**A look back at the event that made me start to love running and how I decided that running was what I wanted to continue to do for a long time!
Back in Middle/High School all I cared about was the MILE(actually 1600m)! I would be entered into 3-4 different events and I could win them all except the Mile and I would be very upset! In middle school without much competition it was actually pretty easy to win the 800, 1600, 3200, and 4x400 each meet. I think I lost a total of 1 time between all three(800,1600,3200) my 8th grade year. But the time I lost it was in the 1600 to Larry Atkins who would win the state meet 1600 state title our jr year of high school(I was third in that state meet 1600). I revenged that middle school lost in the 1600 to Larry at our last meet that season with my middle school PR of 5:03! It was the revenge factor that carried me to what was a 2 second best time because I couldn't lose in what my mind thought was "my event"! My best times that year were 2:15, 5:03 and around 10:40's if I remember correctly and what was cool about it was the only training done to prepare for races were 100m sprints at practice!(Training of Champions we figured..lol)
On to high school I felt the same all I wanted to run was the Mile(1600), I even have some funny stories of winning the mile at meets then fighting(all in fun) with the coach to get out of the 3200 when we ran at single session meets. In two session meets the 3200 was before the 1600 so he was always in agreement that there was no need to get tired for "my event". My progression was strong and smooth until my Senior year. I went 4:45 as a freshman(broke my ankle the day before regional playing basketball so missed a good chance to run faster), I ran 4:34 as a sophomore to finish 5th in the region where top 4 got to go to states, 2nd-4th were also 4:34 in that race as we had a blanket finish. The worse thing was my time was faster then the other 3 regions winner, so I had to stay home during the state meet although it was the 5th fastest time of the year at that point. I was heart broken but determined that it wouldn't happen again the next spring.
My junior year started out like every track season for me in high school. I didn't run a single step of training until the first day of practice. I did however play year around basketball which for as much as we played I think it kept me in pretty good shape speed wise. During the junior season I had an early season setback when I rolled my ankle playing basketball(during the AAU State 17-u tournament, where I had back to back 55point games against Beckley and Parkersburg and was on top of the world I thought for playing big time college basketball) but my ankle healed and before you knew it, my time was dropping faster then ever 4:40(last regular season meet)..4:35(conference champ)...4:32(regional champ)...and then bam 4:25 at the state meet to finish third in one of the faster years of the 90's. It was a race I led in usual fashion out in 60, 2:06 at 800, then hang on(passed with around 600m to go) and hanging on always hurt so bad I told myself every single race I'm going to stop, which I never did.
So my senior year starts after the ending of our regional basketball tournament lose. That year unlike other's we decided to train differently in order to get that State Title Mile Crown, I was very naive when it came to running. In the past 3 year's all we had done was 300m repeats almost every day. I ran probably a total of 10miles a week and most of those came from meets. It wasn't easy training though, we ran the 300s as many as 15 all-out. So basically our training was fast running, all the time. So the senior year we decide I need to run mileage, which we had read is the way to go. Only problem was I tried doing 6mile runs right off the bat. Being that over the years a 3200 race was the longest I had ever ran, so this wasn't a good approach to reaching the goal of being the state champ. What happened was a ache in my shin from the first week that got so bad I would limp around all day then try running at practice and meets. It never happened for me that year due to what was later found out to be a stress fx. I ran the entire year on it not knowing and only got down to 4:44, 1 second faster then what I had ran as a freshman.
Most would think that would be the perfect way to say I'm done with this running stuff and sign to play basketball(had offers from Winthrop, Liberty, Old Dominion(Va), Coastal Carolina, and many D2 or smaller schools and even a walk-on invite to Iowa) Most of my basketball recruitment was being helped by Donnie Jones(Florida assistant at the time and current Marshall head coach) that had contacts at most of those bigger schools and was always helping me out.
But all I could think of was running. The turning point that it was the way I wanted to go was when Casey Batey put his arm around me at the state meet and said "we still want you to join us man" after I think I limped to a 5minute 1600 and dead last place finish at the state meet. With tears in my eyes that meant a lot to me and it was the main reason I decided to try and become a runner. Along the way it didn't hurt that Marshall University Basketball Head Coach offered me an invited walk-on to play basketball while I ran at MU. I knew going in though that I would play(sit the bench) for one year and then devote myself sporting wise to running 100%.
Some might wonder what made me think about sharing my Magical Mile past well one it was the event that made me like running and I was reminded of that this past Thursday when I did a fast finish mile at the end of my 55minute run. I ran 4:36 which at the end of a run isn't to bad but it felt really good to being pushing a mile again.
It makes me think I wish I had the chance to run the mile more when in college. I ran a total of 1 year of track due to playing basketball my first year, being hurt the next few seasons(indoor and outdoor) and then the program getting dropped while I stile had two years left of eligibility. My best college time was 4:26 which I ran a total of 4 times that indoor season along with a 4:27 and 4:28 DMR split. I always thought I would run between 4:15-18 if I had those last 2 years and would have stayed healthy. But of course I will never know that for sure. I have ran 2 hard miles since college both being more for fun and while training for longer races, they were 4:26 and 4:32(solo time trial).
My time to run fast for short stuff probably has past, but with the chance to attend many indoor/outdoor meets with our University of Charleston women over the next few year's I won't be surprised if I give the Mile one more go and see if I can do something that would be Magical for my ability and bring a smile to my face knowing it was the reason all my running ever started in the first place!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Eugene Build--Training Log Recap
*Had 27 week build into TCM, then took off only 4 days before started what was planned to be a 24 week build into the Shamrock Half Marathon. In late December I got the call from Matt Downin with the offer to join Team Strands, by January I was on Team Strands and booked a early test race to see where I was at off base training. I went to Austin, Texas and didn't run the race I really wanted but still came out with a huge PR of 1:07.48. Since that race and even some signs during that race things haven't felt 100% again. That was 14 long weeks ago, along the way I have had some solid workouts and jumped into 3 races using 2 (Shamrock 8K and Adam Johnson Run) of them as workout efforts and having to drop out of the one that I tried to race(Sea Ray10K). All signs point to I've went too long without a recovery break and it is showing now with all the ups and downs in training, constant sore throat, mentally worn out, and having troubles sleeping through the night. The combination of getting sick over the winter and rushing back and not planning better recovery were the mistakes. My hopes are still to finish off this long build with one last race this weekend and hope to manage something solid. Most likely this week I won't do any workouts now and just run really easy to try and recover enough for that one last crack at racing!
Some running stats from the past 52 weeks:
52weeks-4018 miles ran
Days missed-33 (16 of those were planned and never more then 4days straight)
Crazy thing is I usually miss between 12-20weeks a year due to injuries so this past 52 week Stretch I'm really proud and happy about. Just made the mistake of not taking a planned 1-2 week recovery break of little to no running and I have put my finger on that as the reason for my past 8-12 weeks having many ups and downs in training.
Past 30 weeks of training recap:
1: 14miles (4days off after TCM)
2: 40miles
3: 60miles
4: 59miles
5: 75miles *4mile Steady-State(5:27avg), Stride Wkout(15x20sec), LR 1:45
6: 79miles *6mile Hilly SS (5:28), LR 1:45
7: 80miles *SW(12x30sec), 5K Race (15:20), LR 1:45
8: 72miles *8mile Hilly SS (5:29), LR 1:45
9: 76miles *SW(12x30sec), LR 2HR
10: 87miles *8mile Hilly SS (5:27), LR 2HR
11: 84miles *10mile Hilly SS (5:26), LR 2HR
12: 73miles *6mile SS (5:21), 15mile LR Progression
13: 89miles *Hill Wkout(10x90sec), Fartlek (4x8min on/3 min easy rec), LR 2HR
14: 90miles *Fartlek (15x1on/off), 5mile Tempo(5:10), LR 2:05
15: 80miles *SW (20x30sec over hills), LR 1:50 (Calf Issue forced missed wkout)
16: 80miles *5xMile, Fartlek(10x1on/off), 3m Half Marathon(1:07.48/5:10avg)
17: 80miles *Two 2hour LR's, most running inside due to snow!
18: 95miles *HW(10x90sec), Fartlek Hilly(4x80n/3off), 19mile LR
19: 84miles *HW (12x90sec), 10K Tempo (5:12), LR 2HR
20: 62miles *Fartlek(20x1on/off), (Sickness started)
21: 90miles *Fartlek(10x3 on/1 off), LR 20miles
22: 58miles *LR 2HR (Missed days with Flu)
23: 96miles *CI 800s, 7mile Tempo(5:19), SW(15x35sec), LR2HR
24: 90miles *CI 800s, Shamrock 8K (25:09), LR 20+pacing Marian
25: 85miles *4xMile(4:50avg), Adam Johnson Run(15:09), LR 1:30
26: 75miles *Fartlek(14x10n/0ff), Tempo Intervals(3x2miles), LR 1:45(w/surges)
27: 80miles *CI 1000s, Sea Ray 10K(DNF 6400 @5:01), 17mile LR Porgression
28: 95miles *CI 800s(+hill sprints), 2x4mile Tempo (5:08/5:14), LR 2HR
29: 68miles *Fartlek (10x1on/off), 8Mile SS (5:18), (Started feeling run down again)
30: Eugene Half Marathon Week (Looks to be nothing but easy running now)
Some running stats from the past 52 weeks:
52weeks-4018 miles ran
Days missed-33 (16 of those were planned and never more then 4days straight)
Crazy thing is I usually miss between 12-20weeks a year due to injuries so this past 52 week Stretch I'm really proud and happy about. Just made the mistake of not taking a planned 1-2 week recovery break of little to no running and I have put my finger on that as the reason for my past 8-12 weeks having many ups and downs in training.
Past 30 weeks of training recap:
1: 14miles (4days off after TCM)
2: 40miles
3: 60miles
4: 59miles
5: 75miles *4mile Steady-State(5:27avg), Stride Wkout(15x20sec), LR 1:45
6: 79miles *6mile Hilly SS (5:28), LR 1:45
7: 80miles *SW(12x30sec), 5K Race (15:20), LR 1:45
8: 72miles *8mile Hilly SS (5:29), LR 1:45
9: 76miles *SW(12x30sec), LR 2HR
10: 87miles *8mile Hilly SS (5:27), LR 2HR
11: 84miles *10mile Hilly SS (5:26), LR 2HR
12: 73miles *6mile SS (5:21), 15mile LR Progression
13: 89miles *Hill Wkout(10x90sec), Fartlek (4x8min on/3 min easy rec), LR 2HR
14: 90miles *Fartlek (15x1on/off), 5mile Tempo(5:10), LR 2:05
15: 80miles *SW (20x30sec over hills), LR 1:50 (Calf Issue forced missed wkout)
16: 80miles *5xMile, Fartlek(10x1on/off), 3m Half Marathon(1:07.48/5:10avg)
17: 80miles *Two 2hour LR's, most running inside due to snow!
18: 95miles *HW(10x90sec), Fartlek Hilly(4x80n/3off), 19mile LR
19: 84miles *HW (12x90sec), 10K Tempo (5:12), LR 2HR
20: 62miles *Fartlek(20x1on/off), (Sickness started)
21: 90miles *Fartlek(10x3 on/1 off), LR 20miles
22: 58miles *LR 2HR (Missed days with Flu)
23: 96miles *CI 800s, 7mile Tempo(5:19), SW(15x35sec), LR2HR
24: 90miles *CI 800s, Shamrock 8K (25:09), LR 20+pacing Marian
25: 85miles *4xMile(4:50avg), Adam Johnson Run(15:09), LR 1:30
26: 75miles *Fartlek(14x10n/0ff), Tempo Intervals(3x2miles), LR 1:45(w/surges)
27: 80miles *CI 1000s, Sea Ray 10K(DNF 6400 @5:01), 17mile LR Porgression
28: 95miles *CI 800s(+hill sprints), 2x4mile Tempo (5:08/5:14), LR 2HR
29: 68miles *Fartlek (10x1on/off), 8Mile SS (5:18), (Started feeling run down again)
30: Eugene Half Marathon Week (Looks to be nothing but easy running now)
Monday, March 23, 2009
Marian @ Shamrock Marathon
RESULTS: http://results.active.com/pages/searchform.jsp?posted_p=t&sort=convert(p_chip_time)&rsID=75881&state=WV&queryType=arbitrary&page=1&numPerPage=25*Marian ran her debut Marathon yesterday in Virginia Beach, VA at "The Yuengling Shamrock Marathon". We had some mainly private goal times but the most important goal was to gain the experience of what the marathon feels like. I have only done one marathon and I can say that if you haven't done one you have no idea what it is really is about to "race" that distance. By that I only mean that it is a totally different event compared to all the shorter distances including half marathon-15mile races, so the feedback gained from running one goes a long ways for your future plans of marathoning.
She came out of the weekend learning so much and she gained that experience. She saw what it is really like to bonk and still have 8 or more miles to go(not fun or easy to do). But as for the race she finished 3rd overall female and 43rd overall out of 2,555 finishers with a time of 3:00.27 which is 6:53 per mile pace for 26.2 miles. Now that the race has past I will come out and say we really felt anything from 2:50-55 was where she could finish around.
The race was a blast as I was able to pace her for the first 17miles and the last 3.2 miles. I can't explain how special it is to be able to run and help your wife, the person you love with all your heart. We do a few runs each week together and they are always my favorite but there was something about pacing her in the marathon that will always stand out to me and make it extra special.
As for some splits: 5miles(33:08), 10miles(66:25), Half (1:27.02), 15miles (1:39.53) and then slowly the wheels started to turn slower with the next 2 miles I was with her at 6:48, 6:56. At this point I knew she was running out of gas. I waited at mile 23 then and she covered the next 6miles in 43:09(7:11 pace) before I jumped back to running with her the last 3.2 in 7:22, 7:26, 7:18, 1:26.
The conditions turned out to be very, very nice. Sunny, cool and light wind(the day before while I run the 8K gust were 20-25mph).
Bottom line she learned a lot, she finished 3rd overall female at a well known marathon, she picked up some cash($400) which was the least of her concerns, she would have traded top 3 and cash for 2:50 any day but still nice. SHE WILL COME BACK MUCH STRONGER AND FASTER.
From here she will take some days off before jumping back into some training for the Eugene Half Marathon, which will be a quick turnaround(only 6 weeks away) but a very fun big event for her to focus on with less pressure.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Marian TriStateRacer Interview
*Pat Riley from TriStateRacer did a quick interview with Marian on Strands and the upcoming Shamrock Marathon: http://www.tristateracer.com/Interviews/MarionPyles3-16-09.htm
*Did a little research and it looks like since 1999 that only 3 West Virginia women have broke 3hours for the Marathon with the fastest time being a blazing 2:32.34 by Kristy Johnson who wasn't originally from WV but lived here with all-time great WV runner and her husband Chris Fox. Since 2004 the fastest Women's times looks to be 2:56.59.
*Marian's goal is simple "enjoy the experience"!
*Check out the new blog page that Nubound has put up and it also has a link to the President/Founder Mark Connell's twitter page. On the blog page he has a link to my blog which is really neat: http://nubound.net/blog/
*My body is not feeling 'right' these past 5-7 days. It's been a combination of feeling a little sick/weak, hurt(groin/tight back), and every pace feels the same(in a bad way). By that I mean running recovery runs feel 'harder then they should' and then running workout paces feel 'much harder then they should'. All this is probably a combination of many things: 1)Might not be totally over being sick, 2)Have ran a lot of miles in the past 12 days after coming off being really sick, 3)Some slightly stressful times as I wait word on a possible future job, 4)Just off antibiotic (which now I will be going back on based off what the doctor had told me to do if the first dose didn't completely wipe away the infection). I still would like to run the 8K Saturday as a Tempo run in the 5:05-10 pace but right now it will depend on how my body responds to some lighter training days plus how the groin(s) hold up. My body has been in a little bit of a struggle now for some time but keeping the fingers crossed that I will bounce out of it and still take advantage of what was a really solid winter base of training.
*We will be leaving in the morning and be in Va Beach Thursday-Monday, this should be a really fun weekend!!!
*Did a little research and it looks like since 1999 that only 3 West Virginia women have broke 3hours for the Marathon with the fastest time being a blazing 2:32.34 by Kristy Johnson who wasn't originally from WV but lived here with all-time great WV runner and her husband Chris Fox. Since 2004 the fastest Women's times looks to be 2:56.59.
*Marian's goal is simple "enjoy the experience"!
*Check out the new blog page that Nubound has put up and it also has a link to the President/Founder Mark Connell's twitter page. On the blog page he has a link to my blog which is really neat: http://nubound.net/blog/
*My body is not feeling 'right' these past 5-7 days. It's been a combination of feeling a little sick/weak, hurt(groin/tight back), and every pace feels the same(in a bad way). By that I mean running recovery runs feel 'harder then they should' and then running workout paces feel 'much harder then they should'. All this is probably a combination of many things: 1)Might not be totally over being sick, 2)Have ran a lot of miles in the past 12 days after coming off being really sick, 3)Some slightly stressful times as I wait word on a possible future job, 4)Just off antibiotic (which now I will be going back on based off what the doctor had told me to do if the first dose didn't completely wipe away the infection). I still would like to run the 8K Saturday as a Tempo run in the 5:05-10 pace but right now it will depend on how my body responds to some lighter training days plus how the groin(s) hold up. My body has been in a little bit of a struggle now for some time but keeping the fingers crossed that I will bounce out of it and still take advantage of what was a really solid winter base of training.
*We will be leaving in the morning and be in Va Beach Thursday-Monday, this should be a really fun weekend!!!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
TEAM STRANDS
*The New Year has been good in many ways but one of the biggest surprises was the new sponsorship Marian and I was able to land with TEAM STRANDS. Team Strands is a group of runners that is being sponsored by Strands.Com a website that will hit the mainstream public within the next month or so. I have slowly been sending out early invites to around 15-20 people before hand as the website wants a small little community of people right now to play around with the site so they can see what problems need to be fixed. The site is a place to store all your running or workout type details and a way to connect with other people around the country that workout or run. Honestly the site is still very new to me so I'm still learning all about it, but so far I would say it looks pretty cool and is roughly like a facebook but with a running twist to it. I think the site has HUGE potential over the next few years to really become big!
*The team manager/runner is Matt Downin who was a multiple time All-American at Wisconsin and has many post-collegiate honors including the top American finisher at the 2005 New York City Marathon finishing in a time of 2:14.28! If you click on the Team Strands Banner on the right side of my blog or on the TEAM STRANDS above you can see the entire team. As you will see it is a loaded team, many GREAT runners including 2 Olympians and I believe Micheal Aish (New Zealand) is on board now which would make a third Olympian. So we feel very honored to being getting this opportunity to prove ourselves as runners now that we have the resources to get to the major races and along the way we want to help promote and build Strands.com as much as we possibly can! Already the support has been a huge help as I was able to travel to Austin Half Marathon only because of this support and was able to hit a PR 1:07.48. I can't say enough of about how great and nice of a guy Matt Downin has already been to Marian and me. He has made a call about a coaching position this past fall for Marian, he was one of the first to call me to congratulate me after the Austin Half, and he keeps asking and asking us what else do we need right now.
*There is so many benefits that come from our sponsorship. I will try to list some of the things that are on the top of my head without going to look through all of Matt's emails with details:
-Huge Travel Budget this is the biggest thing to us. I have been very fit many times and had no way to get to a big race to see where my fitness was at, now this won't be a problem.
-Extra Trips If they ask us to come to a race or event it is entirely covered through Strands without tapping into our travel budget. Example Peachtree 10K this summer and Eugene Marathon weekend this spring or Hoad to Coast relay next fall.
-Expo's We will help out at expos at races like Peachtree or Eugene along with getting to race. To me this is going to be so much fun to not only race these events but to help out a little with things at the expo!
-Contacts The Austin trip I only had to get reimbursement from my travel budget on flight/food. With the contact of being on this team the Austin race committee picked up my hotel/entry/shuttle expenses.
-Bonuses The bonus setup is crazy. There is so many races that if we go and run in the Top 10 we get very good bonus money. Some of the races that pay the most bonus money is obviously the big time races which top 10 would be out of the question for Marian/me but there is many other races where finishing top 10 overall or top 5 USA is possible. There is also a 2,000 bonus for running under 2:19 Men or 2:47 Women in the Marathon. There is bonus money for winning a Strands sponsored event like Eugene Half or Full Marathon or any Rock N Roll Marathon series of events. An example of a bonus I could have just recently won, the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon Phoenix was won in 1:08's based off my 1:07s at Austin I would have been in for a $500 bonus if I would have ran that time at the Phoenix race a week earlier.
-Free Gear The teams shoe/gear sponsor is going to be PUMA, Matt has already got shoes in the mail and has told us all that all we need to do is ask for a pair of shoes and he will send out two pair! Our first gear shipment is coming the middle of this month and it is Puma gear without Strands Logo on it, then by the end of the month the second shipment will come of Puma gear with Strands Logo on it. Matt says many times in emails for us to just ask for anything and he will get it and send it.
-Garmin This week we got a email that if we wanted to have a Garmin to let him know and he will send us one to use to update training onto the Strands website. We only asked for one(Marian and me to share) he says he plans to send us both our own!
-Website Bonus Each runner on the team receives milestone bonus money if the Strands website reaches 1 million users and so on. The benchmark that this can be done is that facebook has 90million users. Also we receive bonus money if we our the first on the team to reach different numbers of followers this year. The big one is a nice bonus to the top 3 runners to get to 1,000 followers on the website.
-3 years agreement This isn't set in stone yet but the contract looks to be at least a 3 year agreement. Hopefully at that point the site will be so big that the agreement is carried on for many more years and I run fast enough to warrant a monthly salary(that's my goal)!
*As you can tell I'm very excited and thankful to God for this opportunity. My one thing I have always struggled with was being able to make it out of the state of WV to race when I know to reach my goals I need to be doing that. Along the way I will be in some races that I will get dropped at and humbled with but that's what every runner needs to continue to stay motivated to reach their best. I hope if it's in God's plan I will run some big breakthrough PR's during this 3 years and continue to just plan love running!
---------------------------------------------
(Pictures of "some" of the gear from the 2+ years with Strands)
*The team manager/runner is Matt Downin who was a multiple time All-American at Wisconsin and has many post-collegiate honors including the top American finisher at the 2005 New York City Marathon finishing in a time of 2:14.28! If you click on the Team Strands Banner on the right side of my blog or on the TEAM STRANDS above you can see the entire team. As you will see it is a loaded team, many GREAT runners including 2 Olympians and I believe Micheal Aish (New Zealand) is on board now which would make a third Olympian. So we feel very honored to being getting this opportunity to prove ourselves as runners now that we have the resources to get to the major races and along the way we want to help promote and build Strands.com as much as we possibly can! Already the support has been a huge help as I was able to travel to Austin Half Marathon only because of this support and was able to hit a PR 1:07.48. I can't say enough of about how great and nice of a guy Matt Downin has already been to Marian and me. He has made a call about a coaching position this past fall for Marian, he was one of the first to call me to congratulate me after the Austin Half, and he keeps asking and asking us what else do we need right now.
*There is so many benefits that come from our sponsorship. I will try to list some of the things that are on the top of my head without going to look through all of Matt's emails with details:
-Huge Travel Budget this is the biggest thing to us. I have been very fit many times and had no way to get to a big race to see where my fitness was at, now this won't be a problem.
-Extra Trips If they ask us to come to a race or event it is entirely covered through Strands without tapping into our travel budget. Example Peachtree 10K this summer and Eugene Marathon weekend this spring or Hoad to Coast relay next fall.
-Expo's We will help out at expos at races like Peachtree or Eugene along with getting to race. To me this is going to be so much fun to not only race these events but to help out a little with things at the expo!
-Contacts The Austin trip I only had to get reimbursement from my travel budget on flight/food. With the contact of being on this team the Austin race committee picked up my hotel/entry/shuttle expenses.
-Bonuses The bonus setup is crazy. There is so many races that if we go and run in the Top 10 we get very good bonus money. Some of the races that pay the most bonus money is obviously the big time races which top 10 would be out of the question for Marian/me but there is many other races where finishing top 10 overall or top 5 USA is possible. There is also a 2,000 bonus for running under 2:19 Men or 2:47 Women in the Marathon. There is bonus money for winning a Strands sponsored event like Eugene Half or Full Marathon or any Rock N Roll Marathon series of events. An example of a bonus I could have just recently won, the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon Phoenix was won in 1:08's based off my 1:07s at Austin I would have been in for a $500 bonus if I would have ran that time at the Phoenix race a week earlier.
-Free Gear The teams shoe/gear sponsor is going to be PUMA, Matt has already got shoes in the mail and has told us all that all we need to do is ask for a pair of shoes and he will send out two pair! Our first gear shipment is coming the middle of this month and it is Puma gear without Strands Logo on it, then by the end of the month the second shipment will come of Puma gear with Strands Logo on it. Matt says many times in emails for us to just ask for anything and he will get it and send it.
-Garmin This week we got a email that if we wanted to have a Garmin to let him know and he will send us one to use to update training onto the Strands website. We only asked for one(Marian and me to share) he says he plans to send us both our own!
-Website Bonus Each runner on the team receives milestone bonus money if the Strands website reaches 1 million users and so on. The benchmark that this can be done is that facebook has 90million users. Also we receive bonus money if we our the first on the team to reach different numbers of followers this year. The big one is a nice bonus to the top 3 runners to get to 1,000 followers on the website.
-3 years agreement This isn't set in stone yet but the contract looks to be at least a 3 year agreement. Hopefully at that point the site will be so big that the agreement is carried on for many more years and I run fast enough to warrant a monthly salary(that's my goal)!
*As you can tell I'm very excited and thankful to God for this opportunity. My one thing I have always struggled with was being able to make it out of the state of WV to race when I know to reach my goals I need to be doing that. Along the way I will be in some races that I will get dropped at and humbled with but that's what every runner needs to continue to stay motivated to reach their best. I hope if it's in God's plan I will run some big breakthrough PR's during this 3 years and continue to just plan love running!
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(Pictures of "some" of the gear from the 2+ years with Strands)
Monday, January 26, 2009
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!
----------------------------------
-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!
----------------------------------
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
"Running For Nothing"
from Daily Bread (given to me by my Dad and Mom a year ago)
-As my friend Roger Weber started the 2006 Chicago Marathon, he noticed something on the ground. It was a runner's chip--the device each runner puts on his or her shoe to record progress at various timing stations during the race. Apparently, one poor runner would be traversing the next 26.2 miles on foot with nothing to show for it.
Officially, that runner did not run the race. There would be record of his participation. Even if he had finished the race in a record time, it wouldn't have mattered. The folks who organize the race set the rules, and no matter how well someone runs, if the officials say the runner doesn't qualify, that's the way it is.
In one sense, that's also the way it is with us. We can run what appears to be a good race by doing all the good things for others and obeying lots of rules. But when we arrive at the final checkpoint--heaven--and haven't made sure our name is recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life by putting our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we're disqualified to enter.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me"(John 14:6). are you trusting in Jesus? If not, you're running for nothing.
-Dave Branon
-As my friend Roger Weber started the 2006 Chicago Marathon, he noticed something on the ground. It was a runner's chip--the device each runner puts on his or her shoe to record progress at various timing stations during the race. Apparently, one poor runner would be traversing the next 26.2 miles on foot with nothing to show for it.
Officially, that runner did not run the race. There would be record of his participation. Even if he had finished the race in a record time, it wouldn't have mattered. The folks who organize the race set the rules, and no matter how well someone runs, if the officials say the runner doesn't qualify, that's the way it is.
In one sense, that's also the way it is with us. We can run what appears to be a good race by doing all the good things for others and obeying lots of rules. But when we arrive at the final checkpoint--heaven--and haven't made sure our name is recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life by putting our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we're disqualified to enter.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me"(John 14:6). are you trusting in Jesus? If not, you're running for nothing.
-Dave Branon
It's not what I achieve that qualifies,
It matters not if I gain wealth or fame;
The only thing I must be certain of
Is "Have I put my trust in Jesus' name?"
-Hess
I Hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year's!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Training Log "Year in Review Mileage Totals"
*My logs that I keep are November to November, it's weird I know. What happened the summer before my first year of college I received a training log book as a birthday gift so I started using it to put down what I ran each day starting in June and along the way when I played basketball that first year at MU after XC season I didn't run any during that period but then after the season I picked things back up and just started using the same log book and just started logging from the week I left off. So my first log book has 52 weeks of running in it but it took around a year in a half to get to that point.
So anyways I think I'm going to just add how ever many pieces of paper to my current log book so that I can start logging in a new book January 1st which would make more sense for keeping track of year to year running totals.
Breakdown:
2803 miles in the November 12th 2007-November16th 2008 (52weeks)
3286 miles the previous year, so my totals dropped but that had a lot to do with the 18week running break due to injury over the winter.
2803 miles in 52 weeks only averages out to 53.9 miles per/week for the year but if I subtract the 18 weeks missed and then the average jumps up to 82.4 miles per/week and that is actually the work I was doing when running and that would have resulted to around 4300 miles for the year.
That's a lot of running being missed out on, it's hard for me to make a goal to hit a certain mileage total for each year because of injuries that pop up and take you out. If hitting a mileage goal was attained strictly on motivation to run then I would get 5000 plus miles each year with ease but that isn't the case.
I can only hope that my current streak of being non-injured continues. Right now I'm starting a build towards spring goals and for the first time I'm starting the build after coming off solid training(not great but solid) and being healthy. Usually it has been starting back at square one and trying to work back into shape quickly. I'm hoping if the good health continues and the fitness gained from the last build will all result into a GREAT March,April, May of racing down the road!
So anyways I think I'm going to just add how ever many pieces of paper to my current log book so that I can start logging in a new book January 1st which would make more sense for keeping track of year to year running totals.
Breakdown:
2803 miles in the November 12th 2007-November16th 2008 (52weeks)
3286 miles the previous year, so my totals dropped but that had a lot to do with the 18week running break due to injury over the winter.
2803 miles in 52 weeks only averages out to 53.9 miles per/week for the year but if I subtract the 18 weeks missed and then the average jumps up to 82.4 miles per/week and that is actually the work I was doing when running and that would have resulted to around 4300 miles for the year.
That's a lot of running being missed out on, it's hard for me to make a goal to hit a certain mileage total for each year because of injuries that pop up and take you out. If hitting a mileage goal was attained strictly on motivation to run then I would get 5000 plus miles each year with ease but that isn't the case.
I can only hope that my current streak of being non-injured continues. Right now I'm starting a build towards spring goals and for the first time I'm starting the build after coming off solid training(not great but solid) and being healthy. Usually it has been starting back at square one and trying to work back into shape quickly. I'm hoping if the good health continues and the fitness gained from the last build will all result into a GREAT March,April, May of racing down the road!
Monday, July 21, 2008
Pocahontas Training (2008)
Monday: AM 50minutes in Watoga State Forrest(Hilly Run), the biggest State Forrest in WV. Nice paved road with some a dirt road at the top of the hill /PM 45minutes one Scenic Highway(rolling hilly) I ran this run on a section that sits at 4500 feet looking around the Williams River lookout point.
Tuesday 20minutes up, 6 Mile Tempo(31:54/5:19 Average), 30minutes down. Solid Tempo felt alittle flat on second half probably due to the 22mile long run on Sunday. Ran on Greenbrier River Trail in the Marlinton area on the paved 3mile stretch. (spilt 5:22, 5:17, 5:15, 5:19, 5:17, 5:21)
Wednesday: 77minutes on Pocahontas High School Road/Track. Hilly winding road, probably not a good pick but one bad run out of 2 weeks of training in the county isn't too bad. Ran last 20 plus minutes on the PHS Track.
Thursday: 1:33.30 for 14miles Easy Run on GRT Beard to Renick. Started right on a mile marker in Beard and ran 14miles into Renick so was able to get exact total time, didn't check too many spilts but run was a easy 6:40 average for the 14miles. I love this Trail!!!
Friday: 30minutes up, 8 Mile Marathon-Pace Tempo (43:51/5:28average), 28minutes down on Greenbrier River Trail. Felt really smooth and a lot better than Tuesdays harder paced tempo. I got out too quick on this workout, I only needed to run 5;30 average but then feel asleep on the 5th mile which was on a very loose gravel/cinder section around Buckeye which was one of the only tough running section of the GRT I have ran. (Spilts 5:21, 5:27, 5:25, 5:32, 5:39, 5:20, 5:32, 5:31) 16miles plus for the total workout.
Saturday: 70minutes on GRT Burnside to around the Beard area and back. Easy run which felt great for the body. Ran this section to pick up around 4plus miles that I hadn't ran yet of the trail. It leaves me the final 21.5 miles of the GRT Renick to Caldwell for tomorrow long run and last run in the countty before heading home.
Sunday: 20miles in 2:10.25 (6:32 average) on GRT Renick to Caldwell. Solid long run which I slightly picked up the pace every 5 miles (34:20, 32:35, 32:00, 31:30). Could have continued at this pace for 30plus miles so the effort wasn't nothing special but the confidence from the run is huge.
97miles on 8runs in 7 days. Was a great 2 week vacation and the running was wonderful. I only wish I could continue to train in Pocahontas County for the rest of my 10 week build into Akron Marathon. I ran every single mile of the Greenbrier River Trail in our 2 week stay, might be the best place I have ever ran! Got in a total of 135 miles on the GRT and 186 miles while in Pocahontas County.
*During our stay so far this experience has just felt right the entire time. This feels like a area I would be very happy living at for the rest of my life. The fresh-clean Mountain air, the cool summer breeze on a 70degree day, the beautiful views of Mountains, rivers, rolling hills, etc and the excellent running. State of mind here is so relaxed and time doesn't seem to matter. It doesn't hurt we have been without TV now for close to 2 weeks but that is another little thing that makes you step back and enjoy life the way God intended you too.
I really feel that this is the type of life that God intended for us on this earth, the way life is way slower and more enjoyable here makes you appreciate things so much more. I don't think this county would be for everyone but for us I could see us hopefully soon in this area maybe a little closer to Elkins for job purposes in the very near future.
On my 22mile run from Marlinton to Cass on Sunday I just felt so close to God as I ran on the Greenbrier River Trail with river and mountains on my sides and smooth trail in front. You can just get lost in a run, even at 22miles I felt like it was over in a flash and it had me wanting so much more. Spiritually I have grown so much during this stay, being away from the stress that busier life brings without even knowing. I really hope still to one day coach college XC and Track and have thought a lot this week of how nice something at D&E would be in Elkins. With Elkins being only a 35minute drive from Showshoe area you could live half way between and enjoy the best of both worlds by living in a wonderful county while also attaining a goal of coaching college XC. I will continue to pray about the future and I know God will lead us to where he intends us to be!
Monday: 77minutes on Greenbrier River Trail (GRT) from Marlinton Depot south. Jumped a lot of deer and crossed 3 bridges while entire run had beautiful river views!
****Today was Marian and my 1-year Anniversity. We were married on 7-7-07 and this past year has been the greatest of my life. I'm so thankful to have met Marian and know every year will get better and better! I LOVE YOU MARIAN VERY MUCH!!!!!!!*****
Tuesday: 85minutes with Strides. Started run on GRT before cutting off roughly one mile into the run onto a old logging road that now is a gated Forrest dirt road. From 10minutes into the run until turning around at 42minutes this run had a steady to steep climb(32minutes of climbing)! The run was completely tree covered and had some switchbacks the entire way. Added in the Wyatt Trail section on the way back down for a very nice run.
Wednesday: AM 22minutes up, 4xMile on GRT with 2min Rec (4:54, 4:58, 5:02, 4:59), 20min down. Workout was Cruise Intervals so ran them smooth, surprised to run this quick right now. Rather would have ran around 5:00-5:05 still, will bring them into a even more comfortable range next time. / PM 48minutes(maybe 6miles) on Two Lick Trail in Pocahontas Recreation Area. HARD running single track mountain run, not what we wanted but as we explore this can happen. Over 1,000 feet of climbing!
Thursday: 77minutes on GRT from Buckeye to Seven Hole Run Road. Once again a beautiful run that at one point had Mountain Trees/Rock on one side and huge opening to see the River flowing on the other. Very Scenic run, and the crazy thing was the Bear sighting that I blogged about earlier this week.
Friday: 55minutes with Strides on the GRT (Seebert to Burnside) Every Part of this trail has a different thing then from the section the day before, but one common is the beauty that makes your mind get lost while in the run. Today saw deer crossing the river as well as '"lots" of little rabbits hopping around. One the way back ran within 20 yards of you doe's with there little fawns on the trail, it was great!
Saturday 22up, Oceana Hertiage 5k (15:58, 1st Place $250), 23min down. Woke up at 4:30 for coffee and to hit the rode for a 2hour drive into Oceana, WV for race #2 of a 4 race money series. Plan was to tempo at around only 5:10 pace, but for some reason when the gun went off I shot off the line like it was a "all-out" 5k PR attempt. I hit the marked 1/2 mile at 2:21 and was 4:47 at the mile, I was around 7:33-4 at the halfway turn and decided against trying to come back faster and attempting to break 15 especially with a big day planned Sunday, so I basically shut it down and jogged it in for some reason. Not really upset I just should have ran the last half at pre-planned race pace of 5:10 instead of coasting it in. Felt like I wasted a workout. Good thing is money bonus for breaking Course records at next years races!
I'm 2 for 2 on series wins, and Marian took a solid 2nd place for addition $150 to our winning. I have been pushing her hard and 5k wise she really needs a rest to run fast, but we both agree that isn't the goal, so we will continue to push the limits of her training!
Sunday: 22miles in 2:31 (1st 10-70:03, 2nd 10-67:43(2:17.46 @20), last 2 13:10)Long Run from Marlinton Water Tank(mile post 57) to mile post 79 in Cass. Great long run, planned to run around 7minute pace for as long as I felt smooth and had no tightness, pace felt super easy and could have continued to really cut down for another 4.2 miles and finished off a easy Marathon Length Long Run. This route was by far the most scenic like Ramell had told me, hardly any development along the way. At one point I told myself it's just Me, the Mountain, the Trail and the River so lets enjoy this thing! Rab through Sharp's tunnel which is about 500 feet long and curves so the middle of the tunnel you see nothing, a little scary, kept thinking hope no bear is sleeping in here..lol
89miles on 8 runs in 7 days. Easy week mileage wise. Ran GRT mile post 42(Burnside) to 79(Cass) lots of those miles were covered twice with out and backs and workouts. So I only have mile 42 down to 3(Caldwell) left to go. Probably so we can explore other areas will hit up miles 22-42 on my next long run Sunday and leave miles 3 through 22 for another trip this way.
Coming week: Need to watch foot, have a bruise on it from walking around barefoot too much. I have super sensitive feet that get shoe-lace bruised and stone bruises all the time and sometimes they can crept up and take me out when everything else running wise is going great.
More Recap: Also last week we explore some hiking in Beartown State Park and Droop Mountain. We went to Marians moms side of the family reunion in Little Beaver State Park after the Saturday 5k. Sunday after running to Cass we explored Snowshoe and let me say it is BEAUTIFUL up there, it is like another world. I recommend people to check out this wild and wonderful county and go up to Showshoe for what feels like another world. It has been a Blast of a first week here, were set on getting out of Huntington into a area like this as soon as possible. Living is so much more peaceful and stress free and the sights and air is just out of this world. I feel like we our right now finally living in the "Real West Virginia!!"
Tuesday 20minutes up, 6 Mile Tempo(31:54/5:19 Average), 30minutes down. Solid Tempo felt alittle flat on second half probably due to the 22mile long run on Sunday. Ran on Greenbrier River Trail in the Marlinton area on the paved 3mile stretch. (spilt 5:22, 5:17, 5:15, 5:19, 5:17, 5:21)
Wednesday: 77minutes on Pocahontas High School Road/Track. Hilly winding road, probably not a good pick but one bad run out of 2 weeks of training in the county isn't too bad. Ran last 20 plus minutes on the PHS Track.
Thursday: 1:33.30 for 14miles Easy Run on GRT Beard to Renick. Started right on a mile marker in Beard and ran 14miles into Renick so was able to get exact total time, didn't check too many spilts but run was a easy 6:40 average for the 14miles. I love this Trail!!!
Friday: 30minutes up, 8 Mile Marathon-Pace Tempo (43:51/5:28average), 28minutes down on Greenbrier River Trail. Felt really smooth and a lot better than Tuesdays harder paced tempo. I got out too quick on this workout, I only needed to run 5;30 average but then feel asleep on the 5th mile which was on a very loose gravel/cinder section around Buckeye which was one of the only tough running section of the GRT I have ran. (Spilts 5:21, 5:27, 5:25, 5:32, 5:39, 5:20, 5:32, 5:31) 16miles plus for the total workout.
Saturday: 70minutes on GRT Burnside to around the Beard area and back. Easy run which felt great for the body. Ran this section to pick up around 4plus miles that I hadn't ran yet of the trail. It leaves me the final 21.5 miles of the GRT Renick to Caldwell for tomorrow long run and last run in the countty before heading home.
Sunday: 20miles in 2:10.25 (6:32 average) on GRT Renick to Caldwell. Solid long run which I slightly picked up the pace every 5 miles (34:20, 32:35, 32:00, 31:30). Could have continued at this pace for 30plus miles so the effort wasn't nothing special but the confidence from the run is huge.
97miles on 8runs in 7 days. Was a great 2 week vacation and the running was wonderful. I only wish I could continue to train in Pocahontas County for the rest of my 10 week build into Akron Marathon. I ran every single mile of the Greenbrier River Trail in our 2 week stay, might be the best place I have ever ran! Got in a total of 135 miles on the GRT and 186 miles while in Pocahontas County.
*During our stay so far this experience has just felt right the entire time. This feels like a area I would be very happy living at for the rest of my life. The fresh-clean Mountain air, the cool summer breeze on a 70degree day, the beautiful views of Mountains, rivers, rolling hills, etc and the excellent running. State of mind here is so relaxed and time doesn't seem to matter. It doesn't hurt we have been without TV now for close to 2 weeks but that is another little thing that makes you step back and enjoy life the way God intended you too.
I really feel that this is the type of life that God intended for us on this earth, the way life is way slower and more enjoyable here makes you appreciate things so much more. I don't think this county would be for everyone but for us I could see us hopefully soon in this area maybe a little closer to Elkins for job purposes in the very near future.
On my 22mile run from Marlinton to Cass on Sunday I just felt so close to God as I ran on the Greenbrier River Trail with river and mountains on my sides and smooth trail in front. You can just get lost in a run, even at 22miles I felt like it was over in a flash and it had me wanting so much more. Spiritually I have grown so much during this stay, being away from the stress that busier life brings without even knowing. I really hope still to one day coach college XC and Track and have thought a lot this week of how nice something at D&E would be in Elkins. With Elkins being only a 35minute drive from Showshoe area you could live half way between and enjoy the best of both worlds by living in a wonderful county while also attaining a goal of coaching college XC. I will continue to pray about the future and I know God will lead us to where he intends us to be!
Monday: 77minutes on Greenbrier River Trail (GRT) from Marlinton Depot south. Jumped a lot of deer and crossed 3 bridges while entire run had beautiful river views!
****Today was Marian and my 1-year Anniversity. We were married on 7-7-07 and this past year has been the greatest of my life. I'm so thankful to have met Marian and know every year will get better and better! I LOVE YOU MARIAN VERY MUCH!!!!!!!*****
Tuesday: 85minutes with Strides. Started run on GRT before cutting off roughly one mile into the run onto a old logging road that now is a gated Forrest dirt road. From 10minutes into the run until turning around at 42minutes this run had a steady to steep climb(32minutes of climbing)! The run was completely tree covered and had some switchbacks the entire way. Added in the Wyatt Trail section on the way back down for a very nice run.
Wednesday: AM 22minutes up, 4xMile on GRT with 2min Rec (4:54, 4:58, 5:02, 4:59), 20min down. Workout was Cruise Intervals so ran them smooth, surprised to run this quick right now. Rather would have ran around 5:00-5:05 still, will bring them into a even more comfortable range next time. / PM 48minutes(maybe 6miles) on Two Lick Trail in Pocahontas Recreation Area. HARD running single track mountain run, not what we wanted but as we explore this can happen. Over 1,000 feet of climbing!
Thursday: 77minutes on GRT from Buckeye to Seven Hole Run Road. Once again a beautiful run that at one point had Mountain Trees/Rock on one side and huge opening to see the River flowing on the other. Very Scenic run, and the crazy thing was the Bear sighting that I blogged about earlier this week.
Friday: 55minutes with Strides on the GRT (Seebert to Burnside) Every Part of this trail has a different thing then from the section the day before, but one common is the beauty that makes your mind get lost while in the run. Today saw deer crossing the river as well as '"lots" of little rabbits hopping around. One the way back ran within 20 yards of you doe's with there little fawns on the trail, it was great!
Saturday 22up, Oceana Hertiage 5k (15:58, 1st Place $250), 23min down. Woke up at 4:30 for coffee and to hit the rode for a 2hour drive into Oceana, WV for race #2 of a 4 race money series. Plan was to tempo at around only 5:10 pace, but for some reason when the gun went off I shot off the line like it was a "all-out" 5k PR attempt. I hit the marked 1/2 mile at 2:21 and was 4:47 at the mile, I was around 7:33-4 at the halfway turn and decided against trying to come back faster and attempting to break 15 especially with a big day planned Sunday, so I basically shut it down and jogged it in for some reason. Not really upset I just should have ran the last half at pre-planned race pace of 5:10 instead of coasting it in. Felt like I wasted a workout. Good thing is money bonus for breaking Course records at next years races!
I'm 2 for 2 on series wins, and Marian took a solid 2nd place for addition $150 to our winning. I have been pushing her hard and 5k wise she really needs a rest to run fast, but we both agree that isn't the goal, so we will continue to push the limits of her training!
Sunday: 22miles in 2:31 (1st 10-70:03, 2nd 10-67:43(2:17.46 @20), last 2 13:10)Long Run from Marlinton Water Tank(mile post 57) to mile post 79 in Cass. Great long run, planned to run around 7minute pace for as long as I felt smooth and had no tightness, pace felt super easy and could have continued to really cut down for another 4.2 miles and finished off a easy Marathon Length Long Run. This route was by far the most scenic like Ramell had told me, hardly any development along the way. At one point I told myself it's just Me, the Mountain, the Trail and the River so lets enjoy this thing! Rab through Sharp's tunnel which is about 500 feet long and curves so the middle of the tunnel you see nothing, a little scary, kept thinking hope no bear is sleeping in here..lol
89miles on 8 runs in 7 days. Easy week mileage wise. Ran GRT mile post 42(Burnside) to 79(Cass) lots of those miles were covered twice with out and backs and workouts. So I only have mile 42 down to 3(Caldwell) left to go. Probably so we can explore other areas will hit up miles 22-42 on my next long run Sunday and leave miles 3 through 22 for another trip this way.
Coming week: Need to watch foot, have a bruise on it from walking around barefoot too much. I have super sensitive feet that get shoe-lace bruised and stone bruises all the time and sometimes they can crept up and take me out when everything else running wise is going great.
More Recap: Also last week we explore some hiking in Beartown State Park and Droop Mountain. We went to Marians moms side of the family reunion in Little Beaver State Park after the Saturday 5k. Sunday after running to Cass we explored Snowshoe and let me say it is BEAUTIFUL up there, it is like another world. I recommend people to check out this wild and wonderful county and go up to Showshoe for what feels like another world. It has been a Blast of a first week here, were set on getting out of Huntington into a area like this as soon as possible. Living is so much more peaceful and stress free and the sights and air is just out of this world. I feel like we our right now finally living in the "Real West Virginia!!"
Monday, July 7, 2008
Old Race Recaps......
Summer Motion 10k..Well workout wise got in a very solid run but effort wise it felt pretty tough. Truly based off effort it felt like low 31's which would have been faster than the Tempo pace I needed so looking back I probably ran too hard for the conditions. 98% humidity and a thickness in the air that made this one of the toughest workouts I have done. To think on a cool day just a week earlier I cruised slightly slower Marathon Pace for 7miles like I could run all day. Bottom line this workout makes me a lot stronger and I feel good afterwards!
Check out Tristateracer.com for the results and Pictures. Pat also did video interviews with Marian and me afterwards that were pretty neat.
We also got Awesome coverage from the Huntington Herald Dispatch and Ashland Newspaper. The HD article might be one of my favorites all-time for the meaning that article has for Marian and I. Please Check both out below:
Herald Dispatch(Great story and Pics)
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x2102942615/Husband-wife-win-Summer-Motion-10K
Ashland Newspaper(Great Story and Huge Front page Pic that's not online yet)
http://www.dailyindependent.com/localsports/local_story_187230216.html
TriStateRacer Video Link
http://www.tristateracer.com/Interviews/2008/SummerMotion10K7-5-08/JasonPyles.html
http://www.tristateracer.com/Interviews/2008/SummerMotion10K7-5-08/MarionPyles.html
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Crew Cummunity 5K Recap
*So much for dead legs, well actually they felt more dead this morning waking up and warming up then they had the previous 2 days. So in my head I was like "oh-no" will I even run mid 15:30s which even in Marathon building training I should usually handle when trying to run "hard" and not just showing up for some extra money. Anyways I warmed up with Pat Riley for a easy 25minutes before coming back for a few quick strides that didn't feel so quick.
The conditions turned out to be pretty good surprisely, I was expecting very hot/humid running so took my air-vented(with cuts) singlet for the race and it really wasn't needed on a 65degree and sunny morning. I have been helping David Bias with training the past 4 weeks since he ran 15:44 on this same course at the Bun Run. So I knew he was fit and in a 105mile planned week with dead legs I figured it was his race to take, I just wanted a faster paced workout. To my surprise I felt pretty good at the start and through the 2miles(9:55) I was "cruising" the effort there was no doubt about it. So knowing how effortless today was turning out to be I decided to throw down 3 very hard minutes and then just hold to the finish. I ended up covering the last mile in 4:40 before cruising in the last .1 and maybe giving back a few seconds which now I would like back. But I ended up with a 15:08 bettering my best time ever on that course from 2 years ago(15:17). I have ran this course many times and with the exception of the Bun Run 4 weeks ago when I bombed a 16:02 I have always been under 16's. I think this 15:08 is the 3rd fastest time ever on the course behind Eric Putnam(14:50?) and Casey Batey(14:55?). Bias hung on for a BIG ROAD PR OF 15:32! Picked up a nice big $100 cash but hey it provides some extra coffee trips to Starbucks..lol
Here is race results: http://www.tristateracer.com/Results/2008/August/CrweCommunity5K-Overall.htm
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The Cincinnati Reds hold a 5k every summer in which the winner gets to throw out the 1st pitch at one of their home games. I had known about this race for a few year's as my uncle had always told me I should go give it a try. My whole family has always been huge Reds fans, we made trips to games every summer. Some of those early trips growing up are still very clear to me. Like I remember being at a game when Eric Davis(my hero at the time) hit a grand slam or watching Rob Dibble warm up right in front of us in the bullpen so many more great memories.
Walking out to throw out 1st Pitch at Reds Game
Marian's long lost twin!
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*As for the Richmond Netelos 8k it went Great. It gave me exactly the feedback I wanted at this point and showed me I'm well on my way to sub 1:06 half in 10 weeks. The whole weekend was a blast with 12,000 runners in Richmond for the Marathon/8k races. There was roughly 6,000plus in the 8k alone. Last year the fastest 8k in the country was ran by a Kenyan at this race so it has the reputation of being a fast race with some of the best showing up to run it.
I was pumped for the race had even took 2 easy days before it to better recover and prepare to run a fast one. Race morning everything went pretty smoothly as my uncle and me hung ut in the Marriot Lobby right by the start line. My warmup of 20minutes felt pretty snappy and my legs felt to have a bounce. I was able to jump into the front of the pack behind the Kenyans elite start about 5minutes before the start which during a 30 degree morning(good for running bad for standing) worked out great. The first mile I ran with John Hinton who is one the top Master 1500/Miler in the country. Close to the Mile marker I asked him his goal and he said only 25:20's which jump started me into picking up my pace. I caught a group of 5 runners at the Mile in 5:03. The next pack was already well up on us at this point and I went straight to the lead of this pack and said to the guys lets go catch that pack. No one would help me lead during that 2nd mile and could feel that the pace wasn't very fast so I took off and left the group right before the 2mile which I hit in 5:02. Even though I was slow at this point I felt like I was jogging and wasteing a great day to test my limits so I picked up the effort to where I felt I was racing. I hit the 3rd and 4th miles(19:50s at 4miles) in 4;55's but still felt like it was a tempo run on ritter park. So there was a short incline to start the 5th mile and I decided I was going all out the last mile to really hit a time I would be happy with. So I just kept pushing and pushing that last mile, I pushed so hard I went through the line at full speed and could have kept going for another 1-2miles at a still fast pace. I hit the last mile in 4:36 to finish 12 overall...something I was very pumped up for being such a huge/fast race. My huge PR time was 24:34!!
*Happy with the result. Things have been clicking the last 2 years with improvement but this last 13 weeks things are just really going well. I think getting into a training program that is perfect for me and the lost of some major weight have been big keys!
*BTW my uncle that I was coaching to his debut Marathon at Richmond blasted through are goal and ran 2:56 at the age of 46!! Congrats David...I was more pumped for him then myself the whole rest of the day. We had a great weekend.
*8k Race Results http://www.usraceworks.com/marathon/default.aspx?searchType=R&selectedRank=25&selectedEvent=8k
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*Marshall University Marathon, Huntington WV. I called up the race director to see if I could get comp entry into the race to use it as a long tempo workout. Tom who has always been really good to me was more than glad to help me out. So I ran this race as a long tempo and long run, I logged 3miles of warmup and 3miles of cooldown to give me close to 20miles of running.
The event was really nice, very well organized. The Marshall XC team was working the intersections the first 3miles which was cool and the crowd support was crazy especially at the 3mile/9mile marks. So many "Go Jason's" on that course it was very much appreciated. Not many times you can go do a workout and have people cheering you on like that.
Anyways the workout went great. Was alone(how I like it) just cruising through my tempo the entire time. My plan was keeping it at 5:20pace(ultimate Marathon goal pace) and it went by so easily. I ended up hitting 1:09.28 which is a 5:18 pace. My fitness is a lot better than I thought. Especially with the long stuff, it's just want my body is made to run the best at. My spilts were all solid with alittle pickup the last 5k. I hit 5miles in 26:26 and 10miles in 52:54!! I then ran the last 5k in roughly 5:11-12pace to finish strong. Defintely jacked up with the run!
**I wasn't hitting my splits on the last 5k just knew what the total time was for what I thought was 3.1. I knew I was picking the pace up so when I figured out I was 5:11-12 miles I was happy but felt like I was running a lot harder. Well Tom alerted me later that the half course is actually 13.2, they do this so that they can use the same finish line for all the races without confusion. But makes more sense now, so I probably was running 5:03-5:05 pace the last 5k and total time would have been closer breaking 1:09. Not a bad day for 10miles at Tempo effort before starting to run hard!
*Here is race story(mainly on the Marathon winner) and a Pic fromt he start.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x116104081
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I plan over the next year to do quite a few looking back blogs to detail some of the past important times of my life. Today I want to look back not to long ago to the 2006 Chicago Marathon from last October 22nd. It was my 1st attempt at the Marathon distance my buildup for the race went close to perfect up til the last 4-6 weeks when some nagging injuries cut into some of my prime weeks for training. I lost out on some of the volume I would have perferred to have got in but my quality of workouts was able to stay strong. Some keys points were 2x5miles with 10min job recovery where I ran close to 26min flat on both tempo's, I had good leadup Longer Tempos like 8miles/10miles @ 5:20pace, I had one super long run of 2:35 minutes where I ran steady throughout the run so probably covered close to 24miles. The big thing I would have changed(other than the nagging injuries) would be a lot more Longer runs of 20plus miles and add in Marathon Pace Tempos in the 12-15mile range.
As for the race, it was a very cold windy/rainy day. Weather was one thing I knew i couldn't control and it was rough conditions for my debut. I went out slow and at about the 3mile mark started to pick it up and run. Started clicking off miles in the 5:20-5:25 range after the slow start. I hit the half at 1:12 feeling as though I was going to negative spilt and atleast get close to the 2:22 standard. Around 15miles I made my first major mistake and that was I broke from the gorup I had ran with the previous 12miles and picked up the pace hard, the huge problem with this was I made this move at a strech that was into the wind. I worked solo for the next 3miles and the wind/effort had a huge effect on me. At this point I was feeling the effects of another mistake, not taking in enough fluids/gels. At around mile 19 after a horrible last mile what was left of the group I left earlier came up on me and passed me. I tryed hard to hang with them for the next 1.5-2miles but at mile 21 I was cramping bad. The cramps(probably from not enough fluids) came on hard and fast. At that point even with falling off my fast pace the past 3miles, I was still on a 2:25 finishing time pace. But it was not to be I struggled in bigtime. I probably saw 100plus runners past me in that last 5.2miles of slogging(my term for slow jogging). I limped home while above my goal with a time of 2:31. The bright side is on a day like that with the conditions the way they were and the way I ran the furst 21miles it was defintely still an success. I finished 150th overall out of over 40,000 runners, like I said earlier though at one point was probably in the top 50 which in the largest/best mararthon in the world would have been HUGE! I'm now training hard waiting awhile for that next try at the Marathon and trust me I plan to nail it big when I do attempt it again!
Here is an email sent and forwarded to me from Mark Cruz who was coached by Coach Small at the University of South Carolina. Carlos as we call him was a huge help to me with great tips(start super slow) and a huge help to my dad as Cruz who is from Chicago lead him around the race to see me at 4-5 different spots:
Click on the link below and watch the interview ...about 2min into the interview they will start showing race finishers...look for Jason as he crosses the line in 2:31:30 or so.
Coach,
Pyles ran tough..in those conditions (18pmh winds and 35-40 degrees) a 2:31 is more like a 2:28 effort. He went out in 1:12 and s/d have came back in 1:14-1:16 but ... I think it is reasonable to say one would lose about 2-4min on the second half. When I ran 2:32 , I ran splits of 1:14 / 1:18.
Point is Jay u got a 2:26 in you and if I were u i would set that as my goal for 2007. I know it seems far off but u could probably get down to a 2:22 by the 2012 Trials. Just something to think about ... rest easy.
Cruz
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=27055@wbbm.dayport.com
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So as for the Reds 5k this summer it finally worked out where Marian and I were able to make the trip. We left the night before and stayed in a nice little town right outside Cincy. The next morning the race was a lot of fun and I was able to easily win in 15:15 on a somewhat slow course beating a 24:40 8k runner from University of Cincinnati. I basically ran way back for 2 miles and with a mile to go surged up the 300m long hill to hit the last mile in 4:46 and was able to cruise the last .1 which included running around the warning track. Marian and I went to the Zoo after the race which was a blast and capped off a great weekend.
A week later I got to go back and throw out the 1st pitch at the Reds/Angels game. A lot of Friends and family made the trip to watch the 1st pitch so it made for a good time. They showed video of my finish on the scoreboard which was funny because I must of pumped my fist during that last .1 about 100 times.
Walking out to throw out 1st Pitch at Reds Game
Marian's long lost twin!---------------------------------------------------------------
*As for the Richmond Netelos 8k it went Great. It gave me exactly the feedback I wanted at this point and showed me I'm well on my way to sub 1:06 half in 10 weeks. The whole weekend was a blast with 12,000 runners in Richmond for the Marathon/8k races. There was roughly 6,000plus in the 8k alone. Last year the fastest 8k in the country was ran by a Kenyan at this race so it has the reputation of being a fast race with some of the best showing up to run it.
I was pumped for the race had even took 2 easy days before it to better recover and prepare to run a fast one. Race morning everything went pretty smoothly as my uncle and me hung ut in the Marriot Lobby right by the start line. My warmup of 20minutes felt pretty snappy and my legs felt to have a bounce. I was able to jump into the front of the pack behind the Kenyans elite start about 5minutes before the start which during a 30 degree morning(good for running bad for standing) worked out great. The first mile I ran with John Hinton who is one the top Master 1500/Miler in the country. Close to the Mile marker I asked him his goal and he said only 25:20's which jump started me into picking up my pace. I caught a group of 5 runners at the Mile in 5:03. The next pack was already well up on us at this point and I went straight to the lead of this pack and said to the guys lets go catch that pack. No one would help me lead during that 2nd mile and could feel that the pace wasn't very fast so I took off and left the group right before the 2mile which I hit in 5:02. Even though I was slow at this point I felt like I was jogging and wasteing a great day to test my limits so I picked up the effort to where I felt I was racing. I hit the 3rd and 4th miles(19:50s at 4miles) in 4;55's but still felt like it was a tempo run on ritter park. So there was a short incline to start the 5th mile and I decided I was going all out the last mile to really hit a time I would be happy with. So I just kept pushing and pushing that last mile, I pushed so hard I went through the line at full speed and could have kept going for another 1-2miles at a still fast pace. I hit the last mile in 4:36 to finish 12 overall...something I was very pumped up for being such a huge/fast race. My huge PR time was 24:34!!
*Happy with the result. Things have been clicking the last 2 years with improvement but this last 13 weeks things are just really going well. I think getting into a training program that is perfect for me and the lost of some major weight have been big keys!
*BTW my uncle that I was coaching to his debut Marathon at Richmond blasted through are goal and ran 2:56 at the age of 46!! Congrats David...I was more pumped for him then myself the whole rest of the day. We had a great weekend.
*8k Race Results http://www.usraceworks.com/marathon/default.aspx?searchType=R&selectedRank=25&selectedEvent=8k
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*Marshall University Marathon, Huntington WV. I called up the race director to see if I could get comp entry into the race to use it as a long tempo workout. Tom who has always been really good to me was more than glad to help me out. So I ran this race as a long tempo and long run, I logged 3miles of warmup and 3miles of cooldown to give me close to 20miles of running.
The event was really nice, very well organized. The Marshall XC team was working the intersections the first 3miles which was cool and the crowd support was crazy especially at the 3mile/9mile marks. So many "Go Jason's" on that course it was very much appreciated. Not many times you can go do a workout and have people cheering you on like that.
Anyways the workout went great. Was alone(how I like it) just cruising through my tempo the entire time. My plan was keeping it at 5:20pace(ultimate Marathon goal pace) and it went by so easily. I ended up hitting 1:09.28 which is a 5:18 pace. My fitness is a lot better than I thought. Especially with the long stuff, it's just want my body is made to run the best at. My spilts were all solid with alittle pickup the last 5k. I hit 5miles in 26:26 and 10miles in 52:54!! I then ran the last 5k in roughly 5:11-12pace to finish strong. Defintely jacked up with the run!
**I wasn't hitting my splits on the last 5k just knew what the total time was for what I thought was 3.1. I knew I was picking the pace up so when I figured out I was 5:11-12 miles I was happy but felt like I was running a lot harder. Well Tom alerted me later that the half course is actually 13.2, they do this so that they can use the same finish line for all the races without confusion. But makes more sense now, so I probably was running 5:03-5:05 pace the last 5k and total time would have been closer breaking 1:09. Not a bad day for 10miles at Tempo effort before starting to run hard!
*Here is race story(mainly on the Marathon winner) and a Pic fromt he start.
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/x116104081
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I plan over the next year to do quite a few looking back blogs to detail some of the past important times of my life. Today I want to look back not to long ago to the 2006 Chicago Marathon from last October 22nd. It was my 1st attempt at the Marathon distance my buildup for the race went close to perfect up til the last 4-6 weeks when some nagging injuries cut into some of my prime weeks for training. I lost out on some of the volume I would have perferred to have got in but my quality of workouts was able to stay strong. Some keys points were 2x5miles with 10min job recovery where I ran close to 26min flat on both tempo's, I had good leadup Longer Tempos like 8miles/10miles @ 5:20pace, I had one super long run of 2:35 minutes where I ran steady throughout the run so probably covered close to 24miles. The big thing I would have changed(other than the nagging injuries) would be a lot more Longer runs of 20plus miles and add in Marathon Pace Tempos in the 12-15mile range.
As for the race, it was a very cold windy/rainy day. Weather was one thing I knew i couldn't control and it was rough conditions for my debut. I went out slow and at about the 3mile mark started to pick it up and run. Started clicking off miles in the 5:20-5:25 range after the slow start. I hit the half at 1:12 feeling as though I was going to negative spilt and atleast get close to the 2:22 standard. Around 15miles I made my first major mistake and that was I broke from the gorup I had ran with the previous 12miles and picked up the pace hard, the huge problem with this was I made this move at a strech that was into the wind. I worked solo for the next 3miles and the wind/effort had a huge effect on me. At this point I was feeling the effects of another mistake, not taking in enough fluids/gels. At around mile 19 after a horrible last mile what was left of the group I left earlier came up on me and passed me. I tryed hard to hang with them for the next 1.5-2miles but at mile 21 I was cramping bad. The cramps(probably from not enough fluids) came on hard and fast. At that point even with falling off my fast pace the past 3miles, I was still on a 2:25 finishing time pace. But it was not to be I struggled in bigtime. I probably saw 100plus runners past me in that last 5.2miles of slogging(my term for slow jogging). I limped home while above my goal with a time of 2:31. The bright side is on a day like that with the conditions the way they were and the way I ran the furst 21miles it was defintely still an success. I finished 150th overall out of over 40,000 runners, like I said earlier though at one point was probably in the top 50 which in the largest/best mararthon in the world would have been HUGE! I'm now training hard waiting awhile for that next try at the Marathon and trust me I plan to nail it big when I do attempt it again!
Here is an email sent and forwarded to me from Mark Cruz who was coached by Coach Small at the University of South Carolina. Carlos as we call him was a huge help to me with great tips(start super slow) and a huge help to my dad as Cruz who is from Chicago lead him around the race to see me at 4-5 different spots:
Click on the link below and watch the interview ...about 2min into the interview they will start showing race finishers...look for Jason as he crosses the line in 2:31:30 or so.
Coach,
Pyles ran tough..in those conditions (18pmh winds and 35-40 degrees) a 2:31 is more like a 2:28 effort. He went out in 1:12 and s/d have came back in 1:14-1:16 but ... I think it is reasonable to say one would lose about 2-4min on the second half. When I ran 2:32 , I ran splits of 1:14 / 1:18.
Point is Jay u got a 2:26 in you and if I were u i would set that as my goal for 2007. I know it seems far off but u could probably get down to a 2:22 by the 2012 Trials. Just something to think about ... rest easy.
Cruz
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=27055@wbbm.dayport.com
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*Great day to be a runner out on the roads today in Point Pleasant! Today was a special day as they held the first "Leah's Race 5k" in memory of Leah Hickman who was killed last year in Huntington. This race was started and coordinated by my uncle David that started planning 2 months ago with the goal of getting 50 runner/walkers and rising $1,000. Well for a first year event in a town not known for having races I think you could say this was a HUGE success as there was 215 registered and 156 finishers and the event raised $7,000 plus dollars to more then fund the scholarship in her name at Marshall.
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*As for the actually race, I went in at first thinking this would be a good faster paced workout. But then when I got there I saw Matt Boyles(Former NAIA All-American and sub 15minute 5Ker) who is currently the assistant coach at nearby University of Rio Grande. The temperature at the start was a very cold 17 degrees which effects fast running but when you warm up right you can cut down on the effects somewhat and I think I did a really good job with that. Right after a very inspirational prayer by Matt Boyles we were off with the start of the gun. I was on the right side of the road looking to go out steady and ease into things with hopes of a really fast finish. But on the other side of the road Matt shot out really quick, I quickly surged hard or I would have been left early. The course had a short loop with a short quick incline that brought you back to Main Street for what was then a out and back section. The first loop seemed like we were rolling but it felt smooth, by the time we were on Main Street and running towards the 1st mile Matt held the lead on me as I hit the split in 4:53 which felt sort of good but sort of tough since I have only did 2-3 base type workouts the past few weeks. The 2nd mile was definitely the slowest as we both sort of settled into the race and talked a little bit to each other at that point and hit the split together in 9:55(5:01) but shortly after he made another move into the lead which he held most of Main Street. I was starting to hurt at this point mainly from not being use to faster paced running in quite a while and was just hanging on. The thing that helped me the most was all the people we passed that were yelling for us. With maybe 500m to go I made a push to pass him with a hard surge that I held into the final turn and heard that I had 20 meters on him from my dad, I split a 4:52 3rd mile and then cruised/coasted on burning legs for the last .1 with a 31 for a official total time of 15:20. Matt came in a few ticks back at 15:23. We both accomplished race wise what was a very encouraging result for this time of the year. This was a result that without him there to race would have just been me there running hard but nothing this in this range, so the day was running wise a huge success as well.
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*Marian had a nice rust-buster in the middle of what has already been some very good base building weeks as she ran 18:25 pushing herself hard so we could get a gauge to where she was at the time was good enough for a 6th place finish overall, I also had Ty Duling come run the race as the end of a hard week of training workout in prep for his attack at sub 16:45 in 2 weeks at his peak race and he came out strong with a 17:22 and solid 3rd place finish. So them like many other people I talked to came out with very solid days. I think for the most part everyone liked the course my uncle put together especially knowing it was a well wheeled/marked course makes runners very happy in first year events!
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*Training wise I'm a head of where I would have thought I was, but like I said in last weeks training blog something clicked mentally last Friday in a tempo run at Johnstown Road that I haven't had happen in a while. The hunger is really strong to run very fast this spring, and to be 15:20 today on a 17degree day where I have only Tempo's, Strides, Hilly Runs under my belt the past 2 weeks makes me know that previous build that didn't result in a Marathon that I wanted while result in something way bigger come March-April-May if I keep my training smart and hit my cycles healthy.
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*I have made this blog very long now for what turned out to just be a really good fitness test 5k but I really can't explain how much fun the day was not only getting to push the body hard in a race but getting to talk to so many caring, good people! As most probably don't know due to the fact I never talk about it I lost a sister while I was in high school to a car accident so today not only had a great purpose to honor Leah as we raced it also was a way inside myself to enjoy the day and honor my own sister, the day carried over to a early-thanksgiving dinner at my parents house since we will be gone next week which just seemed to top the whole day off as a great day!
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*I have received many more emails and messages today wishing me good luck. All these nice messages are actually making me finally feel "nervous", but I know everyone that writes me is wishing me well no matter how the race unfolds!
But one of the emails was from Pat Riley who created and runs the website TriStateRacer.Com. He has built an awesome website that is "Your One-Stop Site for All Things Racing in the Tri-State" His site has really brought a lot of attention back into road racing and getting people active in the tri-state area. You can see how races in this area are growing and how people are really talking about "TriStateRacer" as the place where they are getting all their information! Pat also is getting ready for his first Marathon on Novmeber 2nd at the Marshall Marathon in Huntington and he is going to be ready to roll.
Here is a interview/article he wrote up from some questions he asked me about in his email to me and put up today on his site: http://www.tristateracer.com/New_Folder/News/2008/October/LocalRunnerJasonPylesCompetesinUSAMarathonChamps.htm
But one of the emails was from Pat Riley who created and runs the website TriStateRacer.Com. He has built an awesome website that is "Your One-Stop Site for All Things Racing in the Tri-State" His site has really brought a lot of attention back into road racing and getting people active in the tri-state area. You can see how races in this area are growing and how people are really talking about "TriStateRacer" as the place where they are getting all their information! Pat also is getting ready for his first Marathon on Novmeber 2nd at the Marshall Marathon in Huntington and he is going to be ready to roll.
Here is a interview/article he wrote up from some questions he asked me about in his email to me and put up today on his site: http://www.tristateracer.com/New_Folder/News/2008/October/LocalRunnerJasonPylesCompetesinUSAMarathonChamps.htm
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