Going For It

There is a unique race I am running this weekend-the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon.  It is unique, because it is a perfect set up for runners to qualify for the Olympic Trials half marathon standard of 1:05:00.  There are 104 elites entered in the race, 60 men and 44 women.  15 men have made the standard and running as a tune up, 45 are gunning for it.  I am proud to be one of those 45.

I am definitely going into this by feel, with the feeling that I will do my absolute best to make the most of it.  I want to run the race as strong as I possibly can, with absolutely nothing left in the tank by the time I cross the line.  Training has definitely gone well.  I posted my last 10 weeks of training below.  I feel very fit.  What I am hoping is that the combination of doing very high volume for the marathon training(august-october), and now doing more 4:40-4:50 pace workouts the last 2 months will give me a killer combination of strength and power in the 1 hour+ race distance.  Even getting my mile time down to 4:21 last May makes me more efficient, and chiseling my 5K down to 14:49 last May as well.  I did one last big workout on 12/23, and I feel very well rested after backing off 10 days before the race.

One thing's for sure, I will run as smart as I can, but will also hold NOTHING back.  I have worked too hard.

Article on the race: http://www.runnersworld.com/olympic-trials/elite-runners-flocking-to-florida-for-final-olympic-trials-qualifying-attempts

10/26-11/1: 86 miles

Mon: 9.5 miles

Tues: 6 x 800m: 2:25, 2:25, 2:24, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23

Wed: 15 miles

Thurs: AM: 4 miles/PM: 3 mile tempo: 14:55

Fri: AM: 5 miles/PM: 4 miles + 4 x 200m strides

Sat: AM: 8 x 600m: 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46

Sun: 18 miles

11/2-11/8: 86 miles

Mon: AM: 3.5 miles/PM: 3200m of 50s: 10:09

Tues: 4 x 1200m: 3:36, 3:36, 3:36, 3:36

Wed: 15 miles

Thurs: AM: 5 mile progression w/ Conrad: 26:15/PM: 3 miles

Fri: 8 miles + 4 x 200m strides

Sat: AM: 6 x 800m: 2:23, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23/PM: 3 miles

Sun: 19 miles

11/9-11/15: 68 miles

Mon: AM: 5 miles/PM: 4.5 miles + 8 x 200m

Tues: AM: 5.5 miles/PM: 4 miles + 1600m: 5:07

Wed: 15 miles

Thurs: 6 miles

Fri: 5 miles + 4 x 200m strides

Sat: 4 miles

Sun: USATF 12K CHAMPIONSHIPS: 37:37, 25th, 5:02 pace

11/16-11/22: 48 miles + 2 pool runs(recovery week)

11/23-11/29: 60 miles

Mon: 4.5 miles

Tues: 6.5 miles

Wed: 5.5 miles

Thurs: Turkey Chase 10K: 31:30, 2nd place

Fri: 5 miles

Sat: 7.5 miles

Sun: 20 miles w/ Conrad

11/30-12/6: 100 miles
Mon: AM: 5 miles /PM: 3.5 miles
Tues: 4 x 1600m: 5:20, 5:07, 5:00, 4:59
Wed: 16 miles
Thurs: AM: 3 mile progression: 15:24 /PM: 7 miles
Fri: AM: 6.5 miles /PM: Drills + 8 x 100m sprints @ 95%
Sat: AM: 16 x 400m: 72, 72, 70, 70, 71, 70, 71, 71, 72, 70, 71, 70, 70, 70, 70, 71
PM: 7 miles
Sun: 20 miles

12/7-12/13: 95 miles
Mon: AM: 5 miles /PM: 4 miles
Tues: AM: 8 x 800m: 2:27, 2:27, 2:26, 2:26, 2:26, 2:25, 2:27, 2:26
PM: 3.5 miles
Wed: 15 miles
Thurs: AM: 5 mile progression: 26:04/PM: 7.5 miles
Fri: Drills + 4 x 200m sprints @ 95%, 31, 31, 31, 30
Sat: AM: 4 miles
PM: 11 x 600m: 1:48, 1:47, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:48, 1:47, 1:47
Sun: 20 miles

12/14-12/20: 96 miles      

Mon: AM: 5 miles/PM: 5 miles

Tues: 5 x 1200m w/ 400m jog between: 3:39, 3:39, 3:39, 3:39, 3:39

Wed: AM: 15 miles/PM: 6 miles

Thurs: AM: 5 mile progression with Conrad: 25:55: splits 5;17, 5:14, 5:13, 5:06, 5:03

PM: 4 miles

Fri: Drills + 3 x 300m sprints @ 95% (48 seconds each)

Sat: AM: 8 x 800m: 2:28, 2:25, 2:24, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23, 2:22

PM: 7 miles

Sun: 18 miles

12/21-12/27: 60 miles      

Mon: 4.5 miles

Tues: 12.5 miles

Wed: 800m: 2:30, 1200m: 3:44, 1600m: 4:56, 1200m: 3:39, 800m: 2:24, 800m: 2:22

Thurs: AM: 4.5 miles/PM: 4 miles

Fri: 9 miles

Sat: rest

Sun: 14 miles

12/28-1/3: 37+

Mon: 5 miles

Tues: 10 miles

Wed: 6 miles + Drills + 8 x 100m strides

Thurs: 7 miles 

Fri: 3.5 miles

Sat: 5 miles + 4 strides

Sun: JACKSONVILLE BANK HALF MARATHON

Training 12/14-12/20

Last week was a tough training week.  On Tuesday, I did 5 x 1200m and progressed each lap, hitting 74, 73, 72 for 3:39 on each one.  The thing that has been building my confidence in doing these workouts is that there are only a few days between them.  On Thursday, Conrad and I met in a cold rain to do a 5 mile progression.  Conditions were absolutely miserable, and we were delighted that both of us showed up to make it less miserable...or at least be miserable together.  I wanted to start out comfortably around 5:20 pace and progress to 5:00 pace, and we did nearly just that, hitting 25:55 total time.  On Saturday, I did 8 x 800m before heading up to NJ with Beth for my cousin's wedding.  I had just enough time to squeeze in a 2nd run on the treadmill at the hotel before the wedding.  I ran on the treadmill and clipped along at 6:15 pace, then got ready.  Then Beth and I danced at the wedding.  Sunday, I got up as early as I could to get a nice 2 hour long run in NJ-to get back in time for brunch.  I was exhausted after the weekend, to say the least.  I don't know how I do it sometimes.

I saw Terrel on Monday-our last couple of sessions have been breakthroughs for my body and mind.  I have begun to learn how to access the parasympathetic state, which is allowing my body to receive the massage and no longer resist it.  I am experiencing much more effectiveness from it this way, and my body feels more whole from the work.  There are muscles that are extremely tight, and others more loose.  With continuous work eventually I think all those muscles can become more loose, and I will feel as close to perfect as a runner can feel.  That is what I feel I am achieving-near perfection of the body.  To get every single little piece, the details, all together is what enables a runner to run completely up to that line, and push towards limits.  

Below is my training from 12/14-12/20.      

Monday: AM: 5 miles/PM: 5 miles

Tuesday: 5 x 1200m w/ 400m jog between: 3:39, 3:39, 3:39, 3:39, 3:39

Wednesday: AM: 15 miles/PM: 6 miles

Thursday: AM: 5 mile progression with Conrad: 25:55: splits 5;17, 5:14, 5:13, 5:06, 5:03

PM: 4 miles

Friday: Drills + 3 x 300m sprints @ 95% (48 seconds each)

Saturday: AM: 8 x 800m w/ 400m jog between: 2:28, 2:25, 2:24, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23, 2:23, 2:22

PM: 7 miles

Sunday: 18 miles

Total: 96 Miles

Training the Body + Mind

After the 12K Championship on 11/15, my coach and I sat down and talked about where to go from there.  Things are always interesting with my running, I'll say that.  I have a solid built up foundation of marathon training from the late summer/fall, and one thing I have noticed is that it has made me even tougher/stronger physically than before.  The amount of workouts I have been able to do during the week now are something I never could have done years ago.  It's like the marathon training just makes me super strong-and I have the foundation to handle the amount of intensity later on.  While my volume isn't crazy high right now, it doesn't need to be.  But I've still been coasting around 95-100/week-I'm pretty comfortable with that combined with hard speed work.  My long runs aren't very fast right now, but they don't really need to be either.  The track work, threshold, even sprinting and other sharpening stuff is what I am working on now.  We'll continue to work on my racing sharpness all the way towards April.  We're basically in quality phase now, after the base from the fall.

Training the Body and Mind

I have begun working with Terrel Hale(http://www.georgetownsportsmassage.com/), who is a fantastic sports massage therapist and who also specializes in Active Release Techniques and Active Isolated Stretching.  Terrel knows the level of running I am at and am trying to get towards.  He is working with me on practicing breathing and the parasympathetic state.  The parasympathetic state is where the body is letting the massage do the work-which is hard for me to do!  It takes time.  I am learning more methods of training myself to relax my body, and to focus on my breathing.  I am also taking this focus towards mentally visualizing what a certain pace might feel like, and visualizing achieving my goals.  My coach and I have talked about this too.  Days after I see Terrel, I feel so much more fluid and more efficient on my runs.  The reason I would recommend Terrel is that he cares about your goals.  He knows what I am trying to achieve and because I am serious, so is he.  Ultimately, I know the combination of hard training, my coach, massage, diligence, and mental training can help me achieve my ultimate potential as a runner.  I am approaching the highest level of dedication the athlete needs in order to get the most out of everything.  I now have all the pieces that I must begin to use to put together.  If you are a serious athlete who is serious about achieving goals-and your potential, contact Terrel.  Please check out his website: http://www.georgetownsportsmassage.com/.    


The past few weeks of my training are below:


11/30-12/6:

Mon: AM: 5 miles /PM: 3.5 miles
Tues: 2 mile warm up, 4 x 1600m w/ 400m jog between: 5:20, 5:07, 5:00, 4:59, 2.5 mile cool down
Wed: 16 miles
Thurs: AM: 2.5 mile warm up, 3 mile tempo: 15:24, 2 mile cool down /PM: 7 miles
Fri: AM: 6.5 miles /PM: 2.5 mile warm up, 8 x 100m sprints @ 95%, 2.5 mile cool down
Sat: AM: 2 mile warm up, 16 x 400m w/ 400m jog between: 
72, 72, 70, 70, 71, 70, 71, 71, 72, 70, 71, 70, 70, 70, 70, 71. + 1.5 mile cool down
PM:  7miles
Sun: 20 miles

Total: 100 Miles

12/7-12/13:

Mon: AM: 5 miles /PM: 4 miles
Tues: AM: 1.5 mile warm up, 8 x 800m w/ 400m jog between: 2:27, 2:27, 2:26, 2:26, 2:26, 2:25, 2:27, 2:26, 2 mile cool down
PM: 3.5 miles
Wed: 15 miles
Thurs: AM: 2 mile warm up, 5 mile tempo: 26:04, /PM: 7.5 miles
Fri: PM: 4 mile warm up, 4 x 200m sprints @ 95%, 31, 31, 31, 30, 3 mile cool down
Sat: AM: 4 miles
PM: 2.5 mile warm up, 11 x 600m w/ 400m jog between: 1:48, 1:47, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 1:48, 1:47, 1:47, + 2 mile cool down
Sun: 20 miles

Total: 95 Miles