Training Week March 24 - 30

Toward the end of the week I physically feel stronger.

I think the 50K blues are over.

Feeling edgy for the 100K and looking forward to the Boston Marathon.

Monday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 16 Miles

Tuesday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland.

8 Miles p.m.- Cuyahoga Falls.

Track Workout University of Akron Field House.

1 Mile Warm-up

3x1,600m with 400m Recovery.

5:14, 5:15, 5:19

2 Mile Cool-down

Day Total: 22 Miles

Wednesday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 16 Miles

Thursday:

10.5 Miles a.m. [5:45 pace].

Windy, but felt strong.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total 18.5 Miles

Friday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Clevleand

Day Total: 16 Miles

Saturday:

14 Miles a.m. - Carriage Trail Loop [Cuyahoga Valley National Park]

Brisk pace.

9 Miles p.m. - sub 6 min. pace

Day Total: 23 Miles

Sunday:

13 Miles a.m. - Cleveland Southeast Runners Club.

First 6 miles at 5:35 pace

6 Miles p.m. - Solon

Day Total: 19 Miles

Week Total: 130.5 Miles

USA Track & Field 100K National Championship Top Contenders

Below are a list of some of the athlete's planning on running the 100K National Championship.
It should be a competitive field, I am excited to be part of it.

Greg Crowther [Seattle, WA]
2007 USA T&F Ultra Runner of the year.
Defending 100K National Champion.

Michael Wardian [Arlington, VA]
2008 USA T&F 50K National Champion.
World Record treadmill marathon, Olympic marathon trials qualifier.
I am rooming with Mike in Wisconsin for the 100K so I will have to get his recovery secrets!

Kevin Setnes [Eagle, WI]
Past 100K National Champion.
Backbone of the 100K team for a number of years.
Strong, steady, and most experience with pace and nutrition.
Home field advantage.

Adam Lint [Patton, PA]
3rd at the 2008 USA T&F National Championship.

Steve Stower [Berkeley, CA]
Jed Smith 50 Miler 2008 - 5:39.

Training Week March 17 - 23

I made the decision this week to give the 100K distance one more shot.

I believe it is the hardest distance to race.

I registered for the USA Track & Field 100K National Championship in Madison, WI.

I think I am ready but always have concerns about the body holding up running on the roads for that hard and fast pace. I only hope it's not hot or snowing. 

Monday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 16 Miles

Tuesday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland.

8 Miles p.m. - Cuyahoga Falls.

Track workout: University of Akron outdoor track.

1 Mile Warm-up

3x1,600m with 400m recovery.

5:19, 5:19. 5:19

2 Mile Cool-down.

Not too happy about times on the track.

Temp, was cool, wet and gloomy.

Day Total 22 Miles

Wednesday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland

Day Total: 16 Miles

Thursday:

10 Miles at 5:40 pace.

Temp was a tad cold, but sunny. Felt strong.

Made up a little for Tuesdays track workout.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 18 Miles

Friday;

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland

Day Total: 16 Miles

Saturday:

14 Miles a.m. - Ran the Carriage Trail loop in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Run was pretty tough through snow.

7 Miles p.m. - Hudson

Day Total: 21 Miles

Sunday: Easter

20 Miles a.m. - With Cleveland Southeast Runners Club.

Wheels started to fall off the last 3 miles.

Off p.m.

Day Total: 20 Miles

Week Total: 129

Training Week March 10 - 16

Monday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 16 Miles

Tuesday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland.

8 Miles p.m. - Cuyahoga Falls.

Track Workout U of A Field House

1 Mile Warm-up

3x1,600m with 400m recover.

5:14, 5:09, 5:13

2 Mile Cool-down

Day Total: 22 Miles

Wednesday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total : 16 Miles

Thursday:

10 Miles at 5:45 pace.

Perfect weather, nice and crisp.

8 Miles in p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 18 Miles

Friday:

8 Miles a.m.

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 16

Saturday:

St. Malachi 5 Mile Race - Downtown Cleveland (Flats)

5 Miles - Ran the course before the race.

1 Mile additional Warm-up & Stride-outs

5 Miles - 5th Overall in 27:48

2 Mile Cool-down

7 Mile post run with group

6 Miles p.m.

Day Total: 26 Miles

Sunday:

15 Miles a.m.

5 Miles p.m.

Both runs in Solon with the Cleveland Southeast Runners Club

Day Total: 20 Miles

Week Total: 134 Miles

Training Week March 3 - 9

Monday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland.

Off - p.m. - Went to see Arcade Fire in concert.

Day Total: 8 Miles

Tuesday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland.

8 Miles p.m. - Cuyahoga Falls.

Track Workout U of A Field House.

1 Mile warm-up

1 Mile: 5:15

4x400: 73 sec.

1 Mile: 5:15

1 Mile cool-down

Day Total: 21 Miles

Wednesday:

8 Miles a.m. 

8 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 18 Miles

Thursday:

10 Miles at 5:45 pace.

Felt good, temp and wind o.k.

8 Miles p.m. 

Both runs Downtown Cleveland.

Day Total: 18 Miles

Friday:

8 Miles early a.m. before work.

At noon the Blizzard of 2008 started to move in.

8 Miles p.m., snow really coming down.

Day Total: 16 Miles

Saturday:

More than a foot of additional snow has fallen since I pulled in from last night.

Roads completely covered.

13 Miles in a.m.

Ran the Buckeye 1/2 Marathon course.

7 Miles p.m. back at home in Aurora.

A man pulled up and asked me if I needed a ride.

He said I shouldn't be out in this weather. I said I enjoyed it!

It puts hair on your chest.

Day Total: 20 Miles

Sunday:

The Blizzard has finally broke. The wind has died down but it is still in the single digits.

Roads still have major amounts of snow on them.

12 Miles a.m. - Run with the Cleveland Southeast Runners Club.

Kam and I discussed running the Shamrock 15K, the previous weekend.

My plan was to run in Solon first for 13 miles then hit the 15K to simulate hitting the hills at Boston. 

We both thought I may be cancelled due to the bad weather.

After a couple calls we found out the race was on for the noon start.

On the drive down the roads were still pretty bad, but once I pulled on the course to get to the registration it was a pleasant surprise to see the course was salted and just wet instead of slush & snow. This was a blessing for my sore hamstrings.

Temp at start was in the low 20's, with little wind.

Ended up 2nd in 55:04, 5:55 pace. I'll take it!

9 Mile race followed by a 5 Mile cool-down p.m.

Day Total: 26 Miles

Week Total: 125 Miles

Taper & USA T&F 50K National Championship Week February 25 - March 2

Monday:

8 Miles a.m.

5 Miles p.m.

Both runs Downtown Cleveland

Day Total: 13 Miles

Tuesday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland

Off - p.m.

Day Total: 8 Miles

Wednesday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland

Off - p.m.

Day Total: 8 Miles

Thursday:

8 Miles a.m. - Downtown Cleveland

Off - p.m.

Day Total: 8 Miles

Friday:

Off - a.m.

Off - p.m.

Day Total: 0

Saturday:

3 Miles - a.m.

Off - p.m.

Sunday:

USA Track & Field 50K National Championship (New York)

4th - Overall in 3:16:16, my pace ended up being 6:19 per mile.

Very happy with my time. A bit disappointed with place.

The weather was a little chilly in the low 30's at the start with wind.

I was overdressed as the temps reached the low 40's.

Was talking with Daniel Verrington at the start. Dan is a previous winner of the USA T&F National Championship back in Pittsburgh. He is a very strong runner from the Boston area.

It was nice to see him again. I was planning on running with him since he said he would like to hold 6 min pace as long as possible. I thought I would be right with him. After the first lap I realized the Austin Marathon had taken more out of me then I thought. Dan continued on to set a USA T&F age group record for 45-49 in 3:17.

Mike Wardian had a strong run with his first USA T&F National Championship victory in 2:55:05. Fellow Patagonia team mate Andy Jones Wilkins AKA AJW from ID was in town for work. He decided to stick around and extra day and run the 50K. He ran as strong 3:30 for 9th overall.

Was nice to talk with Bob Sweeney. We both have the same PR's for almost every distance. We were team mates on the USA Track & Field 100K Team for a number of years. When Bobby says you ran a nice race, he means it. Bob is pretty tough and honest about giving congrats for a mediocre performance. It was a little amusing because he has seen me struggle for the past 5 years. He said no one know who you are any more. Sometime that's a good thing. It takes the pressure off!!!!

Day Total: 32 Miles: 31 plus — 1 Mile warm-up/cool-down

Week Total: 72 Miles