Delivering Bad News

I had the bismal task of delivering bad news to someone while at work today. No fun. Especially when it weighs solely on your shoulder. Uugh! That silence... those awkward moments of bitter disappointment eminating from across the table... my futile attempt to say a few words to bring a ray of sunlight upon the situation. I feel I handled it very well and having done so, I should be more at ease the next time around.

I'm really excited about the sprint triathlon in my hometown this weekend. I know Fairport Harbor like the back of my hand and it will be so much fun to experience it in a slightly different light. This race is the 15th annual, which means that it started while I was still in high school. I can't begin to imagine what I was busy doing on those Sunday mornings back in '93, '94 and '95 while a gathering of triathletes were racing around in my "backyard". Sleeping is my best guess. Kinda makes me appreciate how far I've come since being a punky littly high schooler.

Back on Track

I had the most consistent week of training since before the Cleveland Marathon way back in May. Started with a 17 mile trail run last Sunday. Hit the track for some speed work on Tuesday. An easy 4 on Wednesday. 40 minutes of tempo running on Thursday. 8 miles at marathon pace on Saturday and 20 miles yesterday.

I haven't lost any speed on the track and was happy with the final 3 miles of my 20-miler, of which I finished in 20:44 (6:55 pace). In preparation for Akron, I'm going to strength train my quads and hams more than usual and place an emphasis on long runs of at least 22 miles. I normally do not run 20 this far out from the race but I'm making a conscious effort to bump up my weekly mileage, which will probably also mean warming up and cooling down longer during speed work and tempo runs.

I'm registered for a sprint distance triathlon this weekend in my hometown of Fairport Harbor. I'm really excited because the swim is only 1/4-mile! I may have a chance of exiting the water with other triathletes and not all by my lonesome! Should be a blast!

It's About Time

So my local blog friends are already in "the know" but for the rest of ya's, I'm happy to report that my wife and I are expecting twin baby boys later this year. My thoughts are quickly becoming consumed with the "boys" and they will no doubt begin to pour over into my blog entries between now and the time they are born. An attempt to put into words how I'm feeling would be futile (although I bought a real nice leather-bound journal to try). Let's just say that I'm super friggin' pumped. I keep picturing myself playing baseball with them or teaching them the run-n-shoot offense. I mean, just think of how much practice they can get running the option together (I once spent 2 straight hours with a teammate doing aforementioned exercise)! Of course there's more to life than sports and I'm equally excited to help mold the little fellas into proper men. Teresa shares in my excitement and is holding up considerably well. A few rough days here and there (not to mention a lot of indigestion/heartburn) is all that she's encountered so far. Although the most high risk part of the pregnancy is behind us, the most difficult part is still to come. Teresa's belly is seemingly growing by the minute and she looks so cute in her maternity clothes. I've already got my eye on a twin jogging stroller and should be able to get them out and running next summer when they're old enough to hold their heads up.

We're still struggling with name ideas so feel free to share your thoughts. Naming twins is always a fun thing to do, but I should warn you that we've already been through the whole array of comical names... Abbot and Castello, Brooks and Dunn, Turner and Hooch, Cagney and Lacey, etc.

Da' Weekend

Despite the fact that Teresa works all weekend (boo!), I'm hoping to enjoy what is going to be another hot couple of days! Tonight I'm going to see one of my good high school buddies who is in town from North Carolina and am hoping for an early night given that I'm planning to head into my hometown of Fairport Harbor tomorrow morning for a swim/bike brick workout. I'll run on Sunday morning and am thinking of going long (18+ miles). I've been in somewhat of a running funk of late and need a jump start to kick off my fall marathon training.

Speaking of fall marathons, I'm deciding between the Erie Marathon (at Presque Isle) or the Akron Marathon. Both are in September and both have good reputations. Akron is much larger and the course is more difficult. It's also more expensive. Hmmm, something small might be nice. But then again, a free pair of Brooks running shoes would be waiting for me at the finish line of the Akron Marathon. Decisions, decisions!

Alaska Pics

A Major Award

I received in the mail yesterday an award for placing third in my age division at this years Cleveland Marathon. I think I'll go to a trophy place and have it engraved with the date, my finish time, etc.

I'm searching for a shelf/hanger for my running medals and various awards I've received over the past 5 years. Anyone have some thoughts.

2007 Mayor's Marathon

I'm just now getting back into the swing of things after returning home from Alaska on Monday morning. In short, everyone from the Northern Ohio Team In Training chapter finished their event on what was an ideal day for running/walking. I spent the day on the marathon course assisting my peeps and anyone else in need. In all, I covered about 36 miles in 8-1/2 hours (some walking, most running). Needless to say, I slept good that night (despite the "midnight sun). I've got a ton of pics to get into my computer and a few that actually require developing. I'll try and get a few posted in the next day or two.

I ran this morning for the first time since Saturday and felt good... 3-miles at about 6:30 pace.

Bachelor Party Cont...

What are the three ideal components of a perfect bachelor party? Swim, bike and run of course! Or, in Bryce's case... run, bike and run some more (i.e. duathlon). The triathlon/duathlon at Maumee Bay made for a perfect getaway for Bryce as he prepares for his departure from bachelordom. After a low key evening of cooking out and sitting by the campfire enjoying some amazing chocolate cake from Boston Market (thanks Albert), we woke up early on Sunday morning for the days events. Bryce was registered for the international distance duathlon, while Tim, Kurt and I had signed up for the international distance triathlon. The duathlon started first and we were able to watch Bryce take off. I was well into my swim by the time he entered T1 and just starting my run when he finished but came to find out that he rocked the course in 2:08:03. Good enough for 1st in his age group and 3rd overall! Congratulations Bryce!

Bachelor Party

The morning of my wedding, nearly 2 years ago, Bryce and I ran 20 miles together. I remember the final 3 miles being at sub-7-minute pace. I mean we were really rockin'. Bryce has often joked about how high I set the bar for him when it came his time to be married. Well, his time is here and he's got a plan that rivals my 20-miler... and then some.

To be continued...

2007 Cleveland Marathon Recap

Race morning came early for me as the dogs began their routine prance around the foyer at 3:45 (I knew I should have let them out one last time before I went to bed). Oh well, I was planning to get up at 4:20 anyway. Showered, ate a couple mini-whole wheat bagels with jelly, drank a glass of milk and sipped on a VitaminWater before leaving the house at 5:45. I followed the crowd off the E. 9th Street exit and made my way as close to St. Clair as possible. Somehow I found a spot on the street right next to a huge row of port-o-potty's and approximately 50 feet from St. Clair (race start and finish). It was much warmer than I had expected although a light rain was masking the true conditions about 30 minutes prior to the start. I entered into the street and weaved my way to the front of the pack. Still had about 10 minutes left at this point so I continued to sip on my VitaminWater and did a few strides down the street and back. It wasn't long before the race directors were yelling for everyone to take their places. During the National Anthem, a commuter plane from Hopkins flew overhead and several of us joked about that being our flyover! Hey, we're from Cleveland and are used to getting boned! We'll take what we can get! A few nervous moments later and we were off.

I hit the start mat in only 2 seconds and was pacing with a guy who I know is a consisent 2:54 marathoner. I made certain to stay behind him because I went out ahead of him 2 years ago in Columbus and paid the price later. The first 1/2 mile was exciting with the crowd on St. Clair and the large pack of runners at the front (mile 1 - 6:16). Unlike Boston, the crowd thinned out after the first mile but that was OK since we were heading east on the shoreway by mile 2 (6:37). There's a nice little bump during mile 2 that we would encounter again at mile 24. Miles 3-6 were relatively uneventful as we headed over the hills (i.e. bridges), out of the downtown section of the course and into the quiet of Edgewater St. in Lakewood. Gorgeous homes line the street and some faithful occupants were out at this early hour to take in the spectacle. I always try my best to acknowledge their presence but I'm afraid my facial expression, no matter how hard I try, remains solemn and focused. Oh well. I was looking forward to getting to W. 117th St. as I knew my family and friends would be waiting patiently for me. Also, the first Team in Training Scream Team is stationed there. Mile 3 - 6:37, Mile 4 - 6:02 (short?), Mile 5 - 6:44 (long?), Mile 6 - 6:18.

I took down my first gel at mile 5 and would alternate Powerade and water from one water stop to the next (as always, sports drink diluted 50% with water). The next few miles were the most fun for me as I fed off runners still heading west on the shoreway. I believe there were 140+ Team In Training marathoners and I must have crossed paths with 1/2 of them at this point. We exchanged a fist pump, a thumbs up, or my favorite, a peace sign! I wasn't thinking much about my pace at this point so I was happy to see that miles 7-9 were fairly consistent (a little fast perhaps), 6:25, 6:20 and 6:37, respectively.

Mile 10... this is about the point you realize that this is no ordinary run. I've done countless runs at or faster than my marathon pace but rarely do they exceed 10-miles. Legs start to ache slightly, arms begin to feel a little heavy, etc. Plus, I've separated myself from most of the pack by this point and am running alone. The faster half-marathoners/marathoners are well ahead of me and those pacing for an even sub-3 are still a few minutes back. I zoom through Ohio City, past St. Ignatious and am on a collision course with Jacob's Field. Miles 10-12, 6:36, 6:41 and 6:34.

As I approach the halfway point, I wonder if I can hold this pace. It still seems so easy and heck, what's another 13.1 miles?!? I know better though. I've done this once or twice before and know what happens after 20 miles. Once again, I accepted that in order to clock another sub-3, I would really have to work for it in the end. Another strange thing happens at this point... I realize the marathon I've been waiting months for is half over! It's the same kinda feeling you get halfway through your senior year in high school. Anyway, miles 13-16 went very smooth, 6:32, 6:40, 6:41 and 6:34.

Just past the 16-mile mark is the art museum. This is where a bunch of us went to cheer for runners last year and is also where I jumped in with Bridget and helped her through the final 10 miles. Teresa and our nephew Michael were waiting there for me this year. I was so stoked to see them! In general, I'm not much of a talker but after 1 hour and 40 minutes without muttering a word, I was happy to stop for a few seconds to say Hi and let her know how I was doing. So far, so good I thought as I continued on past the Botanical Gardens, Cleveland Institute of Music, Western Reserve Historical Society and the Museum of Natural History. There was a noticeable downhill at this point and I thought to hold back my pace a little. Also, I knew I had the clock on my side and could afford a couple slower miles with the hope of salvaging a little energy for the final 5-6 miles. Mile 17, 6:51. Mile 18, 6:59. This is the first time I've ever used this type of "save now, spend later" strategy this late in a marathon. Hmmm, don't they say not to try anything "new" on race day?

The easy part was long past and all I could hope for at this point was low winds as I turned onto North Marginal heading west back towards downtown. My aforementioned strategy backfired on me as I was unable to get back to my planned marathon pace by mile 20. Mile 19, 7:19. Mile 20, 7:16. Luckily for me, help showed up at mile 20.5 in the form of a fresh-legged 27 year old (AKA Bryce). I told him how the last few miles had gone and how I was feeling. Even though my splits were slowing, I felt good. After all, I had just passed (for good) a couple guys I had been yo-yo'ing with on MLK Blvd and ran strong past another guy who had taken to walking due to cramps. Mile 21, 7:10. Mile 22, 7:09. Bryce was encouraging me to lengthen my strides and would was helping me focus on short term goals like, "we're going to make this mile a good one" or "let's run hard to that building up there". It's amazing how far 4 miles can seem at this point.

Mile 23 was a blast as we neared the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. Annie, Bryce's fiance, was out on the course as a coach for the Cleveland Team In Training group. She jumped in with us for 1/4-mile or so. Running with Bryce and Annie on my side was really special. I also managed to pick Lou out of the crowd at this point. Lou is such an inspiration to me for many reasons and as I slapped his hand on the way past, I felt as if some of his positive energy rubbed off on me. Mile 23, 7:03.

You'd be hard pressed to find one person who enjoys mile 24 of this course. Although it passes by the Science Center and Cleveland Browns Stadium, it ends with a tough climb up W. 3rd St. This is the same "bump" we encountered during mile 2 at which time it seemed like nothing. I labored pretty hard to the top, which seemed to take forever, and was able to resume my pre-hill pace by the 24-mile mark. Mile 24, 7:34.

With only 2 miles to go, and not having broke down completely, I was confident that I would once again break 3-hours. A couple of strong miles and I would finish in 2:56 something. Bryce was still with me and was doing his best to keep me focused and running strong. Small surges here and there was about all I had left but it was enough to keep my legs from locking up. Mile 25, 7:23.

Bryce peeled off E. 6th St. and left me to tackle the long stretch down Lakeside Ave. before turning back towards the finish line on St. Clair. Lakeside Ave was lined with cones on the right side of the street keeping runners on course. They were effective in that sense, but looking ahead, it seemed as though the cones went on forever! I was really struggling at this point but kept reminding myself of the scene at the finish line and that in a few short minutes I would be there to take it all in. I saw one my my Alaska Team In Training buddies just before the final turn onto St. Clair. The sun was peaking through the clouds at this point and I could almost see the finish line.

It was now time for the "Great Deception"! That is, running the last quarter mile strong and with a big smile on my face, thereby fooling the spectators into believing the previous 26 miles were a piece of cake. All the while, I was thinking of what I would do as I crossed the finish line. A little air guitar action would be fun, but my future children would never forgive me. Brushin' the dirt off my shoulders is a can't miss, but only to the hip-hop savvy. Struggling to muster a final kick or a smile (not even a tooth), I somehow managed to throw up my left hand with the old index finger shooting towards the sky. Then, I stopped!

2:57:54 was the official time, which I am thrilled with. Much better than my previous PR of 2:59:38 in which getting in under 3-hours wasn't a lock until the last tenth of a mile. Before getting my medal or having my chip removed, I walked over to where my Dad and brother were standing to talk with them. The father of one of my childhood friends heard my name announced as I crossed the finish line and came over to say hello. His daughter (my friend's kid sister) was running her first marathon. I believe Steve and Bridget were there to congratulate me as well but I'm not certain as the immediate 4-5 minutes following the run are a little fuzzy. I finally made my way over to receive my medal, etc. I took my time getting out of the 'runners only' area being sure to grab Twinkies, Iced tea, bananas, etc.

Teresa was on the left side of the final stretch and had to make her way through the crowd to find me. I imagined the scene from Rocky where he wins the fight and immediately begins to fight through the crowd yelling for Adrian! Teresa is my Adrian, minus the dorky glasses and day-job at a pet store (although she works with some animals). A big hug and kiss from her topped the race off and made it complete. We then went to brunch at Johnny Mango's in Ohio City and took our nephew to the Indians vs. Reds game in the afternoon, after which, he got to go down to the field and run the bases.

Things of note:

- I didn't have to use BodyGlide. I got away with wearing lightweight compression shorts under my running shorts and a lightweight longsleeve UnderArmour compression top.

- Gels every 5 miles seemed to work, although I may attempt to take them once every 4 miles after the first 10 miles.

- My lightweight Brooks Racer ST's served their purpose with no problems. I'm fortunate to be able to wear such light shoes for the longer distances.

- There's nothing like wearing the purple Team In Training jersey! I got support left and right throughout the course and felt inspired every time I looked down at it.

- It's almost impossible to ignore the discomfort at the end of a marathon. Even at the end when you know it will be over in seconds.

- I rather enjoyed the "new" course and will run it again in the future.

- Qualified for Boston by 13 minutes, but may not be able to go in 2008. 2009 is a definite although I may have to use the time in my fall marathon to enter.

2:57:52

Nearly two minutes faster than my previous PR last fall in Columbus! At this rate I'll set the world marathon record in about 25 years! My heart, head, body and soul are filled with content at this moment after having yet another fabulous marathon experience. Let's just say I'm an incredibly blessed individual. I've spoke of "moments" before and here are my top ten eleven from today (in chronological order)...

1. Kissing Teresa goodbye as she wished me good luck before leaving the house
2. Running into Elizabeth and Janet before the race start and sharing in our excitement
3. Seeing for the first time all of my family and friends who came out to support me at mile marker 6
4. Running eastbound on the shoreway opposite the runners still heading westbound and literally receiving hundreds of "GO TEAM" cheers
5. Noticing Athena and Bryce rushing to the corner near mile 10 to catch me just in the nick of time
6. Seeing Teresa and our nephew Michael by the art museum and stopping for a kiss
7. High fiving a small pack of Team In Training supporters near mile 17 and overhearing one of them say "he's not even out of breath!"
8. Meeting up with Bryce at mile 20.5 and having him pace me through mile 25
9. Running with both Bryce and his fiance Annie (a Cleveland TNT Coach) for a few minutes near mile 23
10. Seeing and pulling some positive vibes from Lou at mile 23
11. Hearing my name announced as the first Team In Training finisher and crossing the finish line in under 3 hours

So Tired, Tired of Waiting...

Tired of waiting for... where do I start?!? It's Tuesday and although work has been terribly boring of late (all day meetings and what not), the week is passing along at an acceptable pace. I don't want it to go too fast because I am really enjoying my taper but I also don't want it to drag because I'm super excited about the marathon on Sunday! Shall I start listing the reasons? For starters, it's the Cleveland Marathon for goodness sakes! We're talking home turf people! Lambeau Field in December! Psychologically, I feel as if I own the course, which hopefully will translate to a physical domination of the familiar terrain. My legs are relaxed. My mind is strong. Now if only I can get my heart to stay in my chest!

Huron Lighthouse Half-Marathon

Saturday - What was supposed to be a warm and sunny morning ended up being cool and overcast! Running on a sunny day goes a long way in lifting your spirits but can also beat you down after a while... especially if you're racing, so I was happy with the weather. My parents and I arrived at Huron High School's football stadium about 35 minutes early, which allowed me plenty of time to grab my race packet, head back to my car and loosen up a little before the 8:30 start. My Dad was curious as to how I was going to approach this race compared to how I approach a marathon. I didn't have a good answer, to be honest. I told him I would run faster than my planned marathon pace - which is easy to calculate based on whatever time I set as a goal (keep in mind, I like to run even splits) - but slower than 5K or 10K pace. Let's think... divide by two, carry the 1, yeah... my half-marathon pace should be right around 6:15/mile. Fast forward past some inaudible race instruction and a pre-race prayer and we were off and running.

I started off at a comfortable pace as four others shot out considerably faster. By the 3/4 mile mark, one of the four had a shoelace issue and had to pull off to the side. The other three were pacing off of each other at what seemed to be a 6:00/mile pace. Mile 1 - 6:13 and I was already in no-mans land feeling a little tight and not entirely relaxed. Mile 2 - 6:15 and watching up ahead as one of the three leaders was falling behind. Miles 3-4 averaged out at 6:18 and I was almost caught up with the third place runner. I passed him during mile 5, which was either short or downhill, 5:52. My parents drove by a couple times at this point and even pulled off the side of the road to snap a few photos. I started to feel really strong and had a solid sixth and seventh mile, 6:12 and 6:07. Overtook second place by mile 8 but was too far back (or so it seemed) to make an effort to chase down the leader. One of my friends who has won many races and competed at somewhat of an elite level told me never to stop running hard because you never know the condition of the runners in front of you. Mile 10 - 6:13. Mile 11, 6:12, took us onto a dirt trail heading directly back to the stadium. Mile 12 - 6:13. I made an attempt to run a fast 13th mile and did OK, 6:10, but was starting to lose steam. I did well to listen to my friends advice because the leader was just finishing as I hit the track for the last 1/4-mile. Official finish time, 1:21:13 (6:12/mile), which is a personal best for me in the half-marathon.

Sunday - Hit the road at 6AM for 4 miles before meeting up with Cathy at 6:30 to run the last 16 miles of my final 20-miler before Cleveland. Again, it was a little on the chilly side but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I had warmed up by 3 miles and ran comfortably throughout. I remember running one other "effortless" 20-miler before Boston '06 but they don't come along very often.

It's officially taper time!!

Take Two

The 1/2-marathon that was postponed 3 weeks ago has been rescheduled for tomorrow morning. I'm going to hit it hard because this weekend is essentially the end of my marathon training followed by a 2 week taper/rest period before Cleveland. I can't believe how fast time has passed. It seems like yesterday I was obsessing on this blog about the potential of peaking too early or burning out. Three days ago I ran my final set of Yasso 800's, which went very well. 8x800 m, all done at 2:48 or less (2:30 rest intervals). If the conditions on May 20 are good, I may shoot to run in the low to mid 2:50's and see what happens. I feel I've trained very hard and consistent since mid-February and I may as well shoot for the stars on race day. I'm flirting with the idea of carrying my ipod with me in case I need a kick in the rear at the end. A small dose of White Zombie's "Welcome to Planet Mother Fu#*er" or Korn's "Divine" would do it.

So Much to Say

I've got a million things to post but can't seem to think of the proper way to write it all out. Soon enough! Have been a little lax with the training of late but managed to get in a good tempo, a fast pace run and a 14 mile LSD in the last week. I've got my last set of 800 meter repeats tomorrow (8x800). Flying Pig is this weekend. Stay relaxed this week Liz! The week up to and including the marathon is a truly special time! Enjoy!

The Longest Yet

I was mad stressing about how I was going to get my long run in this weekend with everything else I had planned. The answer was to simply get my butt up early on Saturday and run a monster loop passing through Avon, Westlake, Bay Village and Avon Lake. GMaps Pedometer calculated the total distance to be 22.5 miles, which I was happy with. The first 5 miles passed by some of the most gorgeous houses on the west side of Cleveland. Shortly after, I passed by two youth soccer games and a goal was scored on each field as I passed by! Seven miles were on Lake Road, offering up more stunning houses and a view of the lake from time to time. The water was so still this morning that all I could think of was heading home to get my wetsuit and jumping in for a swim. I shed my arm warmers with 3 miles to go because it was really starting to heat up. I could start to feel a slight burn in my legs and tightness in my hamstrings at mile 21. It was at this point that I picked up the pace all the way to the finish. 2:43:49 was my total time (7:17/mile). Along the way I took down two PowerGels and 24 ounces of VitaminWater, which is comprable to Gatorade (a little tastier I might add). My friend Frank brought me 3 cases of the VitaminWater to trial with my TNT group. I figured I'd try it first before offering it to them. On a scale from 1-10, I'd give todays run a 9 (some company would have made it a 10!). It was one of those runs that makes it all worthwhile!

Proud of my Boston Peeps!

I had a blast on Monday tracking my friends who ran in the Boston Marathon. Although I was planted at a desk hundreds of miles away, their strategies were obvious based on 5K splits. What seemed to work best was taking advantage of the downhill start and purposefully running a fast first half and slowing down by nearly a minute per mile for the second half. Pretty bold strategy to say the least but it paid off (said runner finished in 2:50:49!).

My training for Cleveland is going well. I haven't missed a scheduled run in nearly 4 weeks, which is a good sign because usually I'd have started slacking a little at this point of marathon prep. With less than 5 weeks to go, I shouldn't have a problem holding on. Recent run of note was on Saturday, 6 miles at planned marathon pace (37:53, 6:19 pace).

Congratulations all you Boston heroes! I was very proud on Monday and made a point to tell everyone I knew how well you did!

POSTPONED!!

"The Huron Chamber of Commerce and the race committee are very sorry to inform you that due to the inclement weather predicted for Saturday and the deteriorating course conditions we’ve had for more than a week, we find it necessary to postpone the 9th annual Huron Lighthouse Half Marathon and 5K Race."

Let's just move the race to Milwaukee and get it over with : ) The weather for Monday's Boston Marathon is forecast to be cold, rainy and windy! It'll be an interesting race and I wish everyone luck, especially Lou and Dan. Make the best of it fella's!

Modified 3-2-1 yesterday:

Mile 1 - 7:13
Mile 2 - 6:58
Mile 3 - 5:55
Mile 4 - 5:45
Mile 5 - 7:54
Mile 6 - 5:32
Mile 6.5 - 4:10
Mile 7 - 2:40

Weight training and spin class this morning. Found it hard to get into the spinning not having run as a warmup.

The Results Are In

I just received the results of a recent physical and learned that I have a heart condition called sinus bradycardia, a heart rhythm that originates from the sinus node and has a rate of under 60 bpm (mine was 46 bpm). This can be the result of many things including medications, some forms of heart block and good physical fitness! Cool, huh? I originally started running to lower my cholesterol - which is now a perfectly normal 166 - and I've since managed to lower my resting heartrate to an alarming level! I wonder how many other marathon runners / endurance athletes have this "problem". Remember when G-Dub had a fainting incident after choking on a pretzel a few years ago? That was a result of sinus bradycardia, which he has. His coughing stimulated a nerve that slowed his already slow heart rate enough to lose consciousness briefly.

Anyway, did a quick 5 this morning (33:40) and 35 minutes of strength training. Tempo tomorrow and then a day of rest before the 1/2-marathon on Saturday. My Mom is going to come with me and act as my cheering section and official race photographer!

Don't Think About It

God knows I enjoy running. Not only do I enjoy running, but I enjoy the kind of running designed to knock you on your ass. Normally I don't have trouble getting myself prepared for these types of runs but it can get a little tricky at 5AM in the middle of a work-week. I reluctantly woke up after a couple of snoozes and managed to will myself out the door and into my car, all the while repeating to myself, "Don't think about it! Don't think about it! Just go!". I went... knocked off 7x800 meters and finished with some strength training. It's good to be done for today!

Stats: 1 - 2:47, 2 - 2:45, 3 - 2:44, 4 - 2:44, 5 - 2:43, 6 - 2:47, 7 - 2:45