Home Track Advantage

As someone who has grown up bleeding Bobcat green - that's what being a son of 2 OU alums will do to you - there isn't a whole lot about Miami University that I particularly care for.  I didn't like them when I was 6 years old and they were the Redskins and my feelings haven't changed now that I'm 26 and they are the Redhawks (make sure to read additional story below).

With that in mind, it's not surprising to know that I have always been a little agitated that a Miami University runner has held the 5k track/facility record at OU for more than 5 years now.  There are few places during my time in Athens that I've spent more time at than the track.  A unique bond is shared between a runner and his/her home track; it is, after all, the place where we runners routinely pour every ounce of effort into workouts - rain, snow, wind or shine.  It was time to bring that track record back "in house," where it belongs.

This past weekend we hosted the annual Sunset Distance Classic.  I decided to create the meet 4 years ago, after OU dropped its men's track and field team, with the hopes of generating some revenue for the cross country program, providing our guys with a chance to run another competitive race, and keeping track alive at OU.  What started as a small meet in its first year has grown into an Athens-tradition and it couldn't be possible without the help of other runners around the state of Ohio who choose to make the trip to Athens for the weekend - for that, I want to thank anyone who has ever run in the meet...it means more to me that you might realize.

The main event of the night's races has always been the 5k.  For the first time in 3 years, this meet worked well with what was going on in my training, so I made it my goal to run under 14:33 and erase that Miami name next to the 5k track record.  On what turned out to be a great night to run in Athens, I wound up eclipsing the old track mark, setting a new track record that now stands at 14:25.  Thinking back on the race now, it was the easiest and most comfortable 5k I have ever run.  I owe a lot of thanks to my rabbit for the first 6 laps, Ridge Robinson.  He set a solid early pace, which made it possible to just find a good rhythm the rest of the way.

As always, the meet was a success.  Thanks to everyone who ran or helped make the meet possible.  It was great to have so many friends, former teammates, and alums back in town.  My hope is that the meet will continue to grow and be even bigger and better next year.

I'd like to end this posting with one of the finest pieces of hard-hitting, investigative journalism articles written by the student-writers of the OU Post.  After stating what bothers him most about Miami, OU baseball Coach Joe Carbone (one of the best storytellers in all of SE Ohio) received confirmation that the younger, not as quaint or nice, bricked-lined campus to our West has a mascot that is indeed fictitious.  As the article so eloquently puts it: "yet another reason to dislike Miami."


Zoologists confirm Carbone's claim about RedHawks
http://www.thepost.ohiou.edu/content/zoologists-confirm-carbones-claim-about-redhawks

If you would like to help out the OU distance team or would just like to
buy a Nike SDC dri-fit shirt because you think you'll pick up more
ladies (or men), contact me...you can get one for $20

More PR's in Philly

In one of my first posts, I made a statement that my goal in 2011 was to set PR's in every event.  After my recent trip to Philadelphia, I can erase 2 more times from my old resume and pencil in a 29:49 for 10k and 49:14 10 mile.  I haven't had that much fun racing since qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon last October.  Both the Penn Relays and Broad Street events I competed in had a great energy and atmosphere to them.  You don't seem to hurt as much when you realize your racing at the famed Franklin Field at the Penn Relays or when you are chugging down the heart of Philadelphia's busiest street with 30,000 other runners.  I truly was feeling the love in Philly!

After a disappointing race out at Stanford earlier in Spring, I had to find another competitive 10k to race before the end of track season.  At the same time, I made plans to get back on the roads for a few races as well.  As I searched for another fast 10k, I realized I would have to wait until the last weekend of April to do it, which was going to conflict with the Broad Street race I wanted to do.  As I looked over my schedule I started to think about the possibility of doing a 10k/10-mile double.  

It was hard to wrap my head around at first, because prior to this attempt, I had only ever done a 10k/5k double at our conference track meets - and racing a 5k is a lot different than trying to recover and run a 10-mile race.  At the same time, I thought it would be a good challenge to see how my body would respond to a race situation when I was fatigued.

Going into the Broad Street race, I thought I could contend to be the top American and had a goal of running around 50-minutes (5-minute per mile pace).  As the race started and I got rolling, I was surprised at how well my legs and body were feeling.  I started getting pretty excited when I went through the halfway point at 24:16 because I knew I would break 50-minutes; my attention and focus was now on trying to run under 49 minutes.  Unfortunately, I found myself running the last 6.5 miles almost completely alone and not having someone there to help push me a long was probably the biggest reason for not breaking 49 (although having race a 10k 2 days earlier probably didn't help either).

I ended the race in 6th place overall and finished as the top American.  I guess the number 6 was my number for the weekend, as I finished 6th in my 10k race on Thursday night (they'll probably name a street after me and call it 6th - fans of the movie, Prefontaine will appreciate that quote).  But I had a ton of fun at the race.  That was the largest race I have ever been involved with (the Broad Street 10 miler is the biggest 10-mile race in the US).  It's pretty cool when a city shuts down for a running event.  As runners, we're used to not getting much attention and being at the low end of the sporting popularity totem poll; however, big city races dispel all of this.  People line the street from start to finish and it's a great boost to hear people cheering for you the whole way!

The weekend in Philadelphia was also a chance to visit with some old teammates of mine - Shamus and Pat.  Shamus was in town for the Penn Relays working with Nike and Pat works at the UPenn hospital and was nice enough to house me for the weekend.  I also got to officially meet Pat's wife, who quite easily had the coolest running story of the weekend.  The shorthand account goes something like this: in the midst of her long run on Saturday, she stopped to administer CPR to a woman who had collapsed.  She ended up having to cut the clothes off the woman and use the AED to shock her a couple of times.  She was able to get the woman's pulse back and then outraced the ambulance to the hospital.  When I left Philadelphia the woman was still alive.  Pretty amazing run!!

I'm at the Columbus airport waiting to catch my flight to Chicago for the MAC Championships @ Northern Illinois.  I'm excited/anxious to see how the Bobcat distance girls do this weekend!  I'll be back racing next Friday night at the Sunset Distance Classic meet in Athens.  It's a great event and encourage everyone to come run/watch!  Hope to see y'all there.

Until then, Godspeed!

@ the steps of the Philly Art Museum

Shamus posing with my Broad Street Eagle trophy