It's been awhile, LOL

So I've been much more focused on doing than reporting my life, which is fine. That said, it's time I did a proper update on the running situation.

I ran a 5:47 mile nine days ago at a league meet, and a 12:02 for the 3200-meter race. Championships are next thursday, and NYSAIS are the following tuesday. Whether or not I get in to either of these doesn't matter, because these DRAMATIC improvements in speed are all preparation for the 5k's and 10k's I'll be doing once track season is over.

I've never been specialized for short-distance running, so any and all track events are still second nature to me. I'll be working on both speed AND distance over the summer, so no harm done.

Current goals: 5:30 mile before June 1
11:30 2-mile before June 1
19:00 5k or better before June 1

Wow, I'm actually posting regularly again!

Sorry for the delay, folks! I just got done with NYSAIS, which was pretty chill. I started perfectly; slow, then gradually accelerating, then continuing at a steady speed into the hills and beyond. I passed 20 to 30 different guys before placing 72nd out of some 150 runners, in an elite league, so everything went better than expected! I got a time of 20:41, which is pretty good considering I haven't blast-trained in ages. Will be working on my speed into winter season. Right now, my form is great. My endurance is spot-on, although it could use a weekly long run or two. What I need to do, then, is find a runner partner who's about my pace so we can get faster together. That done, I'll be clocking some ridiculous times VERY soon.

Will keep you guys posted. It was a GREAT race; never felt better when finishing. Even sprinted at the end, which i'm almost never able to do. Beat out my competitor from Browning by two places!

Peace.

Thrust

NYSAIS, the next level of competition for my school's cross country team, is on Saturday. Federations, the statewide competition, is on the 20th. I must remind myself that I am competing against no one but myself. If I do this, I will excel. Since I last posted, I've gotten much faster. I'm able to run a 5k in 19:40, although I lost some endurance this season by concentrating entirely on speed. Not that endurance has ever been a problem for me before ;). In the next month or two I'll be getting back into 10k's, 10 milers, and half marathons. Running independently while participating in winter track should allow me to improve over the next several months, thereby avoiding a peak or a plateau. The two most difficult things for me, as always, is being consistent in my training and avoiding dumb mistakes. Not eating too much before a race, not overdoing it with coffee, etc., and not overexerting myself during a training run.

Persistence. I WILL make it to the Olympics eventually!

Resolve and recovery

Mile 232.6 (4 mile run yesterday, 3 mile run on saturday morning)

4.1 miles in 30 minutes. That's astoundingly good for someone who was sedentary for all of a month. That's a 44 minute 10k - if I kept that pace.

Today I'm going to run a 5k in under 20 minutes. I've never done it before, but I can and I will.

Exploration

Mile; 212.8 (9 mile run at 1:25)

Slow going today, as it is HOT, HUMID, and unbelievably difficult to run hills in New Jersey without constantly wanting to stop. It was worth the go, and I'm better off for it, but I really think It'd be wise to stick with night runs from now on.

Know what the best part about running on County roads is? Without sidewalks, I get to compete with SUV's for space. I haven't lost that competition yet xD

Still got it

Mile: 204.7

I couldn't run ONCE during my trip to Malawi, even with how much I wanted to. Running on a different CONTINENT, what a great concept! The problem is, potable water is hard to come by in the rural parts we were staying at, there are no running trails to speak of, all the roads nearby were unsafe for pedestrian traffic, and there was no one to run with me! (much less an ipod to listen to)

Wanna know something weird, though? I went for a run yesterday when I got back. It was an ordinary, run-of-the-mill 10k, and I went as fast as I could go. What's so weird about that?

I wasn't a single minute slower than my average 10k time before the trip began.

Pain

8.5 on the treadmill in the AM, 10 in the park (two five mile loops).

Current mile; 198.5

I've not run two-a-days like this for a long time. I'm not getting a lot faster but I'm going farther between stops and clocking MUCH more mileage this way. In the morning I was going a much faster pace thanks to some music I had on hand, but since you can't run with a laptop I ran SANS music, SANS partner, and basically SANS motivation. But I did it anyway. And you know something? I'm prouder to say that I can do ten miles without any help than If I could run 100 miles with all the tech in the world. It's a matter of pride, y'know?

That said, there's no way I'd run without an Ipod if I had the CHOICE. Without one, you're forced to focus on nearly every footstep, every position of the spine, and each swing of the arms. That's a lot of pain!