It has been a long time since I’ve lived for months out of a couple of bags. This week I head to Utah to join the rest of the group for the last long push to London. With the trials less than seven weeks away, it is time to get to altitude for the last phase of training. Hopefully if all goes well, I will be back there again after the trials in the weeks leading up to the games.

The thing that is going to make this trip harder than it has been in the past, is that my family can’t be there most of the time.  We have been fortunate in our previous adventures to travel as a family, but with Addy being in school now, it makes things more difficult. Three weeks without seeing my family is about as long as I can stand. I think the hardest part is knowing that they are only a 90 minute flight away.

What makes it even more difficult is that if things go as planned, we will have to head to altitude again, just a month before the games. The positive is that hopefully I can keep running well all summer, and the only negative is being away from them. My wife jokes that she has seen me too much this past year and doesn’t want to see me very much this summer, only she means that as a good thing, because that means things are going well!

Fortunately for me, I will feel better after the trials when they go back to Michigan to be with our families. I always feel better knowing that they have someone to help them and keep them company when I am gone. Time always flies when you are on the road and racing, but when you are home by yourself it crawls by.

Im ready for time to fly by again, June 22nd will be here in no time.

A week ago my good friend Jason Hartmann ran an amazing race to get 4th place at the Boston Marathon. I was incredibly happy for him and proud of how he has kept going and persevered in a sport that can sometimes be difficult.

Most people know that Jason and I were  high school teammates, but some people may not know that he is also one of my best friends. Jason was two years ahead of me in school and believe it or not we never won a high school state championship together!  After graduation he went to the University of Oregon, and I chased my dreams at the University of Colorado.  After college he was in a tough spot. He had a solid college career, but was still full of untapped potential. The worst part for him was that he was injured his senior year.

This sport we love has given me many opportunities, but the reality for many athletes coming out of college is much harder. Having been injured, Jason didn’t have many options, but with some persuasion he moved to Boulder and lived with us while he got fit again. He worked his butt off day in and day out.  We became such great friends over that time, that he was a groomsman in our wedding. Over these years we have been able to share the struggles and victories that this life has offered us.

In 2008 he suffered a pretty bad injury, a stress fracture in his navicular bone along with two other bones in his feet. Having become somewhat of an expert in running injuries and recovery I was very worried. I had seen enough MRI’s and experienced enough to know this was possibly a career ender.  It would be devastating news for any athlete

During his recovery, we were both living in Eugene, but after some thought he decided Colorado was better suited for his training.   Fortunately, luck was on his side, and he came back from injury without any serious problems.  It did take a good six months to heal, but he didn’t need surgery as most people with that problem need a pin put in the bone. Six months, however, is a lifetime in the sport of professional running. No running and in a boot the whole time can make that time drag by.

Jason stuck his nose back in it, however, and he worked his way back into shape. Amazingly, a year later, he won the Twin Cities Marathon. We were so happy for him. He continued that success the following fall with a 2:11:06, in less than ideal conditions, at the 2010 Chicago Marathon. I was amazed because Jason seemed to find his niche in the marathon but he doesn’t fit the physical mold of a world class marathoner. At 6’3″ and 160 lbs, he burns so much more fuel than someone my size.

This fall we talked a great length about the Olympic Trials Marathon. He really put everything into that race and we both walked away not making the team. For me, I knew I had the option to come back and try to make the team on the track, but Jason told me he was going to give Boston a try and I thought it would be tough, but a good opportunity for him.

With his back against the wall he came out and delivered. I was so excited to see him coming in and knowing he had done something special. The marathon is where it is at for him, he knows how to run well for 26.2 miles. The future looks bright and after the years of struggle and watching him try to make it in this awesome but difficult sport, he deserves it.

Great job Jason!

Running In Circles

Today I am going to run my first track race in two and a half years! The last time I laced up for a track meet I broke the American Record in the 5000m. It is hard to believe that race was in August of 2009. I never meant to be away from the excitement of track this long, but it just worked out that way.

Don’t expect any American Records tomorrow in the 10,000m at the Stanford Invitational. Training has gone well, but this is just the first step in getting back to where I need to be come June. But, let me tell you, I am just excited to race! The goal is to just compete, run as hard as possible, and get use to turning left again. The time doesn’t really matter to me. I don’t even think I will look at the clock. This race is more about being in a big pack and getting another race under my belt.

It is always important to look at a race in perspective. After such a long hiatus from this discipline, I just want to get my feet wet again. The fast time can come later, now is the time for me to get back in the swing of things. Some people may say that running is running, but there is huge difference between road racing and the track. If you are polished in both it is easy to go from one to the other, but there are so many things that are unique to each.

One of the things that makes track so much different is the start time. This race doesn’t start until 9:30, PM! I haven’t started a race later than 9:30 AM in years. There is definitely going t be some extra coffee this afternoon. Another important thing about track is that you have to be flexible with your plan. With dozens of events and sections before my race, there is always the chance of a delay in start time. In road races, things go off almost to the T.

I love road racing and look forward to being back at it this fall, but until then getting spiked up again is going to be really fun!

How much longer before summer is here? That is all I could think about during my long run two days ago. Within a half mile into my 19 miles, I was drenched to bone, and since it was suppose to be a hard long run, I was cursing. It has been a long time since I was that soaked.  Luckily, I felt great, otherwise I would have been in a very bad mood. Instead, all I could do was shake my head and hope for it to get nicer soon.

This longing for summer was only enhaced by my previous workout up at the Dempsey indoor track at the Univesity of Washington. It was so nice to be able to do a longer workout in warm and climate controlled conditions. This was my first time to UW a beautiful 307m track, and I couldn’t get over how much an indoor track felt just like an outdoor track!

I think after last summer, missing those months of warm summer training, is catching up to me. There is something special about being at the track in just your spikes and a pair of shorts, and having the sweat dripping off you as you hammer out intense intervals. Of course, there is also the physical benefit-it is just so much easier to run fast workouts in warmer weather. The body warms up and you just feel better.

Unfortunately, winter in Oregon can last until June! I recall in 2008 for the Olympic Trials in Eugene, it was rainy and 55 degrees until a day or two before the meet started in late June. Of course, that year we skipped the 70 and 80 degree weather and went went straight to 90-100 degree temperatures. I suppose I will just have to man up and get out there, after all, at least it rarely  snows here and today it is a rare sunny day.

Bring on summer

Having been a competitive runner for more than 15 years, I am blessed to have had such great places to train. I think enjoying where you train is the key to maintaining a passion for getting out the door everyday and still being able to enjoy it.

I was fortunate to grow up in an area with amazing places to train. Believe it or not Rockford, Michigan is a paradise for running, with the exception of four months for rough winter. From my parents house it was as good as it gets. Endless dirt roads, miles of awesome trails, and the White Pine Trail, a 92 mile rails to trail that runs right through downtown Rockford. And for those rough winter days, when the weather makes running outdoors tough, Grand Valley State University recently built a beautiful 300m indoor track.

Of course, when I went to college one of my deciding factors was living in a town with abundant training options. As soon as I visited on my recruiting trip to the University of Colorado, I was sold on Boulder.  Boulder is an outdoor enthusiasts’ playground, offering over 120 miles of trails to explore, all set at 5,000+ feet altitude.  A few of my favorite trails in Boulder are: South Boulder Creek Trail, a seven mile out and back flat cinder path, Teller Farm aka “The Tank”, a 15+ mile out and back run, and Left Hand Canyon, a steady incline for rigorous tempo runs.

From 2007 to 2009 we lived in Eugene, Oregon, also known as “Track Town USA.”  Eugene is a running mecca.  I recommend anyone who is remotely into running to visit.  From its awesome river path, to its miles of groomed wood chip trails, to the world renowned Hayward Field (open to the public) and the running enthusiastic town, makes it a one of a kind place to visit. I find myself spoiled now that I don’t have a 10km wood chip trail(Pre’s Trail) to train on!  Of course my favorite place to run is the Row River Trail, which is 15 miles south of Eugene in Cottage Grove. It is the most beautiful places you could ever want to do a long marathon tempo. It is a 15 mile long rails to trail through old growth forest and along Dorena Lake.

Of course being in the Portland area now, I am so blessed to have Nike Campus to train at everyday. For a professional track athlete it is like having your own 100 acre training park. With a five lane track in the middle of the forest, a two mile wood chip loop, and a three lap to the mile field of grass that makes a golf course look rough. It is ideal for doing great workouts on any surface.  These great training options make doing intervals and tempos easy, but getting out to Forest Park, the largest urban park in the country, and running 20 miles on Leif Erikson Trail is hard to beat.

Where are your favorite places to run?

Now that I have my next race on the horizon, the NYC Half Marathon, let me explain how it fits into the grand scheme. Having been focused completely on the marathon the last couple of years, it has been two and a half years since I last raced on the track. I can’t believe the last time I was in spikes and racing was when I ran 12:56 in Zurich 2009! That being said, I feel I need to race a bit more. Back in ’06, ’07 and ’09 I raced a lot, 10-12 times a year. I also ran marathons in all three of those years. The bottom line is, I have to get back out there and compete more.

Therefore, after deciding US XC was too close to the marathon, I wanted to get into something that I could run with basic fitness and training. I think the half marathon is a great distance because it is essentially  your tempo run pace as long as you can hold it. When I trained with Brad Hudson we always used 4.0 mmol as our threshold training. That just happens to be about what you can run for one hour. That is still the same pace for me now. After coming off the marathon and running the following weeks relatively easy, I am now just dipping into harder workouts. I feel the distance is good for me so that I don’t have to jump right into intense speed work but I can still run very well with my marathon strength.

Looking back at my most successful seasons, it is all about consistent training and staying healthy. My great season in ’09 started with a marathon cycle very similar to this past Olympic Trials block, fortunately for me I have much more time to get prepared for track this time around. That year I had nine weeks from the London Marathon until the USA Track and Field championships; the same amount of time from the Trials this year until the NYC Half which is now four weeks away.

Essentially I have three more months to prepare and I feel confident I don’t need to take some of the risks I took back then. Besides, this year will be long and I hope to go much later into the fall. There is another reason why we choose the NYC Half Marathon; it is familiar territory. Last year Galen and Mo both ran there and went on to have magical years. I will be coming at it from a strength background instead of having run indoor track like they did, but Alberto and I know exactly what path to take from March 18th to be as ready as possible for London 2012 and beyond.

So bring on NYC Half and the rest of 2012!

Most weeks I try to come up with something that is informative or exciting, but this week I thought I would give you a look at a normal, nose to the grindstone, training week.  For me, this is simply a view of my training when things are going well and I’m working toward a particular goal. The average week can truly be uneventful for most people. But I take pleasure in the mundane. The bulk of training is not going to make a good tv reality show, but for the avid track fan, it is probably the stuff we like to hear about most.

Here is the week; only being four weeks post marathon, my volume is still lower, about 85% of normal.  I ran a 16 mile moderate run, the majority on grass.  I had also had two workout sessions, one being shorter faster intervals and the other a tempo run. They may seem pretty standard, but there are a few changes that I am working on to get closer to being able to do the hard track training. The biggest thing is that I got out my spikes for the first time in two and a half years. Having been so long since I’ve been in them, I am going to do 10x100m strides in them a couple times this week on easier days to get my feet use to doing actual workouts spiked up. I have to say, I am excited to get them laced up and grip the track again. That will probably be the highlight of this “boring” normal week.

In addition to running, I also try to lift weights, work on my core exercises, and focus on any additional exercises I need to keep my body balanced.  Generally, I do these three times a week.  A strength routine is an important facet to running that can often be overlooked.  Lifting weights allows you to become more efficient, dynamic and powerful.  The PT exercises I do daily to work on keeping everything in line; but those exercises are always changing depending on how my body is adapting. I think this is one of the reasons why I have been able to put in a good block of training.

Lessons in life and running can be very hard to comprehend. We were at Mass this past weekend and Father Dave, our local priest, was digging into the “drudgery” that sometimes accompanies life. He wasn’t saying that drudgery is bad, but more so that can be a grind. He was speaking in purely religious terms, but it can similarly be applied to the labor of everyday training and racing.  The majority of the training and season is a grind. Those special moments of pure joy and bliss; such as after a great race are often dwarfed by the hours of endless exercise. If I look at the top moments I’ve had from running they are surrounded by a sea of grinding detail.

I think the point of the sermon was not so much about enjoying those brilliant moments but finding peace in the long stretches in between the peaks. Father Dave used the analogy; when one door closes-another one opens, but sometimes it leads to a hallway. In short, it can be a long way from one success to another. Without being able to enjoy the “drudgery” between the good races, you could spend most of your time being unhappy with what you are doing.

The other part of the sermon was knowing what door to open next.  You may have a lot of choices and making the right one can be hard to do. I look at the the long hallway as being the journey to London 2012. I thought that after the Olympic Trials Marathon I would be walking into the next room, instead I have found myself heading back into the hallway.

For this very reason, I have decided I am not going to run the US XC Championships this weekend. Training and recovery have gone well, but after flirting with the idea of running we decided to move on to the next opportunity. All along we said let’s get back out and race, but make sure I am completely recovered. I feel good, but still think I need a few more weeks to get the marathon completely out of my legs before lacing up again.

So we head back down the hallway to the next door, it’s all part of the journey…

This past week I had the chance to go to Indianaplois to present Futsum Zeinasellassie with the Gatorade Boys National Cross Country Runner of the Year trophy. I have to say, Futsum is a great runner, but the reason why he received the award had much more to do with the type of person he is, genuine, humble and kind. What a breathe of fresh air. This past fall, I also had the opportunity to watch him run at the Nike Cross National Championships, a race where he dominated the competition.  It was very impressive.

Another exciting part of the trip was how we presented him with the award. I sat in a desk in his coach’s math class and pretended to be just another student. His coach called him up to the front of the class; when his back was turned we pulled the trophy out from under the desk.  He was in shock when he turned around to see the camera crew and the huge Gatorade trophy with his name on it.  His whole family came to the school and we had a press conference and an assembly for him. To top it off, the coolest part is that Gatorade and ESPN are flying him and his family out to LA this summer to attend the ESPY awards and walk the red carpet!
He will be in the running with athletes in eleven other sports to be named the Gatorade Athlete of the Year! It is pretty impressive to see the other names of great athletes who have won this award in the past 27 years. So congratulations Futsum, stay a class act!