SNOW/ICE STROM

*Well this has been the worst storm to come through Huntington in my 9 years of living in the area. I grow up only about 45minutes from Huntington in the small town of Gallipolis Ferry, WV. In my entire life(all 27 years of it) this is probably the second worst storm I can remember. Running this week has been difficult, definitely have had to do things I normally wouldn't want to do, but in the long run the mental toughness of running 60minutes around Level E(basketball concourse area), 2hours on a treadmill(yesterday) or 60minutes around a 1minute loop parking garage(today) is something that will help make 26.2 miles on the open roads feel mentally easy. Here is some pics from areas where I normally would be running:

3M Recap

Positives
-PR (1:07.48 Official Chip Time)
-Met some great people that I will stay in contact with including Phil Wharton, Austin Baillie(former Colorado runner, Top American), and my roommate for the weekend Tamas Kovacs(who will represent Hungary one day in the Olympics) and many more including getting to chat with Coach Greg McMillan after the race.
-Race organization was the best I have ever seen, they really care about every runner that is in the race.
-Gained experience getting on a plane traveling, staying in hotel, and then running in a huge race. The more you do this the easier it will come, I look forward to getting to do much, much more of this now.
-Thankful to God for being able to have safe travels and injury free race.
-Weather(colder then expected but 30's isn't too bad with gloves and base later for arms/core)

Negatives
-Feeling flat on race day (not sure why maybe the next 3 things listed)
-Bad sleeping pattern
-Bad race morning coffee (I know I'm addicted and hotel room coffee is horrible and no Starbucks are open at 4am in Texas)
-Bad timing of taking my gear off, another little thing that can add up. I was on the line standing for 15minutes due to going the wrong direction and wasn't allowed out for strides with the rest of the elites.
-Course (this could be a good and bad depending on who you ask) I didn't like the downhills because they would be followed by quick steep uphills and for a rhythm runner like myself I was in a constant battle to find my rhythm.
-Dropped my only GU at mile 6 and didn't take any fluids due to the cold. Never felt I bonked but didn't kick it in the last 5miles like I had planned.

Honestly the negatives add up to a positive. I know I was faster then I ran and I know next time I will be better prepared and ready for faster time. I really need to find a completely flat course(example Huntington Marathon Course) and go get in my own rhythm and run 1:06(will be the next step/goal). I was in a constant battle throughout the entire race. It might have been in some ways the best race I ever ran not because of the PR but because I didn't give in, I battled through a tough day for me. In the past I might have settled or mentally broke down but I stayed strong and fought through it.

The next step is to recovery and not push anything this week. Then I will have roughly 6 weeks for faster Tempo and bring in some faster Interval work to ready myself for the USA 15K Champs in Jacksonville, Fla where the field will be even more loaded with all the top USA guys. Before then I would love to do a Indoor 5K because my PR in that event is just slow and not anywhere near where it should be. I talked with Casey on the phone about all this. It hasn't been that I can't run a fast 5K or that I couldn't have ran a 1:07 in the past during my peak training, it was I just never got the chance to do so. So getting this Half Marathon PR does feel really good to have a start of seeing something solid on paper.

One last thing on the race that I HAVE to fix, I have to learn to get out faster. While I was out in 5:15 the lead pack was out in 4:30s. Most of those guys didn't run 4:30s for long but they did run fast, you have to put yourself out there early and be in the race or it is easy to fall into a flat feeling while racing. So I don't need to be out in 4:30 first mile but I do need to be out in contact of the lead group.

Thanks to everyone for the many emails, texts messages, and calls. Every message is very much appreciated!

Training Log 1/19-1/25

80miles on 10runs in 7days
Recovery/Race Week

M: 52minutes/35minutes
T: 10miles w/5xMile Tempo Intervals @Johnstown Road
Suppose to be at Half Goal Pace (5:05-10)
Splits: 5:06, 5:08, 5:03, 4:58, 4:56 plus 4x30seconds Hard
W: 75minutes
T: 60minute w/Fartlek (10x 1on/1off)/30minutes
F: 45minutes before early flight.
S: 45minutes in Austin with Tamas.
S: 3M Half Marathon-Austin, Texas (1:07.47/5:10)
Splits: 1mile(5:15), 5miles(25:47), 10K(32:08) ,10miles(51:57)
14th overall (3rd American) out of 4140 finishers
http://www.mychiptime.com/exportEventPDF.php?rID=3158

Recap: Very good week, slightly brought the miles down for the recovery week. The race was a PR and not exactly what I had planned for but a huge step to put 1:07 down on paper. Next step will definitely be 1:06's this spring on a course better suited to my running rhythm. Tuesday workout was super cold and I worked it too hard for the conditions. The effort was much faster then the paces and I was left pretty sore the next day. (Race/Trip Recap in above blog)

1:07.46 3M Half Marathon

*More tomorrow...Long day been up since 4am ran a race, had 2 flights and drove 3 hours threw a snow storm!!

3M Updates

*Arrived in Austin, Texas yesterday and the weather was great. Looks to be only around 36 degrees and cloudy on race morning but after training in the weather we get back home 36 should feel really nice.

*There having a elite runner pasta dinner tonight in our hotel should be cool to chat with some of the top runners including the McMillan Elite guys. Here is a article from he local newspaper on there top 2 runners who are running 3M tomorrow: http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/other/01/23//0123half.html

*Here is another little breakdown of the race from the local paper today: http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/other/01/24/0124half.html

*My roommate for the trip is Tamas Kovacs (from Hungary) but attended High Point University where he was a 13:59 5Ker and hopes to run 1:03-4 range tomorrow. He is a super nice guy and we have had a good time hanging out.

*Ok if I have time I will check in tomorrow after the race with a quick update before catching my flight home.

Austin 3M Half Marathon

*I'm Leaving Friday for AUSTIN, TEXAS: 2009 marks the 15th year for the 3M Half Marathon, which has been named as one of the Top 25 Half Marathons in America by Runner’s World magazine. It is also a USA Track and Field certified event. Looking at past results it takes sub 1:09 to have a chance at Top 20, some years it takes much faster...

*Nice Breakdown of the Course: http://teamspiridon.blogspot.com/2009/01/3m-race-plan.html. The course seems to have some short inclines but for the most part it is very fast with downhills which I hope are runnable because I'm horrible on downhills. The Kenyan who won the RRCA Half Marathon Champs in Parkersburg this summer ran about 1 minute faster on the Austin course compared to the rolling tough Parkersburg course (1:02.52 to 1:01.46). Brian Sell has ran faster at Houston 2 times including his PR then he did at 3M, but still I think this will be fast enough course for a potential breakthrough. I'm much fitter then when I ran 1:09.53 at Parkersburg Half this summer plus I think the adrenaline of knowing for the first time that I have a really good legit fast course to test myself will carry me to hopefully a very nice race!

*After missing last weekends hard workout I was able to bounce back yesterday with a solid Tempo Interval paced Mile Repeats. They actually were slower then planned but that was due to running on Johnstown Road and during a nasty cold morning. I negative split the workout with short rest and felt pretty good, could just tell that due to the weather the effort was in the right zone but the paces were slower then I would have guessed.

*This will be only the 5th Half Marathon I have ran. 2 were right out of college(1:10 and 1:11), 1 was a Tempo-like effort last fall at Marshall Marathon 1:09.28(13.2miles, so 25-30sec long), and the most previous one was Parkersburg this summer 1:09.53 on a rolling tough course. So to be honest I don't know what type of time I should really set my goal for, I just know the potential is there for not just a PR but hopefully for a breakthrough type of PR. It will be fun to go there hopefully feeling great and seeing how things turn out....

Training Log 1/12-1/18 2009

80miles on 9 runs in 6 days:

M: 35minutes/65minutes
T: 80minutes w/ Stride Workout @ Beverly Hill Loop
20x30seconds hard, 60seconds jog recovery
W: 85minutes/30minutes
T: 50minutes in light snow/50minutes(cold/windy)
F: 55minutes w/Schiffy *Hill Burst(5)
S: OFF (unplanned)
S: LR 1:50 in a Slick/Nasty Wintry Conditions

Recap: Solid week, didn't go as planned though. Missed out on my VO2Max type workout that was going to be either 5K Indoor Race or Mile Repeats on Saturday. When I decided to go with the Mile Repeats on Saturday I inserted Hill Burst during my Friday easy run which left me very sore in my calfs Saturday morning. It's weird these things aren't suppose to make you sore, so maybe I'm running them too hard or I'm bounding too much. I was planning Monday off so changing it to Saturday is no big deal. With two workouts next week plus a long-race it might not have been a bad thing missing out on the weekend VO2Max workout.

LR: The long run felt pretty good, no big calf problems but it was sore afterwards. Marian again beat me on time 2:25 to my back down LR of 1:50. I had planned to run a fast progression the last 20minutes but the conditions were so slick that you just tried to stay on your feet at points.

Race Week: Next week I will be traveling to Austin, Texas for a Half Marathon race. The trip is fully funded by the race(hotel,entry) and my sponsor(flight, taxi, meals, etc). Can't wait to get down there and enjoy some warmer weather and test out my fitness and see if everything is on tract for the big goal races come spring. I think I'm ready for a big PR if everything goes as planned.

Training Log 1/5-1/11 2009

90miles on 10runs in 7days: (Stamina/Strength Phase 5/5)

M: 65minutes/35minutes
T: 80minutes Fartlek Workout (15xmin Hard/1min Easy)
W: 35minutes in rain/70minutes(Hilly)
T: 65minutes on snow covered trail/35minutes
F: 10miles with 5mile Tempo(25:50/5:10avg)
@Ritter Park Trail (very cold out)
Splits: 5:03, 5:14, 5:09, 5:11, 5:11
S: 55minutes in wintry mix
S: 2:05 LR on James River Road into CK.

Recap: Felt good turning it over during the Tuesday Fartlek, saw that I need to work the Stamina part of training a little bit more as I got winded off hard 1minute segments by the end. Friday was the first time I moved from Steady State runs to Tempo runs and would call it a good start, felt very smooth and fast. My pace ranges for Tempo work is in the 4:58-5:12 average so I was in the range to get Tempo benefit for my goal spring times. Would like to test my fitness over the next few weeks with a short and long race.

Marian Training: Marian topped me on LR minutes this weekend as she went 2:15, she is now 10 weeks out from her debut marathon. With her student teaching, research class, another 2 night classes her next 10 weeks will be very busy. For that reason I have her following Pete Pfitzinger Advanced Marathoning training plan which puts focus on Long Runs and Medium Long Runs along with either a VO2max or lactate threshold workout each week. She will be getting around 70-75miles a week on singles throughout the training cycle.

New Sponsorship Coming......

Found out some really good news on a new sponsorship just the past few days that has me pumped up, not sure when I will be able to go public with all the details but I have to say it will really allow Marian and me to travel to races we need to be doing to reach our best and the rest of the team associated with the company is big time. We will be getting a huge opportunity to now go prove ourselves with some breakthrough races hopefully, in return we will be helping promote the new company and making some trips to race expos!

This news will definitely change my entire racing plans around for not only this spring but for the next few years. The sponsorship help looks to be funded for the next 3 years which is roughly the time frame I had set for myself to continue to try and push my body as hard as possible and see if I can get some results that I think I'm capable off, the new plans will have me running in a (required) event this spring and it is at a location and distance that I didn't need any convincing to agree too.

More details as soon as I can say more(might be a few weeks still)....

Training Log 12/29-1/4 2009

89miles on 9runs in 7days: (Stamina/Strength Phase 4/5)

M: 55minutes/35minutes
T: 70minute w/Hill Workout on Wiltshire Road
(10x90seconds Hill Repeats with jog down recovery)
W: 14miles pacing Marian the middle 8miles(very windy).
T: 70minutes (foot slightly sore on outside)
F: 85minute w/Fartlek Workout @Spring Hill Cemetery
Nasty Loop which I really liked, great place for running!
4x8minutes Hard with 3minute Jog Recovery, then 2x30sec(Fast)
S: 50minutes/35minutes
S: 2Hour Long Run on James River Road (felt rough)

Recap: Another solid week. The workouts took more strength then speed. Friday at Spring Hill Cemetery was a really good workout on a very tough loop, it was my first time ever running there and I plan to use it quite often in the future. I'm doing most of my workouts right now on tough hilly courses so my strength should be building. The Sunday long run can be summed up with the word "Rough", one of those runs when you get to your halfway point turn hoping to then feel better but things get rougher.

New Years: Had a great New Years with Marian. We kept it very low key this year. We went to see Marley and Me which is a great movie, then heading to Red Lobster to celebrate the New Year before heading home for the night.

New Log: I have a new log book that already has the dates listed in it starting this first week of 2009. So I plan to now just keep yearly running logs/records from a normal January to January like most people do, I will have the "lost weeks" of the previous 6 weeks that I actually typed up and just taped to the inside cover of the new log book so that I can have them there if I ever need to look back on that stretch which was some very solid training: 472miles in 6 weeks for a average of 78.6 miles a week, included mainly base building, steady state runs, and a 15:20 5K.