The OK Runner

Vision Lost

2012-01-27T08:24:00.000-05:00

This is not how I envisioned my training after Meagan's Olympic Trials performance. I had hoped to start running my own workouts eared to running a spring marathon. There was even talk about getting an entry into the Boston Marathon, but all of that has been put on pause. I had been having some slight discomfort in my low right side of my back, hip, groin during the last couple of runs with Meagan leading up to the Trials. In Houston, the pain wasn't getting any better, so I opted to take Saturday (the only running I did was to cheer on the runners) and Sunday off. Fast forward to today and I'm still having the same discomfort whenever I land on my right side.

I'm pretty convinced it's my SI joint and I'll find out more this Saturday when I go to see a chiropractor. I have run a bit which I'll update soon.

Since I'm not really running, check out a few recent articles about work:

Antenna Mag & Candy Washington

I didn't attend Project NY, but it's a big shoe and fashion trade show. My sense is that people way cooler that you or me browse mostly underground brands looking for the next biggest urban trends.

I don't really work on the Karhu Originals side of the business, but I wear the shoes all the time. There is something about the brand's unique history that I like. Wearing brightly colored mesh upper shoes also gets a big boring as I spend enough time in running shoes. When I visit accounts or hang out with my friends, I prefer to wear Karhu Originals. (Yes, that was a Dos XX reference).

Running with the Trials Competitors

2012-01-13T22:23:00.000-05:00

Run I
Time: 47:57
Distance: 10.67 km
Pace: 4:30/km
Map

Run II
Time: 29:46
Distance: 6.61km
Pace: 4:30/km
Map

Meagan and I jogged over to the Hilton to meet up with Caitlin, and Allison Mascas and Scott MacPherson of Team Rogue Elite. The group of us jogged out to the Allen Parkway where there are no lights to cross. Lots of participants were out getting in their last runs before toeing the line tomorrow. Deena Kastor even said "good morning" as we crossed a street close to the hotel.

The hotel lobby is buzzing with activity and everyone looks fit. Both the men and women competing look smaller in person than in video interviews or pictures. Most of the participants I know are just happy to be in attendance and don't have any aspirations to actually be in the top 3. However, all wish to have a great race and take as many scalps as possible. On my second run with Jesse Armijo and Joe Moore, they both talked about picking up the carnage late in the race if they just ran a consistent pace of 5:15 to 5:20. I'm rooting for the little guys, the guys who are just happy to be in the race, the ones who hit late qualifying times at CIM or small marathons on the Gulf. They have no shot at being top 10 and little shot at being top 25, but it will be fun to watch guys like Joe and Jesse.

The rest of the day was spent hanging around the hotel and making sure Meagan had everything she needed. One interesting story that is relevant to the USATF uniform rules involves Craft. Meagan took her jersey to the uniform check-in and had no issues. On the other hand, Joe took his uniform to the check-in and came down to lunch with duct tape over the "Craft" portion of the logo but not the six dots.

After our meal, I went up to the uniform committee and simply explained that I had two athletes competing, both with the same logo and one has duct tape on, the other doesn't. I showed them my jacket and continued asking questions in the politest way possible. Craft didn't appear on the list of pre-approved brands, but I eventually got to speak with someone who knew the rules. Turns out, they didn't know Craft was the actual apparel manufacturer and not some other sponsor which means the logo is permitted to be visible. I immediately told Joe to peel off the tape and that he would be good to rock the Elite Jersey. Problem averted!

I avoided the technical meeting and instead chatted with Pat Price of Writing About Running concerning some Karhu articles we would like him to explore. I met up with Meagan's parents and chilled in their hotel room before dinner. I ate dinner and enjoyed the very same meal I had for lunch (the steak was much better this time). I chatted with many friends running the race and wished them all best of luck. Tomorrow is going to be bad ass!

For updates on Meagan's progress during the race... follow me on twitter (@jokin359).

Sketchy Run in Houston

2012-01-12T22:06:00.000-05:00

Time: 53:57
Distance: 12.45 km
Pace: 4:20/km
Map

Meagan and I didn't have a banner day of travel down to Houston for the Trials. We left the house well before 6 AM to give us plenty of time to park the car, check in and make it to the gate. Everything was going smooth up until the point we were seated on the plane ready to taxi out to the runway when the pilot came on over the PA and stated all flights into Philly had been grounded. Awesome! Everyone was let off the plane to hang out and we would re-board about an hour later.

Any chance of making our flight was out the window when we arrived minutes after our plane departed. We were booked on a flight that would leave 5 hours later so we killed time at Cantina Laredo, reading books and walking around. The flight to Houston was slowed further when the pilot kept informing us of a 150+ mph headwind meaning we'd arrive to Texas an hour later than expected. Other than the minor inconveniences of travel, we arrived to Houston 12+ hours after our morning started. Our spirits improved upon seeing Leo Kormanik at the airport and meeting some other BAA athletes.

We jumped on the shuttle bus destined for Hilton in downtown, but first made a quick stop at another terminal. It was a good stop as Joe Moore jumped on and we were able to catch up a bit about training, Craft/Karhu and running in general. I pushed Karhu to sponsor/help Joe out after his late qualifying run at a rinky dink half marathon on the Alabama Gulf Coast. You can read more about his story at his blog.

I got to the hotel and immediately changed into my running costume. I have never run in Houston before, so I asked Meagan which direction to run looking out Caitlin's hotel window. Downstairs I followed her suggestion perfectly, however she sent me into "el barrio." I was running through the mean streets of Houston where flashing lights, guard dogs, and barbed wire was the norm. I kept at it on high alert for the next 5-6 km ready to bolt at an aggressive yell or gunshot. Fortunately, I made it back into the city and hotel safely without really ever being in danger, but certainly not feeling secure about my route.

Later after checking out the course map of both the Trials course and the Houston Marathon, I saw that where I put in kilometers was conveniently left off the map. I think they are trying to tell participants to run where the course is and not across the wrong side of the tracks.

Meagan's Last Workout Before the Trials

2012-01-11T21:42:00.000-05:00

Time: 74:15
Distance: 17.28 km

W/u: 25:35 for 5.70 km
W/o: 2 x 8 mins (w/ 2 mins rest), 3 x 400m
C/d: 17:50 for 3.91 km

Yesterday before calling off the workout, I wanted Meagan to do 2 x 10 mins with a couple of minutes rest and then a few 400s just to open up the gait. Since it was a day later, I shortened the workout a little. The idea was to run around 6 minute pace as comfortably as possible and get a feel for what the pace on Saturday should feel like. The final 400s were intended just to inject some speed, open the stride without stressing the system too much.

Splits:
3:44. 29, 3:41.13, :32 (at 3:55/km pace);
(2:01)
3:40.73, 3:44.67, :38 (at 3:30/km pace);
(5:11)
1:25.45 (3:21/km pace), (91);
1:20.58 (3:16/km pace), (1:42);
1:22.33 (3:18/km pace) for 30:50 total and 7.67 km

Meagan nailed the final workout as was expected. I was a little concerned with how her legs would feel after only running 6 miles yesterday, but she sounded fine on the opening 8 minute efforts. Her breathing was relaxed, her gait didn't look thrown off by her sore left foot and she had a strong arm carry. She was working on the 400s, but didn't sound strained. She's ready to roll come Saturday.

Late Night Double

2012-01-10T21:26:00.000-05:00

Time: ~11.23 km
Distance: ~50:00

I headed out the door for a solo run around the neck after work. The ice/snow that we had this morning all but melted with the temps reaching 40+ degrees. I actually felt pretty good but was discouraged by my watching losing some data and beeping uncontrollably. Yes, I know #firstworldproblems.

Icy Streets in Marblehead

2012-01-10T21:24:00.000-05:00

Time: ~55 mins
Distance: ~11.40 km

This was another run lost due to Garmin, but it was a single loop around the neck and I know the distance pretty well. I'm guessing on the time based on glances at my watch during the run, so it's pretty close.

Today was not the best of mornings as it was planned to be Meagan's last workout before the Trials. However, an icy rain made the streets a bit slippery and I didn't want to risk it with her foot being a little banged up. It was a good decision as parts of the neck were slick to the point of not being able to toe off without a lot of lost energy. This is the weather and conditions that I hate running in.

Lost Boston Night Double

2012-01-09T21:20:00.000-05:00

Time: ~80 mins
Distance: ~19 km

I'm bummed that my Garmin geeked out and erased this run during a software update as I actually looked forward to seeing the route map. I ended my travels in Boston this evening and spent some time working at Jeff's house to kill time before the South End Athletic Company group run. I found the shortest route to the store and I made it just in time to meet up with one other guy for the run. He planned on going 5-6 miles and knew of a good loop around the city. We ended up hitting the Charles, TD Garden where the Celtics play, the North End, Faneuil Hall, another park that I didn't catch the name and then ran back into the South End (aka "gayborhood"). Most of the run I had little clue as to where I was, but then I would recognize a landmark or store. It was a fantastic loop that toured much of the city and losing the route due to technology sucks, but that's the breaks.

I logged a ton of distance today and am feeling good with how the week has started off. Another day in the books...

Marblehead Winter Morning

2012-01-09T21:10:00.000-05:00

Time: 55:57
Distance: 13.23 km
Pace: 4:14/km
Map

I had to get up early this morning to fit in a run and get on the road to Plymouth. I wasn't going to visit the rock where our great great great great great great ancestors landed to this great country, but instead I hit up a new run specialty store called Bayside Runner. The owner is a Princeton grad so we have the opportunity to talk about the Ivy League and all things elitist. The run this morning was dark and cold so the goal was just to get it done.

Week in Review

2012-01-08T08:02:00.000-05:00

Time: 638:21
Distance: 150.40 km

The year has started off in a good way with me getting in a workout on Monday of 2 x 5 km, hitting the track on Friday with 8 x 600m and a long progressive run on Saturday. It will take many more weeks like this to get me back into low 2:20 shape, but I'm willing to put in the work. Staying healthy is key and doing all the exercises, drills and core to supplement the kilometers.

Starting the week off in Palm Springs in the warm sunny temps made returning to Marblehead and temps in the 20s difficult. It's always been nice spending the holidays in California, but the return trip consistently sees 50 to 60 degree shifts in temps. If the snow holds off for a few more weeks, I think I actually might make it.

Sunday Lazy Marblehead Run

2012-01-08T07:56:00.000-05:00

Time: 74:02
Distance: 17.01 km
Pace: 4:21/km
Map

Meagan and I had a relaxing morning at home before getting out the door around noon for an easy run through Marblehead. She is still nursing a sore foot so she only logged 14-15 km, but I added on to the run by finishing back on North Shore Dr. I am feeling a little bit of tenderness in my right glute/hamstring/back. I've started doing exercises to strengthen some of my stabilizer muscles, but I haven't been able to pinpoint what exactly needs strengthening.

Long Run with the BAA

2012-01-07T07:47:00.000-05:00

Time: 121:05
Distance: 30.82 km
Pace: 3:56/km
Map

Meagan and I drove into Boston this morning to run long with some members of the Boston Athletic Association. We had exchanged emails with Terry and Carly Shea who both used to run for the Hanson's and now are key members of the training group with the BAA. Terry was doing a progressive long run with a couple of the other guys and I was game to partake in the effort.

Whenever Meagan and I have run with the BAA they have looped the same 4.2 mile route. Terry apologized for the monotonous loop, but I don't mind running the same course because it eliminates surprises. The goal for the run was to run the first loop easy as a warm up, run the second loop around 3:45/km as part of Melissa's tempo, run the third loop around 3:35-3:40/km and the final loop could get a little aggressive in the 3:15-3:20/km range.

Splits:
4:55.0, 4:30.9, 4:27.3, 4:21.7, 4:10.9, 4:15.6, 4:14.6;
4:08.0, 3:46.2, 3:49.9, 3:47.3, 3:44.4, 3:42.4, 3:35.8;
3:31.3, 3:36.0, 3:36.6, 3:32.7, 3:25.0, 3:27.1, 3:21.6;
3:23.6, 3:30.9, 3:56.4, 4:03.0, 4:07.6, 4:19.9, 4:16.2;
4:14.7, 3:39.7 (for .82km) = 30.82km total

The warm up lap was the warm up. The second lap was relaxed as we chatted about spring marathon plans. The third lap had us running steady but in control. I made a move to the front around the 18-19km mark and dropped the pace. Soon after, I tired and started to struggle around the 22km point. I was going to back off for a kilometer and then rally for the rest of the loop, but just when it was time to start running hard again, I saw that Terry had ended his workout and I decided to run back easy with him. I got in a solid effort and was pushed through the middle portion of the run.

Getting down to Boston once a week this winter and spring will become a priority if I want to run as fast as possible. The BAA has some very talented guys that will push me on tempos that I generally struggle to do on my own.

Marblehead Track Workout (8 x 600m)

2012-01-06T20:30:00.000-05:00

Time: 74:47
Distance: 17.19 km

W/u: 26:48 for 5.62 km
W/o: 8 x 600m in 1:45 (w/ 200m jog)
C/d: 23:59 for 5.17 km

I decided this morning that I wanted to hit the track for a workout geared to getting my legs accustomed to running close to 3:00/km. I knew the cold temps and breeze might slow the splits, but at this stage in the game anything faster than a normal run will benefit my speed development. Fortunately the truly cold temps (sub-30 degrees) stayed away and I was able to enjoy a balmy 33 degree morning. I wanted to run 8-10 intervals of 600m at or around 70 seconds through the 400. Nothing too crazy, but fast enough to elevate the heart rate and stress the system.

Splits:
1:45.52 (83), 1:47.79 (87), 1:46.93 (86), 1:48.60 (78), 1:48.29 (80), 1:48.34 (85), 1:48.74 (81), 1:46.18 for 24:00 total and ~6.40 km

Eh. My excuses: the cold, the wind and the fact that I was running in lane three. The truth: it wasn't that cold, it was windy, I tried to adjust for the longer turns.

I would feel great the first 200m when the wind was at my back and I was fresh. The middle 200m was tough as I battled the breeze and tried to maintain a consistent effort. The final 200m should have been more comfortable due to the wind, but I found myself sitting down in my stride. I usually feel strong and powerful, up on my toes when closing an interval, but today I was sinking the final straight. I found it hard to drive my knee up through propulsion. Regardless, I was able to keep the rest relatively consistent without completely wrecking the body.

Motivated to Run

2012-01-05T20:12:00.000-05:00

Time: 48:37
Distance: 11.23 km
Pace: 4:20/km
Map

Despite the cold, the lack of snow has motivated me to get out the door and put the time in on my feet. I was listening to NPR today and learned that the least amount of snow the Boston area has ever had was 8 inches. I know the white stuff is coming so while it's not here I'll be sure to get in the training. I should start keeping track of "wild cards," those days when you don't need to double, but do simply for the circumstance. You can then use those wild cards for later in the year when conditions are unfavorable or schedules are conflicting.

Biting Cold

2012-01-05T19:48:00.000-05:00

Time: 59:00
Distance: 13.09 km
Pace: 4:30/km
Map

The weather has finally turned cold here in New England, fortunately, Mother Nature hasn't brought snow to us yet. It was in the low 20s when we left the house for a run around the neck. I wasn't thrilled to be out there, but I felt better than I did last night. Maybe I'm adjusting to the temps already? Doubtful.

On days like this, the motivation to get out the door is low and the first 10-20 minutes can feel terrible. However, I fell into a comfort zone and was glad to be outside by the middle of the run. Too bad seat heaters don't exist for the first part of a run. #firstworldproblems

Back in the Marblehead Hood

2012-01-04T19:46:00.000-05:00

Time: 71:17
Distance: 16.01 km
Pace: 4:27/km
Map

Meagan and I got back to the wrong coast this morning and made an early return to Marblehead. We got to see our cat, Weezy, after 10 days and she, thankfully, didn't pee or poop on anything. Both of us worked from home coordinating stuff that needed to be coordinated. At the end of the day, it was time to venture out into the cold for a run around the neck. The 60 degree swing in temps was oh so fun, but I managed to log 16 km feeling decent by the end of it. I may have even run a few strides near our home to finish things off.

MRN's 2 x 5k Workout

2012-01-03T16:59:00.000-05:00

Time: 69:22
Distance: 16.65 km

W/u: 27:30 for 5.94 km
W/o: 2 x 5 km at MRN's marathon pace (w/ 3 mins rest)
C/d: 1:34 for .34 km (yes, that's right!)

It was Meagan's turn to workout this week and do you recognize the workout!? Since she is in much better shape comparatively, I didn't think the opening 1.6 km (mile) of gradual uphill would have much of a influence on her overall effort. I was right.

Splits:
3:46.64, 3:44.93, 3:41.07, 3:40.31, 3:47.36 for ~18:40
(3:01)
3:46.06, 3:42.78, 3:40.05, 3:39.26, 3:44.29 for ~18:32
40:18 total for 10.37 km

I think this was another boring effort for Meagan based on how comfortable she looked. I was asking her to hold back on the 3rd and 4th kilometers because she would have split in the mid to low 3:30s had I not. Her foot didn't bother her too much, but we are monitoring it closely as the Trials are just days away. It's time for her to freshen up and be ready to run on the day of the race!

I probably should have run a longer cool down, but we both needed to get cleaned and packed up to make a quick business trip to Los Angeles and San Diego. It's sunny skies and warm temps today, Boston weather tomorrow.

Palm Springs Double

2012-01-02T16:36:00.000-05:00

Time: 32:18
Distance: 7.07 km
Pace: 4:34
Map

Meagan and I headed out the door for a short double before my dad's friends came over to enjoy a glass or three of champagne. Apparently my dad is turning into quite the lush and has more bottles of wine and champagne than an ABC store. Hey, I'm not complaining, just merely pointing out the facts. And I guess Meagan and I contributed four bottles to the collection.

Anyway, I was already prevented from enjoying most of the highest scoring Rose Bowl in history when my dad and Meagan chose to watch Hoarders on A&E instead of partaking in the college football tradition. I wouldn't say that I was rude to our guests, but I was more distracted to catch the final minutes of the game out of the corner of my eye. It didn't help that another great game came on afterward between Stanford and Oklahoma State at the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Add in the fact that I was simultaneously trying to follow Japan Running News (@JRNLive) for updates on the Hakone Ekiden and watch Justin.TV for a live feed. Let's just say Meagan thought I was being a chump, but I was just being a big fan of college athletics and distance running. Sorry that I didn't want to join in on the conversation about the difficulty in finding a good house keeper!

I'm glad to have intently followed the Hakone Ekiden because Toyo University ran an incredible race to break the course record by nearly 9 minutes. They also averaged 2:59.4/km for 217.9 km between 10 men to become the first team to average under the magical 3:00/km barrier. My favorite stat of the race came when Brett Larner of Japan Running News stated that Toyo's 10 athletes essentially averaged sub-63:05 for 21 km (half marathon). That's a time only 10 American men, all pros, were able to achieve in all of 2011.

My Very Own Palm Springs Workout

2012-01-02T16:10:00.000-05:00

Time: 87:33
Distance: 21.33 km

W/u: 24:52 for 5.39 km
W/o: 2 x 5 km at ~3:20/km (w/ 3 mins rest)
C/d: 26:36 for 5.59 km

The goal for today's workout was to run 2 x 5 km at what I hope to be marathon pace later this spring. I didn't want the effort to be too difficult as I haven't been focused on my training as of late. The pace was meant to feel up tempo but relaxed so as not to visit the well.

Splits:
3:19.52, 3:19.58, 3:18.88, 3:16.90, 3:20.49 for ~16:36
(3:04)
3:17.40, 3:20.33, 3:15.10, 3:15.86, 3:17.09 for ~16:25
36:07 for 10.35 km

The good from the workout is that my second 5 km was faster than the first and I felt relaxed running around 3:18-3:20/km. The bad from the workout is when I tried to push on the slight downhill section from 1.5 km to 3.9 km all I could manage was 3:15 efforts. It felt like I was running much faster in terms of turnover meaning my legs aren't used to moving that fast. Aerobically I was very content and comfortable in those ranges, but I'll have to do some speed work to get used to spinning the legs faster in order to get back to feeling relaxed at 3:00-3:10/km.

I have to remember that it's only January 2nd. I'm healthy, ready to train hard and have lots of time before any race.

Week in Review

2012-01-01T11:26:00.000-05:00

Time: 659:24
Distance: 148.12 km

This week saw a drop off in distance as I'm tapering alongside Meagan's schedule. I was able to run some hard strides a couple of days this week which is something I never do, but always enjoy doing. It's difficult coming to the end of a cold run and then putting in several hard strides. Being in California has taken away that excuse so I have taken advantage of feeling good (warm) at the end of a run and striding out 4-6 times.

Easy Palm Springs Double

2012-01-01T11:08:00.000-05:00

Time: 32:23
Distance: 7.01 km
Pace: 4:37/km
Map

I got out the door with Meagan for a double run before dinner. We ran the same loop as a couple of days ago at an easy pace. My legs were feeling good and I started toying with the idea of working out tomorrow. I might was well take advantage of the warm conditions while here. After the run I did a few long strides to burn off some extra energy.

Starting the Year Off Easy

2012-01-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

Time: 61:05
Distance: 13.03 km
Pace: 4:41/km
Map

Meagan and I were joined by Jenna Wrieden on the run this morning around Palm Springs. She and her boyfriend, Ryan Cole, came to visit us for NYE. We almost made it to midnight too! After attempting to get Ryan to borrow some of my gear to come on the run, we finally had to give up and leave him at home. The two women and I headed out the door for an hour of easy running through town. I tried to take Jenna around to see some of the more interesting neighborhoods and parks.

We decided there needs to be a winter marathon or half marathon here in Palms Springs as the town is completely flat and the weather is idea. It might be a little difficult to find 42 km in and around the city, but the conditions would be absolutely perfect in January. It's easily understood why so many people come to the desert in the winter.

Year in Review

2011-12-31T22:43:00.000-05:00

Time: 255:15:13 (h:m:s)
Distance: 3,374 km

Another year has come to a close and while this was lackluster in terms of training and racing, it was a big one in terms of my career. The totals above are close to being 100% accurate, but there were certainly runs that I didn't wear Mr. Garmin and runs on the track when I turned off the GPS feature. I shouldn't compare the totals to last year as 2011 was filled with injury and 2010 was nearly perfect. In looking at the positives, I have been able to run healthy the last few months of the year and focus on Meagan's training leading up to the Trials.

I want 2012 to see some personal best times on the road from 10k to the marathon. Since there are many competitive road races in New England, I'll have plenty of times to toe the line and run fast times. I want the training to put me back in a place where given a few weeks, I should be able to specify the training to jump in any race distance that I hear is going to be competitive.

Here's to a year of fast racing...

Giving Green Lightning Some Love

2011-12-31T15:33:00.001-05:00

I'm not only Meagan's boyfriend, coach, training partner and co-worker, but now I'm public relations consultant:

http://www.writingaboutrunning.com/2011/12/road-to-houston-5-questions-with_5620.html?m=1

Palm Springs Long Run

2011-12-31T10:35:00.000-05:00

Time: 133:09
Distance: 31.01 km
Pace: 4:18/km
Map

Meagan and I headed out the door a little later than planned for a long run around Palm Springs. We didn't have a particular route in mind and I knew the run would involve some piecing together neighborhoods in the north part of town. We ended up finding ourselves near Ruth Hardy Park and getting a drink of water as we are unaccustomed to running in 70+ degree weather right now. I'm not complaining as it will most likely be snowy when we return to the east coast.

After taking a trip through Little Tuscany and the Historic Tennis Club neighborhoods, we ran back to a local running shop looking for water. No dice. How can a running store in the middle of the desert not have a drinking fountain? Luckily we scored some water at the bike store at the other end of the shopping center.

Feeling a bit refreshed we started heading back in the direction of home. We parted ways around the 25 km mark and I started to drop the pace. There was only one split that I would consider aggressive at the 29 km mark, I took off seeing what I could put down. Feeling relaxed and strong in my stride I was able to run a 3:09 km. Not setting the world on fire, but it was nice knowing I was controlled in running that type of effort that late in a run.

Recovery Double in PS

2011-12-30T11:32:00.000-05:00

Time: 33:34
Distance: 7.17 km
Pace: 4:41/km
Map

Meagan and I got out the door for a double run in the dark night of Palm Springs. It was still pretty warm out as we ran through some neighborhoods on the south end of town. My hip flexors were feeling a bit sore from the strides this morning or the core work I completed.

Flat Palm Springs Recovery

2011-12-30T11:30:00.000-05:00

Time: 61:59
Distance: 13.93 km
Pace: 4:27/km
Map

Meagan and I finally got to Palm Springs yesterday evening to spend the rest of the year in warm weather. The run this morning would be relatively short, flat and slow. It was a perfect way to start the morning here in the desert. The only thing that would make it better is if Chris Solinsky would respond to my tweet. I saw that he was in Palm Springs for 5 days and I shot him a reply saying it would be great to meet up for a run. I have yet to get a response and slowly Galen Rupp is becoming my favorite American 10 km runner. I haven't gone as far as to tell him that as I still have hope we'll be able to run together.

MRN's Last Big Trials Workout

2011-12-29T11:21:00.000-05:00

Time: 98:31
Distance: 23.65 km

W/u: 16:09 for 3.40 km
W/o: 3 x 1 km @ 3:45/km (1 min rest), 10 km tempo @ 3:50/km (3 min rest), 3 x 1 km @ 3:40/km (90 sec rest)
C/d: 11:48 for 2.46 km

On the drive from San Francisco to the SFO airport I got a call from United saying our flight had been canceled. With no other flights arriving in or near Palm Springs before midnight, we opted to travel to San Jose to stay with my aunt Emily. In the morning we would use the bike path that runs between San Jose and Los Gatos as the site of Meagan's last big workout before traveling to Houston.

On tap was a workout consisting of 3 opening kilometers at marathon pace to get the body into a rhythm. Next would be a 10 km tempo just above marathon pace to to add some distance and get used to running fast without exerting or pushing too hard. We would end with 3 kilometer repeats at just below marathon pace to practice running somewhat fast while being somewhat tired.

Here's how it went...

Splits:
3 x 1 km - 3:43.63 (62), 3:41.02 (61), 3:50.81 (2:01);
10 km tempo - 3:51.2, 3:54.1, 3:52.5, 3:48.4, 3:51.5, 3:49.7, 3:46.7, 3:48.1, 3:47.1, 3:46.0 (3:02);
3 x 1 km - 3:36.47 (91), 3:41.18 (91), 3:36.05
Total - 70:34 for 17.79 km and 3:58/km average

...pretty well. Like really well. The splits aren't overly impressive from a speed standpoint, but the comfort level at which Meagan hit those times was amazing. She was sharp right off the line on the opening 3 kilometers, the third of which included a slight detour due to a missed bridge crossing. No real worry on it showing up a little slow. The 10k tempo is what impressed me the most as at multiple times she verbally announced that, "I'm bored." I think the total time of the 10 km was around 38:15 which would have been her PR in 2008. The final 3 kilometers really showed her fitness as the pace was quicker than prescribed and yet she didn't sound any more exhausted. She was recovering within 30 seconds and hitting mid-3:30s with ease.

For the last real workout before the Trials, I think she's more than ready to have a great race.

Santa Rosa Bike Path

2011-12-28T15:50:00.000-05:00

Time 75:03
Distance: 16.93k
Pace: 4:26/k
Map

Since Meagan would not be running in Annadel again this trip, we opted to stay close to my mom's and run along a creek bike path. I haven't run along the creek in many years, but it provides a paved, flat and uninterrupted route for an out and back run. Most importantly it's free of rocks.

It felt good to run flat and easy today as my legs are a little beat up from the downhills in Annadel. The weather has been more than ideal since we've been in California. The morning temps have definitely been chilly but after 15 minutes of running it's perfect weather for shorts, a t-shirt and gloves. Sometimes I wonder why I don't move back to California and then I remember gas is $3.75 per gallon, homes cost $400k, the state budget is non-existent and there are Mexicans everywhere.

Never Again

2011-12-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

Time: 90:50
Distance: 19.29k
Pace: 4:42/k
Map

After running in Annadel on Saturday, Meagan told me that she would never again run up there. Well, this morning we were meeting up with Steve for another run in the park. I picked out a loop that I felt wouldn't be too rocky as Meagan's foot is still a little sore. We aren't sure if it's the bone (really bad) or a tendon on the lateral side (bad, but icing will help). Being so close to the Trials there can't be any big set backs that would compromise toeing the line. Considering all the factors, I still felt she could manage one last run up in Annadel if we chose the right trails.

My loop had us running up Canyon to Lake Ilsanjo around to the right, up Warren Richardson and down the backside to Channel Drive. The only rocky section would be Canyon and since we were running uphill I didn't think it would be all that bad. Again, Steve and I found the safe path and rocks while Meagan gingerly ran up the hill. She was none too pleased when we hit the lake and then we had to run up the hill where three years ago she told me, "please don't talk to me right now." Three years ago she was huffing and puffing while this year she was able to hold a conversation with Steve and me.

At the top, all the rocks were behind us and it was smooth sailing to the finish. Meagan even hit the front and pressed the pace the final 15 minutes back to our cars. We had to do a little adding on to hit the daily distance goal, but overall I think it was a great loop despite what Ms. Nedlo has to say.

After the run we dropped in Heart & Sole to visit with my old high school coach and see what was shaking at the running store. It was a good visit and always great to catch up with Danny.

Running with Nelson Mwangi

2011-12-26T15:19:00.000-05:00

Time: 72:50
Distance: 16.10k
Pace: 4:31
Map

After posting about our run on Facebook yesterday, Nelson Mwangi who Meagan and I know from Queens in Charlotte, commented about running along the American River. He was interested in meeting up for a run and that's exactly what we did. Instead of turning left and heading in the direction of the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, we turned right and ran along the river toward downtown. It was great catching up with the little Kenyan who is now the assistant coach at American River Junior College which he attended prior to Queens. The team is definitely doing well as they recently won the JuCo State Meet, the biggest race of the year and it's the first time a team from Nor Cal had took home top honors. I'm sure Nelson played a role in the team's success this year.

Week in Review

2011-12-25T23:22:00.000-05:00

Time: 760:53
Distance: 168.43 km

The distance put in this week was great as much of it was completed on the west coast. It's been nice being home wearing shorts and t-shirts. Getting out the door in the morning while on vacation is always easier knowing the sun will be up to greet you. The legs are feeling good, though a little sore after running in Annadel. I haven't done a specific workout to my training, but Meagan's are going well. The year is quickly coming to an end and I'm happy to be running healthy after missing so many weeks earlier this year with niggles.

Christmas Morning Along the American River

2011-12-25T14:56:00.000-05:00

Time: 126:14
Distance: 30.03k
Pace: 4:12/k
Map

My mom, Meagan and I arrived at my cousin's house in Sacramento late last night after a Christmas Eve church service that I was dragged to attend. The highlight was not lighting a candle, listening to Christmas carols or seeing a junior high classmate, though those were all fine. The best part was seeing Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives (Triple D) hanging out with his family just like a normal guy. It brought back memories of the summer in Oklahoma where I got to meet him just up the street from my shitty apartment on Main St.

Being Christmas morning we got to watch the kiddos open their presents before heading out for a run. The goal this morning was to have Meagan run 30k on tired legs at a good clip. The hills of Annadel has both us feeling like hobby joggers. Our route would take us from the house, run 2 kilometers to the bike path along the American River, out to the 15k mark and then back. Hopefully, the pace would gradually pick up and we would be running between 3:55 and 4:10 per kilometer. That's not crazy fast, but certainly an honest effort given where Meagan is at with her training.

Splits:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	2:06:13.9	30.03	4:12
1	5:06.3	1.00	5:06
2	4:38.8	1.00	4:39
3	4:39.2	1.00	4:39
4	4:14.4	1.00	4:14
5	4:14.3	1.00	4:14
6	4:09.4	1.00	4:09
7	4:09.9	1.00	4:10
8	4:06.8	1.00	4:07
9	4:05.3	1.00	4:05
10	4:05.5	1.00	4:05
11	4:05.4	1.00	4:05
12	3:59.0	1.00	3:59
13	3:59.6	1.00	4:00
14	4:03.5	1.00	4:04
15	4:09.9	1.00	4:10
16	4:08.4	1.00	4:08
17	3:57.7	1.00	3:58
18	4:02.4	1.00	4:02
19	4:06.7	1.00	4:07
20	4:02.6	1.00	4:03
21	4:06.8	1.00	4:07
22	4:04.6	1.00	4:05
23	4:05.4	1.00	4:05
24	4:01.9	1.00	4:02
25	4:06.8	1.00	4:07
26	4:02.6	1.00	4:03
27	4:01.4	1.00	4:01
28	4:39.0	1.00	4:39
29	4:26.2	1.00	4:26
30	4:25.6	1.00	4:26
31	:08.7	0.03	4:11

As you can see, the pace dropped gradually and was pretty much locked in at 5k. The splits from 6k until 27k ranged from 3:58 to 4:10 with most being about 4:05. The terrain dictated the pace as some sections had brief inclines. Meagan was working at about 20 kilometers, but I think it was more due to a hot spot developing in her right foot.

It was good to accomplish this workout in the morning as we were able to enjoy a great Christmas with family the rest of the afternoon. Let's just say I won't have to curtail my Starbucks' coffee habit anytime soon.

Greatest Training Ground

2011-12-24T14:29:00.000-05:00

Time: 110:03
Distance: 22.58k
Pace: 4:52/k
Map

Through the wonders of Facebook, I was able to chat with my old high school teammate and meet up for a run at Howarth Park. It's a familiar meeting location for runners in Santa Rosa and one that I would visit multiple times during the week when I lived in Nor Cal. Meagan was also game to run with us under our promise that we wouldn't drop her too much... too often. The excitement of being back in the park might just get the pace moving between Steve and me!

We came up with a loop that would be roughly the distance Meagan was looking to hit and we were off. There are lots of climbs, trees, pretty views, a couple lakes, dozens of other runners, bikers, kilometers of dirt trails and wildlife. There were also lots of rocks. I don't remember the trails being so rocky or maybe I was just tougher back in high school. Steve and I were able to find relatively clean routes on the trail to avoid the rocks and we've learned which rocks are safe to step on and which need to be avoided. On the contrary, Meagan's little stubby legs and already sore foot weren't suited to the terrain.

On a number of occasions she was dropped when the trail became overly rocky and she decided to walk. Yes, a Olympic Trials qualifier stopping to walk on runs! I could tell she was getting frustrated, but there was little we could do other than be overly careful.

It was great catching up with Steve and getting a run in back up in Annadel. We are both convinced it's the best place to train in the country. Meagan thinks we are nuts. On the run we also saw Kim Conley and Sarah Hallas who are both talented runners from the area. There were no Sara (Bei) Hall or Julia (Stamps) Mallon sightings today.

Going Back to Cali

2011-12-23T11:44:00.001-05:00

Time: 87:57
Distance: 19.63k
Pace: 4:29
Map

I got out the door a little ahead of Meagan this morning to run my own pace. Sometimes I have to run solo to stretch the legs out. The roads were filled with puddles from the overnight, but it wasn't bad while I was out. I was rocking a Gore-Tex shell which is a must for cold wet runs and I wish I had one while in college.

My loop brought me around the neck with the little "lollipop" add on on the first circuit. As I was about halfway done with the second circuit and getting ready to run back to the house, I spotted Meagan finishing up her first loop. I slowed to run with her and opted to run a third loop around the neck. It added another 3.6k to the run, but I'll take it as we can only run once today.

This evening we are flying to the west coast to spend Christmas with my family. It will be good to run back in Annadel and see friends and family in California. With only 3 weeks left until the Trials it will provide Meagan with some ideal training grounds too.

Night Run through Town

2011-12-22T23:33:00.000-05:00

Time: 55:10
Distance: 11.41k
Pace: 4:50
Map

I suckered Meagan into running a full loop around the neck with me tonight after work. Nothing too crazy out there to report. The body is feeling good and in the routine of running 45+ minutes twice a day. It's all about time on the feet these days.

Rainy Night, Dry Morning

2011-12-22T15:12:00.001-05:00

Time: 61:17
Distance: 13.29k
Pace: 4:37
Map

It was drizzly and rainy most of yesterday when me and the CEO were in Boston for work. We met up with a couple of guys who are working on the Karhu Originals side of things. We also dropped in a few stores including The Tannery and Marathon Sports. The former is a place that you just want to hang out and drop mad cash on quality merchandise. The product selection is unique and of the best quality of the brands they carry like Woolrich, Canada Goose and Rag & Bone. The brands' authenticity is undeniable especially when displayed collectively on classically sophisticated fixtures. If you're ever in Boston, perhaps when you're near the marathon finish on Boylston St, definitely drop in The Tannery or Marathon Sports.

Over the night the weather only got worse and I may have even hear thunderstorms. I didn't know what to expect in the morning, but found the dry conditions and low 50s to be a treat. It was t-shirt and light jacket type of weather as it was still a bit breezy for this loop around the neck. We started out on the trail, but did a U-turn when a huge puddle obstructed the path. Meagan gets bored always running around the neck, but I find it nice to not have to think about what road to take next. I know if I loop the neck and run back to the house it's been an appropriately distanced run.

Gearing Up for the Trials

2011-12-21T14:09:00.000-05:00

Time: 102:38
Distance: 23.71k

W/u: 20:26 for 4.01k
W/o: 3 x 20 minutes with 3-5 minutes rest. First half of each interval at 10k-21k pace, second half at marathon pace.
C/d: 12:32 for 2.67k

I reviewed Meagan's training schedule and wasn't thrilled with what I originally wrote down several weeks ago so I reached out to my former teammate Jeff Gaudette. We chatted a bit about his online coaching business and Meagan's training. He got the sense that I wanted Meagan to touch on all systems during this workout so he suggested doing something where she would run hard at the start of the interval and then back off to marathon pace the second half to practice clearing the system of lactate. It also teaching running fast and relaxed (marathon pace) while tired.

The workout would consist of running three 20 minute segments with ample recovery in between. The focus would be on running hard for the first 10 minutes and then falling back into a rhythm of marathon pace. I wanted the loop to be as flat and fast as possible, but the best we could do was the first part of the neck loop. The first 2k is perfectly flat with the wind at your back and then there is a climb and false flat. First seven minutes would be ideal, next minute would be tough and then two more minutes of hard running before getting the chance to "recover."

Interval #1 (5.38k total): Meagan was ready to roll despite it still being dark and having a minimal warm up. I took out the pace and she ran right beside me almost wanting to pick it up. She fell a half step behind and let me bring her through the opening kilometers right on pace. Given the hour, I wasn't too concerned with pace and just wanted it to be around 3:40/k. The hillier third kilometer was covered at an honest effort (3:46 pace) which would be the fastest on the day.

The second half of the interval was a little over marathon pace, but nothing to be concerned about. Everything was in control and it was windy heading back to the start line. The loop provided a long downhill section right at the start of the recovery period. Meagan sounded comfortable a step behind.

(4:30 recovery)

Interval #2 (5.36k total): The second interval started out a bit quicker than the first through the opening 2 kilometers. Due to more fatigued legs Meagan climbed the hill a little slower, but not by much. Her recovery section was a little slower with the two closing kilometer splits at 3:52. Not terrible, but they could have been a few seconds faster. She was still running strong and in control so I wasn't worried.

(5:00 recovery)

Interval #3 (5.41k total): The final interval was certainly the toughest for Meagan, but she continued with a strong effort. The opening kilometers were the slowest on the day, but I think the wind had shifted a bit. She made up for it by running the fast recovery splits on the morning. The final 20 minutes were probably run closer to a tempo effort based on pace, but there was certainly a different outlook on each when viewing the first half as hard and the second as easy.

We ended up covering a little more than 10 miles in less than 70 minutes even when including the long rest periods.

Splits:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:09:40.2	17.03	4:05
1	3:35.1	1.00	3:35
2	3:35.8	1.00	3:36
3	2:55.8	0.78	3:46
4	3:48.4	1.00	3:48
5	3:50.1	1.00	3:50
6	2:16.4	0.60	3:49
7	4:30.4	0.54	8:25
8	3:32.4	1.00	3:32
9	3:36.1	1.00	3:36
10	2:54.2	0.75	3:51
11	3:46.5	1.00	3:46
12	3:51.5	1.00	3:52
13	2:22.0	0.61	3:52
14	5:00.2	0.34	14:48
15	3:36.8	1.00	3:37
16	3:38.7	1.00	3:39
17	2:47.0	0.73	3:50
18	3:48.7	1.00	3:49
19	3:41.0	1.00	3:41
20	2:30.1	0.68	3:40
21	:03.0	0.01	6:52

Post Work Double

2011-12-20T13:46:00.000-05:00

Time: 49:54
Distance: 11.35k
Pace: 4:24
Map

After Meagan put in an extended long run, I opted to run a loop around the neck to boost the daily total. Nothing crazy to report other than a dark quiet loop around some big houses/estates. The body is feeling good and I should probably start thinking about putting something on the schedule.

Breaking Dawn

2011-12-20T13:44:00.000-05:00

Time: 68:36
Distance: 16.02k
Pace: 4:17
Map

Per Meagan's comments last night about struggling to hit mileage and recover in the last few weeks leading up to the Trials, I came up with a plan that would allow her some extra time in the morning. She runs to work cutting out the 20-30 minutes in the car. I would bring her work clothes that she could change into after showering in our locker room.

This meant it was an early morning for me to fit in 16k before heading off. I got up around 5 AM and drank some coffee to wake the body up before venturing out the door to run two loops around the neck. I was feeling good the second half of the run and the pace gradually picked up. There are familiar faces out in Marblehead that I see during my runs, but I don't know them personally. A group of three guys with 01945 (zip code) hats on walk every morning no matter the weather. I've started saying morning to them even though I think their hats are a bit pretentious.

Finishing up near the house I ran into Meagan who was just heading out. We would meet up at the offices which took her long to run to than they should have. I think she underestimated the distance and spent too much running around Marblehead at the start. The gross factor? She didn't end up using those clothes I brought to work for her to wear. She sat is stinky, sweaty, running gear all day. The benefits of working at a running company I guess.

Marblehead Shuffle

2011-12-19T23:12:00.000-05:00

Time: 40:49
Distance: 8.05k
Pace: 5:05
Map

Meagan and I ran a slow shuffle this evening over to Village and completed a few laps on the track. It was chilly but not terrible. She seemed pretty tired and ready to wrap things up so we headed back home to grab some dinner.

The one thing I remember about the run were Meagan's comments about hitting mileage. On one hand she stated it will be difficult to hit her weekly total (100-105 miles) while on the other hand she feels outclassed by other women hitting 115+ during the week. Training back in Charlotte was nice as we could enjoy runs later in the day, but that's not the case anymore. I think it's most frustrating when women of Meagan's caliber (2:40+) have the luxury to train full time, take naps, and recover properly after workouts. Fortunately, she has balanced hitting high mileage while adjusting to working in the office. The time of the year doesn't help when you're rising before the sun to fit in the morning run and heading back out the door once the sun has set. I bet if I put 120 miles on the schedule she could hit that mark, but if you're going to train at that level you better be running mid-2:30s.

Marblehead Monday

2011-12-19T14:43:00.000-05:00

Time: 58:15
Distance: 12.36k
Pace: 4:43
Map

Meagan and I were up early in order to fit in a run and have time for her to take the 'rents to Logan. My face was freezing for the first 30 minutes of the run. By the time the run was completed, I was glad to have gotten out the door. I'm not sure what to think of the fact that I am know waking up comfortably well before 6:00 AM during the week. I don't like it.

Week in Review

2011-12-18T20:14:00.000-05:00

Time: 785:15
Distance: 173.92k

I got in a good amount of running this week despite a busy travel schedule for work. The body continues to feel strong as I log the kilometers week in and week out. The mild winter has made it easy to get out the door. Even when I don't want to run, I end up putting time on the feet because I tell myself that it's going to be terrible soon.

First Freezing Run

2011-12-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

Time: 134:09
Distance: 30.58k
Pace: 4:23/k
Map

Today we woke up to the first truly cold day of the year. If yesterday were frigid, today was freezing! When Meagan , John and I left the house it was a balmy 20 degrees with a windchill making it about 10 degrees colder. Oh the joy of running in New England in the winter.

I shouldn't be complaining too much because the sun was at least shining and we have exceptional gear to keep us warm. I broke out some Craft Siberian Gloves that I believe are suitable if you were to ever run an ultra in a Russian winter. Meagan was in charge of leading the crew down the trail and just into Swampscott. I was content to run with Meagan and her father for about an hour, but long runs already take a significant amount of time. I didn't want to prolong the misery of running in cold windy conditions. This often happened when I was in college which I would end up just hammering long runs with whoever wanted to sniff the front. My thought was always to get it over with as quickly as possible, right?

We showed John a significant portion of Marblehead to the point of knowing where the Dunkin' Donuts was located. I parted ways with the Nedlos along the trail and headed out to Salem for the remainder of my run. I picked up the pace gradually into the wind and kept it honest all the way into town. My face was numb, but I tried to remain positive as there will be many tougher runs to come. My Salem route took me to some familiar places that I walked when I dad came to visit and then I wound up at Washington Square.

The square is more like a triangle and is about 700m around. I made 4 or 5 loops before thinking it was time to venture back to Marblehead. My final 9 kilometers were all under 4:00/k as the wind was at my back on sections. I learned from living in Oklahoma that you always plan a route into the wind first. There's nothing more miserable than to be tired, sweaty and having to run back into a stiff breeze.

Once back at the house I was able to do some light stretching and mull over the bag of donuts in my kitchen. John treated everyone to some gluttonous/gluten-ous treats which were consumed under the rule #1 principle.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	2:14:08.5	30.58	4:23
1	5:20.2	1.00	5:20
2	5:02.9	1.00	5:03
3	5:00.0	1.00	5:00
4	4:58.1	1.00	4:58
5	4:58.5	1.00	4:58
6	5:09.7	1.00	5:10
7	4:56.2	1.00	4:56
8	4:53.9	1.00	4:54
9	5:09.6	1.00	5:10
10	4:59.5	1.00	4:59
11	4:57.5	1.00	4:58
12	4:30.2	1.00	4:30
13	4:17.5	1.00	4:18
14	4:18.6	1.00	4:19
15	4:14.5	1.00	4:14
16	4:16.4	1.00	4:16
17	4:09.7	1.00	4:10
18	3:59.9	1.00	4:00
19	4:08.2	1.00	4:08
20	4:04.8	1.00	4:05
21	4:00.8	1.00	4:01
22	3:54.5	1.00	3:55
23	3:57.2	1.00	3:57
24	3:47.8	1.00	3:48
25	3:56.6	1.00	3:57
26	3:53.9	1.00	3:54
27	3:49.6	1.00	3:50
28	3:50.2	1.00	3:50
29	3:39.5	1.00	3:39
30	3:44.4	1.00	3:44
31	2:08.0	0.58	3:40

MRN Puts in Work

2011-12-17T16:22:00.000-05:00

Time: 120:11
Distance: 28.85k

W/u: 21:07 for 4.11k
W/o: 20k at 3:45-3:52/k (I wrote this workout for Meagan as 12 miles at 6:05-6:10)
C/d: 23:12 for 4.73k

Look at the terrain. Look at the distance. Look a the splits. Enough said.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:15:52.4	20.01	3:48
1	3:47.8	1.00	3:48
2	3:47.5	1.00	3:48
3	3:51.3	1.00	3:51
4	3:43.0	1.00	3:43
5	3:52.2	1.00	3:52
6	3:46.5	1.00	3:47
7	3:47.9	1.00	3:48
8	3:50.5	1.00	3:51
9	3:43.9	1.00	3:44
10	3:53.0	1.00	3:53
11	3:49.0	1.00	3:49
12	3:52.5	1.00	3:53
13	3:49.3	1.00	3:49
14	3:48.8	1.00	3:49
15	3:47.4	1.00	3:47
16	3:48.5	1.00	3:49
17	3:46.7	1.00	3:47
18	3:42.5	1.00	3:42
19	3:42.8	1.00	3:43
20	3:39.5	1.00	3:39
21	:01.9	0.01	3:23

I'm not impressed with a lot of workouts, but I was with this one. I did give Meagan a hard time on Facebook about having to run 22k more and faster in Houston, however she flexed her fitness in this one.

We had a leisurely morning sipping coffee with her parents around the house allowing the body to wake up and temps to get into the upper 30s. So warm! Meagan, her dad John and I left the house on a warm up through town to the causeway of the neck. It was fun showing John our new stomps and telling him what to look for around the loop we do frequently. Meagan and I made our way to the start line to get geared up for some hard running. I wrote all of her training several weeks ago and this week and next are the two highest mileage on the schedule. It wasn't critical that she nailed this workout, but it would be nice if she were to have a strong showing.

I brought out the pace with her in tow out to the neck. We had the wind at our backs to start for the first two kilometers. She was right on my heels and the splits were exactly where they needed to be. Meagan sounded strong, relatively relaxed and ran smart on the uphills.

Around the 5 or 6 kilometer mark I started giving her words of encouragement and told her to envision racing in Houston. She was still running strong as we started the second loop of the neck. There are some tough stretches that include hills, wind in the face and false flats. However, every time when you think you're just about to crack the course gets easier with a downhill section. It's part of the reason why I like the neck. You can push yourself knowing right when it's really hard, you'll be given mercy by the terrain.

I kept the pace honest reading off splits every so often and Meagan stayed right on my heels. After the second loop around the neck we had covered around 12k and battled the wind along the causeway. We turned left on Atlantic and ran out in the direction of Swampscott. I figured we would run 3k out into the wind, turn and have 3k with the wind at our back. We would then close out the workout with a final 2k heading back out the neck causeway.

It was going according to plan for the most part with Meagan following close behind to the 15k mark. I was ready for the pace to really pick up when we made the turn, but the wind was still in our faces. The stretch from 13k to 20k didn't see a split over 3:50/k. I wasn't looking for her to pick up the pace any, but just keep the tempo until the end. The final 3k splits of 3:42, 3:43 and 3:39 were an encouraging sign especially when I threw the extra kilometer at her.

No one workout will guarantee a good race down in Houston, but this will certainly give the fitness a bit of a boost. Had we run another kilometer, even if it were at 4:05 pace, Meagan would have run under 1:20:00 for the half marathon. Throw in a taper, a flat course, the excitement of the Trials and I think we should see a good run in about a month's time.

Sluggish Morning Run

2011-12-16T14:57:00.000-05:00

Time: 69:38
Distance: 16.01k
Pace: 4:21/k
Map

I got out the door this morning and ran around the Marblehead neck twice. The big event on my schedule today was taking my beloved VW Jetta Sportwagen in for its 40k service. I haven't even had the whip for 2 years yet and I already have over 40k on the workhorse. I plan to keep it for quite some time so I gots to be taking good care of it.

I thought about running again in the afternoon, but decided not to when Meagan got home with her parents. We played host and went out to dinner at The Barnacle. It was my first time in my favorite bar that I've never gone to and I guess it lived up to its reputation. I definitely wanted it to be sketchier and more blue collar, but the surf and turf was pretty good.

Running with the Boys from Rhode Runner

2011-12-15T14:42:00.000-05:00

Time: 82:27
Distance: 19.25k
Pace: 4:17/k
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This morning I met up with Alan and Pat who both work at Rhode Runner. I met Alan at the store the first time I visited upon taking my new job. We raced against one another at the Newburyport Half Marathon later that weekend. I knew Pat a bit from racing in college. He went to Providence College and we would occasionally compete against one another in cross country. Pat would be up with the leaders while I would be struggling in the middle of the pack.

We all joined up down at the Brown Stadium and began running through the neighborhoods. I let Alan give me a tour of the streets I used to run frequently and the only major change is down by India Point. It was good to be out the door with two other guys of comparable abilities chatting about local races, Craft and Karhu, club teams and friends we know through the sport.

I never felt fantastic at any point as my quads have been tired for about a week. I held my own despite wanting to fall back on a couple of the long climbs back up to College Hill. The rain held off making for an ideal training day in the middle of December. It will be good to come back and run with the guys soon. It should also be noted that I think Alan is turning over to the dark side of running in kilometers. At least I hope so. One down, 300 million+ to go.

Arrival in Providence

2011-12-14T13:58:00.000-05:00

Time: 57:13
Distance: 12.07k
Pace: 4:44/k
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I had accounts visits and showings at Westchester Road Runner and Sound Runner this afternoon which meant an evening arrival to Providence. The boys at Barnes weren't around when I arrived so I suited up and headed down Lloyd. My legs were stiff and it was cold making a bad combination for running. I shuffled down the hill and now can see my opening kilometer was nearly at 6:00/k pace. I hope that is an error and not the pace I was actually running. I almost believe that I was running that slow.

I headed down to the Blackstone Blvd. and ran just across the border into Pawtucket. I started feeling decent around the halfway mark and the pace began to pick up. The boulevard was somewhat busy with after work runners and walkers. It was good to be back in Providence even if I felt sluggish and slow.

The Rockies with Mad

2011-12-14T12:44:00.000-05:00

Time: 67:12
Distance: 13.75k
Pace: 4:53
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It was another early morning, but compared to yesterday it was like I got to sleep in. Mad and I drove over to Rockefeller State Park and put in a nice easy run to let the legs recovery. I needed the gentle pace around the Rockies and Stone Barns because it's easy to get a bit out of hand running on such scenic paths. It will be nice to come back here in the winter knowing training will still be possible as the farm needs to be plowed in order to feed the animals. Also, I think I'm finally getting to know the park as I started to recognize many more of the intersections. I still have a long ways to go until I feel comfortable running there solo, but there will be many more runs at the Rockies in my future.

Westchester Track Club Workout

2011-12-13T12:28:00.000-05:00

Time: 74:17
Distance: 16.06k

W/u: 29:02 for 6.02k
W/o: 2 x mile w/ 800m jog, 2 x 800m
C/d: 15:42 for 2.89k

I had a long day on the road from Marblehead to Albany to show the Karhu FW12 collection, then I jumped back in the car destined for Pleasantville, NY. I would be staying with Madeleine and she invited me to run a workout with the Tuesday night Westchester Track Club crew at the Scarsdale HS track.

The Westchester crew has some of the most talented foreign athletes in the country and they are coached by Mike Barnow. I had heard stories about Coach Barnow for months (he looks and acts a bit like Larry David. Don't believe me? Watch this video.), but had never actually met the guy until tonight. He was incredibly welcoming to having me join his group tonight. I didn't have any particular goals for the evening other than to jump in a workout with whoever was in attendance. It turned out that it would be about 3-4 women and 10-15 guys who were all looking to do Barnow's workout.

I got in a light workout with Mad as the group waited for some more individuals to arrive. Once we finally got lined up, I was happy to be toeing the line with a group looking to running some fast splits on a near ideal evening. The track facility of this high school was top notch and it was fairly well lit for not actually having stadium lights. My plan was to run with the group and maybe take some turns leading near the final few laps of the interval.

Mile #1 - Mike wanted us to run relaxed for 3 laps and then pick it up on the last as it was quite cold out tonight (low 40s to upper 30s). The pace was a bit quick through 400m (73) but then relaxed for the next couple of laps (2:33 and 3:48). I went to the front on the last lap and pushed the pace bringing us to an end in 5:02.

We had lots of rest which is common for Mike's workouts, but I wasn't going to complain being given 800m recovery.

Mile #2 - The pace was more relaxed on the opening lap (76) and stayed there for the next couple of circuits (2:34, 3:48). I went to the front again on the last lap and pushed with 250m to run. Some guys fell back while others made big charges for home. I crossed the finish feeling relaxed just a touch under 5:00.

Again, we took 800m rest on the recovery and I got to chat a bit with the other runners. They were wondering who I was and if I was going to be a new teammate. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

800m #1 - Mike's instruction were to run relaxed on the opening lap and pick up the pace on the second. I think we came through 400m in 72-73 when I hit the front and started to up the tempo. I was feeling pretty good down the backstretch with no signs of my sore right hamstring. I wasn't looking to go all out, but I could hear others sprinting for the tape. I think the second lap was completed in 68 or so.

This time we only had 600m recovery, but I was feeling good after a few hundred meters of easy running.

800m #2 - My plan was to run relaxed for 500m and hammer the final 300m, but that went out the window when Thaddeus, a high school runner, took the pace out in 67-68. It was supposed to be a little more relaxed than that. I found myself in the front with a lap to run and just kept the pace honest. I ran strong through the line and had a bit of a battle the final 100m with another runner in the group. I'll take the 2:16-2:17 effort given the conditions, hour, cold, drive, etc.

Splits:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	29:33.5	7.31	4:03
1	5:02.4	1.65	3:04
2	5:10.3	0.85	6:05
3	4:59.6	1.67	3:00
4	5:31.3	0.85	6:32
5	2:23.2	0.84	2:51
6	4:09.9	0.63	6:35
7	2:17.0	0.83	2:45

I got in a short cool down before heading back to Pleasantville with Madeleine. I'll definitely have to keep these workouts in mind the next time I'm in Westchester. Hopefully, I can make it on a Saturday when the Kenyans/Ethiopians show up.

Dark Start

2011-12-13T11:40:00.000-05:00

Time: 59:04
Distance: 12.40k
Pace: 4:46
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It was a brutally early morning but necessary if I wanted to get in some time on the feet. Meagan and I were out the door by 5:15 AM to run around the neck. We are always shocked at the number of people who are already out there getting in their workout. Nothing too much to report on this run either. Meagan is off to TN while I get to drive up to Albany to visit Fleet Feet.

The Loop

2011-12-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

Time: 51:35
Distance: 11.34k
Pace: 4:33/k
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I got out the door this evening with Meagan to complete a loop around the neck. Nothing too exciting to report other than putting one foot in front of the other.

Marblehead Woods

2011-12-12T11:24:00.000-05:00

Time: 69:29
Distance: 13.61k
Pace: 5:06
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Meagan and I had dinner over at our CEO's pad last night and were invited to run with he and a friend in the morning. We met up near our house and headed for some woods that he wanted to show us. It was a lot of loops on single track trails, and potentially a good spot for us to find some add on distance.

We popped out on to West Shore Blvd. and ran back into town once we hit the trail. My legs were a little beat up after yesterday's long run so today was a nice way to recover at a leisurely pace.