SYMPTOMS VS. CAUSE

Last night I figured out how to feel better about my injury. I just need to run with someone who’s in worse shape than me. I met my training group at Macalester College for a session of hill repeats. I held back on my effort and tried to make sure the down hills didn’t pound too much. Two weeks ago I felt good during a hill session then ended up taking the next 6 days off. Hopefully that won’t be the case this time around.

One of the guys in the group has been battling a foot problem. He says he can make it about 40 minutes before the pain arrives. No wonder he looked good early in the workout, but was dragging at the end. I felt so bad for him that I almost forgot about my leg.

After about 25 minutes of hill repeats I headed to the flats by myself and picked up the pace. I felt okay as I only thought about my leg about 90% of the time. I’m still concerned that I’m treating the symptoms and not the cause and that that will lead to me to missing Chicago.

Anyway, I managed 10 miles. It's interesting that that gives me 60 miles over the last 7 days and it feels like I'm not even training. Just a few years ago, I'd have been elated to get in a 60 mile week before a marathon. I guess my expectations have shifted.

Just to wrap up the Dick Beardsley topic, I got an email from his website saying “Thanks. We’re on it.”

Okay, as promised, here’s more from Running with the Buffaloes;

But Goucher is improving, and Wetmore attributes his gains to changes he has made in every aspect of his training. Wetmore told him he was fat, he objected, and then lost the weight. Wetmore told him he had to run 100 a week, he grumbled, and now he is doing it.

If Wetmore has a fault, in Reese’s eyes, it is that he does not encourage them to take a leap of faith in their own ability come Nationals. Wetmore’s faith is based in fact. He just wants his athletes to do what the data tells them they can do.

Wetmore knows the training can get monotonous, so he spices things up by taking his runners to cool places to get in the miles.

“Damn, I felt fucking good. I’ve gone through this a million times in my mind: thinking about this race, what I’m going to do. Turns, tangents, I knew it, perfectly, without even thinking I was doing it.” – Ronald Roybal after improving his performance from last year by over a minute

It is bitterly cold on Mags this morning. The bitterness of the cold is exacerbated by the knowledge that it is a beautiful sunny morning down in Boulder. Wetmore, however, is not about to change their plan to make life more comfortable.

He has the desire not necessarily to win, but to better himself. To be better than he ever has in his last year of competition. – Lear describing senior Jay Johnson who is coming off a disappointing track season.

Quote of the day:
“I like running because it’s a challenge. If you run hard, there’s the pain – and you’ve got to work your way through the pain. You know, lately it seems all you hear is ‘Don’t overdo it’ and ‘Don’t push yourself.’ Well, I think that’s a lot of bull. If you push the human body, it will respond.” – Bob Clarke, Philadelphia Flyers general manager and NHL Hall of Famer