Chris Sloane's Running Project

1/25: 6 X MILE

2012-01-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

Today I had an awesome workout that lifted my confidence as a runner. The workout was challenging mentally because it was my first "longer interval" workout in a while. 6 X MILE, with 3-5 min rest. Once I got through the first 3 intervals, I actually began feeling good, and enjoyed it somewhat. Yes interval work is...well...work. Perhaps I was enjoying the brand new racing shoes I got which I have decided to use in my half marathon this March. I instinctively decided against using the Mizuno Wave Universe(3.8 ounces!) because it doesn't have enough cushion for the 13.1 distance. However, it seems to be just right for that road 10K PR I am shooting for in late April-so it will be good use for that-as well as other short races or short, fast workouts. Instead, I am using the Brooks T7 Racer, which I tried out for the first time tonight during my workout. It weighs about 6 ounces which is perfect for me coming from the Musha(which is 7.8 ounces). I'm not trying to diss the Musha though...that shoe has gotten me far and I wouldn't be where I am now without it.

The T7 is perhaps the best racing shoe I've worn yet, as it feels so effortless running in them. I felt completely natural out there running and didn't feel the shoe was working against me at all. It feels nearly perfect with my mechanics. As I was doing my workout, I began to realize that this was the shoe for me to run the 13.1 as fast as I can.

Interval splits:

5:13, 4:59, 4:56, 4:54, 4:56, 4:55

This was a great first workout to target my spring peak. It's crazy but 4:55 pace is starting to not feel so hard anymore...

In addition, I did 13 miles on monday, and another 13 on Tuesday. Mileage will be 90-100 this week. I feel great.

1st Race of 2012

2012-01-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked my return to racing and my first race to open the 2012 year. The University of Maryland Indoor Track Invite is a perfect meet for this, because I can enter in a short distance like the 5000m and get my turnover going along with ideal racing conditions during cold snowy times in January. It's fun to wear a pair of shorts and a singlet during the month of January and feel comfortable. Although I had to warm-up outside and dodge the snow and ice that had fallen overnight. I was a bit rushed to get to the start line in my spikes but soon realized I still had enough time to do a few strides and I began feeling more relaxed and loosened up. I kept reminding myself that this race was not a peak race, it was a race for me to get toughened up a bit. To remind myself of what racing feels like. To face and push through pain.

I was seeded 9th in the fast heat and lined up correctly. The gun went off and I tucked myself comfortably behind several collegians and Georegtown Running Co. guys. Hit the first 1k in 3:00 so I was right on 15:00 pace. My goal was sub 15 and I knew even if I didn't break it, I would be close. Came through the first mile in 4:49, and I started to find myself boxed in by 2 guys in front of me who were letting a gap grow between them and the leaders. I wanted to go with the leaders. I began getting frustrated and knew they wouldn't budge so I needed to find a moment to go around them. I finally went around them on the turn in the outside lane, and as I did one of them unintentionally of course spiked me. I grunted and moved ahead of them and caught up to the lead pack of Georgetown Running Co guys(Sam, Ryan, Luke) and maybe another college guy. We eventually passed the college guy and I suddenly found myself in 4th place behind Sam(1st), Luke(2nd), Ryan(3rd). The 3K mark I hit 9:01, and the second mile was 9:38(4:49 split). During the 3rd mile I ended up passing Ryan to grab 3rd. Sam(Georgetown Running Co's MVP) was starting to lay the hammer down though and a gap grew between him and Luke. I was drafting off Luke but he was gapping me slightly. I then realized I had lost track of counting laps so I started figuring out the math in my head, all the while starting to overlap other runners, which kinda sucks because you have to go in the outside lane to do so. Luckily I'm an expert on calculation in my head and figured out where I was. The track was only 200 meters long which meant 25 laps. Constant turning pretty much. Before I knew it the race was almost over so I kicked as well as I could and knew I wouldn't break 15:00, but would be around 15:10. I crossed the line in 15:11, a PR and grabbed 3rd place. Solid effort overall and a good start to the year. I would have been happy to break 15, but indoors is a bit slower than outdoor track, and I will attack the 5k on the track again later in the year.

Sam won in 14:55, Luke was 2nd in 15:03. We did a long cooldown together of about 5.5 miles. I needed it. My warmup was brief because I was a bit rushed at the start.

This week was a lesser mileage week, only 62 miles. Previous week was 78 miles. I'll be back in the higher mileage zone this week as I set my sights for my target in March: Shamrock Half Marathon. I have 8 hard weeks of training. My mileage will be high enough to maintain aerobic fitness but not overkill because I will really be putting a huge emphasis now on quality workouts specific for threshold pace. I love training for the half marathon. It's bread and butter for me. It's time to get ready for what I do best.

Goal: 1:06-1:07

1/11/12: 3x1600m

2012-01-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

Today I had a solid track session that was 3x1600m with 4-5 min rest/jog between each. I tested out the Mizuno Wave Universe for the first time and for how lightweight it is it certainly has decent cushioning. I'm still on the fence on using it for the half marathon, however...10K definitely. We'll see. For now it was a great substitute for a track session targeted for the 5000m race next Saturday.

Splits:

Interval 1: 4:48...splits: 2:24, 2:24

Interval 2: 4:44...splits: 2:22, 2:22

Interval 3: 4:46...splits: 2:24, 2:22

It was a pretty crappy day weather wise. The first 2 intervals it wasn't raining much, but on the 3rd interval it began raining hard again and it was getting colder. The conditions today certainly were not the best and I have a feeling that once I get on a nice dry indoor track with spikes and less clothing it will be ideal conditions. Still, I am happy with this workout and feel eager and hungry to workout or race which is a great sign. I think early next week I'll do 4-5x1000m at goal pace as a final workout. My goal for the 5000m next Saturday is to break 15:00 minutes(sub 4:48 per 1600m). If I can do that I will be looking great for March. I think the 1000's will be my fine tuning and I'll be ready to go. Again, the 5000m isn't my strength, but it is a race that will surely help my longer distance times improve.

*Note of Comparison: Last Year at this time I did these intervals in 4:55-4:58, before I ran 15:26 for 5k.

I love this sport. It's great seeing how far you can push yourself. I don't see how I could ever give it up. Here's to training again in 2012.

ACCELERATION

2012-01-04T20:02:00.000-08:00

I accelerated into the turn on the track in my nike zoom victory spikes like a car accelerating on a race track. I felt really good. My form was solid. I was in full stride with my arms pumping strong. The cold air filled my lungs but I loved every part of it. I love training outside. I just won't go on the treadmill unless it is too dangerous to run outside...

The workout today was emphasis on pure speed and turnover. By my own design, it consisted of 1x400 at threshold pace, 3x200, 1x400, 3x200, 2x400 all at 1500m+ race pace, and finally 2x200(5k race pace)

1x400(75)
*3x200(32, 31.5, 32)
*1x400(66)
*3x200(31, 30.8, 30.5)
*2x400(65, 66)
2x200(35, 35)

This was really great in tapping into my speed and working on all the gears. This will enable me to use them as efficiently as I can and have them available during the 5k in a few weeks. I need to do a longer workout next time like 3x1600m or 5x1000m. Once I do a workout like that I will have a good idea for a goal time for the 5,000m.

2011, on to 2012

2012-01-01T14:28:00.000-08:00

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2011 totaled 3,984 miles, a weekly average of 77 miles/week. In 2010, I totaled 3,333 miles, averaging 64 miles/week. I am clearly jumping up in mileage, and it does correlate to my progression of faster times. However, mileage can also be overrated. Quality is very important. A friend of mine brought up some interesting statistics about the country's best marathoners and Olympic Trials Qualifiers. Below are the stats, and in addition I put my own stats in(red):

Average Weekly Miles & Long Runs of Elite vs Nat Class Marathoners

	Elite Men	Nat Class Men	Elite Women	Nat Class Women
Av Weekly Miles for Year	97.25 (77)	90.1 (77)	84.9	69.6
Highest Weekly Total	127 (130)	119.9 (130)	112.5	91.1
Longest Run	22.8 (25)	25.4 (25)	23.8	23.6
Runs of 20 or More Miles	7.7 (15)	18.7 (15)	11.9	10.0

The obvious difference is that my weekly mileage is a bit lower. But all of the other stats fit pretty well. My goal is to continue to raise that average weekly mileage to the 80s and 90s. Of course, I will pay attention to my body and make sure not to become a mileage junkie. I will do what works for me. I just found these stats really interesting.

BACK TO TRAINING:

For the past 2 weeks I have cycled back into training. 7 weeks after Marine Corps my mileage was averaging about 50/week, but I was ready to go back to work the week before Christmas.

Week 12/19-12/25: 84 Miles/Week, 20 Mile Long Run, track workout of 4x800 meters with 1 lap jog recovery in 2:23, 2:23, 2:22, 2:24. 2 medium long runs of 15 miles.

Week 12/26- 1/1: 95 Miles/Week, 23 Mile Long Run, track workout of 6x600 meters, 1x400, 1x200. Between each 600 was a 3 minute walk/jog/rest. Splits: 1:47, 1;45, 1:44, 1:45, 1:45, 1:47. This was 4:40 pace(14:35 5k pace). The 400 was 68 and the 200 was 34 to taper it off. Conditions: dark, cold, a bit windy. 1 medium long run of 16 miles. 1 two-a-day.

My first race of 2012 is the 5000m on January 21 at the MD Indoor Track Invitational.

Mizuno's Wave Universe 4

2011-12-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

I am excited(thanks to PR's shoe buyer Dave Miller) to have gotten a brand new pair of racing flats for 2012.  Mizuno's Wave Universe 4 weighs at just 3.7 ounces and is nearly 1/2 the weight of my previous racing flats, the Musha 3s, and it could possibly be a shoe I will race in up to the half marathon, certainly the 10K. As for the marathon I will probably still stick with the Musha for that. Many will say the Wave Universe's design is for the 10K on down, though some of the world's best runners will use a shoe like this in longer races because they are so efficient and light on their feet. Brian Cunningham(former coach of William and Mary) suggested I will have to test it out in a workout on the road and see. It fits my foot pretty darn well(similar to the musha) and for how light it is, it still has just enough amount of cushion.

When I was a bit younger, my half marathon PR was 1:16-1:17, I raced in a Nike Pegasus(neutral cushioned shoe). As I became faster and progressed to a 1:12-1:13 half marathoner I used the Asics DS Trainer. In the middle of 2010, I shifted to the Mizuno Musha, and raced in that for the rest of 2010 and 2011, dropping down to my current PR of 1:08 for 13.1.  Over the years, I have gone to lighter and lighter racing shoes as I have gotten more and more efficient. Keep in mind though I am talking about my racing shoes. I love to just do an easy run in my high-cushioned Enigmas, and I believe that doing so helps keep me injury free.  When it comes to racing, I think at a point, you can only go so light...without sacrificing cushioning. I am not one of those runners with the goal of progressing to vibrams, and I don't know any elite half marathoners who race in those things.

So I will have to test it out and see. I do think, that, eventually, in order to progress to 1:06 and faster in the half marathon, I will have to race in a lighter shoe on my feet than the Musha. It just seems heavy to me now racing 5:00 pace miles in.

Now on to training:

Since the Marine Corps Marathon, the past 7 weeks have been lower mileage, averaging 50 miles/week. I am feeling more rejuvenated now though and ready to get to 70 again. I have been taking 1-2 days off each week as well, though that will begin to diminish as I raise mileage again. This past week I felt really good on some runs, running at faster paces. On Wednesday I did a nice "break the ice" track workout of 8x400 meters with 1 lap jog between each. I hit 70,70, 69, 69, 69, 68, 68, 67. Thursday I took off. On Friday morning I ran with Coach Brian Flynn who coaches at Bridgewater College. Brian is training for the Houston Half Marathon in January so his mileage is high right now but I ran 11 miles with him before he added on another 11 or more(he was doing a long run of 22-25 miles).  Training with him consistently would be ideal and I wish he lived in the same area as our abilities and PRs are quite similar. His brother Ricky qualified for the U.S. Trials in January with a 1:04 half marathon.

Saturday morning I ran with Matt for about 17 miles which was my first real long run in weeks, and I really enjoyed getting into that zone again. Totaled 56 this week. Last week was 66. This week should be more of my real zone around 70-75 again.

The 2012 Race Plan

2011-12-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

1.21.2012 UMD Indoor 5000m

3.18.2012 Shamrock Anthem Half Marathon

4.01.2012 Cherry Blossom 10 Miler

4.29.2012 Pikes Peek 10K

5.14.2012 Swarthmore Outdoor 5000m

6.16.2012 USA Half Marathon Championships

FALL:

9.16.2012 Philadelphia Rock N Roll Half Marathon

11.18.2012 Philadelphia Marathon

Thanks to everyone's advice and thoughts...even Charlie Ban's Hot Chocolate Race suggestions do not go unnoticed... After brainstorming a lot of different options, I do think the best decision is repeating last spring's schedule for the most part, with the exception of adding on the USA Half Marathon Championships at the end. I believe that this schedule will work the best for me and certainly it did last year(I PRed in every race).

The UMD indoor track 5000m in late-jan will be my 2012 opener, before focusing solely on peaking once the shamrock half marathon roles around in march. I will not run the VT race because it will probably hurt, not help my half marathon at that point. So that's out. The Shamrock Half begins my spring peak, along with the races that follow it. Last year, I was able to endure a 2 month peak, progressing from 13.1 down to 10 Miles, 10K, and finally 5000 meters, hitting PRs every time I raced. One reason I was able to do this was variety in race distance. Each distance has it's own unique traits of requiring different systems to be trained and used. I balanced it all out in a delicate sort of way. 13.1 is oh so close to my lactate threshold-just a tad slower(for me anyway...it varies from individual because it is a pace you can maintain for about 1 hour)...while 10 Miles is a little faster for me than lactate threshold...using a small portion of some VO2 Max. The 10K is a really unique race actually...it's like a divided line between VO2 Max and Threshold, using both pretty equally. And, of course, 5000 meters is a pure VO2 Max race. So as the season went on I tapered off my Lactate Threshold and raced towards using my VO2 Max at the end. This is what I will repeat this year.

I decided also to do the Pikes Peek 10K at the end of April instead of Penn Relays because for one thing it is convenient (the finish is right outside of where I live) and it is too much of a drastic change to go from road racing to 10,000 meters on a track, and it would probably hurt my chances of running Swarthmore 5,000 meters in May. The track 10,000 is so much more stress and pounding on the body than a 5,000. I love the 5,000 on the track and am comfortable racing it in spikes.

After March-May racing, The USA Half Marathon Championships will come up as my final race on June 16th. It will be 3 months after the shamrock half, so the idea is that going back to the half marathon will be somewhat refreshing again. I will do a mini-peak for this race and it won't be necessary to train too much between May and June since I'll have less than 5 weeks to prepare and also I will be fit as hell at that point-if anything I would just need to make sure I stay race sharp by doing just enough running and a few tune-up workouts to keep my body "awake." I think this race is a really great addition to my season and it will give me great experience competing with some great runners and it's a great way to end a season with a championship race.

And furthur out...

After June I will recover and get ready for a big fall racing season. I think I already have this figured out. I loved racing in Philly so much last fall that I will definitely repeat the Philadelphia Rock n Roll Half in Sept again. My fall marathon is looking to be Philadelphia, which is perfectly 2 months after the philadelphia half. It gives me enough time so that I can mini-peak in Sept and to train and prepare for one final peak in Nov. It is difficult, as I have learned, to peak in the half and the full during the same season. Just read Dickson Mercer's blog. Or, just follow Ryan Hall. Having more time between races is a good thing as long as you're able to handle a long season of training.

Spring 2012 Racing Thoughts

2011-12-05T17:57:00.001-08:00

I have most of my races set in stone for 2012...but there are a few I am still on the fence about and I will need to make some decisions at some point...

After looking at what made 2011 such a success, part of that success was good planning on the right races. In 2011, I jumped back into some track races, and in addition to PRing, it translated well to my longer distance races. They were also competitive, as I had several college guys to race against. This I need to continue to do. I need to continue to get on the track.

The track is an area where I have a lot of room for improvement, and I need to continue to work hard at getting my times down, because it has helped my half marathon time improve immensely. I do think it is also why the full marathon is not my strongest performance yet, because I am working on certain systems that my body needs to develop this point in time in order for me to become a better marathoner as I mature. My goal long term development is towards the marathon but all of these shorter races and building blocks are part of a bigger whole.

If I want to improve to, let's say, 1:06/sub 1:07 in the half marathon this coming march, I need to get my 5000m time down to the 14's. My PR from 2011 was 15:13 last May, and I am confident that I can run high 14's this indoor track season...and perhaps faster later on in the year. I have decided my first race of 2012 will be the UMD Indoor Invite 5000m on January 21, in the PG Sports Complex. It's the same opening race I did last year(last year I finished in 15:26, 10th place). This race will also be a small way for me to contribute to MD's track and field program, as unfortunately there has been a proposal to cut men's track and field and cross country. Danielle, the assistant MD track coach and one of my roomates, generously waved the fee for me last year, but I will be happy to pay it this year to help support the program. MD has had some great runners and it is a shame for all of the athletes and coaches on that team to have to go through this.

In addition to the UMD invite, there is another 5000m indoor track race I am thinking about doing, which is at the former college I ran for, Virginia Tech. The Virginia Tech Elite Meet is held 2 weeks after UMD, on February 4th. The track is banked, and awesome to run on. I am still on the fence about doing it though. The important thing these 2 meets can do is to develop my speed for the big race in march: The Anthem Shamrock Half Marathon on March 18 in Va Beach. I also need to make sure I do not overdo the indoor racing before Shamrock, because my goal is to develop my speed only as much as I need to in order for me to run as well as I can in the longer distances. What might happen is I may shoot for a PR at MD, and then run the VT race more of as a tune-up/workout, and take that weekend in Blacksburg to get in a solid long training long run at the pandapas pond trails. Blacksburg is an awesome area to train, with hills pretty much everywhere, and trails that go for miles...and I miss training out there.

After Shamrock, there is the top-notch best DC race of the year...CHERRY BLOSSOM 10 MILER on April 1. This is the area's best spring race and it is so well organized. I think runners around here can easily forget to recognize what a great job DC does until they race in the hot chocolate 15k(which is done by a company NOT from DC!). They do a terrific job putting on Cherry Blossom(and though mile 4 was on the wrong side of the road last year-I'm sure they will make sure it is correct this year). Cherry Blossom is certainly a clash of the area's best runners and you get world class runners as well to make it insanely competitive and fast(I was 32nd last year). It will be 2 weeks after Shamrock so I will not have more training time between then/barely enough resting time, but hopefully if my training goes well I will be prepared to attack the 10M distance and rest enough between races to do it. I did it last year.

After Cherry Blossom I will be able to get some more training in before the latter part of April. I will also dive back into shorter races again(10k on down to the 5k). There are a few really competitive track races in April. One is the Larry Ellis Invitational 5000m at Princeton University on April 20-21. But there are also 2 big races the following weekend(and again I need to make sure I don't overrace!). One is the Pikes Peek 10K on April 29(a PR course and one of the most competitive 10Ks around)-and I run well on that course...I ran my PR there the last 2 years and last spring ran 31:26. BUT...there is another racing opportunity that weekend for me...and that is to run in the Penn Relays(April 26-28) in the Olympic Development 5,000m or 10,000m on the track. That would be a really great experience for me and just plain...awesome. Between all of these awesome races it will be a very hard decision to make...I can't do them all. I guess I'll have to see where my 5000m time is at after these indoor races and choose what to do in April based on my progression. These spring track races are highly competitive races to enter. And again, I need to be a 14's guy to be somewhat competitive.

May is easy-will be a repeat of last year, I will do the Swarthmore College Outdoor Track Invitational in PA on May 14, where I'll run the 5000m again. Set my PR of 15:13 there last year. A fun meet and last year I rode with a bunch of Georgetown guys in a van we took up there. It was a blast.

Last year the Swarthmore Track race ended my Spring season. This year, I will extend it to June. Duluth, Minnesota is hosting the USA Half Marathon Championships on June 16. I realized that my half marathon time from Philly this past Sept has qualified me to get an entry and also get free lodging. If I progress to sub 1:07 in March, I will also get most of my plane ticket paid for as well. But that aside, I want to run this race because it is a good race for me to run this point in time. The competition should be strong and it will give me a great chance to compete in a strong field of top U.S. runners.

The year looks exciting. I am beginning a new chapter of running in my life and am on a new level, ready to make some strong statements this spring. I think the latter part of 2011, and especially my philadelphia half was a small preview of what 2012 will bring. This year will also mark the first step of beginning 4 hard working dedicated years of training towards my bigger goals, which is qualifying for the 2016 trials...and beyond.

And of course, I appreciate any tips/suggestions/comments on racing ideas!

11/21-11/27: 59 Miles, Thanksgiving, The Turkey Chase, & New York

2011-11-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

It was a busy week of traveling up to New York to see my family. That is of course after I did the Turkey Chase yet again for the 4th year in a row now. I'll go over that first. I got to the starting line feeling very calm, particularly because I knew this was more of a workout than a race. It's not like I was going to run a PR on a hilly course like this one, and I am far past my fall peak, which I found out was truly at the Philly Half back in September. Still, I wanted to run to win, and prize money goes 5 deep in this race. In 2008, I was 9th. In 2009, I was 7th. 2010, I was 5th...

The gun went off and I found Sam and Karl surging to the front who I tucked in behind with another guy in an orange jersey. The 4 of us made the turn onto Cedar Lane and then up the back hills where mile 1 was where I split 4:55ish. I then went ahead of Karl and never saw him again- I think he ended up dropping out. Kinda sucked because now Sam surged into the lead with the orange jersey runner running with him and a gap grew between them and me. I was basically on my own the rest of the race. Around Mile 3 the orange jersey runner lost ground on Sam and I thought he was coming back to me everytime we went uphill...but then on the flats and downhills he seemed furthur away again....I hate that. I just kept him in sight and focused on my form to run strong. Sam must be bored too, I thought. LOL. He was just chasing the lead vehicle. Mile 4, Mile 5. Nothing special. The end of the race neared and I focused on my effort for one last drive toward home where people cheered. I ran strong through the finish and felt relieved to be done with one final effort. Overall it was a fun event and I grabbed 3rd place and $150. I then quickly jogged in my flats to my car and drove off to pack and shower and leave for New York.

I stayed at my Aunt's house Thursday night in Port Washington, then drove Friday morning just Northwest to Sleepy Hollow, NY, where the headless horseman started chasing me across a bridge and....no not really. I drove up there to run in a beautiful place called the Rockefeller Park Preserve. I actually only discovered it last year when I was there for my cousin Jeff's passing. There are miles and miles of dirt trails and it is hilly. Great surface and solitude. I got out of my car and immediately started on a 13 mile easy solo run. Totally relaxed, and didn't care what pace I was running. I guessed 730s. Afterward, I drove to my other Aunt's in Westchester to have some food and shower before driving back home. I took Saturday off and did my first real "long run" on Sunday. I ran on the towpath before going into Georgetown and DC for a while. I kept it easy most of the way not really worrying about pace but I did find myself "waking up" for some of the way back, clicking off a few 6:30s which is a more normal long run pace for me. My mileage is still low and I know I am still not fully recovered after my fall season, so I am making sure to not overdo it. I'll be honest though, I feel really healthy and good, and most days I am out running not worrying about pace, just keeping it easy. I Got in 16 miles for my long run and 59 miles this week.

11/14-11/20: 43 Miles/Week

2011-11-20T15:08:00.000-08:00

2 days off running this week felt great. On Monday, ran an hour with Scott and Jordan on Cabin John Trails. Tuesday, ran with my dog for about an easy hour...the little guy is getting fast. Wednesday, ran on the trolley trail solo for another hour. Thursday and Friday I took off, and Saturday I ran with Matt at Old Angler's to get in a "long run" of 91 minutes easy.

Sunday, I did a nice track workout of 8x800 meters, at the QO track, with 3 minute rest between each interval. I split 2:23, 2:22, 2:22, 2:24, 2:24, 2:24, 2:24, 2:23. How's that for consistency? It felt good to work out but I am also enjoying the lower mileage after all that marathon stuff. Turkey Chase 10K this Thursday...should be fun.

The Ability to Recover

2011-11-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

Running can be unpredictable sometimes, especially with an increase of fitness and strength. This has been an unbelievable recovery for me after the marathon which was just over 2 weeks ago now. I planned out my 2011 year really well, and I seemed to have every race lined up for the year, with Marine Corps being the last race.

Well, turns out Marine Corps isn't my last race of the year. Neither was Veterans Day. I have been so spontaneous with my running lately, jumping into extra races before the year ends and thinking each one is the last before I decide to do the next...

My next race will be the Bethesda Turkey Chase 10K on Thanksgiving morning.

I think the fact that my post marathon recovery has gone so remarkably has given me that extra adrenaline rush to add on a few more races to my year. I feel good, and I enjoy racing, so why not? Races can also be good workouts sometimes.

Veterans Day was a good effort for having run a marathon 2 weeks ago. The time was slow(32:15), but the effort is what counts. And I enjoyed competing. I was running with GRC's Ryan Hanson for much of the race(a 14:40's 5K guy)...before he pulled away to finish about 20 seconds ahead of me. At the 5K mark(15:55) I got a nasty cramp, and really felt like stopping...cursing why the hell was I racing so soon after a marathon. But the course was an out and back, so I had to get back anyway. I then concentrated on effort and threw the focus on "time" away, because I knew I was only at 50% and if anything this was just a solid workout. Towards the end, a much taller runner passed me with about 1/2 mile to go. I couldn't help but get annoyed. I drafted off of him before surging past him with about .1 to go and grabbed the 8th place spot. Won $80 cash-not a bad payday for a workout. Even though the time I ran is slow to me now, I still ran 43 seconds faster than last year's race. I think I will feel a lot better in the Turkey Chase 10K, since it will be furthur away from the marathon, and have better turnover to run a stronger 2nd half.

Recovery after a big race can vary among runner to runner, and also the way their body feels. For some, it means it is necessary to taking 2 weeks completely off. For others, it means taking 1 week off, or just running less, or taking more days off than the runner is used to. At the end of the day, the magic formula is what works best for each runner's bodies. For me, I can recover pretty damn quickly-which means I am able to run again quickly-even within a week of a marathon. I'm even able to jump in some races during this phase-as I'm learning now-I may not PR-but they can be solid workouts. What's different though is the amount of running I am doing relative to what I did before...

So how do you know how much time to take off? Well, a good rule of thumb after the end of a season or long year is to at a very minimum LESSEN the amount of running by taking more days off than you're used to and running less each day. For example, as I have trained over the summer and fall, I averaged 90-100 mpw(with a high of 130 mpw) and I took 1 day off every several weeks...which is a long time to not take a day off...So, the week after my marathon I ran 30 miles with 3 days off and this past week was 55 miles with 1 day off. So now I am running about 30-50% of what my mileage was, with as little as 25% the first week. And I will continue to keep the volume lower for a while. Adjust it according to how much you run. It is important to do this for a period of time before getting the motivation again to ramp up the miles again.

Intensity is the second aspect that goes along with mileage. There is a simple formula that I think many runners should look at: Too much Intensity + Mileage= Injury. I learned this a long time ago when I used to train incorrectly and made every mistake in the book. Now, some runners can handle more intensity than others...some can handle more mileage than others. The optimal formula is to balance mileage + intensity with appropriate recovery to get optimal results.

So, for example, lets say runner A, who is currently running at a high intensity, wants to increase their average training volume(miles per week) with their intensity. If they raise the mileage while continuing to run at a high intensity at the same time, they will most likely get injured. If runner A wants to raise the mileage to a new level, they must decrease intensity first while raising the mileage. Only then will the runner adapt to a higher volume, and able to eventually add the right amount of intensity to the right amount of volume after this has happened. So, if runner A wants to eventually increase their overall volume from 50 to 60 miles per week, they may run as much as 70 miles per week without any or very little intensity during their base phase of training. Then, when they decrease their mileage down to 60 mpw, they can increase the intensity gradually while maintaining 60mpw. This is where the runner adapts and becomes stronger and is able to handle more work. Now, let's look at runner B, who is already running the volume of 70mpw, but wants to increase/add intensity. They must first decrease the volume of running to lets say, 50mpw, add the intensity and can then gradually work the volume up to 60 mpw with the intensity. This takes time though, and patience. It does not happen overnight. I like to look at my training progression over a yearly basis.

Races are important because they give a runner something to work towards as a goal and help with periodization(when to run higher or lower miles and when to run higher or lower intensity). As I mature as a runner, I have learned that the benefits of marathon training help support a solid aerobic foundation for the "shorter distance"(5k-13.1) races, just as the shorter distance racing benefits running faster in the marathon. They go hand in hand and build off eachother.

So the Turkey Chase will be yet another race I will jump in. Maybe it will be my last this time. I don't see any other races I would like to do afterwards, and as I put together my 2012 schedule, I think at some point, I need to make sure I do not overrace before the real quality races start. I have high goals for next spring...

-Sloane

11/9: 4x400m, 4x200m, 1x1600m

2011-11-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Today I did a track workout in prep for this Sunday's Veterans Day 10K(surprise!....or not so surprise.. if you read the comments of my last post).

Man, it felt good to workout today. The goal of the workout was to get some leg turnover going while also simulating 10K race pace. I started with 4x400m and did the first one at 10K pace(74), and then did the next 3 at a faster rep in 67, 67, 68, all with 1-2 min rest/jog between. I then went immediately into 4x200m in 31, 31, 32, 32, with similar 1-2 min jog/rest between. Finally, I did a 1600m at 10K race pace to simulate the later stages of a 10K. I split 4:55, right around my target goal pace.

I felt good out there, and feel ready to get one last race in for the year. This will definitely be my final race for the 2011 year. It will be my 11th for the year as well.

I recovered really well from this past marathon and what really gave me the go ahead to do this race was the completion of this workout today. My legs feel fine, and I feel ready to give one final effort. Veterans Day is a fast course, good for a PR, and the competition is usually pretty solid. Given my fitness right now and the right race, I feel under 31:00 minutes(4:59 pace) is certainly doable.

FLASH: A Surprise November Race

2011-11-05T20:24:00.000-07:00

Recovery is going really well and my energy levels are feeling quite good. I have a little bit of something left to give before the end of 2011. Not quite sure what it is, but I do feel I have one last race in me. I have decided what it will be and will announce soon.

Stay Tuned...

2011 DC, MD, VA Summer Rankings

2011-11-02T19:50:00.000-07:00

Every season James Moreland puts together a list of ranked runners within DC, MD, and VA who meet qualifying times. The 2011 summer rankings were from May 21, 2011 – September 5, 2011. I made the 20th spot which was the first time for me to be in the top 20. Other =PR= racers who got ranked were Aaron Church(#28) and Hugh Toland(#40). My roomate Joe who runs for Georgetown Running Co. got the 9th spot. Congrats to everyone who got ranked!

1 Endale, Abiyot ** 26 Silver Spring, MD
2 Feysa, Birhanualem *** 29 Silver Spring, MD
3 Dumm, Andrew *** 26 Arlington, VA
4 Bokan, Tariku 30 Herndon, VA
5 Mouchine, Outaleb *6 33 Baltimore, MD
6 Flynn, Ricky ** 24 Lynchburg, VA
7 Berdan, Dave ** 30 Owings Mills, MD
8 Alemu, Birhanu ** 29 Silver Spring, MD
9 Wiegner, Joey *29 Rockville, MD
10 Tarpey, Michael 25 Blacksburg, VA
11 Deak, Ryan * 25 Burke, VA
12 Komen, Wilson * 33 Washington, DC
13 Callan, Daniel ** 22 Round Hill, VA
14 Clement, Anthony *** 24 Williamsport, MD
15 DeVar, Frank * 23 Alexandria, VA
16 Rodriguez, Bert 31 Arlington, VA
17 Wardian, Michael 37 Arlington, VA
18 Megerssa, Gurmessa * 32 Washington, DC
19 Guevara, Paul 24 Alexandria, VA
20 Sloane, Christopher 28 Rockville, MD
21 Tefera, Demesse 29 Washington, DC
22 Carroll, Ryan ***** 28 Portsmouth, VA
23 Geletu, Seife * 29 Washington, DC
24 Dusen, Karl 28 North Bethesda, MD
25 Burnham, David 27 Arlington, VA
26 Angell, David *** 34 Blue Ridge, VA
27 Renjifo, Carlos 28 Columbia, MD
28 Church, Aaron ** 35 South Riding, VA
29 Secor, Jacob ** 20 Virginia Beach, VA
30 Hanlin, Cameron ** 23 Hagerstown, MD
31 Pruitt, Chris 29 Arlington, VA
32 Doan, Caleb * 21 Virginia Beach, VA
33 O'Reilly, Blaine 22 Hayes, VA
34 Airbensalem, Rachid * 38 Baltimore, MD
35 Shirk, Kevin * 31 Winchester, VA
36 Means, Andrew * 22 Williamsburg, VA
37 DeWitt, Daniel **** 23 Frostburg, MD
38 Aramayo, Ed 24 Baltimore, MD
39 Burke, Edmund 41 Burtonsville, VA
40 Toland, Hugh 30 Fairfax, VA
41 Turner, Justin * 32 Virginia Beach, VA
42 Saunders, Rich 23 Alexandria, VA
43 Ethicha, Kumsa * 27 Washington, DC
44 Myers, Jason 25 Alexandria, VA
45 Logan, Matt 25 Washington, DC
46 Swain, Daniel * 20 Baltimore, MD
47 Brown, Karsten ** 37 Front Royal, VA
48 Chang, Jordan * 24 Blacksburg, VA
49 Zeleke, Birhanu 27 Washington, DC
50 Miranda, Daniel * 25 Baltimore, MD
51 Eissens, Mark 30 Williamsport, MD
52 Buschman, Mark * 27 Ellicott City, MD
53 Rumery, Shawn 25 Silver Spring, MD
54 Whitlock, Jordan 23 Lynchburg, VA

"Getting Closer"...My Marine Corps Marathon 2011

2011-10-31T06:06:00.000-07:00

One of the best races around to honor the loss of a loved one is the Marine Corps Marathon. The race has so much meaning whether that person was lost during a war, 9/11, or for any other reason. For me, personally, I wanted to run this race for my cousin Jeff, who passed away almost exactly 1 year ago.

There is no race that has been more difficult for me than the marathon. Like I said in the earlier blog post, it is the race where I have run the most bad races, and it is my weakest time in comparison to my others. Still, though, I believe that I can get it right eventually, and learn how to race the entire thing at some point. Running a marathon is one thing-and believe me, I am not trying to make if sound any less for those who run to finish(most people don't have the will to run a marathon and it is a tremendous distance to tackle)...but racing it is what I have been trying to get my body to do...and it has required a lot of physical adaptation, patience, and faith. My definition of racing is running at a pace where my body is running evenly or my pace fluctuates very little during the entire duration. The world's best marathoners know how to do this. I can do it for 1 mile, 5000 meters, 10K, 10 Miles, and 13.1 Miles...But I have not been able to do it for the marathon yet. I know I can, it's just a question of when.

Here is how the 2011 Marine Corps Marathon went for me:

I lined up in the front next to Mike Wardian. 30,000 people lined up behind me in their respective corrals. The canons went off and BOOM! runners started each of their 26.2 mile journeys. I tucked right in behind Wardian(who eventually placed
2nd in the race). I felt smooth and relaxed and held my pace well. I did not feel like I was going too fast, but I felt like I was racing, which was the goal. If I were able to race the entire thing, I believed that I had it in me to run anywhere from 2:23-2:25 today, and I was going to give it the best shot I had. The hills in the beginning were quite challenging, though nothing I couldn't handle...I tend to be built for hills. Wardian pulled up ahead with a pack of 5 or 6 guys and I was in the top 10 keying off of them. A few dropped back who I passed and found myself suddenly in 6th or 7th position. Then I found myself being followed on my heels by an African guy. We made the climb up to the Key Bridge where thousands of people cheered. I saw some of the GRC team cheering as we approached Georgetown and Jake was the loudest. One of the bridges was icy which caught me by surprise. It was pretty cold out but it didn't really bother me much. I wore arm warmers and gloves and was just fine. As we ran down lonely Canal Road, I saw a woman cheering loudly who I didn't recognize until I got closer and realized it was Jeanette(PR's apparel guru) which was cool. I made the U-turn onto Reservoir where Rich Saunders was cheering and took a photo of me. As we climbed up the hill, the African guy lost some ground on me and I found myself alone on MacArthur Blvd. As I got back to Canal Road, many runners who I coach going opposite directions cheered loudly for me "Go Coach!" and "Go Chris!"....which was really awesome...I couldn't see them in the crowds since there were certainly so many people but I definitely heard them...it was awesome. I did see Julia cheering and also Tracy while she was running.(Tracy ended up qualifying for Boston in 3:49).

I approached M Street and made the turn down under WhiteHurst Freeway. Then, a runner caught me, who I recognized. It was the guy in the USMC uniform who I barely beat in the Philly Half last month. Same build. I stuck right behind him. 55 minutes in, I hit 10 miles(5:30 pace), took a gel, and was on PERFECT pacing. This was 2:24 pace, right where I needed to be. We approached the Lincoln Memorial where thousands and thousands of crowds cheered. I was still in 7th place. I put my hand near my ear to give a "what I can't hear you" symbol...and I heard LOUD CHEERS. No wonder Ryan Hall does this. What a GREAT feeling. Then I saw my Dad and Marian cheering loudly who took a photo of me as I passed by and quickly glanced at him. It was awesome for them to come out. My Mom and Beth and Carole were there as well, who I didn't see there were so many people but knew they saw me.

Approaching halfway in, we ran to Haines Point where I was still keying off the USMC guy. I split 1:12(5:30 pace) at the half and was super excited. I felt like I could do this...just gotta keep the turnover, keep the turnover. I was racing...

The second half began eating me like a peeled orange...layer by layer...until I wouldn't have any layers left. I lost some ground on the USMC guy and tried to maintain my rhythm. I saw Becca cheering near Mile 15 or so and that was great. I also saw Dave and Eric running along the course which was also very helpful. As I got back towards DC, a pack of guys including Adam Condit caught me and Jake Klim found me and ran with me for a while. Just stick with the pack, and I did. I took another gel at mile 16. I still hung on with Adam and we approached Mile 20 in 1 hour 52 minutes(5:36 per mile pace)....but I was slowing...my 1st 10 miles was 55:00, my 2nd was 57:00. By Mile 21 Adam pulled ahead, the pack broke up, and we were climbing up the arduous 14th street bridge. It was tough, and it ate me up pretty good. At this point I wasn't racing anymore, I was just trying to run...it was all I could do and had in me. My legs were shot, and were no longer in racing mode. Still, I wanted to finish strong, so I kept my head up and Jake helped tremendously by coaching and encouraging me to hold things together and keep running. As I got in to Crystal City, Miles 22 and 23 were by far the hardest for me. A few more runners ran me down. I had to stop for a moment and get myself together. I was, quite simply, thunderstruck. I suddenly felt all the races I had done this year, every PR...every effort was hitting me. But I kept on truckin, and the marines gave me cheers for my persistence. At Mile 24, I saw Jake again and together we ran a memorable 2 miles, he stuck with me the whole way-the veteran runner coached me as I ran. It became just a memorable training run where he was pushing me like any other run.

Jake left me at the last hill up to Iwo Jima Memorial, and said, "You can actually still PR. Just get up that last hill and finish your great year." During a tough race that became a run to just finish, to STILL run a PR would be great, I thought to myself. Then, right before the hill to the finish, another runner was about to pass me when suddenly a surge of energy shot right through me and I roared "NO!" and charged right past him up the hill with the power that makes me a competitor, looking like the Chris Sloane that finished the Philadelphia Half Marathon last month. No one was going to stop me getting up that hill-I ate it up for lunch, and Jeff would have been proud. I pumped my fist as people cheered and PROUDLY finished in 19th place overall out of 30,000 runners in a new PR of 2:37:21. To end the year with a PR in a race that certainly was not my potential really shows what truly different level I have gotten to in 2011. I greeted my Dad, Mom, Marian, Carole, and Beth as they all hugged me at the finish. What a great event this is and I'm glad they were able to come.

2011 was the best year of running and racing I have ever had. I have PRed in nearly every event: 1 mile, 5000 meters(twice), 8K, 10K, 10 Miles(twice), 13.1 Miles(twice), and finally, even the 26.2 distance. There have been flashes of brilliance in some of my races this year, and by far the Philly Half was without a question the race of the year. 68 minutes for 13.1 miles(5:14 per mile) has put me on a new level in my running, and sets up for some amazing goals for next spring. And as Beth said, I am the strongest at the half marathon right now. But Marine Corps was also a race that reflected my year, showing perserverance and determination go a long way, and are the ingredients to what have gotten me to having such a great year. So yea, of course I wanted to run 2:24, it would have gotten me 3rd place and I was on pace halfway through. But I am not unhappy about the race either, I am content and satisfied it was all I could do given the phenomenal year I've had. It's all I can ask for. And I'm confident that I am heading in the right direction and my training is paying off. I am not injured, am training the best I can, and will be close to acummulating 4,000 miles for the year. I now begin to look ahead to 2012, and it is looking exciting with the races I am planning on. I will not do a marathon in the spring, however, but pretty soon, I will have that outstanding marathon race that I KNOW I am capable of. It is just a matter of time, really. The lesson here is never give up and be consistent, because the hard work will pay off eventually if you want it bad enough.

-Sloane

1 Year & What I'm Running For

2011-10-27T19:50:00.001-07:00

Forecast for this Sunday:

High of 51, Low of 42 Degress. Sunny. Wind: 4 mph. Humidity: low.

Conditions for Marathon racing: CLOSE TO PERFECT....as long as the roads aren't wet!

Good thing the Marathon isn't Saturday-good grief it might even snow that day(which dear god hopefully it doesn't stick)...it will feel more like late November the way the weather looks right now. I'm thinking arm warmers and gloves...I can always throw them off during the race. But I have a feeling I will need at least a pair of gloves out there.

I am super pumped and ready to go. On Wednesday I did a dress rehearsal 3 miles on the track at goal pace. All I can say is if what I did on the track is my goal pace I'm in for one serious race. I will go out conservative though in the early miles. My goal is to run as evenly as possible and just run down anyone in front of me those last 10 miles. I believe I have a solid chance of getting on the podium(top 3) in this race. Of course it depends on who shows up. I did beat a guy in Philly last month who was 3rd in MCM last year. I am in the shape of my life and have had the best running year of my life...PRing in everything between 1 mile and 13.1 miles...

The first part of this race is just a run-seriously. I must relax and stay calm and NOT GO OUT TOO FAST. This is critical for me since statistically the marathon is where I have failed the most of all my races. I have run badly at my last 3 marathons: MCM in 2009, Shamrock 2010, and Chicago 2010. I have learned to master any other distance...but the 26.2 is certainly my challenge-it is my match. And I will give it a damn good fight this time around.

But in addition to running for personal goals and personal glory, I will run it for someone as well. That someone is my cousin Jeff Klein, who took his own life almost exactly a year from this coming Sunday's Marine Corps Marathon. He was 23 1/2.

Jeff and I shared many precious memories together, and his competitive spirit combined with a wonderful sense of humor made us 2 of a kind. We always pushed eachother past our own limits-I remember when we went on and on trying to break ping pong records. We would find a way to break records by playing videogames. And of course, we made eachother laugh until we couldn't stop crying. Jeff was also a really great basketball player, and unlike him, I was never any good at it...so I just loved watching him play while I attempted to play 1/1000 of what he could play. His brothers take after him as well. When I was young though I was never really into American sports...I was like a European only focused on soccer...and then got into running. Jeff's whole family has a passion for all American sports, and though I got into college football once I went to VaTech, I have found I have grown to watching other sports Jeff loved more and more often because it reminds me of Jeff. I feel joy when I watch anything(particularly comedies LOL) that reminds me of him though, or when we get together with family and I think of the favorite foods Jeff and I loved to eat together(and jokes!).

I have found ways in which Jeff lives on in many areas of my life, and that includes my running. His competitiveness and joy for life lives on in me and I enjoy my running more, and enjoy racing more! I thank you, Jeff-for this new joy I have found. Sometimes I sense he would be very happy for me now...because I am happy. And that's what he would've wanted. Jeff wanted everyone to be happy. And he knows that there's no place better for me a year from his passing than running 26.2 miles out on the streets of DC this Sunday. Sunday will be a day where I will celebrate Jeff's life and what a positive effect he's had on mine.

If in position, I will run to win and run with all my heart those last 6.2 miles. I will leave nothing left out there. Not one single step. And Jeff will be there with me every step of the way. Jeff always loved cheering on the underdog in sports, and I leave this video as a symbol of his inspiration for EVERYONE running Sunday: Good luck to all the runners I've coached this Sunday-I'll be thinking of you all as I tackle the course with you!

Oct 17-23: 69 Miles/Week

2011-10-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

Tapering is going well. Finished the week up in 69 miles. The longest I ran all week was 13 miles. I did a nice progression on the track on Wednesday, basically just sharpening up. I did a 4 mile progression on the track in the following splits per lap: 90, 88, 81, 81, 78, 79, 80, 79, 78, 78, 77, 78, 78, 76, 78, 76.(mile splits 5:40, 5:18, 5:13, 5:10). Was just enough to get my legs going. On Saturday I did a single Edwards Ferry/Whites Ferry Loop of 10 miles working down to MP for the 2nd half of the run. Finished in 60 minutes and it was no sweat. Rest of my runs have been easy and will be the rest of this week. I may do a 2 mile MP run on Wednesday as a dress rehearsal for the marathon if I feel like I need it. I have been getting physically hungrier and eating more and more as I am craving to store more and more energy my body demands. I listen to what it wants. Been stretching more as well which is a good thing. The final week is here...should be around 50 miles give or take. I have prepared as best I can at this point.

Fall, Oct 10-16, 95 Miles/Week

2011-10-17T08:34:00.001-07:00

Fall is definitely my favorite season. I love the foliage and cooler weather for running. It can make running seem effortless many days. It doesn't last long enough though before winter makes it here.

Ran 95 miles last week as my first taper week. It was 35 miles less than my peak mileage the week before...which makes me think of what a different page I'm on with mileage now. I have averaged 80 miles/week for the entire year so far and am projected to finish the year with around 4,000 miles.

This week I will take the miles down to the 70s, and the last week before the race will be about 55 miles. My legs are feeling fresher as I keep taking the miles down. I did a 16 mile run this past saturday at a faster effort, in my flats, and I felt great.

The Final Climb-10/3-10/9: 130 Miles/Week

2011-10-09T19:35:00.001-07:00

Some days it just felt almost too easy out there. This is the best I've ever felt running as much mileage as I did-130 miles-and my highest ever. Over the summer, I ran two 120 mile weeks and I was quite sluggish. This week, on one day I could run 9 miles in the morning and then another 16 miles in the afternoon-and feel great clicking off 6 min miles. I would lie if I didn't say I am the strongest and fittest I have ever been in my entire life. I did 5 doubles, with a total of 12 runs. On Saturday, I ventured out to Poolesville with myself to the famous Duel Ferries Run...I found myself completely alone out there and loved every second of it. I loved the solitude. I thought a lot about my goals, my development as a runner, and what I saw truly capable of me doing in the years to come. The total distance of Duel Ferries is 20 miles(2 loops). I wanted to get in 22 so I decided to do a mile first out and back before doing Duel Ferries at a decent effort and then a 1 mile cooldown. I averaged 5:50 pace the entire way, and it was a solid moderate-hard effort. I finished both loops in 1:58:00, which made me think the last time I did both of these loops my fastest time was around 2:07:00. The BIG difference here is that this effort used to feel hard for me....now it's just a run. Doing this on top of the high miles has made me very confident as far as my endurance goes. Once I take the mileage down, my speed will latch onto the endurance and I will be a killer. All I need to do now is some fine tuning. The 20+ milers are over. The hay is in the barn. My mileage will now drop each week during the taper. The rest is really set in place. I just need to do a few shorter tune-up runs at goal pace and I will be set.

9/26-10/2: 100 Miles/Week and a 25 Miler

2011-10-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

A week of just solid good running. Pure and simple. The goal was to get back into the groove of things since the previous week was a recovery week of 78 miles post philly. I hit 100 miles this week and had some really nice runs but didn't do any workouts. This week was a final endurance builder before I do some tune-up workouts next week. I did a long run of 25 miles at a relaxed 6:40 pace average and it felt good....really good. I started from Carderock and ran South towards DC and across the Arlington Memorial Bridge. I saw 2:15 marathoner Chris Raabe running in Georgetown and had a sudden urge to run with him, but thought I probably would bother him-plus he was going a little faster than I would've wanted to run. It was great weather running today and nice it did not rain. At mile 23 I felt like I could've run forever...30, 40 miles if I wanted to. But 25 would be enough, and the longest run I will do before attacking 26.2 on Oct 30. The plan for next week is to hit 120 miles with marathon pace workout(s). After next week I will start tapering the mileage but keep the intensity.

In other news, Lucinda QUALIFIED FOR THE OLYMPIC TRIALS today in a FANTASTIC time of 2:43:43!!! Luci ran the race PERFECTLY, executing a great race plan to go hard the last 10 miles and it payed off-she negative split and earned a spot to Houston 2012. I am really excited for her and am happy to have helped her in her training to getting where she is now. It's exciting to see a former QO runner do this. I hope to join that list someday.

Twin Cities-Good Luck Luci!

2011-10-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

Lucinda, who I run with every now and then, will attempt her debut marathon tomorrow morning at Twin Cities(USA Marathon Champs). Luci has trained very well and did some solid training runs with me to help prep her for the race. She will be shooting for the 2:46:00 Olympic Marathon Trials Standard, and I believe she is certainly within that range. Lucinda ran in High School with me and knew much about running before I did(when I began running cross country as a freshman, she was a junior). I learned a lot about the sport from her and many of the older runners on the team. Most of QO's fastest runners never continued competing post collegiately, and it's nice that besides myself today, she still competes and trains at a high level. I wish her the best of luck!

Post Philly & The Final Weeks Ahead

2011-09-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

A few final words about Philly: I was fascinated with how well the race was run, the crowds, the competition and the city. Beth and I had a great time. Thank you, Philadelphia. I will most likely return to race it again next year.

Post Philly I was tired all last week pretty much. Ran 6 days out of 7 but very easy runs and slow paces-no workouts. I got in 78 miles which was enough to build off of for the next few weeks, and an easy long run of 19 miles. My mileage will be back in the 100's range the next few weeks in prep for Marine Corps, with QUALITY runs as a huge emphasis. My summer high ended up being 120 miles(averaging 100mpw) which I felt was enough in amount(thank you Charlie and Jake Klim for the advice). I didn't need to go higher-but someday I'm sure I will build up to 140 as I reach new levels in my training and racing. I certainly reached a new level at Philly last weekend. It's my strongest PR to date(conversions are faster in every respective distance I race). The 68 minute 13.1 race I ran makes me really excited to see what I can do in the full 26.2. 57th overall doesn't sound great, but I beat a lot of good runners-one who was 3rd in Marine Corps last year. Though, the 26.2 is a different race and it is certainly by far my weakest PR(back from 2005, a 2:38)...even my 1 mile PR is hilariously better(I am certainly not a miler). But this makes no difference to me. It's all about where I am NOW. I have a good idea for a marathon goal, but the next few weeks and workouts will really help to validate where my fitness is.

Philadelphia: Race Report

2011-09-20T05:30:00.000-07:00

I woke up Saturday morning with a runny nose. Go figure. I went out for an easy 5 mile run. My logic is that with my less mileage(in the 70's) the past few weeks, my body is not used to not running so much, and my immune system is lower as a result(or at least someone has told me this before-I forget who). Or, I just happened to get a cold. Either way, I just sort of knew I was still ready and able to race optimally. I do not believe the cold had any negative effect on my performance. Beth and I left Saturday morning and were suprised at how easy the drive was to Philly. As we passed the Eagles stadium, I thought of my roomate Joe, an Eagles fanatic. I wished he was here racing as well. As we got closer to the city, we went directly to the expo and while parking was a hassle, it was cool to take a look at the downtown area. I was already excited. As we crossed the street towards the Expo, Beth nudged me in the shoulder to look ahead. We saw Olympian Adam Goucher walking right towards us, pushing his baby Colt in a stroller. I glanced at him and found myself staring until he finally noticed and I looked away. Goucher would be on the starting line the next morning, aiming to qualify for the Olympic Trials Standard(1:05:00). His wife, Kara Goucher(a world class runner), was inside the Expo signing autographs. I didn't stay at the Expo long, for I didn't want to waste energy walking around too much. I got my Elite Bib number(#60), bought some shot bloks, and we were out. Beth and I still had an hour to kill before checking into our hotel so we went to a nearby grocery mart where the food was quite good. The hotel location was quite convenient, and I had booked it for that very reason. It was nothing fancy, a Best Western, but it was literally 2 blocks away from the starting line. Will go there again. I then decided to do a 20 min shake out jog in the afternoon, and my legs felt GREAT. I knew I was ready to race the next day. That evening Beth and I had dinner conveniently in the hotel as we watched the Florida/Tennessee game, we both had pizzas which were actually quite good. Later on I walked over to the Wawa to devour a Chipwich.

I got to the Elite starting line with 15 minutes to spare and did some strides. I saw many people who I knew, and many really, really, really fast runners. Gulp. The field was loaded this year. For one reason because many Americans were trying to hit the Trials Standard of 1:05:00. I thought to myself, I will be aiming for that one day, but not yet. For today my goal was 1:07-1:08. Heck, if I broke 1:10:00 it would be a PR. I saw some Georgetown guys and said my hellos to them. Karl, Paul, Dickson, Bryan. Karl looked ready to go. I saw Jordan Zwick out of the corner of my eye in the stands. Jake Klim came to watch as he stood right near Beth near the starting line(but they never saw eachother somehow). The weather was PERFECT-50 degrees, partly sunny, partly cloudy. I felt a little cool at the start and found myself still wearing my gloves. Jake motioned for me to give them to him and I did-he knew that I would not need them once I got going and I probably would've just tossed them aside during the race somewhere. I also ran into Rich Saunders on my warmup, who owns a PR of sub 1:10:00 in the half and ran most of the Shamrock 13.1 with me last March. I saw Peggy(=PR= masters racer) but didn't get a chance to say hello to her. The National Anthem was sung as Frank Shorter was introduced and it gave me chills. The 1972 Olympic Marathon Gold Medalist gave encouraging words to all the runners as we got ready to race. Do not go out too fast. Do not go out too fast, I kept chanting to myself. The Rocky Theme started to play as we got ready to take off...

CRACK!

We surged down Benjamin Franklin Parkway towards downtown Philly. A bunch of Africans surged to the lead, with many, many elite Americans following them. We approached downtown very quickly and heard roars of people cheering. I relaxed and tried to find the right people to run with. One guy running with me, then surging ahead, another running next to me, dropping back. It was all a little chaotic at first. It always kind of is in a big race I suppose. Then Karl pulled up next to me. I ran with him and we drafted off some runners. Karl is just an awesome runner. I admire him a lot for his perserverance at the sport. He has qualified for the Olympic Trials before, and has run 2:20 in the marathon. He is now trying to hit the new 2:19:00 standard for the marathon in Chicago in 3 weeks. We blazed through the first mile in 5:00. WOAH. Little fast, but yet I felt fine. I was calm and knew it would be alright...if I went through in 4:50 I would've been freaking out however. Amazing how fast this race was. We surged through downtown and I got an immediate familiar feeling of Chicago the year before, the adrenaline of running through a big city. Chicago was a terrible race for me last year, but I do have good memories of surging through the city. There is nothing like racing in a big city with people cheering you on. But I needed to remain calm. My fear was definitely going out too fast in this race and bonking, and I wanted to run evenly for the rest. I hit 5k in 15:55(5:07 pace). Karl at this point was surging ahead, and I held back from going with him since it probably would've done more harm than good. For him, though, he was running his pace. I was excited for him. 4 miles in and we began heading out of the city going North. Beth cheered for me as we passed by the start line. I saw Jake and Pat Murphy cheering as I went through mile 5 in 25:45(5:09 pace). At this point I wasn't running with anyone and began to get worried. I NEED someone to run with. I saw a guy furthur up and tried to reel him in, but it would take a little while to do so. I needed someone NOW...

I began to hear a stampeed of footsteps behind me. Then, I realized there was a pack catching me. Now here, this is where I congratulate myself and believe made my race. Instead of saying in my own head, "damn, these guys are going to blow by me..." I said to myself, "this is your opportunity. Take it or leave it." As the pack caught me, I went with them and told myself to not let them go. I hung on and the bunch of us worked together. At mile 6(31:00), I began to feel really great. Halfway through. I hit 10K in 32:09. All I needed to do was stick with the pack. Work together. Encourage one another. I said encouraging words to everyone and they nodded. We were running 5:10-5:15 miles at this point, and it was just what I need to stay on 1:08:00 pace. The course was beautiful, I enjoyed every part of it. We went under bridges and along a beautiful river. There were still people cheering along the course and the bands were pretty good. I enjoy music on the run. There were several squads of cheerleaders who were really into it and I have to say they did a really great job cheering us all on. It's great to get that support when you're working this hard. Because, let's face it, it hurts. I grunted through miles 7 and 8. This is the part where you really have to work the half marathon. It is critical to stay on pace and not fall asleep. We hit mile 9 in 46:something and I began to realize that my goal was going to be achieved. I also realized that I was going to PR at my 10 mile split. I blazed through in 51:57 for 10 miles, pring by nearly a minute in a split. The training is working, I thought to myself. I am GOING to do this. 5k to go...

The pack began to break up. At this point, our fitness levels were microscopically different. We all ran in a line of men, with small gaps between each of us, and one guy hanging with me. Almost at an hour...almost at an hour...then it's just minutes left...I told myself-the other runner and I encouraged eachother and worked together. The crowds got bigger as we approached mile 11 and 12. I knew I was slowing a tad at mile 12(it's always mile 12 for some reason!)...as I saw a slow split. Gotta hang in there, keep the turnover, keep the turnover. LAST MILE. I fought HARD. I was making one final burst of energy that I had in me. The other runner went with me and we dueled it out. People cheered and I could see the Art Museum where the Rocky steps were on the left. The other runner surged ahead and I drafted off of him as we approached mile 13...if it would ever...get...here. It looked like forever I would get there. Jake was going nuts as I saw him just before mile 13 and he yelled, "40 SECONDS LEFT SLOANE!!" As I passed 13 in just a tick under 1:08, the last .1 was UPHILL. GOD ALMIGHTY. But then I thought, what a great way to get ready for Marine Corps. The hill felt really hard, not because it was a tough hill, but because after running on a mostly FLAT course with very little change in elevation there was now a hill at the last .1. How convenient. As I ran up the hill, it hit me and I gagged and slowed down for a moment before working into next gear and pulling myself as hard as I could up...up...up....

I crossed the line in 1:08:39, put my hands on my knees, and let out a very loud roar. I felt somehow an immediate sensation of strength surge into me, as if I had become immediately stronger after finishing the race.

I averaged 5:14 per mile for the 13.1 distance, so I was running faster in the early miles, and actually was on 1:07 pace for about half the race. I PR'ed by 1:25, and it was nice to get a 10M split PR as well.

STATS: The winner was close to the WORLD RECORD, finishing in an astounding 58:46!!! Bobby Curtis was the top American in the race, running 1:01:52, placing 9th overall, and becoming the second fastest American half-marathoner for the year. Adam Goucer qualified for the Trials with a 1:04:52, in 22nd overall. Dave Berdan was the top local MD/DC/VA finisher, in 1:05:53, finishing 25th overall. Karl was the 2nd local finisher, in 1:06:52, finishing 36th overall. My 1:08:39 got me 3rd local finisher in 57th overall. Amazing how loaded this field was. There was another =PR= runner out there. Peggy ran awesome, winning the masters(40+) womens race in 1:20:21.

My next and last race of 2011 will be the Marine Corps Marathon on 10/30/11.

1:08:39, 13.1M PR & 51:57 10M en-route PR

2011-09-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

OFFICIAL RESULT: 1:08:39, new PR, first time under 1:10:00

STATS: 41st Elite Male out of 52 Elites, PRed en route at 10 Mile Split: 51:57 by 57 seconds!

SPLITS: 5k: 15:55, 10k: 32:09, 10M: 51:57

averaged 5:14 per mile.

RACE REPORT COMING...

Here we go...

2011-09-17T18:58:00.000-07:00

Gun goes off at 8:00 AM. Temps are ideal. Will be in the Elite Corral with a bunch of pros and 1:03 guys where things can dangerously go out fast. I must stay conservative the first few miles and eat up as many as I can the 2nd half. I run well like this. Going out slightly slower/or at goal pace and picking it up and just hammering anyone in my way. I must use my strength to its advantage, TRUST my fitness, and I must be patient and know that I will run down the guys when the pain sets in. I must not be afraid to challenge those who appear superior. I must believe in myself-that I am as good. I believe I can do what I think I can do. I will give a good fight.

Forecast for Sunday

2011-09-15T08:06:00.000-07:00

FORECAST FOR PHILADELPHIA, 9/18:

Partly Cloudy

LOW: 54 Degrees

HIGH: 70 Degrees

8:00 AM START

CONDITIONS FOR RACING: FAVORABLE

Wednesday, 9/7: 4 X 2MILE!

2011-09-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest workouts I have ever done on the track is the 4x2mile I did last March, right before I ran my PR 1:10:04 in the half marathon. My splits in the workout at the time were 10:19, 10:19, 10:24, 10:32.

Today, I did the same workout, in 10:01, 10:01, 10:04, 10:14!!

I shaved basically 20 seconds off each interval with perhaps even less rest between each and averaged 5:02 pace overall(last time the average was about 5:12)...so I shaved off 10 seconds per mile during this workout. If my half marathon pace is 10 seconds per mile faster this time around, that puts me at 5:10 race pace....which is 1:07:43 for the half marathon.

If I can do this next weekend, it will be a major breakthrough.

8/29-9/4: 75 Miles/Week

2011-09-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Down week in mileage but still with quality workouts. In fact, I got in 3 workouts this week(including the 5K race-which I also consider to be a workout). Tuesday was a nice track session of 1600, 1200, 800, 400. Saturday was the 5K race. But then, to my surprise actually, Sunday ended up being a terrific workout. The workout was a 3 mile easy run followed by a 10 mile progression to marathon pace followed by an additional 3 mile easy run. Total was 16 miles, and during the middle miles I was cranking, and feeling even better as the pace got faster. There is something in me that works well with this...it's like a switch I have...and once I flip it on, I just go. After 3 miles I worked down the pace starting from 6:10 pace and eventually set the cruise on the 5:30-5:40 pace range for most of the miles. At times I was running even 5:20 pace which really didn't even feel that hard! The day AFTER a hard 5K and I am running this pace....I thought. There is no way I used to be able to recover so quickly like this.

I am excited for some really really good workouts this week.

I should be satisfied with this result...but I'm not

2011-09-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

15:22. 4th place in the Kentlands 5K this morning. This race really wasn't that important, but I have to admit I am not satisfied with the result...not that I could have run faster...I ran the pace that my legs needed to go...and it seemed they wouldn't shift into the next gear that I would have liked them to...they just kinda cruised the whole way.

I gun went off and Abiyot Endale(superb EliteAfrican runner)...who no question was going to win this race unless he took a wrong turn....surged to the lead with another African runner beside him and me tailing. Joe whisped by me and tucked in behind them. A gap began between Joe and I but I keyed off of him while 2 other guys clung right behind me...breathing down my neck. I hate that. But I felt they would soon drop by mile 2.

Turn after turn after turn...this course had 6 turns before the first mile! Crazy. It was like a street fight. I hit the first mile in 4:48. On goal pace and feeling good. More turns. We veered around the lake. I could still see Joe slightly ahead. I could still feel the other 2 runners hanging off my back. But I began to feel that familiar feeling I always get once I warm myself up. I keep pressing. So, I pressed, and they began to fall off. Mile 2: 9:39, still on pace. But I needed to press the last mile if I even had a shot at sub 15. Then came the hill. It wasn't a bad hill. But it was just kind of in the way. it slowed me down for sure. I could still see Joe ahead who was close to the 2nd African. People cheered as I got to the top of the hill and began the downhill straight to the finish. I ran strongly but there were no change in gears, it was just a consistent, strong effort. I knew then that my time wouldn't be fast. 15:22 just seems so slow to me now.

Ok, now that I have explained what's gone on in my head, here's the reality(and this is the coach in me speaking now)...I ran 9 seconds slower than my TRACK PR. the road is much slower than track. In fact, if the effort would've been converted to the track, it probably would've been a PR for me. plus the course wasn't perfect in itself with that hill at the end. AND I am training for a half marathon in 2 weeks, as well as a marathon 6 weeks after. AND I have been averaging 100 miles/week...although this week is a down week. AND this race was supposed to just get my feet wet a little. The true focus of all this training is on the half marathon/marathon. There will be other opportunities to jump back on the track and hit that 14:40. So really, I should be happy.

But I'm not. And that's ok, I realize, because it's what keeps me alive and hungry for more.

-Sloane

it's time to RACE! the attack on 15:00 minutes

2011-09-01T18:15:00.000-07:00

My roomate Joe, pictured to the left above, placing 2nd during last year's Kentlands 5K.

My PR is 15:13 for the 5K. I plan to attack the 15:00 barrier this Saturday-I need to run 4:49 per mile in order to do this, which feels doable to me. I am fit and it will be a great tune-up race for Philly. Mileage is less this week for the race. On Tuesday I did a nice track workout of 1x1600, 1x1200, 1x800, and 1x400. I like this workout because it is a good race simulator for the 5K. The 400 is like the final kick towards the finish line. I feel pretty race sharp after doing this workout. My splits were 4:46(1600), 3:35(1200), 2:22(800), 65(400).

The Kentlands 5K will be a great race to see where my fitness is at, and feel I have a legitimate shot at sub-15:00. It would also be nice to get top 3 and win some $$$. The variables are the course and it's turns...which can slow one down so it may or may not be doable. We'll see. According to my roomate, Joe(who finished this race last year in 2nd, in 14:44), there is a hill after the 2nd mile but there is also a nice downhill finish.

Aug 22-28: Tri-State 24 Miler, 101 Miles/Week

2011-08-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Crazy week of hurricanes, earthquakes and whatnot, but training remained consistent still. I got in 101 miles for the week and a total of 9 runs. The workout on Wednesday morning was great obviously, the 4 miles in 20:20 showed that I am sharpening into half marathon race pace nicely. The rest of my runs were just general aerobic runs, nothing faster than 6:00 pace. On Saturday I got my long run out of the way since the hurricane was on its way. I started down the CCT and ran down towards DC and continued past the Kennedy Center, crossed the Arlington Memorial Bridge, looped onto the Mount Vernon Trail, crossed back over the Key Bridge, poked my head in the Georgetown store to pick up some water, and continued on my way back to the Arlington Bridge to see how my marathoners were doing. They were going 20 miles today and they looked great as I crossed the Arlington bridge a second time. I ran to the end and looped back to run through Georgetown a bit before coming back up the Capital Crescent. At this point I was 17 miles in and had 7 miles to go. Although my pace wasn't fast, (I was running no faster than 6:10 pace and ended up averaging 6:50s for the entire run), it wasn't easy coming back up the long climb on the CCT. But I felt pretty good overall and it gave me confidence for the 26.2 mile distance I would tackle in 2 months. Total time was 2 hours and 45 minutes and the distance was 24 miles. Longest long run of the year so far. This should hopefully help my marathoning improve...just simply running close to 26.2 miles as opposed to running it at race pace first will help me progress to the marathon pace runs later on. I am really excited for the Kentlands 5K next Saturday-it should be a great tune-up for Philly and hopefully I'll snatch a PR as well.

8/24: 4Mile Tempo: 20:20

2011-08-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

I felt awesome during my tempo run this morning...almost too good. I went to the Richard Montgomery Track and did 20:20 for 4 miles which felt comfortably hard. AND it was a day after I ran 16 miles at a decent pace. I split 5:08, 5:05, 5:05, 5:02. My goal was to feel relatively comfortable doing it since it would be close to my half marathon race pace. Speaking of which, I averaged 5:05 pace...which for a half marathon is 1:06:40 pace! But it's probably a little ambitious to say I can run 1:06 in 3 1/2 weeks....probably more realistic is 1:07-1:08...but still...the pace sure didn't feel that hard. The way I look at it, I ran almost 1/3 of the goal distance at 1:06-1:07 pace, and had energy left in the tank. If I can do, lets say 8 miles, at that pace in a training run...then I would be really confident I could run that sorta time. We'll see how the training progresses over the next few weeks. Training tells a lot. But also mentality is a huge part. My mental toughness of running many workouts alone, coaching myself, I believe it makes me a stronger and wiser runner who knows his purpose, and is already self motivated. I know what I need to do. I just need to go out and...do it. I am not totally ruling out the possibility of running 1:06 for the half...but I also need to make sure I know what goal pace is realistic.

Inspiration

2011-08-23T19:41:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, if I chose one runner who inspires me, it would be Michael Wardian. Originally a lacrosse player in college, Wardian got into competitive running post collegiately(meaning he never competed in college, and started by just trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I say "just" not to say qualifying for Boston isn't hard...it surely is the holy grail for many good runners. But for Wardian, who qualified for the Olympic Trials Marathon this year(running a superb and lifetime best of 2:17 at the age of 37)...qualifying for Boston is cake for him. However, when he first started out, that was a good goal for him. He kept setting higher and higher goals and now is one of the world's best ultrarunners and an elite marathoner. The guy's ability to recover is insane, and he does it with a full time job, wife and 2 kids-many of the runners I coach do this as well. The way Wardian handles everything inspires me. One day I will have kids and will have to learn how to manage all that in addition to a job, and my training. But not yet ;). Wardian inspires me to qualify for the marathon trials, but also in his ultra-running. I never thought I'd say this, but I think one day I may want to dive into ultra running when I'm a bit older-perhaps past 40. Maybe when I'm passed running as fast as I humanly can in less distances, would I try the Western States 100 Miler.

Check out the interview with Wardian on NPR:

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/22/139850482/ultimate-mental-physical-test-135-mile-race-in-desert

But for now, I am focused on that half marathon in 3.5 weeks, and I have a fast workout to do tomorrow morning.

-Sloane

8/15-8/21: 100 Miles/Week

2011-08-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

Mileage was done in 8 runs this week(double on monday)...so mostly singles. The track workout on Wednesday was fantastic. I looked through my log of previous workouts and there was a 5x1000m I did before I ran 15:13 for the 5K, averaging 3:00 a piece. The workout this week was 6x1200m and I averaged those in 3:36-3:37 each(meaning I went through the 1000s in 3:00...plus another 200m and an additional rep at the same pace. Something tells me I can break 15:00 for the 5K right now.

On Saturday I did a 13 miler mostly in the low 6's with the last 3 miles at about Marathon Pace-about 5:30 per mile. Starting to get into the zone of LT pace and Marathon Pace stuff. I did a 20 miler Sunday with the first half slow and the second half steady.

I have decided to do the Kentlands/Lakelands 5K as a tune-up for Philly. It is 2 weeks + a day before Philly so it works out nicely. It would be nice to claim sub 15:00 there.

8/17: 6x1200

2011-08-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today I did a solid trackworkout: 6x1200 meters with more rest than last week but faster interval pace. It was more of a 5k-10k workout vs a half marathon workout...BUT it will help my half marathon time in hindsight. I feel myself getting fitter and fitter each week.

3:36, 3:36, 3:37, 3:39, 3:39, 3:33

averaged out to 3:36-3:37(4:48-4:49 pace)

Since I was averaging about 4:48-4:49 pace, a workout like this makes 5:00 pace seem not as fast. Training is going well this week. Looking foward to a good long run this Saturday.

Less is More: 8/8-8/14: 85 miles/week

2011-08-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. I relaxed this week a bit, and recovered my body from the brutal buildups of mileage I have been doing since June. It felt good. I even took a day off on Saturday(AND I went out and had a steak for Beth's Birthday). First day off since...(digging through my running log)...July 7. The day before I raced the MidSummer Night's Mile. Over 5 weeks ago. So hitting 85 miles this week seemed like cake(35 miles less than last week).

I also added speedwork back into my training this week. It was a nice 1st workout back at the track which I will be continuing over the next several weeks building towards the Philly RocknRoll Half Marathon. The workout was 8x800 meters with 1-2 minutes rest between each, at slightly faster than half marathon race pace...so it wasn't supposed to be anything really fast. My goal was to average 5:00 pace, maybe slightly faster, which is sub 2:30 800s, and hopefully feel relatively comfortable doing them(meaning aerobic vs. anaerobic)...but it also was VERY important NOT to run them too fast! I hit all of them in 2:28-2:30 and I felt like I could do 8 more when I was done. 4:59 pace average. That was my goal. To get familiar with what used to be a hard pace seems almost a tempo pace that I will be able to maintain for a longer duration. What used to be 5k race pace for me is starting to feel more aerobic and towards a longer distance I could maintain. It is incredible how the body adapts.

This week I will up the mileage again to 100+ and will continue the workouts and some tempo/marathon pace runs as well. Quality workouts are certainly being added now, and I will be definitely focusing on them from here on. The mileage base I've been building since June is big and strong enough that I can now add the next layer to the cake.

Over the Mountain...August 1-7: 120 Miles/Week

2011-08-08T18:22:00.001-07:00

I feel like I just got over a huge mountain and am going downhill. Last week was my highest mileage week to date and it was fantastic...really I am handling this mileage very well. I am in the shape of my life. A good amount of self massage and stretching are essential at least one day/week. I am becoming wiser, stronger, and I have learned so much about my body and mind. The key to doing more distance is to make sure you get in your slower runs, so I have made sure to get in a few 7:30 pace runs...I even did 8:00 pace average for a run this week. For those of you who want to run more mileage, I advise you to make sure you don't run too fast all the time when raising it...your body needs the easy days. The Kenyans do this. Mileage has its limits among runners, yes, but you'd be surprised at how much you can raise the bar as long as you do it right. I am confident to say I know how to do it, and if any of you reading this have questions, do not hesitate to ask me. Not that I have mastered it or know everything about it either...there is always more for me to learn and I appreciate all of the advice from everyone who reads my blog.

I am 6 weeks out from the Philly RocknRoll Half Marathon, and 12 weeks out from the Marine Corps Marathon. I have gotten a closer perspective on my miles and workouts over the next several weeks, including how much mileage I should run before it becomes detrimental to my training. But first, here is this week's sum:

8/1: PM: 12.5 miles
8/2: AM: 13.5 miles, PM: 5.5 miles
8/3: AM: 15 miles, PM: 5 miles
8/4: AM: 12.5 miles, PM: 5 miles
8/5: AM: 11 miles
8/6: AM: 21 miles, 1st 10 miles: 70 min(7:00 pace), 2nd 10 miles: 60 min(6:00 pace), + 1 mile
8/7: AM: 19 miles SLOW(8:00 pace), stretching, massage

TOTAL: 120 miles

Saturday I drove out to Edward's Ferry to do a Duel Ferries Run. The Duel Ferries run starts from Edwards Ferry(mile post 31 on the C and O Canal) and goes 5 miles on the canal to Whites Ferry before looping back on a lonely gravel road called River Road for another 5 miles on a rolling hills course that looks a lot like Kansas. It loops back to Edwards Ferry, which is just over 10 miles. Repeat the loop again and you got Duel Ferries. I met with Lucinda who happily joined me for the first of my two 10 mile loops. We started at 7:30 pace and worked down to 6:20 pace. The 2nd loop I ran harder while she did an out and back. I got down to 5:38 pace during the middle of the second loop...which felt rather comfortable...this may be close to my marathon pace...but I brought it back up to 6:00 for the rest of the run. Wasn't quite yet ready to tackle race pace effort...especially during the highest week of mileage ever.

I will begin doing targeted race pace workouts this month, and hitting long intervals on the track or on the towpath. My schedule is a bit more refined now(this still may change a bit) and I think my highest mileage week will be about 130(again this may change...it may just stay at 120).....I probably don't see myself going any higher than 130 though. Outline below:

AUGUST:
8/8-8/14: 100-110 miles
8/15-8/21: 110-118 miles
8/22-8/28: 120-130 miles

SEPT:
8/29-9/4: 85 miles
9/5-9/11: 80 miles
9/12-9/18: 65-70 miles**1/2 MARATHON RACE WEEK**
9/19-9/25: 90-100 miles

OCT:
9/26-10/2: 100-110 miles
10/3-10/9: 120 miles
10/10-10/16: 80-90 miles
10/17-10/23: 70-80 miles
10/24-10/30: 65 miles**MARATHON RACE WEEK**

Climbing Higher: 7/25-7/31: 112 miles/week

2011-07-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

I am climbing higher and higher. I was going to get in 120 miles this week, but I toned it down to 112 by skipping a second run I was going to do on Saturday. The reason being I want to climb in mileage gradually, starting from 103 last week to 112 this week, and then this next week I'll be at 120-125. July is over and I have averaged 90 miles/week for the month. Over the past 10 weeks I have averaged 95 miles/week. I am crushing this mileage and only getting better and stronger. This week I did a couple of faster runs incorporated into the mileage. During my long run for the week(19 miles), I threw in 5 miles at a brisk pace coming back up the Capital Crescent Trail, going UPHILL at 5:45 pace. This was just a small dose of bigger things to come in my training/fitness. My fitness is only improving and I imagine I will gradually be working down my pace over the next several weeks and doing tempo cruise intervals and some faster pacing overall. I do not know what my marathon pace is yet but I will know soon. I am also handling this brutal heat well, and once the cooler weather arrives I'm going to feel fantastic. I have high, high goals this fall.

The BIG training month is coming up: August...I will train farther and more than I ever have. The high week for that month is going to be 140+ miles.

July 18-24: 103 Miles/Week

2011-07-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

Back to the mileage and working hard. The heat is tough some days. I get up early to beat the worst of it, running at 6:30 am most mornings. I ended up doing mostly singles this week with only one double. It feels good to run more again and not race for a while. I made a really smart decision to not run the Crystal City 5K race. Outline of the week below.

Mon: PM: 5 miles easy
Tues: AM: 14 miles
Wed: AM: 12.5 miles, PM: 4.5 miles
Thurs: AM: 14 miles
Fri: AM: 16.5 miles
Sat: AM: 20 miles, (started out 7:30 pace worked down to 6:00 pace), averaged 6:40 pace
Sun: AM: 16 miles easy

TOTAL: 103 miles

Next week would like to hit 120. I am in good shape and handling the heat well. Although, I've apparently lost weight according to many people who have seen me recently. I cannot help but make sure I am eating enough, since I actually used to have a eating disorder when I was younger-and as a result was not performing well in college. Being skinny can only take you so far. But now, with the way I train and coach myself, it is different, my body is changing in a good way this time, for the positive, and my fitness is improving a ton, and I am becoming more efficient. I feel great, I really do. I feel lighter but strong. People look at me and don't understand how I can eat so much. When running this kind of mileage, the calories are being constantly burned...the furnace is hot. The longer days I bring a 10 ounce water bottle that attaches to my hand. I have also been training myself to drink water while I run...something that I have needed to work on doing more, especially for the marathon. I think I am getting better at it though...I think I am getting stronger.

Schedule Change

2011-07-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

As I observe the heat wave in the next couple of days, and look at my goals and race plans, I am making a slight change:

I WILL NOT RACE CRYSTAL CITY 5K THIS SATURDAY

It just makes no sense to do it in this kind of heat, but another reason is because I am back in full high mileage training mode(after 3 weeks in the 75-80 mile range). I will be at over 100 miles this week and have been running very early in the mornings to beat the heat. To throw in a 5k makes absolute no sense whatsoever right now and will just throw off my training. I need to remember what I am really training for this fall: the philly half, and the marine corps marathon. The twilight 8K and the Midsummer's mile were two very nice races for me. A PR in the mile and a competitive 8k finish is enough for my summer races.

For the fall, I have added a good tune-up race for the Philly Half Marathon. I am looking to do the competitive Kentlands 5K which is 2 weeks before Philly-perfect amount of prep time. But more on that later.

For now, I train.

-Sloane

Twilight Runfest 8K Race Report

2011-07-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

The Rockville Twilight 8K Runfest is the highlight event of summer racing. The competition is solid, and it's one of the top 20 8k road races in the country. The course is certainly not easy, with its rolling hills in the first 2 miles, as well as a few climbs in the late stages of the race. It can go out very fast, and the heat can be rough. Fortunately the temperatures were more moderate this year. My goal was to compete in this race, not run for time. I just wanted to place well and beat as many runners as I could. It felt good to get out on the road again in my Mizuno racing flats. Besides the track, I haven't raced on the road since April. I wanted this race to be a good, hard effort.

I got to the invited runner room around 7:15 and chatted with some of the other elites. Abiyot Endale, Wilson Komen, Ricky Flynn, Dave Berdan...there were some strong runners ready to race tonight. I met up with Luci and her twin sister Claudin(who wasn't racing but came to cheer us on) and we did a warm-up together. I felt great on the warm-up and my legs felt strong and fluid.

The runner in me only becomes stronger with perserverance.

The gun went off and about 15 runners blazed in front of me. I settled into my rhythm and we made the turn to start our first climb up Martins Lane. I already started passing people. Not to brag but, I have to admit, I am such a strong hill runner. Ever since high school, I was always strong on hills. I have a lower center of mass and it certainly comes to my advantage over taller runners. I chewed up a few more runners and settled myself in position, noticing Neal Darmody not too far in front of me.

I went through my first mile in 4:50 and felt fine. The 2nd mile is much slower since hills are added immediately after the first mile and on Beall Avenue. On Beall Avenue I keyed off of Neal, a D1 college runner and who is my former high school's all time best distance runner Quince Orchard has ever had. Any record I held at QO he had demolished. My former coach, Seann Pelkey, did a great job with him. But he also did a great job with me. I pulled up alongside of Neal and together we hammered on Beall Ave. Neal's a great kid. He's got a good head on his shoulders and he's got a lot of talent. He won his conference title this past Spring in the 10,000m. He doesn't want to seem to move up to longer distances after college but he surely has great potential.

Before the 2 mile mark, Georgetown Running Company's top 2 runners in the race, Paul Guevara and Paul Zwama, pulled up right behind me and Neal along with Matthew Abernathy. Together we rolled through the 2 mile in just over 10:00 minutes and the crowds cheered as we made the difficult turn back onto 355. I heard people cheering my name and recognized voices but could not look in time. I just concentrated on keeping my eyes up ahead and attacking the 2nd half of this race.

We made the turn on Martins again, repeating the uphill and then made a right onto Mannakee, where we flew down into the Montgomery College Campus. I now started to pull ahead of Neal, who I could hear was not far behind me. Both Pauls, however, began making a break from me as well. I could see them just ahead and tried to stay in contact. Matt Abernathy was still with me, and together we ran stride for stride going around the parking lots that zigzagged with U-turns. I hate making 180 degree U-Turns. They throw off your momentum by forcing you to slow down in order to make the turn and then you have to regain your speed as soon as you can to keep your momentum flowing. It hurts to slow down.

I hammered.

Abernathy was with me but I could feel him working. We caught an African runner( Seife Geletu) at a hill we were going up towards the 4 mile mark. I could see both Pauls still just ahead and told Matt to work together to get them. At the same time both Pauls were surging as well..

We made the turn onto 355 going South and it was less than a mile to go. I surged a few times but Abernathy stayed right with me. I couldn't shake him. Less than half a mile to go and I could hear people cheering in the distance. Finally with a quarter mile to go I could see the finish line. I strided out as best I could but I didn't have a sprint(which Abernathy did), and he passed me. Then, the African Seife Geletu sprinted by me and I cursed, "Dammit!!"...the guy came back out of nowhere. I surged to give a good fight but was no match. Still, I came through the finish strong and people I knew cheered loudly in excitement as I crossed the line in 11th place in 25:32, my highest placing and best time in this race by far.

Lucinda ran well too, finishing 4th overall for women in 28:48. We did a long cool-down together afterwards.

Beth, Ashwin, Gary, and Cormic came out to watch and we had a fun night partying at my place afterwards. I got in 80 miles this past week. Next and final race of the summer before I prep for fall is the Crystal City 5K next Saturday 7/23 at 8:30 PM.

Twilighter 8K RESULTS: 25:32, 11th place

2011-07-16T21:43:00.001-07:00

25:32, 11th place

Race Report Coming...

Rockville Rotary Twilight 8K

2011-07-16T05:18:00.001-07:00

The highlight event of the summer is here. My goal is to compete well and make a statement of what I'm capable of this fall. I'd like to run down some guys I haven't beaten before. The course isn't the easiest so it's hard to have a goal time, so I'm just going to concentrate on competing and running down as many guys as I can.

MidSummer Night's Mile Race Recap and Training

2011-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

I ran the mile in a new personal best 4:27.8 this past friday. It's been a long time since I've raced the mile. In fact, technically I haven't raced a mile since high school. I was decent at it

in High School, I got down to 4:35 a couple times...but it never really was my event. I am an endurance guy. The longer the race, the tougher I am to beat. The more suffering I can endure.

Then again, I am also trying to get faster, and Joe's coach, Jerry, make an excellent point about a guy like myself racing a mile. "If you're going to try to run 4:40 pace for a 5k then

you need to run a mile at least in the 4:20's." And as you add the numbers, the faster 5k does the same thing: It translates to a better 10k, on to the half marathon. A half marathon

pace of 4:57 requires even that 5k to be pretty quick. The marathon is a little bit different, but strong performances in distances less than 26.2 do not hurt.

Onto the Race:

Beth wonderfully came to Rockville High School to cheer me on. The heats were 8 deep, and I was in the fastest one, so it was kind of tricky knowing when to warm up. After the

fourth heat I started my warm-up, and was thankful that the weather was holding out. It stormed and rained violently earlier, and I was unsure if this race was still going to be run.

But somehow, the clouds broke up, and even the sun was coming through as it was setting. As I got back I put on my ever so light Nike Zoom Victory Spikes and headed to the track to do some drills and strides.

The Red Fox, Paul, Andrew Jesien...this heat had some fast guys. Little did I know it would be the fastest in its 35 year history of the event.

The sun was just setting as we started. Paul was to rabbit the event and sccording to records he is a great pacer. Since the race was a full mile(1609 meters), we started 9 meters behind the line and were off. I found 6-8 guys with me all in a pack that I clung onto. This race was going to be fast. Jake Klim was right in front of me, Paul surged to the front, and a few other guys and Jesien in between. We came through the first lap in 67(which really was 65 or 66 since it was over 400m), and the crowds started to get into it. Second lap was maintenance and I worked my way to keep my position behind Jake. We came through 800 in 2:13/2:14 and continued our drive. I pushed the 3rd lap with Jake to stay with the pace of the leaders and worked past some runners falling off the pace. I could hear Wiggy yelling splits at 1000m but I couldn't figure out the pace...but I didn't need to...I just needed to stay with Jake. 1200 meters came up and people were really getting into the race now. Pretty awesome for an event that isn't that big...me and these other guys were giving it a new name. Jesien surged to the lead and never looked back...the guy is an olympic trials miler and one of the better runners in the country. By now, Paul was still running-looks like he decided to finish the race after all...he had planned to drop out at 1200 since he was rabbiting. I pulled up on Jake's right hip at 1200 and split 3:20.

He then made a surge and I went with him and tried to hang on. Hang on. Just hang on. 300 to go and I felt the race was on. Jesien was throwing the hammer down, leading, paul second, some other college or post-college guy 3rd...Jake and I passed one runner on the back straight to put us in 4th and 5th respecively. Joe was going nuts cheering as we had 200 meters to go. Do I have a kick? I thought...I've been doing all this long distance mileage...Then, off the turn, I felt the runner we past come up on me and he made a move sprinting by me with just over 100 meters to go...I cursed and saw immediately he was slowing down in front and I blew by him with 50 meters to go with a nasty kick, finishing just a half a second behind Klim.

4:27.8 was my final time in 5th. Jesien won in a meet record 4:19. Paul ran for
2nd in 4:24. Klim 4:27.2

I'm happy with how this went, and it was an 8 second PR. It's a good "spark" to get my legs going again for the 2nd half of 2011-and it was nice to have that kick.

This week was another lesser week of mileage, finishing up at 75 miles for the week. The week before was 80, so having 2 weeks of 80 or lower have allowed my legs to recover a bit and do some intensity. I have a 2nd race coming up for the summer, the Rockville Twilight 8K, which is the most competitive race of the summer pretty much.

After the mile on Friday, we all went out to Matchbox to get pizza, it was a good time and I treated Beth and I to our favorite chicken pesto pizza. We had about 10-12 of us and talked over the race, and other goofball things.

Saturday morning I met up with Luci at Old Angler's Inn for a long run on the towpath. She had planned on doing a pretty solid workout and I was happy to help her out. We started out easy and took to the trails that eventually went out to Great Falls. I felt remarkably good once I got warmed up. It was quite humid as well. We ran down to Great Falls and then agreed to turn back to Old Angler's(just under 40 min in) to grab some Accelerade. After getting some fuel, we went back out to MacArthur Blvd, and ran South for 5 miles before we would turn onto the towpath again. The sun was strong on MacArthur so once we turned back onto the Canal the shade felt nice. As we got onto the towpath we added on some miles before turning around to head back...we both wanted to get in 2 hours or so. We progressed in pace to 6:30s and began to press furthur. I could tell Luci was taking this no problem-her fitness certainly is progressing from last year-qualifying for the olympic trials marathon is a realistic and attainable goal for her. She wanted to work down to 6:15s so we proceeded to do so. Our last mile was 5:58 and the total distance was about 18 miles I would say.

Mileage next week will probably be in the 80-90 range.

Looking foward to the Twilighter.

OFFICIAL: 4:27.8, PR

2011-07-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

1 1/95 1/12 2747 Andrew Jesien M 24 Rockville MD 4:19.3
2 2/95 2/12 2754 Paul Guevara M 24 Alexandria VA 4:24.0
3 3/95 3/12 2723 Chris Barnard M 22 Olney MD 4:26.0
4 4/95 1/15 953 Jake Klim M 30 North Bethesda MD MCRRC 4:27.2
5 5/95 1/8 2746 Chris Sloane M 28 Rockville MD 4:27.8
6 6/95 4/12 2757 Kevin Meehan M 24 San Francisco CA 4:29.5
7 7/95 5/12 2758 Will Palmer M 22 Bethesda MD 4:30.1
8 8/95 2/15 2755 Dickson Mercer M 30 Washington DC 4:30.6
9 9/95 2/8 2716 Jason Myers M 25 Alexandria VA 4:35.4
10 10/95 6/12 458 William Orndorff M 20 Rockville MD MCRRC 4:35.9
11 11/95 7/12 2741 Reagan Lynch M 22 Gaithersburg MD 4:37.1
12 12/95 8/12 764 Daniel George M 24 Bethesda MD MCRRC 4:37.1
13 13/95 9/12 702 Alex Booth M 23 Bethesda MD MCRRC 4:41.4
14 14/95 3/15 959 Steven Moore M 33 Kensington MD MCRRC 4:43.5
15 15/95 1/7 2753 Nathan Austin M 10 Rockville MD 4:49.0
16 16/95 1/2 299 Kevin Yates M 39 Olney MD MCRRC 4:56.3
17 17/95 1/13 441 Mark Neff M 48 Derwood MD MCRRC 4:56.7
18 18/95 2/13 452 David Haaga M 49 Rockville MD MCRRC 4:57.1
19 19/95 4/15 730 James Fogg M 32 Kensington MD MCRRC 4:58.1
20 20/95 3/8 948 Quentin Glorieux M 27 Potomac MD MCRRC 4:59.4

Friday Night Mile

2011-07-07T21:02:00.000-07:00

latest news:

Georgetown Running Company will be sending some runners out to the MidSummer Night's Mile tomorrow evening. Jake Klim(the Red Fox) will be there along with Paul Guevara(2:21 marathoner), Dickson Mercer, and a few others rabbiting the race.

Klim owns the record of 4:22. He is returning to form after a year off due to a rough injury. His goal is to break 4:30.

For me to run a mile well, I need to go out pretty strong and run pretty even(or slightly negative split)...I am not a runner who sits back the whole race and kicks the last lap like Jim Ryun did. My plan is to run even and aim to run 66s for the first 2 laps(2:12), and then negative split 65 and 64 the last 2 laps.

Aiming to run anywhere between 4:20-4:25.

2011 Spring Rankings-DC, MD, VA

2011-07-06T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Spring 2011 Rankings are here.

in red is =PR=
blue is Georgetown
and purple is Pacers

Georgetown is the obvious powerhouse with PR and Pacers dueling out second place. A big loss is Adam Condit, who ran with me during much of the Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Race, who moved recently. Aaron Church, however, who is not ranked, is on a comeback for the fall and has been racing well. This time around I got ranked 24th, which is great since last year I was 39th. There are a lot of good runners in the area and it's been quite a competitive year so far.

1 Endale, Abiyot 24 Silver Spring, MD
2 Nightingale, David* 25 Washington, DC
3 Towett, George** 26 Virginia Beach, VA
4 Berdan, Dave 29 Owings Mills, MD
5 Feysa, Birhanu* 29 Silver Spring, MD
6 Tefera, Demesse* 29 Washington, DC
7 Flynn, Ricky** 23 Lynchburg, VA
8 Dusen, Karl 28 North Bethesda, MD, GRC
9 McDougal, Jordan 23 Culpeper, VA
10 Rodriguez, Bert** 31 Arlington, VA, Pacers
11 Flynn, Brian 27 Weyers Cave, VA
12 Komen, Wilson* 33 Washington, DC
13 Wardian, Michael*** 37 Arlington, VA
14 Megerssa, Gurmessa** 31 Washington, DC
15 Luff, Samuel* 24 Rockville, MD, GRC
16 Hutchinson, Seth** 27 Charlottesville, VA
17 Wiegner, Joe 29 Rockville, MD, GRC
18 Baressi, Matt 28 Falls Church, VA, Pacers
19 De Heer, Dirk 30 Silver Spring, MD, GRC
20 Hurt, Charlie 27 Richmond, VA
21 Burnham, David 26 Arlington, VA, GRC
22 Saunders, Rich 22 Alexandria, VA
23 Condit, Adam 28 Ashburn, VA, =PR=
24 Sloane, Christopher 27 Rockville, MD, =PR=
25 Meeker, Dustin 29 Baltimore, MD
26 Mercer, Dickson 29 Washington, DC, GRC
27 Carr, Allen 27 Washington, DC, Pacers
28 Renjifo, Carlos* 28 Columbia, MD
29 Cherry, Brandon* 28 Washington, DC
30 Miller, David 27 Arlington, VA, =PR=
31 Wertz, David 35 Arlington, VA, GRC
32 Grout, Alexander* 24 Williamsburg, VA
33 Burke, Edmund* 41 Burtonsville, MD, Pacers
34 Foster, Ryan* 25 Arlington, VA, Pacers
35 Belford, Luke 28 Nottingham, MD
36 Sovonick, Andy* 24 Gaithersburg, MD, GRC
37 Wingo, Joey 24 Mechanicsville, VA
38 Henry, James 28 Silver Spring, MD
39 Murphy, Patrick 26 Washington, DC, GRC
40 Viviani, Will*** 29 Arlington, VA, Pacers
41 Whitlow, Dustin 24 Arlington, VA, =PR=
42 Aramayo, Ed 24 Baltimore, MD
43 Buschman, Mark 26 Ellicott City, MD
44 Carroll, Ryan** 28 Portsmouth, VA
45 Hryvniak, David 26 Chesapeake, VA
46 Brown, Karsten** 37 Front Royal, VA
47 Toland, Hugh*** 30 Fairfax, VA, =PR=
48 Fitzgerald, Jason 27 Silver Spring, MD
49 Deak, Ryan** 25 Burke, VA
50 Boyd, Wyatt**26 Washington, DC
51 Wegner, Michael* 14 Columbia, MD
52 Ciarfalia, Andrew 28 Reston, VA
53 Nevarez, Elias 27 Arlington, VA
54 Colaiacovo, Mike 41 Ellicott City, MD
55 Ethica, Kumsa 27 Washington, DC
56 Green, Jake* 26 Reston, VA
57 Logan, Matthew 25 Washington, DC

June Summary and July Training

2011-07-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

June was a great month of just pure volume and general running with no real workouts. The June weeks were 98, 90, 105, 118, and I averaged 103 miles/week. I have a good foundation set, and now I am adding workouts for July with a little less mileage. Furthur out, August will be the toughest mountain to climb. Last week I hit 80 miles with a 6x400 track workout. The thing that's great about my adaptation to training over the past 2 years is that 80miles/week doesn't seem so high to me anymore. The goal for July is to use the foundation I have built by running reasonable mileage(80-90 mpw) while working on the gears and efficiency by introducing speedwork and formwork. One of the main reasons I am running a 1 mile track race this friday is not because I am a miler(it is stretching the limits of the shortest distance race I can run well at)...but because it will help me improve as a runner-along with track work-improve my form, stride, turnover, and power in my stride. It's all about efficiency, at the end of the day, this will translate to helping me become a better runner, and running well at the events that I excel in.

Today I did a workout of 1x400, 1x800, 1x400, with 3 minute rest, hitting 66, 2:14, and 64 respectively. I wanted the 800 to be faster but I think it was good enough.

First Track Workout in Weeks

2011-06-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

It's been 7 weeks since my last track workout which was right before I PRed in the 5000m(15:13).

Now, with several weeks of mileage averaging 100 per week under my belt, I am tapping into my speed and turnover. Today, the workout was to be 6x400m, with a 3 minute rest. Quality, not quantity, is my emphasis on workouts. I find that resting enough so I can repeat the speed as opposed to resting for 1 minute and running slower is what works for me. I actually felt pretty good out there, given the fact I haven't done any speed for a while....it's like it just came back to me as if I did a workout just last week. The splits I hit were right at target pace(64-65 seconds). Splits below:

64, 64, 64, 65, 66, 66

The last 2 it wasn't strength, but speed preventing me from repeating the 64s or faster. This will improve quickly, however. I tend to get fit very quickly. I feel I can hit some 61-62s with some sharpening. I will do another workout probably Tuesday(maybe an 800 at mile race pace, a 400, and a couple 200s) before the MCRRC 1 Mile track race(7.08). The race will be my first in 2 months, and I will aim to shatter my mile PR from high school. This isn't a big focus race however, just a stepping stone to bigger things.

Climbing Higher & Higher

2011-06-26T18:35:00.000-07:00

Today was my birthday. I am 28 years now. This is the ideal time of my life to train and go for it. It's also a day I finished up the highest week of mileage ever. 118 miles total in 7 days with 5 doubles and 1 long run of 20 miles. The week before was not much lesser, hitting 105 miles. I am building a very strong base for the fall.

5 Month Training Plan

2011-06-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

I have come up with a rough 5 month training plan with the obvious focus for peaking in the fall. The mileage is somewhat figured out though not exact of course. It will, and should, average out to 95-100 miles per week for the entire 5 month cycle.

June: June is base building, just general running with not many workouts. The mileage will average out to 100-110 miles/week with a weekly high of 120 miles.

July: July will average a little lower in mileage with emphasis on introducing workouts again and speed/turnover. The weekly high should be around 100 miles and the weekly low will be about 45-50 miles. The lower week should allow my body to recover and prepare for the next high mileage cycle in August. July should average about 80 miles/week with some races I have such as the MCRRC MidSummer Night's Mile 7/8, Rockville Twilight 8K 7/16, and Crystal City 5K 7/23. Track workouts will be regularly done in this month.

August: With a solid base from June, and speed/turnover from July, August will ramp up again to be peak mileage training with the addition of emphasis on strong lactate threshold workouts/marathon pace workouts. The weekly low is projected to be 90 miles and the weekly high will be up to 140 miles. I will probably average up 120 miles per week for this month.

September: In September, the mileage will average about 90/week, with a weekly high of 100-110 miles and the low will be 60 miles(which will be a recovery week following the Philly 13.1 Race week). This month is a quality month. The 13.1 will be an all out race. The Marathon Specific Workouts will continue to be the real focus leading into the next month.

October: This is the final month with some final high quality marathon specific workouts and will average out to 90 miles per week. There will be one final high mileage/peak week of 120 miles and a quality 22 mile long run 3 weeks out before tapering for the Marine Corps Marathon. The Taper WILL BE 3 WEEKS. This is something I must do and have failed to do in the past. Marathon week is to be between 55-65 miles or so.

When looking at this on paper, it seems daunting, so I must take one week at a time. And it probably isn't exact either. But it's time to "go for it" and really take the next step in my running career.

If I can do this type of training over the summer, I see no reason why I cannot attain the goals below this fall:

Half Marathon: 1:05:00-1:08:00
Full Marathon: 2:22:00-2:26:00

Time to go after it again...

Philadelphia Elites

2011-06-10T19:25:00.001-07:00

NEWSFLASH: Got some great news this past week. Happy to say I got an Elite entry into the Philadelphia RocknRoll Half Marathon this September. I am already excited and it's only June. This is a great opportunity for me and something I did not expect as this race has many world class runners and some of the country's best runners. It will give me a chance to step up, but also will be dangerous because I could go out too fast-so I will need to be sure to know my limits. The faster I get, the more I find these opportunities appearing. It is a blessing for all the hard work I put into this sport.

The Fall 2011 Decision

2011-06-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

June 1, 2011.

As hinted(and already on my racing schedule), I have come to a fall 2011 racing plan.

Spring is past and the hot summer is here. It's time to put in the miles again. It's time to think of new goals. And it's time to come up with a fall racing plan.

This has been one of the most difficult decisions in racing I have ever made, because there is so much screaming at me "NO!" of my decision.

But I've thought, and thought of alternatives over and over to the point of obsession, and I could not come up with any that felt right to me.

So, I've put it together and decided to give it a shot...

This fall, the focus is simple: 2 races. The first, will be the much anticipated race I've wanted to do for a while, known for a loaded field, world class times, and competition, the Philadelphia RocknRoll Half Marathon on 9.18.11. At this point I am very familiar with the half marathon, I have learned how to race it well, and I have achieved a competitive time that gives me confidence to enter this elite race. Though my 1:10:04 would've only placed me 42nd overall male from last year, the idea is that many of these elite and sub-elite runners like myself will push me to run a fast time. A fast time and PR is very common at Philly, being a fast course as well. There will be a dozen 1:07-1:08 guys to push me, another dozen in the 1:03-1:06 range, with the winning time just over 1:00. This race brings me the opportunity to get one step closer to qualifying for the Olympic Trials standard of 1:05:00.

And the 2nd?

Once I realized I was definitely going to do the Philly RocknRoll half, I began to look at my options. I could, find some shorter races to do and try for PRs again. Repeat the Spring pretty much. My Spring certainly was successful...

I really like Brad Hudson's book(Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein's former coach) "Run Faster-from the 5k to the Marathon." Hudson uses methods of what's called adaptive running in his coaching, which in he quotes, "is my belief that a responsive, evolving, creative approach to training is better than an approach that is too structured and formulaic. Simply put, there is no single training forumla that works perfectly for every runner.... What's more, even when a certain formula works well for a runner, he or she changes as a result of using it, so the formula must also change to produce further improvement."

In other words, things are constantly changing and adapting.

Hudson also quotes later on about training cycles. "When you begin a new training cycle, you are not the same runner you were when you started the last one. Therefore, you should not train in precisely the same way that you did in your last training cycle, no matter how successful it was. In fact, in some ways, the more successful your last training cycle was, the more you can and should change the next one"

He's not saying you should change everything either. An example of this that Hudson points out is that when you run on a certain amount of mileage successfully, the next cycle it's probably a good idea to increase that mileage. "The summit of your recently completed training cycle is now the foundation for the next," as he states.

I value Hudson's coaching principles and believe they make a lot of sense for the way I train and coach myself. In fact, as I look at my past cycles, it's been very common for me to make changes. Last Fall, after the Chicago Marathon, I moved in the direction of the 10K for the end of the year, and it was a positive outcome. This past Spring, I focused on 13.1 miles and below all the way down to the 5k, averaging 70 miles per week, and it was a huge success. A good idea now as I start up again is to add more volume, keep the things going that helped me improve this Spring(i.e. track workouts), and focus on 13.1 miles and above. So, the fall plan certainly isn't to repeat the spring, but it will be using some of the tools I have gained at the same time.

So what am I going to do after Philly? Run a Marathon-and the reason is because I want to.

Following the Philadelphia 13.1, I have decided to tackle a fall marathon again, and there is none other more ideal than Marine Corps. Back in 2009, I ran Marine Corps, and though I wouldn't say it was a good race for me, I got a chance to experience it and loved everything about it. 2:57 was my time. yuck.

The Marathon has been the toughest event ever for me by far and challenges me physically more so than mentally. I'd like to think that I am very good at handling pain, and can push through it pretty well. Sure, I can run a marathon any day, jog it, whatever. But to race it, that's a different story. The problem is my body hasn't reached the physiological adaptations yet to perform what it can be capable of.

My recent times this Spring indicate a conversion of 2:25:00-2:27:00 for the marathon. My best time in the marathon is from 2005, which was my first, in 2:38:48. My body was adapted to 6:03 miles back then, which seems pedestrian to me now. But still, I was adapted to 6:00 miles. I was used to the pace, so I was able to maintain it. So for 2005, I was happy to break 2:40. It was my goal. My 13.1 time was also only 1:16:00 back then...

My most recent Marathon, The 2010 Chicago Marathon was my biggest dissapointing marathon race I have ever run. I felt it in me that I had a sub 2:30:00 that day, but my body just wasn't there after 16 miles. It dropped like a fly and I finished in a 3:04.

It is a risk of dissapointment, no question. All fingers are pointing NO to me based on recent marathons like Chicago that I've run and my success in PRing in the shorter distance races. Jake Klim, aka the Red Fox, who is a very knowledgeable runner has told me to not run a marathon this fall. Yipes.

But again, I will focus on the Philly Half as a key race, and look to run a major PR there. So following that, what makes sense? Do another 10K race season and forget the marathon? Or, simply try again, and give it another shot?

At the end of the day, I'm going to do Marine Corps because I WANT to. That, I know is important. Running is an enjoyment. And as much as I am a competitive runner, I also pick certain races because I enjoy them.

Motivation:

Marine Corps is a huge race, no question. But it isn't a World Class Race(meaning its not Boston, New York, or Chicago). There will be no Sub 2:10:00 marathoners in this one. It is a great race and is typically won in about 2:22:00. Top 5 are usually around 2:25:00-2:27:00. Maybe I could be top 5. Maybe I could even win it.

May 23-29: 91 Miles/Week in Florida

2011-05-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Monday: PM: 12.5 miles
Tuesday: AM: 5 miles, PM: 9 miles
Wednesday: PM: 9.5 miles
Thursday: AM: 7 miles, PM: 8 miles
Friday: AM: 5.5 miles, PM: 8.5 miles
Saturday: PM: 16 miles
Sunday: AM: 9 miles

Total: 91 Miles/Week

Florida

2011-05-22T18:51:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Naples, Florida today for a vacation with Beth and her family. It is nice to relax and kick back for a bit. I have worked hard over the past year in not only my running, but also my job, and of course being the best man I can be for Beth. Beth has also worked really hard with finishing her Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and deserves to relax. So we are going to enjoy ourselves this week on the beach and in the sun.

After Swarthmore I have gotten back to just mileage for my running and have been increasing the mileage again but also decreasing intensity(no workouts). It is nice to not workout during the week and just run. I am fit as I have ever been and I'd be lying if I didn't say I feel absolutely fantastic...even with my Spring of PRs just behind me. I finished up the end of this week with 73 miles(with one day off), so I am clearly headed for the 80-90 miles/week range again. But again, just general running. It is nice to not workout right now. My legs are recovering yet I am maintaining my aerobic fitness...

THE SUMMER:

This summer will be my next phase of racing but will be very short. I have 3 races lined up in July that will all be within 3 weeks of eachother. The first will be the MidSummer Night's Mile on July 8 and I will plan to attack a much overdue mile PR(my last mile PR is from HighSchool!) to strengthen my pure speed as a runner. The second will be one of my favorites(and must do's since its on my home turf and right in front of the =PR= store)...The Rockville Twilight 8K on July 16. The third race will be the evil pacers' Crystal City 5K on July 23 where I'll try to take down as many pacers runners as I can. These races will be "maintenance races" to keep my body used to racing and also to keep my speed up...but ultimately my major focus will be this fall.

ALL OUT

2011-05-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

My last Spring race is just under me and I am feeling very good about it. Though for the Spring of 2011, I already PRed in 10K, 10Miles, 13.1Miles, I really wanted to make this the icing on the cake with a new PR in the 5000 Meters. I PRed in this event earlier in the year, in January at the MD Indoor Track Invite, my first race of the year which sparked many good things to come after. I ran 15:26 that day, and though pleased with my effort, knew I could run faster this Spring. So, I decided to enter the Swarthmore Last Chance Meet on 5/14 to close my season out and hopefully end on a high note.

On Saturday we left MD around 3:00 PM in the megavan Joe rented. It was like a bus. Others who came were Karl Dusen, crazy Charlie Ban, Joe's coach Jerry(who I owe for getting me into this race), Patrick Murphy, Dave Wertz, and Michelle Miller and her husband Brian. The one day trip was a blast and we made it to Swarthmore around 6:00 PM, with 3 hours to spare before the race. So we killed some time and watched some events going on. The weather was on and off-at times it rained and others it was just a drizzle or mist. The track was clearly wet however. The Mens 5000 was to go off a little after 9:00 PM, so I made sure to eat something. I also got a very nasty cold in the beginning of the week. I actually developed a raspy voice from it as well. But I knew I could do this race based on the workout I did on Wednesday when I also wasn't feeling great. The cold certainly wasn't ideal, but it wasn't anything in the chest. Just snot rockets pretty much. Nasty. This was a weird time to race...so late, and I certainly wasn't used to it. We warmed up around 8:10 and I felt good on the warm-up, running through the campus as it darkened. It was not raining at this point, but the humidity certainly was higher. As we got back to our stuff, I found that the 5000 was in 3 sections. Joe, Karl, and I were in the first and fastest...I was pretty much the back of the pack of the first heat-I had a good reason to be nervous.

I put on my PR racing singlet, slipped on my Nike Victory Spikes and was ready to go. The rain was gone, but there were puddles on the track. We watched Michelle run the womens 5000 as we did some strides. I felt light and fast. I saw many runners who looked very strong and ready to tear it up. We lined up.

READY...SET..CRACK!!!

Elbows, shuffling around, and pushing happened all in the first 100 meters. I fought for a good position. I was towards the back, with a few runners hanging right behind me. The front surged ahead and Joe and Karl went with them. Immediately my legs and breathing were already working. It is the nature of this race to be cruel in the way that it is run at your maximum capacity for oxygen. VO2Max is the test of this race. It is hard the whole way, after the first 400 meters you already start to feel it.

We stormed around the track, lap after lap. I went through the first 400 in 72, right on target pacing, and I was in LAST PLACE. There was once runner right ahead who i hung onto to keep contact. Must keep contact. Gotta keep contact. We went through the first 800 was 2:23. I hit 1000 meters in 3:00 and the first 1600(1 mile) in 4:49. I was either last or second to last, trading places with the runner I was competing with. There were, however, a few runners just ahead that I was keying off of. I was already starting to feel the fatigue set in, in fact, I was already in pain after the 1st mile. The race hurts like a mother...and it's not like the marathon...it's only 15 minutes of running, but it is INTENSE...a different kind of pain. Anything is painful when you are running all out. But I told myself just get through 2 laps at a time, and hang with the train...

The next mile I still stayed in contact with the pack right in front of me, as well as the guy right on my heels the whole way. Literally, he kept passing me on the back straight, while I kept passing him on the opposing straight. Back and forth, back and forth. 2000 meters I hit in 6:02ish so was just over 15:00 pace. Pain started to set in.

2 miles in I split 9:42(technically a PR). I knew I wasn't going to break 15:00, but was in the cards for a nice PR. I just needed to hang tough. Then, as I went through the 2-mile mark, I began to see runners ahead falling off the pace. I was gaining on them. Friends cheered for me as I began passing a few runners on the back straight. I may have been last place from the beginning, but now I was eating up as many runners as I could! My endurance was kicking in-it is my strength as a runner. The first runner I passed was Kyle Carrick, a great guy who I was running with during the Shamrock Half Marathon(he ended up running 1:09:40something for the half just ahead of me in that race)-he nudged me 'go get em.' As I closed on another runner, the runner who was with me all along from the beginning made a move and passed me again. DAMN! I clung on to him as best I could. We ran down the other runners together. I had no idea what my splits were at this point. I was just competing and running as hard as I damn well could.

With only a few laps to go, I closed on a pack of runners and went through 14:01 with 1 lap to go. I could hear the leaders behind me finishing up their final lap. I stormed around the track with all my might and was so close to the pack...so close...

200 METERS TO GO!!!!! ALL OUT!!!!

I ran with as much turnover I had and gave a kick at the end to pass the pack of runners, going in the outside lane to do so. I could see the finishing clock at the end...barely holding it together...but damn...a few of the runners I just passed re-passed me right at the end, and I had no turnover left to give. It was as fast as I could go. I looked at the clock at this point...15:12...15:13. I crossed the line in pain and went over and layed down on the track for a moment. I was shot. spent. nothing left. all out.

15:13 was my official time, a 13 second PR, I was 24th out of 28 in my heat. 32nd overall out of 77 total runners.

Over the past 8 weeks, each race I have run has been decreased in distance, with the pace increasing. the half marathon in march: 5:20 pace. the CB 10 miler: 5:17 pace. Pikes Peek 10K: 5:03 pace. and now the 5000, 4:53 pace. This race concludes a very successful spring season, and it is now time to take a break from racing for a while and just run some mileage. I am going to Florida this Saturday with Beth's family and will enjoy a great week there. I do have a few races lined up for the summer, but it probably won't be until July that I will race again. There is a time to race, and there is a time not to race. I really want to focus on having a successful fall season, something I haven't been able to do very well. That is my next focus.

My PRs this Spring:

5000 meters- 15:13
10 kilometers- 31:26
10 miles- 52:54
13.1 miles- 1:10:04

Hard to say which race stands out-they were all unique in their own way. I'll probably write some sort of Spring wrap-up.

no sub 15, but 15:13, PR!

2011-05-14T23:41:00.000-07:00

The race was separated into 3 heats. I was in the 1st heat, the fastest one, which put me towards the back pretty much. But I fought hard and beat several guys to attempt sub 15 but I just didn't have anything left. I ran as hard as I could and gave it my all. Satisfied with finishing the Spring with a final PR. The 5k has never been easy for me, in fact it is a tough event for me that I have needed to work on. But I have established a decent time and it will help me in my future distances.

15:13, 24th in my heat, 32nd overall. 80 runners.

Race Report coming later...

5000m Preview

2011-05-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

It will be me and the guys in blue who are going up in the van tomorrow afternoon.

Event 21 Men 5000 Meter Run
===============================================================================
Name Year Team Seed
===============================================================================
1 Dusen, Karl UNATTACHED 14:01.00
2 Beamish, Hugo VILLANOVA 14:05.00
3 Eustis, Colin AMERICAN 14:05.00
4 Brannigan, Jeff AMERICAN 14:05.00
5 Brown, Craig AMERICAN 14:10.00
6 Hackett, Everett UNATTACHED 14:11.34
7 Leinenger, Mark AMERICAN 14:22.00
8 Wiegner, Joe UNATTACHED 14:28.00
9 Schilit, Jordan HAVERFORD 14:30.00
10 Steele, Bill UNATTACHED 14:30.00
11 Arbuckle, Luke UNATTACHED 14:30.00
12 Reynolds, Clay GETTYSBURG 14:33.35
13 Straughan, Dylan DICKINSON 14:37.47
14 Kissin, Peter HAVERFORD 14:39.00
15 Simpson, Justin UNATTACHED 14:39.00
16 Carrick, Kyle UNATTACHED 14:40.00
17 Burmeister, Taylor UNATTACHED 14:40.00
18 Mageth, Jordan UNATTACHED 14:45.00
19 Doan, Conor UNATTACHED 14:45.00
20 DuBois, Eric ROWAN 14:47.00
21 Nihen, Rob TCNJ 14:47.50
22 Mynatt, Henry DICKINSON 14:48.82
23 Donnelly, Kevin ST. JOSEPH'S 14:49.78
24 Sullivan, Zach LA SALLE 14:50.00
25 Bowden, Michael LA SALLE 14:50.00
26 Lutcza, Matt MORAVIAN 14:51.00
27 Sloane, Chris UNATTACHED 14:55.00
28 Topita, Ryan LA SALLE 14:55.00
29 Phillips, Jacob SWARTHMORE 14:55.00
30 Watts, John GWYNEDD-MERC 14:58.56
31 Lacey, Matt CENTRAL PARK TRA 14:59.00
32 Haje, Naseem UNATTACHED 14:59.00
33 Lafferty, Steve UNATTACHED 15:00.00
34 Parmenter, Nathan UNATTACHED 15:00.00
35 Roos, Kyle TCNJ 15:02.00
36 Greco, Rich ELIZABETHTOW 15:05.00
37 Campbell, Todd LA SALLE 15:05.00
38 Wasnetsky, Chris UNATTACHED 15:05.00
39 Knowles, Dave NYU 15:06.88
40 Bonilla, Kevin NYU 15:06.89
41 Haneman, Pat HAVERFORD 15:09.00
42 Cutilli, Ben HAVERFORD 15:09.00
43 Galasso, Aidan DELAWARE 15:10.00
44 Finn, Matthew LA SALLE 15:10.00
45 Black, Arthur UNATTACHED 15:12.00
46 Hager, Patrick UNATTACHED 15:12.00
47 Meehan, Joe RUTGERS-CAMD 15:14.00
48 Connelly, Alec RUTGERS-CAMD 15:14.00
49 Megee, Bryan DESALES 15:15.00
50 O'Brian, Mike DELAWARE 15:15.00
51 Cahill, Michael STEVENS INST 15:15.15
52 Fitzgerald, John SALISBURY 15:16.04
53 Wertz, David UNATTACHED 15:19.00
54 Hartung, Tim YORK (PA.) 15:20.00
55 Hopkins, Sean UNATTACHED 15:20.00
56 Morrissey, Drew LA SALLE 15:20.00
57 Hassett, Matt LOYOLA (MD.) 15:20.00
58 Kubiak, Joe GWYNEDD-MERC 15:25.00
59 Tarpey, Jack DESALES 15:28.00
60 Daniels, Thomas GETTYSBURG 15:29.00
61 Murphy, Patrick UNATTACHED 15:29.00
62 Fritz-Mauer, Jossi UNATTACHED 15:30.00
63 Murphy, James LA SALLE 15:30.00
64 Bohenek, Jason UNATTACHED 15:30.00
65 Friesema, Andrew YORK (PA.) 15:30.00
66 Hutcheson, Craig MESSIAH 15:35.00
67 Forde, Kevin UNATTACHED 15:36.00
68 Ban, Charlie UNATTACHED 15:37.00
69 Berstler Jr., Stephen SALISBURY 15:39.04
70 D'Angelo, Nicholas LEBANON VALL 15:45.00
71 Rooke, Tyler GWYNEDD-MERC 15:45.00
72 Springer, Andrew MESSIAH 15:50.00
73 Munnelly, James UNATTACHED 15:55.00
74 Derkacz, Adam ELIZABETHTOW 15:55.17
75 Palmer, Eddy UNATTACHED 15:59.00
76 Bofinger, Eric UNATTACHED 15:59.00
77 Mead, Patrick FROSTBURG ST 16:19.39
78 Ying, Rolland RUTGERS-NEWA 16:20.30
79 Pointer, Maurice UNATTACHED 17:20.00
80 Lara, Jamie UNATTACHED 17:30.00

5/11: 1x1600, 1x800, 1x400

2011-05-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

I did a final tune up workout of 1x1600, 1x800, 1x400 in my nike victory spikes to prepare for the 5000m this Saturday. I hit 4:47 (splits 2:25, 2:22), 2:19 ( splits 70, 69), and 64 seconds, respectively. It was a perfect tune up workout and I am ready to race hopefully so long as the cold I have subsides soon. It's been a pain in the ass but the fact that I completed this final tune up workout is a positive sign. This is my last upcoming race before it's time to take a break from racing(and just train). I intend to have nothing left when I cross the finish line.

5/6: 5x1000m

2011-05-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

This morning I did 5x1000m: The perfect 5k workout. It is tough...I wanted to stop after the 3rd interval. But I focused on the task at hand and held things together. This is what makes pain in a race conquerable. I love pushing myself.

3:03, 2:58, 2:58, 3:00, 2:59 were the times I hit in the 5x1000m workout I did this morning, averaging goal 14:59 5k pace. Slightly faster pace than last week(where I did 4x1000m), which is very encouraging since I added one more interval this time. I think I do have a shot at breaking 15:00, it will be tough though. I have learned doing this workout that it is not an easy barrier to break-it is 4:49 per mile. It did and will toughen me up for next Saturday's race, and early next week I will do one final tune-up workout using my Nike Victory Spikes(pictured above) to sharpen things up and I'll be good. I've been doing my workouts in 7-8 ounce shoes so once I put on 3 ounce victory spikes I will be ready to tear it up. I am entered in the Swarthmore College Last Chance Meet on May 14 for 14:45-I will most likely be in the fast heat with some pretty fast college guys and other club runners.

The 15:00 Barrier

2011-05-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

This past week I stepped the mileage down but got in a decent workout and a solid long run. The workout I did on Friday afternoon was a 4x1000m on the track with 200m walk rest. The first interval was a bit slow but the next three were more like the pace I wanted to hit.

1000m splits:

3:06 (slow-15:30 pace)

2:59 (target-14:55 pace)

3:00 (15:00 pace)

3:01 (15:05 pace)

3:00 is 15:00 pace for the 5000m and it is my goal to break that barrier. This workout was the first step in that direction but I need to do a few more at a bit faster to really nail it. I averaged 15:07 pace for the 1ks so it is getting there.

Sunday I did a nice AM long run with Murphy and Joe and we met at Old Angler's Inn to do an out and back, cruising on the way back somewhere in the 6:00's. Got in 16.5 miles or so. Only 52 miles this week but thats ok-next week will be more but more importantly I'll ramp the mileage up really high later this summer. I am aiming for a ton of miles this summer to gain a lot of strength and to really work on toughening my body up for the marathon.

Planning

2011-04-24T20:54:00.000-07:00

Nearly 30 miles of racing within the last 4 weeks are now behind me. I have PRed in the 10K, 10 Mile, and 13.1 Mile distances this Spring. It will do no good for me to race another 13.1 right now. I have already maximized those distances this Spring. The Fall is the next time for me to aim for a PR in 13.1 again and attack 26.2 as well. I am working on a summer/fall training plan as well as build a great base again over the summer. But before that begins...

I am working on the shorter stuff right now. The fine tuning. Training this week was better in the sense that I was able to run a bit more. Hit 70 miles this week with a 2 hour slow long run. I also did a moderate track session on Saturday that consisted of 3x400 and 2x800 all at goal 5k pace. I hit 72s(15:00 flat pace) on all the 400s and 2:23 and 2:24 on the 800s. Not very fast but fast enough. I think I will feel a lot better next week to be able to do more. I am looking forward to doing some more track work like 5x1000 or 3x1600 which are a couple of my favorites for the 5k. I have 3 solid weeks until the Swarthmore 5K, so its nice to have some time to train until then. 5000 meters is a tough event, and even though it is so short respectively to the other races I train for, it is tough because it is pretty much your VO2 Max pace, which is all out full aerobic capacity.

Pikes Peek Race Report, Etc

2011-04-20T18:02:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure how much there is to say about Pikes Peek besides how fast it was. The wind was blowing in the direction we were running as well as the course already being fast. Despite having a few uphills, most of the course is downhill, and produces lightning fast times. Joe and I(who live literally next to the finish of the race) drove the opposite direction on the pike to the Sahdy Grove Metro where the race started. We were both looking for PRs today, for him 30:30 and for me somewhere in the low 31's. The wind was powerful...but then we noticed that it was going to be a tailwind in the direction we were going to run. Times will be fast today. I met friend and teamate Dave Miller and his fiance Erika for a warm-up before heading to the start line. I felt really good on the warm up and knew I was ready to race. The race start was delayed 10 minutes for some unknown reasons, and many fast and super fast runners showed up. I also saw Rebecca, who was shooting for a PR.

The start was superfast and I sprinted and found myself(only for a moment) the lead white guy on the tail of all the 28 min Africans. Haha, this may happen one day, but lets be realistic for now, Chris.

After the first few 100 meters, the race got more realistic and I settled into a rhythm with several other white guys ahead of me/with me. I saw Joe pass me and he nudged me a "lets go." He was haulin'. His first mile would be a 4:38. Too fast for me. Dave Berdan, Elite American 2:14 Marathoner Jeffrey Eggleston was up there. I was definitely one of the top white guys however. It's great seeing these improvements. As I get faster, I am closer to the front, and I begin to realize how much hard work and consistent training pay off.

But I also run even, and that's where I wanted to stay, I did NOT want to go out faster than 5:00.

First mile: 5:00.

Mike Wardian just ahead. Dirk De Heer and Dave Burnham passed me...but I focused on keeping them in sight. Even Wardian was still in my sight.

There was no 2nd mile(and I really get annoyed when races do this because I have NO IDEA where I'm at until 3.

Then Dickson Mercer(2:29 marathoner and like me, has also run 1:10 in the half marathon) tucked in right behind me and I acknowledged him and gave him encouragement. He's a great guy and a great runner(really knows the marathon well)

3 Mile was on target: 15:05. Perfect. 5K was 15:36. My PR in the 5K is 15:26. This is obviously soft now.

I caught several runners before mile 3, including a few Africans who tried to hang on with my pace. I hammered. Damn it feels good to be fit. I dropped them. I also lost sight of Dickson but had a feeling he wasn't far behind. I knew he was running a good race. I could feel the other runners I left behind straining. I looked ahead...

Dave Burnham and Dirk De Heer of Georgetown Running Co. were in my sight. I focused on catching Dave and closing the gap.

Mile 4: 20:08. 5:02 pace. Still perfect pacing.

As I approached mile 5 I definitely noticed I was closing on Dave Burnham.

I PRed at Mile 5: 25:18.

Before Mile 6 I saw Jerry Outlaw going nuts and cheering. It helped. I tried to keep closing on Dave Burnham but I was going to run out of real estate to catch him.

At Mile 6 I saw Jake Klim(aka the Red Fox) cheering and I sprinted the last .2 to close and finish in a whooping time of 31:26 (5:03 per mile average), good for 23rd place. 23rd place! Geez! This race was competitive! What's also amazing-the race didn't even feel that hard. It's not like I could have run faster, but longer. I feel like one day this could be my half marathon race pace(1:06). Key phrase "one day" though-that's not tomorrow.

Although not totally happy, Joe ran a PR of 30:40 and is in great shape. The day after the race he and I went for an awesome 12 miler on the C and O Canal and were hitting 6:20s like it was a walk. I looked over to him in the middle of the run and said, "We are in awesome shape." He nodded.

I am now planning out my final attack for my Spring Racing Season: the 5000m. It's time to get on the track. The race is on May 14 at Swarthmore College and collegians/club runners compete. The winning time is very fast usually(last year it was sub 14:00 minutes), and there will be plenty of runners for me to compete with. I have made a full circle from January-May 2011. January was the start of 2011 with the indoor 5000m in 15:26. Now I am finishing it up with an outdoor 5000m. What can I run/what's the goal? I'm going to do some speed workouts targeting the 5000m for the next weeks leading up to the race, so those will tell me, but I don't see why I cannot run under 15:00 minutes. I would say with some more development on my speed even as fast as 14:45 is surely a possibility.

The Marathon is also on my mind for the fall...I am long overdue for a PR.

OFFICIAL: 31:26 FOR THE 10K

2011-04-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

SMASHED my PR and ran 31:26 to claim 23rd place in the highly competitive Pikes Peek 10K this morning. Averaged 5:03 per mile and PRed through 5 miles(25:18) as well. The winning times were World Class and Julius Kogo won in a course record time 28:04(4:31 pace)!!! SICK. Top American Jeffrey Eggleston(2:14 Marathoner) was 7th in 28:33. Dave Berdan was the top local runner in 29:30. My Roomate Joe was 20th in 30:40(4:56 per mile pace) and my teamate Dave Miller was 31st overall in 32:01. Race Report coming... Splits: 5:00, 3mile: 15:05, 5k: 15:36, 4mile: 20:08, 5mile: 25:18

Training April 4-10

2011-04-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

Had a good training week on 6 days in terms of quality/getting the legs going again. I felt refreshed after taking Monday off and ventured out to Edward's Ferry on Tuesday to enjoy an 11 mile run in pure solitude. Then, Wednesday I did 4x800 on the track in 2:22 average each(4:45 mile pace). Thursday I ran with Joe for about 12 miles in parts of the trolley trail and Rock Creek Park. We both felt good and know we are very fit and ready to roll for the Pikes Peek 10K. Friday I took an easy shakeout 5 miler due to a scheduled tempo I wanted to do on Saturday morning. I met Karl, Sam, Joe, and Dave Burnham on the track at BCC Saturday morning. The workout Joe was going to do was a 5 mile tempo on thr track working down each mile faster. Sam decided to do the last 4 with him while I decided to do the last 3(this was perfect for me since Joe is a bit faster and I wanted to get in a solid 3 mile pace effort for the 10K next Weekend-plus I would be able to help him out with his pace. After 2 miles, I jumped on the track with Joe, Sam, Karl, and Dave and the pace was just progressing to 5:05s as I started with them. We took turns leading and I hit mile 1 in 5:05, and mile 2 in 5:04. Then Dave and Karl dropped out(since they had already run 4) and it was just me Sam and Joe for the last mile(this was Joe's 5th mile, Sam's 4th, and my 3rd). We picked up the pace the last mile and all stayed together through the last lap. Final mile: a 4:58. Total time was 15:07 for 3 miles. Ideal pace I wanted to hit so I was happy about it. Sunday was an easy Long Run at Difficult Run-got in 14.5 miles or so. 60 miles for the week. I am looking foward to Pike's Peek 10K. I think 31:30 is a very good goal to shoot for in this one(5:04 pace).

What's Next: the 10k, and the 5000m

2011-04-06T18:28:00.001-07:00

This week I have started to feel good again, and I think I'm finally over the hill of recovering from the Shamrock Half. The Cherry Blossom race, I'm starting to realize, went particularly well for having such little time to recover from the half, and I am pleased with PRing in 2 events within 2 weeks that are worth over 23 miles of grueling racing. But this is where I get stronger and more resilient doing so and I am already feeling it will turnover to the marathon eventually. Yesterday I had a wonderful run. I drove out to Edward's Ferry and did the usual 11 miler I do. The Sun was starting to set as I started and I took it slow the first few miles(I also took Monday off after Cherry Blossom), but as I approached White's Ferry I began to get into the zone and ran effortlessly on the rolling gravel road that led me through the secluded areas of Poolesville that looked a lot like Kansas. I felt great, fit, and happy. With every step I felt like it was meant for my body to be doing this. I am proud of all the hard work I have done to get my running where it is today. I still have many challenging goals, but I have clearly made a jump this year, and I am looking foward to taking a shot at the 5000m again in May. Today I did my first track workout since before the Shamrock Half. It was 4x800m with 1 lap jog rest, nothing crazy, but still a beneficial workout. I averaged 2:22s on all of them(4:45 mile pace), which is a good goal pace for me to aim for in the 5000m at Swarthmore on May 14. I am definitely set on doing this race and I think it is a great opportunity to get in a fast race and see what I can do. I ran 15:26 back in January(INDOORS) and I think with some more work and speed development I can really make a strong statement in the 5000m, 14:59 is definitely possible on the track. Because, yes I am a distance guy, but I DO have speed. And speed needs to be developed for improvement in longer races. The 10K: The Pikes Peek 10K is my next race, and I am very much looking foward to it. I think after today and with another workout this weekend(tempo run perhaps), I will be good to go for the 31's next Sunday. Cherry Blossom was also in a way a really good training run for the 10K. I went through the 10K in a PR(32:25ish) and had to hang on for 20 more minutes. Now all I have to do is race for less than 32 minutes and I'm DONE.

Cherry Blossom 10 Miler Race Report

2011-04-04T20:09:00.000-07:00

The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler is one of the most exciting, fantastic races in the DC area. Top runners from around the world come to compete for the $46,000 total monetary race awards. Africans win this race-no question. The top dozen or so of this race are East Africans. No joke-the winner runs 45-46 minutes(typically a 4:35 per mile pace!!!!). Insane I know. With a 16,000 runner field, it makes it that much more interesting, and you get all kinds of runners in this race. The competition in the Metro area was fierce. Georgetown Running Company brought an ARMY of 20 runners including Olympic Trials Qualifier Karl Dusen, Samuel Luff, Jerry Greenlaw, my roomate Joe Wiegner, Dutchman Dirk De Heer, David Burnham...and the list goes on. Other runners in the field like the famous Michael Wardian(2-Time Olympic Trials Qualifier) showed up. The top 2 American Elites in the race were David Nightingale(sub 4:00 miler and 1:04 half marathoner/Olympic Trials Qualifier) and Lucas Meyer(from Connecticut/also easily an Olympic Trials Runner). Capital Area Runners' Rich Saunders(who ran most of the Shamrock 13.1 with me) was also in the race. Pacers had their own Bert Rodriguez. Ex-Gtown racer Patrick Reaves also showed up. As for =PR=, we had Adam and I as our top 2, with Aaron being out due to sickness unfortunately. Still, our team finished 3rd overall. Georgetown obviously dominated the race. Now on to how the race unfolded...

I got to the race SUPER EARLY(6:05 AM). The sun had yet to rise. The Washington Monument stood tall. My roomate Joe and I got up at 4:45 AM and drove to the metro to meet Karl and Sam to catch the 5:39 train from Grosvenor. We all sat and talked/chilled out. It was nice metroing with these guys rather than being alone and getting all nervous, I thought. There was hardly anyone on the train. We got closer to DC and more people were there once we got off Metro Center but still very stress free. It was nice. We dropped our stuff off at the Elite Tent and I met Peggy who is on the =PR= womens racing team as well. We then saw some of the Africans show up and GOOD LORD they looked fast. Intimidating indeed. I did a nice warm-up as the sun came up and the sky was clear. BEAUTIFUL DAY. After the warm-up, I was ready to go and put on the flats. Whew...nervous. Gotta relax. Gotta stay relaxed...

START LINE: I was happy to find fellow PR Racing Team Member Adam Condit at the start line and he and I were ready to go. We had a plan to run hopefully together much of the race and shoot for 52:00 minutes. We also wanted to go through around 26:00 at the 5 mile mark. The gun went off and immediately everyone sprinted. FAST FAST FAST Africans SURGED to the front like a stampeed. CRAZY. Adam and I jostled through a few runners to get in a good starting position. Wardian right ahead. Top G'Town Runners' Karl, Sam, Jerry, and Joe also right ahead. Stay Relaxed. The first mile flew by...5:05...5:06...5:07ish. Not bad, knew the first mile would be fast. I ran fluidly and actually felt quite good. Adam and I ran side by side. We went over Arlington Bridge and people cheered everywhere. I could see the Elite Africans up ahead HAULING around the cul-de-sac. PHENOMENAL. Adam and I ran with ease around the cul-de-sac to come back over the bridge again. 2:21 Marathoner and G'Town racer Paul Geuvara was hanging off our shoulders as well. We eventually pulled ahead of him but really only because Paul is coming back from a long layoff from injury(the guy is a damnnnn good runner). Then the Dutchman Dirk De Heer pulled alongside of us. Another great runner who is a 1:07 half marathoner. But I knew he was triathlon training so maybe he couldn't beat me? I went with him. I thought I could beat him, for an instant. At Mile 3 we had a pack going as we caught some runners and I made a move to go in front of the pack. Why do I do this, I thought? Is it just that I like to lead? I guess I like making moves, not necessarily a bad thing but don't I need to also be more tactical of a racer? ah fuck it...JUST RUN CHRIS! I lead the pack to the turnaround where I saw the top G'Town guys Joe, Sam, Jerry, and Karl tearing it up on the opposite side. Mile 3-Dirk surged AGAIN. Goddamn. Adam and I keyed off of Dirk from miles 2-4 but then we lost sight of him after 5. Adam and I continued to run together and shared the lead. Mile 5 was a nice highlight of the race. We went through in 26:03. PERFECT, we both said to eachother. I was also happy to see Beth and her mom and many others cheering for me and the =PR= team. Adam and I gritted our teeth for the second half, the brutal part of this race which goes around Hains Point. The wind wasn't easy. The pain started to set in. I was starting to hurt.

HARD WORK: I had to work the second half of this race. I was starting to hurt I think also because only 2 weeks ago I had raced a half marathon in a huge PR. It's tough to recover from a race longer than 10 miles, whereas a 10K it isn't so bad. So, all in all, the last 5 miles hurt like a mother. Rich Saunders caught up to us. I spat out, "good to see you again." He began to pull ahead. Adam also began to pull ahead of me just slightly around mile 6. I keyed off of them however and worked my ass off to try to get back up there. I think I was 32:20's at 10K which is a PR. I knew I was on pace to run 52:something. And I knew 52 anything would be solid, since my current PR was 53:25(split in the shamrock 13.1). But still I wanted 52:30 or faster. I went around the tip of Hains Point and could still see Adam and also Rich was up there-I was keeping them in sight. Mile 8 I really started to hurt and saw the famous Jake Klim(who has run this race in 50:55) yelling his ass off at me. I happened to look down at my watch when Jake saw me and he yelled, "DON'T LOOK AT YOUR WATCH!! LOOK UP AND RUN!!!" Gave me a kick in the arse. I started to surge.

THE BATTLE:

I ran with all my might the last 2 miles but had no turnover. I was running close to empty at this point. I had very little left in the tank. Even so, I saw a runner up ahead who I was gaining on, and Adam still did not appear that far away. I ran under the bridge nearing the finish. Close. Damn I am hurting...just keep going...keep fighting. Mile 9. ONE MORE MILE. HIT IT HARD! I surged up the last hill before the finish. I could see the runner I was catching, closing on him....I made it up the hill and heard the roar of the crowd as I kicked as hard as I could but barely had anything to muster. I was out of gas...and real estate to catch the runner..I just finished right behing him and woah...Ok this is gross but I puked(AGAIN) at the end...actually in mid-air for the first time ever and then again when I stopped. I felt a whole lot better afterwards though. I don't typically throw up after races but the last 2 have been double wammies. I crossed the finish line in 52:54, a new personal best and an average of 5:17 per mile. I placed 32nd overall(19th American). Adam was 30th overall in 52:28. Top American was Lucas Meyer(13th overall, 48:26). Karl was 16th overall(3rd American) in 50:06, and my roomate Joe was 23rd overall in 51:34. I am happy with the race and considering I ran Shamrock 2 weeks ago and did nothing but easy running in between races, it was a solid effort and I couldn't have run a step harder. I think I will feel tremendously better for the Pikes Peek 10K on April 17 since the distance is shorter and shamrock will be a few more weeks back. Gradually going down in distance here with each race this Spring. I am excited to attack the 10K again and I am already feeling recovered after taking a day off today from running. I want to thank everyone for cheering me on out there and supporting me. Compliments to PR Racing Team Member Dustin Whitlow for the fantastic photographs!

52:54, another PR

2011-04-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

I clocked 52:54 for 10 miles today at the 2011 Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run. Another PR!

COMPETITION: THE CHERRY BLOSSOM 10 MILER

2011-04-02T06:58:00.001-07:00

April 3 will be a clash between not only some of the world's best runners, but also some of the Washington/Virginia/Maryland's best runners. There are numerous racing teams competing in the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler including my ex-team Georgetown Running Company. GRC is bringing an ARMY of runners to this race...Karl Dusen, Wiegner, Sam Luff, Jerry Greenlaw, the Dutchman Dirk De Heer...to name a handful. Patrick Reaves is coming back to town. Pacers has plenty of runners as always. I'm sure there are plenty of other studs I haven't even mentioned showing up. The top 10 in this race is taken by World Class East Africans, the winner running anywhere between 45-46 minutes for 10 Miles. It's an incredible event, Cherry Blossom. But I cannot be afraid to compete. For the =PR= Racing team, Aaron Church and Adam Condit will join me in trying to take on as many top runners as we can. We don't have as big of a team as some of the others, but we'll give a good fight. Adam and I have a solid plan as well to attack a monster PR. My last 10 miles in my shamrock half marathon race were run in 53:15(5:19 pace). 5:10-5:12 pace is certainly within range based on many workouts I have done the past few months and the weather conditions look OPTIMAL. I need to run as EVEN as possible and kick the last 800 meters. I can't go out too fast. I need to remember my strength and the reason why I am a good runner and use that to my advantage. The ultimate goal is to compete well and hopefully break the 52:00 barrier. 10 Miles is really a great distance. It's longer than 10K but not quite as long as a half marathon so it is a distance for me that combines my high lactate threshold(half marathon) and VO2 Max(5K). Time to put it all together. LETS GO =PR=!!!!!

The Next Steps & Future Plans

2011-03-23T21:41:00.000-07:00

As I absorb the race I ran a few days ago, I am beginning to find the new runner I have become. The Shamrock Half Marathon was a "jump" to a new level that I have gotten to as a runner. The training is paying off. The discipline and consistency is paying off.

Now it is time to RACE and use this new strength I have to my advantage. Shamrock Half was the first of my Spring races, and I have parts 2 and 3 coming up in April: The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler(part 2) and finally the Pikes Peek 10K(part 3). These races will not however, be the final conclusion of my Spring racing season. There is one final race I have lined up in mid May, an outdoor track 5000m race at Swarthmore College. That will be the conclusion of Spring.

Summer plans are to as always run the Twilight 8K Festival in July, this may be the only race I do however. But who knows, I may do a 1 Mile summer track race and try to PR in that.

Fall I am starting to get really excited about attacking the Half Marathon again. I think Philly Rock n Roll in Sept would be a fantastic race to enter and to compete with some world class runners as well as go for (dare I say) 1:07-1:08 in the half. I am also starting to see the possibility of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials(2016). 2016 is very realistic for me and a good time to do it. But I have plenty of work to do. And honestly, I just want to focus on running as fast as I humanly can. So if I ever qualify for the OT, I will not stop there. I will keep running, and keep pushing the barriers within me.

One other thing about the fall is my indecisiveness(if there is such a word) about a fall marathon(gulp). Marine Corps seems to keep calling my name, and I cannot help but be attracted to the race yet fearful since I have not been successful in the Marathon recently. I don't know. I need to go with my gut. But if there is one Marathon option, its looking like it will be Marine Corps. Perhaps I will run in it but not take it very seriously. And, if I want to focus on the half, which I think that I should, it is hard to run a good full also.

I'll figure it out, I think eventually, I will make the decision that I want to make, which is what I always do. For now, I am attacking my Spring races and focusing on one at a time. Cherry Blossom is next and I have a pretty good idea of a time to shoot for. As far as placing goes I am going to try and beat as many runners as I can, and fight with this new passion I have found in my running. The goal is simply to run under 5:12 pace, which would break 52 minutes.

SHAMROCK RACE REPORT!

2011-03-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Half Marathon Official time and place: 1:10:04, 15th place.

"2011 is looking quite promising. The work you did in 2010 is finally paying off...in dividends."
-quote by Jake Klim texting me after the half marathon

In 2010, I was running the Shamrock Marathon, halfway through in the top 5. I was aiming for a low 2:30 effort. Then, at about 19 miles, things started to fall apart. For some reason, by body wasn't cooperating. I never recovered and ended up having to walk for nearly 4 miles of the course, but still finished(in a very very slow time for me)...

What a difference a year makes. It still baffles me how fast I ran on Sunday. I knew 5:20 per mile for 13.1 miles was possible, but to finally do it, it changes the way you feel about yourself, and what you can accomplish. To put it in words, I set no limits to see how fast I can run.

Here's how the race and weekend unfolded:

I went out for an easy 45 minute run on Saturday afternoon, adjacent to the ocean with a delightful cool breeze sweeping in. On my way back to the hotel, I noticed 3 Elite Africans JOGGING on the boardwalk...in fact they were going quite slow I was able to pull up alongside them and briefly chat. Despite them going at this pace, I knew these were the guys in the hunt for the win tomorrow morning, capable of running sub 5s for 13.1.

"What's the goal for tomorrow guys? Going to win right?"
"That's the plan," one guy chuckled.
"I'm trying to run under 1:10" I said.
"That's good! they HUMBLY said. Good luck!"
"Thanks, good luck to you too" I said, and was on my way.

I woke up at 5:30 the next morning, stepped outside and it was COOL. PERFECT WEATHER. However, I did noticed some powerful winds. Hopefully they will die down once the race starts. I went out for a warmup around 6:15 and jogged 10 minutes. Legs feel good. I am ready.

I got to the start line, did 2 striders, and felt loose but also a little tense since it was cold and windy at the start. All I needed were my racing singlet, shorts, and a pair of lightweight gloves. The temperatures were ideal(42 degrees), the only thing was the wind, so I thought about finding a pack to block the wind for me while I could draft.

The gun went off and I surged with 20 or so runners to the front. It broke up quickly to 2 packs. The lead pack, and the second pack, which I hung with. It was perfect, because Rich Saunders(who runs for Capital Area Runner under Coach George Buckheit) was there along with another fellow from Delaware named Kyle and a few other guys all shooting for sub 1:10:00. We communicated and decided to work together. First mile: 5:23. Not very fast, and slightly slow. That's ok, I thought, keep it relaxed the first few miles. The race is only beginning. I don't know what the second mile was but at the 3 mile I began to worry that I was caught in a 1:11:00-1:12:00 pack. 16:15 for 3 miles...5:25 pace(1:11:00 half pace). Definitely off pace. Damn. I then made a move and began to push the pace a little bit and dared anyone to come with me-I was going to make this HAPPEN! Eventually, we dropped some runners, but Rich and Kyle went with me, which I was happy about, I needed some guys to work with here. We caught a few runners along the way and ran the next 2 miles in 5:17s, and went through the 5 mile mark in 26:50. Still slightly off pace(10 secs), but better...26:40 at 5 miles was the target. Keep rolling, Chris, 5:17s are UNDER pace. We kept the pace rolling as we coasted to the next turn where mile 6 was. Mile 6 was 32:05...a 5:15 split! and just 5 seconds cumulative off pace. Mile 7 was a slight uphill but we managed a 5:20 split at 37:25 for 7...still 5 seconds total remaining to cut off. However, at this point, I began to realize that we were running 1:10:00 pace, and I had a shot to break 1:10:00 as long as I could bank a little more time. Mile 8 and 9 were tough, and I knew these were the miles I needed to work very hard, as the wind on this backstretch was brutal. I surged ahead and ran into it, using all the force I could muster to make sure I wouldn't fall asleep. I'd rather be bold and go through it than wait for someone else to do it for me...cause they may never. I did yell back to Rich to go with me. I could feel him and Kyle just hanging on. Mile 8: 42:45! Mile 9: 48:05! Still 1:10:00 FLAT pace...not a second to spare. We passed another runner. And then another, who i recognized. Is that Ryan Carroll?? I had never beaten him. He is consistently ranked as one of Virginia's top runners.

I caught another runner who was moving pretty good, at this point all these guys who I was catching were moving pretty good. This was no joke, they were solid runners.

THEN, I saw an Elite African runner up ahead. Holy shit. I was gaining on him. I pulled up alongside him and he went with me. Rich and Kyle caught up and now we had a pack again. Mile 10 coming up....oh boy...here's a PR....53:20...53:21...

53:25 for 10 miles. My 10 Mile PR before that was 54:16 at Cherry Blossom last year.

Again, 1:10:00 flat pace, not a second to spare. Gotta push it, Chris, the last 5K you gotta hammer!!!

Me, the African, Rich, and Kyle as well as the other guy I caught all hung in together and started to close in on the town where people cheered super loud. This was the highlight of the race. I was in the front of the pack, leading these awesome runners, running as fast as I have ever run.
I suspected we were all top 10-15 at this point. We were rolling.

Mile 11: 58:45. Still holding 5:20 pace.

Mile 12 was a bit of a struggle for me, as the African, Rich and Kyle merged just slightly ahead with me and another runner trailing. I could not match the turnover. I was running as fast as I could at this point so that I could finish strong. Mile 12 was slow(5:25)-1:04:10-just 10 seconds over total pace. GET BACK IN IT. 1 MILE TO GO!!!!

I still, fought and regained my strength for one last move. FIGHT CHRIS!!!! My legs found one more gear and turned it up brilliantly and ran fluidly, with an open stride. My biomechanics have gotten so much better. The other runner hung with me....HANG ON

I could see the African runner trailing Kyle and Rich just ahead. I wasn't far behind. I made the turn onto Atlantic and people the crowds roared. SURGE SURGE SURGE!

ALMOST THERE....COME ON CHRIS YOU CAN DO IT! SUB 1:10:00!!

I made the turn onto the boardwalk, but BAM!!! The wind slammed into me like a tornado-I almost blew off the course it was so powerful. My legs were going as fast as they could, preparing for a final push the last .1. The other runner pulled up alongside of me and we ran stride for stride before I made my move and he had no response. I surged ahead and strided out the last .1 as people cheered.

I could see the clock...

1:09:55...56...57...58....1:09:59...

I crossed the line in just a few ticks over 1:10:00. I put my hands on my knees and puked. So close. So close.

I averaged 5:20.6 per mile. An incredible run and nearly took 3 minutes off my PR. I did leave feeling hungry for more racing since I just missed the sub 1:10:00 mark. This is GOOD. I will be good to go for Cherry Blossom in 2 weeks. While the =PR= team isn't as strong as some of the Pacers/Georgetown guys, we have a solid team that I think if we all step up can compete well. Adam just PRed in the 5K, so he is looking solid. But for the moment, and definitely today is a day off from running, I am recovering as quickly as I can to reboot and recharge my batteries.

1:10:03

2011-03-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

1:10:03!!!!!!, 15th place

PRed by almost 3 minutes!

Also PRed in 10 mile split: 53:25

What a great race.

The Musha 3

2011-03-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help but notice the Mizuno display at the Expo for the new Wave Musha 3(racing shoe). I currently race in the Wave Musha 2 and it is the best racing flat I have ever run in. The Musha 3 is .2 ounces lighter and it pretty much the same shoe/fit, with a really nice design(I love red). This will most likely be my next racing shoe once I retire the Musha 2. Although I need to try and see if some Brooks racing shoes work for me since the =PR= Elite Team is underway being sponsored by Brooks...
Ok, I do have a race to run tomorrow, don't I?

A Goal: 1:09:00
B Goal: 1:10:00

Weather Forecast

2011-03-16T17:45:00.001-07:00

Weather Forecast for this Sunday's race is: Low of 45/High of 54, partly sunny, partly cloudy

Conditions for racing: OPTIMAL

Ready To Go

2011-03-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

3/7-3/13: mostly just distance runs with a solid 8 mile tempo this past Saturday that felt really good and let me know I am ready to go for the half this weekend. The effort felt great and I picked it up the whole way. I started out at 5:30s pace for the first mile and then quickly worked down the pace each mile, progressing to 5:20s, and then 5:15s, running as fast as 5:10s pace the later miles. My last mile was under 5:10.
I ended up averaging just under 5:20 pace for 8 miles, total of 11.5 miles with warm up and cool down.
I think with racing flats, good weather, fast course, good competition, I am ready to run somewhere between 1:09:00 and 1:10:00 for the 13.1 distance.

Monday: AM: 10.5 miles, PM: 6 miles
Tuesday: PM: 11.5 miles
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: AM: 5 miles, PM: 5 miles
Friday: AM: 7 miles
Saturday: AM: 1 mile warm up, 8 mile TEMPO, 2 mile cooldown
Sunday: PM: Long Run EZ 14.5 miles

Total: 74 miles

This week is sharpening, no hardcore workouts really. Today I'll take off and pick up for the rest of the week. I'll probably do a little sharpening up on the track wednesday and should be around 60-65 miles for the week. Excited to go to Shamrock this Friday!

2/28-3/6: 83 Miles/Week

2011-03-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

Monday: AM: 11M, PM: 7M
Tuesday: AM: 6M
Wednesday: PM: WORKOUT 4X2MILE on Track: 10:19, 10:19, 10:24, 10:32, 12M total
Thursday: AM: 9.5M
Friday: 5.5M
Saturday: AM: 8K TEMPO on Track: 26:09, 5:14 pace, 10M total
Sunday: LONG RUN 22M

Total: 83

Now that my racing season is coming up, I am done with the 20+ milers for a while-yesterday was the last one. The next 6 weeks will be Shamrock, Cherry Blossom, and Pikes Peak. This week's mileage will be in the 70s with a targeted tempo race pace effort for the half.

8K TEMPO: 26:09

2011-03-05T14:00:00.000-08:00

Splits:

5:11
5:11
5:15
5:18
5:14

4X2MILE on the TRACK...whew.

2011-03-02T18:22:00.000-08:00

Tough workout today, probably one of the hardest I've ever done. 4x2mile is quite a good amount, especially on the track. I ran well and even though I slowed the last interval I ran controlled. The best thing was how controlled I ran today. This workout was targeting more of the 10Mile-13.1Mile range.

I hit the first interval in 10:19(5:14, 5:05 split) and then jogged one lap(2 minutes) and ran the next in 10:19 again(splits 5:10, 5:09). I then walked a lap and jogged another before getting ready for 2 more sets. Then the highschool lacrosse team started running laps around the track. I began weaving in and out around many runners, at first they were surprised and when they finished I was still running and found myself being cheered on by the entire team-they could see I was clearly working my ass off and it was nice to get a little support out there because the 3rd and 4th intervals were definitely the toughest. I hit the 3rd in 10:24(5:17, 5:07) and I liked the way how I picked it up during the second mile! I negative split ALL of these efforts which is tremendous. After the 3rd set I walked one more lap and began the 4th set which I didn't have much left turnover. 10:32 was the best I could muster and I once again negative split in 5:20, 5:12.

I feel so strong. I have never been in this kind of shape.

Workout Times below:

10:19- splits: 5:14, 5:05
10:19- splits: 5:10, 5:09
10:24- splits: 5:17, 5:07
10:32- splits: 5:20, 5:12

Average pace: 5:11-5:12/mile

Being a 10Mile/13.1Mile workout, I wouldn't say I could run 13.1Miles at 5:11 pace right now. Maybe 10 miles. I think realistically 13.1 will be more of like 5:15-5:20 pace(1:09 half marathon race pace). These are the longest intervals I will do on the track. From here I will do some target half marathon tempo stuff.

Feb 21-27: 94 miles/week

2011-02-27T09:06:00.001-08:00

Great training this week. Hit 94 which is the highest week of 2011 so far. Next week's mileage should be in the 80s, and the following 2 weeks after that in the 70s and 60s. The breakdown of this week:

Monday: am: 12 miles at the line with joe, ryan, sam & outlaw
pm: 7 miles EZ with Mickey

Tuesday: 10 miles

Wednesday: TRACK 4 X 1.5 mile averaged 76s(5:05 pace), 10 miles total

Thursday: am: 5.5 miles EZ
pm: 5 miles EZ

Friday: 8.5 miles EZ w/ Mickey(8mile PR distance for the dog!)

Saturday: LONG RUN 20 miles: 2:09:00, met at Georgetown to run with Joe and some other GRC runners, started out slow but built throughout the run and ran 5:40-5:50 pace for about 6 miles and ran much of the rest of the run at a good clip. Ran much of the faster miles with Joe, Ryan, and Dave and felt pretty smooth but backed off when they wanted to do 5 more at 5:10s....I definitely wasn't up for that and just needed a nice consistent 20 miler. Joe is in fantastic shape and nailed the workout.

Sunday: EZ SLOW run of 15.5 miles-some of the miles I ran with some of my PR distance runners and kept it slow/relaxed the whole way...I just wanted to get in the miles but definitely needed to be EZ,+ CORE WORK/stretching today

TOTAL: 94 MILES

Again, the Spring is looking up, but I am still not sure what to do for the fall!

2/23: 4 x 2400!!

2011-02-23T17:44:00.000-08:00

Today the Track Workout was prescribed as 4 x 2400(1.5 miles) repeats with one lap walk rest between each. It was tiring, but I ran really well. I was thinking I would be running 5:10 pace, but I AVERAGED 5:05 pace!!! The interval times were all pretty much the same: I ran pretty even with the last 2 laps of each interval a bit faster...so a lot of times I was going through the mile in 5:07/5:08 and hitting 2:30 the last 800. I think the last interval I hit 5:10 at the mile so my last 800 was 2:28!

Times:

7:39...5:06 pace
7:37...5:05 pace
7:38...5:05 pace
7:38...5:05 pace

6 Miles worth of work. I believe the times equate to a 31:45 10K. It was a terrific endurance/strength workout once I got to intervals 3 and especially 4. I felt like it was a mile and then added on two more laps. Mentally it was a good workout also. I made sure to focus on my form and keep my eyes up. Did the workout in my Saucony Kinvaras...this shoe is just fantastic for my workouts. I love it.

This week is high mileage. Shooting for 95. My workouts are gradually moving up in distance. I think the next workout will be some sort of cruise interval workout like 4x2mile on the towpath. I'd also like to do a hard tempo 10 mile run in prep for the half...perhaps on the treadmill...LOL...ring a bell?

Marine Corps Registration opened today. I have thought about registering...but am holding back so far. I do not know but will be thinking about entering the race. I'm really 50/50 on it. We'll see. The fall again is up in the air right now.

Joe and I are getting psyched for Shamrock. The guy has wheels. Hoping to tear it up there for the both of us.

Sunday, 2/20

2011-02-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

Today I had a really nice long run of 21 miles. I started at the Capital Crescent 3.5 mile marker and headed south toward DC. I started out very easy(8min pace) for the first 6-7 miles, talking and chatting with some of my runners, but gradually picking up the pace as I got to Georgetown and DC. I turned around about 9 miles in and ran back up the CCT. As I was approaching Fletcher's Boathouse, I saw fellow PR racing team member and friend Dave Miller running the opposite direction on the Canal. I greeted him and turned around to add a few miles with him on the Canal. He was in the middle of a solo 24 mile long run so I'm sure he could use some company. Dave is training for the National Marathon and is looking very fit. We shared a good convo about our training and bid adieu.

I turned around and got back to Fletchers again and began to hammer up the CCT. The CCT climbs uphill ever so gradually and it is a terrific way to train by running the way back up harder. I definitely was hammering. My mile splits were sub 6 going uphill. I felt great though, still in control and ran hard all the way up to the top. Definitely hit a few 5:45s. I ended up running 21 miles total or just under, and I love the way I ran it, starting out slow and just picking up the whole way mile by mile.

Next week will be a high mileage week. Shooting for close to 95. I have an idea of some sort of 1/2 marathon workout this week: perhaps 4 x 2 mile repeats.

my fall racing schedule is still on my mind...still not sure what to do...

all I know is to keep on going

2/16: 5 X MILE: GREAT Workout

2011-02-16T18:10:00.000-08:00

Fantastic Workout today. Beautiful weather as well. I did 5 x mile on the Richard Montgomery Track with 1 lap walk rest....I guess it was a lot of rest though but I do like to rest for the amount of time the interval takes sometimes....however there are other workouts I will do with less rest and tempos are very good workouts for this. Anyway, I hit all the intervals in the same times which was the goal. It's all about running even.

5:00
4:59
4:59
5:00
5:02

Average 5:00 pace.

I view this as a really good 10K-13.1M workout. The great thing about this workout was that I didn't feel like it was a 5K workout(because the pace didn't feel as anaerobic as before). A few months ago I did 3xmile at 5:03-5:04 pace but it felt like 5K race pace to me. Now it felt more like 8K-10K race pace.

This is adaptation of the body. My body is learning how to translate 5:00 pace to longer distances.

This will also help my half marathon time. And I intend to do some longer intervals(2mile intervals) in prep for the half. Tempos as well will be necessary. Perhaps I will do a tempo this Saturday. Target Tempo Pace is 5:15-5:20.

Weeks 1/30, 2/6, 2/13

2011-02-14T07:25:00.001-08:00

Update on the last 3 weeks: just mileage with a little bit of faster running towards many of my runs. 1/30 ended with 75 miles, 2/6 ended with 85 miles, and last week ended with 77 miles(with one day off-stomach bug).

I have done a long run every week so far of the new year, and this is a great improvement in my training. Below is a summary of the new year's mileage and workouts so far:

12/27-1/2: 20m LR, 72m/week
1/3-1/9: 4x800 track, 20m LR, 72 m/week
1/10-1/16: 20m LR, 65 m/week
1/17-1/23: 2x1600, 1x800, 1x400 track, 15:26 5K RACE, 20m LR, 66m/week
1/24-1/30: 19m LR, 75m/week
1/31-2/6: 23m LR, 85m/week
2/7-2/13: 22m LR, 77m/week

The long runs I start out slow and build. By the end of them I am cruising. Most take between 2:15-2:30 hours.

My endurance and strength are getting really strong-the three weeks after the 5k I ran I did just that. But now I do need to start doing some more workouts again to get ready for the Spring, starting this week.

LT Workouts: these are the most important workouts for 13.1m racing. I find I am very good at them and they come naturally to me. As warmer weather nears this week, I am looking foward to getting some solid workouts in.

Time for the Half Marathon/The Spring Plan

2011-01-26T16:22:00.000-08:00

It is dark, and yes it is winter. The snow storm is here. My power flickers delicately as I type this up, Joe, me and Danielle are just hoping it holds out...

But the sun will also rise...

The day after the race I felt remarkably good, in fact, I felt good enough to get in 20 miles Sunday. Ran 66 miles last week. I have been getting so used to running 2-2.5 hours every Sunday regularly now, it is becoming second nature. I think this Sunday though I will do at most 17-18. This week is definitely a bit of a recovery week and I have made sure to recover from a monster 5000m PR. I took Monday off. I am very happy with my first race of 2011 and am looking foward to the new year. I do want to make another assault on the 5k and I found another great opportunity in the middle of May in a college outdoor track meet called the Swarthmore Invite, PA Outdoor Track Last Chance Meet. I don't see it worthwhile in "rushing" another 5k right now, especially since I probably wouldn't improve much right now and am preparing for my assault race in March: the Shamrock Half Marathon. I have less than 8 weeks to prepare for one of my favorite events, have a solid base, and need to ramp up the LT/Tempo Workouts. So other than coaching, I will probably stay away from the track and stick to the roads/canal for the most part, although I could very well see myself doing some 1600m repeats again-which will be good for my speed in the half. I'll feel it out.

So the next stage begins with the Shamrock Half Marathon on March 20, followed by Cherry Blossom 2 weeks later, followed by Pikes Peek 2 weeks after that. Then, I will have a month to prepare for the Swarthmore Invite 5K. So I will be gradually going down in distance and turning up the speed.

The goal I am shooting for I feel should be 5:20 pace(give or take) for the half, or slightly faster. This should be feasible if I can run 4:57 pace for 5K. 1:10:00 is the target, and actually, 5:20 pace is technically 1:09:55. I need to do some solid tempos at 5:20 or faster. I love tempos. Track is more work to me, but tempos just feel so natural for my body. I'm sure as you can tell, I am excited to do these workouts in the next few weeks. I will carry this fitness over to Cherry Blossom, and start fine tuning my speed from that point on.

May 16 will be the last race of my spring season, then I will take a vacation to Naples with Beth's family, and write up a Fall Training Plan for some sort of race...I really do not know what I want to do for the fall...but I'm sure that decision will come when it is time.

RACE REPORT: UMD 5000M 1/22/2011

2011-01-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

Besides High School, I have never had a good 5000m race, ever.

I never ran up to my potential in college, was injured all the time, and just flat out didn't train right.

But the 5K is an event I do like. And I do have some speed. I knew it was only a matter of time before I got back to it, and on Jan 22, 2011, it was the day to annihilate my mediocrity in the event and show what I am made of. I had been training well in my track workouts and knew I was capable of 15:30 or faster.

I got to the race with an hour and a half to spare and warmed up with Ryan. We warmed up around the Redskins stadium, had a little chat about the race, and came back with the cold wind in our faces...I kept thinking how nice it was for once we were to race inside. The race was stacked with several 14:40 guys so like my roomate Joe said this was a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the competition. Ryan was also looking to run 14:40s. There were to be 2 heats in the 5k. I was put in the faster heat, but there was some disorganization among the officials towards the beginning, and I was almost put in the 2nd heat...

The officials told me and a few others to go to the second heat, but I declined and said I was initially put in the faster heat. I looked at the guys in the first heat and knew some would beat me, but not all. I did not come out here to run another 16:00 5k..

I could run with these guys, I thought, be confident.

The night before I had watched "Without Limits" and thought of the scene where PRE in his comeback after the Olympics is nervous about running against Shorter, Kardong, and Lindgren in the 5000m, throws up, and says to Kenny Moore, "I can't run with these guys anymore, they're going to hand me my head." Then as he hears the announcement of a "name" the crowds cheer, Kenny says, "I think that's you." Pre ends up winning the race, beating the Marathon Olympic Champion Frank Shorter to the line in a new US 5000m National Record.

After basically forcing the officials to let me run in the first heat, I toed the line. The gun went off and runners exploded. I was racing in my Nike Zoom Victories, a 3.1 ounce spike that is no doubt the lightest shoe I have ever run in. Dave(who suggested I wear the victories) was right, I thought, these shoes are made for me.

About 15 runners were in my heat, and 9 of them surged in front. Jake saw me and told me to stay relaxed and in control-i.e. not go out too fast. Still I went through the first lap in 35 seconds(4:40 pace) but got on pace from there on. Next lap was 37(perfect-right where I wanted to be). 2 laps in I felt the indoor air-it brought back memories. 10 years ago I ran in the State HighSchool Championship 3200m here. I was 7th in 10:08. Suddenly, I realized how much I had missed this. TRACK. Running FAST. SPIKES. I soaked it all in.

I went through the first mile in 4:58. Dead on pace. I felt a runner breathing right behind me. Good, I thought, I NEED someone to give me an edge since the pack ahead was just a tad fast for my pace. I broke the race up into sets of 8 laps, concentrating on maintaining each mile. I saw Beth and her family cheering for me every lap, which was awesome, it was great they came out to watch, and I was happy they were enjoying it.

The second mile is all about maintenance in the 5000m-you can't fall off your pace or else you are in trouble the last mile. I worked hard to keep it going-but also stayed calm. I caught a few runners who I wasn't sure whether they dropped off the pace or if I was lapping them. I think I caught one and lapped another. I maintained and hit 5:00 for the 2nd mile(9:58 3200m split), setting me up nicely to book it the last mile.

Now is where the pain starts. Time to push.

The 3rd mile was the race for me.

With 4 minutes left the AU leaders began to overlap me. I latched onto them and told myself to not let them go. I didn't.

You can run with these guys, Chris.

I went around again, and Jake yelled, "4 MINUTES OF PAIN LEFT SLOANE-YOU GOTTA WANT IT!"

4 MINUTES? THAT'S IT? I thought. Damn, I thought, I've run marathons telling myself I have 40 minutes left. This is cake.

I hung on to the AU leaders and pressured them to run faster. FASTER, I THOUGHT. PUSH IT!!!!

4 laps to go...

I began to kick with 3 laps left and knew I was on pace to break 15:30. With 1 lap to go the leaders were finishing and I began to sprint. I instantly thought of the frustrating Chicago Marathon I had and ran even harder...I began to see another runner I was able to catch on the straightaway...GET EM...

GIVE IT ALL!!!!!!

I surged and blew by the guy to finish 2 seconds ahead of him and crossed the line in 15:26.51, good for 10th overall. I Calculated my last mile must've been between 4:53-4:55, hard to say with the blistering last lap I had. Average pace overall was 4:58/mile. Technically, I PRed by 51 seconds...but this PR was long overdue. Jake said, "Once it settles, you'll realize how great you ran. Certainly your best(time) race of all time." Ironically, with the struggles I've had in the 5k(like the marathon), perhaps, yes, it may very well be.

RESULTS:

1 Eustis, Colin SR American 14:30.00 14:44.11
2 Olsen, Josh JR American 14:30.00 14:46.90
3 Allen, Mark SO American 14:40.00 14:49.58
4 Williams, Ryan JR American 14:30.00 14:49.91
5 Hanson, Ryan Georgetown Runni 14:40.00 15:04.07
6 Leinenger, Mark SO American 14:30.00 15:07.07
7 McGee, Brandan FR UMBC 15:15.00 15:11.34
8 Cowing, TJ SO UMBC 15:00.00 15:12.39
9 Kidd, David SR Virginia Wes 15:45.00 15:17.84
10 Sloane, Chris Unattached 15:30.00 15:26.51
11 Whitson, Sean JR Virginia Wes 15:13.30 15:28.01
12 Pope, John FR American 14:45.00 15:44.55
13 Taylor, Ryan FR Shenandoah 16:05.00 16:27.05
14 Branson, Jeff FR Mary Washing 16:30.00 16:31.88
15 Harrison, Aaron FR Howard 15:08.00 16:35.54
16 Brown, David FR Lynchburg 16:18.00 16:43.13
17 Guo, Yufeng SR Johns Hopkin 16:46.55 16:57.21
18 Cicero, Craig SO Methodist 14:57.00 17:04.25
19 Keen, Trevor Unattached 15:58.00 17:14.23
20 Turner, Blake SO Mary Washing 16:40.00 17:14.69
21 Darley, Patrick SO Lynchburg 16:30.00 17:15.61
22 Pointer, Maurice Unattached 17:20.00 17:16.75
23 Tumolo, Benjamin SO Lynchburg 16:15.00 17:20.48
24 Chuang, James FR Johns Hopkin 17:00.00 17:51.60
25 Spangler, Colin FR Mary Washing 17:00.00 18:00.10
26 Giordano, Andrew SR Christopher 17:47.11 18:16.79
27 Wallace, Michael JR Bowie State 17:50.00 18:55.73

Official: 15:26, 10th

2011-01-22T09:43:00.001-08:00

Splits: 4:58, 5:00, ~4:55, ~:33

The race was the last mile.

Official Time: 15:26.51, 10th place out of 27

Race Report coming...

1/19/11: 2X1600, 1X800, 1X400

2011-01-19T13:30:00.000-08:00

Last Track Workout today before the 5000m this Saturday. Did 2x1600m with plenty of rest between each set. The idea of this workout was to rest enough so I was well recovered. I hit the 1600s in 4:58 and 4:55. Felt good to get the engine going. I then threw on my Nike Zoom Victories and did some test runs in them. Boy, did these shoes feel GOOD. I did 1X800 which felt very fast the first lap(and it was-I stupidly went through in 65) and I hit 2:18 for the 800-not exactly even-but quick!(for me). I then threw in a 1X400 for a final interval and hit 64. Quality Workout Overall-I am ready.

I have a good goal for Saturday's race: sub 15:30.

The Nike Zoom Victory

2011-01-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

Developing...

72 Miles/Week for the past 2 weeks

2011-01-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

I have hit 72 miles this week and the week before. I did a long run last week of about 20.5 miles and this week's long run I ran about 19.5 miles, at the same place, Carderock. One of my New Year's Goals is to get used to running 20 or more miles like it's second nature. I did do speedwork this week of 4x800 and will continue that as well especially with the 5000 coming up. I am also getting excited about my 2011 racing schedule. There are many unknowns yet still for 2011, particularly in the fall-but that is a ways off from now. The Spring I am pretty much set for-I know what I am doing for my peak races in March and April. I am on the fence about adding Broad Street 10 Miler on May 1-it may also not be doable since my dad is getting remarried on April 30.

This week I will get a good idea of what kind of 5000m pace to aim for. I'm thinking 3x1600m w/ 400m jog between sets this week. I feel like 4:55s would be optimal and a good goal pace. I am long overdue for a 5K PR-time to get some confidence.

1/05/11: 4X800

2011-01-05T21:12:00.000-08:00

Today I did 4x800 repeats on the Richard Montgomery Track. Felt good overall, and didn't push it too much, just enough. I did 400 jog rest between each, and hit 2:29, 2:28, 2:25, 2:27. I felt like I could've done 2 more reps but didn't. I will do another solid workout next week.

I ran 72 miles last week with 1 day off and did a 20.5 mile long run on Saturday, wearing my Chicago Marathon T Shirt. One of my goals for 2011 is to get used to 20 mile weekend long runs like I can do them in my sleep.

Review of the Year 2010: 3,333 Miles(Avg 64 Miles/Week)

2011-01-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

February, 2010: The Colonial Half Marathon: 1:12:57, 6th overall, Current Personal Record

I dueled most of this race with Berhanu Zeleke before dropping him around Mile 10. It is my current 13.1 PR on a hilly course.

March 2010: My 1:12 hilly 13.1 PR indicated that I was capable of a very strong Spring Marathon. I was in the top 5 for the first half of the Shamrock Marathon before having to stop. It was a sign that the Marathon was not going to be my event this year. I did finish though and signed up for the Chicago Marathon.April 11, 2010: CHERRY BLOSSOM 10 Miler: 54:16, 46th, Current Personal Best

Cherry Blossom marked the turnaround in my running. This was clearly one of the year's highlights for me. I suffered through mile 5 and came back to finish strong and caught as many people as I could. Will run again in 2011.April 25, 2010: Pikes Peek 10K: 32:54, downhill course so not really a sub 33 IMO. First time wearing the Potomac River Running singlet.

10.10.10: THE CHICAGO MARATHON: This Marathon I have so many mixed emotions about because it was going so well at the half...13.1 split was 1:16.. The middle of the race was one big adrenaline rush, crowds of people cheered, I felt amazing. My legs were strong, I was ready to attack...
Unfortunately, it was not the way I envisioned it to be. I had always wanted to run this race-it is a beautiful city, and the crowds are spectacular. Despite slowing considerably to a shuffle after 16 miles, I still finished the race, which I do not regret. My time was 3:04. I have questioned my ability as a marathoner, I have questioned whether I am able to push through. My PR is 2:38, which Dave thinks is my softest PR compared to my other times. But I have conquered the marathon before(twice)...I hope one day I will come back to Chicago and conquer.

November 9, 2010: Dark times. The death of my cousin was and is still a very difficult time for me to accept. Jeff meant so much to me, and I will never forget him. I decided to run the Veterans Day 10K to honor him.

Dickson Mercer wrote a wonderful paragraph in the Washington Running Report on the Veterans Day 10K race I ran:

"Running philosopher Dr. George Sheehan wrote that the race is where we keep the faith, and perhaps no runner put those words into action quite like Potomac River Running's Chris Sloane. Earlier in the week, Sloane received news that his cousin, Jeff Klein, had died at 23. Sloane did not return home from Klein's funeral until late the night before the race, but the Potomac resident still showed up to the Veterans Day 10K with his cousin's name on his bib. Sloane was overcome with emotion while crossing the finish line, but the 27-year-old runner had reason to be proud. His time was 32:58: Sloane gave his cousin the fastest 10K of his life."
November 25, 2010 and December 12, 2010: My last 2 races of 2010 were high placings, 5th at the YMCA Turkey Chase 10K in Bethesda in 32:54 over rolling hills and a 3rd place finish at the Jingle All the Way 10K in a current personal best of 32:51.

Here's to 2011...

Review of the Year...

2010-12-29T18:25:00.000-08:00

THE YEAR 2010 IN REVIEW COMING SOON...

Wed, 12/22: 8X400s

2010-12-22T20:13:00.000-08:00

Today after getting off work at 4:00, I went to the Richard Montgomery Track to do 8X400 meter repeats w/ 400 jog recovery. This was pure speed work, which has never come naturally to me. I've always viewed it as work for my body, whereas cruise intervals or lactate threshold workouts or even marathon pace workouts come so naturally to me. But work is good. This is the perfect time for me to work on my speed. I hit the first 400 in a slow 74, but then hit the next intervals in 69, 69, 67, 68, 68, 68, 68. Felt pretty good overall, and considering I was doing 200s last week in 33s, I am progressing nicely. Did the workout in my Saucony Kinvaras.

At the same time, I have been returning to more "normal" mileage. Monday I ran 11 miles and Tuesday I ran 12 miles. I am debating whether I want to jump in a new years day 5k or not. I know I definitely want to run the indoor 5k at the Maryland Invitational on Jan 22. I think I should be able to run about 15:30. After the 5K though my focus will be on the Shamrock Anthem Half Marathon. My goal for this race is what I think is very realistic: 1:10:00.

Then there will be Cherry Blossom, Pikes Peak, and perhaps the Broad Street 10 Miler....

But for now, it's the heart of winter, and I continue to train...

The Need For Speed

2010-12-16T21:29:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 15, 2010:

I stepped out onto the Richard Montgomery Track Wednesday, ready to do some 200s. The workout was to be 8x200 meter repeats, with 200 jog between each. It took a little while to warm up as it has been very cold outside. Finally I was ready to start the workout, and hit the first few in 35s but quickly dropped to 33s for all the rest(maybe even a 32 in there-I didn't get the timing that accurate but whatever-I was concentrating on turnover-which was exactly what I wanted to focus on. This workout was a first key ice-breaker for getting into the 5k zone. The 200s were a perfect distance as they were good for working on turnover but did not stress my body since the distance was so short.

Splits: 35, 35, 34, 33, 33, 33, 33, 32

I am thinking 400s next week.

The Last Race of 2010

2010-12-13T07:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my final race of 2010 as well as the 3rd of my typical trio of 10Ks during Nov/Dec. These 10Ks were a nice redemption for me after perhaps what I think is the most dissapointing race I have ever had: The Chicago Marathon. Nevertheless, the most dissapointing marathon I've ever had is also coupled with probably the most successful year I've ever had. When I look back on the year, I set PRs in 8K, 10K, 10M, & 13.1M, and the last race of the year I set my newest PR in the 10K.

I am projected to finish the year off with 3300-3400 miles run-highest ever and by far will CRUSH the miles I ran the year before (2376). I am healthy, happy, and hungry for 2011 now.

PROGRESSION:
Perhaps the most dramatic progression I have seen over the past 2 years is my improvement in the 10K. I never reached my potential when I ran in college-my 10000 PR at the time was barely shy of 35 minutes. Below is the year by year improvement I have seen each winter:

2008:
11/02/08: 35:11
11/27/08: 34:37
12/14/08: 34:16

2009:
11/15/09: 33:53
11/26/09: 33:40
12/13/09: 33:29

2010:
4/25/10: 32:54
11/14/10: 32:58
11/25/10: 32:54
12/12/10: 32:51

On to 2011:
In 2010, I discovered how my endurance and speed can be translated to the 10 Mile with my performance at Cherry Blossom. I will definitely run Cherry Blossom in 2011 again.

Despite my dissapointments in the marathon this year, I have learned much about the marathon-and may I add I learned this the hard way. I will NOT run a marathon this Spring. I have learned that it may take some time for me to mature at this distance-I am still relatively young for a marathoner and I encourage many of you younger runners out there to not jump in it too quickly if you want to reach your potential-it won't hurt you to run one-but I warn if you want to run fast you may not be happy with the end result. It is a distance that takes some time to physically and mentally learn. Of course everyone is different and this is just my perspective because of what I have experienced.

What's next?
There is an indoor track 5000 meter race on Jan 22 at the PG Sports Complex in Landover, MD. It is the UMD Terrapin Invitational. My 5K PR is sooooo soft(it's only a few seconds faster than my current 10K race pace), and I look at this race as an opportunity to completely demolish it. I need to develop my pure speed a bit more and do some reps as well as some more VO2-Max track sessions.

The Shamrock Half Marathon will be the start of my Spring season in March. From there I will run Cherry Blossom & Pike's Peak in April, and Broad Street 10 Miler(which will be a debut race for me) to finish it off in May. I have high goals for the Spring, but I would really like to nail a 1:10:00 Half Marathon at Shamrock. I also have very high goals for Cherry Blossom-a fantastic race that brings some of the worlds best runners as well as many of the best local runners of the Washington, DC area-right in the heart of DC! I was 46th in this race last year.

The last race of 2010:
Despite placing 3rd and PRing, the race yesterday was pretty miserable. Rain/Drizzle came down and it wasn't warm. Cold rain is the worst in my opinion. It just soaks everything and even if you bring warm clothes it won't work unless you have some sort of inclement weather protection. I was also sick during this race. The previous night, I was up most of the night with a constant runny nose. I almost wasn't sure if I was going to run, but decided the hell with it and drove on the VERY DARK GW Parkway at 6:00 AM. I was surprised at how many people showed up when I got there. Hundreds of runners made their way to the starting area-it was amazing given the conditions. I had to park pretty far away so I warmed up by running to the start with my backpack hanging off my shoulders. I met up with Dave and Dickson who warmed up with me a bit more before the start.
I slid off my pants and jacket 5 minutes before the race and did a few strides in my shorts and singlet(although I did wear arm warmers and gloves as well). Got to the start line and the rain came down again. I shivered. Goddammit, start the race....

Finally, the gun went off and I sprinted to the lead....lol. CALM down Chris, this isn't an 800. I was surprised to find no one ahead of me. Then off my left I saw Wilson and another runner following him go in front of me. I tailed off of them while another runner caught up to me and ran shoulder to shoulder with him. We went through the first mile in 5:05, and from then on (Rich) the runner stuck with me for most of the race. I could see Wilson and the other runner furthur ahead duking it out for the top position, while Rich and I dueled for 3rd. We went through 2 mile in much slower which freaked me out(split was like 5:25 the 2nd mile)...were the miles accurate though? I wondered. We reached 3 Miles in 15:43(5:13 split) and 5K in 16:20. Perfect, I though, now just hold on and you will run a 32:40. On through Mile 4(21:00) Rich and I worked together to keep the pace moving. There were no runners in front for us to see. Then, before Mile 5, I could see Wilson. It appeared the other runner had dropped him. Mile 5(26:25) was slow and I surged and began to drop Rich with less than a mile to go. I was all alone at this point and just concentrated on pushing as hard as I could. Mile 6: 31:40something. I kicked it in, making sure I did not have any more gears left. I finished in a new Personal Best of 32:51 for 3rd place. Not a bad way to end the year.

The Cold, Dark Runs

2010-12-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

It's cold. It's dark. It's Winter. There aren't as many runners out on the roads now...

The good side of this weather is that it toughens the body and mind up. I somehow enjoy training through the adversity. Running in this type of weather just clarifies how much I truly love to run outdoors. This is the time to train. Endure through the long, hard winters. I grow used to it, and get stronger because of it.

Today I did a light track session by myself before meeting up with the group I am coaching through the PR store. I warmed up and did 1X1200, 1X800, 1X400, with 800 "run" between each rep. Nothing crazy, just increased the pace during each interval. 3:57 for the 1200, 2:27 for the 800, and 66 for the 400. Again, nothing special, just getting into the "zone." It was enough.

Tomorrow I will do a pretty steady/moderately hard/tempo run and that should be it for workouts this week until Jingle All the Way. The coaching tonight went very well, a solid group of 6 showed up at the track tonight and braved the cold conditions. On weekends there are 20-30 who come for the long runs so the track group is smaller in comparison so far. I am very happy with how the first sessions this week went for the runners.

Nov 29-Dec 5: 70 Miles/Week

2010-12-05T20:41:00.000-08:00

Good Mileage Week-70 Miles. Hah, it's funny though, over the summer, 70 miles was nothing for me...I was hitting up to 115 MPW training for the Chicago Marathon at the time...

But I am not planning to run another Marathon anytime soon. (Though I will get the mileage higher again soon(mid 80's). Right now I have one more race to end my 2010 year: Jingle All the Way 10K! This is a great race and I am looking foward to kicking in my 3rd and final 10K of the season. I worked a lot on sharpening up this week as well as endurance work. No crazy workouts, though this week I have one final planned workout on the track probably. I did 200 meter reps on the track last week to sharpen up my speed, and also did some fartleks on a nasty hill nearby my apartment. Thanks to Joe who suggested the route on Tilden Lane-a great rolling hills road that really gives strength a good test.

The Turkey Chase 10K Race Report

2010-11-25T16:25:00.000-08:00

The Turkey Chase 10K is one of my favorite races every year. It is a great way to start Thanksgiving and get my run done for the day as well. I did a moderate warm up and some strides before getting to the start line with only a singlet, shorts, and gloves on. The sky was overcast and it drizzled slightly. I love this course as well...though usually not a PR course...however I have PRed here before and wouldn't be surprised if I did again ...challenging, rolling hills in the first 4 miles with the last 2.2 flat/downhill. The last 2 miles of this race I always feel pretty good. I saw Gurmessa Megressa, some college guys, other studs as well. But I was gunning to win money today. Top 5 get $100 or more...

The start was TERRIBLE. The starter had us stand behind the mats and then all of a sudden said "SET"...and we put out feet on the mat...and then there was confusion...the starter said something that people didn't understand...and everyone stopped and backed up to restart....but then the starter said NO, NO, NO, GO, GO GO!!!!....shit!! I cursed and began racing. What an awful way to start...probably one of my worst ever. I figured the net times would fix the problem...

10 guys surged in front of me to the front...I just hung off the rear. Damn, I thought, this race was going to be fast, and I'm gonna have to work for that top 5...

BUT I stayed patient. I knew I would run them down if I ran the race right.

We made the turn-slight downhill-the ground was a bit moist...but still ideal for racing. I made sure to take the turns carefully however with all the fallen leaves. We made another turn and now the uphills started coming along...especially after mile 1-which did have some downhill to it but was a bit quick(5:02)...this mile is always quick though...every year I hit the first mile of this race faster than my overall pace. But soon after I began reeling guys in...I started catching up to the 10th place guy and then the 9th place guy and so forth-some just went out too fast or could not hold the pace...because I surely wasn't holding 5:02 pace...Mile 2 was 10:20(5:18 split)...so I slowed up some but going uphill as well...

Then we made the turn onto Wisconsin...and at this point I had past 2 or 3 guys and was in 8th or 9th place. I could see the leaders way out front-Gurmessa was hammering this race...the guy is just in his own league...but I concentrated on catching one runner at a time. Then Paul pulled up next to me right around mile 3(15:40ish), and I tailed off of him to catch another runner. Now I was starting to feel pretty good...despite going a slight uphill grade up Wisconsin Ave. My stride and turnover were excellent. The next guy(Gareth Peters) I caught just before mile 4. Now I was in 7th place. I was still keying off of Paul and we made the turn onto Georgetown for the last 2.2 miles. I felt great-I really did. Man, if only I can tear up a Marathon running like this, I thought. I saw Paul gaining on an African who was falling off the pace as well as another college runner(who ended up being Andrew Palmer). So slowly...ever so slowly...I began reeling in these 2 guys...

Just before Mile 5, I caught them. Boy, was this familiar(to last year)...when I caught up to an African last year but got outkicked the last 400 meters...

NOT THIS TIME.

I ran next to Andrew and began to surge-he went with me. I looked back over my shoulder to see if the African matched us. He did not. We kept surging-no sign of the African. We had broke him. Now it was me and Andrew-who was actually sharing some brief words with me about Syracuse-I encouraged him to stay with me. But the last 800 meters I began to kick, and surged brilliantly toward the last quarter mile. The crowd was cheering...

HE'S COMING UP ON YOU! some people yelled to me...

CATCH HIM ANDREW! I heard someone else yell behind me...many were yelling GET HIM!....Dammit-Andrew is coming up on me! I was kicking all out at this point...I didn't have any more turnover than I already had...

100 meters....50 meters.... PUSH IT!!!

I crossed the line...

Andrew crossed just 2 ticks later. I earned 5th place overall. $100.

My time was 32:54 gun-timed, but my net time got screwed up along with some other runners behind me. Almost everyone's net time was 3 seconds faster...My official net time was probably 32:51 or 32:52.

I am happy with how I ran this race. I passed at least 6 guys and worked my way up to earn top 5. Also ran a PR, and the 3rd time I've broken 33 for the 10K...AND on a much hillier course than my previous PR.

One more race to end the year:

JINGLE ALL THE WAY 10K, DEC 12

November Workouts

2010-11-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

I am starting to become confident in the runner I am developing and have developed myself into for the past 3.5+ years. I am proud of the way I have coached myself, and have gotten myself to a level where I can compete pretty well in the 10K-Half Marathon. Of course, I haven't gotten my marathon right yet but at this point in time I am still young and it is important for me to furthur improve my times for the 10K this winter. Despite a dissapointing Chicago Marathon, I have built a solid endurance base of marathon training over the summer and throughout the fall, and now in November I have cranked up some nice hard workouts.

Outline of my November workouts below:

Nov 6: Track: 3X1600(5:03, 5:04, 5:04), 3X800(2:30, 2:30, 2:31)
400 Jog between 1600s, 200 jog between 800s

Nov 10: Track: 2X3200(10:25, 10:24), 1X1600(5:02),
400 Meter Jog Recovery between each set

Nov 14: Race: Veterans Day 10K: 32:58, 5:18 pace

Nov 22: MonoFartlek Workout: 22 minutes running followed by:
2X90 Seconds ON, 90 Seconds OFF
4X60 Seconds ON, 60 Seconds OFF
4X30 Seconds ON, 30 Seconds OFF
4X15 Seconds ON, 15 Seconds OFF
followed by 22 more minutes of running:
Total 64 Minutes.~10 Miles
This was the workout I did today which is a great Turnover Workout. Started at Old Angler's Inn and ran South on the Canal. You are supposed to start the 90 Seconds feeling like it is tempo pace and then progressing with each interval until you are running pretty quick the last 15 seconds. By the time you are done you are pretty tired but still aren't totally depleted. I felt pretty good and am ready for 10K #2 coming up this Thursday: The Turkey Chase!

I hit 3000 miles for the year so far after last week-already a yearly mileage PR by a lot. Before this the most I have ever run in one year is 2400. Maybe I'll hit 3400 by the end of the year?

Pain and Triumph

2010-11-19T14:51:00.000-08:00