Sun - July 24, 2005
Lance Armstrong retires on top with 7th consecutive Tour de France victory
Another three weeks of intense cycling and
another Tour de
France victory for Lance Armstrong, arguably the worlds greatest
cyclist. The man is simply amazing, not only in his athletic achievements, but
also in how he has inspired so many people.
It was this time last year that I really began to understand and appreciate what Lance Armstrong has accomplished as a cyclist and cancer survivor. Although I'm not fighting cancer, he has inspired me to never give up in life and to always push forward. The $1 armband I've worn on my right wrist for over 12 months says it all: "Livestrong". If I'm ever feeling down, I look at that armband and remind myself of what Lance had to fight through and how small my problems really are. It helps put things in perspective.
For the last three weeks I have eagerly woken up at 6 am to catch the coverage of each Tour de France stage before heading off to work. It's hard to describe why I would sit through 3 hours of racing daily to watch an American from Texas, but it was something I always looked forward to. Now with Lance leaving the sport to spend more time with his three children and girlfriend Sheryl Crow, I feel as though a void will be left in professional cycling. There are new faces that will try to make up for the loss, but no one person will ever be able to change the sport as much as Lance has over the last seven years. Thanks for the memories Lance!
It was this time last year that I really began to understand and appreciate what Lance Armstrong has accomplished as a cyclist and cancer survivor. Although I'm not fighting cancer, he has inspired me to never give up in life and to always push forward. The $1 armband I've worn on my right wrist for over 12 months says it all: "Livestrong". If I'm ever feeling down, I look at that armband and remind myself of what Lance had to fight through and how small my problems really are. It helps put things in perspective.
For the last three weeks I have eagerly woken up at 6 am to catch the coverage of each Tour de France stage before heading off to work. It's hard to describe why I would sit through 3 hours of racing daily to watch an American from Texas, but it was something I always looked forward to. Now with Lance leaving the sport to spend more time with his three children and girlfriend Sheryl Crow, I feel as though a void will be left in professional cycling. There are new faces that will try to make up for the loss, but no one person will ever be able to change the sport as much as Lance has over the last seven years. Thanks for the memories Lance!
Posted at 01:27 PM
Sun - June 26, 2005
Double Dipsea Challenge
In my first race back since the Boston Marathon I
took on the famous Dipsea; actually I took it on twice in the Double
Dipsea, an extended version of the famous 7.1 mile race that runs from
Mill Valley to Stinson Beach on the California coast line. The Double Dipsea
comes in at around 13.7 miles, give or take 1/2 mile or so depending on one's
knowledge of the course and its many shortcuts. It starts at Stinson Beach,
heads over the mountains (4500+ feet of
climbing) towards Mill Valley where you turn around and run the Dipsea
in reverse back towards Stinson
Beach.
The Double Dipsea is a handicapped race, meaning that people started at different times depending on their age. Being the young gun that I am, I started with the "scratch" group (aka last group) around 9 am, nearly 35 minutes after the first group of runners started. While starting so late could be seen as a disadvantage, I really like the handicap format. It ensures that I am always chasing someone down and "moving forward" throughout the entire race. However, chasing people down on the Double Dipsea course proved to be a challenge due to the narrow trails and technically challenging terrain; there were points where I was literally running off of the course in the brush--where the footing is much worse--to pass people.
I pushed forward throughout entire race; I really felt like I was in the zone. The formidable mountain became a "hill" as I continued to run upwards as others stopped to walk and catch their breath. The decent down the mountain became an obstacle course: moving at the point of loosing control I was running to and fro, jumping over uprooted trees, dodging fellow runners, and putting on the "brakes" at the sign of a tight turn. It was GREAT!!! I love this kind of technical running that tests not only our physical strength but also your bodily control and reflexes.
In the end, I passed 322 of the 344 runners who competed in the 2005 Double Dipsea, finishing in 12th place (2nd in the 20-24 age division) in a time of 1:54:22. The Double Dipsea ranks among my favorite race courses to date. The mix of trails, pavement running, and stairs (yes, there are lots of stairs) created a very interesting and challenging course. Toss in the incredible scenery provided throughout the course and you've got the a great race. I'll definitely be back next year.
The Double Dipsea is a handicapped race, meaning that people started at different times depending on their age. Being the young gun that I am, I started with the "scratch" group (aka last group) around 9 am, nearly 35 minutes after the first group of runners started. While starting so late could be seen as a disadvantage, I really like the handicap format. It ensures that I am always chasing someone down and "moving forward" throughout the entire race. However, chasing people down on the Double Dipsea course proved to be a challenge due to the narrow trails and technically challenging terrain; there were points where I was literally running off of the course in the brush--where the footing is much worse--to pass people.
I pushed forward throughout entire race; I really felt like I was in the zone. The formidable mountain became a "hill" as I continued to run upwards as others stopped to walk and catch their breath. The decent down the mountain became an obstacle course: moving at the point of loosing control I was running to and fro, jumping over uprooted trees, dodging fellow runners, and putting on the "brakes" at the sign of a tight turn. It was GREAT!!! I love this kind of technical running that tests not only our physical strength but also your bodily control and reflexes.
In the end, I passed 322 of the 344 runners who competed in the 2005 Double Dipsea, finishing in 12th place (2nd in the 20-24 age division) in a time of 1:54:22. The Double Dipsea ranks among my favorite race courses to date. The mix of trails, pavement running, and stairs (yes, there are lots of stairs) created a very interesting and challenging course. Toss in the incredible scenery provided throughout the course and you've got the a great race. I'll definitely be back next year.
Posted at 03:09 PM
Wed - April 13, 2005
Boston approaches ...
It's been a long time since I've updated this
blog. I guess you could say that I've been busy training for the Boston
Marathon. Adding 50-60 mile training weeks to my already busy schedule at work
has a way of lowering the priority of this blog. However, the time has come to
continue my conversation with ... well ... myself.
Only five days until the BIG day. Nervousness doesn't begin to explain how I feel. I'm confident my training will pay off, so I'm really just nervous for the whole thing to begin. It is my goal to complete the marathon in 2 hrs. 45 minutes. My first marathon was completed in 2 hrs. 59 minutes and 21 seconds, so my goal is a realistic one, provided I stick to my strategy.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Boston Marathon, it covers 26.2 miles of city streets and rural highways from Hopkinton, MA to Boston, MA. It is ranked among the largest single-day sporting events in the world, second only to the Super Bowl. Over 20,000 registered competitors--and countless "bandits"--will toe the starting line at 12 p.m. EST (9 a.m. PDT) on April 18th and begin a quest to complete the greatest of all marathons.
There are numerous ways for you to experience the Boston Marathon remotely and share in this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Track Andrew live on race day:
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/ [on race day site will allow tracking]
-->Enter Bib #2314
Live TV coverage by OLN:
http://www.olntv.com/showviewer.asp?sid=249
Learn more about the Boston Marathon:
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/109thMarathon.asp
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/CourseDescription.asp
Good Books on the Boston Marathon:
26 Miles to Boston
I look forward to posting my story along with pictures/video following the race. Keep checking back.
Only five days until the BIG day. Nervousness doesn't begin to explain how I feel. I'm confident my training will pay off, so I'm really just nervous for the whole thing to begin. It is my goal to complete the marathon in 2 hrs. 45 minutes. My first marathon was completed in 2 hrs. 59 minutes and 21 seconds, so my goal is a realistic one, provided I stick to my strategy.
For those of you unfamiliar with the Boston Marathon, it covers 26.2 miles of city streets and rural highways from Hopkinton, MA to Boston, MA. It is ranked among the largest single-day sporting events in the world, second only to the Super Bowl. Over 20,000 registered competitors--and countless "bandits"--will toe the starting line at 12 p.m. EST (9 a.m. PDT) on April 18th and begin a quest to complete the greatest of all marathons.
There are numerous ways for you to experience the Boston Marathon remotely and share in this once in a lifetime opportunity.
Track Andrew live on race day:
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/ [on race day site will allow tracking]
-->Enter Bib #2314
Live TV coverage by OLN:
http://www.olntv.com/showviewer.asp?sid=249
Learn more about the Boston Marathon:
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/109thMarathon.asp
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/BostonMarathon/CourseDescription.asp
Good Books on the Boston Marathon:
26 Miles to Boston
I look forward to posting my story along with pictures/video following the race. Keep checking back.
Posted at 08:33 PM
Fri - January 21, 2005
Ready or not Boston, here I come!
I just received an email from the Boston Athletic
Association that my entry has been accepted. I'm going to be running in the
109th Boston Marathon
on April 18, 2005. You can see it for yourself by visiting the entry
list page and typing in my name.
Posted at 06:12 AM
Sat - January 15, 2005
Just registered for Boston Marathon
Well, I just registered for the Boston Marathon. They have a
cut-off of 20,000 participants, so I hope I registered in time. They are
supposed notify me in three weeks if I made it in. I've got my fingers crossed.
Posted at 12:19 PM
Sun - January 2, 2005
It's official; I'm a fool for running a marathon
Well, maybe I wasn't a fool for running a
marathon. I was really just a fool for taking my first marathon out too
fast!
Let me take a few steps back. I had two goals for the marathon: (a) run a sub 3 hour marathon and (b) qualify for the Boston Marathon. In the months leading up to my first marathon (Redding Marathon in Redding, CA), I had mapped out my strategy: I would take the first 20 miles (the "warm-up") at 6:45-7:00 minute mile pace--a reasonable pace for my conditioning--and attack the last 6.2 miles as a 10k (the "race"), because ... well ... 10k is about 6.2 miles and I'm use to that race distance. Mind you that that strategy was designed before I had (a) seen a course map, (b) had actually run 26.2 miles, and (c) put my competitive necklace on; yes, I have a necklace that I wear only when I race.
Now that the back-story is complete, on with the main event. The Redding Marathon started at approximately 8:00 am January 1st, 2005 on the eastern side of the Shasta Dam. The weather lived up to the forecast the night before; overcast with a chance of rain and temperatures hovering in the mid-to-upper 30's. Despite the cool temperatures, I chose to wear shorts, a long sleeve dry-fit shirt, and a baseball cap. I figured that I would surely warm-up during a 26.2 mile race and wouldn't have to worry about cramps. Please note this as mistake #1.
With the sound of the race gun, I--along with 70 or so other participants--began the 2-3 mile decent over the Shasta Dam and down an access road into the valley protected by the massive cement dam. Whatever pacing I had hoped to maintain over the "warm-up" period was tossed out the window in the first few miles; the lengthy decent led to a sub 16:30 5k and quickly moved me into an elite pack of seven runners. I found myself about 100 meters behind a group of four and about 100 meters ahead of a group of two; yes, I was already in "no mans land." It wasn't until mile 7 that this stager changed; around that point a 30-something old guy named Jonz Norine passed me while we both traversed a 6-foot wide creek of ice-cold water running off the neighboring valley mountains into the Sacramento River, which we were running parallel to at the time. I let Jonz pass without much resistance, but kept within about 50 meters of him.
As the miles continued to pass, I continued to pull up to Jonz. Eventually I pulled side-by-side and started a conversation. Boy, was that nice; it sure made the miles go by fast. Before I knew it we were already at mile 12 and closing in on the lead pack, which at this point had been reduced to two (Jonz and I had passed two of the runners who lost contact with the pack earlier). It was also at this stage that I realized I wasn't on pace; in fact, I was far ahead of pace. However, I was feeling good, so I continued to push at a ~6:00 minute mile pace. Please note this as mistake #2.
Around mile 13 Jonz let me go and I continued to put the pressure on the leaders. I got so caught up in catching (it's that mojo from the competitive necklace kicking in) them that I neglected to monitor my pacing (mistake #3); I'm sure I was running sub 6:00 minute miles from mile 13-17, because my legs started to cry out in pain around mile 17 as we proceeded to traverse the rolling hills on the paved River Trail. I was within 10 feet of the leader at this point, second overall in the race, and realized that I had pushed myself far too hard, far too early. I immediately started to throttle back, but the damage was already done; I had reached my lactic threshold.
I don't remember a lot from the last 8 or so miles of the race; it's all kind of a blur at this point. I know I stopped for water and gel packets several times, walked a couple times when the pain from the cramps/tightness in my calfs and quads was just too much to bear, and mentally focused on pleasant things to get me through the other moments. It was by far the most difficult thing I have ever had to fight through in my life. There were moments when I thought about just stopping a cutting my loses, but I quickly realized that was not an option. I'm not a quitter and always finish what I start.
And I did finish, accomplishing my two goals in the process. My final time of 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 21 seconds--placing me 1st in my age division and 3rd in the overall standings--is good enough to qualify for the 2005 Boston Marathon. While I made several mistakes throughout the race and ended up paying for it in the end, I never gave up. That's what a marathon is all about; pushing yourself to your limits, and then pushing a little more for good measure.
Mission accomplished. Time for some Boston Chowder!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Andrew nearing finish of race
Let me take a few steps back. I had two goals for the marathon: (a) run a sub 3 hour marathon and (b) qualify for the Boston Marathon. In the months leading up to my first marathon (Redding Marathon in Redding, CA), I had mapped out my strategy: I would take the first 20 miles (the "warm-up") at 6:45-7:00 minute mile pace--a reasonable pace for my conditioning--and attack the last 6.2 miles as a 10k (the "race"), because ... well ... 10k is about 6.2 miles and I'm use to that race distance. Mind you that that strategy was designed before I had (a) seen a course map, (b) had actually run 26.2 miles, and (c) put my competitive necklace on; yes, I have a necklace that I wear only when I race.
Now that the back-story is complete, on with the main event. The Redding Marathon started at approximately 8:00 am January 1st, 2005 on the eastern side of the Shasta Dam. The weather lived up to the forecast the night before; overcast with a chance of rain and temperatures hovering in the mid-to-upper 30's. Despite the cool temperatures, I chose to wear shorts, a long sleeve dry-fit shirt, and a baseball cap. I figured that I would surely warm-up during a 26.2 mile race and wouldn't have to worry about cramps. Please note this as mistake #1.
With the sound of the race gun, I--along with 70 or so other participants--began the 2-3 mile decent over the Shasta Dam and down an access road into the valley protected by the massive cement dam. Whatever pacing I had hoped to maintain over the "warm-up" period was tossed out the window in the first few miles; the lengthy decent led to a sub 16:30 5k and quickly moved me into an elite pack of seven runners. I found myself about 100 meters behind a group of four and about 100 meters ahead of a group of two; yes, I was already in "no mans land." It wasn't until mile 7 that this stager changed; around that point a 30-something old guy named Jonz Norine passed me while we both traversed a 6-foot wide creek of ice-cold water running off the neighboring valley mountains into the Sacramento River, which we were running parallel to at the time. I let Jonz pass without much resistance, but kept within about 50 meters of him.
As the miles continued to pass, I continued to pull up to Jonz. Eventually I pulled side-by-side and started a conversation. Boy, was that nice; it sure made the miles go by fast. Before I knew it we were already at mile 12 and closing in on the lead pack, which at this point had been reduced to two (Jonz and I had passed two of the runners who lost contact with the pack earlier). It was also at this stage that I realized I wasn't on pace; in fact, I was far ahead of pace. However, I was feeling good, so I continued to push at a ~6:00 minute mile pace. Please note this as mistake #2.
Around mile 13 Jonz let me go and I continued to put the pressure on the leaders. I got so caught up in catching (it's that mojo from the competitive necklace kicking in) them that I neglected to monitor my pacing (mistake #3); I'm sure I was running sub 6:00 minute miles from mile 13-17, because my legs started to cry out in pain around mile 17 as we proceeded to traverse the rolling hills on the paved River Trail. I was within 10 feet of the leader at this point, second overall in the race, and realized that I had pushed myself far too hard, far too early. I immediately started to throttle back, but the damage was already done; I had reached my lactic threshold.
I don't remember a lot from the last 8 or so miles of the race; it's all kind of a blur at this point. I know I stopped for water and gel packets several times, walked a couple times when the pain from the cramps/tightness in my calfs and quads was just too much to bear, and mentally focused on pleasant things to get me through the other moments. It was by far the most difficult thing I have ever had to fight through in my life. There were moments when I thought about just stopping a cutting my loses, but I quickly realized that was not an option. I'm not a quitter and always finish what I start.
And I did finish, accomplishing my two goals in the process. My final time of 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 21 seconds--placing me 1st in my age division and 3rd in the overall standings--is good enough to qualify for the 2005 Boston Marathon. While I made several mistakes throughout the race and ended up paying for it in the end, I never gave up. That's what a marathon is all about; pushing yourself to your limits, and then pushing a little more for good measure.
Mission accomplished. Time for some Boston Chowder!
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Andrew nearing finish of race
Posted at 10:42 PM
Sat - December 18, 2004
It's official; my first marathon is set
It's official. I will now enter into the ranks of
the crazy fools who run 26.2 miles for "fun." Yes, I will be running my first
marathon soon; the Redding
Marathon on January 1st of 2005. Instead of welcoming the new year
with champaign and those little cocktail wieners, I will be subjecting my body
to pain and suffering that will last several
weeks.
My good friend Beth Yakes mentioned the event months ago when I was toying with the thought of running a marathon. Further research revealed that this would be an ideal location for my first marathon. It's a low key race that takes place in the beautiful terrain around Shasta Lake in Northern California. The course is run on a combination of roads and packed rocks through mountains just North of Redding, although there is not supposed to be very hilly. In addition, the race is sanctioned by the USATF association and registered as a Boston Marathon qualifier.
I have two goals for my first marathon: (1) break 3 hrs (3:00:00) and (2) qualify for the Boston Marathon in April. To qualify for Boston, I have to break 3:10:59 (18-34 age bracket); not too difficult since that averages to around 7:15 mile pace, but anything can happen in a marathon.
My training has been going well. I've been maintaining a 50+ mile base with long distance runs on the weekends. Last weekend I ran my longest run yet; 19 miles in 2:05:00, or around 6:45 pace. I felt good after the run and recovered within a day, which I consider to be a very good sign of my current conditioning. With less than two weeks to go until the marathon, I'm now starting to tapper a little bit and cut back on my mileage. If I can avoid stuffing myself with all the fixings over Christmas (my Mom's a great cook), I should be in good shape come January 1st.
My good friend Beth Yakes mentioned the event months ago when I was toying with the thought of running a marathon. Further research revealed that this would be an ideal location for my first marathon. It's a low key race that takes place in the beautiful terrain around Shasta Lake in Northern California. The course is run on a combination of roads and packed rocks through mountains just North of Redding, although there is not supposed to be very hilly. In addition, the race is sanctioned by the USATF association and registered as a Boston Marathon qualifier.
I have two goals for my first marathon: (1) break 3 hrs (3:00:00) and (2) qualify for the Boston Marathon in April. To qualify for Boston, I have to break 3:10:59 (18-34 age bracket); not too difficult since that averages to around 7:15 mile pace, but anything can happen in a marathon.
My training has been going well. I've been maintaining a 50+ mile base with long distance runs on the weekends. Last weekend I ran my longest run yet; 19 miles in 2:05:00, or around 6:45 pace. I felt good after the run and recovered within a day, which I consider to be a very good sign of my current conditioning. With less than two weeks to go until the marathon, I'm now starting to tapper a little bit and cut back on my mileage. If I can avoid stuffing myself with all the fixings over Christmas (my Mom's a great cook), I should be in good shape come January 1st.
Posted at 10:40 PM
Fri - November 5, 2004
iRun @ Apple '05
Another year, another iRun. It should have been
another win, but alas my body is still recovering from a nasty cold that caught
me off guard Tuesday of this week. With 80% strength, I took out the 5k race at
a quick clip, eager to see if any other Apple employees would be foolish enough
to stick with me. Sure enough, there's always a guy who thinks he's top dog.
Only this guy was Mike Kreige, the man that finished behind me last year and
vowed to train vigorously to recapture the coveted iRun championship. A win in
the iRun doesn't come with any gifts, plagues, or ribbons. Instead it comes with
the bragging rights within the confines of Apple Computer for a full 365
days.
Well, two miles in to the race, after having traded the lead several times, Mike broke away from me and quickly built up a 10 meter lead. It was at that point that my body said "what the %#@& were you thinking?" and shut-down. Despite my body giving in, I was able to cruise in comfortably with a second place time of 17:31, 16 seconds behind Mike who finished in 17:15.
As an aside, the race was started by USA Track and Field star Nicole Teter , member of the Nike Farm Team in Palo Alto, CA and a participant in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens. Prior to the race I had a chance to talk to her. She's pretty cool and down to earth and let me in on the Nike Farm Team "dish." Apparently, the Nike Farm Team is structured very similar to cross country at the collegiate level; runners have access to great doctors, receive equipment, traveling expenses and meal money. At the moment, only 40 runners are affiliated with the Farm Team. If I didn't have to pay bills and could drop 2 minutes from my 10k, I'd try to join in a heart beat!
Well, two miles in to the race, after having traded the lead several times, Mike broke away from me and quickly built up a 10 meter lead. It was at that point that my body said "what the %#@& were you thinking?" and shut-down. Despite my body giving in, I was able to cruise in comfortably with a second place time of 17:31, 16 seconds behind Mike who finished in 17:15.
As an aside, the race was started by USA Track and Field star Nicole Teter , member of the Nike Farm Team in Palo Alto, CA and a participant in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens. Prior to the race I had a chance to talk to her. She's pretty cool and down to earth and let me in on the Nike Farm Team "dish." Apparently, the Nike Farm Team is structured very similar to cross country at the collegiate level; runners have access to great doctors, receive equipment, traveling expenses and meal money. At the moment, only 40 runners are affiliated with the Farm Team. If I didn't have to pay bills and could drop 2 minutes from my 10k, I'd try to join in a heart beat!
Posted at 01:39 PM
Sun - October 24, 2004
Pace bitch duties
This past weekend I helped pace my good friend
Beth Yakes through half of The Nike 26.2 in San
Francisco. The race, a marathon for women to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society, ran through (and up and down) the streets
of San Francisco. Starting on the Great Highway--running parallel
to the Pacific Ocean--around 7 am, the race winded its way through Richmond
along Camino del Mar, north along Baker Beach towards the Golden Gate Bridge,
through Presidio Park south towards Golden Gate Park, west through Golden Gate
Park, and finally ended along the Great
Highway.
Beth and I completed the 13.1 mile course in 2:44 (2 hours ,44 minutes) or about a 12:30 mile pace. Pretty good considering Beth had (a) been sick all of September and (b) not trained at all for the race. Beth really pushed herself to the limits to finish the race, overcoming abdominal, knee, and toe pain. The presence of the pace bitch (also known as the mouth that never stopped talking who wore the bright yellow coat) didn't hurt.
The race was a lot of fun thanks in part to the great weather, amazing views of the bay, and good company. Nike did a wonderful job of organizing and running the race; the course was well laid out, marked, and officiated. Beth also received some neat parting gifts for finishing the race. I'd recommend it to anyone who plans to be in the Bay area in October next year.
Beth and I completed the 13.1 mile course in 2:44 (2 hours ,44 minutes) or about a 12:30 mile pace. Pretty good considering Beth had (a) been sick all of September and (b) not trained at all for the race. Beth really pushed herself to the limits to finish the race, overcoming abdominal, knee, and toe pain. The presence of the pace bitch (also known as the mouth that never stopped talking who wore the bright yellow coat) didn't hurt.
The race was a lot of fun thanks in part to the great weather, amazing views of the bay, and good company. Nike did a wonderful job of organizing and running the race; the course was well laid out, marked, and officiated. Beth also received some neat parting gifts for finishing the race. I'd recommend it to anyone who plans to be in the Bay area in October next year.
Posted at 09:32 PM
Sun - September 26, 2004
Racing just isn't the same
I ran in the 10th annual Trailblazer
Race today in Mountain View, CA. This was my second time running
the race. While at intern at Apple last Summer, I ran a 37:28 and finished 10th
in the overall standings (3rd Male 20-29). Today I finished 4th overall with an
unofficial time of 34:35 and put in a nice kick to out sprint another
competitor.
Although I should be happy with the time, I'm a little disappointed. I just don't know if I'm as tough as I was while running cross country at Case Western Reserve University. When I looked over the race, I could identify several areas where I could have put in a burst to catch up to the three guys in front of me. Perhaps doing so at the right moments would have placed me higher in the standings.
But this brings about a much larger issue. How does one maintain the competitiveness they had while running at the collegiate level? When you graduate and move off into the real world, you don't have the benefit of running day in and day out with a team; a group of guys that push you every day. You become your own team; a team of one. In addition, you also loose the rush leading up to a race; the rush that keeps you up at night running over the upcoming course map in you head countless times, until you could run it with your eyes closed. The rush that led to carbo loading the days leading up to the race. The rush that led to packing your bags for the trip days in advance. The rush that removed all limits and bounds on performance. What I wouldn't give to feel that way again.
Perhaps a similar emotion will overcome me in the future when I run my first marathon or compete in my first triathlon. Until that time, I'll keep yearning for that extra edge.
Although I should be happy with the time, I'm a little disappointed. I just don't know if I'm as tough as I was while running cross country at Case Western Reserve University. When I looked over the race, I could identify several areas where I could have put in a burst to catch up to the three guys in front of me. Perhaps doing so at the right moments would have placed me higher in the standings.
But this brings about a much larger issue. How does one maintain the competitiveness they had while running at the collegiate level? When you graduate and move off into the real world, you don't have the benefit of running day in and day out with a team; a group of guys that push you every day. You become your own team; a team of one. In addition, you also loose the rush leading up to a race; the rush that keeps you up at night running over the upcoming course map in you head countless times, until you could run it with your eyes closed. The rush that led to carbo loading the days leading up to the race. The rush that led to packing your bags for the trip days in advance. The rush that removed all limits and bounds on performance. What I wouldn't give to feel that way again.
Perhaps a similar emotion will overcome me in the future when I run my first marathon or compete in my first triathlon. Until that time, I'll keep yearning for that extra edge.
Posted at 06:12 PM
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