Day One.

Today was a day full of firsts for myself. It was my first ever collegiate XC practice, more details coming up, but it was also my first run, more details on that as well, where I averaged sub 6:40 pace for the majority of the run. All and all, it was a first day that I had expected and my expectations were already high.

My mom and I left Puyallup this morning at around 8:30am, made a quick trip to Safeway to fill up, and then departed to Ellensburg. We got here a tad after 10:30 (not a bad trip) and met up with my friend Matt (People on dyestat/tracktalk know his as "runnerman17") because I will be staying at his place for the duration of the camp. After another quick Safeway trip to get some last minute items, my mom gave me a hug goodbye and was on her way home (not without a detour to the Outlet malls in North Bend).

I got myself situated at Matt's house, which didn't take very long cause I don't have too much stuff, and then proceeded to grab my books for the quarter ($420 and still needing to get another book.... SUCH A SCAM!). After that, Matt and I headed up to the Pavilion where we would meet up everyone else.

After that, we then proceeded to sit through three and a half hours worth of meetings. It was mainly the compliance meeting that took the longest. The last thing I had eaten previously was a sandwich at around noon. We didn't even start running till about 4:50pm. Not good haha. But there wasn't anything I could do about it and before I knew it, we were out the door heading off on our first run. Our route was a giant tetrahedron, which resembles the shape of Nevada (5.62 miles in total). The first "side" was a 1.57 mile stretch leaving the Pavilion, traveling on Airport, to Bowers. Our first mile was about an 8:05, which wasn't surprising cause we were basically shuffling towards the beginning of the run. Our next "side" was a 1.50 mile stretch of just straight road. During this section of the run, the wind was in our face the ENTIRE time. But not surprisingly, our packed quickened and we pushed through the wind in a solid pack.

The next side was 0.70 mile stretch of open road, but this time the wind was at our back, and I could tell that we were just floating along. Our pace continued to pick up. It was during this stretch where some people were struggling, myself included. I still stayed up in the pack (Eleven people in the pack), but was beginning to feel like I was working a little too hard for an "aerobic" effort. Our last "stretch" was a 1.85 mile section that consisted of a 1.25 mile section of gravel and the rest on the road. It was during this part of the run where I was beginning to fade from the top group. I tried to hang on as long as I could, but my quads didn't wanna push forward anymore. At this point, we were probably running 6:20's and I couldn't keep up anymore. I slowly dropped back and at the end of the John Wanye trail, I had to stop for a brief moment and shake my legs out.

At the point where I was fading, two guys came up and passed me. I hate it when I get passed by other guys during "easy" runs cause it makes me feel like I haven't put in the right work. By the end of the run, one of those guys faded really badly and I finished about fifteen seconds behind him, probably finishing a minute behind the guys in the top pack. This run really made me realize that this is the real deal. All of these guys have better pr's than myself, and it's time to buckle down and ready for a great year.

Tomorrow's workout: A short tempo with a 1600m hard on the track afterwards. I have done very minimal speed work throughout the summer, so we'll see how I can hold up on this tempo. I am not gonna go crazy pace wise like some guys might do (5:30's). I think i'll start out more conservatively and gradually pick it up. We'll see how this goes today.

Kicking It.

By this time tomorrow, I will be (hypothetically) all packed up and ready to head back to school the following morning (Wednesday). I finished my last day of work today, worked from 8am to 4pm, and it went surprisingly quickly. I spent the first fifteen minutes of my shift waiting for a manager to open the front door because it was locked (and I couldn't figure out how to use the phone as an intercom hahaha). After I was let into the building, I was able to get to work knowing that I would have to deal with hundreds of shoe boxes (We got in a massive truck this morning).
For the month and a half I worked at Dick's, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now i'll be able to put another thing on my resume, Running Specialist haha.

Just a few moments ago, I got back from a short run. Just five miles, but I decided to mix things up a little bit. I was going to just make it a normal run, but I thought, "What the hell.. let's run fast today?" My first mile (7:04) felt super smooth, but my ankle was bothering me a little bit, like my shoes were a little too loose. I am due for a new pair of trainers anyway, so I think I'll head to Dick's one last time to grab some new trainers.

I picked it up my second mile (6:47) and then after I heard that split, I turned on the jets (so to speak). I started running hard for the next 1k, and ended up running a 3:35 (5:48 mile pace). I then settled back into my easy pace for the duration of the run. It was nice knowing that I did still have some speed, although I am wondering if i'll be able to hold that pace for our time trial. Because 1k is a little different than 6.4 kilometers.

Just a day, just an ordinary day.

Some of you may recognize that the title of this post is a lyric from a song. Any guesses??? Tick tick tick tick tick tick.......eeeerrrrrrrr. Times up. Vanessa Carlton DUH!!!

As my last few, summer days in Puyallup come to a close, I have been reflecting on what my plans are next time around (next summer I mean). My goal (hopefully) is to actually stay in Ellensburg for the majority of the summer, maybe take a class or two. I feel ready to start my new life; my more independent life.

The Deal.

On Tuesday evening I went on a run with my friend Kyle, whom I met at school. He lived in my dorm and we met through a series of mutual friends. Now when I first met him, he had told me he ran XC and Track in high school. Turns out, he was "JV" status, running times like 5:40 for the 1600m, 22 minute 5k times, etc. Over my years of running, I know that anyone can become a great runner as long as they have the dedication and drive to do so. Kyle has that drive. Once he finds "his groove," he sticks to it and can crank out the miles.

On our way to running venue, (Ruston Way along the Tacoma waterfront) we began talking about our lifetime goals for running. He had already ran two marathons and three half's, so just another marathon wasn't gonna cut if for him. Although one of his goals did stand out to me. During high school, breaking five minutes for the mile was a goal that haunted me for years. My sophomore year I ran 5:20, junior year I ran 5:06. I didn't run a competitive 1600m during my senior year of Track, but I did run a TT (Time-trial) a few days after I ran my PR for the 800m (2:06). I ended up shattering that barrier, running a 4:42. I knew that I was in good shape; I just lacked a strong mentality when it comes to pain tolerance. I knew right when he said that, that I would help him try and make his goal a reality.

Kyle also said that he wanted to do an Ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run). Completing an Ironman has been a goal of mine since I started swimming last year. Maybe when I turn 25, I'll complete an Ironman (Five years to go). The swimming portion would be the hardest for me, not sure why, but swimming for long periods of time is kind of boring to me. I can go hammer out a 25-30 mile bike ride like it's nothing, but swimming for more than 10 minutes at a time seems like torture.

We ended up getting on the subject of ultra-marathons (Any race distance that is more than the standard 26.2 miles). Then the question was uttered.... "50 miler???" Fifty miles is a LONG distance. That's the distance from Seattle WA to Olympia WA. To be running that far in one sitting seems daunting to most; even 26.2 miles seems daunting to the average American. After Kyle said "50 miles," he immediately put out his hand and we made a deal.

Here is The Deal:
1. During the Summer of 2013 (Before our Senior Year of College), we will compete in a 50 mile race preferably on trails.
2. Prior to that race, during the Summer of 2012 (next summer), we will compete in a 50 kilometer race, (31.2 miles) preferably on trails.

We are hoping to find some races during the summer, rather than during the school year, so that it does not interfere with my racing schedule for XC/Track, and his work schedule. So far the White River 50-miler, which is held at the end of July, is looking to be our race. Not only is it a local race (half-hour from my house; 45 minutes from his), but it fits right into our time schedule. If all goes according to plan, this should be an awesome adventure for the both of us.

Runners.

Runners are a weird bunch of individuals. I always knew that I was "stranger" than most, due to the fact that I enjoy running. After I got off from work, around 10pm, I told my co-workers that I still had to go running that evening. They asked "How far" and I calmly said "Ten". Their response... "MILES!?!?!?!" "No feet...." I am thinking to myself; of course miles. Retards haha.

What kind of person enjoys putting themselves through weekly battles of Mind vs. Matter competitions? Who actually enjoys punishing their bodies so much that they can barely walk the next day? Who would rather be at the brink of collapsing and breathlessness at the end of a race, than to be able to walk off the track? Runners. We are peculiar individuals who, for some reason, like to torture ourselves. Maybe we have all become brainwashed by Kanye/Goethe/Nietzsche; "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger."

I recently started putting a picture at the top of each one of my posts, to help bring some more variety to my posts, rather than for my blog to be just words on a page. The picture posted above is one of Dathan Ritzenhein during the 2009 World Championship 10k Final. He ended up taking sixth in the race, the first non-African finisher in the race. During high school, I thought that he was a god. 2x Footlocker Champion, 8:44 2-mile PR in high school, which I believe is #11 All-Time behind (Verzbicas (8:29), Fernandez (8:34), Nelson (8:36), Lindgren (8:40indoor), Virgin (8:40.9), Prefontaine (8:42.5) Cheserek (8:42), Scharsu (8:44) and Reynolds (8:44). When he broke the AR in the 5000m in 2009, I was so happy for him. He battled a lot of injuries during his college career, but he persevered and made his way sub 13min. I think that he should focus on the 10k at the upcoming Olympics. He has made two World Championship teams in the 10k ('07 & '09) and I think that the strength he has gained from his marathon training will help he become successful in the 10k, more so the marathon. That's just my opinion.

First Day.

Four years ago today, I was sitting in the middle of the Emerald Ridge High School's upper gym listening to Mirk, Kevin, Brianna, Livia, Courtney, and Roberto read off the Captain's Log. It was the first day of Cross-Country practice. The coach, Gary Osborne, was standing along side them periodically making jokes and busting out into rhymes whenever given the opportunity. It was a surreal experience cause I hadn't been on a team since seventh grade track, (which didn't go well). It was a point in time where I felt nervous, yet excited. Unprepared, but ready to get started.

Two years ago today, I wasn't sitting in the middle of the gym floor; I was standing. I was reading off the Captain's Log to the underclassmen, while they were giving me their semi-attention. I was now the person that all the sophomores would look up to (or they would talk s*** about how much faster they were than me and how they would beat me). No matter what they thought, I was in charge and ready for that season to start.

Now I am just the "weird" alumni that occasionally comes back to practices. I don't think that I am weird. I would have loved to see more alumni come back and run with us. People like Rick (School record holder in the 1600m and DII All-American in Track) or E-man (School record holder in the 400m and 800m and 3x DIII National Champion in the 800m). I have so much knowledge that I can pass on them, information that will help them become more successful. But if they don't wanna hear it, then it's their loss.

Ten Days.

Ten days from now I'll be driving back to Ellensburg, back to school, back to the team, and mose importantly, back to freedom. I am not saying that I don't have freedom here. I can do (Mostly) whatever I want, as long as I ask my parents first (Cause after all, I live in their house). But I miss the nights where I have played cards till three in the morning, watched Tangled a bajillion-and-a-half times, and made those late night trips to McDonalds after a trek up Manastash. It's those adventures that make me love college more than I already do. Don't get me wrong, classes are fun (Most of them haha), but the majority of one's fun happens outside of the classroom. As for me, my fun will be tucked in somewhere between classes, work, and practice. I know that this year things are going to be WAY better than last because now I know who my friends are (And who likes to pretend).

Can't wait till the real fun begins in less than ten days.

Trial of Miles; Miles of Trials

Throughout the summer, I have done a form of cardiovascular activity, (whether it is running or biking) almost everyday. While I may not have been running consistently, I have been putting in the effort when it counts. Now that XC camp is only two weeks away, I felt like I am reaping the benefits of this accumulated aerobic exercise. While my mileage hasn't been at its best, I put in 40 miles last week, which isn't a lot (I know). But the funny thing is that I felt fine. I haven't taken a day off from running in nine days, (normally I take one day off per week) but because I did a recovery run on Tuesday and another easy run last night, I feel fresh and ready to get back into my normal pace.

During the winter in my junior year of high school, I ran practically everyday with a few of the senior guys, trying to get prepped for the upcoming Track season. I ran everyday. I put in the miles, (My highest week was 59) and I hoped that I would see the benefits of the three months of hard work I had put in. When Track rolled around, I thought that I was in the best shape I had ever been in, which was true. I was able to do the workouts that my coach asked me to do and I would do them at the paces I was suppose to hit, sometimes even faster. But when races came around, I found myself confused. I wasn't running what my coaches thought I was capable of, nor what I thought I was capable of. While I did PR in my events, I wasn't satisfied because I never got to where I wanted to be.

My easy pace, during that winter season, was around 7:20min/mile. I know, it's not that fast compared to others, but to me, it was easy enough to where I could run 6-8 miles, but not too fast as to where I would be gasping for breath afterwards. As winter came to a close, my paces gradually sped up (Naturally). By the end of the winter I was averaging close to 7:00min/mile or a tad faster. As of Aug 18th 2011, 7:00min/mile is my easy pace. Earlier in the summer I was running like 7:20's and 7:10's... but now I can comfortably go out on run, and hold 6:50's, sometimes even 6:40's. On two consecutive runs, I closed both of them in 6:30 and 6:36 respectively. Not to mention, my max HR for both of those times was in the mid 160's, while before I would easy eclipse 170.

I am in the best shape of my life right now. I still have two weeks before our XC camp time trial and I hope that my best is good enough.

Glistening Sweat.

So funny story..... I decided to join my gf at the gym for a workout and told myself that I would run on the treadmill. Ugh.... Because I got there five minutes late, the treadmill next to her was being used, so I had to use the one next to that, (didn't bother me, we still could talk during our workouts). After about twenty minutes, the women in between us got off and a blonde haired woman with a large chest, gets on and starts her workout. At this point, I am just trying to stay focused on the treadmill, but my gf starts to notice that the blonde next to me is HARDCORE checking me out. I am wearing running shorts (longer ones, just above the knee) and a racing singlet. I have sweat glistening on my body, while I am cruising along at 7:30 pace, and she is constantly glaring at me for the next twenty minutes. She was doing "up-downs," she was making "noises," and she even stuck out her chest to try and get my attention. After I finished five miles on the treadmill, I got off, wiped down my machine and went over to the open treadmill next to my gf to run a cool-down mile. The woman then let out a sigh of disappointment. hahaha.

Long Story Short: A Cougar wanted my bod, hardcore.

Run Forrest Run.

That's the line that every runner loves to hear while they are running down the street. It often comes from immature teens who think that seeing guys in shorts, shorter than most girl's skirts, is amusing. I think that it's funny that they comment on our attire, knowing that if they went outside without their shirts off, let alone ran, that their beer guts would quickly catch up with them.

I met up with my friend Carly at the gym for a kick boxing class. She told me that it would be a lot of fun, so I joined her for an hour of kick boxing wonderfulness. Turns out, the class WAS a lot of fun. After the class, I quickly changed into my running shorts, strapped on my HR monitor and my GARMIN, and headed out on a run. The game plan? Six miles easy.

As I ventured down Meridian, I intentionally kept my stride length a little shorter than normal, trying to make sure that I wasn't going out too fast. After a little while, I hear my watch beep. Lap 1: 6:59. I kind of chuckled inside. Really??? That felt WAY too easy. Whatever the case, I just kept running down 144th until I hit Nathan Chapman Park. As I was running through the parking lot, to enter the trail, I hear my watch beep yet again. Lap 2: 7:01. Those were the two easiest miles I have run all summer and I feel great. I went through the park, gliding along the smooth, pavement path. As I exit the trail and travel past the soccer fields, my watch beeps again. Lap 3: 7:10. Not bad, I slowed down a little bit, but I didn't mind. I still felt good and comfortable. Heading back up toward Meridian, there was a small gravel incline that I had to climb over. Nothing horrible, but just enough of an incline to where you have to alter your stride and focus on running up it. After cresting the top, I made a right onto Meridian and heard a beep shortly afterwards. Lap 4: 7:00. Right on pace.

Running down Meridian is always a fun experience because it's always something different. One night you may have cars honking and people screaming at you to "Go eat a cheeseburger." Other times you may not hear a single cry of attention, but they still watch you like a lion gazing upon an antelope. For the most part, Meridian is flat. If anything, there are very gradual inclines and declines, but nothing to where your pace will change dramatically. After I pass 144th, my watch beeps again. Lap 5: 6:47. During this mile, there was a gradual decline, but it still felt incredibly smooth. At that point I knew that I had a mile left to go before I made it back to my car.

The last half mile of the run I picked it up a tad. During the summer, I have always pushed the last kilometer of half mile of a run, to help give me some mental strength in the latter stages of a race (I currently don't have any haha). After a short while later, my watch beeps for it's last time. Lap 6: 6:36. Not too shabby. My max HR was only 166.

The run felt so nice and so smooth. Knowing that I can run 6:30 last mile on an easy training run is a confidence booster for me because my tempo pace is suppose to be 6:00min/mile. I feel like I will make some big leaps this year when it comes to my running. I have some goals in mind that are long overdue, such as breaking two minutes in the 800m and running a sub 4:40 1600m. I know how to train and I know how to train intelligently. That combination should bring me success.

Eight Hours.

I completed my first eight hour work shift today, well seven and a half because of the mandatory 30 min lunch, and it wasn't......horrible. I mean I know that's what i'll be doing when I become a teacher/coach, so I better get used to it. Actually, I'll probably be going from six till five, (when I become a teacher) which is eleven hours. Not good!!! haha.

Anyways, I woke up at six, (ugh...) so that I could sneak in a short, shakeout run. My game plan was three miles easy; nothing too hard, but just long enough to where my legs would wake up. I planned on running 7:30min/mile pace, the same pace I ran on thursday morning. As I shuffled out of my driveway and headed down the road, I could feel yesterday's evening run in my legs, (Five miles avg. 6:50 pace, with the last mile in 6:30). Nonetheless, I shuffled down the road and out of my development.

I looked at my GARMIN as I turned out of my neighborhood, 4:35. Turning onto Sunrise BLVD, I headed down towards Meridian with the smell of fast-food breakfast sandwiches attacking my taste buds. About 150 meters onto Sunrise BLVD, my watch beeps. Lap 1: 7:20. First mile was a little fast, but it felt super smooth and I knew that naturally, my pace would quicken as I woke up. As I rounded the corner onto Meridian, I checked my watch, 1.40 miles. Only another tenth of a mile and then I would trek back home.

When my watch read 1.50 miles, I shuffled to a stop, quickly turned around, and headed back home. At this point during the run, I was comparing this shakeout to Thursday's. While I went a 1/2 mile farther on thursday, I felt A LOT smoother on this crisp morning. I hear my watch beep again a few minutes later. Lap 2: 6:56. Now that was a little too fast, but for some reason I didn't mind. I still felt comfortable and my heart was hovering around 160bpm, so I just kept it the same pace (or so I thought). As I head up the small hills on 110th and back to my neighborhood, I still feel pretty good. I have a tendency to pick up my pace during the last kilometer of my run, but I tried (honestly), to maintain the 7:00min/mile pace. A few strides before my garage door, my watch beats yet again. Lap 3: 6:46. Well that may have been a little too fast for a shakeout, but whatever. I averaged 7:01 pace for the run as a whole, which is 24 second faster than my pace on Thursday.

In my mind, the shakeout run was a success. I got in a nice easy run and my avg. HR was 155, the lowest it has been all summer (assuming). I can tell I am getting more fit, but with only two and a half weeks left, whose to know how my teammates have been preparing...

GARMIN.

For my birthday my dad got me a GARMIN Forerunner 305. I did a quick run earlier this evening, (4.37 miles) and it was awesome. I loved the fact that I could keep track of my pace, making sure that I was staying on my pace, (7:00 or faster). Also, I enjoyed having the heart rate strap, which provides feedback on what "shape" I am in. Overall, I really enjoyed my GARMIN and I can't wait to use it more in the future.

You can set the GARMIN to "auto-lap" after a certain distance is covered, whether it be as short as 0.25 mile or as long as 5.00 miles. I set mine to 0.50 miles because I get easily bored during runs without my iPod and if I ever fall off of pace, I know that I can quickly pick up my pace.

On this run I averaged 6:54 pace, which is exactly what I wanna hit. Anywhere from 6:50-7:00 min/mile pace is what my coach told me to run on "normal" runs. It may have taken 7 weeks, but I am finally comfortable running that pace for most runs. I hope that it is a good sign of things to come. Only 20 days till XC camp starts!!!

Twenty.

Tomorrow is my birthday... Yay for me. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that I am no longer considered a "teenager" because I feel that teenagers get this negative connotation thrown at them. When someone thinks of "teenagers," they think of rebellious, hormone-crazed, kids. I don't want to be considered a "kid" anymore. Treat me like an adult, and I'll treat you the same. It's not hard, just don't be a d*** and we can be friends.

Thirty Minutes.

A lot can happen in the course of thirty minutes. One can create a new life, while one could just as easily destroy another. One can win millions in a casino, and then get mugged the second he heads out onto the streets. Humans, as a species, take time for granted. "Oh if I had more time, I could do this or I could do that." You have all the time in the world. Make something of it.

Eight to Five.

I knew going in that today was going to be a long work day, my longest to date, but I was happily surprised that it went by very quickly. That's 75 bucks in the bank for me. Hopefully many more days like that to come!

Eggs.

I don't think I have woken up at 6:50am during summer vacation ever. Sadly, I know i'll have to do it twice this week. But today, I road tripped up to Seattle to attempt an Omelette Challenge. Located on the western side of Seattle, Beth's Cafe is home to the dozen (yes...twelve) egg omelette. I have eaten an four egg omelette at home, which was quite easy, but I greatly underestimated the impact that eight additional eggs would have on my stomach. My journey to tackle this behemoth began bright and early on this sunny August morning.

I knew that Seattle traffic would be very annoying (and by annoying, I mean it would be present and not willing to cease to anyone). I woke up 6:50am...so early haha. I wanted to try, try being the key word, and beat the traffic into the city. I also had other plans in the afternoon, which consisted of meeting up with my mom and sister back at home, after my breakfast was over, (we went to a local casino for some BINGO which started at noon). After I got myself up, I quickly showered, made sure I had my directions, and headed out the door to meet up with Amanda.

I decided that our meeting place was to be Amanda's house because her and Travis live very close, (just a street behind one another). Since I was going to be driving, I thought I would make it easier on them. I arrived at Amanda's house at 7:25am, with our schedule departing time decided on 7:30am. Now Travis was being a little baby because I had changed the meeting time, and the time that we would meet up at Beth's. I don't really know what his problem is. I told him that if he didn't want to wake up early, then don't come. He didn't show so me and Amanda left her house right at 7:30am.

Traffic was pretty bad, which was to be expected, but I didn't mind. Amanda, on the other hand, doesn't like traffic. Maybe this is why I am the driver in this relationship. Anyways, it took us an hour and forty minutes to get to the cafe, which I feel is reasonable considering it was rush hour. We had to wait fifteen minutes for Ariel to show up, (she drove up with her parents because she was gonna visit her brother afterwards). We spent ten minutes looking over the menu and briefly catching up with one another before our food arrived.

My omelette was the first thing that came and let me tell you... we all were shocked at the size of it. I had seen it on television and it looked HUGE there, in person, it was twice as big haha. I ordered my omelette with cheddar cheese and sausage. Typically in omelette's they cut up links of sausage and place those in there. No. They literally took a bratwurst, sliced it up, and put it in my omelette. I wasn't expecting it, but damn did it taste good! I didn't end up finishing my omelette, but it was so much fun, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Pictures:

My friends Neil (right) and Kyle (left). I'll be living with both of them and their other roommate, Sky, for the first two weeks of school.



The Menu. Looks pretty original right??


The Omelette itself. It looked a lot bigger than on television. Underneath all those eggs, lay a bed of hashbrowns. Massive, yet delicious.


After our breakfast, we took a short walk by a local lake which was right across the street from the restaurant. This is Ariel (right) and Amanda (left) enjoying their saunter down the street.


Amanda and I down by the lake. The lighting decided to suck at that moment cause when I took pictures of Amanda and Ariel, they came out fine. Oh well, I still think we look good ;)

Lucky 13.

Whenever I go out for a run I typically have a plan, whether it's going 30 minutes or 90. Today my plan was to keep things short and sweet; 30 minutes easy. As I got on my way, I instantly noticed that I had a little more "pep" in my step. Now this next part may seem silly, but it was only up until this year, while I was training with the college team, did I realize that speed is relative to how much force you apply to the ground during contact. I know... I have been running for how many years and the concept of that only clicked a few months ago. The weird thing is that I have never really noticed it. Whenever I would run fast 400's or any fast intervals, I just quickened my stride and pumped my arms. I think it worked pretty well considering I have a 52 second 400 PR.

I quickly check my watch as I am leaving my neighborhood, 4:30. Now I know that at 7:00min/mile pace, it takes 4:20 to run one kilometer. Being ten seconds slower than that meant that I was running somewhere between 7:15 and 7:20min/mile. I didn't really care; I just trotted along down 110th and made my way toward Sunrise BLVD.

Sunrise BLVD consists of a long gradual hill, (About one kilometer from the base before it levels out at the top) that head up to the neighborhood of Sunrise. The road heading to my high school is at the top of the hill as well. I push the pace up the hill, trying to lower my average due to my slow, first mile. Recently I have been trying to make my average pace quicker than 7:00min/mile because on the training schedule my coach gave me at the beginning of the summer, he has all our easy runs done at 7:00min/mile pace. To me it's more of a mental thing, knowing that I can run faster than 7:00min/mile pace for the duration of a run.

As I crest the top of the hill my watch reads 12:30. I decided to head past the stoplight because I know that I am not quite at two miles yet. After I pass a small neighborhood of condo's, I check my watch again. 13:58...13:59...14:00. I stop my watch, turn around, restart it, and head back down Sunrise BLVD. The downhill was a little tricky for me because I haven't done a lot of fast downhill running this summer. A little painful on my shins, but I managed.

I head back up 110th and turn back into my neighborhood, glancing at my watch in the process, 22:30. I am pretty sure that I could close in four minutes for my last kilometer, which would not only put me at 26:30 for my run, but would mean that I closed in 6:25pace/mile. As I am running through my neighborhood, I try and keep my shoulders relaxed and turnover smooth. During the course of this year, I have learned how to run "comfortably hard," especially during my tempo runs and I feel like during the last mile or so of my runs, I have been able to utilize it to learn how to close quickly.

At the start of my run, there were several kids playing in the street, riding their scooters and bikes around the cul-de-sac, yet as I turned onto my road at the end of my run, none of them were to be in sight. With my house in sight, I am just thinking about closing this run smooth and relaxed. Stepping onto the curb I click my watch, 26:30. If I had gone four miles, that would have been rather fast, so I thought that I was probably shy of four miles. It turns out that I went 3.8 miles in 26:30, (6:57min/mile average with my last kilometer at 6:22min/mile pace). The run went really well; the weather was nice and I was able to close like I wanted to, but my shins were a little tight when I got home. I guess the downhill was a little rougher than I thought. All and all, I got another solid run under my belt.

31 days till I head back to school for XC camp. Oh and also lucky 13 for me and my girlfriend (13 months).

Baseball.

I just got back from a baseball game (Seattle Mariners) and it was so much fun. There were plenty of laughs thrown around, along with a few surprise visits from old friends. Here is a little recap of my awesome evening.

My girlfriend picked me up from my house at around 5:20pm and we headed down to another guy's house (Scott), where we would meet up with him and Travis (who would end up driving all of us to the game). It is 5:35pm by the time we leave Scott's house and head on our way to the game. We had the windows open trying to bring in some of the fresh air, but after a few minutes, all of the windows simultaneously climbed upward. Turns out it was Travis locking all of us in. We all know that Travis likes his car to be "warm," but I thought that he would be a little more considerate towards the rest of us. Guess not. Travis also likes to have his music up, which is understandable when your speeding down the freeway by yourself. Not when you have other people in the car who are trying to talk to each other. Again, consideration issues.

We arrive at the stadium at around 6:50pm and park a few blocks away from the stadium. Fifteen bucks for parking?!?! Talk about a rip-off. After waiting five minutes to enter the park, we quickly settled into our seats and waited for the game to start. I saw one of my friends from high school (Thacker) and we exchanged greetings. Turns out, he was sitting next to us! I thought that was pretty cool. Another one of our friends was gonna meet up with us at the end of the first inning (he works at the venue) and sit with us for the remainder of the game.

Throughout the game we dined on the traditional baseball game fare: $6 hot dogs, $6 French Fries (A pound of fries, which was totally worth it), and $6.50 ice cream (Can't go wrong with Dippin' Dots). The game itself was a little boring because our team was getting their butts handed to them. Prior to Wednesday, they had a 16-game losing streak. They ended up losing 8-0. They are used to losing, so I am sure they can handle it.

On our walk back to the car, we pass a club. It must have been an 18-year old and over club because some of those girls did not look 21. Considering that some of them were wearing just a bra and a thong, they must be under 21 because they can't seem to find guys the normal way (like normal dating). They have to dress up like sluts and prance around a steamy nightclub. Just wait till they talk about high school; he'll soon realize that she is still in high school. Maybe at that time he'll think that's not his smartest choice, unless he is desperate and wants to fondle some A's.

Overall the night was a lot of fun. I got to spend quality time with my girlfriend and hang out with some of the bro's. I hope to have some more of those before I head back to school, which by the way, is only 1 month away.

Best I've Ever Had.

It was a typical night here in the Pacific Northwest; the sun was down, yet the heat still radiated the crisp air. There were some clouds out, but one could still see stars trying to shine through the night sky. As I walked outside to my car, I quickly realized that I didn't wanna run on the treadmill. After all, it's boring, plain, simple... did I mention boring? I turned back around, took off my shirt and sweat pants, turned on my sister's Ipod, and casually made my way to the end of my driveway. I didn't know it then, but in fifty short minutes, I would have one of the best runs I have ever done in my life.

I have recently been running for time (minutes) rather than distance; not exactly sure why I made the switch, but so far it's been paying its dividends. I made the decision to run for fifty minutes, knowing that I would run around seven miles if I kepy a good, solid pace. I start the run by heading out of my neighborhood (It's 1km from the entrance of my neighborhood to my house), and heading down 110th. I hit the first mile right at 7:15, feeling smooth and comfortable. As I make my way to the end of the street, I know that it is 1.78 from my house. I quickly glance at my watch, 12:39, still feeling good.

I turn onto our main road at 16:04, at which point I am not sure how many miles I have gone, but I was confident that it was more than two miles. I ran down the main road until I came up to a hill on my right side. I have ran up the hill before, a hill which nearly killed me back when I was a sophomore (and out of shape), but today I was confident that it wouldn't be a problem. I cruised up the hill and tried to maintain a quick cadence going up the hill. I quickly glanced my watch at the top, 21:54. I would find out after my run that at that point, I passed five kilometers. It's amazing that during my sophomore year of high school, my 5k pr was only a minute faster than that. I find it amazing how much I have progressed since then.

Coming up shortly on my left was a small neighborhood, which I knew had a few rolling hills hidden inside of it. I breezed through the neighborhood and end up taking a quick pit stop to use the bathroom; my watch reads 29:08. I head back through the neighborhood and down a backroad. On this road, there were no lights. I could not see the road, and only two cars drove while I was on the road. It was a little difficult to navigate, but as long as I ran in the middle of the road, I was sure to be fine.

I got back to the end of 110th, 1.78 miles away from my house and my watch reads 39:00. At that time I was thinking, "Okay, a ten minute 1.78 mile run would be like 5:40 pace. Maybe I'll try to get back in twelve minutes and try to maintain my seven minute pace." I ventured down the 1.15 mile stretch of road and with a mile to go I glanced at my watch, 44:07. If I push the last mile, I can try to finish under 51 minutes, meaning that my last mile would be a 6:53. Turning into my development, I know that I only have one kilometer left to go and I try to quickly glance at my watch, but I couldn't see anything because the sweat dripping down my face got in my eye. I ignored it and just continued to push the pace.

As I ran through the newer developments of my neighborhood, I started to feel lactic acid accumulate, which made me realize that I was going faster than 6:53 pace. As I rounded the corner onto my street, I just focused on my form and staying relaxed while powering home (no pun intended). I stopped my watch the moment I stepped over the curb, 50:29. I look again to make sure that I read my watch correctly. 50:29. That meant that my last mile was 6:22, only 22 seconds shy of my schedule "tempo" pace. My legs felt surprisingly great when I walked into my house and headed straight to my computer to map out the run I had just traversed. Turns out I went 7.5 miles in 50:29, which is 6:48 pace/mile. My last mile may have dropped my average pace, but I still would have been under 7:00min/pace for the duration of the run.

At the beginning of the summer, I was struggling to maintain 7:20min/pace, and yet eight weeks later, I ran 30 seconds per mile faster AND ran a farther distance. I can tell that I have already improved so much since I have started my training and I can't wait to train harder during August. It's funny because I was talking with an old high school teammate, and I specifically told him that August is the month (during XC training) that separates the "Men" from the "Boys". The "Men" will continue to put in the miles and strive for excellence, while the "Boys" will watch the "Men" run and ponder how the "Men" got so fast. So now I'll conclude this blog with a quote from Bob Knight, one of the most successful NCAA Basketball coaches in history because I believe that it sums up how my mentality will be until I head back to school.

"The will to win is important, but what's more important is the will to prepare" - Bob Knight

Sometimes I Wonder.

Today I went to my old high school's cross country practice and the practice made me realize how much they have changed. While the team dynamic is still there, it's weird to think that after this year, everyone will be "new" to me. And by "new" I mean that I didn't personally run with them during high school. While that's just a natural part of growing up, I just thought that it was interesting because now I can start a legacy of being an "alumni with lots of wisdom" haha.

So the original workout that the coach told me at the beginning of practice was five to six one-mile repeats. Without even thinking about it, I knew that he was going to cut the workout down because there was no way that they would have been able to complete five repeats. Anyways, after they did some dynamics and stretched for a little bit, we gradually made our way over to the starting line.

As we began the repeats, three guys on the team (Taigen, Alec, and Marcus) bolted ahead of the rest us. Fortunately for them, the repeats measured out to .90 miles instead of a full mile, one less tenth of a mile they would have to suffer. I finished the first repeat about 15 seconds behind Taigen, the top runner from last year (17:13 5k PR) and at the same time as Alec. Now I know that typically during repeats people tend to run the first reps too fast and today was no exception. After the first interval, neither Marcus nor Alec would be within 20 seconds of me for the remaining intervals. I didn't know, coming into this practice, that I was going to be running repeats that day, so when I ran the first one at 5:47/mile, I felt pretty good, considering my tempo pace is 6:00/mile.

My coach has never been a stickler for active recovery between repeats; he also allows too much recovery between reps and once again, today was no exception. I got about four to five minutes of recovery for each interval, which means that Taigen, (who ended up running ahead of me the entire workout) had even more. My second interval was ran a 5:43/mile pace, which felt hard, but a solid effort. My third effort started off easier because I was trying to help Marcus maintain pace throughout the workout. I stayed with him for the first 800-900 meters, but then I just slowly started to pull away.

Overall, I think that the workout went very well. I was able to average 5:52/mile pace for the three repeats, (wouldn't have minded doing a fourth repeat). Tomorrow I plan on doing an easy/longer run (50-55 minutes), which is between 7-8 miles. Then on Thursday I will be joining them again in some 1/4 mile tough hill repeats. Shooting for four repeats total, which along with a 2 mile WM + 2 mile CD, a six-mile day. I have just over a month till I start XC camp. Time to get serious...