BROKEN RULES

I’ve always said that my body doesn’t necessarily follow the man-made 7 day week. Often it’s convenient to break our training into 7-day cycles or multiples thereof – for example, the approach to building a base that I mentioned in my last post. I have had success with building for 3 weeks before backing off for a week. However, lately my body, actually probably more so, my mind, is telling me I need to back off. Now!


Could I make it through till Sunday before backing off? Yeah, probably. But I’m also reminded of a few things; 1) it’s still early February, 2) I just ran a half marathon 1.5 weeks ago, 3) I’ve been building rather steadily since the end of November, and 4) as one of my old/wise training partners said on Saturday, you gotta have patience.

So what are the signs that I need a break? Like I mentioned yesterday, that I was first day where I felt like I needed a break. Then today I scheduled a tempo run. Throughout the workout I gradually talked myself into doing a shorter and shorter tempo. I started by thinking that I wouldn’t go as fast as last time, but I’d do 6 miles instead of 5. Then I thought, what if I just do the same pace as last time but only do 4 miles? Finally, I settle on running slightly faster (6:48 pace), but for only 3 miles.

One of the axioms of the Endless Season approach to training is staying in control of your workouts. I feel like I broke that rule today because as I kept shortening the distance of my tempo, I kept telling myself I had to go faster. By the end, it felt like I was just throwing myself along the treadmill as I tried to make up for cutting the workout short.

With all that going on, I’m going to begin my cutback “week” now and enjoy a few easy days before ratcheting things back up.

Quote of the Day;

"I did something risky today. I didn't have a rust-buster. I went straight from heavy aerobic work in Monument (Colorado) at 7000 feet, and I tried to just come down and race fast. Whether you're in middle school or high school, that's what it looks like when somebody dies in a race." – Jenny Simpson, after going out with the leaders last weekend at the New Balance 3000m

PAY OFF

Typically, while building my mileage in the past, I’d increase my mileage by about 5 MPW for three weeks in a row and then cut back for a week. And then I’d repeat that pattern over and over. I remember reading somewhere that Jack Daniels recommended picking a level and maintaining it for three straight weeks before doing a cutback week. Then increase your mileage and hold that for three weeks again. I thought I would try that approach this time around. Right now I’m on my third week of hovering around 60-64 MPW.

Other things I’m working on include building my mid-week medium-long run (right now I’m at 12), bumping my long run (right now that’s at 14) and adding 1 to 2 double days per week.

Today was the first day in awhile where I did not want to get out the door. Even with 8 hours of sleep last night, I felt pretty tired. I convinced myself to just go out for a very easy 5 miles. Of course, once I got started I was fine. I’m planning on a tempo run tomorrow, so hopefully today’s run will pay off tomorrow.

Finally, be sure to check out my latest interview with Michelle Frey.

Quote of the Day;

“For me the end all be all is not the Olympics. It’s running PRs, having a blast meeting the girls to run and do workouts, and winning races like the City Of Lakes 25k or Get in Gear. I’m excited to run many more good marathons, and if that qualifies me for 2016 and I finish in the top 10 or 20, that’s fantastic. But I’m pretty realistic, I’m not going to spend the next 4 years thinking about what I need to do to make an Olympic team.” – Michelle Frey

FAKE IT

I mentioned using a journal (which is different from my training log) and setting new goals each month. I’m not sure if the journal is the reason, but I will say that I seem to have more motivation than I’ve had in a long time. I’ve always said that you can’t fake motivation. It just doesn’t work that way. I don’t know how you get/stay motivated, but I know you can’t fake it.


After a race like a half marathon, I tend to wait a week to a week and a half before doing a hard workout. With that in mind, my goal this week has been to get in another 60 mile week. I’m one 12 miler away from achieving that.

One thing that has worked for me in the past is including a mid-week medium-long run. I’ve always said, when I can pump out a two hour run in the middle of the week without even thinking about it, then I’m getting fit. And if that two hour run happens to be a hilly trail run, that’s even better. In December, I had a bunch of 10 mile trail runs in the middle of each week. Now that we have a little snow, I decided to focus on distance this Wednesday rather than worrying about running a hilly route. I was able to make it 12 miles on the pancake flat Greenway trail.

While I don’t like to do hard workouts too soon after a half marathon, I didn’t have any problems running some hill repeats this morning. I like to run my hill repeats in more of a bounding manner where I focus on pumping my arms and driving my knees. This method means I’m going up the hill rather slowly, so I never get my heart rate up too high. That’s why I don’t consider this morning’s workout “hard”. Typically, I don’t do strides much in the winter due to the cold and the snowy paths. This morning I took advantage of the dry pavement and included strides after each hill repeat.

I’ve been kicking around the idea of jumping in an indoor 3K this Sunday, but I haven’t decided yet. I may just wait 2 more weeks and jump in an indoor 5K.

Quote of the Day;

“It doesn’t get any easier, you just go faster.” – Greg Lemond

DOUBLE WHAMMY

Prior to the new year, I purchased one of Lauren Fleshman’s training journals. Sure, it’s designed with women in mind, but what the hell. I thought it’d be a good tool to help me set some goals as I rededicate myself to racing this year.


At the beginning of the journal there’s a spot to write your goals for the year. In addition, there’s a spot to write down your goals for each month. Prior to January I wrote the following;

Build on December’s training by maintaining 45-60 MPW. 230 miles total.

Continue running weekly intervals, tempos, and build my long run to 2 hours.

Get my weight under 155 lbs, but the end of the month.

Run at least 1 of the 2 MDRA Grand Prix events during the month.

Well, now that January is in the books, how did I do?

My weekly totals for the month were 55, 44, 50 and 60. I ended up with 231 miles.

I ran one interval session, hill repeats once and 2 tempo runs. My long run only topped out at 1:45.

I usually only weigh myself on Saturdays. Last Saturday I was at 156 lbs.

I actually ran both Grand Prix races during the month. That means I’ve already run more races in 2012 than I did in 2011.

Overall I’m pretty happy with my progress. My biggest focus in February is going to be my weight. I’m happy that I’m down from 158 lbs, but typically, I race best around 148 lbs. I bet my friend Eric has some formula for how much 1 pound slows you down per mile. I think he’s told me it’s like 1 second per mile per pound. So if I’m carrying around 8 extra pounds for 13 miles, that’s nearly 2 minutes.

Another thing I have to work on is getting in my intervals. Looking at my past history, I’ve run my best races off of my highest mileage months. The last time I can remember being really fit is the spring of 2007. That spring I ran 17:52 (5K), 29:33 (8K), 37:47 (10K), 1:21:49 (half), and 2:57:29 (marathon). Looking at my training leading up to those races, I averaged 276 miles per month for the previous 11 months. I’m a little worried that if I don’t include my intervals, I’m not going to be doing anything different than in the past, except running lower mileage. That’s a double whammy.

Anyway, I do like where I’m at right now. In the past I’ve trained hard all winter and then run great in March and April – only to be sick of running by June. I’m trying to take a different approach and see if I can run better later in the year.

Quote of the Day;

“Running tells us the good news about ourselves!” – Dr. George Sheehan

WINTER CARNIVAL RACE REPORT

The short version of my Winter Carnival half marathon is that I basically ran 7:10s to the turn around point just passed mile 7 and then ran 6:50s the final 6 miles to finish in 1:32:27.

When I was thinking about this race last week, I had it in my head that I'd run conservative (7:10 - 7:15 pace) for the first 3 miles and then run 7:00 pace for the last 10.  That would put me at 1:32:20.  While the end result was pretty close, the course and the conditions did not lend themselves to that kind of pacing today. 

For the most part, the course is out and back on Shepard Road in St. Paul.  There are a lot of rolling hills, which are mostly uphill on the way out.  And this year we had a steady headwind on the way out too.  So even though I went through 3 miles at 7:11 pace, I knew there was no way I'd be able to drop down to 7:00 pace until we hit the turn around.  Basically, I just bidded my time and kept clicking off 7:10ish miles through mile 7.

Once I hit the turn around I was ready to pick up the pace and pass everyone in front of me.  Of course, everyone else was thinking the same thing too.  So while I was able to pass a handful of people during the second half, let it be known that I did not pass everyone.  And I don't think anyone passed me until the final mile when I was just ready to be done.

Once we did turnaround, I couldn't wait to get to mile 8 to get some feedback and see whether or not the change of direction was helping.  Of course, I knew it was, but I wanted to know how much.  Was I only running 7:00 pace, which would make 1:32 out of the question, or was I running the 6:50s I needed to get back on 1:32 pace?  So when I hit mile 8 in 6:49, it as a relief.  I passed mile 9 in 7:21 and immediately knew it was long, so I figured 10 would be short.  Sure enough, I went through 10 in 6:22.  That means those averaged out to 6:51s. 

I'm not sure if 11 was short (6:37) and 12 was long (6:57) or if I just pushed too hard during mile 11 and paid for it during mile 12.  I do know that that's a possibility because during mile 11 I was running with a guy that had his headphones just blaring.  Based on his breathing, I knew he was working pretty hard.  At one point he started to cough/hack/spit and I took the opportunity to pick it up a little and get some separation.

At mile 12 I knew I had about 7:30 to get under 1:32.  I thought I could make it but I forgot about the steep climb up Jackson street heading back into downtown St. Paul and the subsequent half mile that still remains after that. 

In the end, I'm pretty happy with this race.  Of course, when I look at the results it's easy to say I should beat him and him and her.  But I have to keep my ego in check.  I have to remember where I was 4 months ago, remember that I basically didn't race all of last year, remember that it's only January, and remember to keep striving to improve.

In my last post I gave Steve and Mike a hard time for sand bagging their goals. I bet they'd both run sub-1:25.  I admit I was wrong, but they both were within 1-2 seconds per mile of running sub-1:25. 

I based my predictions for them, and me, off of Daniels's VDOT chart. Using this chart and my Meet of Miles time, my VDOT falls squarely between 49 and 50.  If I look at the half marathon column, Daniels predicts 1:33:12 for a VDOT of 49 and 1:31:35 for a VDOT of 50.  If you split the two in half you get 1:32:23, which is pretty dang close to my final time.

SAND BAGGING

I'm #1, I'm #1...

Er, I mean, I'm #56, I'm #56, I'm #56!  At least that's what Rick Kimbal says in his list of the top 100 running blogs.  I didn't even realize there were still 100 running blogs out there.  Things were a lot different when I started this thing back in 2005.  It seemed like a really small community and every blogger seemed to follow every other blogger out there.  Seven years later I have no idea whatever happened to most of those bloggers.  Out of Rick's top 100, Andrew is the only other blog that I recognized.

I'm about 13 hours from the Winter Carnival Half Marathon.  I know a couple of sand baggers that posted their goals for the race, so I thought I'd put my goals down on "paper" too.  Based on my Meet of Miles time, my age graded % says I should be able to run 1:31:13.  Keep in mind the Meet of Miles is run indoors, which equals no wind, a flat surface, and minimal apparel.  Considering that and the fact that I haven't run more than 12 miles for months, I'm going to throw in a little sand and shoot for sub-1:32.  On a great day a sub-1:30 may be possible.

I'm giving Steve and Mike a hard time about their predictions because they were both at the Meet of Miles too and they were like 60 and 40 seconds ahead of me, respectively.  And both of them are talking about running like 1:28 tomorrow and maybe 1:25 on a great day.  I'm betting they'll both break 1:25.

Quote of the day;

"You only ever grow as a human being if you're outside your comfort zone." - Percy Cerutty

TRAINING UPDATE

I’ve been so focused on the Trials that I haven’t written much about my own running lately.


My official Meet of Miles results came in and they had me at 5:53 instead of the 5:51 I had. With this year’s goals being all about improving as the year goes on, I thought I’d also track my age graded %. The one mile results calculate to right around 68%. I can’t remember ever being below 70%, so I have some work to do.

Before leaving for Houston I squeezed in a 4 mile tempo run at 6:54 pace. That was the first time I dipped under 7:00-pace this training cycle, so that was encouraging. Last Friday I followed that up with 5 miles at 6:53 pace. So things seem to be going in the right direction.

This new “Endless Season” approach emphasizes alternating short and long intervals every week. That’s one thing I haven’t been very good about incorporating. I did an okay job in December when the weather was still nice, but I went from December 26th to January 24th between interval workouts. In my defense, the meet of miles was on January 9th.

In any case, this morning I did 4 x 1 mile at my 10K pace with ½ mile jog in between. The workout actually called for five mile repeats, but I stopped after four because 1) it was my first such workout and I was more concerned with easing into it and 2) I’m running a half marathon on Saturday and don’t want to be trashed. Those seemed like good enough reasons at the time.

Mileage-wise I’ve been hovering between 50-60 MPW, but dropped to 40 during my trip to Houston. I have thoughts of going higher, but I keep reminding myself that the “Endless Season” is about consistency and mixing in speed and tempos. I’m just afraid if I creep up much higher, the workouts will fall from my program.

I will say that while I love to ski, I really needed a winter like this where I can focus on getting back into running shape – especially after my foot injury. If we would have had enough snow to ski on, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be running as much, which would delay me regaining my running fitness even further.

Quote of the Day;

"Then I heard I finished in 10th place and that was pretty exciting, and someone told me I won $4,000, too. But I don’t care about the money. That will go away, but the time never will.” - Jimmy Grabow, 10th at the Olympic Trials Marathon

HOUSTON RECAP

That sound you hear is me recovering from Houston. For a running geek like me, it was an awesome weekend. Of course, the Olympic Trials races were the highlights, but here are a few other cool things I got to do;


Actually have fun at an Expo, rather than just pick up my bib and leave.
Drink beer about five feet from Brian Sell on Friday night.
Attend the post-race press conferences.
Drink beer with the most knowledgeable person in the sport that I know, Sean Hartnett.
Watch more friends run on Sunday.
Hang out with a ton of cool Minnesotans.
I won't mention anything about watching the Packer game.

It turns out Hall’s prediction of needing to run 2:09 to make the team were spot-on. I have to admit, I did not see four Americans running sub-2:10.

Overall, I think my predictions were okay. I entered the letruns.com prediction contest and here are my pick, along with their actual place.

MEN

1) Hall – 2nd
2) Gotcher – 5th
3) Lehmkuhle – 18th
4) Hartmann – 32nd
5) Meb – 1st
6) Arciniaga – 8th
7) Smyth – 22nd
8) Vaugh – DNF
9) Carlson – 6th
10) Gabrielson – DNF

WOMEN

1) Davila – 2nd
2) Flanagan – 1st
3) Hastings – 4th
4) Kastor – 6th
5) Cherobon-Bawcom - 5th
6) McGregor – 11th
7) Lewy-Boulet – 10th
8) Rothstein - DNF
9) Pritz - DNF
10) Peyton – DNF

Given the high stakes involved with finishing in the top-3, I think it’s fair to say that someone’s finish place in the trials doesn’t always represent their level of fitness. For example, Minnesotans Katie McGregor and Jason Lehmkuhle have finished 4th and 5th at the last trials. So there’s really no incentive for them to be conservative and worry about placing as high as possible – if that means not making the top-3. They are left with a go-for-broke game plan, which more often than not results in a late race meltdown. With that said, I was extremely happy to see both of them “Get after it!” as Carrie Tollefson would say. Even if it ultimately meant that they faded to 11th and 18th, respectively. With a conservative approach Lehm probably would have finished 5th, while McGregor would have been around 7th or 8th.

A couple of other things worth mentioning. Congrats to Michelle Frey who finished 22nd in 2:37:03. That wasn’t a PR, but she hasn’t run that fast since probably 2006 when her 2:35:51 landed her on the cover of Runner’s World. Congrats to Nichole Porath for her shiny new PR, 2:44:12. On the men’s side, one of the best performances of the weekend goes to Andrew Carlson who debuted with a 2:11:24 (7th fastest debut ever by an American). That was good enough for 6th place. And congrats to Mike Reneau who placed 20th in 2:14:37, a PR by 2:08. Other Minnesotans, Donovan Fellows, Chris Erichsen, Joe Moore, and Justin Grunewald also PR’d. Finally, after the race, Luke Watson announced his retirement. Congrats to him on a great career.

Enough of my babbling, here’s the latest Run Junkie



Quote of the Day;

"We figured I'd run 5:30s for the first 20 miles, then cut it down to 5:20s or 5:15s. Get into that uncomfortable range. One thing I've learned is the race really starts at the last 10-K. I want to get to that point as comfortably as possible. Then you've got to do something to force the race to go your way." – Desi Davila after this year’s Boston Marathon

WOMEN'S PREDICTIONS

Still lots of great stuff on the Trials being posted. Letsrun.com has posted a men’s preview along with another article for their ten long shots. It’s nice to see some Minnesotans (and a former Team Minnesota runner) on those lists. They also put out their women’s preview.
Unfortunately, I’m not going to have time to write up my picks for the top 10 women. So I’ll just give my top 3 along with others to watch. Like everyone else, I can’t see how Desi Davila and Shalane Flanagan don’t make the team. I’m not sure who takes first place, but I’m going to have to go with Desi. That puts Flanagan second and I’ll round out the podium with Amy Hastings. For some reason I think Kara Goucher will have an off day and perhaps decide to save herself for the track. Like Mo Trafeh on the men’s side, Janet Cherobon-Bawcom scares the hell out of me. And I’m definitely not counting out Deena Kastor.

Of course, I’d love to see Team Minnesota’s Katie McGregor make the team, but she’s going to need to have her A game, and then some. Here’s a video of her as she talks about finishing 4th at the last two Trials at 10,000m.



Quote of the Day;

"If it’s a slow-paced race, like 2:28 to 2:30 pace, then the door opens for more people, and you could see 10 to 12 women in the hunt at halfway. If it goes out at 2:24 to 2:26 pace, then that number gets reduced by 50 percent.” – Terrence Mahon

MUST SEE

I’m trying to get around to posting my women’s predictions, but every time I sit down at the computer I end up watching a bunch of videos and reading a bunch of blogs regarding the Trials.

For example, here’s a “must see” video of the Team MN guys.


Marathon Road from Paul Sanft on Vimeo.

And Run Junkie is back with their first episode of the year. Of course, much of it is about the Trials.

Watch more video of Run Junkie on flotrack.org

And here’s a nice write-up by Toni Reavis regarding the women’s field.

I’m so looking forward to this race. With all the pre-race coverage it’s really hard to decipher who’s really fit and who’s trying to convince themselves that their really fit. Not that I have to worry about it, but if I were in this race, I don’t think I’d look online or read emails for the month leading up to the event.

A few quick comments on my own running; Official results put me at 5:53 for the mile. Surprisingly, nothing is sore from that race, although my legs were pretty tired this morning. Right now I’m sticking around the 50-55 MPW range – the last 3 weeks have been 54, 50 and 55.

Quote of the Day;

"Running is just you, the work you put in, and the clock. You can't cheat yourself. If you don't put in the miles, you can't go to the starting line thinking you're going to pull a miracle out of nowhere. You get out exactly as much as you put in." – Desi Davila

OUTSIDE THE NORM

Along with my new "Endless Season" approach to 2012, I've also decided to mix up other aspects of my training and racing.  For example, in the past I've avoided lots of racing either because I wasn't in shape or the race didn't "fit" into the marathon buildup I was doing at the time.  And if I did race it was usually 8K races or longer with maybe one or two 5Ks per year.  It's easy to say (and think) you're going to mix things up, but until you actually do, it's just talk. 

Well, last night I actually followed through by jumping in the Meet of Miles - an indoor track race at the U of M Fieldhouse.  Basically, it's a night of 1 mile heats and you just sign up for the appropriate heat based on the time you think you'll run.  Signing up for this was way outside of the norm for me.  I haven't raced indoors since 1996 and I don't think I've run a mile since 1987. 

When I got there, I really had no idea what heat to sign up for.  I've been basing all my Endless Season workouts off a Jack Daniels' VDOT of 48, which equates to a 6:03 mile, 20:39 5K, 42:50 10K, 1:34:53 half and 3:17 marathon.  So I initially signed up for the 6:00 - 6:30 heat - even though I was eyeballing the 5:45 - 6:00 heat sheet.  I told a buddy what heat I was in and he rolled his eyes.  I eventually went back and signed up for the faster heat instead.

I had 3 goals for this race; 1) don't get injured, 2) run controlled and 3) earn some points in the first MDRA Grand Prix race of the year.  And, of course, work towards one of my overall goals for the year, regain a love of racing.

I'm happy to report that I achieved all those goals as I ended up running around 5:51 or 5:52.  I didn't take any splits so I don't have any details.  I just know it was a lot more fun than I thought it would be - kind of makes me want to plan for an indoor track season with some 3 and 5K races.  But I'd better not get ahead of myself.

As I've mentioned before, one of the keys to the Endless Season is to run at the correct speed for each type of workout you're doing. With last night's race, now I have a better idea of what those paces should be. My time corresponds with a VDOT of 50 which equates to 19:57 for 5K, 41:21 for 10K, 1:31:35 half, and 3:10 marathon. Now that I have a benchmark, I can look to improve upon those times throughout the year.



Quote of the day;

"While there is nothing glorious about the way I’ve ended up committed to running – not yet anyhow - there is the possibility that come January 14 I’ll be able to perform at a level that pays homage to and says something powerfully rich about the people I’ve been fortunate enough to call training partners, coaches, and friends." - Patrick Smyth

MEN'S PREDICTIONS

First off, if you read nothing else today, be sure to check out Runner’s World’s interview with Terrence Mahon. He offers some great insight into next weekend’s races.


Ever since I posted my Trials Preview a few weeks ago, I’ve been meaning to write a prediction segment as well. I thought I could just sit down and hammer out my predictions for the top three in each race. It seems easy enough to pick Hall, Ritz and Meb for the men and Davila, Goucher, and Flanagan for the women. However, things rarely go as planned with marathon training or the race itself, so picking the top-3 is not as easy as it sounds.

I began by narrowing each field to 17-18 runners that I think will be in the mix. Obviously, that’s still too many. Today I’ll try to narrow down the men’s side even further and eventually pick my top 3. In order to do this, I applied a few broad-sweeping exclusions. First, the guys had to run 2:12 or better. While it’s not impossible to go from 2:18 to 2:12, it’s not likely either. Second, I’ve excluded guys that have never run a marathon. That includes names like Galen Rupp, Mo Trafeh, Andrew Carlson, and Patrick Smyth. Obviously, all four of those guys have the talent to make the team, but I think making your debut at the trials puts you at a disadvantage. That leaves me with 8 guys to review below.

Here are the guys that should be in the top-10;

Ed Moran, ran a solid debut (2:11:46) at the 2011 NYC Marathon. But that means the first-timer has to recover, train and taper in just 10 weeks. I think that’s too much to ask.

Nick Archiniaga, has run 2:11:30, 2:11:48 and 2:13:46. I thought about picking him for my top-3, but his recent blog raised a couple of red flags. He talks about just now getting excited and gaining confidence. For me, I’ve run my best when I’m able to build my confidence over a long stretch. Two weeks doesn’t seem long enough to me, but maybe that’s normal for him.

Jason Hartmann, has run 2:11:06 and 2:12:09. I definitely think he has a shot at top-3, but I going to say top-5 is more likely.

Dathan Ritzenhein, at 29 years old, he’s already looking to make his third Olympic team. I’m a big fan of Ritz, but he basically missed all of 2011 due to Achilles surgery and complications. I think that may be too much to overcome. He’s one of the few guys in the field that could also make the team in the 5,000m or 10,000m. If he’s having a bad race he may save himself for the track.

Meb Keflezighi, his qualifying performances are amazing, especially considering he’s 36 years old; 2:09:13, 2:09:15, 2:09:21, 2:09:26 and 2:11:38. Like Moran, he ran at NYC too. I just don’t think that’s enough time to recover. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Meb proved me wrong.

And here’s my podium;

Brett Gotcher, although he’s only run one marathon, his 2:10:36 at the 2010 Houston Marathon was the 4th fastest debut by an American. He ran really well at the TC-10 mile and Archiniaga mentioned sticking with him for 1K repeats until the last one when Gotcher beat him by 13 seconds.

Jason Lehmkuhle, he’s this year’s Brian Sell – someone who gets close at the previous trials, sticks with it for 4 more years and then makes the team. He finished 5th in 2007 and has run 2:12:34, 2:13:40, and 2:14:39 since then. He’s smart, patient, and experienced. Plus, all the reports coming from the river roads are very encouraging.

Ryan Hall, the top three qualifying times and 5 of the top 10. Other than injury, I can’t think of a single scenario where this guy doesn’t make the team.

If you’re interested in reading some other articles, check out a list of underdogs ,11 guys to watch, and 12 runners to watch.

I’d love to hear what everyone else out there thinks. Who are your favorites and your dark horses?

I’ll share my women’s picks soon.

Quote of the Day;

“There are only one or two guys capable of going sub-2:10 [at the Trials]. Ryan and Meb. You have to remember that this isn’t a paced race, and I don’t see anyone running their lights out in the first half. It’s likely to just build slowly, with a 65 or 66 for the first half. From there, you’ve got to come back with at 63 or 64 to run sub-2:10. Not a lot of people can do that… In the Trials, it’s the smart, experienced runner who often nabs the open spot.” – Terrence Mahon

NO WONDER

First off, be sure to check out this video of the Team Minnesota guys training for the trials.


Watch more video of USA Olympic Marathon Trials 2012 Houston on flotrack.org


Then read Matt’s latest thoughts.

This new program has me alternating between short and long intervals each week. I mentioned that my ½ mile repeats felt a lot easier than my ¼ mile repeats. I attributed that to 1) being more used to slower stuff and 2) getting a little more fit. The real reason they felt easier is because they were supposed to be 1 mile repeats at the pace I was running. So, it’s no wonder they felt easier.

Yesterday I relearned a couple of valuable lessons. First, running speed workouts outside in January in Minnesota is not easy. I thought I’d be able to do my mile repeats when it was 11 degrees at 6 AM, on a somewhat slippery trail. I talked myself out of them telling myself I’d run them the next day. Second, don’t rely on using the treadmills at work to do your key workouts – especially not right after the New Year. The Resolutionists will always show up this time of year and there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get in the workout you want. With that in mind, I’m trying to remind myself that it’s only January. If I skip or postpone an interval session, it’s not the end of the world. At this point it’s more important to maintain consistency and build on my December by putting in some solid mileage.

Speaking of December, I ended up running 28 of 31 days for 206 miles. I think that’s pretty solid given that my previous months were 17, 4, 92, 46 and 68. The last 2 month’s included a lot of roller skiing, but not much running. As you can guess, my mileage for the year really low. I closed with 1,544 miles. That’s my lowest total since 2003 when I was training for an Ironman.

Quote of the Day;

“I, for one, think that I am in the best fitness of my life including the few times I thought that I couldn’t get much fitter and went on to run 13:30 for 5000m. Even last June when I put together a 2:13 marathon, I wondered how I could gain the next 1% needed for a huge jump to that 2:11 give or take range; I’m not wondering how, but when. And that’s all good and exciting and everything.” – Matt Gabrielson

YEAR IN REVIEW

I wasn't planning on putting this type of post together, but got the idea from my sister-in-law.  I think it's a good idea to look back on the year to what you accomplished and what you wish you would have done.  Here's a look back at 2011 for me.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Travelled to Arizona and Brainerd, MN, took a Disney cruise.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Not sure if I made any specific resolutions in 2011. So, if I did, I’m guessing I didn’t keep them. I’m not making any resolutions in 2012, but I am going to come up with some specific running goals for the year. Things I can work towards and be held accountable for.

3. What is the most interesting new place you visited?

The Grand Canyon.

4. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

I’d like to rediscover a love of racing, especially shorter stuff. I only did 2 races in 2011, Birkie and Grandma’s Marathon.

5. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March - it was the first time the girls’ and Amy’s spring break lined up, so we went on a Disney cruise to Florida and Mexico.

May – double crossing of the Grand Canyon (R2R2R).

August – first trip to Brainerd area.

December – overnight trip to Duluth, including skiing at Spirit Mountain, which was Katie’s first time skiing.

6. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Running the Grand Canyon.

7. What was your biggest failure?

Not sure I’d call it a failure, but not getting all the way to the north rim still bugs me a little.

8. Did you suffer illness or injury?

After R2R2R my right knee bothered me more than ever. Then in October my right foot swelled up. Between the two injuries there was a 5 month stretch where I only ran about 180 miles, total.

9. What was the best thing you bought?

We remodeled our lower level by ripping down a wall and opening up the house, along with new cabinets, countertops, lighting and flooring.

10. Where did most of your money go?

Remodeling project.

11. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

R2R2R and installing the new floor by myself.

12. What song will always remind you of 2011?

I listened to Disturbed’s Indestructable and Façade a lot while training for the Grand Canyon.

13. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) the same, b) fatter – need to lose 8-10 pounds to get to my ‘fighting weight’, c) poorer on paper due to the remodeling.

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Taking pictures, reading, listening to new music, interviewing more local runners, learning something new.

15. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Procratinating. Playing meaningless video games.

16. What was your favorite TV program?

I don’t want much TV any more. When I do, it’s usually something on either the Discovery or History channels, like Pawn Stars, American Restoration, American Pickers, Storage Wars.

17. What was the best book you read?

I didn’t read nearly enough in 2011, but two of my favorites were both written by Laura Hillenbrand, Seabiscuit and Unbroken.

18. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Not sure I discovered anything musically in 2011. Although it is neat to see Katie start piano lessons and Kinsey take up the clarinet.

19. What was your favorite film of this year?

I don’t even remember if Amy and I went to a non-kids’ movie or not during the year.

20. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 42, but I don’t remember what we did. Probably ordered pizza.

23. What kept you sane?

This year, roller skiing kept me sane while I couldn’t run.

24. What’s the best thing you learned in 2011?

I’m a runner. Even though I spent much of the year doing P90X, taking spin classes or roller skiing, it all comes back to running for me.

TRULY AMAZING

After my last post, I came up with one more unbelievable thing. The Timberwolves are actually fun to watch. At least they were in their first game. Last night was brutal. I was about to get on the Ricky Rubio bandwagon, but I’m going to wait a little bit. While he’s fun to watch in the open court, he’s pretty unspectacular in the half court game.  And his defense needs some work.  But with him, Love, Williams,etc., they could be fun to watch.  I didn't include Beasley in that list because he pouts too much and doesn't pass the ball.


Readers might not know this, but basketball was my true love growing up. I used to love taking my “boom box” to the nearest court and shoot hoops for an hour or two. Even with all that shooting, I was just an average shot. But that’s okay because I enjoyed passing more than scoring. Isiah Thomas was my boyhood idol, so I’d try to mimic my game after him. That may be why I had more turnovers than assist.

I mentioned winning an iPad at the holiday Christmas party. I’m still trying to figure out all the bells and whistles that go with Apple products. It’s truly amazing, but part of me can’t help think of that Seinfeld episode where George is offered Superbowl tickets. While most people would be excited, all George can think about is how much it’s going to cost to fly to the game and get a hotel. He says something like, “This is really a bill for $2,000.” That’s how I feel. In order to tap into this amazing gadget, it’s going to cost some money.

As for running, I forgot to mention that I ran 54 miles last week. That seems about right for this new program at this point in the season. This morning I had another great 10 mile trail run at Hyland Park.

Like a billion other Americans, I’m thinking about trying to lose some weight after the New Year. Typically, when I was racing fit, I had been weighing in around 148 pounds or less. With my recent lack of running, I ended up getting up to 158. I’m now around 156, so I still have 8 pounds to go. Perhaps steady weeks of 50+ MPW will be enough, however, it wouldn’t hurt to watch what I eat and drink a little bit more.

Quote of the Day;

“It’s easy, once you get rolling, to keep doing more and more. The momentum just builds. But before long you get compulsive about it and start thinking that if you miss a workout, you’re going to turn into a pumpkin; or worse – your racing edge is going to disappear. I think that’s a lot of garbage.” – Herm Atkins, 2:11 marathoner

UNBELIEVABLE

I’m not sure what’s more unbelievable;

1) It’s December 26th and I ran in shorts today.

2) It’s 50 degrees and sunny.

3) I ran 400 meter repeats.

4) I’m ready to throw in the towel on the x-c ski season – or lack thereof.

I’d have to look back in my logbook, but I’d guess number one has been done before since any nice little warming trend in the 40s would be enough to make that happen.

I’m pretty sure temps in the 40s in December is not that amazing. However, temps in the 50s seem unheard of. Who would have thought you could take down your Christmas lights the day after Christmas and it’d be warmer than when you put them up in November? Note: I said, “Could”. Ours are still up.

The third one is probably the most amazing just by itself. Throw in the fact that I did it outside, in shorts, on a dirt track and I think we have a winner.

Considering how much I was roller skiing in October and November, it’s hard to believe where the x-c ski season has gone. January is right around the corner and I haven’t even been on my skis yet. That puts the Birkie 9 weeks away. I don’t see any snow in the forecast for the upcoming week. Two weekend after that, I’ll be in Houston for the Trials. That leaves 6 weeks to get up to 50K. I’m thinking I may be better off by just continuing to focus on running this winter. That doesn’t mean I won’t ski if we get snow. It just means I won’t be trying to cram in a ski marathon.

Quote of the day;

“My only dream and ambition was to compete against the best in the world.” – Mark Plaatjes, gold medallists at the 1993 World Championships marathon

GETTING INTERESTING

If I had been running all year, I’m sure I’d be looking forward to skiing. However, given that I wasn’t able to run much the second half of the year, this lack of snow hasn’t really bothered me. Now I’m to the point where I’m enjoying the fact that we’re going to have a short winter.

The only thing really different with this week’s training from last week’s is that Tuesday was long intervals, instead of last week’s short intervals. I did 5 x ½ mile between 6:44 and 6:49 pace with ¼ mile jog in between. It’s probably no surprise, but the longer intervals felt easier than last week’s ¼ mile intervals. I followed that up with a 10-mile trail run on Wednesday and a super easy 4-mile run on Thursday.

Today I hit the treadmill again for 8 miles, including 4 miles at 7:03 pace. It’s hard to compare last week’s 4 miles at 7:08 pace to today’s run because last week I was outside. Given my relative lack of fitness, I’m hoping I see some pretty significant gains pretty quickly.

Okay, there are lots of cool videos popping up lately, mostly related to the Olympic Trials Marathon. Below are some of my favorites. Speaking of the Trials, did you see that Galen Rupp threw his name in the mix? And now Jen Rhines has decided to run the marathon too. Things just got more interesting!

Here’s Minnesota’s Runner of the Year, Chris Erichsen.

Brooks-Hansons Distance Project – Desi Davila and Mike Morgan.

Scott McPherson going all “Quenton Cassidy”.

Jen Rhines talking about NYC and her decision to run the Trials.


New Run Junkie episode.

Finally, “The Chase”.

DIFFERENT TUNE

In the intro of my last post I mentioned that I didn’t believe Hall’s and Davila’s comments about the kinds of times it was going to take to get on the podium at the trials. Scott Douglas didn’t believe them either and he put together this article explaining why.

Quick updated on my training. I finished my first week of the Endless Season program. Thursday’s run was what Rubio calls “True Recovery”. He calls for 0-30 minutes at an easy pace. I strolled around for 37 minutes and called it 4 miles. Friday I took advantage of having the day off and ran my tempo run outside. I ran 9 miles total, including 4 miles at 7:08 pace. Saturday was my second day off for the week. Given the time of year, with family being in town, I don’t worry about missing an extra day or two during the holidays. So I “only” had 37 miles last week. Yesterday everyone went home and I took advantage of the 43 degree weather to run 12 miles on the trails. There’s nothing like running in shorts on December 18th. Finally, this morning I ran an easy 6 miles.

I love winter more than the next guy, but since I basically had a 5 month stretch with limited running, I’m not missing winter too much. While I like to ski, I have no problem focusing on running until skiing presents itself. Of course, after trying to ski 50K on 2/25 I might be singing a different tune.

Quote of the Day;

“There is a great advantage in training under unfavorable conditions. It is better to train under bad conditions, for the difference is then a tremendous relief in a race.” – Emil Zatopek

OLYMPIC TRIALS MARATHON PREVIEW

As of tomorrow, the Olympic Trials Marathon will only be 4 weeks away. Yesterday Flotrack posted an article with quotes from the 2 favorites, Ryan Hall and Desiree Davila. Both runners think the races will be fast. Hall predicts the top-3 will have to run sub-2:10, while Davila thinks 2:24 will win it, with 2:28 getting you on the team. Given that the trials records are 2:09:02 (Hall in 2007) and 2:28:25 (Colleen De Reuck in 2004), I’m not sure I agree with those predictions. If I had to pick, I’d say the women are more likely to run those kinds of times.


Below is a preview I wrote for MDRA. If you’d rather read it online – with photos – you can check it out HERE. If you’re an MDRA member, this issue will be in the mail on Monday.

2012 Marathon Trials Preview
By: Chad Austin

With apologizes to The Clash, “London’s Calling,” as in the 2012 Olympic Games. But first, athletes must qualify. For the top marathoners in the U.S., this means finishing in the top three at the marathon trials in Houston, Texas, on January 14, 2012. For the first time ever, the men and women will run their trials in the same city on the same day.

Below is a break down the top runners, the favorites, the contender, the dark horses and the locals. Speaking of local runners, Minnesota will be very well represented in Houston, as we have 15 qualifiers for each of the races. That’s nearly 10 percent of the entire field.

THE WOMEN
Four years ago, I wrote that the women’s field was wide open, mainly due to the fact that two of the top five qualifiers chose to focus on the track instead. Not only is that not the case this time around, but many of the top track athletes, namely Kara Goucher, Shalane Flanagan, and Katie McGregor, have moved up to the marathon since the last trials and they all have top 10 qualifying times. They’ll have to contend with the “old guard”, which includes Olympians, Magdalena Lewy Boulet, Deena Kastor, Blake Russell and even 47-year-old Colleen De Reuck.

The favorites

Desiree Davila. Age: 28, PR: 2:22:38, Qualifier: 2:22:38, Boston (’11)

Davila’s marathon progression looks like this: 2:44, 2:37, 2:31, 2:26, 2:22. Like Ryan Hall on the men’s side, her leading qualifying time was run at this year’s Boston Marathon, with a 20 m.p.h. tailwind, as was Kara Goucher’s second leading time. Throw those times out and Davila’s 2:26:20 at the 2010 Chicago Marathon is the top seeded time. Plus, this year, she PR’d at the 5,000 meters (15:08), 10,000 meters (31:37) and half marathon (1:10:34).

Kara Goucher. Age: 33, PR: 2:24:52, Qualifier: 2:24:52, Boston (’11)

Primarily a track runner throughout her career, Goucher made the jump to the marathon in New York City in 2008. She ended up placing third in 2:25:53, becoming the first American on the podium in 14 years. Since then she’s had two top five finishes at Boston, as well as a tenth place showing at the 2009 World Championships. Recently, she lit up the running messages boards when she split with her longtime coach, Alberto Salazar, only 14 weeks before the marathon trials.

Shalane Flanagan. Age: 30, PR: 2:28:40, Qualifier: 2:28:40, New York City (’10)

Flanagan is no stranger to the world stage. At the 2008 Olympics, she won the bronze medal in the 10,000 meters when she ran an American record of 30:22.22. Then, earlier this year, she placed third in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She moved up to the marathon in 2010 and finished second at New York City in 2:28:40.

Katie McGregor. Age: 34, PR: 2:31:01, Qualifier: 2:31:01, New York City (’10)

Team USA Minnesota’s Katie McGregor has had an outstanding career, including titles at the State, NCAA and National level. About the only thing missing is the title “Olympian,” which she barely missed out on when she finished fourth in the 10,000 meters at the last two trials. McGregor made her marathon debut in 2006 when she placed ninth in the New York City Marathon in 2:32:36. She returned to New York in 2008 and lowered her PR to 2:31:01. The flatter course in Houston may suit her track background.

The contenders

Magdalena Lewy Boulet. Age: 38, PR: 2:26:22, Qualifier: 2:26:22, Rotterdam (’10)

In 2004, Lewy Boulet placed fifth at the Olympic Trials. Four years later, she did everything in her power to make the Olympic Team, including taking the lead early and running her own race. Although Deena Kastor eventually caught her, Lewy Boulet was rewarded with a 2:30:19 PR and, more importantly, a second place finish. She could easily still be considered a favorite, however, at 38, age is not on her side.

Tera Moody. Age: 31, PR: 2:30:53, Qualifier: 2:30:53, Chicago (’10)

Four years ago, Moody’s qualifying time of 2:46:40 seeded her 152 out of 160 runners. At the trials, she proceeded to place fifth in 2:33:54. She’s proved that performance wasn’t a fluke by running three more sub 2:33 marathons since then. It’ll be interesting to see how she responds to being one of the top 10 seeds this time around.

Blake Russell. Age: 36, PR: 2:29:10, Qualifier: 1:11:55 (half marathon)

Eight years ago, Russell finished a disappointing fourth at the trials when she was passed in the final 400 meters. She redeemed herself in 2008 by placing third at the trials before going on to finish twenty-seventh in Beijing. Heading into the 2008 trials, she hadn’t run a marathon in over three years. She’ll have to rely on that experience again, because she dropped out of this year’s Boston Marathon and had to rely on her half marathon time for a qualifier.

Amy Hastings. Age: 25, PR: 2:27:03, Qualifier: 2:27:03, Los Angeles (’11)

In her marathon debut at this year’s Los Angeles Marathon, Hastings ran 2:27:03, the third fastest debut by an American ever. This makes the 10 time All-American at Arizona State University the fourth fastest qualifier and an immediate contender.

The dark horses

Denna Kastor. Age: 38, PR: 2:19:36, Qualifier: 2:36:20, London (’10)

Honestly, I have no idea where to place Kastor. On one hand, she’s the 2004 bronze medalist and the reigning American record holder at this distance. On the other hand, she’s nearly 39 years old and her 2:36 qualifier barely puts her in the top 25. With all that said, I think Kastor will be a factor in Houston.

Dot McMahan. Age: 35, PR: 2:31:48, Qualifier: 2:31:48, Grandma’s (’11)

Perhaps no one was more excited about their performance at this year’s Grandma’s Marathon than McMahan. The former 800 meter and mile specialist from Wisconsin ran 2:31:48 to PR by more than three minutes. In Houston, she’ll need to improve upon her eighth place finish in 2008.

Ilsa Paulson. Age: 23, PR: 2:31:49, Qualifier: 2:31:49, Twin Cities (’09)

You may remember Paulson from when she won the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon at the ripe old age of 20. She also won the Country Music Marathon six months later in 2:33:41. However, since then, things have been pretty quiet from her.

Colleen De Reuck. Age: 47, PR: 2:26:35, Qualifier: 2:30:51, Copenhagen (’10)

Four years ago, even at age 43, I had De Reuck as a contender, because she was the defending trials champion and a four time Olympian (three times for South Africa). Despite the fact that she did not finish in 2008, and she’s four years older, I’m still picking her as a dark horse, mainly because she’s proved she can still run in the low 2:30s. Plus, it’d make for a very interesting story.

Jen Houck. Age: 27, PR: 2:33:00, Qualifier: 2:33:00, Grandma’s (’11)

When Houck toes the line for a marathon, all she does is PR. In 2010, she ran Boston in 2:39:02 and Chicago in 2:37:16. This year, she returned to Boston with a 2:34:28 and then two months later ran 2:33:00 at Grandma’s. If she continues this trend, the former College of St. Scholastica star could turn some heads.

Janet Cherobon-Bowcom. Age: 33, PR: 2:37:27, Qualifier: 1:11:21 (half marathon)

Although she’s only run 2:37, I’m including the Kenyan born Cherobon-Bowcom as a dark horse because she’s consistently run sub 1:12s for the half marathon. Plus, she’s running well, having recently won the U.S. 20K and 10M champions in 1:08:31 and 54:15, respectively.

The locals

Meghan (Armstrong) Peyton. Age: 26, PR: N/A, Qualifier: 1:13:56 (half marathon)

Team USA Minnesota’s Peyton has had a solid year finishing in the top seven at four different U.S. championships ranging from 5K to 20K. Most recently, she placed sixth at the TC 10 Mile in 55:09. She’s using her half marathon time for a qualifier, so Houston will be her marathon debut.

Kristen Nicolini. Age: 34, PR: 2:35:06, Qualifier: 2:35:06, Twin Cities (’09)

Nicolini made her marathon debut at the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon. There she placed third in the U.S. Championships in 2:35:06. The trials will be this former Team USA Minnesota runner’s second marathon.

Leah Thorvilson. Age: 33, PR: 2:37:54, Qualifier: 2:39:43, Grandma’s (’11)

Thorvilson was a sprinter, hurdler and triple jumper at Armstrong High School before becoming a distance runner at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. She’s a three time winner of the Little Rock Marathon and at this year’s Grandma’s Marathon she placed seventeenth in 2:39:43.

Jenna Boren. Age: 33, PR: 2:40:45, Qualifier: 2:40:45, Grandma’s (’11)

Boren is a three time Minnesota Runner of the Year. The St. Olaf College graduate will be making her second trials appearance, having finished ninety-fourth in 2008. She’s had great success at Grandma’s Marathon over the years, including a 2:40:45 PR this year.

Michelle (Lilienthal) Frey. Age: 29, PR: 2:35:51, Qualifier: 2:42:31, Grand Int’l (’10)

Leading up to the 2008 trials, Frey dropped her times from 2:49 to 2:40 to 2:35. The latter time gave her the eighth fastest qualifying time. However, injuries slowed her down and she finished a disappointing eighty-fifth at the trials. The former Team USA Minnesota runner will look to rebound from that performance.

Katie Koski. Age: 38, PR: 2:42:33, Qualifier: 2:42:53, Twin Cities (’11)

This will be Koski’s third Olympic Trials marathon. What makes that even more impressive is that she failed to qualify for the 2008 trials. In her two previous appearances, the Duluth resident placed sixty-fifth (2000) and fifty-fourth (2004).

Nichole Porath. Age: 28, PR: 2:44:46, Qualifier: 2:44:46, Grandma’s (’11)

Porath’s improvement may be the most remarkable of anyone in the field. Three years ago, she sported a 3:03 PR. This quickly dropped like a rock to 2:58, 2:55 and 2:51 before running her 2:44:46 qualifier at Grandma’s this year.

Megan Grindall. Age: 30, PR: 2:45:16, Qualifier: 2:45:16, Boston (’11)

Grindall is originally from Minot, North Dakota, and she now lives in Moorehead. I’ll admit that she officially has me stumped. Between 2006 and 2009, she ran anywhere from 3:04 to 3:49, including a win at the 2006 Fargo Marathon. Those are not your typical times for Olympic Trials qualifiers. This year she went to Boston and ran 2:45:16, and she followed that up at TCM with a 2:52:58.

Nichole Cueno. Age: 32, PR: 2:42:03, Qualifier: 2:45:31, Chicago (’11)

Cueno made great strides leading up to the 2004 trials when she dropped her PR from 2:52 to 2:42. She ended up finishing fifty-fifth at the trials in 2:44:54. The former standout at Grinnell College won the 2009 Fargo Marathon in 2:53:15. She earned her qualifier at this year’s Chicago Marathon.

Stephanie Herbst-Lucke. Age: 46, PR: 2:42, Qualifier: 1:12:16 (half marathon)

Although she now lives in Atlanta, Herbst Lucke grew up in Chaska, Minnesota. She first qualified for the Olympic Track and Field Trials in 1988. She then proceeded to take a 20 year break from competition before returning as a Masters runner. In 2008, she placed fifty-ninth at the trials in 2:45:14.

It should be noted that former and current Team USA Minnesotans, Anne Bersagel and Meg Hogan have qualified for the marathon trials by way of their 10,000 meter times. However, I don’t believe they will be running in Houston.

THE MEN
Four years ago the trials field was considered to be the deepest since 1984. It featured former a world record holder, the reigning silver medalist and multiple Olympians at 10,000 meters. While the 2012 trials may not be as deep, it’s certainly close.

After placing first and second in 2008, Ryan Hall and Dathan Ritzenhein are back, and at 29 years old, they’re in their prime. Wiley veterans now include the 2004 silver medalist Meb Keflezighi, three time Olympian Abdi Abdirahman, and Minnesota’s Jason Lehmkuhle. Throw in a guy like Brett Gotcher, who debuted with the fourth fastest qualifier, and the field is very exciting.

The favorites

Ryan Hall. Age: 29, PR: 2:04:58, Qualifier: 2:04:58, Boston (’11)

Let’s be honest, even in the uncertain world of marathoning, this is a no-brainer. Four years ago, Hall simply pulled away from arguably the best field in trials history to win by more than two minutes. His time of 2:09:02 is a trials record. Sure, his sub 2:05 at Boston was run with a 20 m.p.h. tailwind. Take that away and his 2:08:04 still makes him the fastest qualifier. In fact, of the top nine qualifying times, Hall owns five of them.

Dathan Ritzenhein. Age: 29, PR: 2:10:00, Qualifier: 2:10:00, London (’09)

Ritzenhein is arguably America’s most versatile runner. He’s a three time U.S. cross country champion. In 2009, he set the then American Record for 5,000 meters in 12:56.27. And he’s already qualified for two Olympic Games, running the 10,000 meters (2004) and marathon (2008). It was Ritzenhein who finished second to Hall at the last trials. He comes into these trials as the third fastest qualifier. Unfortunately, he spent most of 2011 not running due to surgery on his Achilles, followed by complications caused by an allergic reaction to the stitches.

Meb Keflezighi. Age: 36, PR: 2:09:15, Qualifier: 2:09:15, New York City (’09)

To be honest, I’m kind of surprised to be including Meb as a favorite. It’s not that he doesn’t have the credentials. Heck, he won the silver medal in the marathon at the 2004 Games. However, he’s 36-years-old now, which is getting up there for elite runners. But the numbers don’t lie and after Hall’s top two performances, Keflezighi has the next three: all between 2:09:15 and 2:09:26. And he proved he can win big races when he won the New York City Marathon in 2009. This was the first American to do so since Alberto Salazar in 1982.

Jason Lehmkuhle. Age: 34, PR: 2:12:34, Qualifier: 2:12:34, Boston (’10)

Prior to the last trials, I wrote that Lehmkuhle was the best 2:16 marathoner in the U.S. The Team USA Minnesota runner proved me right by running 2:12:54 to finish fifth. He’s since lowered his PR and run sub 2:15 a couple of other times, as well as a 1:02:49 half marathon. He won’t catch anyone by surprise this time around, but if he’s healthy, he’ll be in the mix.

The contenders

Abdi Abdirahman. Age: 35, PR: 2:08:56, Qualifier: 2:14:00, New York City (’09)

Sure, Abdi “only” sports a 2:14:00 qualifier this time around, but can you ever really count out a three time Olympian? Yes, he ran the 10,000 meter in those three Olympics, but he’s also the only other sub 2:09 marathoner in the field besides Hall. Earlier this year he won the U.S. 20K title in 1:00:12 and then followed that up with a sixth place showing at the TC 10 Mile, running 47:00.

Brett Gotcher. Age: 28, PR: 2:10:36, Qualifier: 2:10:36, Houston (’10)

All Gotcher did a year ago in Houston was run the fourth fastest debut by an American. His 2:10:36 also makes him the fourth fastest qualifier and plants him firmly as a contender. On the down side, a sore hip forced him to miss this year’s Boston Marathon. However, he seems to have recovered having finished third in the TC 10 Mile in 46:51.

Jason Hartmann. Age: 30, PR: 2:11:06, Qualifier: 2:11:06, Chicago (’10)

You may recognize Hartmann’s name, because he won the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon in 2:12:09. He proved that performance was no fluke the following year when he ran 2:11:06 at Chicago, making him the fifth fastest qualifier. The six time All-American, while at Oregon, will look to improve upon his tenth place finish four years ago.

Nick Arciniaga. Age: 28, PR: 2:11:30, Qualifier: 2:11:30, Houston (’11)

As a 24-year-old, Arciniaga placed seventeenth at the last trials. The former Hansons-Brooks Distance Project runner consistently knocked out 2:16 and 2:17 marathons. Now with McMillan Elite, he’s run 2:13:46, 2:11:48 and 2:11:30. If he can run another sub 2:12 in Houston, he will be in contention.

The dark horses

Matt Gabrielson. Age: 33, PR: 2:13:28, Qualifier: 2:13:28, Grandma’s (’11)

An original member of Team USA Minnesota, Gabrielson has tremendous range. He’s run as fast as 4:02 for the mile and 13:30 for 5,000 meters. His breakthrough performance at the marathon came in June this year at Grandma’s where he finished sixth in 2:13:28. At the last trials, Gabrielson was focusing on the track, where he wound up eighth in the 5,000 meters. This will be his first marathon trials.

Antonio Vega. Age: 28, PR: 2:13:47, Qualifier: 2:13:47, Boston (’10)

2010 was a very good year for Vega. He was named the USATF Men’s Long Distance Runner of the Year, in part, because he won the USA Running Circuit. Along the way, he also claimed his first U.S. title when he won the half marathon championships in 1:01:54. His qualifying time of 2:13:47 gives Team USA Minnesota three runners in the top 11.

Mike Morgan. Age: 31, PR: 2:14:55, Qualifier: 2:14:55, Chicago (’10)

There are over a dozen runners in the 2:14 to 2:15 range. I’m picking Morgan for one of my dark horses, because Hansons-Brooks Distance Project runners tend to do well at the marathon trials. In 2007, they placed five runners in the top 20, including Morgan who finished twelfth.

Tim Nelson. Age: 27, PR: 2:15:06, Qualifier: 2:15:06, New York City (’10)

No, Nelson’s 2:15 marathon debut is not nearly as fast as Gotcher’s 2:10 debut. However, Nelson has wheels, having run 27:31 for 10,000 meters. Of course, there’s more to the marathon than having wheels. If Nelson can figure that out, he could be dangerous.

Andrew Carlson. Age: 29, PR: N/A, Qualifier: 1:02:21 (half marathon)

Honestly, I could have placed Carlson anywhere on this list: favorite, contender or dark horse. He’s a two time U.S. Champion in the15K and 25K, and his half marathon time converts to a sub 2:12. However, the Team USA Minnesotan didn’t start this year’s Twin Cities Marathon due to injury, so Houston will be his marathon debut.

The locals

Josh Moen. Age: 29, PR: 2:23:16, Qualifier: 1:02:53 (half marathon)

The former Division III star while at Wartburg College is probably best remembered for his dual with Abdirahman at the 2009 TC 10 Mile. Moen pushed the three time Olympian all the way to the line, finishing in 46:38, just three seconds behind Abdi. Unfortunately, the Team USA Minnesota member has yet to figure out the marathon. If he’s able to do it at Houston, things could get exciting.

Chris Raabe. Age: 32, PR: 2:15:13, Qualifier: 2:15:13, Grandma’s (’09)

Having grown up near St. Cloud, Raabe was the second runner with Minnesota ties at the last trials, placing sixteenth in 2:17:01. In 2009, he won Grandma’s Marathon, becoming the first native Minnesotan to do so since Dick Beardsley. His 2:15:13 makes him the twentieth fastest qualifier.

Luke Watson. Age: 31, PR: 2:15:29, Qualifier: 2:15:29, Twin Cities (’09)

Watson, who grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota, made his marathon debut at the 2009 Twin Cities Marathon. He also won the 2010 Steamtown Marathon in a course record time of 2:16:41. He’s a three time Olympic Trials qualifier, having run the Steeplechase and 5,000 meters at previous trials. His 3:57 mile PR shows he also possesses great speed.

Michael Reneau. Age: 33, PR: 2:16:45, Qualifier: 2:16:45, New York (’09)

Reneau will be making his second trials appearance. At the last trials, he finished thirty-second in 2:18:51. Forty years earlier, his father, Jeff, placed tenth at the 1968 trials. Reneau, who is originally from Hudson, Wisconsin, trained with Hansons-Brooks Distance Project for a while, but is now in the Twin Cities.

Chad Johnson. Age: 35, PR: 2:15:03, Qualifier: 2:17:41, Boston (’10)

Johnson began his college career at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point before transferring to the University of Minnesota. He is currently with Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, and he’ll also be making his second marathon trials appearance, having finished twentieth in 2:17:58 last trials.

Donovan Fellows. Age: 32, PR: 2:18:05, Qualifier: 2:18:05, Twin Cities (’10)

Four years ago, Fellow ran a very solid race at the trials to finish thirtieth in 2:18:45. He’s a former Big Ten champion at 10,000 meters while at Purdue. The Woodbury resident finished fourth at the City of Lakes 25K in a time of 1:26:18.

Chris Erichsen. Age: 25, PR: 2:18:24, Qualifier: 2:18:24, Virginia Beach (‘11)

The former MIAC athlete of the year while at St. Johns University made his marathon debut at the 2010 Fargo Marathon. Although he won, he missed the qualifying standard of 2:19 by less than a minute. He earned his qualifier at this year’s Virginia Beach Marathon and recently won the City of Lakes 25K in 1:20:38 and placed twelfth at the TC 10 Mile in 48:59.

Matt Hooley. Age: 29, PR: 2:18:42, Qualifier: 2:18:42, Eugene (’09)

Hooley is a former Division III All-American while at Carleton College. He won the 2009 Eugene Marathon in 2:18:42 and placed ninth at this year’s TCM. He’ll be looking to bounce back after dropping out of the 2008 trials.

Chris Lundstrom. Age: 35, PR: 2:17:34, Qualifier: 2:18:58, Twin Cities (’09)

Originally from Northfield, Minnesota, Lundstrom ran at Stanford University. He finished the last trials in thirty-seventh place in 2:19:21. He qualified for his second trials at the 2009 TCM by a mere two seconds. In addition to the roads, Lundstrom is one of the best trail runners around, having run several ultras. He even helped the U.S. to a silver medal at the 2010 World Mountain Running championships.

Mike Torchia. Age: 23, PR: N/A, Qualifier: 1:04:47 (half marathon)

Torchia is a Rochester, Minnesota, native who ran for the University of Minnesota. He’s currently in his first year of medical school there and will be making his marathon debut at the trials.

Justin Grunewald. Age: 25, PR: N/A, Qualifier: 1:04:50 (half marathon)

Like Torchia, Grunewald is another former Gopher that will be making his marathon debut at the trials. The third year medical student’s half marathon time of 1:04:50 was just 10 seconds under the qualifying standard.

There you have it, my preview of the 2012 U.S. Olympic marathon trials in Houston. With both men’s and women’s races on the same day, January 14, 2012, is sure to be historic when it comes to U.S. marathon history.

After writing this article, someone asked me what are the things to watch for. Given that I wrote this just after the Chicago Marathon, in October, there are a few more names that have “popped up”. On the women’s side Molly Pritz and Stephanie Rothstein come to mind. Pritz ran well at New York. That was only 10 weeks before the trials, so it’ll be interesting to see how she recovers. I’m curious to see how Deena Kastor and Blake Russell bounce back after giving birth. How will Goucher respond to her new coach?  And, of course, will 47-year-old Colleen De Reuck, who comes in with the 8th fastest qualifying time, be able to make her FIFTH Olympic team? On the men’s side Ed Moran ran a top-10 qualifying time at NYC and Meb set a PR there too. Like with Pritz, I’ll be interested to see if they can bounce back in a short timeframe.

GREAT STUFF

The new issue of Running Times magazine arrived yesterday. I’m pretty sure the whole thing was written with me in mind.


First, the main message on the front cover say; “Get Serious in 2012”. And one of the sub-headings is; “How To Train, Not Just Run”.

Greg McMillan’s article is titled “Hodgepodge isn’t a Training Program.” In it, he mentions, “I’m a firm believer that every workout you do should have a purpose.” Obviously, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this, however, the timing echoes nicely with the Rubio comments I’ve been posting lately.

Steve Magness has a nice piece on the benefits of two-a-days and “why non-elites should consider running twice a day.” Not only does he explain the benefits, but he also talks about when to incorporate them, based on the effect you’re trying to achieve.

Rachel Toor takes on the challenge of letting someone coach her and finds; 1) she cares about getting faster and 2) she’s willing to change (somewhat) to get there. I can relate to both of those things. She talks about finding out that her “endurance far exceeded her speed” and that all the sudden she was “running with a purpose.” Also relatable. Finally, today’s QOD probably applies to a lot of runners.

Of course, I have to mention the piece on Minnesota’s Lehmkuhles by local writer, Mackenzie Lobby.

These articles just represent the tip of the iceberg. There looks to be a lot of other interesting articles. Glancing through the magazine again, I just noticed that from page 30 to 66 there are only 2 advertisements. Otherwise, it’s article after article. Great stuff, RT!

Tomorrow I’m going to share my 2012 U.S. Olympic trials marathon preview, so be sure to check back.

Quote of the Day;

“Some puritanical part of me believed I shouldn’t have to ask for help, especially since, after two decades of running, I thought I knew this stuff.” – Rachel Toor

WISH LISTS

It seems like everyone has published some sort of Gift Ideas list this Christmas season. I thought I should write my own for MDRA’s magazine. However, given the lag time with print media, it’s way too late for that. So I’ll just share my list here.


I’ll start with things every runner should have but may not want to buy for themselves;
Foam Roller – cheaper than a massage

Headlamp – great if your runner ventures out in the dark – or would like to

Reflective Vest – safety first

Road ID – no brainer

Arm warmers – come in handy for spring and fall races

Swiss ball – core, core core

The Strassburg Sock - if your runner has any sort of Achilles problems

Treadmill – if you really love the runner in your life

Homemade gift certificates for cross-training opportunities;
Spin class – places like Cycle Quest offer pay-as-you-go classes for around $13. They also have boot camp classes available.

Yoga/Pilates – there are also stand-alone yoga places, so you don’t have to be a member of a health club if all you want to do is yoga.

If you’re lucky enough to live where there’s snow, great cross training opportunities exist in the form of snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Don’t feel like buying equipment, there are plenty of rental opportunities around. And if your runner already has equipment, you can always get them a trail pass to their favorite park. Three Rivers Park passes cost $50. That’s good for such awesome parks as Hyland, Elm Creek, Baker, Murphy-Hanrehan, etc.

Some other more unique gifts I’ve received in the past;
A memory box of my first Boston – includes medal, bib # and race certificate

A quilt made out of my old race shirts

Some type of display case for medals would be really cool too

Miscellaneous;
Coaching services or online training program

MDRA membership

Entry fee into a race

A nice set of headphone that won’t slip out

Books;
There are lots of running books to choose from – here are the last 3 I’ve read;

Hot (Sweaty) Mamas - not just for women

Running the Edge - not your typical running book – this is more of a self-help book with running as a backdrop

Kara Goucher’s Running for Women

DVDs;
Like books, there are lots of running DVD on the market;

There’s the Hood to Coast documentary that I reviewed recently.

Even better is The Long Green Line documentary that follows Illinois high school coach, Joe Newton. This is great for any runner, but even better if you coach kids.

Last year I received McMillan’s core training DVDs

Of course, I’m a big Lauren Fleshman fan, so I’m all for supporting her side projects. She has Picky Bars and women’s apparel and a training journal geared towards women at Believe I Am. NOTE: while the training journal may have lots of flowers on it, it’s all about believing in yourself, so it’s not just for women.

Lynda.com offers online training videos for everything from home computing to photography to web design. Gift subscriptions are available for as little as $25 per month.

Finally, I had a friend mentioned getting a new phone, but struggling with having to figure it out.

There’s my wish list for this year. Hopefully, there are some helpful ideas on there.

GRAND PRIZE

If you believe that there’s a correct pace for each workout, I’m pretty sure I’ve never trained correctly. Even when I was at my peak in college, I’m confident I was training too hard much of the time. Workouts would be run all-out – trying to impress the coach. Easy runs would be like a hard tempo effort – trying to hang with my teammates. Sure I got faster, but I also took many days off, either because I didn’t feel like running on the weekend after hammering all week, or because I would eventually get injured.


All of this has me excited to actually try and train properly while focusing just on the short stuff. Of course, I have no illusions of running the times I ran in college. However, it’ll be interesting to see if I can get down to some of my times from perhaps my mid-30s.

Yesterday I did my first interval session in probably a couple years. Typically, I just get by with mileage, tempos and hills. So it was kind of fun to be running “fast”. Given that it’s winter, even though it doesn’t feel like it, I did this workout on the treadmill; 8 x 400 meters at 2 mile race pace (I used 9.3 mph or 6:27 pace), with a 200 meter jog. It was a little difficult to do on the treadmill because of the time needed to get the belt up to speed and slow down, but I did the best I could.

Ideally, that should be like my half marathon pace, so I have a ways to go. But you gotta start somewhere.

This morning’s run reminded me of a spooky mid-October run more than a mid-December run. It was 35 degrees, misty, foggy and really dark. I managed 10 miles on the Hyland trails (sorry skiers, there’s no snow left).

Finally, I’ll close with a personal story. After 13 years, we finally upgraded to a 46” flat screen HDTV for our main level. Two weeks later, at my company Christmas party, my name was picked for the grand prize – a 46” flat screen HDTV. Luckily, since it was the grand prize, they allowed me to exchange it for something else on the list. I went with the iPad2 instead. Sweet! We wrapped it up, so it’ll be a surprise for the kids. The TV ended up going to another runner/skier. He’s just out of college, so he “needed” it more than me.

Quote of the Day;

“I wanted to be a hurdler or something. But when we had tryouts, I was so afraid to try out that I refused, kind of hung in the back of the crowd hoping I wouldn’t get noticed. The last event was the mile. And the coaches said: ‘Porter hasn’t done anything yet.’ So there I was committed; enter Pat Porter, distance runner.” – Pat Porter, who went on to become one of the most dominate U.S. runners of the 1980s

IT'S "OFFICIAL"

Now that I have a new approach in place, I started looking at the 2012 racing calendar. I’m thinking about signing up for the MDRA Grand Prix. I won’t run every race on there, but I have my eyes on 9 or 10 of them. There are a few other races I like a lot (Human Race, Get in Gear, Victory), so I’ll try to run them too. Plus I want to enter a few of the classics that I’ve never run, like Raspberry Days, Firecracker, and maybe even some of the road miles.

Joe Rubio says that most runners tend to over-think their training. Basically, his plan for the Endless Season just alternates between the following 2 weeks;

Week #1

Sun: easy run - 50-60 minutes

Mon: maintenance run (slightly faster than easy) 50-60 minutes

Tues: short intervals like 8 x 400m @ 3K pace with 200m jog

Wed: progression run – 75-90 minutes

Thur: true recovery day – 0-30 minutes

Fri: tempo run – 2 mile w/up and cooldown with 4 miles at tempo

Sat: long run 90-100 minutes



Week #2

Everything is the same except for Tuesday

Tues: long intervals like 5 x 1 mile @ 10K pace with 800m jog

That’s it – pretty simple. He also mixes in strides and accelerations before the intervals and tempos. And if you’re racing on Saturday, you simply replace the tempo run with a maintenance run.

I mentioned that one of the key elements for this to work is running everything at the correct intensity. Rubio suggestions using something like Daniels’ book or McMillan’s site to determine your correct paces based on recent performances. Given that I haven’t raced lately, I (hope) am being conservative and going with a VDOT of 48. Based on Daniels’ charts that means I’m in about 20:30 5K shape and 42 minute 10K shape. That means my 3K pace is around 6:25, 10K pace is around 6:50 and tempo pace is around 7:00. The last two weeks I’ve run 3 mile tempos around 7-7:15 pace, so I think I’m in the ballpark.

The nice thing about being so slow is that I can even run my short intervals on a treadmill that only goes 10 MPH.

I’m “officially” starting this program today. Right now my plan is to focus on shorter races through July and then switch to a 10-11 week marathon cycle leading up to TCM. Of course, it’s only December, so this will likely change – especially once we get snow. But it’s where I’m at now.

Last week I ended up with 49 miles on the week.

Quote of the Day;

“Overall, I cannot believe I actually won and it shows how well I have progressed in a very short time under Coach [Dennis] Barker. I am very honored to be able to get my first USA win as a Team USA Minnesota athlete." – Jon Grey after winning the USATF club cross country championships

NEW APPROACH

I've been thinking about 2012 a lot lately and my plans are to take a new approach to running and racing.  I typically don't race a lot throughout the year, but 2011 was probably an all-time low.  In the winter, I only skied the Birkie and then this summer, I only ran Grandma's Marathon.  That's it, 2 whole races - both "marathons".

I saved an article from the May Running Times magazine by Joe Rubio called "Always Ready To Race".  A lot of what Rubio had to say struck a cord with me.  He claims that Americans don't race nearly enough.  When he gets questions from runners that are training for a marathon, he'll review their training and see 4 to 6 months of workouts planned, but no racing. 

Guilty!

He says "racing is a skill and to become proficient at any skill, you need to practice it repeatedly to show improvement.

And when we do race, we start the season by hammering everything, which makes us plateau very early in the season and fade from there.

Guitly! 

I've often joked about how some of my best races of the year have been in March and April.  Well, that's all going to change in 2012.

Rubio thinks weekend warriors that like to race would be better off if they DON'T build a huge base and then try to reach a peak (something else he thinks few runner know how to do).  Instead, he suggests running your workouts more controlled and really monitoring your intensities.  Even when racing, you shouldn't be hammering every single time you lace up your flats.

Recently, I posted something about not remembering the last time I did a speed workout.  Combine that with my lack of racing and is it any wonder I'm slowing down?  Normally, I believed I had to have some big base in place before toeing the line.  However, Rubio suggest that "running fitness that leads to faster times is generally based on a continuum.  All running speeds from fast to slow speeds and every major speed in between should be addressed consistently to see any significant progress in race times for the vast majority of athletes."  His key components of this "Endless Season" are;

Midweek intervals
Weekend race or anerobic threshold run
Midweek longer aerobic thereshold run
Weekend easy long run when not racing
True recovery day
Strides and accelerations

And to tie this back to the Jack Daniels DVD I watched recently, he said most runners wait until they're in shape before running a race - like they're afraid to be embarassed by a slow time.  He suggests that that's exactly when you should race because you'll be able to see the most progress in your running.

I'm not sure where this will get me, but it can't be any worse than where I've been recently.

Quote of the Day;

"Once an athlete has a solid background of training and racing in the endless season phase, they're only a few short weeks away from a peak level of performance if they choose to go that route.  If the runner doesn't have a key race they're shooting for, they can train and race in an endless season manner and develop nicely over a long period of time without much of a break." - Joe Rubio

LINKS

There’s nothing too exciting to report with my running. After two easy days of 5 miles, I’m planning on 7-8 tonight on the treadmill with 3-4 at a tempo pace. Since I don’t have anything else to report, I’ll just share some more links.


Here’s the latest edition of Run Junkie;



And Ryan Setter’s episode #10 is now available. In this episode he gets to run with Shalane Flanagan as he prepares for the NYC Marathon.  I think these are interesting.  Has anyone else been watching this?

Here’s a video about gals trying to qualify for the 2012 marathon trials. As someone mentions in the video, it’s hard to believe women weren’t allowed to run marathons, what 40-some years ago. Heck, they weren’t even allowed to run the marathon in the Olympics until 1984. Unbelievable.

And speaking of qualifying for the trials, HERE is a nice write up about trying to qualify at Cal International Marathon last weekend.

Quote of the Day;

“We cruised on, mile after mile. The energy among the group of women was electrifying. Unlike half-marathons I had run we were not there to win. We were not there to beat each other. We were there to qualify, and because of the one unified goal we helped each other.” – Kristen Carter

SOMEWHAT NORMAL

I’ve always said it takes about 3 weeks of running, after a layoff, for things to start feeling somewhat normal. As I was walking around the office this morning I was thinking “I feel somewhat normal.” So I looked at my recent training and it’s been 20 days since I ran my “test mile” to see how my foot would respond. During those 20 days I’ve run 18 times for a total of 114 miles – that nearly matches the 167 miles I ran in the previous 5 months.

I have to remind myself not to watch the local weather reports. Last night I watched the weather report and they led me to believe we’re in store for a cold blast. Sure things have been mild lately and what’s in store will be about 10 degrees below average, but there’s no need to start hibernating yet.

Another thing I’ve always said is that if you dress correctly, 15-20 degree days are perfect. That’s what it was for this morning’s run and I really enjoyed it. I was chilled for the first 5-10 minutes, but after that it was very pleasant.

I finally got around to conducting another interview. Hopefully I can keep them rolling throughout the winter.

And finally, the other day I posted a bunch of links to other top Minnesota bloggers. Well, here’s one more for you to check out.

Quote of the Day;

“My goal always has been since turning 50 to every year to try to run as close as possible to my last year’s times. If I accomplish that I feel like I am racing well and had a good year.” - Denny Jordan.

HOOD TO COAST DVD REVIEW

Over the last year or so I’ve mentioned wanting to branch out from the routine of just running 5K and 10K road races, along with one or two marathons a year. I came up with a list of events I eventually wanted to do – call it a bucket list if you’d like. Last year I crossed the Fat Tire 40 off the list and this spring I (kind of) crossed running the Grand Canyon off the list.

Another event I wrote down at the time was the Hood to Coast relay, the 197-mile relay that runs from Mt. Hood to the coast in Seaside, Oregon. I have some friends that have run this relay and their stories are always intriguing.

So far, my only relay experience came when I was stationed in Turkey as a 19 or 20-year-old. A couple guys organized a bunch of military personnel to run from the Black Sea to the capital city of Ankara to raise money for a Turkish orphanage. We only had one team, so it wasn’t a race like H2C, but it was still an incredible experience. Even though it was 20-some years ago, I still remember riding in the van, lack of sleep, and trying to get out of the van and prepare myself to run those second and third legs. And of course, there’s the camaraderie that can only be generated during such a unique experience.

Anyway, I digress. The reason I bring this up is because I was contacted by the group that put together a Hood to Coast documentary. They sent me a copy of the film and asked me to review it here.

Throughout the event, the film follows four widely different teams; 1) one team’s focus is on their 67-year-old friend who had a heart attack on the course the previous year, 2) a team of family and friends run to honor their husband/son/brother/friend that died within the year, 3) another team is basically made up of a bunch of non-runners who are in it entirely for the experience, and 4) a group of aging serious runners who combine being competitive with having a good time.

Overall, the film (110 minutes) is entertaining. They do a nice job of flipping between each of the teams, as well as filling us in on each of their back-stories. They also do a good job of letting the images of the runners speak for themselves. The one thing I think they could have done a better job with is asking some questions of the runners just after they finished their leg. A couple of times they try to rely on the runners to share their thoughts without much prompting and it seems awkward.

It doesn’t look like they have the single DVD available for sale, however, you can purchase the 2-disc collection for $21.95 from their store if you’re interested. In addition to the film I saw, the second DVD includes;

· 24 Additional Scenes
· “Where are They Now” Update with our main characters
· Making of Hood To Coast
· Director’s Commentary
· Shout-Outs from 2008 and 2010
· Training Tips
· Panel Discussion with Bart Yasso, Alberto Salazar and Mary Decker Slaney
· Tons of extra footage from the race

It could make a nice gift for that runner on your Christmas list.

PUT THE HAMMER DOWN

Given my knee and foot issues recently, I knew I hadn’t been running much. Yesterday I took a look at my log book and was surprised to see how little it's actually been. In the last 20 weeks I’ve run a whopping 167 miles. Granted I did P90X for 2 months and roller skied for 2 more months, so I’m not brutally out of shape. However, those activities don’t necessarily lead to running fitness. I already knew this but yesterday’s run was a reminder. I strapped on my Garmin and headed out for a comfortably hard run. The first half was controlled at just under 8-minute pace, when I turned around I “put the hammer down” – all the way down to 7:28 pace. It felt good to be running hard again, even if it wasn’t as fast as I’d like.

My main concern is that my right knee still feels wonky. You’d think with what little running I’ve been doing, that it’d heal. Instead, there’s basically a dull ache pretty much all the time. I do wonder if it’s structural. I guess I’ll continue running until it gets worse.

Finally, here’s the latest episode of Run Junkie;

Watch more video of Run Junkie on flotrack.org

And don’t forget to check out Espisode #9 of the Ryan Sutter series. In that episode he works with Dathan Ritzenhein on some drills to ensure that he’s properly warmed up for key workouts and races.

Quote of the Day;

“I’ve come to believe that the majority of your satisfaction should come from your present circumstances, and a lesser amount should be reserved for what you hope to be.” - Joey Keillor