Run Buffs Run!

An easy 13 miles today in 1:27. I felt a bit tired, but I also ran a bit early. When I run in the morning, it is not unusual for me to "sleep run" for a couple of miles before I really wake up. Besides that ordeal, though, a very good run. Snow is still a very big problem, too. For a decent portion of the run, I was forced to run on a skinny, slippery path. There was a lot of people outside, hinting that the post new year's "army of two week runners" will be hitting the trails soon.

Today was an easy day to recoup from yesterdays longer run. I ran 11x150 meter strides at the end at mile pace. I felt a bit tired but I think it was just one of those days.

An easy run today at 6:35 pace. It is about time to replace my shoes, and I was thinking about testing the Asics Gel Foundations. Does anyone wear these? I have heard that they are pretty good, but I need some first hand opinions. It seems like running shoes go out way too fast. After two months, mine seem spent.

Ten easy miles today in the wet and slick snow. Nothing too special, but the snow made the workout feel much harder than it should have been. I ran 11x150 meter strides at the end.

It snowed 10 inches again yesterday, which prohibited me from running. Today, however, I managed to find a plowed path to run on. I ran nine miles, and completed 10x150 meter strides at the end. I felt pretty good. I was supposed to only run 50 miles this week (my coaches plan), but I exceeded that by a couple of miles. Oh well, I guess a couple of extra miles never hurts anyone.

Only 7.5 miles today in the p.m. It was nearly dark when I finished, and it was becoming very cold.

Today was the long run day. I planned on only running 12.5/13 miles, but I guess I got a bit carried away. No matter, though. It was horribly windy and icy in spots, but I managed to make it through without suffering a fall. It seems like after a longer run I get very hungry. Tonight, I will probably "pig out" and eat a ton.

A short run today to recoup from yesterday. My fate finally caught up with me and I took a good spill. Ironically, it wasn't the snow that caused me to fall. It was the ridiculous amount of gravel that they put on the streets to prevent people from falling. I guess I just find creative ways to do things. Besides that, a good run.

I ran ten easy miles today, but had to do so later in the evening. I am moving into an appartment in Boulder tommorrow, so gathering everything up is a bit stressfull. I am moving directly across the street from the location of the CU time trial course (I didn't actually plan this). This will give me an opportunity to really run the course on a frequent basis and become comfortable with the terrain. With this type of advantage, it will be hard not to run a good race.

I ran 7.5 miles early this morning before I moved into an apartment. Moving is a ridiculous amount of work, and I am sure that this move will be the easiest of my life. Anyhow, my roommate and I are getting settled in, and the apartment is beginning to take shape. I like being back in Boulder where there is a over-abundance of running trails.

The temperature today reached a broiling temperature of four degrees farenheight, so I had to run on a treadmill. I ran 7.5 miles at 6:30 pace, but it felt like I ran at least double that distance. Apparently there are scientific studies about the psychology of a treadmill. Since they remain stationary, it makes the body feel like it is far more tired than it actually is.

I only ran six miles today due to the cold weather (will it ever leave?). I ran on a treadmill again, which was a huge drag. To make things a bit more interesting, I messed with the grade (fluctuated between one and three degrees), and increased my speed to over ten miles per hour (5:45 mile pace) for a couple of the miles. I dont care if it is cold tommorrow, I am going to go running outside and get some good miles in.

FINALLY, a very good run today! I have been cramped up inside by the hazardous cold weather for the last couple of days, so getting out for a long run really made me feel better. I didn't really intend on running this far, but once my body hit "coasting" mode at 1:15, I just cruised through the rest of the run. It was not as cold as I would have expected it to be, especially once I put on full winter running apparel. In all, a very good run!

Nothing too special today, mainly because I need rest after yesterdays run. I will probably go for 8-9 miles tommorrow with some strides thrown in once again at the end. I am beginning a new phase on the workout calendar. Beginning Thursday I will be doing mile repeats at threshold pace (approx. 5:40 mile pace), with a series of 200 meter strides at the end. I am looking forward to getting into some of the fast stuff again.

An easy nine miles early this morning at 6:15 pace. I measured my pace using mile markers on the Boulder Creek Path, and found that for a couple of miles I was hitting sub 6:00 min pace. This was weird, mainly because I did not feel like I was working to hard to achieve these times. Since I have been doing some longer runs and easy miles, I feel like my endurance has greatly improved, making up for the lack of speework. I feel that once I begin some faster workouts (i.e. mile repeates, tempo runs and VO2 max workouts), my speeds will greatly increase. I am hoping that my added endurance will allow me to extend the period of time at which I can perform at my maximum level. Beginning tommorrow, my coach has scheduled some speed work to begin working towards this goal.

I began today with an easy three mile warm up. I then did mile repeats (cruise intervals as Daniels Running Formula describes them) at 5:40 pace with a one minute rest between intervals. I ran the first mile in 5:27 (a bit too fast), second in 5:39, third in 5:33 and fourth in 5:38. What felt very good was the amount lack of effort I needed to put forth to achieve these times. I remember in high school (junior year) a 5:30 mile was tough, but today, this mile time was no hard task. It felt as if I was just "floating" through the workout. I guess that is the payoff of training. To finish, I did 4x200 meter strides at 4:40 mile pace. By some freak chance, Alan Culpepper was running on the same track as me (Potts Field). It is weird to actually see an olympic runner in person, but that is what you get up here in Boulder. You could tell that he was a terrific runner by his long, effortless stride, even when doing sub five minute miles. I finished with three more easy miles back to my appartment, and in the process had to walk across a frozen stream. I ended up falling in up to my knees in frigid water. Bad news. Needless to say, I ended up running back to my appartment with 3 lb water filled shoes.

Just an easy day after some good running this week. I ran the rocky mountian shootout course, where the time trials are held. I have ran this course a couple of times now, and I am planning to run it quite a bit more to familiarize myself with it. 

A longer run today to begin the week. My coach has me only running 40 miles this week, so I am going to have to tone it down a bit to hit that mark. It was snowing very hard today, but surprisingly it was much warmer than the past week. In all, a good run. 

I ran some miles early this morning before class. It was still dark when I left, and getting out of bed was near impossible. A decent run, though. 

An easy nine miles today at 6:05 pace, with 10x150 meter strides at the end. I felt very good, and the weather actually cooperated a bit today. It was a mere 24 degrees (F) as opposed to the usual five, so that put me in a good mood. I really need to slow down the mileage to not exceed the 40 mile limit by too much. I am excited for the "heat wave" coming. According to the weathermen, it should reach 40 degrees (F) later this week (if they can be trusted at all).

I ran easy today, and the weather finally decided to cooperate! I wore shorts for the first time in three weeks. Anyways, I finished the run with 10x150 meter strides. It almost feels like cheating doing strides at the end of a run. They seem far easier than if you were to just go out and run them without running before hand. Knowing this, I am going to take full advantage. Minimal pain for the gain!

I ran four mile repeats today at 5:35 mile pace. Like last week these seemed decently easy, but I think that they will help out my threshold pace a good amount. I then ran 4x200 meter strides on Potts Field track. I finished by running three miles back to my apartment.   

I ran only six easy miles today, and finished with 8x150 meter strides. I far exceeded my coaches designated mileage goal this week, but I couldn't help it. I've become an addict!

I ran the long run today to begin the week. At the beginning, it felt as if I were laboring a bit too much, but as time progressed my body seemed to "numb" out and cruise with ease. This was my first day wearing the Asics Gel Foundations. They seem to be very supportive and comfortable. Unfortunately I stepped in five or six large mud puddles with them (doesn't this always happen with new things?). I guess they will get gunked up at one time or another, so I got a early start.

An easy 6.2 miles today to recover from yesterdays long run. I felt a bit tired, but overall, pretty good. It is becoming colder again, which is a huge disapointment. Back to the tights, I guess.

I ran ten miles today and did 8x150 meter strides at the end. I ran up into the flatirons, which was cool. It's amazing how quiet it is up there with such a bustling city in close proximity. It provides a good escape from the clutter of school and stress.

I ran just over ten miles today, but had to do so in the dark. Conveniently, I got lost in some backwoods section of Boulder. I had to stand and look at a trail map for a minute or three to comprehend where I really was. I only varied from my normal route by a small amount, but this "small amount" ended up leading me way off course. At least I found my way back!

Today was my first real speed day in a while. I did 10x2min fartlek runs at 4:40 mile pace with two minutes of slow jogging between intervals. This workout was pretty tough, especially since I just ran last night (less than 12 hrs. ago). It snowed again, and another arctic blast seems to be in the making. In all, though, this was a good workout!

Nothing too special today. I ran ten easy miles and finished with 8x150 meter strides.

I ran the usual long run today to begin the week. I am contemplating a 5k this upcoming Sunday. I feel that my endurance is up from last year, but I have not done much speed work lately. I hope that the two will "cancel" each other out, resulting in a similar times to last year. The USA Cross Country Championships are in Boulder this next weekend so I am definitely going to go watch some of the big names in running battle it out. It will be cool to see olympic-grade runners compete.

A nice and easy seven miles today to recoup from yesterdays fiasco. I am doing another hard workout tommorrow, so today definitely needed to be a slow day.

I ran a threshold workout today with 4x1mile repeats with one 1:30 rest between intervals. My splits were as follows: 5:22 (a bit fast), 5:28, 5:23, 5:28. In general, I was surprised to see that I could hit farily exact mile times. Usually, I can't really judge how fast I am going, but today I managed to stay relaxed and cruise at the right pace. I then did 4x200 meter strides at 4:40 mile pace, and finished with three easy miles. A good day of running!

An easy nine miles today around the CU campus. I had to run in the dark tonight due to the owerwhelming amounts of schoolwork this week. It felt good to forget about studies and get out for a run. I don't know how I survived last school year without this escape.

Ten easy miles today with 8x150 meter strides at the end. It was very foggy and eerie this morning. It felt like a "lord of the rings" style landscape. Nonetheless, a good run. I have a 5k this weekend, but I don't think that I am going to taper at all. I am coming off of my two highest mileage weeks to date, but I feel fine.

An easy run today before my race tommorrow. I went to the USA Cross Country Championships today and man was that cool. I saw Alan Culpepper, Adam Goucher, Dathan Ritzenhein and Jorge Torres (just to name a few), and it was awesome to watch them run. The 12k run took place on Flatirons golf course, but the amount of melting snow turned the course into a muddy cesspool. Despite the terrible conditions, the runners still laid down some incredible times. Alan Culpepper won the race in the last 2k, passing Dathan Ritzenhein and Adam Goucher to finish in 37:09. This is something I want to work on. I want to have the ability to really pull through in the clutch and put the pedal to the floor when it really counts. I am sure that time and training will help this.  

I ran the Frozen Foot 5k this morning, and probably ran the best I ever have in my life. I started out pretty fast (about 4:50 pace) and managed to hold it through the whole race. The race was a bit short, though, wheeled at 3.005 miles. This means that my initial time (14:30)was not accurate (bummer!). Using my total time, my full pace comes to be  4:49.5/mile. If this pace is used to add the additional .1195 miles, my full time comes out to be 15:04.6 seconds. I am extremely pleased with this for a few reasons. For one, the course was not downhill; It was completely flat. Second, the course had a lot of turns that depleted momentum. I am a bit annoyed that this was not .1195 miles further so I could have set a new PR, but this race did  give me a very good understanding of my current ability. In a few weeks I will probably run another 5k, and I am going to make sure that it is official length so I don't have to deal calculations anymore. The pain level of this race was tremendous. At the first mile, the lead pack was a group of five, but after about 800 more meters, the pack dropped to four. At mile two, the race winner began to push the pace, and only I followed. I tried to keep as close to him as I could, but it was as if he had rockets for shoes. I finished strong, and manged to not break form! (something that I typically lose when trying hard). In all, a very good race. I am looking forward to this race season!

An easy ten miles today after yesterdays race. I felt pretty good, in all. My muscles feel a bit tight, but I am sure that a bit of running will loosen them up.

It snowed again last night, so I resorted back to the runnig tights and longs sleeve shirt. It was very icy today, so I had to be careful not to take a spill. I ran past a spot where the snow was all messed up, making it apparent that someone had taken a dive. I am going to begin strides again tommorrow and resume with a threshold workout on Thursday. The pressure in school right now is way too high. I have recently been questioning myself on whether I really want to be an engineer. This career does not really fit my personality and skills, nor do I really enjoy it. I want to be able to utilize my talents, not struggle to be something that I am not.  

An easy ten miles today with 8x150 meter strides at the end. If it wasn't for the snow, I would have had a much better time. I will be very happy when this whole "snow" thing is over. It's not that I don't like snow, it is just way to hard to run in it. Besides that, though, a good run.

I ran 5x1 mile repeats at threshold pace today. I had one minute ret between intervals. My splits were as follows:

Mile	Time
1	5:20
2	5:22
3	5:18
4	5:23
5	5:17

I was supposed to run between 5:30 and 5:40 for all the miles, but I felt really good and figured a little more pace wouldn't hurt. These miles hurt, but I never felt like I had to over-exert myself to achieve these times. More importantly, I never felt the need to break form. I then did 8x200 meter strides at mile pace. Luckily, most of the snow from last night melted today, but there was still some bad ice. I had to be careful to avoid taking a spill.

I ran nine just over nine miles today. I had to run in Ft. Collins (a town just north of Boulder) because I was visiting some friends from high school that go to CSU. It was not too bad of a run, nor was it anything special. I finished with 8x150 meter strides.

I began the week with a long run. I felt very good today, especially since the weather was finally warm (which in turn creates mud that gets messy, but I would rather that than 5 degree temp). In all, a good run!

Nothing too much to report today seeing as this was an easy recovery run. I ran in the dark today after all of my classes which turned out to be a relaxing and easy effort. The first half of the run was uphill so I was a bit tired, but at halfway it was easy coasting back to the appartment.

Today was a very good workout. I actually trained simultaneously with my running coach since we were doing similar workouts. I ran 20x200 meter repeats at 4:15 mile pace (32.5 seconds for the 200 meters), with 200 meters of recovery in 55 seconds. I ran four sets of five, and between these groups I had a 400 meter recovery in 1:50. This workout hurt decently, but was not terrible. My coach watched me and gave me any tips to improve form and efficiency, and he was glad to see that I could complete the full workout he assigned. He says that I am "raw" (meaning that I have barely running experience) and that more miles and time will provide a lot of improvement. I agree with his thinking, mainly because I did not do any speedwork before my last 5k, and I ran far faster than any of my pervious races. The added endurance from the miles over the winter are what "pushed" me through the race. He said that my potential is untapped, which makes me excited for the future...

I ran some easy today and the weather was really good. I don't quite know what my mile pace was, but it was not too fast. It feels good to just relax sometimes when running. I think that times like those are what prevent you from burning yourself out. I did 8x150 meter strides to finish. Good day for running!

Today was another easy run. I ran 9.5 miles and threw in 4x150 meter strides at the end. Tommorrow is the off day for the week, so I will have a bit of a break coming up. I felt very good today, though, after some decent miles this week. Right now, this is the key to my success: keeping some decent mileage up and allowing my aerobic capacity to build.

I ran some easy miles today and finished with 8x150 meter strides. This was my first day for running this week, and I felt a bit sluggish. In all, though, a good run.

I ran 17 miles today and felt good. Its weird, running seems to warp time for me. I ran for 1:48 today, but it felt like 30 mins. I guess that once you "numb" yourself out to longer runs, time seems to pass without you even noticing it. This is good because if I were to concentrate on how long the run is the pain amount would go way up. Its all about finding a little cocoon of comfort and just cruising through the miles. 

I ran an easy couple of miles today to recoup from yesterday. I felt my IT band a bit, but I stretched and exercised it after the run and the tension went away. The weather is finally warm!

I ran a five mile threshold run today, but this week I was assigned one continuous run as opposed to five individual repeats. The goal pace was 5:30 +/- 4 seconds. I ran the full threshold workout in 27:07, which averages out to just over 5:25 per mile. This workout felt good; it had some kick to it, but I definitely didn't have to overextend myself to hit pace and finish the run. I then did 4x200 meter repeats in 32 seconds each. I think my coach assignes these to help develop a "kick" at the end of a race. Today was definitely a very good workout!  

I ran close to ten miles today, ad finished with 8x150 meter strides. I think that these strides really help with that extra kick at the end of a race. School is pretty much terrible right now, so I am kind of in survival mode. Without running I think I would wither away.

Today was a good day for running. I got up pretty early to get a run in before the chaos of school began. It snowed a day ago, so ice was a large problem (at least for reckless people like myself). This made strides quite the adventure, but sometimes you do what you got to do. In all, a good workout today!

I ran later in the day today (about 5pm or so) and finished up the week with a good run. I did 8x150 meter strides at the end to keep sharp. This was my highest mileage week to date! I ran just over 70 miles and I feel good!

I ran the usual long Sunday run today, but felt pretty bad. I felt really thirsty the whole time, and when I finally got back to the appartment and drank close to three gatorades, I felt really bad (like I had far overtrained or over exterted myself). As the day went on I felt better, but I really didn't feel to good after this run. I don't think that I was properly hydrated, which could definitely explain all of the symptoms. 

Today was a nice and easy day to recoup from yesterday. I didn't feel bad on my run today, though. I think that I was well hydrated, and ate a good amount of food throughout the day before I ran. In all, a good and relaxing run.

I ran a fartlek workout today with 10x2min repeats at 4:40 mile pace with two minutes of rest between intervals. These had some sting to them, but the two minute rest between the intervals helped immensely. I am sure that as time progresses my coach is going to limit this recovery time. Definitely a good workout today! 

Today was supposed to be a nice and easy day, but I ended up running too far away from my appt. and is wasn't about to stop 3/4 of the way through my run. I ran 5x150 meter strides at the end. It was awesome running weather today, 60 degress and sunny!

I ran a small threshold run today on the CU time trial course. The original plan was to run a five mile threshold, but I can definitely feel the miles I have been doing slowing me down. I decided that it was a much better idea to run a shorter tempo and to let my body relax and familiarize itself with my current level of training. That being said, I ran the first mile in 5:39 (monster hill), second in 5:21 and last half in 2:42. I know that had I not done such hard workouts this week, I would have had the ability to run the full course in under 27 minutes (cutoff for the CU team). It was also muddy, and this was only my threshold pace (not race pace). With all summer to train, I know that I will be ready next fall. My body definitely feels tired, though. I think that my recent jump in miles has decreased my current ability to run fast. Currently, I am in the hardest block of training for my first "peak", the Bolder Boulder. Knowing this, it is not really as important to have the ability to go fast now, rather build a solid foundation to go fast when the time comes. My coach has me on a second peak season for the CU time trial, so over the summer my miles will do another "peak" about mid July, before tapering once again. I think that this strategy is very good. Rather than overwork yourself all the time, it is better to put in miles at strategic times to perform well at a specific time.

This weekend started out a bit chaotic, so working a run into the mix was a bit tough. I did, however, end up getting quite a good workout in. I ran in Colorado Springs at Garden of the Gods (elevation approx. 7,000 ft). I didn't really feel the altitude too much since Boulder is at approx. 5,500 ft, but some of the hills here definitely tore me apart. This was an awesome place to run, seeing as there are more than 50 trails throughout the park. I finsihed up with 8x150 meter strides. What a cool run!

I didn't run the typical long run today, mainly since I was not in Boulder. I did find a good place to get some miles in, though. This was not too eventful of a run (I pretty much zoned out and cruised through the miles). I have a race coming up this next weekend, and am a bit unsure of what to expect. I know that I am in better shape now, but I am also tires as a result of training hard. I don't really know how it will pan out, but I plan on going out hard and trying to set a good time down.

A very easy run today to recoup from yesterday. It felt good to relax, especially since the weather is so good.

Today was the dreaded economy run. I ran 20x200 meter intervals (32 seconds each) with 1:50 rest between efforts. I didn't even feel that good coming into the run today so digging up the willpower was tough, but now I am glad that I did. I saw coach Wetmore (the head CU cross coutry coach) on the track. He seemed to be preoccupied with the construction around the track (Potts Field), but allowed me to use it despite it not being open for public access. I decided that I couldn't just slouch my way through this workout now that he was there, so I pretty much ran some of the hardest and fastest repeats I ever have. I hit one of the 200 meter repeats in 29 seconds flat, which had some nice hurt to it. Later this week I have a threshold workout, followed by a race. Whew, two VO2 max workouts, a threshold workout and a long run all in one week. This is going to leave me torn apart.

Today was an "easy" day to recover for tommorrows workout. I felt pretty tired, and it is hard to imagine that I still have another workout before Saturday's race. Whew, I'm gasping for air.

Today was a tough day. I woke up and it was foggy/raining (possibly a sign that I shouldn't venture out into the cold to do a hard workout?). Nonetheless I powered through the workout and got it done with minimal pain. I ran 5x1mile repeats at 5:20 pace (although all of my miles ended up being faster), and did 4x200 meter repeats at the end at 32-34 seconds pace. From there, I shuffled back to my appt. like a hurt puppy. In all, I am glad to have completed the workout. Although I may not feel perfect right now, I know that this training is going to really help me in the long run. Who knows how the race will go this weekend. I just run hard and hope for the best.

I ran the St. Pattys Day 5k today, and it was pretty bad. I started out hard (first mile in 4:45), only to find that the rest of the race was uphill. I was also very tired from the last few weeks of hard training, so after the first mile and a half I was completely spent. A combination of running uphill while your whole body feels terrible translates to a bad race. The pain level was tremendous, and when I finally did finish I felt light headed and dizzy. I am certain that it was the hard training that did this to me. This is the first time that I have fully trained through a race (very hard training at that), and it was not too fun. I do know, however, that with some recovery time, my ability now will be much greater than this past winter. In all relative terms this race was nothing big, and I shouldn't be dissapointed with my time. You can either train hard or race well, and I am definitely training hard. It is then logical that I will not race very well. Once again, this is time for me to build my fitness. The end game is what is important (BB 10k, CU time trials), and I need to put this race into perspective.

An easy run today after my race yesterday. I am a bit sore, and exhausted from the hard work I have done over the last few weeks. It was warm and sunny, and the run felt pretty good.

An easy run today, but it felt pretty bad. I had some severe stomach issues that left me runnin for the bushes midway through the run. That was unpleasant. I also was a bit sore, so I fiured that I should really keep it easy today.

I just started wearing the new Nike Triax's today and they felt very good. They are light, but provide some good support. Besides that, nothing too special today. I did 8x150 meter strides at the end of the run. I am definitely feeling better than the last few days.

Today was some great weather for running. I ran just over ten miles and threw in 8x150 meter strides at the end. Nothing too special, but definitely a good workout.

I ran a fartlek workout today. I did 6x3min intervals at 4:40 pace with three minutes of rest between intervals. Surprisingly, this was not too bad. I was expecting it to be torture after last weeks madness, but it didn't hurt too bad. The next stage of my training incorportates some structured VO2max workouts, and the mileage lowers a bit (approx. 60 miles a week). This next week is finally spring break, so I am definitely going to erase school from my mind for a week.

I decided to go out and run in the rain today, pretty bad choice. Within the first ten minutes I was soaked, but I couldn't turn back so kept on going. About half of the way through, I stopped caring. I did 8x150 meter strides at the end, too. I want to possibly test my mile time in the near future. I have never really gone all out on the mile, but if I were to guess, I think that I would be around 4:20. In races, if I run 4:45-4:50 pace the first mile it is not really too hard (after that it begins to really get you, though). Maybe I'll go out to the track and give it a go.

I began with the weekly long run. It was perfect temperature, so it was nice to get out and get a good run in. Overall, I felt pretty good.

Nice and easy today before my threshold workout tommorrow. I accidently keep doing more miles than I should. I am supposed to do only 50 this week with two two hard workouts and a long run, but I guess extra miles never hurt. I was just checking out my workouts last year (June/July time frame), and got a kick out of it. A long run now totals my weekly mileage back then. It is amazing how much of a difference one year can make in training; it is a night and day difference. Now looking back to my time trail, it is no wonder I didn't run all that well. I did very few workouts,and my mileage was nowhere where it needed to be to run with the CU team. Hopefully within the next five/six months I prepare well enough to make it this year. If I stay healthy and continue pushing, I have no doubt that it will happen.

Today was windy...terrible news for speedwork. I warmed up for three miles, then did 5x1200 meter repeats at 4:55 mile pace. The wind made the workout pretty much impossible, but I just persevered and got the workout done. In all, I am glad that I got the workout in, though. I am back home for spring break, and it feels good to just relax from school.

Today was an easy run, but still a bit windy. Aside from the wind, though, I felt very good. I finished with 8x150 meter strides. These Nike Triax's are quite the shoes. They feel very good, and they are a bit lighter than typical training shoes.

A good run today. The pace was nothing special, but hit a 6:30-6:40 mile for most of it. I did 8x150 meter strides at the end. Good day!

Today was a threshold workout. I did a three mile warmup and a couple of strides, stetched and hit up the five mile tempo. My coach set the goal pace between 5:32 and 5:37 per mile, which would not have been too bad if there was no wind. The wind ended up slowing me to a 5:40 mile, and I also missed the 2.5 mile mark (turn around point). Besides that, though, I got a good workout in. I run with the CU team tommorrow, so that should be pretty good!

Today was a great running day. I ran with the CU team, and we did "the tank", a course signified by a large water tank at five miles into the run. The whole team split up as the run progressed, based on ability and how good each particular runner was feeling. The few runners up front were hitting 5:40 mile clips, and did so for 20 miles. There were other runners, however, who only ran 11 miles and averaged closer to 6:30 miles. I ran 15.3 miles (a bit farther than what the average runner on the team ran) and did so in 1:34. This averages out pretty close to a 6:00 mile pace, so I was pretty happy with the effort. There is a lot of variation on this team. While some runners are very strong, I feel that I can hold my own with the majority of the team, possibly even beat some of the slower runners. It is kind of frusturating to recognize this and still not be on the team, but I'll get my chance. 

Just an easy day today. I wore a watch, but I paced myself purely off how I felt rather than time. I also did some stretching at the end.

Today was a V02max workout day. I began with a three mile warm up, then did 5x1200 meters with the following splits: 3:40, 3:34, 3:40, 3:47, 3:43. I had three minutes of rest between intervals (light jogging). My splits were kind of scattered, but I exceeded my coaches goal pace (3:48-3:52) on each interval, so I was not too dissapointed. I saw Jorge Torres and Steve Slattery out on the track, too. They were doing some speed stuff too, so that made the workout a bit more interesting. All in all, a good day!

An easy run today to recoup from yesterday and prepare for tommorrow. School is stressing me out waaay too much, so this run was kind of lacking in the whole energy thing. I did some strides at the end, and felt ok. Blah.

Today was the economy run. These workouts always seem the most painful to me, so I tried not to think of the workout too much before I went and did it. I went to the same track that I did on Tuesday, and did 6 intervals of speedwork. Each inteval consisted of 400 meters in 65-64 seconds with a 200 meter jog, then a 200 meter run in 32-31 seconds with a 400 meter jog. Not too terrible, but I could definitely feel it. This track is weird. Everytime I have gone there, I have seen some sort of famous runner. Today I saw Chris Lear (author of Running with the Buffaloes) and once again, Jorge Torres. Pretty cool. If I keep going to this track, maybe Paul Tergat might just decide to show up. That would be totally boss.

Today was a really good run. I just decided to run whatever my body felt like today, but to run negative five mile splits. The first mile was about 6:15 followed by a 6:10 mile. From here on out I just cruised at 6:05 pace, before letting myself go on the last mile, which I ran in 5:25. I completed the full ten in 60:11, but what really felt good was the lack of effort it took to run this. I really did not push at all, and this was pretty much what my body wanted to do, so I didn't fight it. I did 8x150 meter strides at the end in grass.

A nice and easy run to begin the week. My coach has this week assigned as a rest week, which makes me happy because I have a race on Sunday. With some rest, I am confident that I can run a solid race, so we'll see what happens.

Nice and easy (about 6:45 mile pace).

I did a V02max workout today consisting of 5x1000 meters. My coach set the goal pace at 3:12 per interval, but I exceeded that every time. I had three mins rest after each interval consisting of some slow jogging. This was not too bad, and I felt good after I finished. I am looking forward to my race this weekend.

I had to run late today because school is being way to hard and time consuming. Although I was a bit tired from the long day, I didn't feel too bad on the run. I ran about 6:30 pace, and threw in 8x150 meter strides at the end. Tommorrow is a threshold run (4x1mile repeats), and then I get some rest before the race on Sunday. If I rest up well, I think I will be able to push hard on Sunday.

Today was a threshold workout day, but toned down a bit due to my race this weekend. I ran 4x1 mile repeats with a target pace between 5:32-5:37 per mile. I wasn't really in the mood for the workout, but I figured I would just get it done. My splits are listed below.

Mile	Time	Comment
1	5:09	oops, way too fast
2	5:25	a bit slower
3	5:18	still too fast
4	5:23	I can't slow down...

I went waaay to fast. I don't really know why, though. I didn't feel like I was exerting myself too hard, but apparently I was moving quicker than I thought. Oh well, not a big deal. I ran 4x200 meters at the end at (31,32,31,32) and did some easy miles. Pretty good workout.

Seven easy miles today with some strides at the end. I feel pretty good, so I'll just see how the race goes tommorrow.

Alright, not too bad a race, but I still did not feel full throttle. I decided to actually use strategy this time, unlike past races which I would run like a madman and slow down as the race progressed. There was a very good field of runners (probably around 20-25 solid runners) who were all running some good pace. I decided to go out and find a place mid-pack, and go more for placement rather than time. After mile one I was in 10th-11th place, crossing the mile mark in 5:05 (not too fast). Between mile one and two I passed one runner to go into 10th place. Between mile two and the finish was my strongest time (unlike any other race I have ran). I passed two runners, and hit the last mile in 4:55, ultimately finishing in 15:42 (my watch said 15:37, but I guess I must have been a bit off). Although this was no "huge" time, I was still happy with my finish placement. Everyone who beat me was 24+ yrs. old, so I was not too dissapointed. This strategy of racing seems far more effective. If you properly pace yourself to finish at starting speed (or even a bit faster), you can really edge some of those "just hanging on" runners at the end. This tends to give me a confidence boost, which in turn, can help you really push the pace. Overall, a decent race! 

Today was supposed to be shorter, but I felt pretty good (probably too good for the day after a 5k), so I decided to go a bit longer. I ran some good hills, which really broke up rythmn, but definitely gave me a good workout. Overall pace was about 6:30/mile.

Today was a threshold workout consisting of four consecutive miles. Goal pace was between 5:32/ mile and 5:37/mile. I ran 21:51 in total, averaging out to 5:28/mile, so I went a bit fast. I felt a bit tired, but nothing that would prevent me from hittin the miles. I finished with 2x400 meter strides, both at 66 seconds. A couple of easy miles were also thrown in the mix, serving for a pretty good workout!

An easy couple of miles today that felt pretty good. Nothing terribly exciting today, just a typical run. I did 8x150 meter strides at the end.

Today was an economy run and it was very windy (of course). I seem to really choose the opportune days for fast stuff. Anyhow, I ran 6x400 meters in 64, 66, 65, 65, 66, 65 which felt pretty painful. I then ran 8x200 meters, which I don't quite remember all of my splits, but the lowest was 30 (when wind was minimal) and the highest was 33. I think my coach is attempting to increase my pain threshold. Granted, I did choose the day in which to do the workout, but as far as pain is concerned id doesn't get much worse than a good economy run in the wind. whew...

Just an easy run today with 8x150 meter strides at the end. I felt a bit sluggish and slow (maybe because I didn't run yesterday? who knows). I am excited to see what will happen in the London marathon tommorrow. It looks like all the real marathon heavyweights are going to battle it out. I want to see Ryan Hall pull through with something big. On top of being a fantastic runner, he seems to really have his priorities right. We'll just see what happens!

A decent run to begin the week. I found a new trail to test out (mesa trail) and it really killed me. Every other turn I found myself scaling what felt like a forty five degree incline. No matter, I guess it will make me stronger in the long haul!

Today was an easy run that turned out to be not so easy. Within minutes of heading out, I reveived a nice showering of marble sized hail, only to get soaked by the rain that followed. I did feel decent, though. After mile seven I was feeling pretty good, so I decided to give it a little juice. I hit the last two miles at 5:30 pace, which was not bad considering I was wearing  five pound water logged shoes.

It was very rainy and cold this morning. I felt like sleeping forever. Today was a workout, though, so I built up the willpower to get up. I ran to the Fairview high school track, then did three mile repeats (5:10, 5:08, 5:12). I didn't feel so great, and the combination of being soaking wet on a windy day translated to some tough miles. At least they are done! I have a five mile race this weekend at Boulder reservoir that I am pretty excited for. I don't know what the competition will be like, so I will probably set a pace and stick to it not matter what is happening around me. Hopefully I can run well!

Today was good, minus the hurricane in my stomach. I think that something I ate earlier in the day really did me in at about six or seven miles. No strides at the end, just glad to finish in one piece.

Today was an "easy" economy run (if the two terms easy and economy can even be used in the same sentence). I was assigned only 10x200 meter strides with 200 meter rest between intervals, so I didn't hurt too bad. My slowest was 31 seconds and my fastest was 28 seconds. If I could only build my aerobic endurace to handle my speed, I think I could really hit some serious times. As of now, my speed is still far greater than my aerobic ability. Once my aerobic ability and speed are on a level playing field, I think I will be able to run well. I guess only time and running will fix this, though. I think this explains a bit of my racing dilemma. In a race (5k/10K), I have no problem running the first mile in 4:35-4:40, but after about 1.5-2 miles of this, I am spent. Once my aerobic ability increases to the point of withstanding these times for the full 5,000 or 10,000 meters, I will be able to run well. Until then, all I can do is train hard to build my endurance.

Easy run before my race tommorrow. I ran about 6:30 pace for the run and finished with 4x150 meter strides. Hopefully tommorrow will go well!

I ran the Boulder Distance Carnival 5 mile race today. Today was a very good day for racing ,about 55-60 degrees and sunny (later it reached a blistering 80). The starting line looked pretty decent, but not unmanageable (if theres one thing I have learned from seeing all these huge runners up here, its to not be afraid to hold your hands in the fire). There was the typical one-two mile sprinter that flew off the starting line thinking that winning in the first mile would win him the race, only to die at a mile and a half. This was hard for me; I used to be this person, so it was hard for me not to follow. I hung back with the bigger pack and relaxed. When I passed him at mile two, I felt a sense of accomplishment, it was like passing myself four or five months ago. Now it was me and one other runner. He kept up for another half mile before dropping and I was alone in the lead. This kind of scares me now, mainly because I don't want to go too far ahead, fall apart and get passed. I just kept on cruising and finished strong. This turned out to be more of a glorified tempo run than a real race. I ran 5:24 pace, which is really not my race pace. I think that the lack of people the last 2.5 miles let me get a bit too comfy and forget that I was really racing (the course was also on gravel and a bit hilly) Oh well, If nothing else I learned a good lesson in composure, and how going out too fast is suicide. This was my last race before Bolder Boulder. Now my coach has me doing some easier running with a bit of fast stuff to keep me sharp. Doing big workouts are useless now, they will not contribute to my fitness until after the race. I am beginning to see the real beauty in my coaches strategy. He wants me to run well in a specific race, and to be in peak condition at that point in time. We discussed training strategy, and how important the "cycle" effect operates. More fitness can be gained by training hard, then resting to let your body recoup. When you restart a hard training interval, you will begin at a level higher than the previous interval. This "step" method is more efficient than continually pounding your body into the ground because it allows your body to recoup and gain fitness after each tough training period. Continually running a lot of miles and workouts can also eliminate the fun or excitement out of running, and without enthusiasm or excitement racing (as well as running in gereral) is useless. I am slowly realizing the large amounts of strategy that is involved with training. Getting out and continually doing mileage will definitely help you, but by using strategy and carfully placing miles at specific times, you can position yourself to run very well at a given time. That being said, the next few weeks before BB 10k will not be too strenuous to allow my body to strengthen from the training I have done. Whew, my longest entry yet.

My coach told me to go very easy today, so I didn't stray from his plan. I felt fine, but my left foot has a bit of a problem. Apparently a muscle in the top middle section of my foot was getting aggravated by the tightness of my shoe lacing. My coach told me to redo the lacing at this part of my shoe, so that not as much pressure is put on this section of my foot. Hopefully it works, because this hurts pretty bad (I'm sure the racing flats on Sunday did not help the situation, either).

Today was another easy run with a few strides  (8*150 meters) at the end to make things interesting. My foot still hurts pretty bad, but a little ways into the run the pain dissipates, and I am ok. I am hoping that it quits here soon, as I have a workout tommorrow. This is one of those things that typically runs its course then goes away. I have been stretching it, too, which should help out a bit.

Alright, who knows what is going on with my body at the moment? Today I ran a five mile threshold run in 27:08 with a hurting foot. It was also windy and pretty hot outside. This is close to ten seconds off my race time this last weekend! Whaaat? I am in a bit of confusion. Apparently my body just decides on a whim when it wants to run well and when it feels like sandbagging. Who knows? I ran 4x200 meter strides at the end (all under 32 seconds) and jogged for a three mile cooldown. I guess I should be happy!

I got some easy miles in this morning up in the Boulder foothills. Every time I think I have what it takes to run really well up there, I get knocked back down. There are so many steep hills and hard to climb places that running with good and steady pace is near impossible. Good run, though!

Today was a mvo2 workout consisting of 5x1000 meter repeats. My coach assigned the time at 3:12 per interval, but I ran a bit faster every time. My splits were 2:57 (oops too fast), 3:07, 3:06, 3:08, 3:06. I got in a bit of a groove after the first interval and kept hitting some really close times. In all, this was a pretty good workout. My foot really hurts now and I really don't even know why. Originally, the whole shoelace thing tripped me up a bit, and I began to run a different way on my foot to alleviate pain. The problem is that this new way of running made my foot hurt in a different spot, thus, I have two spots that hurt. Unfair!

An easy run today after my workout yesterday in the foothills. I am going to ice my foot tonight to see if it helps alleviate any pain.

I got a few days confused, sooo I did this run last Saturday, followed by the mvo2 workout on Sunday, and the seven easy miles on Monday. This workout was pretty good. I ran just over ten miles with some strides at the end.

Today, I did an economy workout, but my foot felt teriible so it was pretty unproductive. My coach and I felt that I should recover before some type of full blown injury occurs, so I am taking two days off. It will probably be a bit hard, but in the long run, this is a much better option. Plus, any work I am doing now will not effect Bolder Boulder (which is my target race), so this time may serve as a bit of a recovery period. Apparently I have tendinitis at the top of my foot, and it hurts like crazy. This is easily the most I have ever hurt while running. I had some IT stuff a little while ago, but this blows that out of the water (in terms of pain). Hopefully it recovers pretty fast!

Nice and easy miles today to "test the water" with my tendinitis. It seems to be feeling better, but still not 100%. Tommorrow will probably be easy again, and I will probably hit a good workout on Sunday.

Alright, the foot is feeling better so I decided to see how it handled more miles. It did great, so I am hoping (crossing my fingers) that I stuck this whole ordeal through without any real damage to training. The heat today made me feel like an out of shape dog. When winter ends, it takes my body some time to acclimatize itself to the new temperatures. In a few weeks I should be fine. I didn't get many miles in this week, but I am thinking that this will serve as some recouping time. The next two weeks have some workouts to keep sharp, but not too many miles.

I did a five mile continuous threshold run today. It was very hot (about 90 degrees and very sunny), so I felt less than ideal. Nevertheless I did the workout and did 2x200 meter strides at the end. Whew, way too hot!

Some easy miles today to give the foot a break. It did hurt a bit today, so I decided that going short would be in my best interest. Tommorrow will probably be a decent workout.

Today was a compilation of multiple types of workouts. To get things moving, I did a two mile tempo in 10:32 (5:15, 5:17), then did 4x800 meter repeats. I had a bit of a mental block today, so pushing hard was not too fun. I am glad to have done the workout after the fact, though. I finished with an easy three mile cooldown. blah.

An easy ten today turned out not to be so easy when a tornado erupted in the stomach...

Today I decided to let myself run free and do what pace feels right. I started with a 5:50 mile (a bit fast for an easy day). I toned it down a bit and ran the next four miles at 6:00-6:05 pace, but I still feel pretty fresh. I decided to let myself go for the rest of the run. I don't quite know how fast I went for the last two, but I know I did the last 800 in 2:45 to finish in 47:15. I have a workout tommorrow, so I decided not to throw anything more in today. I am beginning to feel pretty sharp, which is convenient because BB10k is a bit more than a week away.

*Triax: 8 miles

Today was a mvo2 workout day. I did a three mile warmup, then did 3x1 miles (coach told me to do 5:10-5:15 pace). This was not to hard, and I finished the workout pretty strong. Miles were 5:07, 5:11, 5:13.

*Triax: 18 miles

I ran up waterton canyon today at some nice and easy pace (about 6:30-6:40 mile). It was pretty hot outside, so that made the effort a bit harder. This week is going to be really easy and should get me prepped for memorial day.

*Triax: 29 miles

I ran really easy today. I did a couple of easy miles, with a slight pickup in the middle. When I finished, I weighed in at 134!!! This is my lowest weight yet, so I am going to chow down some serious grub tonight.

*Triax: 35 miles

Today was rainy and pretty cold, so I had to wait for a break in the bad weather to run. I forgot my watch so I went by feel on my workout today. I did two repititions of 400 meters and 800 meters. My workouts are now more aimed towards keeping sharp, rather than building fitness. In all, a good run. Just turned 20 today!

*Triax: 43 miles

An easy 8.5 today with a pickup in pace around mile four (overall pace was approx. 6:30).

*Triax: 54 miles

Today was the final workout before BB10k consisting of 2x1 mile at 5:30-5:35 pace, then 2x1000 meter repeats at 3:10 pace (10k pace). I did the workout fine, but had some issues with my left leg. It hurts a bit from my knee to my hip, but is more of a dull ache than a sharp pain. Who knows, but I am definitely not letting this get in the way of the race Monday. If I have to take three or four motrin beforehand, so be it.   

Today was an easy run with 4x100 meter strides thrown in the middle. I am going to do three or four miles tommorrow with some strides.

Last day of the taper with some strides thrown in. Ready to roll!

Bolder Boulder 10k today! The race was huge this year, over 50,000 people and probably the deepest field in Bolder Boulder history. Prior to the race, my coach and I set up a plan; he would pace me out to two miles and let me take it from there. When we went to the start, the initial line was packed with people, so we ended up a few rows back. There was a $250 prize for the first runner through the mile, so when the gun went off it was like a mad dash. Some guy finished the mile in 4:18 and dropped off the course directly after). My coach and I hit the first mile in 5:27. Seeing this, I wanted to really pick it up get moving, but my coach told me to wait and be patient. The second mile was 5:26, which again was not too fast. After this mile, however, my coach pulled back and let me take the reins, telling me told me to catch as many people as I could. Being in no better than 70-75th place, I knew that I would need to run strong to even make the top 50. So slowly but surely I began to take people down. I hit the 5k in 16:52ish (not too blazing fast, but it set me up to run weel the second half). From here on out, I took on the "hunting" mentality. Within the last three miles I caught about 20 people, and finished the race with barely negative splits in 33:43. I definitely know that I could have gone a bit faster in this race, but I think the mental lesson is just as important as the physical one. By hanging back at the start, I could really finish strong. By being patient and not over agressive in the beginning, I had some juice (maybe a bit too much) at the end to catch some people. After some post race analyzation, my coach and I concluded that I probably had the ability to go faster, but played it conservative and ran a smart race. All things considered, I did run about five minutes faster than the previous Bolder Boulder, and my time is based off a single year of running. Knowing this, my biggest hole is still aerobic ability. I am definitely much stronger at the 5000 than the 10000 solely because less aerobic ability is involved. Once I can double my current 5k time, I will be a much stronger 10k runner. My also told me to take a week off of running. He said that typically after a goal race, motivation and will power are lost. By taking a bit of time off, you will feel refreshed and "hungry" for the next session of training. Without this type of break, athletes can burn out or not train to their full potential because of mental barriers. As hard as it may be to not run, I do agree with this strategy. I am already looking forward to taking a "fresh" start to a new training cycle. Heres an example: After Bob Kennedy (the American record holder in the 5k) finished a goal race, his coach would tell him to take time off and come back to see him when he felt ready to train again. Sometimes he would come back in two weeks, sometime in six. Regardless, the down time allowed him to take a mental break, and make him really want to power through the next training session. The amount of physical ability that is lost is far outweighed by the amount of mental ability gained. Knowing this, I will begin training again at around the beginning to middle of next week. I am already excited to see what results may come from my next training period... 

Alright, today was a very good workout. I did the elliptical for an hour, and kept my heart rate between 170 and 185 for nearly the whole time. This was just what I needed after taking a week off from running. Initially, I thought that taking a week fully off would make me go crazy. For the first two/three days, it did just that. After this time period, however, I began feelin pretty good (hmm... maybe this whole time off thing is not so bad after all). Now, I just feel anxious, like the fire under me has been re-lit. The area between my knee and hip is still sore, but my coach is condfident that it is a non-typical presentation of some IT stuff. I just started using a foam roller and that seems to really help. Within a day, the pain has nearly subsided. I am going to cross train until Friday or Saturday, then am finally going to resume running. I can't wait!!! Its like I am re-starting my running career, just at a higher fitness level! 

Elliptical again today for an hour. To me, this thing is harder than running. It really gets your aerobic side going.

40 mins on the elliptical (6.5 miles), 20 mins on stationary bike (don't know distance). I really want to get running again! I want to make sure that my hip is ok to go (IT band still a bit tight), too. I know the time off will push me that much harder in the long run.

Aah, feels great to get a run in, even if it is not very big. I ran pretty easy pace, and my leg held up pretty well. I used a massage roller when I was done, which definitely seemed to loosen things up. Good to be starting up again.

An easy day today. Felt comfortable and the leg wasn't being to difficult. Felt sooo good to get out and run.

An easy eight today before officially beginning my training session for the summer tommorrow. I ran a little late in the morning and it was way too hot.

I began summer training today with a decent ten miler. My mileage is not too high for the first few weeks, but will gain as time goes on. It feels as if I am beginning the sport all over again, just with more ability this time!

I ran about eight miles today at 6:30 - 6:40 pace. It was ridiculously hot, which made this run more difficult than it should have been. By the end I was sweating like an animal.

I ran eleven easy miles today and the weather was great. It was overcast and raining slightly, just enough to keep you cool. I don't want to exceed my mileage goals too much, so I am going only eight tommorrow with my coach. The leg is healing slowly but surely (man my left leg seems like it hasn't been healthy for a long time now). Hopefully it will leave within the next week or two. Besides that, though, I feel great!

Two runs today (first time ever)

Morning: I did an easy seven with my coach up in Boulder. It was really humid today. It almost felt like sea-level minus the amount of oxygen.

Afternoon: Another easy five miles. It was really hot, but it felt pretty good to get out!

An easy nine mile run today on the highline canal. I ran about mid six pace (didn't have a watch). It wasn't too hard, but the heat definitely made it hurt more than it should have. Nice day out!

I went out for a nice and easy evening run in the greenbelt. I felt pretty good and my leg is definitely healing up. I was a bit over my mileage goal this week, but I definitely did not feel like I worked all that much.

I worked this all this morning, so I could not run early like usual. Feeling pretty tough I decided I was ready for a run in the 90 degree heat at 2pm. Whatever, no big deal. This mentality worked for about five miles until I was exhauted and soaked in sweat. After that I zoned out until the finish. When all was said and done, I pretty much layed down for an hour to fully recoup. I drank way more water than I knew the human body was even capable of intaking, and felt nice and terrible for quite a while. Lesson learned.; hot afternoon runs = bad.

I ran an easy nine miles today in the late afternoon around 6:40 pace. There are no dire details to report, but in all, a decent run.

Today was really hot once again, so I was forced to run late in the day. I got a meaty ten miler in, and threw 8x150 meter strides at the end to liven things up a bit. Strides always seem to make me feel more efficient, throw some wd-40 in the gears if you will. In all, a good workout! 

A double shift at work forced me to run after dark today, which was probably good considering it reached a blistering 95 degrees around mid-day. I felt a bit tired, but took it fairly easy to compensate.

An easy nine miles early this morning. My legs feel pretty shot from standing at my job so much...excuses excuses. In all, I felt pretty good. It is nice to get out early to run, mainly because you avoid the burning temps. in the afternoon.

I got up really early this morning for my workout (6am is early for me). I began by running at 6:15 pace for the first two or so miles, then began to slowly accelerate mile after mile. In total, I ran the last mile in 5:35ish, completing the full run in 47:30. This was a decent effort, considering I was sleep-running the first mile. It all works out. I am going to do some core strength drills later tonight. 

Good run this morning! A bit hot for my liking, but manageable. I did some core strength drills afterwards.

Nice and easy today. Sported the headband, nice and retro.

Today I ran ten easy miles along the highline canal out to Chatfield reservoir. It was 72 degrees when I ran today, which felt great! I think my body has numbed itself to extreme heat, so this felt nice and brisk. I did 9x150 meter strides at the end, and later did some core strength excercises. Good day of running! 

I ran eight miles along the highline canal early this morning. The weather decided to be nice to me (80-85 degrees), so running was not miserable. Time for the run: 47:20, each mile progressively faster with the last mile in 5:30.

Relaxing day of running. I took it way easy today and did some core strength drills later. I didn't wear a watch but the pace felt about 7:00/mile. As my running experience progresses, I am beginning to rely much more on time than exact mileage. Typically I will run for a given amount of time and base my pace off feeling . Knowing this I will then calculate my mileage for the day. I used to calculate every leg of every run and factor it into my total mileage, but I soon realized that time running is just as important (to me) as distance run. Granted, there are times when it is necessary to hit specific mile times, but these times are rare. I like the feeling of knowing pace without exact timing. For me, it contributes to an overall sense of control while running.

Today I ran ten easy miles today beginning in the greenbelt and continuing past my old high school. I finished off the day with 8x150 meter strides. I don't quite know how these do it, but they really clean up any discrepancies with form. I have come to rely on them, especially before races. They seem to "numb" me to fast pace, letting my body know that going fast is not necessarily bad. Sometimes that is just what I need. Pacing for races can seem very fast at times, but these seem to really keep that whole scene in check. If you continually get a taste of this pace, then come race time you will not feel overwhelmed.

Today was easy. I am ready for a bit longer run tommorrow. I don't have a day of for three/four weeks, so easy runs will play a much more vital role than before. 

Today was a good run to begin the week with. I am working a double shift today and tommorrow, so I had to get up early to fit the run in. Felt comfortable (about 6:30-6:40 pace for the whole run).

Easy run this morning before work. I swallowed a mouthful of gnats which was fun, but overall everything felt good. Once the engine got running I just cruised. I did some core strength drills afterwards.

Easy run today. A storm was approaching for the whole run, which prompted me to go a bit faster than I typically would have. In all, pretty sweet!

Eight miles this morning. I don't know what it is, but when I run a particular stretch of the Highline canal, I can't just take it easy. I began at 6:10 pace and finished just under 5:30 pace. Overall: 47 mins for eight miles. A couple more of these style runs, and I will be ready to begin racing again. Im just just putting money in the bank and waiting my turn (whew...another Running with the Buffaloes analogy). I did 8x150 meter barefoot strides in the grass afterwards.

I ran really easy today out in the greenbelt. I did core strength drills afterwards.

A steady ten miles today at 6:30 pace. I held off a bit for the first half, but kicked it up a bi on the way back. I finished with 8x150 meter strides. I think that I a numbing to the heat. Although it was 85-90 degrees today, I did not feel terribly uncomfortable. Who knows?

Easy day today, not too terribly exciting. I wan't much in the mood to run, but did so nonetheless. Tommorrow will be a longer run.

I did a pretty good run this morning. I was only planning on 13-13.5, but I accidently went into a section of private property. The owners forced me to turn around and leave the same way I came in. Ahhh...lame, especially since I was really close to being out. The rest went fine, just a bit hot.

Really easy run this morning. I did a longer run yesterday and worked for almost nine hours, so my legs were feeling lead-filled. I didn't wear a watch which was nice. Whenever I wear one, I am consistently pushing the pace. If I don't wear one, I can take it easy and rest up.

This morning was most excellent for runnin'. It was overcast, 62 degrees and partially misting. Some secluded areas looked like a landscape from Lord of the Rings, which was pretty sweet. Granted, this also made getting up for the run about 5,000 times harder. I threw in some strides at the end to keep things fresh.

Today was the medium-long day. From now on, I will have one long run and another medium-long run within the week. When I start hitting workouts, I will have two/three per week, and the rest will be easy days (two). My coach wants me to get used to the usual CU weekly progression which is as follows:

Sunday: Long Run (20-25% weekly volume)

Monday: Easy run

Tuesday: Workout (either AT run, economy or fartlek)

Wednesday: Medium Long (roughly 80% of the long run)

Thursday: Easy run

Friday: Workout

Saturday: Optional for team (some run, some don't), so I am getting used to running every day of the week

This general format is used by coach Wetmore to really target all aspects of running, from full aerobic to full anaerobic. I think that a bit of time getting used to this plan will really help me once I make the team!

Really easy today to recoup from yesterday. I will probably do about ten tommorrow. I also threw some strides in at the end.

I felt really sluggish and slow today. Time went by pretty slow, too. I definitely need to take a day off.

Rest...finally! This three weeks is the longest I have ever gone without a break. Before this, I had only run a week straight. Felt great to rest.

Today was the longer run of the week. I felt really good after taking yesteday off. I think that if you get in the habit of not taking days off, your body restores faster. Today I felt really good and energized. Good run! 

I ran really nice and easy today. Tommorrow I "officially" begin some faster paced workouts. As of now, I feel pretty un-sharp, but I think that a couple weeks of harder work will bring me to where I need to be. I just checked the calendar today, and I have only six weeks until XC time trials! Man, not too long. I can't wait! I am impressed with Kenenisa Bekeles win over Craig Mottram in the 3000 on letsrun.com. What really got me was Chris Solinskys 3rd place finish! He just graduated, and I'm sure his best is yet to come.

This was the first day of my current training session that a bit of threshold work was incorporated. I began with a three mile warm up, then did 4x1mile at threshold pace (my coaches goal was 5:32 pace). My splits were as follows: 4:50, 5:25, 5:31, 5:30. The first mile was way too fast. I think this is because I have not done anything fast in quite a while, so everything sort of subconsciously "poured out". The next mile was closer to goal pace, but still a bit fast. On miles three and four, I really came close to the target pace. It was also about 90 degrees out, which made things a bit tougher. Before doing a three mile cooldown, I did 8x150 meter strides. In all, this was a good workout. At least now I know I have not really lost any speed since BB10k. My pain threshold is a bit lower, but nothing a 5k or two can't fix.

I ran an easy ten this morning. Once again, it was way too hot for running, but I persevered nonetheless. Tommorrow morning I fly into SLC. I am looking forward to Draper Days and meeting everyone :)

Good run today, but I was a bit frusturated about the whole traveling to Utah issue. My body felt really good, though. Average pace was around 6:20/mile. I also did 8x150 meter strides at the end.

Today was nice and easy to prepare for the long run tommorrow. I did some strides at the end to work a bit of speed into the run. Awesome news!!! My bags just came back from SLC! It only took about 900 phone calls and several hours of nagging for the airlines to finally get their act together, and ship my bags back. What a dissapointment :( . I really wanted to run Draper Days, but I got denied at the last minute. I guess it is partially my fault for assuming that there would be space on flights, but the amount of ruckus this created was unreal, not to mention the loss of race fee money. Sad day.

I ran a good 16 miles at Daniels Park today. I covered the first half in 50 mins (pretty fast for a long run), but somehow I ran the second half in 48:30. Not only was this pretty good pace for a long run, but it was also negative splits (something pretty rare for me). I felt good with the effort. I can't wait to sharpen up a bit and get racing!

I ran slow and easy today, and threw in 8x150 meter strides at the end. I am going to do some core strength excercises later today, too.

Today was a scheduled threshold workout. I began with a three mile warmup, then did a bit of moving stretches. The plan was to do 5x1 mile repeats at 5:32/mile with a one minute rest between intervals. I started out conservative, as to not destroy the full workout in the first mile. My mile splits were as follows: 5:20, 5:20, 5:12, 5:18, 5:23. Overall, I felt pretty good and this pace felt very manageable (It also helped that I stayed conservative at the beginning). To finish, I did 4x200 meter repeats at 32-33 second pace. I was happy with the effort today, and I feel that with a few more of these types of workouts with some occasional speedwork, I should be ready to roll come time trials! 

Nice run today out to the Chatfield dam and back. Today was the medium-long run for the week, comprising about 75% of my long run. In all, I felt really good. It was hot out, so that slowed me down a bit, but besides that today was most excellent!

Easy run today with some strides at the end. It was way too hot for running.

Today was a fartlek workout, consisting of 12x1min at just sub-max pace with equal rest after intervals. It felt pretty good to hit some fast pace. I did a three mile cooldown afterwards. My right IT band seems tight; I'll have to use the roller for a while today.

Really easy today to rest for tommorrow, and to let my IT band loosen up a bit. It was cool and rainy today, a great change!

Long run for the week with my coach today. We ran in Daniels Park, and got a good workout in. My IT band was hurting a bit, so we ended up running loops on a grassy field at the end, which definitely seemed to dull the pain. Good run!

Really easy run today all on dirt/grass to help heal the IT band. I also did some strides to keep sharp, which actually seemed to help loosen up my leg and make it feel better. I did some core strength drills later, and used the foam roller for a ridiculous sum of time.

Today was a threshold run. The workout was 20 mins at threshold pace, two minutes of rest, then a final mile at threshold pace. The target pace was 5:32/mile. I started slow, mainly because I always tend to go out too fast on these runs, shooting myself in the foot early on. I ran the first mile in 5:30 (approx.), two miles in 11:00 flat, three miles in 16:22, three and one half in 18:50, and another minute at the same pace. After a two minute rest, I ran a mile in 5:26. This type of workout is weird in a way. The objective is to work at the peak of aerobic ability, without ever going "anaerobic". This is a hard line to draw, but if you go by feel, it is much easier to determine correct pacing. All too often, an AT run is mistaken for a speed workout. This ends up working a completely different energy system, eliminating the whole point of a threshold run. Ok, don't really know where that came from. I did 8x150 meter strides afterward, and did a good cooldown. My leg hurt a bit at the beginning, but as time went on it stretched out and did not hurt too bad. Overall, the run felt really good!

Medium-long run today at steady pace. I ran out about four miles to Redstone Park, did some laps on a grassy field (to give the leg a break), then trecked the four miles back. I felt pretty good, finishing faster than when I started. Tommorrow will be easy...ahh.

Today was a very easy day with some strides in the middle. My IT band is still a bit tight, but overall, has imporved over the last few days.

Economy run today! I did a twenty minute warm up, some moving stretches, then hit the workout. I was scheduled to do 20x200 meters at 33-34 second pace. My coach broke the workout into four separate sets of five intervals. After each interval I had 200 meters of recovery, and after each set I had 400 meters of recovery. There was a bit of wind, which I could really feel on the backstretch of the track. I started out fast (29 secs) on the first few, but slowed to 31 second pace after the first three. After this I seemed to get into a rythmn, gulping down the rest of the workout between 30 and 31 second pace (highest was 31.7). On the last set I kept below 31 the whole time and ran the last interval in 29 again. I am happy with this workout, mainly because in my last season I had to struggle to get 33-34 on the last two sets (and I could only break 30 within the first repeat or two). My coach seems to think that I could run around 27 if I get a good split in, so maybe I'll just have to try that some time. This workout definitely helps "numb" your body to fast pace. For me, this skewes my perception of speed. Ask me earlier this season what would be considered fast, and it would be much different than what I would say after a workout of this type. I have a rest day tommorrow!!!

I began  the week with a longer run today along the highline canal. It was overcast and humid, but not too hot. I ran approx. 6:30 pace for the whole run, stepping it up a bit at the end. In all, a good run!

Today was an easy day to recoup from yesterday and prepare for tommorrows AT run. I threw some strides in the middle on a grassy field. Man, this IT band is presistent with its soreness. I don't mean to keep bringing it up, but it just won't seem to fully leave. It is getting better, however, so I will stay consitent with the foam roller and stretches. I am also going to keep up the core strength excercises to improve stride form and help prevent injury.

Today was a threshold workout. Typically, these workouts scare me because they seem to target my "hole" in ability. I began with a twenty minute warmup, stretched a bit, then hit up a five mile AT run. My coach set the goal pace at 5:28 per mile. I started slow (5:32) mile, but I was fine with this. Too many times have I gone out fast, only to be greeted with a slump at the end. I hit two miles in 11:00 flat, then went into coasting mode. I tend to zone out, sort of immunizing myself to the pain of the workout, then come back to life when I need to kick things up a bit. At mile four I was at 21:50, time to lay the hammer down. I finished in 27:15, with a last mile at 5:25ish pace. This pace is three seconds per mile slower than what I need to hit at the time trial a month from now. The time trial course is a tougher place to run, though. On the contrary, I will be in "race mode" come that time, whereas this was only a workout. I don't really want to overanalyze, though. I just want to run fast and make the team.

Today was the medium-long run at steady pace. These runs seem hard to me, mainly because I begin in a pre-fatigued state from the day before. In all, though, this run felt really good! I averaged about 6:40 miles. 

Today was really easy, more of a glorified walk than really running. I am going to do a MV02 workout tommorrow, so I definitely don't need to push it today. I did 8x150 meter strides in the grass, too.

Today was a MV02 workout. I started with an easy twenty minutes of warmup, then did some moving stretches. The workout was 6x3min intervals with equal rest at hard pace. I did the workout on a hilly course to get my body prepped for the upps and downs of the time trial. This workout was tough. I did the three minute intervals at 4:40-4:50 pace, and definitely hurt by the last two repeats. In all, a very good workout!

I was up in Boulder today for my long run so me and my coach got a good run in. We ran a portion of "the tank" (a course often run by the CU team). The whole run changed from a compilation of trails to pavement, then to a bit of grass. Pacing was steady at 6:40 per mile (a couple of miles were slower, a couple of miles were faster). It was a bit overcast and hot, but nontheless, a great day for running.

Today was and easy run. I went out to the greenbelt and chugged along for a couple of miles, and did 8x150 meter strides on grass in the middle. Today was reeeallly hot, so by the end I was in some real need of water. I swalled a couple of bugs, too, which was an added bonus!

Threshold workout today, but my coach split up five miles into three parts, 2x2miles and 1x1mile with a minute rest between intervals. I started out by warming for about three miles, then did some stretching. I was not ecstatic about throwing having to do this, so the starting line was kind of a wall I just had to break through. I ran the first two miles in 10:44, good pace for the workout. I hit the next two in 10:42. I guess I just found a rut and stuck to a particular pace subconsciously, letting me hit very equal time for the first two intervals. The last mile was in 5:27, though. By this time the 90 degree heat was really getting me, and the last interval suffered because of it. I feel like I am definitely starting to get a bit stronger at these runs. I think that they are mainly a matter of getting out at the right pace (working on the upper fringe of your aerobic ability), and cruising with as much consistency as you can manage. In all, a good run!

Great run today! I did the medium-long run at steady pace at to Chatfield reservoir. Initially, I felt slow and uncoordinated, but within the first fifteen minutes I really began to pick it up. I hit the half in 38:30, which was about 6:30 pace. On the way back, I ran 36 flat, finishing in total at 6:15 pace. This route included some nice hills, too, so I was pleased with my effort. What made me feel good was run followed a good workout (yesterday). I decided to let my body run purely by feel, and this is what it churns out. Happy happy! 

Today was and easy run today through the greenbelt. I did 8x150 meter strides in the grass (which was really long, so it made the strides a bit tougher). I did a lot of stretching (targeted IT bands) and worked on my core strength. These core strength drills really seem to have helped my stride. I feel more efficient and "flowing" when I run. When I first began to run, my legs felt like they stomped into the ground every time I stepped. Now I feel much more clean and efficient. I have noticed results in my strides and 200 times too. Good run! 

Today my coach asssigned a mvo2 workout. He wanted me to go three miles at a good effort level to help prepare me to race. I went out to the highline canal and did just that. I ran three miles in 15:27 (5:09 avg. mile). I am happy with this for a number of reasons. First, this was a workout. Had it been race day, I would have had much more steam to run faster. Next, I ran on a windy gravel path with a few ups and downs in the 85 degree heat, and third, I was in bulky training shoes. Factoring all of this in, this was a pretty solid workout as well as a good confidence booster. The applied effort was definitely manageable (not ridiculously painful), which shows that I have made good fitness gain since earlier this summer. Its all about slowly "numbing" yourself out to fast pace. Feelin' good! 

Easy run today to finish the running week. I did 8x150 meter strides on grass at the end. I felt very good, and am ready for the long run tommorrow. This was my highest mileage week ever. Kind of sad, but it still stands!

I began the week with a long run today. It was really hot and I locked my keys in the car. I was pretty desperate for some gatorade that was inside, but no such luck. Eventually, I got the situation worked out and downed a ton of fluids.

Easy run today to prepare for a threshold workout tommorrow. I did some strides at the end, too. Nothing exceptionally special today, but a good run nonetheless.

Today was a threshold run today at the highline canal. I warmed up for three miles, then did a five mile AT run in 27:05. Overall, it felt pretty good. When I finished the tempo, I did 4x200 meter strides. In all, an awesome workout today! 

An easy twelve miles today in 1:17ish. I had to get up really early to run because I needed to move back into my appt. and be at Boulder Running Co. by 12:00pm to work. I ran pretty well, though, despite sleep running for the first three miles. Overally average was just below 6:30 per mile. Tommorrow is a rest day...pretty excited for that! 

Easy run into the Boulder foothills today. It is nice to be back to such an awesome place for running. I did some strides at the end, too.

Today was a fartlek workout consisting of 6x3min intervals with equal rest. I did this workout on the Buff Ranch, since I will be running the time trial here in a week. Everything felt pretty smooth, and I am excited to race this course next Saturday!

Today was a long run to get the week rollin'. I am decreasing the mileage this week to rest up. I have only one workout (AT on Tuesday), but besides that I am doing easy miles with some strides mixed in.

Today was really easy to begin my week of rest. I do have a workout tommorrow, and a medium long run on Wednesday, but after that I am home free until Saturday. I did some strides at the end of my run in the grass.

Today was a threshold workout on the Buff Ranch (where I will be racing this weekend). I did 5x1mile repeats, with one minute of rest between intervals. My first interval was fast (5:08) but felt really easy. I toned it down a bit for the next mile (5:18), then ran miles 3-5 all between 5:18 and 5:24. At the end, I was hitting just the right pace and felt pretty good. After I did some strides, I ran the beginning of my cooldown on the last 800 meters of the course. I imagined it was race day, and I was a bit ahead of the CU pack closing in to the finish. I eyed the scene layed out before be, anticipating the crowd waiting at the finish and the feeling of being in the lead. This is where it is going to hurt, but I know I can gut out a strong finishing kick (no matter how bad it hurts, mental strength can always over-ride bodily fatigue in the finishing kick). I imagined holding off all other contenders to finish in the lead, seconds ahead of my nearest pursuer. The race is going to hurt, but I know that I now have the both the physical and mental ability to run a strong race, and besides, the feeling that you pushed through pain is what makes it feel so satisfying when you cross the line.

Today was a medium long run. Some hills were thrown in the mix, so I am not sure about my exact pacing, but I gave a consistent effort (approx. 6:15-20 on a flat course). I felt really good! No more hard stuff this week until my race. I am going to run really short and easy tommorrow and Friday to fully recharge. I will probably do some strides to keep a hint of speed in my easy miles.

Today was one of the easiest runs I have ever done. My coach and I are making sure that I am properly rested for Saturday. I did some strides to keep sharp.

I got up pretty early this morning and got an easy 4.5 miles in. When I began to really feel good and loose, my run was over. This, however, was the purpose of the run; to get a very light and easy effort in to keep me moving, but not to expend too much energy or effort. I am really excited for tommorrow. I know my ability is there, now it is just time to show it. My race plan is ingrained into my head, and I feel very confident that I can follow through with it. All thats left to do is let my legs do the talking. In the words of Bob Kennedy "execute, execute, execute".

YESSSSSS! I ran the time trial in 27:16 today, good enough to make the CU team! I talked to Wetmore and I have to go in Tuesday to fill in some paperwork and get started! I am soooo stoked! I have to go, but I will write more later. Definitely my best running moment thus far in my career!

Alright, finally some time to go over the whole race! I got up really early this morning (3:00am) to eat, then went back to bed and got up around 6:00 am. I was definitely a bit nervous, especially knowing how last year rolled over. I jogged out to the start of the race (it is really close to my appt.) and picked up my bib. At about 7:45 I began to warm up, partially because I was a bit nervous and wanted to get moving, but also because I was a bit cold. I did the usual warm up, consisting of 20 mins easy running, some moving stretches and a few strides. When I put on the racing flats, the game face came on too. I went to the starting line and saw a couple of other red shirt runners (walk on attempts), which made me feel a bit nervous. I had my plan, though, and nothing was going to lead me astray from it. The gun went off and I jumped in the thick of the CU team. The first mile has a monster hill (nicknamed "jawbone hill"-probably because it eats you alive), but in general felt very easy. We came through at about 5:42, and I didn't feel like I was laboring at all. Mile two went a bit faster, mainly due to no big hills. We hit the two mile mark in about 10:45, meaning that mile two was about 5:00-5:05 pace, pretty fast. Mile three was quick once again, and we came through at approx. 16:00 (I wasn't really watching time, more just concentrating on staying with the team). I was able to fully hold on until about 3.5-3.75 miles in, when the team really picked it up. At this point I wasn't hurting too bad, but I was a bit uncomfortable. I also knew that "jawbone hill" was coming up again, and I would have to really push to keep my momentum for the finish. I scaled the hill, and this time it really had some sting to it. When you get to the top, there is a bit more slight incline, but after this, you are home free to the finish. This is the point where the team really rocks. They are amazing at pushing from about 2k out, and they really cranked the pace down today. I was not too far behind, but I knew that I had to run hard to finish close to them. So I forgot about my pain and pushed hard. The end felt really long, but I knew I was close so I just kept on rolling. Before long, I was through the final fence opening on the home stretch to the finish. I kicked hard at the end and came through the finish in 27:16 (which I was later informed was the second fastest ever walk-on time!!! Whattt?). I was definitely glad that the pain was over, and I just sat around for a bit recovering. Well, only one thing left to do, talk to Wetmore. I didn't really want to drag this part out, so I went over to him, told him what I had run and asked him what I should do. He said that he saw me running with the team, and that I looked strong throught the race. He then asked me to come in on Tuesday to fill out paperwork necessary to add me to the roster (team)! Yessss! I waited a year to hear those words. I don't really care how boring or tedious the paperwork may be, just signing it will be amazing! I did a cooldown with the team, and they congratulated me for making it on. That was one of the best feelings, knowing that my work has really paid off. I am just really happy and thankful to be presented with such a great opportunity. Well, my collegiate running career begins. Now the real work starts!

Later I did a couple of miles to shake out the legs. Tommorrow is a long run with the team.

Today was a nice and easy run around Boulder Reservoir. I ran with the CU team, and coach Wetmore introduced me to everyone (although I already knew most of the team). It is cool to run with some of the best runners in the nation; it gives you a goal in sight to push for. We ran about 6:30 pace and just cruised. Awesome!

Today was another easy day, and I felt a bit sore. I went back to my house for Labor Day, so I did not run with the team, but I go in tommorrow to begin the paperwork. I have a feeling it is going to be pretty extensive, judging by what some of the team said. I'll take it, though, to be on the CU team.

Today was an easy workout, consisting of 10x400 meter intervals at 76 sec pace with 200 meter rest. This felt really easy and relaxed, and I accidently hit as low as 70 without pushing too hard. I can't tain with the team yet because paperwork is not yet finished. I went in for blood tests, filled out NCAA clearing-house info. and got a thousand signatures from random sports organizers and coaches. Tommorrow I have a physical, and sports info. meetings, too. I am also doing a medium long run (12 miles) at steady pace. I am still a bit sore from Saturday, but definitely improving. I think that the first race of the season always produces a bit of soreness. I am excited for my paperwork to clear so I can train with the team.

Today was medium-long and I ran with my coach. I am still not eligible to run with the team, but I got my physical done today, and I need one more signature until completion! My blood tests came back and everything was fine. They gave me an iron supplement since my levels were a bit low (apparently this is pretty common in runners). It kind of tastes like I am sucking on pennies; definitely a metallic flavor. Tommorrow is "on your own" so on Friday I should be ready to roll with the team. As for today, my coach and I ran the usual south Boulder route. We began decently slow (6:40 per mile) up a gradual two mile hill, then hit 6:30's on flat ground. At mile nine, my coach was feeling bad, so we split up and I began to hit it up a bit harder. I ran the final four miles at 6:10 pace. I had a bit of a stomach cramp when I was finished so I just layed around for a while. Tommorrow will be easy, so I will throw in a couple of strides. 

Nothing too special today, just an easy run before my first official workout with the team tommorrow! I finished all of my paperwork today, and I went to pick up some gear from the sports office. I got new shoes/flats and lots of apparel, so I am really excited. More importantly, I got the jersey! When I got back to my appt. I was just itching to try it on, so I put on the uniform. I waited a long time for that moment, just slipping on the jersey. It was then that I realized what I was in for. I really need to step up and train hard to represent my school. I feel fired up and ready to train hard. I am deleting any mental barriers/limits, keeping an open mind and taking running a season at a time. If I follow Wetmores program diligently, I am sure results will come.

Today was a great workout! Of anything I have done thus far in running, this workout really workout would definitely be in the top five. The scheduled task was 3x3000 meter repeats at a bit faster pace than threshold. The idea was to incorporate a bit of anaerobic work while also working on aerobic ability. The team split up and started to hit up the workout. My pack finished the first repeat in 9:42, and this felt really easy. The second repeat was again, 9:42. I felt pretty good, especially since we were running about 5:05 mile pace. The third rep was the best of them all. Our pack sort of "broke apart" midway through, and some of the freshman even stopped the workout (sat out the last repeat). Christian Thompson and I finished in the front of our pack, hitting the last repeat in 9:38/9:39(for him). We negative split the last 1500 by almost 10 seconds. This means that our last mile was about 4:55-5:00 flat. The best part was that this did not hurt too bad. I kept asking myself whether I though this hurt, and I couldn't really find an answer. On one hand, that last repeat did have some sting, but given 4:55 pace after five miles, this hurt very little. Anyhow, this was a good workout. We went to the gym afterwards and worked on strength. I had no idea how much this played into running, but according to coaches, it makes a big difference.

Really easy run tonight with some of my employees at work (Boulder Running Co.). We began at 7:15, and ran until dark at really easy pace. Everything felt good and smooth.

Today was a great long run at Gold Hill. This is a really hilly course in the Boulder foothills at about 8,500 ft. elevation. Anyone who goes out too hard on this run really pays for it later in the workout. I ran with Richard Medina and Matt Tebo (some really good freshman recruits) fifty minutes out and back. The return trip took us only 48 minutes, so we did run a bit negative (mainly because the way back has more downhill). I felt really good. I have to take an iron supplement now, due to very low iron content from my blood test. I was not yet anemic, but my levels were pretty low. Weird, I tend to eat a decent amount of red meat and leafy greens, so I am unsure of why this may be a problem. A lot of runners on the team use this too, so I don't feel too bad. It is, however, the worst tasting stuff I have ever drank. At first it tastes like Robitussin, which is not too bad, but the aftertaste is horrible. It tastes like your are sucking on quarters/drinking blood at the same time. A chaser is definitely needed. Haha funny. I guess you know you are a runner when you use a chaser to wash down iron supplement. Anyways, great run today! I feel like this last week has been some of my best work yet!

Heres Wetmores take on Gold Hill from last year (2006)

http://www.flocasts.com/flotrack/speakers.php?sid=1&vid=1

Today was an easy loop around south Boulder. It was nice weather, 65 degrees and sunny, perfect for running. Tommorrow is going to be a hard workout, so I made sure to keep today easy. I can't control how hard Wetmores workouts are, but I can make my easy days easy so that I can power through them. This, along with stretching and core strength drills, will help me remain injury free when mileage goes up. 

Today was a great run! Our team did a fartlek style workout on the Buff Ranch (Shootout/Time Trial course). The objective was to run four miles in two minute segments (equal rest) at race pace. After warming up and stretching, we hit up the workout. It felt really good. The team broke apart due to a variation of paces. I ran 20:06 for four miles, which was pretty fast for this course. I went too fast, though, because I can't yet hold that pace for the full race on this course. Nonetheless, I got some good work in. We went to the gym afterward to lift weights...hard stuff. Later, I did a bit of stretching and used old faithful (the foam roller). Without that little foam cylinder my body would break down.

We went out to the tank today for a steady, middle length run. It was hot, nearly 85 degrees. The group I was in was instructed to run out 38 minutes and back. The path has some hills that break up any fluidity that you may gain, but overall, a very manageable place to run well. We came back in 38:30, almost even splitting the run. Overall pace was around 6:15/mile.

Really easy day. I want to rest for tommorrows AT run.

We had a workout today at 6:30 am, really early for me. When I woke up, though, I felt good. The menu today called for an 8000 meter AT run. Wetmore assigned me to the middle group, and set a goal time of 26:40. We began right on, or a bit below pace. The idea of the workout was to slowly squeeze the pace down while still staying fully aerobic. We hit the 5k in 16:40, and I felt really good. We did the final 3k in 9:44 to finish with a total time of 26:24 while negative splitting the end. I used to be sckeptical of the whole negative split thing, but as time goes on, I am becoming a firm believer in it. I was also amazed at how easy this felt, especially since we were running on grass. There was no point in time in which I felt like I was laboring. I definitely think that I could have done this a full minute faster in a race (here at altitude). Great workout!

Really easy tonight. I worked all day, so running did not sound all that good.

Today was a great long run! I ran 15 miles in 1:29 at "the grange". Everyone split up into their assigned groups and got going. I felt tired (went to bed late last night), but overall I felt pretty good. Man, I used to struggle to hold 6min pace for eight miles. Crazy to think that I now did it for 15 without even planning on it, especially when I was not feeling fully charged. Well, tommorrow will be easy.

Today was a bit too long for an easy run, but I definitely did not run it hard. The route I planned on taking was a bit longer than I expected.

Today was a speed workout, consisting of 14x300 meter repeats. Pacing was weird, a bit faster than 10k race pace (sea level) at the end of the season. We did the workout at Foothills Park, a hilly grass field in north Boulder. I felt fine, averaging around 50-55 seconds per repeat. In all, a good workout.