UNF Spring Break 2013

After a successful summer and fall on the roads, I decided it was time to return my attention back to my second love (cross-country is my first) this Spring: the Track. I ran a 1500m last Saturday at the University of North Florida's top notch track and field facility. This is Spring Break meet is perfect for an aging never-was like myself, because there are a lot of college kids from around the southeast who come to race and a lot of them are running for programs that carry talent about on par with mine. This isn't a dig--this is the truth, and I am happy for it all. I love getting the chance to race, and it was especially nice to do it in my hometown in front of parents and one of my best friends. I didn't have a team out there, I was wearing an old singlet from the BK Alum TC, and I was just out there for me.

It is nice to cling to my youth for one more spring. I just got word that I have been entered into the 1500m at the FSU Relays as well, so that will probably be one of my last "real" track meets ever. I have done my time I am afraid, and hung on as long as I can. Alas, the marathon is calling my name from Boston and I can't run hard speed intervals forever. I can certainly try, but I also just know in my heart that my body has reached its limits for the shorter and quicker stuff. I do still think I have another PR or two in the 5000m and certainly more than a few in the ten, but the Metric Mile? I have about reached my limits.

I don't feel this is anything to be upset about, like Quenton Cassidy's realization in the final pages of "Again to Carthage," I have finally accepted my fate.

The most fascinating thing I learned from my 4:19 (which converts to a 4:39. mile) is how quickly that time goes by on the track. It isn't something I forgot, it was something I learned from being on the roads for so long. You see in 10Ks & half marathons and even XC to an extent you have a lot of time to think and you have a lot more control over your race. On the track, especially in the shorter races, the margin for error is a lot smaller. As I was cooling down and then hanging out the rest of the day I was surprised how much energy I had left. The race itself had hurt like hell, but it wasn't exhausting like longer races where I usually require a nap afterward. Definitely a catch-22; I wanted to go out and race another one.

Hopefully, I get that shot at FSU if they accept my entry--if not, I will be able to get into the 5000m, and that will be alright, too.

State XC, a change in AT pace, and the future.

Well... It has been way too long since I last wrote. There is lots to report--who has the time for a blog? I don't know how the dedicated ones do it! Yeah, I do. Just answered my own question. Like so many things, if it is important to you you will find the time.

I can't remember all the things that have happened since I last posted, but I know a few of the highlights. The team I help coach earned runner-up honors at the Florida State XC meet, I got a new PR in the half marathon of 1:13:38, and it has been a month since Christmas and New Year's. WHAT?!?!

The first two are the ones to be proud of to be certain. The kids absolutely crushed it at state. Everyone had a job to do, and they went out and took care of it. An article ran the week of the meet about how there were really only two teams with a chance to win and it was a guarantee that they would finish 1-2. That is why we run the races--one of them tried to do too much and our guys ran smart the first mile and went to work in the last 2k. Now on to track...their goals are just as big.

My half was a similar situation of running under control for the first few miles. Traditionally that is how I try to run most of my races no matter the distance: keep from really redlining until you must. My goal was to run 18 minute 5Ks all the way through and I was just a few seconds off pace of that through the first 3.1. I kept moving up and taking fluids for the next 5 miles and got to a point where I was just trying to catch the next pack or victim of a too hard early pace in front of me. I felt great which is always nice on race day--let's face it that does not always happen.

In fact, it hardly ever does. Anyway, by the time I got around to the ten mile mark I was a few seconds off my ten mile PR and knew that nothing was going to stop me on that day. I went on to pass three more people in the final 5k for a 6th place finish at the Jax Bank. Stoked for the future...

And now with the Tallahassee Marathon this weekend--I have to say that it is time to return to the marathon in one year's time! I am making my last go of it on the track this spring running two 1500s at UNF and one at FSU (if they'll have me) and then it will be mostly road racing for me and the 5k will be my shortest distance other than the ever tasty Breakfast on the Track :)

Thanks for reading and look for some training stuff from me soon. Happy Running!