for 8th but wound up 9th (remember that) and Holly struggled but finished 14th. Katie has now running in the mid-30s with a group in front, she finished 35th.

The boy's race was fun to watch but not nearly as exciting until the final stretch. Oscar battled a Kenyan from Columbus State to the tape. He was given the win, but the picture raises some questions. The fellas were favored to win and that's exactly what they did placing six runners in the top 15.

After the races, results were slow to emerge because the host school took it back to '99 with tag scoring. No chip timing for the DII ranks, too fancy. Too modern. Too much like DI. There was a promise that two cameras would serve as backup to the pull-tag system, but of course, neither camera was actually used. The Queens women placed second with 69 points while Columbus State took home first with 68 points. There was no way to actually check if the scores had been tallied correctly or if the tags had been pulled in the right order. Way to go DII! Despite the fact that Meagan had a Columbus State girl pass her at the tape, nobody decided to give her a hard time. She was, more or less, the reason why the team placed second with the 9th place finish.

I had planned on running in the afternoon, but opted not to because of the distance I covered during the races. In the women's 6k race I covered 2.01 miles and in the men's 10k I ran 2.31 miles.

McAlpine Threshold

Time: 61:33
Distance: 10.01 miles

W/u: 14:51 for 1.95 miles
W/o: 31:39 for 6.04 miles
C/d: 15:02 for 2.02 miles

Sean, Tanya and I met up at Queens to drive out to McAlpine for a workout. Tanya was running a 6-mile predator run while Sean and I were going to run a 6-mile threshold run. The difference is that Tanya's splits would decrease as the run goes on while Sean and my splits would stay relatively the same.

We warmed up and stretched a bit from the Old Bell parking lot. Sean wanted to run three miles out and three back for the course. It was his workout so I was just tagging along with pace, route and distance. He was hoping to run between 5:10 and 5:20 pace controlled.

Our splits were:
5:11, 5:10, 5:18, 5:20, 5:16, 5:14

I felt very relaxed running the opening two miles. The turn-around mile was okay but I could tell that I was starting to feel the pace. I never went to the well but definitely had thoughts of stopping at five today. Leaving the Footlocker course quickly gets you to the 1.75 marker and soon you're at 1.50. I started playing games with myself in order to reach 1.00 and every quarter mile split after that. The workout today was based on effort so I guess we achieved our goals, definitely nothing to write home about.

End of My Work Week

Time: 40:00
Distance: 6.01 miles
Pace: 6:39
Map

I left my internship this afternoon and headed over to Run for Your Life with a change of clothes. Meagan finished up work and drove home while I started my run. I did a similar loop as to last week from the store. The weather was almost identical to last week's too. I found myself wandering around the Dilworth neighborhood at a relaxing pace and finished up through Freedom Park. I wasn't concerned with pace but can see now I split: 7:40, 6:56, 6:41, 6:23, 6:12, 6:07.

Morning Jog

Time: 40:59
Distance: 5.43 miles
Pace: 7:32
Map

Meagan and I ran this morning through Freedom Park. She wanted to put in 6 miles but was commenting about how her hip was really tight. We decided not to look for an extra half mile and ran back to the apartment.

Karhu Debut

Time: 52:xx
Distance: 8.00 miles

I ran with Sean and Tanya this afternoon out at McAlpine. Sean and I did the same loop as the one earlier this week. I felt pretty good with the pace. I've started running in a pair of Fast_Ride Karhus. I like them but they definitely weren't broken in as there was slight forefoot discomfort with the underside of my foot. I think after 20 miles they will be good to go.

Catsup

Time: 35:22
Distance: 5.30 miles

I set out for my standard morning run through Freedom Park. It was a quiet morning on the roads and I continue to feel good.

Gloves or No Gloves

Time: 66:21
Distance: 10.25 miles
Pace: 6:28
Map

I had to put in some early miles this morning in order to get out the door for my internship. Running after "work" wasn't an option either because I'm currently making moves on the job front. That's a post for another day though (hopefully soon). The run took me over familiar territory and was the same loop that Dave and I ran on before leaving for Japan. The sun is now out at the 6:40 am hour which helps with the motivation.

It wasn't cold per se but definitely headed in that direction. I opted not to break out the gloves this morning but I did use my long sleeve shirt to cover my hands. I'm a wuss when it comes to having cold upper extremities. I don't run well and never relax when my arms and hands are cold. While I don't have Raynaud's like Meagan, I don't like to be cold up top.

Mr. Brosnan

Time: 51:45
Distance: 8.01 miles
Pace: 6:27
Map

Meagan and I met up with Sean and Tanya at the Boyce lost of McAlpine. The girls did their own thing while Sean and I ran an eight mile loop. Sean is a miler who is now living in Eugene, OR but may make a move to the Bay Area. He nearly broke the 4-minute mile this summer while racing in Europe. Sean knows a great deal about the sport and it's fun being able to talk all things running. Today's run was relaxed and quiet out on the trail. I'm feeling refreshed and ready to start a new cycle.

Freedom Park Loop

Time: 35:18
Distance: 5.30 miles

Standard run this morning to Freedom Park. Nothing too interesting out on the roads. I was able to run a little later in the morning because I don't have my internship until mid-week.

Week in Review

Time: 357:49
Distance: 53.01 miles

I had another very casual week of running. The week started off with some very light days and finished with more typical training. I'm still pondering what I want to train for next. I know that I would like to run the Thanksgiving Day Race in Cincinnati again this year. I have tried to win it in the past and have fallen short. Perhaps this year is it. After Turkey Day I'm not sure what I'll be focusing on. It would be fun to run a track season given I'll probably be at a lot of the meets Meagan and Queens attends. However, given my recent lack of success at the shorter distances it may be in my best interest to run another half-marathon or marathon in the spring.

I want to put in 10 good weeks of base training where the workouts are threshold efforts. I would like to start incorporating strides at the end of double runs. With 10 solid weeks of 85+ miles and a balance of threshold/stride speed work, I will be in a position to make a better decision in the middle of December. I'll better know where my fitness is at and if I feel sharp, I'll choose track and if I feel strong, I'll choose marathon.

Meb and Tarpy

Time: 74:44
Distance: 12.00 miles
Pace: 6:14
Map

What a great morning! Meb Keflezghi became the first American to win the NYC Marathon in 27 years. Great race and the move he made with two miles to run was truly inspirational.

Meagan and I got up early to watch the marathon and then realized that the races didn't start until after 9 am. That gave me some time to figure out how to connect the computer to the tv so we could watch with a bigger screen and better sound. I overcame my frustration and conquered Mr. Technology with several minutes to spare. We invited over Jenna, Tanya and Sean to watch the race unfold like the running geeks that we are.

The living room became my running HQ for the duration of the race. Meagan's mini-computer was hooked up to the big screen playing the live universalsports.com feed of the race. On my MacBook I had multiple tabs open so that I could soak up as much info about the race as possible. I watched the men's only feed in one tab, chatted with Owen about the race in another, and tracked multiple competitors in another. I was also texting Mike DeCoste with updates because he wasn't getting any from the NYC Marathon website.

My interest was split between the lead pack and Pat Tarpy. I loved watching how the runners up front eyed each other constantly as they waited to make moves. Tarpy could only be tracked online and seeing his splits was really exciting. Before the race he hinted at running alongside Brian Sell who always seems to run even and smart. According the the splits, Tarpy decided to do just that as both went through half-way at the same time.

The excitement increased as several Americans maintained contact in the front while Tarpy hung tough through miles 18, 19 and 20. Owen and I chose horses at mile five of the race which meant he was cheering for Ryan Hall and James Kwambai. I settled on Meb to as the top US finisher and Robert Cheruiyot to win the race. I had little true confidence in my picks but both looked very relaxed running out of the lead early on. I believe their experience with the course and their bodies brought them to finish 1-2 at the end of the day. It was a great race heading into Central Park and one that brought a lot of energy to our living room.

Owen and I assumed Tarpy would be finishing around 2:14 or 2:15 according to his 35k split of 1:51:xx. We waited, and waited, and waited for the tracker page to update. Nothing. Maybe there was a glitch or there was too much traffic on the site. Tarpy had to be near the finish but the live feed on universalsports.com was failing us now. Probably around the 2:17 or 2:18 finishing time mark, Owen forwarded me a message from his friend Elliot who I assume was watching live at the race: "just saw Tarpy walking then he started running again." Nooo. I was upset/disappointed/sad that the marathon had taken another one. I don't mean to ridicule Tarpy when I post his splits because I know he reads this blog. I was emotionally invested in the splits because I could see the development of an a brilliant run. Here they are:

Half Marathon Split - 66:44
Second Half Split - 73:59

Split from mile 14 to 15 - 5:10
Split from mile 15 to 16 - 5:12
Split from mile 16 to 17 - 4:59
Split from mile 17 to 18 - 5:04
Split from mile 18 to 19 - 5:08
Split from mile 19 to 20 - 5:26
Split from mile 20 to 21 - 5:34
Last 7.2k of the race - 28:47 (~6:05/mile* pace) *includes walking

I got one of the best texts I've ever received from Tarpy after the race. I had just returned from my 12 miler with Sean Brosnan out at McAlpine. He writes:
"Tough day for this guy, thought 2:14 was happening. Back first to go, then hips, then feet, then heart. If you want applause in a marathon take a walk break and then start running again. Crowd loves it. Also I passed one of the elite women at 25 and she then out kicked me. Not my finest moment."

Tarpy ran 2:20:43 in his marathon debut on a tough course in NYC. He finished as the 13th overall American in the race. There aren't too many people who can say they ran 2:20 after taking three 30 second walk breaks in the last 5k.

Having the technology to follow a race so closely today was great fun. The efforts today brought many highs and lows to our living room. Even though I was hours away from the live action it felt like I was experiencing the race first hand. Meb's performance will always be remembered. Tarpy's performance will be too.

Oh, it was also Meagan's birthday today. She is now in her late 20s which is nearly 30.