Amethyst Brook, Wildwood Cemetery

Time: 64:00
Distance: 9 mi.


This is an old map

Easy afternoon run with the Amherst High School guys. They have a meet tomorrow, but nothing too competitive so the top guys are "training through." We ran down to the main entrance of Amethyst Brook and took the trails to North East Street. From there we ran back up Strong with a detour through the Wildwood Cemetary. I did a few field loops while they did a few "green monster" hills, and I finished up with 6 strides barefoot around the football field.

Oh, and I got stung by a bee.

Warmup Loop

Time: 20:00
Distance: 3 mi.

Warmed up to see if I might be able to work out with Joe and Rob. Unfortunately my knee did get sore on the workout, and rather than it warming up and feeling better, by the time we were at the end of the warmup loop it was sore. I did get in spikes to do 8 strides on the infield just to keep my legs as sharp as possible. This is frustrating, but I'm trying to keep my mind on other things.

Joe did 6 x 800m in 2:20 and under with 2:30 rest.

Warmup Loop, Infield

Time: 61:00
Distance: 9 mi.

Easy morning run with the guys from the track. Did their warmup loop with a bit of an add-on (30 mins) and then finished up to an hour barefoot on the infield of the track to keep it easy and work the lower legs a bit. Did 6 x diagonal strides as part of it. Overall feeling pretty good, and it was fun to see a bunch of the younger boys that I haven't seen since before NCAAs.

Got into the training room to try to work out some imbalanced leg stiffness, as well. Right hamstring is feeling much better, but my glute/piriformis is still tight.

Three Town Loop, Woodlot Loop

Time: 36:00
Distance: 5 mi.

Met up with Ian pretty early at his house and headed out on the classic three town loop that has been an Amherst short run staple since middle school. Ian is just getting back in shape and I'm tapering, so we overlapped nicely. After dropping him off at his place I did a loop around Woodlot with 5 easy strides. They were very slow and my legs are very stiff.

LaVern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course

Time: 30:00
Distance: 4 mi.

Course jog with 6 or 7 strides in spikes.


Aerial view of the course (which used to be the remnants of a mine)


10k course map

While we were putzing around in Terre Haute, Jilane (and friends) were rocking out in Philadelphia. JR ran a nice negative split (1:46:52 / 1:37:01) to finish in 3:23:53 (well under the Boston Qualifying time of 3:40, which I think was her goal).

Something's coming, sky is purple

Time: 32:00
Distance: 4.5 mi.

Easy 20 minute warmup with the guys. They did 4 x 300m in 48 down to 46 with 200m jog and I did 6 long strides in spikes. Hamstring is feeling MUCH better than yesterday, but no reason at this point to give it any excuse to act up again. Feeling good and the guys were in good spirits. Ran in the afternoon, which made it feel almost like outdoor track (it helps when it is 75 out). And that was my last "real" college practice. Woo.

Tomorrow will begin a 10 day journey... luckily I won't be too concerned about training.

Saturday 11/17 - Austin, TX to Terre Haute, IN
Monday 11/19 - Terre Haute, IN to Austin, TX
Tuesday 11/20 - Austin, TX to Amherst, MA
Wednesday 11/21 - Amherst, MA to Boston, MA
Thursday 11/22 (or Friday 11/23) - Boston, MA to Amherst, MA
Monday 11/26 - Amherst, MA to Austin, TX

Fayettenam

Time: 37:00
Distance: 5.5 mi.

Dubbed Fayettenam by collegiate running enthusiasts because whenever you're there you're "going into war," Fayetteville, Arkansas embodies the term in more ways than just that one... it's pretty bleak in these parts and people feel very strongly about the way things happen here. (Incidentally, it appears that the term originated for Fayetteville, North Carolina.)


10k Course Map

We headed out to the course (the same one used for the Chili Pepper Invite) when it "opened" at 10am to run it over. I like it a lot... hard-packed ground, wide paths and gradual hills and turns. It reminds me a lot of the course in Grafton, MA at the Tufts Vetrenary School that hosted the Massachusetts State Meet my junior and senior years... and I ran quite well both times there. Hips/glute definitely feeling a bit better and striding out felt pretty good.

As for the race, I am excited about the plan and the race itself. Jake and I are going to run together, hopefully a bit more conservatively than last year when my 5k splits were something like 15:00/16:10. Goals are pretty simple: run a smart race, make it to nationals.

Other stuff:

Got a new pair of Elite 3s, which I've been running in all fall. Since my last pair I also wrote a very light review of them for RunTex.

Check out the NCAA South Central Regional meet website, the TexasSports preview, hating on us in the LetsRun polls, and this great Lil' Wayne song.

Also, the first local news source that comes up in a Google search (NWAnews.com) seems like it could be easily confused.

Zilker 4 x 2k

Time: 91:30
Distance: 14.5 mi.

Target: 4 x 2k in ~6:00 with 3:00 rest
Workout: 6:05, 6:00, 5:57, 5:51



Very good workout... the type I didn't have last year (and would've garnered a "green" rating on Flotrack when I was using it). Did the intervals on an 800m loop, so we had 2.5 loops for each. Each interval seemed to feel better than the last as despite my legs getting a little tired I felt I was settling in well. The splits were fairly even and Jake, Leo, Kyle and I all took turns leading some. It was good to see BRD coming around and Jay looked really good too. Even JT Supreme (Joe Thorne) came out, which was a nice surprise.

Finished up with 6 diagonal strides when we got back to the track.

Rawls Golf Course

Time: 38:00
Distance: 5.5 mi.


Checking out the course

Shakeout run on the Big 12s course after an easy flight from Austin. Body feeling pretty good, despite random soreness in my left foot (as Hanley observed, everything has been going too well... You can't race like that) and the usual stomach business.

I think we're ready. Not much more to say than that.

Short Possum Trot

Time: 70:00
Distance: 10.5 mi.

Morning run with the guys on the Possum Trot loop, cutting it a little sort on Enfield to get back to the track for some strides. Right hammy and piriformis tight/sore, but other than that feeling good.

Also, upon showing Colin the somewhat absurd picture that TexasSports is running right now he offered some fantastic wishes:

May your dominaysh be swift and thorough.

State Farm Fields, Daniel Boone Dr.

Time: 75:00
Distance: 11 mi.

Easy recovery run back at the State Farm Fields and some of the surrounding neighborhoods. Feeling very recovered with few physical complaints... hips a bit sore and still some stomach issues. Did 4x100m strides at 60 min. that were good to get the legs going and shake 'em out a little bit.

In other racing news, Jordan apparently pulled off a decent 5k 10k double this morning, and most of the other top teams in the country ran at Pre-Nats.

Scenic, Enfield, Strides

Time: 80:00
Distance: 12 mi.

Just a morning run, no Tuesday workout this week. Ran 70 minutes with Stanley, Kyle, Habben and Birdsong over Scenic and back on Enfield. Back at the track we did 10 diagonal strides on the infield and I ran about 5 minutes to cool down before heading off to class.

5 Mile Tempo

Time: 75:00
Distance: 12 mi.

Target: 5 miles at 5:15-20 pace maybe finishing a little faster
Workout: 5:15, 5:16, 5:13, 5:11, 5:03 - 26:00


John Jacobs track

Warmed up from Jilane's house with Jordan to the University of Oklahoma track, which is about 3 miles. Shooting for something similar to last week's 4 mile tempo, but a little longer. We hit the paces pretty well, but it took a little while to get settled. It is pretty humid here, as I assume I'll be getting used to in Austin the next few weeks. Ran 1 mile easy on the track and then did 8 diagonal strides on the inside of the grass before heading the 3 miles back.

Nat'l Mall

Time: 30:30
Distance: 4 mi.


View from the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capitol Building

Easy jog around the Mall, looping around the Washington Monument. Did 8 x 1 block strides in front of the Capitol. Wore Streak XCs (what a stupid name) from track last spring to try to work on some lower leg strength, after they wrecked my calves when I ran hard in them earlier this summer. Seemed to work decently well, but right peroneal was a little sore running back.