Kara's an author!

Congrats to Kara Goucher for her new book which is coming out soon! It may be a future purchase for the women runners I know (i.e. Crystal, Tim (jk)). Alan Webb is leaving Alberto, Paula Radcliffe thoughts, London Olympic Stadium is completed, Ryan Hall - future chef?, and a RW chat with Masters runner Sheri Piers.

Wednesday, Mar 30 - ~16.5 miles: 2 up, 2 x (30 minutes easy, 3 mile tempo), 1 down. Talked with Crystal beforehand, and thought if we hit 6:33-6:37 pace on the tempos, we would be happy. Perfect day in Forest Park to run - a little cloudy, but fairly cool and breezy. Ran our warmup around FP before stretching out, then looped around for 30 minutes before jumping into the tempo which we were doing on the 2 mile BRR loop. Felt pretty sluggish starting out (big hill immediately before leveling off), but got locked in eventually and felt pretty good finishing out the first set. Sort of wish we could have kept going, but that wasn't the workout. Looped around some more at an easy pace before jumping into the second rep. Felt tired after the first mile, and started to fall a couple steps behind Crystal towards the end of the second mile but just sucked it up and pulled back with her. Got locked back in, and we negative split the last mile which is always an awesome feeling. 10 minutes down, stretched in the Visitor's Center, then headed for a celebratory meal at the Good Pie with Pat and Crystal. Very pleased with this workout - definitely a tough one, but hit excellent splits and felt pretty strong for the most part. On a side note, noticed a surplus of cops in FP all thoughout the run - saw at least 5 people pulled over on the 2nd half of the workout, and many just parked all over the park. Good to see a ton of runners/bikers out there as well. Tempo splits were: 19:38 (6:37, 6:31, 6:28), 19:29 (6:33, 6:31, 6:24). Everything else averaged around 8:10 pace.

Easy mileage to the weekend. Legs feel tired, but manageable, and will enjoy the easy 4 miler tonight!

3 More Weeks!

Troy Aikman runs 1:48 in Dallas 1/2, Ryan Hall NYC thoughts, Sara Hall's Olympic event?, Chat with Desiree Davila, Angela Bizzarri is running for Mammoth Track Club, jogging won't kill your knees, Alberto Salazar's methods being studied worldwide, Alberto is coaching Lance?!, Stephen Shay and his great NYC run, Amy Yoder Begley is running the Shamrock Shuffle, Alan Webb is running the Drake Relays, Wanjiru OUT of London (but Martin Lel is in), Jeopardy for runners, and of course, the lovely Miss Kara Goucher.

Been out of the loop the last week, but the good news is still running pretty well and getting in some quality workouts. So here we go:

Wednesday, Mar 23 – 16 miles: 10 minutes, 2 X 1 mile tempo, 80 minutes easy, 2 X 1 mile tempo, 10 minutes down. Met Crystal at Forest Park for this workout. Crazy windy outside, but nice to see a ton of people around. Quick warmup, got right into the workout. Went out way too hard on the first mile, but evened it out towards the end (nice downhill, downwind towards the Science Center to end it). 2nd mile was brutal coming in because of the rolling hills, gradual uphill on the second half, and running straight into a 20-25 mph wind. Took the wind right out of my sails, and eventually recouped roughly 10 minutes into the 80 minute run. Ran all around Forest Park, mainly into the wind which was frustrating, but eventually got better when we were running downwind. Highlight was when Crystal was cursing at Tim (who was out setting cones for his workout), and ran right into a mud, creating quite the splattering mess! Got in about 9.5 miles, then started right back up with the tempo mile repeats. Felt ok on the 2nd set of miles, but just ran out of gas at the very end of the last mile, where my body pretty much shut down on the home stretch. The combination of wind and hills were absolutely brutal, but was overall very pleased at this workout. Fun dinner with Pat and Crystal afterwards and Buffalo Brewing Company, they make an amazing brown ale which I highly recommend! Mile splits were: Rep 1 (6:19, 6:26), Rep 2 (6:25, 6:35), 8:20 average on everything else.

Thursday, Mar 24 – 4 miles. Easy run, out and back on the G.C trails. Legs felt ok, but my calves were on fire. Probably from the hills, as my legs are finally starting to relearn them just in time for Boston. No idea how long I was out there, but probably went too fast judged by my heavy breathing and tired legs.

Friday, Mar 25 – 0! Scheduled Day Off

Saturday, Mar 26 – ~4 miles (4.2 miles in 33:49). Volunteering for the Go! St. Louis Marathon in a couple of weeks, and met Ben and Brian to get our assignments. Afterwards, did the group run route in a pretty crazy thundersnow/blizzard. Had a lot of fun running in the ridiculous elements, minus the snow blowing so hard that you could barely see. C and I were absolutely covered in snow - gotta love spring in St. Louis. Hit sub 8 pace, the product of Mother Nature and us just wanting to get out of her fury.

Sunday, Mar 27 – 19 miles, 2:30. Did the Big River group run with Mike, Crystal, and Candace (Coach Tim jumped in with us). Arch loop (very scenic), then mileage in Forest Park to round it out. Intended pace was easy run (8:30’s), but that got out of hand quickly as the Killer C’s (Crystal and Candace) and Tim immediately took off like a pack of wolves looking for food. Pretty much lost them after the 2nd mile, and Mike and I settled into a decent groove that was still way too fast for the intended workout. Icy spots everywhere, so ran on the roads for the majority of the run. Crystal and Candace came back towards us around the Arch, and we looped around the Arch grounds with them before they took off. Tried to slow down unsuccessfully (locked in at this point), and worked ourselves back into Forest Park before meeting up with the girls again. Looped around Forest Park/Wash U area before they surged away (note the reoccurring theme), and ran Mike back to his car (he was doing 16 miles) before chasing down the girls. Sort of trashed my legs in the process, so the last couple miles were definitely on rubbery legs. Cool to see a ton of runners out there, especially the Big River runners who were in full force. Didn’t feel too hot starting out, but hit a solid average pace regardless (7:50) which is a good sign. 51 miles for the week - not too shabby

Monday, Mar 29 – ~3 miles (3.15 miles in 30 minutes). Supposed to be a scheduled day off, but wanted to work the kinks out of my legs. Went out on the trails with Pat and Crystal, kept the pace very honest and loosened up a bit. Nice, easy run – felt really good afterwards.

Tuesday, Mar 30 – 4 miles. 270 Loop and a little more late at night. My Xbox crapped out (R.I.P. June 2006 – Feb. 2011), so ended up buying a new one plus Kinect, as well as the new Tiger Woods game. This may cause some issues for me, at least for the first couple months because of my addictiveness. Played for a long time, snuck in a run in between, played late and played this morning. Absolutely exhausted.

Forest Park run tonight. Winding down my Boston training as my last “long” run is complete. Doing a few key workouts and mostly maintenance work until the big day!

#4158

Woo-hoo! Just got my Bib # from the BAA, and I am #4158! The Boston Marathon is pretty unique in their bib assignments in that they truly line up the faster athletes up front (based on qualifying times) in corrals by the thousands, so pretty cool to be in the top quarter of the runners. Will be joined by Shane (#4433) and Crystal (#5666 (la diabla)) very closeby, so even more cool!

Sumo wrestler finishes marathon and sets record, Abderrahim Goumri finally wins in Seoul, Paula is training again!, pics of Paula, Shalane (awesome RW article), and the curious case of Ryan Hall and his free pass at NYC last weekend...

Monday, Mar 21 - 4 miles. Very slow, legs felt like garbage. Starting to get warm outside, which is nice.

Tuesday, Mar 22 - 4 miles (32:25). See Monday

Tonight, headed to Forest Park for another killer workout with Crystal. 2X1 mile at tempo, 80 minutes easy, 2x1 mile at tempo. Really don't feel too hot, hoping the warmup will help, but foreseeing having to gut this one out.

NYC 1/2!

Mo Farah is a stud - won the NYC 1/2 with a ridiculous kick down the stretch to take out the NYC Marathon Champ Gebre Gebremariam. Caroline Rotich conquered the women to take the title in a course record, and the lovely Miss Kara Goucher finished 3rd, only 11 seconds behind. Ritz just had surgery, the McRunner ends up PRing and also has a clean bill of health!, Shalane finishes 3rd in the World XC Championships, Zersenay Tadese runs 58:30 in Lisbon (7 seconds off the world record!), Markos Geneti wins the LA Marathon, a cool running article in the NY Times (thanks for forwarding along, Marc!), and a brief chat from Runners World with Kara Goucher.

Just some quick commentary - I think Galen Rupp's performance was extraordinary, and even more crazy that he ran 1:00:30 despite falling down during the race! It was his 2nd road race ever (he ran a 5k last year, I think), and the sky is the limit for this runner. Not to mention, he and Mo Farah and training partners, and are both coached by the great Alberto Salazar, so it will be interesting to see how he develops and how he does should he take up distance running someday.

Wednesday, Mar 16 - 14 miles (2 up, 2x (20 min easy, 3 mile tempo), 1 down) All of this done on the track, so 56 grueling laps. Met up with Crystal on a cool day, felt pretty decent starting out but was dreading the tempo portion. Traded off every half mile, but hit great, even splits and was very pleased about this workout. Legs were tired starting out the 2nd rep, but worked through it and finished really strong. Wind was a bit of an issue, but battled through it fine. Lots of stretching afterwards. 3 mile split 1 was 6:32, 6:31, 6:30. 3 mile split 2 was 6:32, 6:30, 6:29.

Thursday, Mar 17 - 0! Switched rest day because of dead legs.

Friday, Mar 18 - 3 miles. Took the day off of work, ran 3 easy in the morning on the trail. Legs felt like poop. Afterwards, watched a billion hours of basketball with friends, prob a little too much fun.

Saturday, Mar 19 - 6 miles. Felt like death from the night before, paid for it on a windy run on a cool, overcast day. Out and back on the trail, very slow. Knees were killing me.

Sunday, Mar 20 - 17 miles (~8:20 pace). 1 up to Pat and Crystal's house. Garmin was dying, so shut it off 4 miles into the run. Mike, Crystal, and I hit the trails on a very sunny, warm morning for our longest run together in a while. Successfully negotiated with Mike to run the entire way (he was only wanting to do 12), and had a fun time the entire way through. Felt pretty good, although started to tire slightly on the final 3 miles probably from the lack of sleep from waking up early to watch the NYC 1/2 streaming online. Pace felt great, could have went faster with no issues, nice to get that over with. Regretting (yet again) not putting on any BodyGlide, as my legs feel like they were burnt from the chafing.

A solid 56 miles this week with some solid workouts. Another killer week to follow, but time to get in some work with Boston less than a month away! 4-5 easy tonight...

NYC Half This Weekend!

Looking forward to the New York City 1/2 Marathon this weekend! The field is absolutely STACKED, and thinking that there should be a few sub 60 times assuming good weather. Ryan Hall talks about training and God as his coach, Haile Gebresselassie is racing the Vienna 1/2 in April, and more on Lukas Verzbicas.

Tuesday, Mar 15 - 6 miles (anywhere from 50-60 minutes). Did and out and back on the trail twice - first 3 miler was around 24 minutes (a little faster than I wanted), but didn't look at my watch on the 2nd loop and definitely slowed it down. Daylight savings is pretty awesome with it getting dark so late, so trail running will be more prevalent moving forward. Legs were tired starting out, but felt pretty good finishing up.

Really making it a point these last few weeks to work my butt off, but have fun doing so. And it has carried over pretty well, as I feel mentally refreshed and very motivated to run. Working on overall fitness and losing about 5-10 more lbs to get to a more optimal race weight, which will come off pretty quickly as my mileage increases. 33 more days till Boston!

The Dreaded Treadmill...

A followup on St. Pat's Day, and the NYC 1/2 will be broadcasted on NYRR TV! Excited about having this race broadcast, instead of following blog and twitter feeds - always a thrill to watch any race in the Big Apple, especially with a field that is absolutely LOADED!

Monday, Mar 14 - 8 miles (62:30). My evening fantasy baseball draft combined with the impromptu blizzard/rain that covered the STL area made running outside almost impossible. So I went over to my friend's apartment gym after work to reconnect myself with his treadmill, an adversary I have conquered in the past. A girl was watching the news, so emersed myself in the state of Japan as the first few miles went by pretty quickly. But then the situation got interesting as this other beastly woman decided to hog the gym fan (switched off from oscillating, and pointed the fan in her direction). This, coupled with the 5 or so people working out in a small place, made the gym temperature rise to ridiculous Death Valley levels. Since I am technically not a resident, I couldn't really raise a stink, so gutted it out since it was cold and rainy outside. Legs felt fine, but picked it up when the treadmill, not very reliable as previously documented, decided to shut down with less than half a mile remaining. At this point, this was adding fuel to the fire. Restarted at a fast pace to finish out, got my sweaty butt out of dodge. Light corework afterwards. Lost a good 15 lbs. in sweat from the heat...

So the word of the year for all people out there, whether you are in a gym or on a track, is "etiquette". Everyone should do it. Most forms of etiquette are very simple, and don't need any explanation (i.e. don't steal the fan for yourself in a small, hot gym, don't hog the fast lane of a track if you can't run a 15:00 minute mile, etc.) Please review the definition below, then contact me if you have any questions. And yes, I am a bit salty over this...

etiquette [ˈɛtɪˌkɛt ˌɛtɪˈkɛt]
n
1. (Sociology) the customs or rules governing behaviour regarded as correct or acceptable in social or official life
2. (Sociology) a conventional but unwritten code of practice followed by members of any of certain professions or groups

St. Pat's Recap

Patrick Smyth interview (he is running NYC 1/2 this weekend, then London next month), Kenenisa Bekele is working back to form, Rock n Roll Vegas at night (super cool!), Titans running back Chris Johnson's contingency plan if the lockout continues, Jordan Hasay is a competitor, Mo Trafeh continues his great year, Lukas Verzbicas hits the triple crown, Hansons-Brooks project expands, and finally the lovely Miss Kara Goucher.

Friday, Mar 11 - 5 miles. Jogged the St. Pat's course with Crystal after work. Nice evening to run, a little scary running on Olive at night with some crazy bums around, but made it through ok. I always forget how hilly that course is. Really fun to run around downtown, great city to be outside when it's nice.

Saturday, Mar 12 - St. Pat's 5 Miler - 8 miles: 2 up, 5 mile race (32:26 (105/8988)), 1 down. Gorgeous morning to run, and the sun was pretty intense. Goal today was to run smart, pace Crystal effectively, and have fun! Met up with the other Big River runners, and warmed up as a group around downtown. Did a few strides, warmed up with some dynamic stretching, then lined up. First time I have ever had no issues with the start, and we bounded down Market in a huge pack. Hit a pretty strong headwind, so was tucking in as much as I could. Massive hill on Market slowed us down, worked pretty hard to get up before turning onto Compton then Olive for the way back. At this point, felt controlled, but a little tired (lack of hill work was showing). Last hill on Olive before the downhill, my right calf started to act up, and the downhill was just killing me. My right calf felt like a gigantic knot/boulder. Right before the 4 mile mark, had to pull off - told Crystal I had to stretch bad, then tapered off to the side to stretch it out for about 15-20 seconds. Started back up (C was pretty far ahead), then worked with a small group to move back up. Last mile, much less wind, felt pretty good and enjoyed myself through the finish. Overall, felt decent and had a really fun time. Nice to hit the last mile fast - easiest mile I have felt in any race this year, so maybe speedwork is starting to kick in. Splits were (6:10, 6:45, 6:31, 6:45, 6:07).

Crystal finished 4th in her division, and ran a stellar 32:05! - wish I could have brought her in, but was proud of her strong finish, especially only 12 days off the marathon. My Big River teammates Kyle Cameron and Margaret Lyons won the race, keeping the St. Pat's crown in the Big River family. Awesome job to everyone!!! Celebration ensued afterwards. Lots of friends, lots of postrace beverages, and perfect weather all around. Another successful St. Pat's Day :)

Sunday, Mar 13 - 10 miles - 90 minutes. Long run with Crystal, Mike, and Pat. Did out and back on the trail, kept the pace relatively slow and enjoyed a fun run with Team Sullentrup. Crystal whipped up some strawberry smoothies afterwards which were amazing - can't beat that after a run!

42 miles this week - lower mileage, but a couple strong workouts so very pleased all around.

Crystal and I post race with her "winnings"

Kyle and I - 2011 St. Pat's Day winner

Ben and I

Pat, Crystal, and I

St. Pat's Eve

FSU Star Pasca Cheruiyot's journey, generous Japanese runner, will never get tired of the McRunner (I swear I want to try this someday!!!), Lukas Verzbicas's triple crown attempt. Five decades of sub 3 hour marathons!!! (all these runners are studs!!!!!), Reno Stirrat taking that to a new level with potentially 5 decades of sub 2:45, and a Sally Meyerhoff tribute.

Very excited to get home last night and see a package from Nathan Sports - they sent a couple of their hydration products for me to review for my blog, so I will be working with those products over the next few weeks to give the most comprehensive and detailed critique I possibly can. Nathan Sports is a subsidiary of PenguinBrands (popular for their laundry detergent for performance apparel), and develops products concerning with hydration as well as reflective, and multisport gears and accessories. Thanks Nathan Sports!!!

Thursday, March 10 - 8 miles: 2 up, 2X2 miles tempo (12:47 (6:22, 6:25), 12:57 (6:29, 6:28)), 2 down. Met Crystal after work on the track to do the workout. Pretty chilly, overcast evening, but was feeling pretty good. Warmup, then went right into the workout. Traded the inside lane every half mile, and was trying to hit 6:30 miles. Started out with a 1:32 first quarter, which through off the first mile, but maintained the pace ok. Stomach started to act up at the end of the first rep, which wasn't ideal. Hit the first 2-miler a little too fast, wanted to keep the 2nd one in check. 2 minute break, hit the 2nd rep. A little tired at the end, but a good tired feeling like I was running a solid tempo run, not the dead legged feeling I have been experience lately. Really pleased with this workout, and felt very strong and controlled. Hoping things are starting to turn around now...

Tonight, jogging the St. Pat's course after work for a quick preview. Because I am just not in good shape, going to attempt to pace Crystal to a PR on Saturday. Small course changes, we don't weave through the city at the start, and just concentrating on Market Street for the first couple miles. Also, we weave onto Washington Avenue on the back stretch, which they had never done before to my knowledge. Regardless, it will be a great event which it always is, and sounds like a record number of registered runners for this year! (12,000+)

Run with Dean!

Saw this and thought it was pretty cool - an opportunity to run with Dean Karnazes in his cross country run across the nation to promote good health. This crazy guy is attempting to eat McDonalds every day, then run sub 2:38 at the L.A. Marathon!!! 10 high school records that will be tough to beat, and the lovely Miss Kara Goucher is back!

On a much sadder note, a very tragic news note that the P.F. Chang's Rock n Roll Women's Marathon Winner, Sally Meyeroff, was killed in an accident during her training. Praying for her family and friends during these tragic times...

Tuesday, March 8 - 0! Torrential rain fall and 40 degree weather don't mix, not the end of the world because my right shin/calf continues to hurt slightly.

Wednesday, March 9 - 4 miles. Nice and slow, and very late. Mother Nature has been on a rampage with some cold, windy weather lately, and she tried her best to manhandle me. Wanted to get in 6 miles, but settled for 4 nice and slow. Calf continues to be a nuisance, not too bad, but enough for me to notice.

Tonight, track work with Crystal. 2X2 miles at tempo, hopefully not too windy tonight!

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Jenny Barringer/Simpson is coming off an injury to have an amazing start to 2011, Chris Solinsky, Brian Sell on life after running, and a new start structure for the Boston Marathon.

Monday, March 7 - 6 miles. Finally made it back to the Big River Monday Run, joined by 20 or so and hit the Francis Park loop. Crystal and I hit 5.5 miles in 43 minutes or so - kind of quick starting out, but fell into a nice groove and felt great finishing. When I got home, small jog to loosen up, drills and corework. It was pretty comedic watching me get out of bed this morning, as I literally had to roll out of bed since sitting up is not currently an option.

More easy mileage this week, speedwork on Wed - all for a quick tune up for a fun St. Pat's run this Saturday!

AOH Top of the Morning 5K Recap

Mo Farah is maturing as a runner, and the Lake Biwa Marathon recap.

Thursday, March 3rd - 4 miles. Done super late, but glad I got it in.

Friday, March 4th - 6 miles (50:48 minutes). Took a 1/2 day at work impromptu, and successfully pulled Pat and Crystal out for a run. Nice day to hit the trail, out and back. Crystal and I picked it up the last 2 miles inadvertantly, but felt very smooth.

Saturday, March 5th - 0! Impromptu day back home in Peoria to help my sister purchase a vehicle, then birthday dinner for my dad. Nice to get back, but had no time at all to get in a run.

Sunday, March 6th - 10 miles: 1 mile up, AOH Top of the Morning 5K (19:11 - 10th place?), 6 miles pm). I would usually be more descriptive on races, but there isn't much good to talk about here. Woke up early feeling decent, drove over to the course where I got a quick warmup in with Candace then lined up. First mile was controlled, but Candace had already gapped me by about 5 seconds or so, so was working to move up. Struggled going up that slow hill, and tuned it back slightly to save some energy for the end. Coming back down, felt a little better but the wind wasn't helping. Candace was gone, so was working off a couple others going into the last mile. Not really sure what happened in my head, but was holding ground ok and but lost all mental focus and let a couple people outkick me. Really disappointed in myself for letting it happen, even more disappointed in myself for not fighting back, not much more to say. Didn't push myself as hard, and not quite sure why. Vowed to work my butt off moving forward, and also promised myself to get stronger. Splits were: 5:58, 6:24, 6:12?, basically crap. On a brighter note, my Big River teammate John Sell won the overall race in 16:12, and Pat set a nice P.R. with a 24:57! Candace won the women's in 18:31 - a great race by her!

38 miles this week, not too great and even worse when you factor in a terrible 5K. St. Pat's buildup has gone horrible, thus the race will not be run in my typical kamikaze fashion. My focus has shifted to 5 more tough weeks of marathon training, so it's time to officially begin work in 2011!!!

Crystal's Last Chance for Boston Recap

Galen Rupp is making his 1/2 Marathon Debut at the NYC 1/2 Marathon! He and his coach, Alberto Salazar, talk about it. And Peter Sagal talks about his running experiences and being fat as a kid.

Wednesday, March 2nd - 5 miles (~38-39 minutes). Ran 2 up through the trail, one village circle loop mile, then 2 back. Slight stretching and ab work, still feeling residual soreness from earlier work. Felt ok overall, and nice to get in some easy miles. That evening, completed out my "flush" which consisted of drinking a concoction of olive oil and lemon juice, and some magnesium citrate to flush out all the impurities. I'll spare you the gory details, but my liver and gall bladder are completely flushed out. I don't feel anything different, other than feeling even more tired than usual - hmmm...

Without further adieu, here is my guest blogger, Crystal, to offer her insights on her running in 2011 and her recent marathon victory. Crystal is an accomplished runner, having competed in multiple marathons across the country including Chicago, New York, and Boston. She was an All-State track runner in Missouri, competing in the 400 meter, before finding her way into longer distances post-college. After signing on with the Big River Running team, Crystal's times have dramatically improved, culminating in some impressive races which include 3rd place in the 2010 Lewis and Clark 1/2 Marathon (1:25:53), and her victory in last week's Last Chance for Boston Marathon (3:10:29).

So first of all, I have to say what an honor it is to be able to guest blog for one of the hardest-working runners I know. Over the years, Peter has taught me a lot in regards to running (and probably life too), splashed me with a lot of puddles, kicked a few frogs on me, given me some well-deserved tough love, but most importantly, has provided endless encouragement along the way. PK is a great advocate for the sport of running as he is the first to offer congratulations to any running feat, no matter how small or large. In addition, he’s the guy leading the way by always working hard - busting his butt in wind, snow, rain, or heat. He is gracious in both victories and defeat and has become a true friend throughout our many hours of training together.

Secondly, I don’t feel that any marathon runner’s blog entry would be complete without mentioning their thoughts on the recent announcement by the BAA in regards to changing their qualifying times for the Boston Marathon. While I understand something needed to change, I personally think lowering the already aggressive (in my opinion) 3:10:59 standard for young men is ridiculous. Coming from a girl who has busted her tail for two and half years to reach the 3:10:59 standard, I can tell you that it is no joke. I am a 1:26 half-marathoner, but have struggled for three marathons to hit the men’s full standard. While many of my female counterparts may disagree, it is my opinion that the women’s standard is too lax and is what needs to be addressed. I ran my first marathon ever in 3:30:32 so ended up qualifying with over 10 minutes to spare and that was on a four-day a week training program. Come on BAA, challenge us a little bit. Give us something that we will have to work really hard for so that we push ourselves to become better runners. Give us something to be proud of. It is because of the slack women’s standards that I have been trying to qualify with the men’s time for the last 2 and half years. I want to feel that I belong and have deserved my entry. Until the women’s standards are reevaluated and are adjusted to more closely reflect the difference between men and women’s actual ability, I will not feel that my entry is deserved with anything less than the men’s qualifying time. Additionally, it was sad to read BAA’s press release in which they state that their rolling admissions process is meant to reward the “fastest runners”. Uhhh, last time I checked the fastest runners are the men/women qualifiers running 2 – low 3 hour marathons. It is NOT the women who are running high 3:20’s and crushing an already lax standard. Furthermore, how can the BAA give prioritization to a female running a 3:25 over a male running a 2:59 marathon? What is a male runner’s incentive to run a 3:04:59 when he most likely won’t even have the opportunity to register for the race? I am hopeful that the BAA will rethink the registration process again.

And so this is where my story begins. After a couple of heart-breaking disappointments in Chicago 2009 (3:16) and Boston 2010 (another 3:16), I decided I needed some additional help in achieving my goal. Last June I signed up for personal coaching through the Big River Running organization. First of all, let me just say how grateful I am to say that Big River has become my running home. No matter the runner’s ability, they are there to answer any question and provide support along the way. I feel so lucky to be apart of such a tremendous organization. Secondly, I am incredibly grateful to Coach Tim who has transformed me into a completely different runner than I was a year ago today…Peter has been with me throughout this transformation and I’m pretty sure he would agree that the difference is as clear as night and day. Tim and I set our sights on an October 2010 marathon and while I again was in good shape and PR’d, I walked away with another heartbreak barely breaking 3:13. I did not follow the race strategy Tim had laid out (and Peter had attempted to drill into my head) and paid for going out too fast (frequent occurrence for me). So, we regrouped and set our sights on The Last Chance for Boston marathon on Feb 27 - fast, flat, controlled, and cold. Here are some highlights from my last couple of months of training:

January: Logged 248 miles this month. . whoa!! Running seems as natural as breathing at this point. The more I run, the better I feel. Hit a weekly mileage high (66 miles) this month. Tempo runs feel, um, easy. This is a definite first as I have always struggled through tempo runs, but this is further proof that my fitness is at a whole new level. I can run consecutive 6:40 minute miles without feeling like I’m really working that hard. I guess this is what Peter has been feeling for years now, and I finally understand what he meant when he said he knew he was ready for Chicago in 09. I feel confident that I’m ready for Last Chance. I just wish it would get here.

February or as I like to call it, The Month of Pace Runs: My body seems to have a natural aversion to running 7:15’s. It likes 6:48’s, 7:07’s, 7:20’s, but I can’t seem to find the sweet spot. My first pace run (10 miles) was done in my parent’s neighborhood, but unfortunately it isn’t exactly a mile so I was having a hard time locking in. I was wearing a heart rate monitor/watch for time/HR as well as a Garmin to track mileage. Tim has encouraged me to “rid” my dependency upon the Garmin and although I whined to anyone that would listen for about a week, I must say it has been one of the best pieces of advice I have received. Overall pace was 7:07 (too fast) for the 10 miles. Tim recommended I move to a two mile loop course in Forest Park for the future pace runs so that I wouldn’t have to worry about tracking mileage. Peter offers to run the remaining runs pace runs with me (what a guy).

Pace Run Number 2 (8 miles – Location: Forest Park). Ummm, hello cold and hills. Temps were about 20 when we started out and would continue to drop throughout the run. The two-mile course is a tough one too with rolling hills especially prevalent on the back half of the course. Peter and I do a one mile warm-up and then start the workout which is an uphill start. I am surging and can feel Peter lagging behind a little. I hear him tell me to slow down, I think he is off his rocker (as this feels way too easy for 7:15) and therefore I continue to push through the first mile. My split - 7:08 (or something like that), Peter’s split – 7:15 on the dot. Now, don’t get me wrong because I love Peter and we are both known to be fairly competitive, but I have to be honest that the first thing through my head after he calls out his split is @SSHOLE! I don’t slow down or turn around at first, because I know the look he is giving all too well. It is the same look that he gives when he plays you in darts, blind-folded throwing left-handed and still manages to beat you. The rest of the run was fairly uneventful, both of our legs were getting tired by the sixth mile because of the hills, but we managed to finish it out averaging about 7:07 pace.

Pace Run Number 3 (Impromptu pace run because Umm, I guess I’m in trouble). Coach Tim doesn’t appear to be happy with the results of the previous two pace runs (too fast). He therefore instructs me that part of my weekend workout will be to run four consecutive miles at 7:15. . no range, but I am to hit 7:15 pace. If I run faster than 7:15 (even by a second), I am to stop, take a minute rest and start over until I have run 4 consecutive 7:15 minute miles. It is okay if I run slower than 7:15 though. I have serious heartburn over the news that I am to complete this workout as I have completed two pace runs (10 and 8 miles) now and not one of those 18 miles was run at a 7:15 clip. I seriously believe that I will be attempting this run for HOURS and HOURS! Surprisingly, I am able to execute the run on the first attempt 7:18, 7:15, 7:15, 7:16. Maybe I’m beginning to understand what 7:15 should feel like. Having hit the workout on my first attempt, I’m no longer mad at Coach Tim. ;-)

Pace Run Number 3 (12 miles – Location: Back to Forest Park). Still hilly, but this time around I am battling the heat rather than the cold. Our lovely St. Louis weather men/women have let me down as they said the high would be 55, but it is 73 by the time I reach Forest Park. The wind is also incredibly strong. Peter and I hadn’t firmed up any details about the run today and he was swamped with meetings in the a.m., so I was attempting the run solo. Peter was greatly missed as this run went from ehh, to bad, to worse the longer it went on. My heart rate was way too high (173) and my legs felt completely dead. I thought about stopping after the sixth mile, but continued to push through. My splits were all over the place. Avg pace was 7:07, but that was only because my first few miles were way too fast (sub 7 - boo). My legs had no giddy-up and I’m feeling worn down. Not the way I was intending my last workout before the race to go. A month ago, I felt on top of the world in regards to running and now I’m feeling lethargic. I try to take it in stride and place the majority of the blame on the weather. I chalk it up to a small mental victory though for pushing through the workout when I wanted to quit about halfway through. Let’s hope I can channel that mental toughness on race day.

Pace Run Number 4 (3 X 1 Miles at Pace – Location: Track). Weather is perfect, and PK was at the track finishing up his workout. He was nice enough to jump in with me which made the miles go by quickly. We were able to lock into 7:15 almost immediately (although having 200 Meter splits to base your pace off of definitely helps). Splits were 7:14, 7:15, 7:15. Effort felt great. I’m ready to get this show on the road.

Race Day. So to say that I’ve been a nervous wreck the past week would be like the understatement of the century. I’m driving Patrick, Peter, coworkers (really anyone within a 10 foot radius) crazy . . .and may even be driving myself a little crazier in the process (if that is possible). I think I can physically feel the tension radiating from my body like some sort of force-field. I keep telling myself that I’ve done the work and that I just need to execute the strategy now. Patrick and Peter also continue to reemphasize this point. Very few people probably understand the sacrifices a marathon runner makes and I feel like I’ve been making the sacrifices for far too long now. The thought of having to continue with the sacrifice by not meeting my goal today is overwhelming, as is the thought of letting the dream die and accepting defeat. So really, it all comes down to this day. . .

Race conditions are perfect at the start. I’m nervous at the start, but not nearly as nervous as I have been in other marathons. This can most likely be attributed to the fact that a) I had my breakdown the day before (sorry DBA and Megan) b) I know that if I cramp up I just need to walk across a parking lot to get to my hotel or c) I don’t bother walking to the start line until 5 minutes before the start of the race as I had gotten my warm-up in about 20 minutes prior to the race start and had ducked back in the hotel to change shoes and stay warm. Ken has agreed to take the first leg of the marathon relay (which Pat, Ken, Mick, and Timmy signed up for) and thus pace me through the first 10k of my race. Let me just say that I think Ken’s parents probably messed up by naming him Ken and not Gazelle, Pretty Runner Boy, Cheetah. . I think you get my point. The guy is probably one of the easiest guys to run with ever. He is so smooth and relaxed that you can’t help but follow suit. We cranked out the first few miles within seconds of the desired 7:15 pace. I could hear Pat, Tim, and Mick cheering us on for the first three miles.. . .especially Mick who was just awesomely loud! While I didn’t physically acknowledge them, I hope they know how much I love them and how wonderful it was to hear their cheers. I was really trying to lock in to the pace and remain focused, so it was nothing but “game face” for me. I think Timmy took that to mean I was feeling tight, but I felt pretty relaxed. On the fourth lap, we saw PK who had just finished the 5k (big Congrats to him for finishing 2nd overall). He was going out to bring Megan in who also recorded a PR and finished as the eleventh female in the 5k (30th overall) so a big congrats to her as well. On the fourth lap, I started thinking that the course was going to be lonely without Ken’s companionship so I asked Ken if he would ask Pat to get my IPOD from our room once he stopped so I could have it for future miles. One of my favorite miles was the completion of the fourth mile because I was able to see the entire crew as PK and Megan had joined them by this point. Ken finished out a couple more miles with me and I was definitely sad to see him go. Thankfully he agreed to come back out for a few more miles later in the race. I ran a solo lap without Ken or any music and was enjoying running in the moment. I knew the hard work wouldn’t come for awhile yet so I focused on treating it like a normal practice run. By the time I had come around for my next mile, Pat had managed to grab my IPOD. Um, Awesome. . for those of you wondering, this is why you run around in a circle 26 times. Some thought I was crazy for choosing this race, but the convenience of it all is too good to pass up. I was easily able to exchange out GU’s, had a personal cheering section EVERY mile, and was able to calculate my splits down to a quarter mile (which was marked along the course). I’m in a pretty good rhythm at this point and excited that I haven’t gone out too fast. I crank out another mile and the crew tells me that I need to go get Mick who apparently had just passed. I approach Mick and am able to give him a good pat on the rear before passing by. It’s so nice seeing people I know on the course. I run a few more miles and then Peter jumps in for a mile which is a nice surprise. I ask him how he and Megan fared in the 5k and it’s nice to hear about their respective victories. Peter is not the happiest with his time, but I’m still pretty amazed because if I had drank what he did the day before I would have been happy to just crawl across the finish line. Huge props to the guys for even making it out of bed!! Peter is trying to get some response out of me on how I’m feeling and I tell him I feel okay, but don’t offer much else. I can feel my breathing picking up when I attempt to talk so I figure he will understand if I just listen to him gab like a mother hen. It is very nice to have the company. He asks me what lap I’m on and I have to be completely honest, I have no freaking idea. . maybe ten or eleven. This is one of the downsides of running a one mile loop course. . it is VERY easy to lose track of what mile you are actually on. Thankfully, the night before Peter had drilled two numbers into my head (1:35 through the half, 2:25 at twenty). I go through the mile at 7:18 and I think Peter is definitely concerned that he took me through a slower mile. I’m not worried about it at all though. I still am feeling good and run the next mile in 7:11. I hit the half around 1:35:30 so I know I’m where I should be. I pass Pat on the course, but don’t realize it is him until I am almost past him (boohoo). . .I swear I think everyone on the course is wearing a black jacket so he blends right in. Peter jumps in for another mile around 14 or 15 (again, so easy to lose track) and I’m able to grab a GU from him so that I’ll have it in a few miles. I think he thinks I actually eat the GU (as opposed to pocketing it) and assumes I’m in trouble. I also start to get a bit of a side-stitch at this point, but it is something that I’ve run through before and I know if I stay calm it will work itself out. I apply some pressure to the spot for the next mile and it goes away. .YAY! Around mile 16 or 17, I start to feel my shins tightening up, a bi-product of running around in a circle I’m sure. I have never cramped here before, but I’ll take cramps in my shins over my hamstrings any day. I GU the next mile in hopes that it will help and start grabbing Gatorade or water every mile thereafter. Mentally, I’m still feeling strong. My legs feel strong despite the cramps. I will be okay. I need to get to 20 and then the race will start. I only have a 10k left after that. I can do this. Strong, Fast, Swift, Light. Strong, Fast, Swift, Light. Strong, Fast, Swift, Light. Ken hops in again for another couple miles. I relax a ton with him out there and am able to crank out two great miles. I ask him to stick around for another one which he agrees to, but PK and Ken had already worked out the logistics of switching off so Peter hops in for the next mile. I hit twenty miles right around 2:25 so I know I’m still on pace. The wind has started to pick up a bit and PK tries to get me to draft off of him. Unfortunately, the wind is swirling and I feel like Peter is surging a little which he also realizes and quickly pulls back to run next to me. This is where things start to get a little dicey on the details. I get through 21 and the going is getting tough. Mentally, I keep telling myself to push through. My body is telling me something quite different though. Although it hurts, the pain is nothing like I’ve experienced in past marathons which I think is a great testament to how prepared I was for the race. Peter takes over grabbing my water at the water station, THANK YOU!!!, and I’m slurping the drinks down every mile. My breathing has definitely become more labored. We pass Timmy at some point and he gives me the strangest look. . .I either look like death or maybe I’m just delusional at this point.. . someday I’m sure he will tell me what he was thinking when he saw me. I think Peter is yelling at me when we pass Timmy so maybe he just felt sorry for me (haha). I know I am a slowing down, but it isn’t enough to have me significantly worried. . .yet. I’m missing my quarter splits by about 2 – 3 seconds. I just keep pushing. Ken hops in and reminds me that this is what the training was for. . this is what I have worked for. I keep telling myself, get through 23, get through 23. I start to battle a little bit of nausea, but try to keep my mind off of it. . .dwelling on it will only make it worse. Strong, Fast, Swift, Light. Strong, Fast, Swift, Light. Use my arms. Strong, Fast, Swift, Light. Strong, Fast, Swift, Light. Ken is encouraging me the whole way. And finally, I make it through 23. Peter is talking to the race commentator and I hear the commentator announce my name and state that I’m in the lead. It hits me. . I just might do this, it might FINALLY happen for me. Oh My God! I get completely choked up when I see everyone and hear the commentator tell me I have two left. Peter hops in and works with me through the next half mile to calm me down as I am nearly hyper-ventilating. I manage to calm down and start working with Peter who is yelling at me to FOCUS!! He is like a little drill sergeant and is really hammering on me to use my arms, relax, and focus. He is breaking the course down based on our Glen Carbon loop. “you’re at 270, you’re at the covered bridge, you’ve done this a million times, come on!!” He hopped in right at 24 so he has a good idea of what our splits are looking like through each quarter and as I begin to focus and pick up the pace he is there to congratulate the work. Every few steps, he is offering encouragement and telling me I’m looking better and to keep it up. We get through 25. I have one lap to go. I hear the group yell that I need a 7:30 as I go through the mile. The first half is again a real struggle. Peter continues to work with me. .thank God he is here. He starts clearing the course with about a half mile left to go. “On your left, you’ve got the female leader right here” he shouts.. .bless his heart, he has seen me through so much and I know he is just as excited for me as I am for myself. I’m trying to fight back the emotions. I can not lose it now. He tells me we are going to kick with a quarter left. . .I don’t have the energy to tell him he has lost his effing mind. I’m really feeling sort of sick and I have already picked up the pace. We run a few more meters and Patrick is there to bring me home. I’m so happy to see him that I just want to run to him for a big hug. I soon realize that he is there for a completely different purpose. . not to hug me, but to be drill sergeant Number 2. He takes off (classic “catch me if you can” style) and him and Peter are now yelling at anyone within earshot to make room on their left because they will ensure I get the inside lane for my final quarter. It’s kind of like “move or be moved” at this point. I am working really hard. .Peter and Pat are screaming at me to keep going and to use my arms. I guess Peter really wanted me to break the 30 second mark so he is really working on me. I can see the finish. I keep working, but man, I don’t feel very good and is the road starting to spin a little?? Peter and Pat drop off. I cross the line in 3:10:29. I had been anticipating this moment for years now and thought it would be such an emotional triumph. I had envisioned crossing the line with my hands raised above my head rejoicing in the fact that I had finally hit my goal. Well, let’s just say things don’t always end like we expect them to. In true “Warrior Princess” fashion, I leaned over the finish line and threw up not once, not twice, but 3 times to “celebrate” my victory which was received with huge applause from the DBA crew. Pat and Peter will be forever basking in the glory of having pushed me so hard that I puked. We had decided to finish the last mile of the marathon relay together, but I was getting pretty cold so I went to the hotel room to change. When I came back out the crew had already taken off so I started walking and was able to join the group with about a quarter mile left. Thankfully, they were walking, but it was at a pretty fast clip. My shin started to cramp up and Mick offered me a piggy-back ride which I was more than happy to accept. The relay finished in just under four hours and it was great to cross the finish line together. What an amazing weekend!!!

We headed out to lunch for some celebratory food and drinks and I was happy to finally relax. I don’t think the emotions really hit until we landed in St. Louis when I realized that at last, I feel like I have earned my ticket to Boston. . .

It hurts to cough...

Robo-Marathoner wins the big race! 800 meter world record holder David Rudisha is fast, rest may not necessarily be the answer, hoping the lovely Miss Kara Goucher feels better, and an awesome article about why runners can eat like pigs.

Tuesday, March 1 - 7 miles: 1 up, 3 miles track (reverse ladder - 1600 - 5:49, 12:00 - 4:17, 800 - 2:42, 400 - 1:14)., 3 down. Nice, brisk night for track work. Quick warmup and stretching, got right into it. Tired legs starting out - definitely felt like I was working a bit on the first half of the workout, and cut my rest time/jog in between to the minimum. Blazed through the first half of the 800 in 1:18, and had to slow it down a little not to get out of control. Jumped into the quarter after a tiny break, legs were dead and felt like jello but wanted to hit sub 1:18 since I had hit the split on the previous rep. 36, 38 seconds on the 200 meter splits, was pretty happy overall with the workout but a lot of effort. 3 mile cooldown afterwards at a very easy effort - would have hit more, but had some massive chafing issues and was getting pretty painful! On a side note, a big thumbs down to the group of punk middle school kids that were heckling me throughout my workout. Your mothers should be ashamed of your dirty mouths. I am curious as to why young kids would be hanging out at the middle school track late on a school night, but I don't understand today's youth either...

Started doing some good stretching and massive corework this week. It literally hurts to sit up, and it hurts to cough. This is what I get for disregarding some key workout components. My right shin is really sore right now - hurts when I press on the area, which I'm hoping is not what I think it might be. Easy runs till the weekend 5K - talked with Candace briefly last night, looks like she is in phenomenal shape leading up to the next few races, so will probably be hanging back in the pack until I get some more work in. Will definitely be utilizing The Stick daily to work out the soreness and give my legs a nice massage in the process...

Tomorrow, Crystal is going to guest blog her Columbus experiences and thoughts! Stay tuned...

Inconsistency...

Is Galen Rupp running the NYC Half? Pittsburgh Marathon Incentives, and Asian runners are awesome!

Monday, February 28 - 6 miles (44:10 - 7:45, 7:50, 7:19, 7:28, 7:28, 6:20). Legs were a little tired, but did a slight trail loop, then my 270 loop to finish it out. Chilly night to run, but felt better a few miles into it. Debris everywhere on the trail and in the neighborhood, and had to literally climb over a tree on the trail. Anyways, was cruising along, felt tired but moving ok. Was clicking off some faster splits, but felt decent. Last mile, felt myself pushing but not too much, so was uber-shocked to see the split. Massive stretching and corework later, happy to get this in.

Really aggravated that I can click off a 6:20 at the end of a run with relatively little effort, but I finally caught up on some sleep and felt a lot better going into this run then I did all weekend. Really feel weird about how inconsistent my running feels, and I just haven't felt right all year but this may be 100% attributed to poor nutrition and lack of rest. That is my main focus moving forward, improving those areas...

So 169 miles for the month of February (350 total for 2011), and cruising along. Working more on flexibility and corework, and general better nutrition since it can't get much worse than it is now. Doing a gall bladder/liver flush this week, which involves drinking a ton of apple juice and some other interesting liquids, so we shall see how this works out. Intentially eating light and not as much to help facilitate this process. Speed work tonight, TBD the actual workout...