tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86449303963818101452024-02-19T09:12:47.030-08:00Split Shorts Running ReportMatt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-33040936045026630672015-05-12T08:32:00.002-07:002015-05-15T07:32:31.065-07:00Race Report - University of Oregon Twilight Meet - OTC Masters Exhibition 3000mIt was once again time for my annual masters racing pilgrimage to American track and field's mecca, Hayward Field. I have managed to run a race that finished on the track at Hayward Field every year I've been competing as a masters runner and this year was no exception. Thanks to the great masters exhibition races arranged and put on by Craig Godwin and the Oregon Track Club Masters at a couple of the University of Oregon meets each us old guys and gals get to enjoy a little bit of the excitement of spiking up on a track that is otherwise off limits.<br />
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The last two years I ran the masters exhibition mile at the U of O Pepsi Invitational and in 2012 I ran this same race, the masters exhibition 3000 meters at the U of O Twilight Invitational. Both scheduling conflicts and the place I was at in my season's training and racing made opting for the 3k this year the wisest decision. The plan for this track season culminates in what for me is a once in a lifetime event, racing the 1500 meters at the World Master Athletics World Championships in August in Lyon, France. So, even though the track racing season is getting into full swing, I'm still coming out of the end of the base phase in my training for the year and a competitive 3000 meters on the track was just what I needed.<br />
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Originally the field was going to be rather large with nearly twenty entrants in the race, with four guys listing fantastically fast seed times of under nine minutes. I knew I'd be letting those guys go and see what other races might develop back in the pack where I expected to be settling in. Unfortunately, many of the entrants had to scratch a day or two before the race and we lost a few of the fast guys up front.<br />
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I listed my seed time as 9:53 when I submitted my entry back in January, basing that time on what I actually ran for 3000 meters last year and not what I thought I could run at this race. In fact, I had already run faster than 9:53 this spring, clocking a 9:44.67 at the Club Northwest Spring Break Open in Seattle in late March and my training has been going well. So, I knew I was ready for a good day.<br />
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It is always cool to see your name on a bib from a meet at Hayward Field.</div>
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However, more than simply chasing a fast time, and Hayward Field is a great track for running fast, hopping in these masters exhibition races for me is all about racing and facing the competition. I know it is going to be a rare day that I actually win a race on this track, but as long as I have a chance to come out and play where the big kids do their stuff, then it's all about racing.<br />
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With that in mind, I was happy to see a few other guys on the start list with seed times in my ballpark, both a bit faster and a bit slower. Most notable was my friend Thomas Kreuzpeinter from Eugene who runs for OTC. I always know that Thomas means business when he races, regardless of his fitness and so far in my masters racing career it has always put me in a position to be looking at his back as he crossed the finish line in front of me. Close enough to see him, but never close enough to beat him. Last year in the masters mile at the U of O Pepsi Invitational, I tried my darndest to stay with Thomas, but he pulled away for the win to my second place finish. My plan this year was to stick to Thomas like glue. I was not yet speed sharp, but I was as strong and fit as I have ever been. I also knew that Thomas might not be at his best fitness having recently returned from a multi-week trip to his home country of Germany. Not wishing him any ill-will, but this racing and it was probably my only chance against him!<br />
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Josh Gordon leads Mike Blackmore through the first</div>
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200 meters as the rest of the field quickly strings out behind.</div>
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Originally this was to be a mixed race with both men and women, but one casualty of the late scratches was that the few women on the entry list all dropped out ahead of time, making it an all guys race. Ten of us toed the line and after hearing each of our names introduced on the PA system, took off at the gun. As expected, speed machines Josh Gordon and Mike Blackmore quickly assumed their place at the front. They were going to have their own race. Behind them, Thomas, I and John Clifford got off to a nice pace, until we hit the back stretch and felt the brunt of a pretty good head wind. I tucked in behind Thomas and John behind me. At first it wasn't my plan to just draft off of Thomas, but as we clicked off a few more laps, we were still roughly on a pace that would have us finishing around 9:40, and the strength of the back stretch wind seemed to increase, I thought, why not sit here as long as I can.<br />
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Thomas Leading the charge on the<br />
home stretch with me in tow around lap two or three.</div>
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John Clifford right behind me, doing his best to stay with our pace.</div>
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To many watching it probably seemed pretty rude of me to let Thomas do all the work, and the truth is, if he had moved aside at some point and waved me up to share the work in the wind, I really would have done it. But he didn't so I just sat tight. As we clicked off a few more laps I could no longer hear the footsteps and breathing of John Clifford behind me, so I knew it was going to just be me and Thomas for as long as I can hold on. Having been the one in the chasing position on this very track a year before, I had no idea how this one was going to end, only that I had to stay close. We went through 1600 meters in about 5:09 which was a tad bit slower than I thought we might hit for that split, but still moving along nicely.<br />
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Me in my usual racing form with my head down in</div>
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concentration, both on the race and the feet of the runner in front of me.</div>
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With laps five and six, our breathing was getting pretty hard but I was happy that my legs were not feeling heavy and I was doing my best to maintain good form and stay on my toes. With two laps to go, I knew I had a little left to pick it up and thought about going around Thomas on the home stretch, but said to myself, no, be patient, wait, there is time and you'll have to take the head wind. So I waited. With 450 meters to go I made my move and did my best to pass Thomas quickly and open up a gap by the time we hit the bell. I kept pushing on the curve and striding hard on the back stretch.<br />
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Feeling like a star on the finishing stretch at Hayward Field.</div>
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Rounding the curve I did my best to find another gear fully expecting Thomas to come striding up on my shoulder and showing me his superior speed. Unfortunately, it was not Thomas' day and he didn't have enough left to come after me. My legs never got heavy and I opened up my stride and pumped my arms as best I could to finish hard for third place, well behind Josh Gordon and Mike Blackmore.</div>
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I like this snip from the video of the race because it shows</div>
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me pumping my arms well and opening up my stride as I finish strong.</div>
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Thomas hung on for fourth, while Kerry Griffin moved into fifth and John Clifford dropped back to sixth. Originally I thought my time of 9:42.41 was a new personal best, but in fact it was.02 slower than I ran at this race in 2012, a race won by Thomas Kreuzpeintner in 9:15.70. Personal best or not, I was very happy with the time and even more happy with how I raced and finished and how my legs felt. Going into the track racing season this year and with my plans to race in the men's 45-49 division at the World Masters Association Championships, it won't be so much about chasing fast times as it will be preparing myself to race smart and finding a couple more gears at the end to finish hard.<br />
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Running through the line for third place.</div>
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Results for the 2015 masters men's exhibition 3000 meters.</div>
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It is races and venues like this that make training hard as a masters runner all the more enjoyable, but even more so it is toeing the line with fellow competitors and friends like Thomas that really make these days memorable. As Thomas, Mike Blackmore, Josh Gordon and I were on a cool down together afterwards the post race banter was light but truthful. Thomas congratulated me on a hard earned win but make it clear, next time he's coming for me. Moreover, he's moving up to the 50's age group later this year and is making plans to step up his training in anticipation of the 2016 season. I expect nothing less and look forward to it. After all, that is what this is all about.</div>
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Thanks to Craig Godwin and the Oregon Track Club Masters for taking the photos included in this blog. All credits go to them. For <a href="http://otcmasters.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?do=photos&mgroup_id=220" target="_blank">more photos of the race</a> go to this link at the Oregon Track Club Masters website. Our friends at Runnerspace.com have also kindly posted the<a href="http://oregontwilight.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=17&do=videos&video_id=144235" target="_blank"> video of the race</a>.</div>
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Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-74628704993642068222013-12-26T09:27:00.000-08:002013-12-30T11:32:57.598-08:00Reflections on 2013 - Moving Ahead to 2014 and Beyond<div class="MsoNormal">
Upon reflection, this was what I would describe as my first
down year as a competitive masters runner.
There were some positive moments and races this year, but by and large I
feel that I under-performed and did not train as hard or as consistently as I have
in the recent past. Some of this was by
design, some a result of circumstance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A <a href="http://splitshortsrunningreport.blogspot.com/2012/12/2012-year-end-report-and-review.html" target="_blank">year ago in this blog</a>, I laid out a number of time
related goals for my 2013 racing, none of which I was able to meet this year. Therefore, with all of these goals left
unrealized, I will consider those to be my same goals for 2014.</div>
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From a performance point of view, there were three
especially positive memorable experiences during 2013. First off was dragging my butt around two
laps of the track as fast as I could and somehow managing to finish in 2:10.73
at the Club Northwest Spring Break Open in March. I had not really trained for that kind of fast
racing for a few years and the race itself was an incredible shock to my
system, but I hung on and even caught one other masters runner on the
straightaway. Hoping, but not really
believing, I could run 2:10 at that time off of the training I had been doing,
and then actually doing it was an enormous confidence booster for my next
memorable race of the year just a week later in Eugene.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t really have a bucket list for running, such as
certain races I’d like to run or trails to train on or that sort of thing, but
if I did, I think winning a mile race at Hayward Field at a college meet in
front of a crowd would have been something that was bucket-list worthy. Fortunately for me, I actually did it! The 2013 Pepsi Invite at the University of
Oregon’s Hayward Field is one of those very special college meets that also has
a couple of exhibition races for masters runners. This year the mile was one of those races and
I leapt at the chance to be in the race.
Entry was first come first served so we had a mixed group of men and women
of different ages (all over 40) and different relative abilities. I registered for the race expecting some
pretty fast guys to be in the field and was looking to get dragged to a fast
time, something in the mid 4:40s.
Unfortunately, none of the real masters speedsters from the area capable of 4:20s and 4:30s in
the mile could race that day. That meant
a complete change in my perspective from chasing a fast time to the crazy idea
that I could maybe win the race. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3xATHPcCWe8Ho7LmXr9p9-2c4uKxxP4F0gjc0llBEghaA9VKU4v1vZDfEpnYSe35nj6fHIpsMh0gAUMus-Aw2bNxGMh7pI7sIkCYHa6_uSFfrG3_yKy_M8x1XAhLbYsP02EOsKjw9Tc/s1600/at+the+bell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3xATHPcCWe8Ho7LmXr9p9-2c4uKxxP4F0gjc0llBEghaA9VKU4v1vZDfEpnYSe35nj6fHIpsMh0gAUMus-Aw2bNxGMh7pI7sIkCYHa6_uSFfrG3_yKy_M8x1XAhLbYsP02EOsKjw9Tc/s320/at+the+bell.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Bell in the Masters Mile at the 2103 University of Oregon Pepsi Invite.</td></tr>
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To spare you all
the gory race details, it came down to a two-person race between my friend and fellow miler Kevin Paulk, and myself, in which I pulled out the win in
4:51.46. It was not a slow tactical race by any means,
and I pushed the pace from the gun to the line, but I do feel like on that
day if there had been faster runners ahead of me I could have been pulled to an
even quicker time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The other racing highlight of the year was running a new
personal best for 5k on the roads. I
<a href="http://splitshortsrunningreport.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-5k-pr-that-wasnt.html" target="_blank">blogged about this race previously</a> as one in which I set a new 5k PR but really
did not because the runners were incorrectly mis-routed in the race and we
actually race 3.5 miles rather than the correct 3.1 miles. Based on a number of online conversion
programs that calculate/estimate equivalent times that one should be able to
run for other distances, I arguably ran in the neighborhood of 16:35 for 3.1
miles or 5k at this year’s Fourth of July Yankee Doodle Dash in Everett. Whether or not I really would have, we’ll
never know. I do know I finished third
overall and was happy with how I raced and how hard I ran. Now I just need to go and do better for 5k
next year to erase the asterisk by this PR in my personal record book. However, I can say this, I won’t be returning
to the Yankee Doodle Dash to chase that PR.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another positive result in this year’s running log was racing
in The Hood to Coast Relay with the Leapin’ Lizards. One again we raced very well, finishing
second in our mixed-submasters division to our rivals the Slug Hunters (yet
again). We ran as fast as we ever have
as a team, within spitting distance of breaking 20 hours, and my performance in
my three legs was decent. In the first
two legs I was slightly over my predicted time and in my last leg I was
under. That is in comparison to the
previous year in which I was well under my predicted times on all three legs in
spite of using the same 10k time each year as a basis for my predicted
times. In spite of the adrenaline rush
and team support, I just never felt as strong and fast this year as I did the
previous two years. I still had a blast
and enjoyed the craziness with my teammates immensely. Sadly, this was the last year for the Leapin’
Lizards in this division, at least we went out fighting for the division
victory.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzTDA7p2DbyXWXc2zkh0NGzZZCuXCF_J65j54YxJYz2g38CZ81wARZy175d42exLY-h0TVoAcVnEY1dwZ4cbu6-g41uCUehL8yH2fAndQKVAhS7TXHlgsELt_Pwev24WWFieyjnmKBUQ/s1600/Hood+to+Coast+2013+finish+line.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivzTDA7p2DbyXWXc2zkh0NGzZZCuXCF_J65j54YxJYz2g38CZ81wARZy175d42exLY-h0TVoAcVnEY1dwZ4cbu6-g41uCUehL8yH2fAndQKVAhS7TXHlgsELt_Pwev24WWFieyjnmKBUQ/s320/Hood+to+Coast+2013+finish+line.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leapin' Lizards 2013 Hood to Coast Team at the Finish in Seaside, OR.</td></tr>
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A couple of other fun memories for the year were getting
featured in a <a href="http://sdrv.ms/K4yhud" target="_blank">Northwest Runner magazine article</a> and two different guys-only
weekend running get-aways. The first one
was to my friend Woody Harris’ Whidbey Island retreat and the other to my
friend Matt Farley’s High Elevation Running Camp at the base of Mount Rainier. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A low point of the year was my less than impressive
performance at the Missoula Half Marathon where I clocked a 19<sup>th</sup>
place finish in 1:22:26 after experiencing stomach cramps pretty early in the
race. Going in to the race I was sure I
could run 1:18 or better and had just come off a pretty good 5k at the Yankee
Doodle Dash a week and a half before. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo01RJkZub1CFh9AbQPxCzfJlElVNR-cR7V0-5kOrNFeY_hBrR3X_xLotRgL5TPVlmimLVWY0tlcDJnZkCN4Z0OerR7-ptHlMnHwdxkVmOzCptsWSvKSvBG5J51hIxwEVD2Vyg3bDe718/s1600/Missoula+Half.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo01RJkZub1CFh9AbQPxCzfJlElVNR-cR7V0-5kOrNFeY_hBrR3X_xLotRgL5TPVlmimLVWY0tlcDJnZkCN4Z0OerR7-ptHlMnHwdxkVmOzCptsWSvKSvBG5J51hIxwEVD2Vyg3bDe718/s320/Missoula+Half.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearing the Finish Line at the Missoula Half Marathon in July 2013.</td></tr>
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Oh
well, I should probably consider myself pretty lucky in that this was the first
really disappointing race I have had since moving into the masters age
category. In spite of the underwhelming
performance, I still kept alive my over 40 racing streak of placing in the top three
in my age group in non-USTAF championship races.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This all leads me to my reflection on the year and years
past and what I learned from it. Taking
a moment to really ask myself where I have best performed, on the road or on
the track, I needed some tool to compare my past performances. The age-grading calculator allows me to
compare both different ages and different events on the roads and the track, so
I listed all my best performances over the last four years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Age graded PRs<o:p></o:p></div>
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Event Time Year Age Grade %<o:p></o:p></div>
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800 (age 40) 2:07.07 2010 <b>83.71</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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800 (age 43) 2:10.73 2013 <b>83.60</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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1500 (age 40) 4:28.26 2010 81.81<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mile (age 42) 4:50.54 2012 82.29<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mile (age 43) 4:51.46 2013 82.66<o:p></o:p></div>
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3000m (age 42) 9:42.39 2012 81.15<o:p></o:p></div>
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5k (age 42) 16:38 2012 83.30<o:p></o:p></div>
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5k (age 43) 16:35 2013 <b>84.19</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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10k (age 41) 34:56 2011 81:94<o:p></o:p></div>
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10 miles (age 42) 58:31 2012 80.73<o:p></o:p></div>
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Half Marathon (age 41) 1:16:33 2011 81.22<o:p></o:p></div>
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Marathon (age 41) 2:46:38 2011 77.45<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here’s what this tells me. I consistently age-graded in the 81 to 83% range, with my marathon PR as my only low outlier. My best overall age graded performance
regardless of event was my 5k "PR" in 2013 and three of the top five age-graded performances were in 2013. Those were surprises, but are both factors of still being pretty fit and the benefit of getting older in the
age-grading formula. However, in spite of
thinking I had an off year, I did not do too badly in the shorter
distances. Taking this thinking to the
next logical conclusion, if middle distances are arguably where I am best
running right now, what would be the biggest thing I could do in that arena? Since the marathon is not my strength even
though there are a lot of great destination marathons out there to run, what
would be a bucket list kind of event for an old duffer in the middle distances
on the track? Well, it does not get much
bigger or exotic than wearing the team USA uniform at the World Masters Athletics
Championships. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Like the elite track and field World Championship, the World
Masters Athletics Championships are not held every year, so where and when are
the next championships? I was pleased to
see that they will be in<a href="http://www.lyon2015.com/" target="_blank"> Lyon, France in August of 2015</a>. That would make a great trip for my wife and
I to plan for and it give me a nice long window to train and work to be in the
very best shape I can be for my first international competition. Plus, in 2015 I will have turned 45 years old
so I will be the youngster in a new 45-49 age group. The cool thing about masters championship, be
they national or world championships is that one does not have to qualify, everyone
is welcome, one simply has to sign up and pay your own way to the event.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, that is the plan, Lyon 2015. In the meantime, in addition to staying
healthy, I have some pounds to shed, some serious conditioning to undertake,
and some hard training and harder racing to endure. Look for me on the track and the roads for
the next couple of years, just don’t expect to see me racing on the trails or
in a marathon, that kind or racing will have to wait a little longer.<o:p></o:p></div>
Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-4205545600008807442013-07-21T14:31:00.001-07:002013-07-21T14:38:55.838-07:00The 5k PR That Wasn’t<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 12pt;">
I recently raced to a new personal record for five kilometers in Everett’s fourth of July Yankee Doodle Dash, except I really didn’t. How is that you ask, well, it sort of went like this. The Yankee Doodle Dash 5k is a certified course race that is run every year on July fourth. I ran this race last year finishing in 17:08. </div>
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Not seeing anything to indicate otherwise, I and other runners expected the race to follow the same course as previous years, as stated in the course map on the race website. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxCBBPbtn5D3auqkmQ_obtZJdZar9HrOmU9TKiUSbw1BbT4kwcg7_Yo9mOrFNHhUpAyWYabGm0CSjJpGP1uwNYTOD5hyJWF98YKBIjeDxSECTdFFkBHMs77vT1mB_ArNDKHbEWolS28U/s1600/start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPxCBBPbtn5D3auqkmQ_obtZJdZar9HrOmU9TKiUSbw1BbT4kwcg7_Yo9mOrFNHhUpAyWYabGm0CSjJpGP1uwNYTOD5hyJWF98YKBIjeDxSECTdFFkBHMs77vT1mB_ArNDKHbEWolS28U/s320/start.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The start of the Yankee Doodle Dash 5k. That's me in the middle under the "S".</div>
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Surveying the field at the start I could tell I would probably be one of the top ten finishers, and might even sneak into the top five like last year. Accordingly, I lined up near the front of the start line and got off to a good position in the first one hundred meters. In this race the start is all uphill for two blocks before turning right onto a relatively flat stretch. At least, that’s how it is supposed to be run. Unfortunately this year a volunteer on the course steered the lead motorcycle to the left after one block against the vocal protests of many of us runners near the front of the race who knew better. The motorcycle kept going and the very front runners followed and the rest of us said “aw shit, I guess we’re committed”. In hindsight it is understandable how the mistake was made, as the volunteer sent the lead cycle to the left just as he had correctly done for the 10k race that started fifteen minutes earlier and was supposed to go left at that corner. </div>
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Lead runners after having just made the incorrect left turn early in the race.</div>
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With the new, unmapped addition, we were soon routed back onto the correct course and followed the known route as expected back to the finish line. Unfortunately this resulted in a course that was surely longer than 3.1 mile or five kilometers. Overall, I was pretty happy with how I ran, dropping a number of folks over the first two miles and reeling in a couple more in the last mile. Effort-wise and fitness-wise I knew I was in the ballpark for a sub 17 minute effort and the weather was perfect for 5k racing. Because of the early race snafu, I was not able to get an accurate mile or two mile split so I never really had a good idea of where I was in the race as far as pace goes, but I ran hard and finished strong, sporting my ever-so-patriotic USA flag split shorts.</div>
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Bringing it home down the hill to the finish in all my patriotic glory!</div>
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At the finish
line a few of the front runners were less than happy with the extra distance we
had to run, not because it made it harder, but because it messed up our ability
to compare this effort to a true 5k result, both our own and others. Upon my noting out loud at the finish line that
the race was long and they screwed up the directions, one race volunteer said to
me “does it matter, were you racing for a specific time?” To which I said, yeah, yeah it matters a lot when
you are racing”.<br />
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Upon returning
home I hopped online and mapped and remapped the actual route we ran using the
USATF course mapping website. Each time
I arrived at a distance of 3.50 and 3.51 miles.
Facebook posts from people who also ran the 5k with gps watches reported
distances of 3.5 miles as well. So, we
had a new distance to kinda tell us how we performed. What about the time?
Well, the race was chip timed so that was a little harder to mess up,
marking me down with a 18:49 finishing time. </div>
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Being the racer
that I am, what I really wanted to know was what did I actually run for 5k that
morning. Here are a few ways to look at
it. Since this was 3.5 miles and longer
than 3.1 miles, I could take my overall pace and use that to calculate what I
likely ran as my 3.1 mile split. That
would look something like this:</div>
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<b>18:49 for 3.50 miles =
5:22/mile pace = 16:42 for 3.1 miles.</b></div>
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OK, 16:42 is a
good time for me right now and I would be more than happy with that result, but it led me to ask if there was a way to get an even more
accurate estimate? Considering we know
that as a race gets longer we all run a little bit slower pace. Does that .4 miles make a difference in this
case? I probably ran faster overall pace than 5:22, but how much? Well it is almost a half mile and
I’m pretty sure it might have made a second or two difference per mile. Based on my 18:49 effort for 3.50 miles, what
should my equivalent performance have been that day for 3.1 miles? Trusting the “experts” of the internet running
world, there are a number of race time prediction calculators out there to which
I could pose this question.</div>
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Here is what I found from
the following sites –<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.hillrunner.com/calculators/raceconversion.php">http://www.hillrunner.com/calculators/raceconversion.php</a> -
<b>16:35</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.runworks.com/calculator.html">http://www.runworks.com/calculator.html</a> -
<b>16:35</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.fasterrunning.com/oldsite/calculator2.htm">http://www.fasterrunning.com/oldsite/calculator2.htm</a> - <b>16:34</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Interesting… that makes me
pretty happy since my previous certified course 5k PR on the road was a 16:38 that
I ran last November at the Gobble Gallop in Duluth, Minnesota. These predictions suggest that had we run the
correct course at the Yankee Doodle Dash, I very well would have run a new
PR at 16:35. Dang it! Oh well, I’ll have to chalk this one up as
the 5k PR that wasn’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Strutting my stuff doing a little victory jug after the race.</div>
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<br />Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-91077825128948433012012-12-15T19:26:00.002-08:002012-12-19T12:15:36.459-08:002012 Year End Report and Review<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The year 2012 has nearly ended and it's time to once again review how my racing compared to my hopes and expectations at this time a year ago. The time goals I set in January for 2012 were pretty ambitious, but
were based on improving on what I accomplished (or nearly accomplished) in 2011 and were
designed to motivate me to train and race very hard. Overall, I was able to find races to run in
most of these distances on the track and roads, which was an important first
step. Unfortunately, I was unable to
meet any of these time goals, in spite of feeling I had a successful year of running. I guess I
was thinking a little too big and while I continue to improve (in spite of getting
older), I might need to be a little more conservative in 2013. Here’s what I had hoped to run this year, in
comparison to what I did run:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Track Goal Actual</span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1500m: 4:19 <i>4:29</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mile: 4:38 <i>4:50</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3000m: 9:20 <i>9:42</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5000m: 16:15 <i>17:03</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Roads Goal Actual</span></b><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Mile: 4:40 <i>no races</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5k: 16:20 <i>16:38</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">10k: 34:00 </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">35:21</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Even though I didn’t hit a single one of those
times, I am actually very happy with my racing this year. I did get a new PR in the 5k on the roads
with a 17 second improvement on my old PR, as well as for 10 miles in 58:31. Moreover, I did something I had never done
before as a masters runner or even as a high schooler. I actually won a few races this year,
crossing the finish line first overall, in the Rogue Half Marathon in February
and Red River Run 10k in July.</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><br />
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I also won two masters 5000m races on the track, which were frustrating
wins, since I arrived at the races really ready to compete and run a fast time,
but sadly had no one to run with/against at the same general pace, and instead lapped the entire field in
both races (Prefontaine Masters Classic in April and the Portland Masters
Classic in June).<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAUZR-twlLSsgVTQ8NCP9l9QcgLIVrjUwhmXpfsk9bSf7oqlXbbqM6dNhO61p1WvR9xjJFgfcWewj_5uxhBioth-wQQBpeCE3yLwSlrKKBYz4FelsvhiFHpxR95DxlSRRfNXPslcfJI8/s1600/423607_2682209407477_1023571352_32179747_1592018042_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAUZR-twlLSsgVTQ8NCP9l9QcgLIVrjUwhmXpfsk9bSf7oqlXbbqM6dNhO61p1WvR9xjJFgfcWewj_5uxhBioth-wQQBpeCE3yLwSlrKKBYz4FelsvhiFHpxR95DxlSRRfNXPslcfJI8/s400/423607_2682209407477_1023571352_32179747_1592018042_n.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Heading for home and my first ever win in the Rogue River Half Marathon in February.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also managed to maintain my streak of always finishing in the top 3 in my age group in road races that were not USATF championships ( I was less successful on the track and in XC). I have been able to pull this off road racing feat every year of being in the 40 plus age group. Let's see how long that holds with more plans to find some fast and competitive road races in the Seattle area in 2013. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With my move to Everett in May, I tried something new, making a once a month attack on the local Forest Park Hill Challenge. With the record standing at 12 completed laps in the 30 minute race window, I managed to equal that 4 out of 5 times and finish 1st, 4 out of 5 times. The one time I did not make 12 laps it was raining and I made a blood sacrifice with a hard fall on the 2nd lap and instead covered 11 laps and came up about 20 meters short of a full 12 that day. My only loss of the season on the hill climb was to a speedy high school stud who went on to represent his team at the state Cross Country meet. As the reigning overall season champ, I've got my work cut out for me next year and already know that a few local runners will be gunning for me in the hill climb.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx14yttZfXdj9b6qP1sHMx_WmzyarZXLk9caX-OlHCy7xOmFlVARPUG42mAQA0S7HGOrHinQwuG47UgjB5URNiyqowOE74iawv8WYBD6ocOHFuqJ_Ab-Y6O-HPWY0-wqQUKVKTk8LFS_s/s1600/track-0482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx14yttZfXdj9b6qP1sHMx_WmzyarZXLk9caX-OlHCy7xOmFlVARPUG42mAQA0S7HGOrHinQwuG47UgjB5URNiyqowOE74iawv8WYBD6ocOHFuqJ_Ab-Y6O-HPWY0-wqQUKVKTk8LFS_s/s400/track-0482.jpg" width="260" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Cranking out the laps on a solo 5000m effort in the Prefontaine Masters Classic in Coos Bay in May.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In in some ways, the first half of the year, I was racing with a handicap, since in June I learned that my ferritin levels were extremely low for a
competitive distance runner and in all likelihood my low iron levels were
affecting my training and performances.
With the introduction of supplemental iron and dietary improvement, I was able to
race and train harder in the second half of the year. It showed, with a win
at the Red River Run, a strong running at the Hood to Coast relay, as well as a couple of good cross
country performances with Club Northwest, and a new PR in the 5k in November.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitM52nGwgyf9OFjkD6f3f_652Umbrjt0BMbexViHbvMFBOlg4Yba15KEcmyAzoJZ7MVzjO5_nGwbZ9R53gziMZFCqGBgNldtLVYWxKBW4ji8F_OMLyL1w3lOQBQ-HWEV-rcbBW_NJDO58/s1600/553995_10151068058990767_1758621008_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitM52nGwgyf9OFjkD6f3f_652Umbrjt0BMbexViHbvMFBOlg4Yba15KEcmyAzoJZ7MVzjO5_nGwbZ9R53gziMZFCqGBgNldtLVYWxKBW4ji8F_OMLyL1w3lOQBQ-HWEV-rcbBW_NJDO58/s400/553995_10151068058990767_1758621008_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Plugging away up a hill in the Yankee Doodle Dash 5k in Everett.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other thing that left me satisfied with my running in 2012 was holding true to a resolution
I made to never let up at the end of a race, which I never did. Not counting my hobbled finish at the end of
the Club Cross Country Nationals meet, I only recall being passed once by
someone in the final half mile of any of my races, and that was in a collegiate cross country meet where a group of 5 of us were sprinting to the
finish and I caught a few guys and one of the guys caught me. I ran to compete and to win this year. In year’s past, I showed up some days and competed on others, but
this year it seemed to be a little more important and real. Of course winning a few races really helped to keep
one’s focus on racing smart and running very hard through the finish line.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were two other goals I set that were not personal performances
per se, but instead were team oriented, with the assumption that I would be
contributing to those teams in 2012. One was to
see my Oregon running club, Bowerman Athletic Club (BAC) mens 40’s team, make the podium at Cross
Country Club Nationals. The other was
for my Hood to Coast Relay team, Leapin’ Lizards, defeat the Slug Hunters team in
the mixed-submasters category.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh992qCMAvo-QlXBZXJpOzakAfKQzK2cTM_hLnuMpRJh7N17tbKd97gYFf0inWnJ0DZs3W8Zusq3t5l1rBJlF2g3OViwU7de9kFEJqo8vcQPGy8fq_dfQY6DTxEZKIl6PSVUOIqBwBZFD4/s1600/IMG_0066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh992qCMAvo-QlXBZXJpOzakAfKQzK2cTM_hLnuMpRJh7N17tbKd97gYFf0inWnJ0DZs3W8Zusq3t5l1rBJlF2g3OViwU7de9kFEJqo8vcQPGy8fq_dfQY6DTxEZKIl6PSVUOIqBwBZFD4/s400/IMG_0066.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Slogging through the mud with my fellow masters runners in the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Club Northwest orange and blue at Club Cross Country Nationals in Kentucky</span>. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With my move to Everett, in May, I
changed my USATF club affiliation from BAC to Club Northwest (CNW), which meant
I would be running with CNW and not BAC at cross country club nationals. Transferring that goal to CNW, I was very
happy to have been selected to run for CNW at the National Championship meet in
Lexington, Kentucky on December 8<sup>th</sup>; however, it was not a good day
for me, as I ended up limping to the finish with a seriously damaged
Achilles tendon strain. The team ran hard but only
managed a 6<sup>th</sup> place finish in our division. Even if I had run to my potential and had not
sustained an injury in the race, the team probably would have only finished as
well as 5<sup>th</sup> place, which is still a respectable finish, but far from the podium and a paycheck for the team.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXUA9ZS-eUhu6rwfMSoKFaYHhtkguPxRFhnyQv7TtxP1ZwKdQe9q3zxMAlGfYVwcYTFfzZ7mLeLSCjwSjd_A7e7leToo_a_wbWH1tWPv-72EJ-N7HGbGwiuf3Tj4xhiQp30m5rii96BM/s1600/577947_10100442951807964_2045803714_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXUA9ZS-eUhu6rwfMSoKFaYHhtkguPxRFhnyQv7TtxP1ZwKdQe9q3zxMAlGfYVwcYTFfzZ7mLeLSCjwSjd_A7e7leToo_a_wbWH1tWPv-72EJ-N7HGbGwiuf3Tj4xhiQp30m5rii96BM/s400/577947_10100442951807964_2045803714_n.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Gritting my teeth through the pain of a strained achilles to cross the finish line</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">at Club Cross Country Nationals in Kentucky in early December.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for the goal of the Leapin’ Lizards Hood to Coast team taking the win from the Slug Hunters, we
missed again. We had a strong team and I
think ran as fast as we ever have, but yet again the Slug Hunters pulled away
from us and won the division with the Leapin’ Lizards in 2<sup>nd</sup>. Those of us on that team that are gluttons for punishment
and plan to come back for one more go in 2013 are really hoping that this will
be the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for a new set of time goals for 2013, I’m a little unsure of where to put my emphases, since I
haven’t decided yet if I want to focus on the shorter stuff on the track (after
my achilles gets back in order) or if this is going to be a marathon year, for
which I would have to adjust my training one direction or the other. So, with that in mind here’s a set of racing time goals
that look at all possible scenarios:</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Track<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">800m 2:06</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1500m 4:20</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mile 4:40</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3000m 9:15</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5000m 16:15</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10000m 34:10</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Road<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5k 16:20</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10k 34:30</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Half Marathon 1:15:45</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marathon 2:40:00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other personal goals are to be selected to race on the CNW men's 40s A team
for Club Nationals in Bend in December, to maintain my top three age group finish on the roads, and complete 13 laps the Forest Park Hill Climb.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk831R3GM2k-X6kUDT0xgUsNguY_EMq1Aw01VdxZk3FKU9todjU_IjFVhKra7-lYQmpyW4HXRET4tCp2hdwG7W_Ks51-GDNRRVsHtPzpE6rXkWqPKul5tjffuOVVRAk31KjyCwQVM3PhY/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk831R3GM2k-X6kUDT0xgUsNguY_EMq1Aw01VdxZk3FKU9todjU_IjFVhKra7-lYQmpyW4HXRET4tCp2hdwG7W_Ks51-GDNRRVsHtPzpE6rXkWqPKul5tjffuOVVRAk31KjyCwQVM3PhY/s400/IMG_2146.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Crossing the finish line after not letting down at the finish </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">and running down fellow masters runner Neil Olsen in the Pear Blossom 10 miler in Medford</span>.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-46557307712341860462012-07-18T09:05:00.000-07:002012-12-19T12:13:29.867-08:00Ironing Out a Kink in My Armor - Ferritin Testing for Endurance Athletes<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">About a month ago when in Portland for a track meet I took
it upon myself to get my ferritin levels checked, something I’ve been meaning
to do for a while, but just hadn’t gotten around to. Why, might you ask, did I think I needed to
know what my ferritin levels were? Well,
there are a few reasons, but first and foremost, it was not because I thought I
was sick or my diet was inadequate or I was feeling especially fatigued in my
training and racing. I mean, sure I
would be tired after a hard long run or speed session, but who wouldn’t be and
isn’t that sort of the point of a hard
workout, to push yourself a little beyond your comfort zone before recovering
an</span><span style="background-color: white; color: white;">d doing it all over again? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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No, I had my ferritin checked simply because I wanted to
establish a baseline measure for ferritin and to know just how well my body was
storing iron. As an endurance runner, iron plays an important role in our performance and ability to move oxygen via the
red blood cells to our fatigued and damaged muscles. </div>
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Ferritin is a naturally occurring protein in the liver,
spleen, bone marrow, muscles, and blood which stores and releases iron as
needed. As a result, ferritin levels
serve as a kind of proxy measure for the amount of iron available and stored in
one’s body. The specifics of these
processes and the different roles of ferritin/iron moving oxygen and muscle
repair are more complex than this non-medical professional needs to attempt to
understand or restate here.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Suffice it to say, if a runner has low amounts of iron in
their body, they will likely not be able to perform as well as expected or
desired. In extreme cases of low iron
levels one can be described as anemic or diagnosed as suffering from anemia. Endurance athletes, especially runners, can
be especially susceptible to lower iron levels, due to losses of iron that
occur through sweating and through foot strike hemolysis in which red blood
cells literally burst and are destroyed by the constant pounding of one’s foot
strike. In general, one is not
destroying a significant portion on one’s run blood cells on their daily runs,
but with higher mileage running, this can begin to add up and be a factor. Menstruating women may also suffer from lower
levels of iron resulting from monthly blood loss. Obviously, it is important to maintain a
reasonably high ferritin level or at least not have your ferritin levels
decline to a level below the normal range.</div>
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Researching the topic online, one can find a variety of
different values for the range of normal adult male ferritin levels with low
ferritin described as anywhere from under 10 to under 24
nanograms per milliliter of blood.
Overall, most online sources (for what that is worth) list 20-24 as
low end of normal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The results of my ferritin test were rather startling, with
my numbers coming back at 22. Wow, I was
admittedly surprised. That is at the
very low end of healthy and borderline anemic (although my hematocrit and
hemoglobin numbers were not high, they were not nearly as close to the low end
of the reference range as the ferritin was).
In my mind I have a pretty healthy and balanced diet for a runner with a
pretty good amount of animal protein. I thought
I ate reasonable, but regular, portions of red meat, the richest and most
readily absorbed source of dietary iron.
But in learning more about this issue, I became more aware that how you
get your iron and with what other foods can enhance or interfere with the iron absorption
process. Iron absorption is improved
with the availability of vitamin C; whereas, calcium inhibits absorption of
iron. These are not one to one ratios,
but rather are guidelines to remember and incorporate into one’s eating habits
to maximize iron absorption. As a
unapologetic meat eater, I haven’t had to change my diet significantly or worry
about where I might get added iron from non-animal sources; however, I am
trying to increase my iron consumption from plant based, as well as animal based, sources and to cook a little more in cast iron pans which is purported to also
add iron to the diet, although I am somewhat skeptical that it can be very
significant.</div>
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Now, a month later, I am taking iron supplements in the form
of ferrous sulfate tablets three times a day (3x65mg) with a vitamin C tablet
and avoiding calcium rich foods near the window of time in which I take the
iron supplements. I am also eating more
lean red meat in my meals and paying attention to what I am eating with my iron
rich foods and supplements. For example, am I drinking
milk (dairy or almond) or eating ice cream near the time I am taking the
supplements? Am I having cheese on a
pastrami sandwich (yes I am), and do I need to really worry about every time I
mix a calcium rich food with an iron rich food?
Of course I don’t. Food is a
pretty big aspect of my life and I refuse to have my diet completely dictated
by something like iron absorption vigilance.
But I am admittedly more aware of these things than I was before.</div>
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After a month of taking the supplements and rethinking my
iron intake have I noticed anything different?
I think I have. I feel much
stronger and less tired in my legs in my hard workouts especially in longer
intervals and tempo runs and I feel like I am recovering from runs much quicker
than before. I’m actually kind of
excited to get in the right race and really see what happens. It is not like I feel like superman, but I do
feel that little bit more fresh and peppy than before.</div>
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Now the question becomes, to what level do I need to or want
my ferritin levels to rise to? Of
course, I want to get the number up to a “healthy” value or more closer to the
average for healthy adult men. However, working
to improve my iron stores and function, brings up another topic, namely that of
supplementing to enhance performance as opposed to supplementing to reach healthy
or average levels. In general, men’s
ferritin levels are found to be between 20 and 380 ng/ml. For me it seems to make sense to get my
ferritin to at least 50, but why not aim for higher? It is fairly widely known these days that
many elite endurance athletes intentionally take iron supplements to bring
their ferritin levels to around 100 ng/ml or above as a means to maximize the
muscle repair and oxygen moving effects of iron in their bodies. </div>
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Should consuming supplemental iron in pill or liquid form when
you do not have a shown deficiency be considered a form of performance enhancement? Yeah, it probably should, but what does that
really mean? Isn’t that the point of a
training program and everything that goes into it, performance enhancement? Of course that is the tricky question in
sports today, where do you draw the line for what is or is not acceptable for
performance enhancement, and why? Most arguments
are either based on creating and maintaining a level playing field or around protecting
the health and safety of athletes, especially young athletes. But in all honesty, that seems like a bit of
a farce to me, since the point of training hard to be the best involves intentional
stresses and pushing your body to extremes and beyond what is considered normal
to force it to adapt and get stronger. One is intentionally trying to find an
advantage over your competitors and taking some risks, pushing to the edges of,
and sometimes beyond what is normal or safe.
Like most things in life, the line that has been drawn to divide what is
acceptable and what is not is relatively arbitrary and is based as much on
opinion, convention, and emotions as it is on facts, data, and logic. Am I advocating for the use of drugs in
athletics? Of course not, but I am not
afraid to be honest and talk openly about their place in the bigger picture of training
and competition.</div>
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Anyway, since this is my blog and is selfishly about me, back
to the situation at hand. Do I need to
aim for a ferritin value around 100 or higher?
Not necessarily, but we shall see how this all unfolds and progresses
when I get a follow-up ferritin test at the end of two months of
supplementation. Another test might be
how my race results look after my body has had a chance to benefit from the
effects of increasing my iron levels regardless of how close to 100 ng/ml they
reach. Another test might be how long I
am willing to subject my digestive system to the effects of iron supplements,
because there is most definitely a change in the “output”, and it ain’t always
pretty.</div>
Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-87995333107242113332012-06-27T10:17:00.000-07:002012-06-27T10:17:03.546-07:00Portland Masters Track Classic – Rare Weekend Double<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Continuing
on with the 2012 season on the track, I completed a rare weekend double,
running the 1500 meters on Saturday and the 5000 meters on Sunday at the
Portland Masters Track Classic. Held at
the Mount Hood Community College track in Gresham, Oregon, this meet commonly
sees a handful of good Portland area masters show up for the middle and long
distance events. However, for some
reason this year the turn-out was very slim.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After
braving an exciting but rain-filled day on Friday as a spectator at the Olympic
Trials in Eugene, I got my weekend of racing started with the 1500 meters on
Saturday afternoon. Like Friday, it
continued to rain off and on all day, however the temperatures were perfect and
the wind never became a factor. From the
start list I saw Jonathan Swanson was in the race and I knew there was at least
one speedster in my age group who would be going out fast. With Kevin Paulk also in the race I figured I
would have someone to run with for part of the race. Kevin was quickly on his way back to fitness,
and by later in the summer would undoubtedly be leaving me behind, but based on
his efforts as a pacer for Nolan Shaheed in the Portland Track Classic Masters
Mile, he and I were in the same ballpark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As we
were warming together up before the race we discussed where we wanted to be
time-wise and hatched a plan. We would
work together and I would take the first lap in around 70-71 seconds and Kevin
would take the next lap in roughly the same split. After that<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My
goal for the race was to at least break 4:30, but I really wanted to get close
to 4:25 and also set a new PR. In 2011 I
never managed to do any races on the track, but in 2010, upon turning 40, I hit
the track hard and ran a PR 4:28.xx while finishing well back in the pack at a
college meet at Lewis and Clark College.
It would be great to better that time today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As
expected, Swanson was gone with the gun and as planned I moved into second with
Kevin behind me in third. Unfortunately,
I got a little too eager and went through 400 meters in 68 seconds rather than
the planned 70-71. Kevin was smart and held
himself back rather than getting sucked in by my too fast start. I held the second place position, passing
through 800 meters in 2:21, which was more or less the pace I was looking for,
but the fast start was catching up with me and I was starting to tire. I tried
to focus and maintain for the third lap, but started to falter, passing 1200m
in 3:39. Kevin was never far behind, but
with 200 meters to go, I dug in, got up on my toes and pumped my arms for a
reasonably strong finish. Jonathan
Swanson ran away with it finishing in first in 4:14.90, with me in second in 4:29.76
and Kevin in third in 4:34.52. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Afterwards,
I was feeling pretty good and was looking forward to the 5000 meters the next
day. Unfortunately, the start list for
that race was a little thin and I realized I might be all alone….again. In my one other 5000 meter race on the track
this season at a Masters meet in Coos Bay in May I lapped the entire field and
was relegated to a solo run, a time trial of me against the clock trying to click
off 80 second laps for a finishing time of 16:40. But on that day I fell off pace and could
only muster a 17:03 finish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It
looked like this day was shaping up to be a similar solo run, although the
weather was a bit better with no wind at all, cool temps, and partly cloudy
skies. As the first event of the day,
getting us runners off the line was a bit shaky, as the starters pistol miss-fired
three times before we finally got underway.
I went to the front and quickly settled into my planned pace of the same
80 second laps. Dammit, I was going to
run 16:40 one of these days! My training
and other results said I should be able to do it, I just needed the right race
and to stay focused. But doing that all
alone is harder than it sounds. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My
first 1600 meters passed by in 5:21, pretty close to right on pace as I began
lapping people in the third lap. Going through
3200 meters in 10:50, I was losing a few seconds each lap and knew that 16:40
was out of the question, but I might still break seventeen minutes. I did my best to stay loose and keep my head
in the race, but I never was able to pick it up and lost a few more seconds
each lap. Coming down the straight away
with 2 laps to go they rang the bell.
What! No! I shouted, “Your count
is wrong, I have two laps to go!”. I am
glad I was paying attention to my lap count, but how hard is that really? Just look at the watch or clock and you can
be sure where you are. I sure knew that
I wasn’t about to run 15:40 for 5000 meters!
In the end, I managed a time of 17:06.40 in a race that was sadly very
similar to the one I ran in Coos Bay, down to nearly identical splits. I think I need to find a deeper and faster
5000 meter race on the track to nail that elusive 16:40. Maybe one of the Club Northwest all-comer
meets is the best option.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From
the posted results at the meet, I saw that at the meet on Saturday morning,
Bill Aronson ran a very speedy 34:45 for 10000 meters. From talking with others who also ran the
10000 meters, it was pouring rain with lots of standing water on the
track. I am not disappointed that I
chose not to run that race, but I would have liked to have had someone of Bill’s
talent with me in the 5000 meters. That
would have made for a much more interesting twelve and a half laps.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since
I like to over-analyze my races and look at track stats, I thought I’d see how
my last three races on the track compared to one another and where they
predicted I should be for a well raced 5000 meters. Those races were the Masters 3000 meters at
the University of Oregon Twilight Invitational, the Masters Mile at the Portland
Track Festival, and the 1500 meters at the Portland Masters Track Classic. Using the IAAF scoring table all three were
between 539 and 543 points, with 541 a reasonable average. That is fairly tight cluster. But most interesting is that using 541 points
as a target, my predicted 5000 meter time should be 16:38.70. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Distance Time Points</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1500 4:29.76 539<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mile 4:50.54 543<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3000m 9:42.39 540<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5000m 16:38.70 541</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perfect,
right in the ball park of what I am shooting for in my training and racing
goals. Now, to find the right race to
make it happen.<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-63962087943166185992012-06-19T17:59:00.000-07:002013-12-30T11:33:31.365-08:00Oregon Masters Mile - 4:50.54<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With track season now in full swing, I recently had an opportunity
to compete in a special men’s masters mile in Portland, Oregon. The <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/ormastersmile/" target="_blank">Oregon Masters Mile</a> is a special prize
money race at the Portland Track Festival.
Since 2005, Race Director Dave Clingan has done an outstanding job of
luring many of the top masters miles from around the country to come to
Portland to toe the line, chase the money and maybe set a national or even
world age group record or two. In many years,
this is the most competitive outdoor masters mile race of the year, bringing together
a better field than even the USATF Masters Outdoor Championships. The only other comparable race is the <a href="http://www.fingerlakesrunners.org/wordpress/2012/01/hartshorne-memorial-masters-mile-2012-results-2/" target="_blank">Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile</a>, a similar assemblage of elite masters milers racing each
January on the indoor track at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In short, this wasn’t your local all-comers track meet, this
was serious racing for masters milers and the field assembled for this year was
as deep as ever. Going into this race, I
was well aware that I was completely outgunned and would be bringing up the
rear, but I really couldn’t care less. For
me, this was essentially another important moment in my masters running career,
a running bucket list item if you will, and just getting into the race was
enough to make me happy. Of course, I
wanted to do well and to try and run my seed time of 4:42.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXAEv0PSkYLESazXi8tih-SGd6tg7zgQDPPmyvgOiLfhUIOb-qJPmGPRnTaaNcofW0lUSW-950zQcFeZB8WuTAjniJ0YVzrKdvwJsVtwFdgozGSL3FHId01PdqrFo6CPhKHjREY2Ahpg/s1600/StartLine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzXAEv0PSkYLESazXi8tih-SGd6tg7zgQDPPmyvgOiLfhUIOb-qJPmGPRnTaaNcofW0lUSW-950zQcFeZB8WuTAjniJ0YVzrKdvwJsVtwFdgozGSL3FHId01PdqrFo6CPhKHjREY2Ahpg/s400/StartLine.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All seventeen of us lined up at the start. I'm on the orange and black, third from the right.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To me, a time of 4:42 was realistic. My training was going fairly well, and I
definitely had the speed work under me.
What I was less sure about was my strength. Could I really hold this pace for all four
laps? Concentration was going to be
critical, especially on that third lap.
As I stated, I knew I wouldn’t be anywhere near the front of the race,
but I wondered what might be going on back where I would be running. The great Nolan Shaheed was going to be in
the race and, at age 62, would undoubtedly be chasing a new American record in
the 60-64 age group. The listed record
was 4:58.2, and based on similar performances from Nolan in the last year or
so, he would likely be running in the low 4:50s, so that would mean he ought to
be behind me, but never far. I also knew
my friend Thomas
<span style="white-space: pre;">Kreuzpeintner</span> from Eugene was running and, while he probably
also wouldn’t be way up front, he normally is a bit ahead of me, so I would
have Thomas to chase. Hopefully it
wouldn’t get thinned out too badly back in the rear of the race.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVNyV7g4NcmGcL_BB-JuaH1iNEtjGZB4fbMkTsDbNZQ5WhUxb8JxR0qqLBHooe3GzeR_35njfe4hnsrZshUskuENfH2CrusL3Qnz3rl8Kco4tpeEF66xCIf7k0rUQ1ubiiyl7Cskiq2A/s1600/IMG_5190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVNyV7g4NcmGcL_BB-JuaH1iNEtjGZB4fbMkTsDbNZQ5WhUxb8JxR0qqLBHooe3GzeR_35njfe4hnsrZshUskuENfH2CrusL3Qnz3rl8Kco4tpeEF66xCIf7k0rUQ1ubiiyl7Cskiq2A/s1600/IMG_5190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVNyV7g4NcmGcL_BB-JuaH1iNEtjGZB4fbMkTsDbNZQ5WhUxb8JxR0qqLBHooe3GzeR_35njfe4hnsrZshUskuENfH2CrusL3Qnz3rl8Kco4tpeEF66xCIf7k0rUQ1ubiiyl7Cskiq2A/s400/IMG_5190.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anxious and nervous at the start or last minute jibba-jabba trash talking?</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After
a 20 minute delay, we finally toed the line, all seventeen of us. There were some really fast guys in here too,
such as Mike Blackmore and Pete Magill, who together had been spending the
spring beating up on the men’s 50-54 age group record for the 5000 meters on
the track, with Magill lowering it to an amazing 15:06 the weekend before. Also in the mix were Charlie Kern form
Philadelphia and Ian Gillespie of Portland, and it was guaranteed to be
quick. On top of all that, there were a
number of 30-something speedsters itching for a fast race. My goal was to go out in 70 seconds for each
of the first three quarter miles and then just try and hang on. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the gun, I immediately dropped back and
tucked in behind Thomas. I promptly forgot
about those guys up front. They could do
their own thing, I’ll watch the video later to see how that unfolded. Sitting on Thomas’ heels we went through the
first lap in 69. Not bad, I wasn’t
feeling great, but I wasn’t feeling awful either. As we rounded the back stretch on the second
lap, I noticed it was getting a bit breezy.
Oh well, head down, keep racing.
I did my best to stay relaxed and hang onto Thomas, but by 700 meters, I
could tell I was starting to falter a little.
I went through a half mile in 2:21, a stride off of Thomas. Nolan was about 5 seconds back and working
his magic with the generous aid of Kevin Paulk who agreed to join the race as a
pacer to Nolan.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Still close on Thomas' heels with two laps to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Coming into the third lap, Thomas maintained and I lost
ground as I really began to labor. I
made it through 3 laps in 3:34 and thought I might be able to muster something
of a kick and run a solid 70 second last lap.
Unfortunately, I was out of gas and did my best to hold my form together
and keep my legs moving forward. It was
a humbling experience to just begin to round the last curve near the steeplechase
water jump and hear the announcer calling the finish of the same race I was
competing in. I kept moving forward, but
could hear Nolan coming on behind me, not to mention the cheers of the crowd to
carry him to the finish. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Coming down the final straight away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I made it to the finish in 4:50.54, about 10 meters behind
Thomas and a few strides in front of Nolan, who ran a blistering 4:53.01 to set
a new American record for his age group.
Technically, this was a new PR for me, since I had raced a full mile on
the track. My 1500m PR of 4:28.26 from 2010
coverts to approximately 4:49.30 (when compared on the IAAF scoring tables) so,
this wasn’t a bad day for me, although I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t
closer to the 4:45 range. What mattered
most was that I got to toe the line with a great group of runners. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was also my first race wearing the orange and blue of <a href="http://clubnorthwest.org/" target="_blank">Club Northwest</a>, a competitive running club I joined from the greater Seattle area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Aaaaand, that's a wrap.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My next race is another masters
1500m on the track, and although I am sure there won’t be nearly the depth in
this race at the Portland Masters Classic as I experience in the Oregon Masters
Mile, I am hoping to run closer to the equivalent of that 4:45 mile time, which
would be around 4:24.15. Let’s just say
I have unfinished business.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2012 Oregon Masters
Mile<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Results<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 1 Tim Gore (42) Team Bsk 4:19.81</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 2 Jonathan Swanson (40) Unattached 4:21.18</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 3 Charlie Kern (43) Greater Phil 4:21.70</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 4 John Boosinger (36) Unattached 4:21.94</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 5 Randy Wasinger (36) Kansas City 4:22.09<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 6 Ian Gillespie (42) Unattached 4:24.28</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 7 Rikki Hacker (34) Kansas City 4:25.40</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 8 David Weiler (31) Unattached 4:27.02</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 9 Mike Blackmore(50) Bowerman Ath 4:27.67</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 10 Kristian Blaich (46) Unattached 4:32.91</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 11 Ron Kochanowicz (41) Kansas City 4:33.24</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 12 Peter Magill (50) Cal Coast Tr 4:34.50</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 13 Ray Knerr (52) Cal Coast/Compex 4:34.75</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 14 Thomas Kreuzpeintner (48) Oregon Track Club 4:45.55</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 15 Matthew Thomas (42) Club Northwest 4:50.54</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> 16 Nolan Shaheed (62) SoCal 4:53.01<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-87175645482721740312012-04-17T18:55:00.013-07:002012-04-18T16:44:20.555-07:00My Last Hurrah! - Pear Blossom 10 Miler - 2012<div style="text-align: left;"><span>The biggest road race of the year in the Rogue Valley came and went last weekend with the 36th running of the Pear Blossom 10 Miler. Hey, why are all the fruit tree flower races 10 miles long? The Cherry Blossom in DC, the Pear Blossom in Medford? Anyway, since this was to be my last race in the valley with my move to Washington coming two weeks later, I wanted to put it out there and feel good about having raced hard and giving it my all, especially in the masters division, for which there was even a cash prize on the line. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Also, my friends Louis LeBlanc and Bria Wetsch were travelling down from Portland to stay with us and for Bria to race. From discussions with Louis, Bria’s coach, and from racing with her in two half-marathons last year, I knew that Bria and I were fairly evenly matched and that we would likely work together for the first part. In my mind, it always helps to have someone there to work with in the early stages of a big and longer race. So, it was important to me that I take this race pretty seriously.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Going into the race we (Bria and I) thought </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; ">we knew what to expect as far as competition and race conditions. For me, it was a battle of the local masters runners and I would be chasing Bob Julian and Neil Olsen. For Bria, based on the race confirmations, she looked like the favorite. Somewhat surprisingly, last year’s winner Marci Klimek was not listed among the entrants. Imagine our surprise when, as we were doing our final strides, my training partners Mercy Ray (who just won the 5k) and Bree Ray ran up and told us that Marci was here and was runnin</span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; ">g. Alrighty then, there will be a race for the ladies after all.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6uNsgLIPN8yAiWvWILuhz-jDK_thqcddsVUkBGwGlhbhNKdc5TiukLe5zbWdrbNhsE2LxIif7KUafSO-WUC_cd1vgR1Vfkd_H7Qr0_wPcdt-HvN8vfI5KY-lvOQm0vVr5F-ZUOLZvtsc/s320/start.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732555118808857458" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 161px; " /><div style="text-align: left; "></div><div><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; ">Start of the Pear Blossom 10 Miler with all the wannabes crowding the starting line.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>The gun went off and I settled into my target pace of 5:45-5:50 for the first mile. But for some reason it didn’t feel very comfortable. I kept checking my Garmin to see if it was off, but I was pretty sure it was correct. Oh well, I just worked on staying relaxed. Bria pulled in next to me and we ran along picking off the posers that go out fast and fold up after the first couple of miles. Right away we eyed Marci about 30 meters ahead.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Clicking along, Bria and I slowly worked our way closer to Marci until we were only 10 meters back going up the hill at the turn around for the first time. It was my plan to run relaxed and stay conservative for the first half and then go for broke once I got over the hill on the way back. But as I usually do, I attacked the uphill and leaned into the downhill. As we got over the hill and made the turn around, I surged and got right on Marci’s heels. Unfortunately Bria wasn’t able to go with me.</span></p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzH8qxUVA1m_0duJ-RhBSv5ftjEvErMjj1eBYyYPvh3wGeLuS3iBlaPAl-efw_3xRgBelXQxBh7OywVnaeD_hmSQFOwVPhN3LaOzn19RKOXAk0JI3cUGI2s_fx7egpnR1aaWFdNDfcckE/s320/Matt+and+Bria.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732555115984588130" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Bria Wetsch and I working our way up the hill at four and a half miles in.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Up the hill again we were hit with a bit of a head wind as I ran along side Marci for a few strides but kept digging in and moved ahead. Right after passing her she did the smart thing and immediately tucked in behind me. But I was having none of that and surged hard to open it up as I thought to myself, “sorry, but I’m got going to make this easy for you and help you beat my friend.” <i>Marci, if by some odd chance you read this, no hard feelings. I’ve never met you and it’s not personal. It’s just that I protect my friends and want to help and not hinder them when and where I can. I think you’d understand.</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></p><div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; ">I should note that by this time I knew Bob Julian was way ahead and long gone. At the turn around I did the normal thing and surveyed who was close by behind me who I knew was a masters competitor or at least looked like one. I was surprised to see Neil Olsen behind me by around 20 seconds, but he wasn’t that far back and who knows how his race was going, I only knew that he was tough and </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; ">he was close by and we still had 5 more miles to run.</span></div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Coming down the hill the last time I dug in and dropped my pace to around 5:45, passing about 3 guys. Nobody around me was going with me and I was gaining on the bodies in front of me. As much as I wanted to know how the ladies race would unfold, I had my own race to run and I kept pushing harder. With 3 miles to go I closed in on my own personal cheering section with Bree and Mercy Ray screaming loudly from the side of the road. It was like running through Wellesley College at the Bosto</span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; text-align: center; ">n Marathon. I could hear and see them from 100 meters away. That gave me a great shot of adrenaline and I dug in some more as we curved around for the long 3 mile straightaway into the finish.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: left; "></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>I could hear a few folks hanging on behind me, but only one person caught me the last half of the race, and it was Neil Olsen. Neil pulled up next to me with 2 miles to go and then a step or two ahead. I tucked in be</span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; ">hind, not so much to draft, since there breeze was minor here, but to get pulled along or more accurately to try and hang on for dear life. Clearly Neil was running faster than me, I was pushing hard and dropping the pace and he caught and passed me, which nobody else did. I hung in that spot for almost a </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; ">mile until we got to the Black Bird, the infamous icon marking one mile to go in the race. But Neil just pulled away.</span></p></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzH8qxUVA1m_0duJ-RhBSv5ftjEvErMjj1eBYyYPvh3wGeLuS3iBlaPAl-efw_3xRgBelXQxBh7OywVnaeD_hmSQFOwVPhN3LaOzn19RKOXAk0JI3cUGI2s_fx7egpnR1aaWFdNDfcckE/s1600/Matt+and+Bria.JPG"><div style="text-align: left;color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><br /></div><span><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3GCMpEh9PCgmZvclY67ThgNkVZvXgAAq154moEQ27AaYwg5XjbEqDLBXihyJx43dW4p4HoyzGmyaYtDfXc2GdV7rtgp9ZbgawnzeBWMeEu77PKLpNylWtDIh1zUHsBWjM0wyzVogfl0/s320/blackbird.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732555133106160338" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 115%; ">The infamous Black Bird, icon of Pear Blossom racing pain.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span>We both kept gaining on a guy in front of us and passed h</span></span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 115%; ">im with about 400 meters to go, but the gap between Neil and I got bigger. As we came into the thicker spectators near the finish I reminded myself that this was it, this was my last race in the valley. I also said to myself, “dammit, you have speed and you have a kick, use it. It won’t hurt any more, you are already hurting, just flip </span><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; line-height: 115%; ">that damn switch. You know Neil is an ultra-marathoner, he can’t have a kick (I have no idea if he did or not, this is just me talking to myself), you race on the track for god’s sake, sprint!” We rounded the corner with about 150 meters to the finish and Neil was ahead by 30-40 meters. I took off, and I sprinted…..and I sprinted. I was closing the gap but I was going to run out of road, I pushed harder and just made it by half a stride right at the line. As I crossed the line I heard the announcer say my name and something or other, but I don’t know what it was, I was just determined to catch him.</span></div><div><span style="line-height: 115%; "><span><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left; "><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIax3twy5nl6FPPHl0Uj5UTMuo2oYuKTI45FA5aQlP2706ZqkoA_t80m3HBQ8jz2xe-AW4E4HAV06CB6h9rDjsw8kSHmbcPTmns5oXtz9YK49CONoqwLZAO8XPPSK3lfsM0x028lWYRo/s320/IMG_2146.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732558836405773490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><span>Relief after crossing the finish line with the best sprint I could muster.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Truth be told, I would probably have sprinted that hard regardless of who it was in front of me. It wasn’t just because it was someone who I knew was in my age group and I respected as one of the best masters runners in the Rogue Valley, but that most certainly helped. But one of my new year’s resolutions this year was to never give up at the end of a race and if there was someone to catch or race I had to try to beat them no matter what. Neil just happened to be the target this time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>My final time was 58:31 and I was the 11<sup>th</sup> runner across the line. I figured I got second in the masters race and was feeling pretty good about that. At the finish I turned and watched to see how the women’s race unfolded. Sure enough Marci came around the corner 1<sup>st</sup> and won the race with Bria only about 20 seconds behind. I later learned that Bria did catch Marci and run with her for a bit, but in the end Marci was stronger over the last couple of miles.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Later that day, when checking the race results online, I was shocked to learn that I actually finished 12<sup>th</sup> overall and was the 3<sup>rd</sup> masters male. It seems that, even though I crossed the finish line ahead of Neil and had a gun time one second faster than his, he had a chip time that was 1:20 faster than me. What? I may not have gotten “chicked” in this race but I got “chipped”! Apparently, Neil missed the start by over a minute and had to run like hell to catch up, which explains why he was behind me at the turn around. I’ll admit that it annoyed me to think that I sprinted my ass off to try and beat someone only to show up behind them in the results because of a difference in chip timing. I mean, come on. I crossed the line ahead of them didn’t I? At first I thought there must be an error with the timing system, but then after reflecting on it, I had to admit that, no, Neil is really that fast (and faster than me) and he had to have absolutely hauled ass running through and past all those people to get back up towards the front. That is simply amazing when you think about it. So, hats off to him for an amazing run.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span> Now that the race is all over it makes me chuckle that, in a way, I screwed myself out of the $100 for first masters runner, since I informed Bob Julian a couple of days before the race that there was actually $100 being awarded for the first masters runners who were USATF-Oregon members. Apparently Bob had let his membership lapse and with the news of a cash prize smartly renewed that day. And as I expected, Bob ran a fantastic race and went home $100 richer! However, with the age-old conflict in official results for chip time versus gun time, it would have been interesting to see how the USATF-Oregon folks would have handled it if Bob had not renewed his membership. Without Bob in the mix, and based on gun time I would have been the first masters runner, but based on chip time, Neil Olsen would have been first (assuming his USATF membership was up to date too). In the past, USATF has been pretty clear about the rules, stating that races are about competition, and are won by the first person across the line and not necessarily by the person with the fastest time. For this reason, they recommend that race directors clearly state that awards will be given based on gun time, but as we all know, most races and race directors these days (Pear Blossom included) do not clearly articulate such details for the benefit of the participants, nor does USATF-Oregon clearly state that on their <a href="http://www.ldr-oregon.org/p/2012-road-race-championship-series.html">Long Distance Running Blog</a> which announces the Grand Prix Series prize money.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>I should emphasize that in my writing about this, I in no way harbor any ill feelings towards any of the folks I race against. Bob is a friend and a training partner, and Neil is one of the best masters runners in the valley against which I was always going to try my hardest. For me, it is part of finding the pleasure in running through being competitive. I simply see these guys as my peers and my rivals, in the best sense of those words, and maybe if I really get lucky, one day I will triumph!</span></p></div>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-66311158677865516032012-04-10T15:21:00.020-07:002012-04-12T18:02:51.571-07:00Prefontaine Masters Classic - Coos Bay, Oregon<div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>I recently ran my first track meet of 2012, opting to tackle the 5000 meter distance at the second annual Prefontaine Masters Classic in Coos Bay, Oregon. Since I am hoping to race on the track a fair amount this year it was time to get things started and lace up the spikes. The thing is, the last time I raced that far on the track was 1988, nearly 25 years ago! Nevertheless, I was mentally and physically ready. </span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>Coos Bay is not really in the neighborhood of Ashland, Oregon where I currently live, and since one of my car pool mates was racing the rarely run 10,000 meters at nine that morning, we opted to drive over the day before. In this case, we consisted of me and Team Sting-Ray, namely Suzanne Ray, running the 10000m, and Mercy Ray, running the 5000m. This was a special race for Suzanne since she was at the tail end of the women's 55-59 age group (turning 60 the next month) and it was a rare opportunity for a masters 10000m race on the track. Moreover, this was her last chance to break the Oregon state age group record in that event.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><span><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIYYVBHxwtuiHOHFPHnYPJkQujhnYrmkVb47NbhyphenhyphenXnoD4pyZtl_Uz4oadiXFXDFRxErXb9BJD9z8jIn-JcliPC25fFyj5OxDXRi-8E0nU71ufL-HoQFZC2XBWjTecaSRen-_ujRnEy0is/s320/004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902042076151554" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span>Mike Fenelli, Jeanette Groesz, and</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span>Suzanne Ray ready to roll in the masters 10000 meters.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>Come start time Saturday morning, Suzanne lined up with two other runners to bravely run in circles 25 times. Her companions on the track were Jeanette Groesz of Portland, who was also running for a Oregon State age group record in the 60-64 division and Michael Fanelli who travelled from San Francisco to the meet. The weather for these three was perfect with cool temperatures, virtually no wind and overcast skies. </span></div><div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1BUClOTj63pl6eWycNSpk-woVztK-8O9MOfdDpYqX02CksQZgWL3RXmLMCka7QBlCtwyE2FCZyWrWU5IFsytSDhLpPbEkcHJtIrr1Y9nfTEBTwCWGKolhzTRjrDvinmz0bw-Oxw5MNPo/s320/010.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902057013105122" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>S</span><span>uzanne Ray all smiles as she guts her way to</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><span>a new state of Oregon 55-59 </span><span>age group record in the 10000 meters.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>As expected, Suzanne accomplished her goal and demolished the old women's 55-59 state record by over 5 minutes, running 43:01.29. If anyone is unsure just how fast this really is, here are a few comparisons to consider. In the 2011 world rankings for her age group at 10000m on the track, this time would have put Suzanne at 8th in the world and the third American. If you bump it up one age group to 60-64, which Suzanne will soon move into and be running in one months from the time of this race, her ranking for 2011 would have been number 2. Second best in the entire WORLD for that age group. All I can say is Wow, I'm honored to be able to know and run with Suzanne and to share some of the fun of seeing such great performances happen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL-Vo7-nPM-SrcAXMX2eyDGNv6BqTjAEGDo__cXazr1FtyWLSGJehBi08TsqCp-2cNQ2s0yXKUKVyP6jji0EedCxig3kbNKtyD9-aDMof2l-3yUTBHjx1v6_ldIMzlGCg7yV6wFdLuWCw/s1600/528684_10150925299818747_687043746_12902510_2099869062_n.jpg"><span><br /></span></a></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApNPzV9c78Qpw3pWy4V0zMUhm19vxxG2-mdKmCF3bB_46r_bma1-DLeotRhQhF4zFlxqfjmhbtnNGdkJV07UP-THBscNtgLIDdnNgodXpBpvPlFNz-gUh40I9ub_6MzEEzmdIWbXOCD0/s320/009.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902051924561234" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span>Jeanette Groesz bringing it home for <span>another</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span>state of Oregon 60-64 age group record in the 10000 meters.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>Suzanne wasn't the only record setter in the race as Jeanette Groesz also put a new mark in the books for the women's 60-64 age group finishing in 46:55.52.</span></div><div><span><br /><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "></span></span></span><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left; "><span>After watching these great performances in the morning, I was antsy to get my race started. Unfortunately, over the ensuing couple of hours the weather went from nearly ideal to a little warm and sunny, to overcast with a strong breeze on the curve off the 200 m starting line.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 209px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyJ0AOfLCfT284XWqk5u9Pe5CAHGPQZjbP8h5BbtSdb_Ily2cNlEstIuBiYQYXAg-xJYCVR92jLG9Nh1yNJW9WwulAvIr_gHvF22Oz7odSv3XCPbzsBDxEA_h66n1-cT61xx1vkrU1-q8/s320/track-0482.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902532672095074" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Early in the race, head down into the wind.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>I got off to a reasonable start with my goal of clicking off 80 second laps to bring me home in 16:40 or better. But from the get go I was just a tad off pace at 81-82 seconds and was feeling myself lag each time I turned into the wind. Knowing I was going to be all alone out there, I put my head down, literally and figuratively and tried to focus on my form and breathing. In that regard, I really feel good about the race and felt like I was running smoothly and on my toes the whole way.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><span><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 293px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BZ2Mj97S-kwYWX7rqnueVAZUlyvBq4gVqn7xcq0gHr7XRumxiWMfXNL7tLADVwMO8-Zsb1xOjR3ne6zwqDKbdy0oeNiF5HuDDJlbQ_pNw9kZtTUky4nz92xL8XsUTL0S9K7cfg48i2k/s320/track-0483.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902515457650354" /></span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Trying to stay relaxed and keep</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>my breathing controlled as I continued to roll along.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>My training partner Mercy Ray was also in the race and our pre-race plan should we both execute our individual races as we had hoped was that I should not see her until I am coming down the final straight away. Unfortunately it was not Mercy's day and she developed some breathing issues that slowed her in second half of the race. But she stuck it out and I came by her right as I hit the bell. Since Mercy was running in second (they combined the men's and women's heats) and I was passing her, I had just lapped the entire field. Once again (see my previous blog post) I was on a solo run.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIJgBqeJPbo0Dne28ePcWGrcX1uFHvmj4dwZQ5XzlshJbPdjE3ZsgEpQ4OMxqEbQzAan__ZEvzYJVTSFWaOc_2y9BVLfLtOLogCxdCl57skRjoHp-vMaDB4SAWCSB4VjlJC5dAeOfknw/s320/track-0517.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902509094552706" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 194px; " /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Rounding the curve with about 500 meters to go.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>In the end, I clicked off laps in the 81 to 83 second range going through 1600 at 5:25 and 3200 at 10:57. I slowed a bit in the last mile, but did keep my form and even managed to muster a sort of finishing kick, albeit, with no one to match it against. The final time was 17:03.67, a bit off the goal of 16:40, but all things considered, a satisfying solo effort that I am happy with. I am happy because I stayed focused, in spite of very little to focus on, I kept my form comfortable and fluid and smooth (trying to channel the form of some of the smooth runners out there like Evan Jager and Galen Rupp and Jordan MacNamara), and was not ideal conditions with the wind for setting records. It wasn't the PR I was chasing, but it wasn't very far from my PR on the roads of 16:55. The time will come and this was a good step towards making that happen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span>Oh, and since this was my first 5000m on the track in many moons, it was also the first time I raced that far in spikes in a long time as well. I was sure my achilles would be shredded afterwards, but much to my surprise my new Nike Matumbos did great and I was not especially sore (more than I am after any race). I was worried about that considering my plans to race on the track more this year. I won't declare victory over my chronic achilles tendinosis, but I will say that I think I have managed to find away to train and race with it. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR17mZrjqfl7ebSyWjLxphEte6otmoZrFDVoBj5pXUA74fyRs4rGAQ6VFf7iv_jZelvaPGMvVm0i4cMv0VjdZKkLZWSVf9zjMLeo6M26P0h964m6e3d9vL7eVdJ57nGxLVkt3YHOsKbes/s1600/track-0557.jpg"><span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR17mZrjqfl7ebSyWjLxphEte6otmoZrFDVoBj5pXUA74fyRs4rGAQ6VFf7iv_jZelvaPGMvVm0i4cMv0VjdZKkLZWSVf9zjMLeo6M26P0h964m6e3d9vL7eVdJ57nGxLVkt3YHOsKbes/s320/track-0557.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902504994892178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 258px; height: 320px; " /></span></a></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="text-align: left; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span>Bringing it home to the finish.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Since this was the Prefontaine Masters Classic track and field meet named in honor of Coos Bay’s most famous runner, Steve Prefontaine, it was only fitting that Steve’s mother Elfriede Prefontaine was the guest of honor. Mercy Ray and I were lucky enough to get our photo taken with her.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><br /></span></p></div><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5rmuuDi6ijdO6-JtRxzatdI8rX_MdKNWLpPUL5GXsUfwMHr3FmSBIty-otnuFshpBVqiYSxw4mhL3oUmSMdds6IVcywcXQyDQR16UPVDhKQWYj57kQHrt_6aN0AHJ2CNrzq-AQYLOaLE/s320/528684_10150925299818747_687043746_12902510_2099869062_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902544924243538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px; " /></span></span><div style="text-align: center; "><span>Matt and Mercy with Elfriede Prefontaine.</span></div><span><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "></span></span><div style="text-align: center; "><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIJgBqeJPbo0Dne28ePcWGrcX1uFHvmj4dwZQ5XzlshJbPdjE3ZsgEpQ4OMxqEbQzAan__ZEvzYJVTSFWaOc_2y9BVLfLtOLogCxdCl57skRjoHp-vMaDB4SAWCSB4VjlJC5dAeOfknw/s1600/track-0517.jpg" style="text-align: left; "></a></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIJgBqeJPbo0Dne28ePcWGrcX1uFHvmj4dwZQ5XzlshJbPdjE3ZsgEpQ4OMxqEbQzAan__ZEvzYJVTSFWaOc_2y9BVLfLtOLogCxdCl57skRjoHp-vMaDB4SAWCSB4VjlJC5dAeOfknw/s1600/track-0517.jpg" style="text-align: left; "></a></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span>Also, since Pre was the theme of the day and we were in Coos Bay, it was only fitting that we should make a pilgrimage to his house and stop for a photo on our way out of town. Fortunately one of great folks from Coos Bay that we met at the meet kindly gave us directions.</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><u><span><br /></span></u></div><span><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj-EI9_cPIO1m-MJAo70HKekthS1bjyyJZcL-WkbadBTo2k0HypLK0o0h2iF13_jiV2CJTmnfYYeKS42xs8BME_tWTHCZFQ_nssz7CmSQ6xFmHG9uixV9iokvRSu40EPj-3plsrqSGCo/s320/530815_10150925299023747_687043746_12902504_1373230840_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729902090611082738" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px; " /></span></span><div><span>At the home in which Steve Prefontaine grew up in Coos Bay.</span></div></div></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzIJgBqeJPbo0Dne28ePcWGrcX1uFHvmj4dwZQ5XzlshJbPdjE3ZsgEpQ4OMxqEbQzAan__ZEvzYJVTSFWaOc_2y9BVLfLtOLogCxdCl57skRjoHp-vMaDB4SAWCSB4VjlJC5dAeOfknw/s1600/track-0517.jpg" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-74678367489848023392012-02-21T07:21:00.012-08:002012-02-21T14:28:22.902-08:00My First Win and Realizations About Running In the Front<div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Like many competitive runners, I’ve convinced myself that at least once I wanted to be able to win a road race outright. To be the first one across the line is the ultimate accomplishment in this whole racing thing, isn’t it? In my mind, if it was ever to happen, it would most likely occur in some short and small local race like a 5k where I might have a really good day and the local speedsters might have stayed away. I never expected it would happen in something like a half marathon, but it did. Yes, for the first time ever (hopefully not the last) I actually won a race. Not just my age group or the overall masters division, but the whole damn race….and it wasn’t a 5k, or even a 10k, it was a half marathon. In many ways, I’m still kind of shocked.</span></p></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><span style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto; "><span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj90In53axy2lfKNFwrm-Tdd-4D2lupodrX31dZDsHwsrL8tqA2yHnooIAm8dOdTFuSF78c7lxCZD-Tlt7aJCrjxsaDL8Jx6ewXSh_S4SJTNQNt8Xq9fwfNB3NUWFRCpNEvf4ZLsCJ5iT4/s320/Rogue+River+half+marathon+2012.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711609621966405874" /></span></span><div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span>The man in black, heads down around mile 2 of the half marathon.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: left; "> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Here’s how it went down at the <a href="http://sorunners.org/pages/2012/rr%20half.shtml">Rogue River Half Marathon.</a> I ran this race last year and had a pretty good result, finishing third overall, and running a very satisfying time of 1:17:54 at a time of the year where I had been mostly working on getting in some quality mileage and weekly tempo runs. The course the year before run on the roads along the south side of the Rogue River and was pancake flat on out and back loop with little wind, perfect for running fast times. Also, in 2011, I had some company for the first half of the race with a small pack of guys hanging together at 6:00 per mile pace. After the turn around last year, I took off dropping the guys in the pack and running for home on my own.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>This year, everything was a little different. Instead of the flat road course, we ran on the north side of the river mostly on the newly paved bike path that winds along into and through Valley of the Rogues State Park before hopping out onto the roads for the middle four miles of the race. In addition to the somewhat winding nature of the route, we also had a cross country-style stretch (twice as an out and back) across a grassy section of the park. Also, the weather was a bit spottier this year with a chilly breeze from the northwest and patches of sun and rain throughout the day. In fact, it was raining pretty hard on me when I drove to the race, but lucky for us, the sun periodically poked out and it never opened up during the race.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Before the race I spotted last year’s winner Tyler Davis, and commented to my training partner Mercy Ray that there’s today winner. However, in chatting with Tyler and also his father Mike before the race, I learned Tyler wasn’t racing and was recovering from an illness and races from the previous two weekends. Looking around at the rest of the potential “competition” at the start, it was hard to say who might win. As usual there was a good group of quick high schoolers warming up who were probably running the 5k, but I couldn’t be sure. Other than that, nobody I recognized really stood out, so I thought, maybe I could do better than last year’s third place showing. Hmmm, this could be interesting. The one person in the race I knew that could beat me easily was my friend Bob Julian, but on this day he was pacing his friend Scott, so in all likelihood, he wouldn’t be breathing down my neck, or more accurately, someone for me to chase.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">From the word go and the first step off the line of the start, I was in the lead. I purposefully went out a little quick since in the past I’ve been too slow of a starter. Plus I wanted to get out ahead of the masses in the first mile where the course is very winding and rolling on the bike path. There were two ladies leading the race on bicycles who surged ahead a good 50-100 meters and pretty much stayed up there for the whole race, which, on one hand was great. Up at the front with them leading the way, there was almost no way to go off course, plus the route was well marked and pretty simple. I thought a few folks might there to run with for the first part of the race as folks settle into their race, but it wasn’t to be. I was alone and was going to stay alone until the finish line.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p><p></p></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi17wN9AiJ6g7m0Ao8lx6vCodNJc65_Ur4LC7TLyhyeY3to4KFgOzUqz8wxJvzbjHV06W_loexia33XeET7dgMYWceUJYXFgFxFBwUIXl-c1Hk7M72txsa1i_acWlwh4F8Un0y1dKQzQ/s1600/431435_2682293929590_1023571352_32179977_1217301273_n.jpg" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWi17wN9AiJ6g7m0Ao8lx6vCodNJc65_Ur4LC7TLyhyeY3to4KFgOzUqz8wxJvzbjHV06W_loexia33XeET7dgMYWceUJYXFgFxFBwUIXl-c1Hk7M72txsa1i_acWlwh4F8Un0y1dKQzQ/s320/431435_2682293929590_1023571352_32179977_1217301273_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711609757168189138" /></span></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span>Heading for home with about a mile and a half to go accompanied by</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span>my trusty pacer and drill instructor Mercy Ray </span></div><div style="text-align: left; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Well, that is not really true, because I was fortunate to have the company and support of Mercy for the last part of the race. After having raced and won the women’s overall division in the 5k, Mercy ran back to meet me at the 10 mile mark to run in with me for a few miles before going back to run in with her mother Suzanne (who, at age 59 finished as the 2<sup>nd</sup> female overall in the half marathon). It was great to see Mercy at that time since I was starting to get pretty tired and having been out there for an hour with no one to talk to, I was getting sort of lonely. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>That was one of the most unexpected surprises to me, how alone I felt running at the front. Plus, even though I snuck a peak back on some of the tight turns to see where the next runners were, I was still running scared, thinking someone must be coming to catch me. In actuality, I didn’t like leading that way and for that long. I am so accustomed to chasing some body and having someone else to key off, I didn’t really enjoy running up front. Admittedly, it made me nervous and it didn't feel comfortable.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>However, one thing that I thought was really neat and I had never experienced before was how supportive the other runners were when I made the turn around and was running back towards the finish. So many folks, up front, in the middle and in the back of the race yelled things like “nice job, way to good, and looking great”. I really was touched and tried to say something back or give then a thumbs up. That was one of the most memorable parts of the race.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Running behind me in second for the entire race was a small group of guys, including John Leuthold, Scott and Bob Julian doing his pacing duties, all a bunch of fellow local masters runners. With about a mile to go in the race, Mercy tried to play head games with me and told me the Bob Julian had made a break from the group and was coming on strong. Aw, crap. She knew that this was probably the one thing that could really scare me at this point. I was tired, but still running well enough, but if Bob was digging deep and close enough he could potentially catch me. But I knew Mercy too, and she’s crafty. I said, “That sure would suck if he caught me. You wouldn’t lie to me would you?” “Oh, of course I wouldn’t” she said, and “he’s breaking away”. “Oh great” I thought, "time to dig in", but I didn’t let myself look back over my shoulder and just kept on plugging away. If he was going to catch me, I was going to make him earn it. Bob was strong than me, but at the very end of longer race coming down to a kick, we might be a good match. Of course, this was all a complete farce and Bob was not breaking away and nobody was closing in to catch me, I had nearly a half a mile lead at that point.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>Coming in to the finish I pushed hard up the final hill and ran strong though the line. The crowd was, of course, very small with just under 100 runners in the half marathon and about 75 in the 5k, but they gave me a nice cheer and applause. And I think I finished with a smile on my face, at the very least I was smiling inside, knowing I had accomplished another of my running goals, and in a half marathon no less. Who would have ever predicted that! </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span>As for the stats, my finishing time was 1:19:00, almost 3 minutes ahead of 2<sup>nd</sup> place with my first and last miles the fastest of the day at 5:55 and most of the miles in the middle run at a very consistent 6:03 to 6:07 mile pace.</span></p><div style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div></div>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-48126268538011233882012-02-17T14:38:00.000-08:002012-02-17T14:39:41.819-08:00Keeping it Honest – The Benefits of Good Training Partners<p class="MsoNormal">I’ve recently been reflecting on the value of having training partners. As my running has progressed over the last five or six years from running just to get in shape and try a marathon upward to competing on the track and the roads, I’ve gone from doing all my running alone to having someone to run with nearly every day. Do I have a preference between going solo or running with other people? Well, yes and no. I don’t mind running alone, bopping along to the beat from my headphones, and sometimes look forward to the time alone lost in my own thoughts or mindlessness. But when it comes time for a workout, it is pretty hard to beat the help, camaraderie, and satisfaction of having others to share the work and the pain and the reward of getting through a long and hard session of mile repeats or intervals on the track </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Scheduling runs and workouts with others also has the important side effect of keeping one accountable. If other people are willing to drag their butts out of bed for a cold early morning run or a hard workout on the track on a wet and windy day, you really don’t have a good excuse to bail on them or the plans. And almost always, that is a good thing. Many a day have I thanked my training partners for the run or workout, knowing that without them being there and my obligation to them, I probably would have done something easier that day or cut the workout short. On those grumbling mornings where it would have been nice to just sleep in a little later or put it off until later that day or even tomorrow, I am always glad I showed up once we’ve started the run.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">When I lived in Washington DC I did all of my runs by myself and in many ways at that time in my life, that was probably for the best. I wasn’t training to race that hard just yet and I was usually burning off a lot of work stress on those solo runs. So, in hind sight, I might not have been a good training partner anyway. Upon moving to Portland I fell into a great group of folks I met through the Team Red Lizard running club with a subset of that group, essentially forming our own training clique with Louis LeBlanc, Bill Mattis, David Embree and Albert Lam. That was the perfect thing for me. I was ramping up my training and desire to compete, I had nearly limitless flexibility for running and training, and I was running with a small group of guys that were roughly my same age and ability and had an equal passion for the sport and training hard. Amongst the Portland training group I usually found myself as a willing workhorse who was happy to let others plan the workouts. On occasion I gladly served as the pace setter or domestique for key marathon workouts of others in the group. We all benefitted from working together and we all got stronger.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Moving to Ashland presented me with a new challenge of moving in the midst of a hard training period and finding new folks to run with. As first I was on my own, with the exception of the weekly group runs from the local running store. Eventually I reconnected with Holly Hight, a Portland acquaintance and past Hood to Coast teammate, and had someone to run with who was close in ability and interested in training hard. Through word of mouth (thanks to Holly) and other introductions in the small running community in Ashland, I met additional folks to run with, namely Bree Ray, Mercy Ray, Maggie Donovan, Jenn Shelton and Bob Julian. Interestingly, until starting to run some with Bob Julian late in the fall of last year in preparation for Club XC, my Ashland training partners have all been female. This was not by design, but more by accident, in that I simply haven’t found other guys, outside of Bob, who are running these kinds of speeds and interested in training this way. Recently I’ve met a few more guys who are interested in joining the fray, pending recovery from injury and the variances of work schedules and family commitments. In comparison to my place in the training group in Portland, in Ashland I have found myself in the position of planning the workouts and more or less running at the front with the ladies pushing me from behind. Of course, when I get to run with Bob it is a different story and I’m working my ass off to hang off his shoulder. Now if I could only recruit a domestique of my own….</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">One of the challenges of a being a training group is finding your place and having the right mix ability-wise. Being in the middle is probably the best place to be, since you always have someone better than you to chase and there is someone behind you pushing you as well. But even if you are always running in front, you are working to stay on pace and pull others along, as long as you are working hard enough. Being too far off the back or running with folks who are simply much better than you is probably the least desirable place to be in a group and one in which you are likely to push yourself too hard to soon to stick with your faster compatriots. Thankfully, I have not yet been in such a position.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Sadly, I’ll probably be moving again soon and will have to leave my current training partners behind and look for a new set of running buddies. Fortunately, for me, that is part of the fun of this whole competitive running adventure, meeting new people, hanging on to earlier friendships, running in new places, and finding new training challenges. Where ever that next places is, hopefully it has a nice track and nearby trails and I can find some willing fools who also like to repeatedly run really fast circles on a track or down the road.</p>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-4653295958745278632011-12-28T17:23:00.000-08:002011-12-29T08:21:09.310-08:00New Year’s Resolutions and Performance Goals<div style="text-align: left;">As the year nears its end it is that time when I reflect on last year and start to make plans for what and how I want to run in 2012. All in all, 2011 was a very good year for me and my running. I trained harder than I have ever run before. I was able to be competitive in nearly all my races and I ran personal bests in all the distances I raced. In fact, I even ran lifetime bests in the 5k and 10k, racing to times faster than I was able to pull together as a teenager over 20 years. From the 5k, to the 10k to the half marathon to the marathon, I ran better than ever. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left; "><br /></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguUgiIWIf4uqc5DUxZMnpNw99C1Lqa_e6P3osXWQHjYZ_WDmdtO1TdbPlKszUMQwiZWTkOpO51pH2g_QvEKI4-R5wmY7GiZPXBeqQwEyayDXuh191k0WoTcGFO4FITpLmS-k-d2b4w_vY/s320/IMG_5131.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691357547704589490" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /><span style="text-align: center; "></span></p><div style="text-align: center;">The loot from racing in 2011!</div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; "><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">One personal goal I have set, which I first achieved last year, is to be able to place in the top three in my age group in every race I run. With the exception of the “big ones” which are the USATF masters championship races (Twin Cities Marathon, Club Cross Country), I was able to pull this off, never placing below third in the 40-45 or 40-49 age division. My friend Joe Dudman has correctly pointed out that it is kind of weak to relegate oneself to racing within one’s age group when we are still able to mix it up somewhat against all competitors regardless of age. Of course, Joe is correct; however, I will continue to measure my performances and competitiveness in part by my relative place among my peers. At the very least, I will continue to be happy to be rewarded for running well as a kind of consolation prize or a reward for the hard work it took me to get there.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">With such improvements this year, one might ask if I was happy and satisfied with these times and races? And like most competitive runners, I would have to say yes and no. Of course I am very happy to be running faster than last year or even as fast as I ever have, but in many ways that was the plan and I knew I could do it if I stayed healthy. At this time last year, I wrote down a number of admittedly ambitious time goals I wanted to hit for the year on the track and the roads. Sadly, I did not run in any track meets in 2011, so all those targets were left untried. Likewise, I was not able to find a mile race on the road at the right time in my racing and training, so I never took a crack at that time, but I did race the 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon on the roads and did pretty well against these goals.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div></div><div><span><u><br /></u></span></div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span lang="EN">Track<o:p></o:p></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">200m: 25.0</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">400m: 56.0<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">800m: 2:04.00</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">Mile: 4:40.00<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">5000m: 16:30<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span lang="EN"><br /></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b><span lang="EN">Roads<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><div style="text-align: center; "></div><div>Mile: 4:45</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">5k: 16:45</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">10k: 35:00 </span><span lang="EN"> <strong><span lang="EN">DONE</span></strong> - <i>Scandia Run 34:56</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">Half-Marathon: 1:18:00 </span><strong><span lang="EN">DONE</span></strong><span lang="EN"> - </span><i>Ro</i><i>gue River Half Marathon 1:17:54</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span lang="EN">Marathon: 2:45<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span><u><br /></u></span></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">In the 5k I came oh so close, getting down to 16:55 and breaking through the sub-17 barrier. In 2012 the 5k will be a major focus of my racing efforts as I try to bring that time down below 16:30 and as close to 16 flat as I can muster. In the 10k, I nailed my goal of 35 flat with a 34:56 on a pancake flat course. Like the 5k, in 2012, I plan to put extra attention on running even faster in the 10k and am setting my target at 34 flat.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">The half marathon was pretty good to me in 2011 as I never raced the distance before. I accomplished this goal from the get go in my very first race of the year. In my three attempts at this distance, I progressively dropped my time from 1:17: 54, to 1;17:31, to 1:16:33 at the Foot Traffic Flat Half. Although we now know that the course was short at the Flat Half, but we don’t know just how short. I’m still going to call that my PR, since based on my effort that day, I think it still would have been PR on an accurate course. Plus, calling this my PR makes me work that much harder to run a faster PR.</p><div style="text-align: center; "></div><div><span><u><br /></u></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQubHvGlqLx0eZSp5pqUqlV1d2VvX0SBSFL7COK5LXuCZWmFcE75Z-V7z9anHyhG6LOwrJA31Zy_ky3Vg-ZRUtzAUVDfHetAtvJJF9w-K_yL94_jWD9hZHvW09K5AJAGc6pijOAlwxy8/s320/RR+half+2+crop.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691359094778644770" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 250px; " /><div style="text-align: center; "></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Stride for stride in the Rogue River Half Marathon in February.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">I spent a lot of time focused on running a strong marathon in 2011 and am very happy with how it went, even if I didn’t meet the target I set a year ago or even the goal time on race day. As has been said by many before me, the marathon is tricky race to master and no matter how ready you think you are, it all has to come together that day and stay together for all 26.2 miles. I knew I was ready to run around 2:42 and went after it at the Twin Cities Marathon. For the most part I ran strong and smart, but as I wrote about in an earlier blog entry, I just ran out of gas. I am learning more every time I run a marathon and am getting closer to understanding my fueling and hydration needs.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">I really don’t plan to focus my training on the marathon or half marathon in 2012 like I did in 2011, so I’m not putting any targets down on paper for those distances. Maybe in 2013 I will try to run another fast marathon, but for 2012, I’m taking a break from the marathon.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "></p><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIsJSk-drGXe5zNHqJm3bdW4yz9kOXAPC0rrPzrJ-OLYuDOKHWAWVj4h_EHEJFtErgd6oWImiBgnufRqKYcmlwmOzmBcZpEqSvKXOKg1NtJO-Ex57KpdiJ06fBu1MG9VKi04-vwFTIns/s320/eugene+crop.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691359614605002530" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px; " /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; ">A pretty typical sight, me chasing Larry Merrifield and Bria Wetsch at mile 9 in the Eugene Half Marathon.</p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; "><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">The other significant goal time for 2012 is in the mile or 1500 meters, where I would like to run as close to my life time PR as I can, which means running faster than I did in High School. If my memory is correct, my fastest High School mile was 4:35.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">So, here they are, in writing (lord have mercy), my official 2012 racing goals - </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b>Track<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">1500m: 4:19</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">Mile: 4:38</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">3000m: 9:20</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">5000m: 16:15</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><b>Road<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">Mile: 4:40</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">5k: 16:20</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">10k: 34:00</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">In short, 2012 will be more about speed and racing shorter distances than I attempted in 2011. As Long as I can stay healthy and get in the training, it should be another great adventure on the road and track.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">Oh, and two more very important goal for 2012. I want to see the <i>Bowerman Athletic Club</i> masters men make the podium at the Club Cross Country championships and <i>The Leapin Lizards</i> defeat the <i>Slug Hunters</i> in the Hood to Coast Relay with me playing a significant role in both.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><o:p> </o:p></p></div>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-90548722033450664602011-12-13T10:31:00.000-08:002011-12-13T11:33:35.649-08:00The End to a Great Year of Running - Club XC Championships<div>Last weekend I raced in the <a href="http://www.usatf.org/events/2011/USATFClubXCChampionships/index.asp">USATF Club XC Championships</a> in Seattle. It was my last race of the year, but probably the one with the most competitive field. I was proud and fortunate to be able to run on the Bowerman Athletic Club’s (BAC) masters 40-49 year old team, a team of some of the very best masters men in Oregon. We pulled together 12 guys to form two teams of 6 broken into A and B teams where the first five runners score.</div><div><br /></div><div>This was my first time running with a BAC team and I have to say, the BAC is a fun outfit to run for because they are serious about competing at the highest level, yet still maintain a sense of team camaraderie and encouragement. As teams go, they also do a good job of managing the logistics and organization. While it sure helps to have the sponsorship of Nike behind you, it still takes some dedicated individuals to pull it all together and take care of the details, which they do very well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Team races are really a lot of fun, and like the Hood to Coast relay, draw the best out of people who have the support of their teammates and a little something more on the line than their own performance and personal satisfaction with a race well run.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJCVyafcOoz7eMnwddQskfKOkZQ-mzM9X9EFwZB7ITKt5-AV1Wid2F-RRymdV4WfJJkI-h_wRVxhDjL3jhMwaJToh4kldWaorQ8aPNN1eCGwDvuEZhi-ZYTFrQR_zXCbcTRE7Jfg4kXQ/s320/xc+start+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685683797273970274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Off with the gun at the Men's Masters 10k race start.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">Knowing this was going to be my last race of the year, I put in a final block of hard training with my usual training partners, Mercy Ray and Bree Ray. In addition to the Ray sisters, we pulled together some workouts with other friends and teammates who would also be racing in Seattle, namely Bob Julian, Maggie Donavan, and Dave Engstrom. Doing these workouts together in the weeks before the race helped get us all excited and ready physically and mentally to race cross country. In addition to Bob Julian and I on the BAC masters team, Mercy and Bree and Maggie represented the <a href="http://roguevalleyrunners.blogspot.com/2011/12/rvr-inagural-usatf-xc-club.html">Rogue Valley Runners</a> women's open team and Dave ran with a Oregon Track Club masters team. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><br /></p><p></p><br /><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vmV2c_W5A9dDlJnUYSLqX_TX5lQbDboUx49tjTnd2kK1qireJwdFg9vWW7Vv_gseFN_iNNUOdkyoaf5kgihJzUBTagZcTIMeyGowQBuOlkVF0yPceXYA-jSB7htJq6Qdbq-rcHZwdT4/s320/Matt+club+XC+3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685683801270582722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Coming through the second kilometer of the men's masters race.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>On race day our two BAC men’s masters 40+ teams and a BAC men’s 50s team toed the line with over 350 masters men racers. The race was 10 kilometers, covering five laps of two kilometers each on a relatively flat grassy golf course. As cross country courses go, this was like a grass track, with a long start and finish straightaway and no real hills. My plan was to start out conservatively the first kilometer and slowly work my way up and try to kick hard at the end. For the most part that was exactly how I raced, covering the first mile in 5:39 then clicked off four more miles at 5:45 pace before slowing a bit on mile 6. Coming into the straight away to the finish I reminded myself this was the last race of the year and every point counts in cross country, so dig down and catch some of these guys in front of you, which I did. Nobody passed me in the last 400 meters and I caught at least 6 guys before the finish line. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzFEEKOSWHQVDZSzCjbAFoHmOzcZ8x9ZMCwdfX0Ot3AV6TackO0MeheUnbG6RNiUUiNzgQj7BL34SjW8mC_AcZ5bHkI5yI7CsApw9ye-v5FHt_6Wa1LHMIOqO_5f1evoMqvW94JpqGg4k/s320/Matt+club+XC+4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685683817177189250" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px; " /><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Hanging on in the middle of the race.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">In the end, I finished 114th in the men's masters race which put me at 75th in the 40-49 age group for team scoring. My time was 36:43 for 10k. Although it is cross country and actual distances are really not that relevant, my Garmin showed the final distance as 6.39 miles. And, yes I wore a Garmin, it is the watch I always wear. And no I was wasn't using it for pacing, I was there to race, but I do like to look at my stats afterwards.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFTSIeupeE-UbfYQtQ_XnuQr7C-M52CRtdch6PdtZahTNl5-w1Zo05Zo0scO-cY7w7yMAMMDnqeT5DnIP49y5O_zlwtLs6mu-Ddw1KoxHhTEsh2yy_Vz5UMdWHnvPk9CGwN_zWZcP9SK0/s320/Matt+club+XC+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685683832709466402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpW4Ny_5xhFtzpo6ypj186QVQbnedevO6zCpz7On2lUq1OKC-rTPopAk81GXdYo5Zg_FvRiirXIOZR3ZOtO6jUE06SjtSXwnHyahItF5T8GKXSbYlg7zymJ6YrjZj_LfTXng_MrE65Rc/s1600/Matt+and+Joe+2.jpg" style="text-align: left; " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Sporting the BAC black.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">With about one kilometer left to run I heard a guy coming up on me breathing hard and rhythmically like an air compressor working in overdrive. As this heavy breather caught me, I realized it was my friend and fellow competitor Joe Dudman from Portland. At first I thought, what the heck was Joe doing behind me, but that thought passed quickly as I heard my brain say “Stick with him, go with Joe”. I managed to tuck in behind for about 100 meters, but Joe was pushing hard and I was just hanging on. Joe pulled away and kept it up to the end bettering me by 11 seconds. </p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u><br /></u></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpW4Ny_5xhFtzpo6ypj186QVQbnedevO6zCpz7On2lUq1OKC-rTPopAk81GXdYo5Zg_FvRiirXIOZR3ZOtO6jUE06SjtSXwnHyahItF5T8GKXSbYlg7zymJ6YrjZj_LfTXng_MrE65Rc/s1600/Matt+and+Joe+2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpW4Ny_5xhFtzpo6ypj186QVQbnedevO6zCpz7On2lUq1OKC-rTPopAk81GXdYo5Zg_FvRiirXIOZR3ZOtO6jUE06SjtSXwnHyahItF5T8GKXSbYlg7zymJ6YrjZj_LfTXng_MrE65Rc/s320/Matt+and+Joe+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685683821656692322" /></a></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Trying to hang onto Joe Dudman with 900 meters to go.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><u><br /></u></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">Since I was on the B team, I knew I was not in the scoring for a possible podium finish for the BAC, but our A team had to be in the running for 2<sup>nd</sup> or 3<sup>rd</sup>. First place was sewn up easily by the men from the Atlanta Track Club, aided by the overall masters winner. In the end, they scored an impressive 22 points and walked away with first. The race for 2<sup>nd</sup> and third was a little tighter, but in the end, the BAC A-Team finished fourth just one point away from a tie for 3<sup>rd</sup>. Had we tied and gone to the score of the 6<sup>th</sup> man BAC would have won the tie breaker. In fact, the depth of the BAC A and B squads was such that our B team, which I was the fourth runner, still finished 10<sup>th</sup> in the team scoring and with the exception of the Atlanta Track winning team, our 6<sup>th</sup> through 11<sup>th</sup> (all the rest of our team) were the fastest performer for those relative team positions.</p></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-vmV2c_W5A9dDlJnUYSLqX_TX5lQbDboUx49tjTnd2kK1qireJwdFg9vWW7Vv_gseFN_iNNUOdkyoaf5kgihJzUBTagZcTIMeyGowQBuOlkVF0yPceXYA-jSB7htJq6Qdbq-rcHZwdT4/s1600/Matt+club+XC+3.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9-RnxV_6NpiP24ptSNKpvZE7TaN5A4mTNcDDFR57uVRjil0pgiFpFvnRYXpX4Gmy9oeGf-WYcuLdI_MyQdME3j-2Mj1Zxz-gVugiMqFGog0kJ7LajIqoMXBP6C0TvW9ZfvGHj2FcB0Y/s320/Matt+club+XC+finish.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685684001295893602" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span">Bringing it home at the finish.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">This race and running with the BAC team was a great finale to my best running year so far. I was able to run lifetime PRs in the 5k, 10k, and marathon and even run faster over 5k and 10k than I did many years ago in High School. I set what I thought at the time were ambitious time goals (16:45 5k, 35:00 10k, 1:18:00 half marathon, 2:45:00 marathon) at the beginning of the year, and while I only achieved two (sub-35 minute 10k, sub-1:18 half marathon), I came close in all and trained myself to a level of fitness that made them all a real possibility if not probable. Along the way, I found some great training partners in the Rogue Valley and hope to continue on the same upward trajectory. Although I am relatively new to being a competitive masters runner, having taken so many years off from running, I am still improving and waiting to find that point where aging catches up with improving performance. So far it hasn’t arrived. Until then, I’ll keep training even harder, and hopefully smarter, than last year, and see where I can take this.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; ">Time to rest and set some new goals and challenges for 2012. See you at the races.</p></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-55595303404221842832011-10-06T10:19:00.000-07:002011-10-12T16:50:02.407-07:00Twin Cities Medtronic Marathon Recap –2:46:38 - New PR!<div>My once a year marathon has come and gone and overall I am pleased with the result.<span> </span>How could I not be.<span> </span>I ran close to a four minute PR and was one of the first 100 runners to cross the finish line.<span> </span>Part of the enjoyment and decision to run the Twin Cities Marathon was knowing that I would have family and friends with me that weekend and on the course, since I grew up in Minnesota.<span> </span>True to my hope and expectations, my cheering section rivaled any out there on the course.</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; ">The race weekend started off with a couple of pleasant surprises when much to my surprise I ran into two of my cousins at the race expo whom I hadn’t seen in many years.<span> </span>First I spotted cousin Zach (which was easy as he towered over people with his 6’5’’ frame) and then I was spotted by cousin Tom.<span> </span>Zach was in town from Chicago and wasn’t running but was there to cheer on friends and family and Tom was running the 10 miler.<span> </span>To top it off, my whole family came to town to visit and cheer me on. <span></span>On top of the good spirits of hanging out with my family, the weather was absolutely perfect for the entire weekend.<span> </span>I forgot how much I enjoyed the fall weather in Minnesota.</p><span class="Apple-style-span"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4TtZiXbiE-Q5UGJaeKXPxYP27yLzaptgCRgaoNBUwnQ7G1ornM70Rt2BqHG5vN9RBu3ywVrDLnzEvk0oaxYIuOCueAFz_82C3efZ2fyxUIFd8i69TY4Y7qhrDaBKoB3bNi_hYcSp-iM/s1600/2011September+574.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5-QcuzqPle0VngTkaAbz2O6AkgwTn0-rMmEolqKwvmQo3njU9DSf5ALlgtBvKfZbi5PgoT4-y3f1MbzMyx6VQbyRgtYsHRzCWwQpj3nGs3GlD5oKaCH9kK6Q-zyZ4i_AUghHf67_xyE/s1600/2011September+559.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5-QcuzqPle0VngTkaAbz2O6AkgwTn0-rMmEolqKwvmQo3njU9DSf5ALlgtBvKfZbi5PgoT4-y3f1MbzMyx6VQbyRgtYsHRzCWwQpj3nGs3GlD5oKaCH9kK6Q-zyZ4i_AUghHf67_xyE/s320/2011September+559.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660431099632380866" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "></span></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; ">Race day started with few surprises as I got dropped off at the start by my brother-in-law Chris and I went through the usual pre-race rituals, like standing in the porta-potty line.<span> </span>Big marathons like Twin Cities are a funny thing for me because I really don’t even try to warm-up or even do any stretching beforehand.<span> </span>There just isn’t any room for us non-elites back in the corrals.<span> </span>So, I didn’t even bother to wiggle my way to the front of corral 1, instead, I used the first mile to warm up and let the fast starters get it out their system and get out of my way!<span> </span>Needless to say, my first mile of 6:33 was a bit off the target pace of 6:10 per mile, but it felt so slow as I settled into the target pace in the next few miles.<span> </span>In fact miles 2, 3, and 4 were the fastest of the day at 6:06, 6:03, and 6:04.<span> </span>However, that was the order of the day.<span> </span>I needed to get some quick miles in early as I knew I needed a time cushion heading into the hills of the last few miles.<span> </span>I probably wasn’t going to run negative splits this race and had to stay focused early on.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; ">For this race I decided to wear a fuel belt with four 6-ounce bottles of raspberry flavored Gu Brew.<span> </span>I learned in the past that I did not get enough fuel and electrolytes from the aid stations and needed to bring my own and drink it all along the way.<span> </span>So, in spite of all the nasty things I have said in the past about folks strapping on their super hero belts, I had joined their unfashionable ranks.<span> </span>Not surprisingly, up at the front of the race where I was running nobody else was sporting such attire.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; ">The race started more or less on time and we were off on the streets of downtown Minneapolis.<span> </span>While it was cool at the start, it wasn’t cold, but I still elected to start with gloves and arm sleeves.<span> </span>I was glad I did as we got blasted by a few wind tunnels that formed between the high rises in the first mile of the race.<span> </span>Right from the start and all the way to the finish there were spectators lining the course.<span> </span>At the start the race officials said there would be 300,000 people cheering us on the course.<span> </span>I’m guessing the number was even higher than that.<span> </span>It was really impressive and encouraging.</p></span></span><div><div><div><div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; ">Rounding our way around the lakes in Minneapolis was actually pretty relaxing and I rolled through 5k and 10k more or less right on pace.<span> </span>In fact, based on a terrain adjusted pace chart, I was a little under at that point for a 2:42 finish.<span> </span>My left achilles tendon was already sore, but I knew it would be, otherwise, the legs felt great, my breathing was controlled and easy.<span> </span>Everything was going as planned.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table class="MsoTableGrid" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border:none;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook:1184;mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <tbody><tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Distance<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Target Split<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Actual Split<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Pace<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-left:none;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Projected Finish<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">5k<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">19:45<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">19:13<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">6:11<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:42:03<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">10k<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">38:40<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">38:23<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">6:10<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:41:50<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Half<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">1:20:44<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">1:21:05<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">6:11<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:42:10<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">30k<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">1:54:31<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">1:55:58<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">6:13<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:42:59<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">20 miles<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:02:52<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:04:21<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">6:13<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:42:53<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">24 miles<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:28:10<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:31:53<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">6:20<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:45:48<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="79" valign="top" style="width:59.4pt;border:solid windowtext 1.0pt; border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Marathon<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="78" valign="top" style="width:58.5pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:42:00<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="84" valign="top" style="width:63.0pt;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:46:38<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="72" valign="top" style="width:.75in;border-top:none;border-left:none; border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">6:22<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> <td width="120" valign="top" style="width:1.25in;border-top:none;border-left: none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;border-right:solid windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;mso-border-left-alt:solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;padding:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">2:46:38<o:p></o:p></span></p> </td> </tr></tbody></table></div><div><div><div></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal">The second 10k was more of the same as the race began to thin out and the space between runners became a little greater.<span> </span>One neat thing about this race was that it was the USATF Masters Marathon Championships, so all the old farts (over 40) like me had age group numbers pinned to our backs as well as the normal race numbers on front.<span> </span>Personally, I liked being able to spot another masters runner ahead of me and try to reel them in or share a few words when passing or getting passed.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p></div><div><div><div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><o:p><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpKNggSID0ZPLUHtzwTtXWDlgf93XEquxW7Cu6KxcxXFpjHCtZkoJiANW_Js_rxdiDYrT3Tgc2iFF_0tp4Y8hVVFFSUV8L0_nKkXch8ICjFzKVPlbKHAHSCNipBzxX52ITORDwdqTxDI/s320/2011September+524.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660430731631623794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center; "><div></div></div><o:p></o:p></div><div></div></o:p></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal">Heading into the halfway point, I was starting to feel a little more tired than I thought I would.<span> </span>Overall the legs felt loose and my breathing was not labored, but I my legs started to feel just a tad more flat than I was hoping for, since it was my strategy to really start to dig in when I reached the River Road on the Minneapolis side of the Mississippi River.<span> </span>Even with that flat feeling, I was still pretty much on pace and knew I had a big boost coming up in the 14<sup>th</sup> mile.<span> </span>Team Matt made up of my sisters, brothers-in-law and nieces and nephews, was going to be there in full force, and true to form, they made some noise.<span> </span>I spied their green shirts about a block away, and could hear their cheers, cow bells, and whackers a half a block away.<span> </span>Running by one’s own personal cheering team like that really motivated me and beyond putting a smile on my face (I could still smile at that point) it lit a little fire under me too. <span></span>Although I slowed a little to a 6:17 mile pace in the 14<sup>th</sup> mile, in the next mile (with a small downhill to help) I sped up to 6:06 pace.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal">But then I really started to feel a little heavy in the legs.<span> </span>Crap.<span> </span>Up to about mile 16 I was still passing folks and only occasionally getting passed myself, but then that started to change.<span> </span>I tried to stay focused and thought about my ultra-marathon friends and how they talk about running though bad patches.<span> </span>Please, let this be a bad patch that I can run through.<span> </span>I knew I was lying to myself and that wasn’t going to happen, but I still did what I could to stay calm. <span> </span>One thing I did was focus on running the tangents along the River Road. <span> </span>It amazed me how much folks around me, folks I would describe as pretty fast and experienced racers, would run down the middle of the road.<span> </span>Not me, I’m cutting it as tight as I can.<span> </span>We have the whole road closed for us so let’s run it tight people!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal">B<span>y about 30k I was no longer </span>on pace, but was still keeping it close to 6:20 pace; however, I knew I was not going to be finishing around 2:42 and would be lucky to hit 2:44.<span> </span>I still felt I could hang at close to this pace and nab a PR and I wanted to have a decent finish up Summit Avenue.</p></div><div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>Crossing the Franklin Avenue Bridge and onto the St. Paul side of the river at 19 miles I literally felt myself lo</span>se a gear and at that point knew the second half of the race was going to look a lot different than the first half. <span> </span>I tried to keep my form smooth and light and keep moving forward but I was seriously starting to feel tired.<span> </span>Of course, I just ran a hard 20 miles and I should be tired, but I trained for this and was hoping and expecting to feel a bit fresher at this point.<span> </span>I was starting to feel like I was going backwards.<span> </span>People I passed earlier in the day were now coming by me looking strong and fast.<span> </span>Dang, that was supposed to be me looking strong and passing people at this point.<span> </span>Sigh.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>As I fell off the pace after 19 miles my legs n</span>ever tightened up, but they just had less and less pep.<span> </span>Also, I could feel the change in my face and sensed I was no longer as relaxed as I was earlier in the race.<span> </span>There were no smiles from me to the spectators as I trudged up the hill off of East River Road to Summit Avenue.<span> </span>I was moving into head down, grit the teeth territory counting off the miles to the finish and looking for anything to energize me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>I did catch a really nice </span>compliment at mile 21 that wasn’t even shouted to me when I heard one spectator say to another “wow, that's a nice stride.” That made me feel happy since I sure didn't feel that good but I was trying to concentrate on holding my form together to propel me forward. Heading up Summit Avenue I looked ahead of me and saw nothing but hill.<span> </span>Of course, it really isn’t that steep, but it never really flattens out and at that point, any little hill looked like a big hill.<span> </span>I said to myself, “ give it a rest, you are from Ashland, you normally don’t even notice hills like these.”</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><o:p><div></div></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>Ticking off the miles I was looking forward to </span>making it to mile 22, since Team Matt was planning to be waiting for me again. <span> </span>Right before I reached my posse, I caught and passed Wendy Terris from Milwaukie, Oregon, the only runner I recognized in the race.<span> </span>I said hello as I came by and kept on pushing. <span> </span>Then I came to Team Matt.<span> </span><span></span>Just like at mile 14, they really brought out a little more zip in my stride.<span> </span>I tossed my fuel belt and gloves to the team and focused on the runner in front of me.<span> </span>I’m not done, I still have some life left in me. Then just a block later I saw my cousin Tom, who came back after the finish of the ten miler, and his mom, my Aunt Mary Catherine , cheering their hearts out.<span> </span>I felt like a superstar!</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"></p><div style="text-align: center; "><br /><o:p><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxvHYVvbzBqFqLkRIw1z3N122RYegWnpY6em8jkjTBEp6Tr5unDDSStpP81lZ-IHi4A1DI8Kj3lrq1Em3tpu_mzh57bXz0YsD_lMj2uaMP6BbJLkVoqECRzfkkbCljT75-0a8zaOOt34/s320/2011September+546.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660431930284601442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div><br /></div><div></div></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><o:p></o:p></p><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>At this point I stopped looking at my watch and just focused on running smoothly and trying to catch people in front of me.<span> </span>I knew I had one more big hill in mile 26 and then it was all downhill and I could stop.<span> </span>Once I got to that hill I ac</span>tually attacked it, or at least I told myself I was attacking. I am sure that those watching couldn’t tell!<span> </span>Unfortunately, in almost the same instant I felt the twinge of a cramp in my left calf and right hamstring.<span> </span>I did my best to ignore them, I was so close to being done and wanted to finish hard down the hill to the finish line.<span> </span>Rounding the corner at the top of Summit Avenue and seeing the Capitol and the finish line a quarter of a mile ahead, I leaned into the downhill and dug in.<span> </span>Ahead I spied a poor victim to target.<span> </span>I can catch this guy, I’m a racer, racers finish hard.<span> </span>So I did, blowing by him in the last 30 meters.<span> </span>Sorry buddy, it may be a marathon, but it is still a race to me. I didn't see or hear them, but it was also comforting to know that my father and his partner Barbara, as well as the whole Team Matt contingent was cheering and waiting for me at the finish.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK4TtZiXbiE-Q5UGJaeKXPxYP27yLzaptgCRgaoNBUwnQ7G1ornM70Rt2BqHG5vN9RBu3ywVrDLnzEvk0oaxYIuOCueAFz_82C3efZ2fyxUIFd8i69TY4Y7qhrDaBKoB3bNi_hYcSp-iM/s320/2011September+574.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660431549025948466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></div><div><br /></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>In the end, I finished in 2:46:38 for a P</span>R by over 3 minutes.<span> </span>It wasn’t the time I had hoped or trained for and I still think I can run that target time, but I’ll take a nice PR as a concession prize.<span> </span>My other goals were to finish in the top 100 overall, which I did with a 96<sup>th</sup> place finish and to be in the top 10 of my age group.<span> </span>I just missed that goal with an 11<sup>th</sup> place finish in the men’s 40-44 age division.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal">I have decided that at this time the Twin Cities Marathon is my favorite marathon of the few (a whopping four) I have run so far and that is not because I ran a PR and I’m from Minnesota and biased.<span> </span>It was simply that well run, on a spectacular course with great spectators and great treatment of the runners.<span> </span>Maybe another will bump it from this pedestal some day, but I doubt it.<span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><o:p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi45-8TwK4T8Yagov_q5tBx-gDPBe_2nolAP8F95I09XtuhGKHOdRG1DIqzmx_R8Cewg84nd3rS1OUv6vbsjoUCW8wjBZU_GZgKkOtLcV6OYBnjD3YZ1cyeuLMAocxQGhvLFrzpUj7_yGs/s320/2011September+586.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660431687060388978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></o:p></p><div><o:p><br /></o:p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><br /></p></div></div></div>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-18804849108655312942011-09-22T11:17:00.000-07:002011-09-22T11:27:29.478-07:00IAAF Makes Poor Decision On Women's Road Running Records<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span>This week, the </span><span lang="EN">International Association of Athletics Federations</span><span lang="EN"> </span><span>(IAAF) decided to change how it recognizes world records for women’s road racing by requiring future records to be run in women’s only races.<span> </span>In doing so they established two categories of records.<span> </span>Those that will be called “world records” will be from races in which women competed alone, without men in the field.<span> </span>World record times that are run in races in which men also competed, whether or not they had anything to do with the women’s race, will be called “world bests”.<span> </span>Presumably this was done with the intention of creating a level playing field and eliminating the effects of the assistance of male pacers in a race.<span> </span>This really makes little sense, since pacing in and of itself is not prohibited.<span> </span>We see pacing employed for world record attempts by men and women both on and off the track all the time.<span> </span>Like with Haile Gebrselassie’s heavily paced marathon world record attempts, there is nothing preventing a similar record attempt by women in which they had other women as pacers.<span> </span>We simply haven’t noticed it yet on that scale.<span> </span>The fact is road race records, like track records, are frequently achieved as a result of having others share the burden of pacing and pulling the runners along for a portion of the race.<span> </span>Does it really matter what gender they are?<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="st1"><b><span style="color: black; "><o:p> </o:p></span></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span">Outside of major national, area, or world championship and Olympic competitions, there are few women’s only road races available for female competitors to make record runs.<span> </span>Moreover, championship events by their nature are usually aimed at pure racing and winning medals and not running fast times.<span> </span>World records in distance races are almost never set in championship events since it is about winning and no one is usually willing to sacrifice themselves as pacer for a fast time.<span> </span>Furthermore, this decision completely ignores the financial realities of setting up (paying pacers) record attempts and the significance of performance incentives from sponsors and contracts that reward athletes for running world records.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span">Even more ridiculous is the decision to retroactively penalize the current world record and national record holders for which their record times were run in mixed gender races.<span> </span>As women’s marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe has stated, she did not request the male paces in her record run, nor was she necessarily assisted by them.<span> </span>Their presence was at the discretion of the race organizers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span"> </span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span">The IAAF has made a terrible decision that completely misunderstands the realities of how and where world records in road racing are run.<span> </span>With this decision, unless there is a sudden increase in the number of female only road races or races specifically set up for record attempts (which is logistically no small feat) one could easily anticipate a long term negative effect and even stagnation in women’s road racing world records.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12pt; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-13528411483168158812011-09-13T12:26:00.000-07:002011-09-13T12:30:20.718-07:00Marathon Training and What One is Made Of<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >As my annual once-a-year marathon nears, I am winding up, or is it winding down, the last of my key training runs. The way I have chosen to train for the marathon, and this race in particular, is a rather long-term affair. I choose the intended marathon six months to a year in advance and develop a somewhat detailed training plan covering the ten to twelve weeks before the race. In this training cycle, this plan has included a good mix of mileage, mostly in the 85 miles a week range, quality speed work, and longer strength type speed work focused on running my target marathon pace. Workouts like 10 miles at moderate pace followed by 10 miles at marathon pace, racing 10k all out, long progression runs getting down to marathon pace, mile repeats at 10k race pace or faster, and most recently the famed and feared Khannouchi workout. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >The Khannouchi workout was introduced to me by my training partners Louis LeBlanc and Bill Mattis when I was living in Portland.<span> </span>The workout is simple in design and is a long, hard progression workout that is intended to mimic the finish of a marathon where you have to suck it up and run hard even when very tired.<span> </span>The workout starts off with 5-10 miles at a moderate “warm-up” pace, in my case I ran 5 miles at roughly 7:45/mile pace.<span> </span>Then, without stopping, run the next 10 miles at your target marathon pace.<span> </span>For this I ran between 6:10 and 6:15 pace.<span> </span>Lastly, again without stopping, run directly onto a track and run two more miles as hard as you can, and for this I ran 5:51 and 5:44.<span> </span>With the exception of being joined by a friend for a few of the marathon paced miles, I ran this workout by myself.<span> </span>Afterwards I was very tired, but I wasn’t completely hammered like I expected to be.<span> </span>In all honestly, I was worried beforehand. <span> </span>The night before and that morning I had to keep reminding myself to believe in the work I had already done.<span> </span>Everything had gone well and indicated that I should be ready and able to complete this workout as planned.<span> </span>“Trust your training” became something of a mantra that day. In my mind, and on paper, this was going to be the hardest of my workouts and it was going to hurt.<span> </span>In the end, I hit all the splits, I felt strong at the end and had no energy, fueling or cramping problems.<span> </span>In short, I killed this workout and ended the day feeling ready.<span> </span>But am I really?<span> </span>I’ve never run this hard and fast for this long. <span> </span>While we usually hope to improve on our race PRs when we can, I’m looking at a big jump into a pain zone that kinda scares the crap out of me.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >My target marathon pace is between 6:10 and 6:15 per mile which should yield a finish between 2:42 and 2:44. <span> </span>Unfortunately, my marathon PR of 2:50:23 from last fall is not an accurate indicator of my current fitness. <span> </span>A better measure might be my recent 10k PR of 34:56, which converts to about a 2:44 marathon on the McMillan equivalent performance table, while the Daniels table suggests I’m ready for about a 2:41 finish.<span> </span>Frankly, I think Daniels is more correct in this case.<span> </span>So, where will I make this attack on a new marathon PR?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >This year I am running the Twin Cities Marathon in Minnesota, largely for three reasons.<span> </span>First, I grew up in Minnesota and have family there and running a marathon where you have friends and family to cheer and support you is always helpful and appreciated and for me takes a lot of the stress out of running a big race, not to mention the benefits of a trip home to see the family.<span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Second, this year the Twin Cities Marathon is the USATF masters marathon championships.<span> </span>I don’t really have a shot at placing well in this, but it is exciting to know that I’m competing with some of the best American masters in this race.<span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >And third, with my entry, I want to support a first class race that takes the competitive side of racing as seriously as the recreational side.<span> </span>And yes, this means I am specifically choosing not to run (i.e. boycotting) the Portland marathon.<span> </span>Admittedly that is a rather negative attitude about racing or rather races, but it is something that I feel increasingly strong about. <span> </span>When I have a choice where to spend my entry fee money (and I’m not quite fast enough to earn or request a complimentary entry like the elite racers often do), and when the entry fees top $100 and keep climbing higher and higher, and when I value accurately measured and marked courses, correct and rapid results, and when I couldn’t care less about extra crap like an official race coin in my goody bag, I’m going to pay to race where I feel respected and valued as a serious runner/racer and not simply a revenue stream.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" >This summer I raced sparingly with my focus on being very consistent and running a lot of quality miles aimed at this big fall marathon. Admittedly, there is a lot of risk in that. On the one hand, I missed out on a lot of fun racing (although I did do my part volunteering at a handful of races too, something we all can do more of) and come marathon race day, a lot of little things I cannot control can go wrong, making one feel that all this time and effort was wasted. But on the other hand, that is why I choose to train and race as hard as I do at this stage in my life. I do it to challenge myself against the course, the weather, my fellow competitors, and all those little things to see what I’ve made of myself and just exactly what I’m made of. </span></p>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-37418766624828417472011-08-29T13:23:00.001-07:002011-09-15T11:36:05.028-07:00Hood to Coast Relay 2011<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Last weekend I competed in the 2011 edition of the epic 200 mile, 36 leg, 1200 team Hood to Coast relay (HtC).<span> </span>This was my second running of HtC, both times with the Leapin’ Lizards (LL) team, a competitive mixed submasters team of 6 men and 6 women all 30 years old or older.<span> </span>When I say it is a competitive team, I really mean it, but the truth of that statement is that in this team’s mind we were really only racing against on</span></span>e other team, the Slug Hunters (SH).</div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span><span></span>The LL and SH teams have been duking it out and trading first and secon</span><span>d place in the division for at least the last four years, finishing within minutes of each other each year.<span> </span>Who the third place team might be in the division is irrelevant, since they usually are well over an hour behind every year.<span> </span>Unfortunately for the LL, the SH have the upper hand and were th</span>e three time defending champions in the division.<span> </span>We were hopi</span>ng to change that this year and have a little fun along the way.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFseKbUH0GnPTiH6hMr0caa_nGdBXr8-QpbSj7jGKCR2dlcMTXmCej5W2mvx5Al2yqHDr_ajsF26DBuG3XLbXxhw_lHf49P30LbU4Eq9Kw2Xl6brpuLdqfr5xnsldVNbnZnWE7wyOXUEI/s320/016.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646376734101171970" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgCMabDSv3D9UEqCKv-ZS5WY2NfMscffPERrQ8sIHQbd4pGeKJFsNNUUSwXWa8LepOw15FlLKFWMqvpzWndGh06ehterwByZnN67ax2pSy8TL2DNMFHVzEtNv1Uf6SDx0ohUNjEkqqLY/s320/017.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646390583079142802" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Oh look, someone tagged the Slug Hunters van with a Leapin' Lizards magnetic tag, hmmm, how'd that happen?</span></p><p></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span>In the bigger picture of Ho</span><span>od to Co</span><span>ast teams, the SH and and LL are among the elit</span>e top fifteen teams, regardless of divisions. <span></span>And it isn’t because we bring in a couple of super fast ringers from out of town, we don’t.<span> </span>All of our men were running with current 10k performance times within 45 seconds of one another (34:15 to 35:00) and all of our women within 2 minutes (37:00 to 39:00).<span> </span>As the race results showed, everyone performed up to expectations, if not better. <span></span>Individually, any of our runners would be welcome on almost any other HtC team.<span> </span>That level of speed and depth is hard to find.<span> </span>But what really makes the whole HtC experience matter and memorable is how well the team works together.<span> </span>It is a team race after all and not just a bunch of runners taking turns at getting from point A (Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood) to point B (the beach in Seaside, Oregon).</span></p></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2lprYN_bzB6vXih8ddl1cFcoA6h7AAD7Hy51aD3YJKl6GlqHx5z3zmpToPlglIXNREUG6tH32K-Zz3ieofm2wqdsL_mISIUxbFaMMNpCJOvcIed4tSCiXxH0ACjqQrlu_Cf1ok38-t8w/s320/009.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646377033007250978" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span>Van 1 of Leapin' Lizards - L to R: </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span">Ben Flaata, Leo Alapont, Daniel Hough, Matt Thomas, Andi Camp, Andria Scheese.</span></p></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>The decision and opportunity to run the race this year was something of an unexpected thing for me.<span> </span>A fair amount of team drama and an overall sour taste at the end of my previous running in 2009 left me a little frustrated, vowing not to run the relay again.<span> </span>But that all changed after watching the Hood to Coast movie this spring with a packed theater at the Ashland Independent Film Festival.<span> </span>Forgetting everything and wanting to feel the rush again, I said to myself, how could I not do this again.<span> </span>Since I had moved into the masters age group last year, I expressed my interest to the Facebook world of getting on a competitive masters team, but got no bites. <span> </span>Since my running on the team in 2009, the LL continued to improve and seek faster and faster runners, and as a result, I was told by a long time team member, I just wasn’t fast enough.<span> </span>Fine, fair enough but of course I knew better.<span> </span>Fortunately for me, the LL team captain cut me off at the pass and said, “pshaw” if you want to run, we would be happy to have you.<span> </span>I was in.<span> </span>In the ensuing months the team roster changed week to week, and up until a week before the race, day to day, but in the end we pulled together a phenomenal team, both as runners and as people, people with character (some who are real characters too), and that is what really mattered in the end.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>Why did character matter any more this year than any other year?<span> </span>Mostly because of the organizational and logistical nightmares most teams encountered from ridiculous miles long traffic backups at and between exchange points.<span> </span>For the entire second half of the race our team ran in fear that we were not going to be able to get our next runner to the exchange point in time to hand off.<span> </span>For competitive teams like LL and SH, there is no down time, no standing around chatting at exchange points.<span> </span>As soon as one of our runners came in their teammates walked them directly to the waiting van and we hauled ass to the next exchange point to ensure that the incoming runner had someone to handoff to and we were never left waiting.<span> </span>No time to cool down or stretch.<span> </span>As much as we would have liked, we could not stop to chat and trash talk and catch up with old and new friends.<span> </span>No time was ever wasted and we still barely made it through with only minor delays.<span> </span>In fact, we outsmarted the race by having some runners run ahead and beg random vans for rides to the next exchange to be able to keep our team racing without delay while our vans were stuck idling in traffic miles behind where they should have been. <span> </span>The race is supposed to work for the teams without delays, and we shouldn’t have to find ways to out smart it just to have it keep flowing as planned, and dare I say as promised.<span> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>We were there to race.<span> </span>Unfortunately too many races now days have become huge money making events first, where the attention to details and accuracy that matter to those actually running to win, have taken a back seat to providing an experience for the masses and the back-of-the-packers whose money the race operators are only more than happy to pocket. <span> </span>Many teams were rightly very unhappy with the organization of the race this year and will be demanding some changes for next year.<span> </span>Here’s hoping that change happens, but I am not optimistic.<span> </span>Like many others I do plan to express my frustration to the HtC organization and request some changes be made for next year.<span> </span>I hope those that ran and are reading this do the same.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>As for the actual running of my three legs, it went down something like this.<span> </span>I was the 6<sup>th</sup> runner on the team rotation in van 1. My first leg was leg 6, a somewhat hilly 6.70 mile stretch of highway shoulder rolling into the town of Sandy.<span> </span>I went out hard, but so does everyone on the first leg, and right off the bat in the first mile I got passed by 3 people.<span> </span>As a faster runner, I did not expect that to happen often but reminded myself we did start in a fast wave and it was early so we were going to jostle with some really fast team.<span> </span>Well, I soon found out that two of those that passed me were posers, and when we started to climb some of the longer hills they came back to me, then they got to look at my back side.<span> </span>This leg was hot and sunny and run right into a warm head wind.<span> </span>My van mates who ran legs before me told us how hot it was and to be careful not to blow up.<span> </span>One team mate made that visually clear when she came weaving into the exchange with her head tilted back and her legs turning to rubber as she displayed the full effects of the heat and her incredible effort. <span> </span>I ran very hard, but kept telling myself to run smart, there was a lot of work to do yet with two more legs to run.<span> </span>When I started this leg I knew the SH were behind us but I had no idea how far.<span> </span>Well, with about 200 meters to go, in sight of the exchange zone if it wasn’t a damn SH who comes barreling by me at full sprint.<span> </span>I thought for a second, I can go with this guy, but then said, no wait, let him go, don’t kill yourself sprinting now for a 5 second loss if it is going to wipe you out for the later legs.<span> </span>I let him go.<span> </span>I wonder how long that sneaky bastard was sitting off my butt waiting to do that?<span> </span>I came in a few seconds over my projected time which was just fine by me, because I still felt great and knew I was going to kill the next two legs.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>My second leg was a different story.<span> </span>By the time this leg (number 18) started, our team was now around 10 minutes behind the SH.<span> </span>The leg was only 5.28 miles mostly all uphill.<span> </span>I was ready to run hard, but wasn’t going to close a 10 minute gap.<span> </span>Taking the exchange band at about 11:30PM I ran off into the darkness and picked off dozens and dozens of slower runners.<span> </span>As I got moving I realized I really felt good and just attacked the hills.<span> </span>Breathing hard the whole way but never backing down, I rolled into the exchange at full speed to hand off to my teammate.<span> </span>I didn’t know how fast I ran, just that I killed the projected time.<span> </span>Then I waited.<span> </span>Running up the hill to the finish I passed hundreds of idling vans.<span> </span>I assumed my van was ahead of all that and was there waiting for me. I didn't occur to me that my van was even further back.<span> </span>I kept waiting, and started to get cold.<span> </span>I was wet and tired and wanted to get a drink but no van.<span> </span>Aaaargh, 20 minutes later they arrived, they were stuck in traffic.<span> </span>This was not good.<span> </span>After getting back to the van I was able to see how well that leg went compared to the projected time, I just ran 1:35 under the projected time on a 5.28 mile leg.<span> </span>Not bad, not bad at all.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span>By the time I was mentally warming up for my third leg (leg 30), we were sure that our team was screwed and wouldn’t be able to get our vans down the road fast enough to have runners there for the next few exchanges, let along the transition from our van (my leg) to the next van.<span> </span>As our runner before me took off on his grueling hill climb, we idled in traffic and I worried.<span> </span>Eventually we started moving and got up the climb but we still hadn’t passed him.<span> </span>Finally we were moving down the back of the hill and we passed him, but there was no way the van would make it to the exchange before him.<span> </span>The van hit a stand still and I hopped out and began to run quickly down the hill about a mile and a half to the exchange.<span> </span>In the end we timed it perfectly, just as I got to the exchange, I turned around and our runner was barreling down the hill towards me.<span> </span>We made the hand off and I flew.<span> </span>I had a great warmup for a change by running ahead to get to the exchange point and now I was really hauling ass down the hill.<span> </span>At one point I looked at my watch and I was running 5:01 pace.<span> </span>This leg was 5.38 miles but it was easy fast running.<span> </span>The whole left lane in the road was open with the right lane jammed with vans.<span> </span>I ran the yellow line and the inner tangets hard and tight and just let my legs flow and my arms pump.<span> </span>The sun has just come up and we could see again in the light and this was the first time in the day that I really heard other vans cheering for runners from other teams (like me) on the road.<span> </span>As I neared the exchange, having seen how far back the vans were backed up, a sense of sadness came over me as I had convinced myself this was the end of the road for our team and that there was no way my teammate could have possibly gotten ahead to be at the exchange point.<span> </span>But I ran hard anyway and was determined to still give it everything, then a miracle.<span> </span>As they called our team number 3-5-9, out of the crowd pops my teammate!<span> </span>She was there, holy shit!<span> </span>I handed off the wrist band and cheered, then I turned and ran the 2 miles back up the road to find my van stuck in traffic.<span> </span>I finally got a real cool down and made sure to cheer for every runner and walker I passed as I jogged back up the hill, after all I had just blown by them all like a sweaty shirtless possessed demon with funny lights blinking away on his front, head and butt.<span> </span>This leg was 1:11 under the project time, I killed another one.<span> </span>I was done, three hard legs in about 14 hours time.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span">My projected total pace was 5:51, but in the end, I ran a total of 2:37 seconds under my total projected time for an average pace of 5:42 per mile over 17.33 miles.<span> </span>Our team finished 10<sup>th</sup> overall in 20:19:23.<span> </span>The SH finished 6<sup>th</sup> overall in 20:00:45.<span> Out of over 1200 teams, a top 10 finish (our first ever) is pretty respectable. </span>The SH brought a great team and showed us who’s boss.<span> </span>To this I salute them.<span> </span>Very nicely done.<span> </span>Maybe next year for LL…..maybe.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10pt; "><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Matt Thomashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15677102887136291258noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-13509395882774764162011-08-21T20:53:00.000-07:002011-08-22T07:27:57.340-07:00A 100 Mile Journey<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently accomplished a long standing running goal of mine to run 100 miles in one week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, running 100 miles in a week may sound impressive to some (it impresses me), but in and of itself, it really doesn’t mean that much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll admit it, 100 miles is a nice round number and distance that most, both runners and non-runners, can relate to, sort of like the four minute mile (I'm still working on that one).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as much as reaching this weekly mileage is an accomplishment almost anyone can feel proud of, it is what it represents that matters most to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In essence, the 100 mile week was the destination and was a worthwhile one to reach, but it was really the journey to get to that place that was the most satisfying and significant. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For me to get to 100 miles meant that I first had to run 70, then 80, then 90 miles in a week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it was simply a matter of testing myself on whether or not I could run 100 miles in one week, I am sure I could have and would have done much sooner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was not a matter of what I could do in one week of running, it was a matter of months, even years of training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What this mark really signifies is how I got to a level in my running that 100 miles was the appropriate weekly mileage at that point in the training cycle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting to that point was a reasonably slow and calculated process of progressively increasing my mileage within the context of a number of target races all the while running the usual hard workouts and speed session necessary to get faster and stay sharp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has never been a mission for the miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That for me would get pretty boring, no matter how much I simply enjoy running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather, I want to get faster and stronger and that only happens with hard work and continually building on what has been accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running 100 miles in a week was result of having a plan, putting in the work, and maintaining a level of consistency.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Did that journey make me stronger and more able to run even more and more miles?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sure did, but it also made me fitter, more efficient, and most importantly, faster as a runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I was asked what I think is the one thing that has made me a better runner over the last year, I would say it has been running more miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for those that know me and how I train and how big a proponent I am of supplemental training modalities, especially for masters runners, that might come as a surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But simply running more miles, while staying relatively healthy and continuing to maintain the other key components of my training program, has provided benefits to the whole training package. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of course there is a point at which one can run too many miles and it no longer has a beneficial effect, where one becomes seriously injured or is not able to recover quickly enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I’m probably close to that point when running 100 miles in a week, but who knows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t plan to intentionally push to the limit to find that breaking point, but I do expect that I’ll hit 100 miles in a week again sometime in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And in the spirit of honest story telling, I’ll admit it, as I came the end of my planned long run on Sunday morning my running log totaled 97 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should have been done for the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran what I needed to and completed the workouts as planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was nothing more to do, so I did what any runner with a passion for this sport would do, I went for another run that afternoon. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-55368880277348600572011-08-19T13:41:00.000-07:002011-08-19T18:50:22.236-07:00Finding Your Best Distance<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently ran a new personal record (PR) of 34:56 for the 10k on the roads at the Scandia Run in Junction City, Oregon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some reason I almost never race the 10k distance these days, which strikes me as a little odd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run one 10k a year since I got back into running in 2007. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe the 10k isn’t offered as much as a distance at road races these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It certainly seems true that there are more and more 5ks and half marathons than ever before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was a teenager in the 1980s and running a road race almost every weekend with my father in some small town in central Minnesota, I recall the 10k being the distance of choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not any more.</span> <br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One reason I might not run the 10k as often as other distances is that it hurts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hurts alot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me, a 10k is like a really long 5k race and if I’m going to choose to hurt, why hurt for twice as long! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granted, one is not really pushing the pace as close to the red line as in a 5k, but it is a long hard run at a pretty hard clip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe there is something about staying mentally focused on such a hard effort for 30-35 minutes as opposed to 16-17 minutes for the 5k.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The half marathon is a challenging distance too, but for me it is one that is just long enough (or maybe slow enough) to allow me some time to get into a nice rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not so with the 10k, it’s get out, get the heart rate up and hang on.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In spite of my apprehension about racing the 10k, it has been a good test of my relative fitness and progression as an adult runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve raced one 10k each year since I started running road race again in 2007 and have progressively dropped my time/PR about two to three minutes each time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly don’t think I can keep improving at that rate, but I do think I can run even faster.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My 10k road racing progression<o:p></o:p></span></u></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2007 – 43:15</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2008 – 39:50</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2009 – 36:45</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2010 – no 10ks run</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2011 – 34:56</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2012 – ????</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One thing that running this recent 10k PR made me think about and ask myself is just what is “my” distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With what I think are my relative strengths and weaknesses in mind, and recognizing what kind of training and racing I enjoy most, what do I think I am particularly suited to run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a tough question, because I might not like the answer I come up with or the answer any of my friends that know me and my running may come up with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no question that I really like running on the track and racing 800 meters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do still have some all out leg speed, probably more than most masters distance runners. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I also can get into that groove and put it on cruise control for a few hours in a way that can lead to a decent marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve gotten my mileage up to consistently run 70 to 80 miles per week and have topped out at 100 miles in a week with no major injuries. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, is the answer somewhere between?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is my ideal racing distance, god forbid, the 10k?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Where this all leads me to ask myself, what do I want to focus my training towards next year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last year, my first as a masters runner, was the year of the 800 meters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year has been more of the year of the marathon and half marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next year I’m thinking of going for some really fast 5ks, both on the track and the roads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, what’s a really fast 5k for me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A PR? Well, my PR of 17:14 is soft in relation to my current fitness level, so that’s not the best measure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is a fast 5k for me what the McMillan performance calculator says I should run based on my 10k or half marathon PRs?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe, but my 1500m and 800m PRs are faster than the calculator predicts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The short answer is that I really don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That the fun part of all this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I’ll just have to run a few and find out the hard way.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8644930396381810145.post-9258905691761263472011-08-19T12:27:00.001-07:002011-08-19T12:28:27.509-07:00First Post<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Welcome to my new running blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a regular connoisseur of online content related to most things running I thought I’d give a go at adding my two cents from time to time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My intention is to periodically share my thoughts and opinions about my own running experiences, the experiences of my running friends, and the training and performances of today’s elite collegiate and professional runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you enjoy reading this and feel free to comment.</span> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0