USATF Northwest Region Open/Masters XC Championships

The USATF Northwest Regional XC Championships took place on November 23 and was my last race of the 2014 XC season. Held at Lincoln Park in West Seattle, the course loop lead around and through the park and included sections of open field, trail, and gravel road. With prize money on the line for the top three teams of each division, the race always attracts some impressive talent and I could not think of a better way to end the season than racing with Team Darkhorse in this club XC championship event.

The Women's Open 6k was set to start first at 10:45 a.m. with the Men's Open 10k following at 11:30 a.m. I had originally planned on arriving early to cheer on the Women's race but ended up barely making it with only 15 minutes to spare before the start of the Men's Open. Anxiety was sinking in as I realized I wouldn't have time to properly warm up and I wondered if the Women's Open had already finished. As if on queue, a runner in a bright Oiselle singlet flew by like it was nobody's business. Oh... well apparently Lauren Fleshman (2006 and 2010 US 5k Champion) wanted to crush some mortals on this fine morning... Shit just got real. No time to go fanboy, must get race bib! When I arrived at the registration area, I met up with the rest of my team and attached my race bib as the last Women's Open runners crossed the finish line. Heading to the start line I took note of how muddy the field was and how much I wished I had spikes. I looked around at the other teams lining up next to us. Club Northwest was out in full force. Uli Steidl (10 time Seattle Marathon winner) was lining up with the Seattle Running Club team (I later learned he ran in both the Men's Masters 8k and Men's Open 10k events). The Western Washington University XC Team and the Eastside Runners XC Team were there as well. A couple independent runners rounded out the field and we waited for the final countdown.

I remembered the words of wisdom I used in my last race. First part calm. Second part confident. Third part courageous. Breathe in - I am, Breathe out - here now.

Start of the Men's Open 10k.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

The line exploded forward across the muddy field and I almost immediately found myself in the back. Having never raced the 10k distance before, I told myself that this was probably for the best. Feel it out and reassess after the first lap. This brilliant idealistic thinking was short lived though as I realized I was not just toward the back... I WAS the back! I looked behind and there was nobody. Absolutely nobody.

Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

I'm proud to say that my mind remained calm and classy as I processed this info.

[Start of Inner Monologue]

Sh**!

[End of Inner Monologue]

Okay, so maybe not... However, this did make me cry a little on the inside highly motivate me into picking up the pace and I found myself catching up to a small group just ahead of me. I passed my friend Daniel who was standing along the side of the course and I could hear him encouraging me to catch up with one of my teammates so we could work together.

Teammate Reuben and I keeping each other's paces honest.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

The third lap was a bit more positive. With the first lap a haze of madness and chaos and the second lap filled with anxiety and trying to catch up, I realized that my body had finally warmed up. I mean, why start your day off with a nice warm cup of coffee and favorite newspaper when you could instead start it off with a gut-wrenching fear of being left behind and anaerobic pain? Am I right? At this point in the race I had a pretty good idea of where the muddy sections were located and which section I should make my move to try and pass an Eastside Runners mark I had been tailing for the last mile. With a flat gravel section ahead, I sped up and managed to push ahead of him. Looking ahead I saw another small group about 30 seconds in front of us and knew that I realistically didn't have a chance of catching that group. So, my strategy for the remainder of the race turned to trying to stay ahead of the guy from the Eastside Runners team.

Making my move on an Eastside Runner mark.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

I managed to maintain a slight lead for the next mile. However, I was met with a nasty little surprise when I reached the fork along the course loop where we would split off onto the final add-on tail section at the end of our last lap. I realized I had made a disastrous miscalculation and had thought there were only four laps instead of five. I had studied the course map the night before but it was based on another XC race called the Sundodger Invitational which was only 8k. Whoops. This wasn't the last lap. This tragedy was made abundantly clear when I noticed the race volunteer in charge of blocking off the path for the add-on section wasn't moving. What a jerk, right? I could almost hear him sending me psychic vibes: "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!". Sir. Please. I really want to go that way now. It is my destinyyyyy! He didn't go for it.

Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

So on to the fifth lap I went. And it hurt. A lot. My Eastside Runners rival had managed to stay right on my heels to the point where his footsteps were making me nervous. I passed the Club Northwest crew  as they headed off to the parking lot having already finished both the race and probably a cool down run. Speedy bastards. They offered a couple cheers and words of encouragement and pointed us to the finish line. I want to say I gritted it out and held my lead in a 400 meter sprint to the finish, but I didn't. My foe had one final push in him and was able to outkick me in the last section of open field.

One of the muddier sections of the course!
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

I crossed the finish (alive even) with a spectacularly fabulous 3rd-to-last! I think I remember getting looks from a few people at the finish line area as if they were concerned I had gotten lost and wondering why I had arrived so late. Fools! A wizard runner is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to... Regardless of the small and ridiculously competitive field, coming in close to last sucks. Still, I am proud to be part of an effort to bring a little more diversity to the club racing scene in Seattle. SRC vs CNW year in and year out makes for a great rivalry for sure, but that's just it. A rivalry. Hopefully, Team Darkhorse's presence this year had a positive impact on the local XC running community.

Yes, I went to war with the ground.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

Oh, and Team Darkhorse did manage to place 3rd (out of 3 officially ranked teams) in both the Men's and Women's Open divisions. Legit podium status?

Post Race Thoughts/General Comments:

1. I have really enjoyed the XC season and teaming up with a lot of exceptional runners. It was a refreshing opportunity to run and race with a different perspective. One of a team effort instead of just an individual one.

2. On a positive note, XC season is apparently a fountain of youth that has rejuvenated me back a couple years and I am once again 24 according to the race results!

3. Big congrats to my friend Keith, representing the SRC-Brooks Competitive Team and finishing the year strong with a solid "W" at the 2014 Deception Pass 25k!

4. Also big congrats to my friend Brenda, representing TMNR with a significant half marathon PR at the 2014 Seattle Half Marathon last month.

5. I can't believe a whole year has past since I started this blog. I have found comfort and an outlet in writing about my running adventures and providing a glimpse into this side of my life. I plan on reviewing my writing from this past year and finding what I like and what I think I should improve on. Feel free to leave comments/suggestions about any ideas/changes you may want to see going into 2015! I still feel like I am new to this process and definitely welcome any feedback! Even critiques. Although I may like you a little bit less afterwards.

Emerald City Open Race Recap

The Emerald City Open marked my second XC race for Team Darkhorse this season. Hosted by Seattle University, the event was well organized with a larger pool of runners compared to the PLU Invitational. The field comprised of a healthy mix of both club and collegiate teams, including runners from three Division 1 schools (Seattle University, University of Washington and Oregon State University, although the UW did not have enough runners to score as a team). 

The course consisted of repeats of a two kilometer Upper Woodland Park loop next to Green Lake which definitely has its fair share of hills. This time around, the women's event took place first and I headed over to the start line to cheer on my teammates before heading off to warm up. The women's team huddled together in true XC camaraderie fashion with a pre-race Team Darkhorse chant. 

Start of the Emerald City Open Women's 6k.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

After the conclusion of the women's race, I met up with teammates Zak and Reuben and joined them on a preview run of the course loop. The warm-up was a little shorter than I would have liked but we were out of time as runners were called to the starting line. With a few final strides, I lined up at the designated Team Darkhorse segment on the start line.

Start of the Emerald City Open Men's 8k.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

There was no pre-race chant. Inner introvert rejoiced. I took a moment to look around and noticed a couple runners I remember trying to catch at the PLU Invitational a couple weeks prior. In a team e-mail from the night before, one of our teammates who could not make the race wished us good luck and offered a phrase of advice which for some reason stuck with me.

"Think about three parts to the race: 1st part Calm, 2nd part Confident, 3rd part Courageous!"

Alright. Calm. "Breathe in: I am, Breathe out: Here now". The start gun went off and unlike the PLU Invitational, I was surprisingly able to maintain a controlled pace at the start. Sure, most of the field was passing me by but I knew I should stay focused on the bigger picture and that I had the whole race to pick off runners on my own terms. For the first of four loops, I fell in stride with Reuben and we worked together on the first major uphill.

Reuben and I working together during the first loop.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

Finishing the first loop I passed fellow team members on the sidelines who yelled words of encouragement and letting me know it was time to start picking targets ahead of me. Successfully keeping the first part calm, I was ready to transition into the second part of the race with confidence. The Green Lake Track Club uses the Upper Woodland Park for a lot of our hill and strength workouts and between the calm/controlled start and experience running these same hills on many of my training runs, a feeling of confidence was easy enough to find. Feeling strong, I used this confidence to push past a number of runners. 

Down the Hill.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

It wasn't until the third lap that I found my true race pack which consisted of a couple Olympic College runners and a Seattle University runner. Still feeling strong, I pushed past one of the Olympic College runners but I noticed both Seattle University and Olympic College singlets in my peripheral vision calling my surge as we began our fourth and final lap.

Down the hill.. again...
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

After a year of racing 5k events, sure enough after 3 laps (6k) my body was naturally ready to start calling it quits. What was I doing still running? Would my legs hold out with over more than a loop left? How could I pick off any more runners? The idea of playing possum for a couple hours was becoming more appealing by the second. In fact, if I slipped on one of the muddy sections in the next few minutes, maybe I should take it as a sign and just stay down. Uncertainty. Doubts. Excuses. I guess that's what it means to be courageous in a race. Simply putting one foot in front of the other when these negative thoughts begin racing in your mind faster than your legs are racing out there on the course. I let my body relax and focused in on my running form. I tried to keep my stride smooth and light. I rounded the final turn with less than 400 meters left to go and made one final push. 

Gravel/dirt section before the uphill.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

The Olympic College and Seattle University runner pushed two seconds harder though and passed me right before the finish line. I crossed with an official time of 31:41 which placed me 74th out of 96! On paper, my performance looks far from amazing. I both ran slower than I did at the PLU Invitational and pretty much close to last. However, as the course was much more difficult and the field was comprised of amazing runners, I am very content with how I raced that day. Maybe that should be part of the day's race mantra:

1st part Calm (check), 
2nd part Confident (check), 
3rd part Courageous (definitely check, who knew courage could hurt so good?), 
4th part Content (check, perhaps even on the threshold of proud).


Post Race Thoughts/Comments/Updates:

1. The feeling of community and support at these XC races continues to impress me. Everyone there shares a passion for running and it definitely shows.

2. Our final XC race for the season will be the NW Regionals at Lincoln Park on November 23, 2014. 

3. Congrats to SRC runners at the USATF Trail Half Marathon National Championship at lake Padden earlier this month. Very strong performances among a very impressive field.

PLU Invitational Race Recap

Cross Country Season has arrived! The PLU invitational was not only my first time running a club cross country race, but was also both my first time running in a collegiate cross country event and first time racing the 8k distance. Go big or go home, right? When my friend Daniel reached out in early May to see who might want to run for the small Super Jock N' Jill cross country team Darkhorse (and no, sadly it is not a Katy Perry reference...), I told him I was definitely interested. Unlike the 5k road races I have been focusing on this year, Men's XC events cover 8k or 10k distances and usually include a generous a**-kicking in the form of mud and hills. Fortunately, the PLU XC course was a flat and fast loop and the weather was supposed to be pleasant. Thus, my biggest concern was how my body would handle the longer 8k distance.

The Men's 8k event was set to start at 10:00 a.m. while the Women's 6k event was set for 11:00 a.m. A group of us met up at the SJJ running store at 7:30 a.m. and carpooled over to the PLU campus in Tacoma where we met up with the rest of our team. While walking up to the registration area beside the school track we received a legit size-up/stare-down from some of the PLU cross country team. Code red! Level 5 awkwardness alert! After metaphorical claws were retracted and the Secretary of Homeland Security dropped the the awkwardness level down to Level 3, I began my pre-race routine. I pinned on my racing bib and headed off to warm up with about 40 minutes before the start. The course loop was about 1.8 km and I ran the loop twice at an easy pace, trying to memorize the turns and other landmarks. I found the rest of my team at the starting line and joined them in some last minute strides. Teams grouped up along the starting line and the race official called the final countdown. Breathe in - I am. Breathe out - here now. Unlike familiar road races, there was no music or announcer on speakerphone and the last seconds before the start became so unnervingly silent that I could literally hear the slight breeze blow past as the runners toed the line in anticipation.

Start of the 2014 PLU Invitational Men's 8k!
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

The start was explosive. The wide starting line quickly funneled into a narrow path and everyone was rushing for position. The adrenaline hit me harder than any road race I have run this year, and I didn't even realize I had passed my teammate Zak who I was going to use for pacing. Big mistake. My senses came back to me when a volunteer yelled out my first mile split of 5:41. If this was a 5k road race I wouldn't be too alarmed but knowing I had four miles left to go instead of two, I was on the verge of a panic attack. I immediately backed off the pace by what felt like 15 seconds. 

As I cleared the first loop I was greeted by words of encouragement from my teammates along the sidelines. I remember one teammate, Amanda, pointing to the group of guys a little ways ahead of me and yelling "That's your pack! Catch them!". After mentally forcing myself to slow down the pace, I was hesitant to try to pick it back up. I had two choices. I could either play it safe and maintain a slow but steady pace for the remainder the race, or I could try and keep up and pick off runners from the group in front of me with the possibility of burning out at the end. Seeing my team in matching racing kits reminded me that I wasn't racing alone out there on the course. I had a team with me and I was there running as part of that team, not as an individual trying to set some time PR. Although I was racing against so many fast runners around me, I was also racing for and with other great runners. The only way I could help my team would be to try to catch up and pass as many runners as I could.

Finding my pack and setting targets.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

With this in mind, I fully committed myself to catching up with the group ahead of me. I also began to pick out potential marks to aim to pass. With this new found resolve, it was time to activate our team's secret weapon. Turning the corner into a brief patch of sunlight, my singlet unleashed the glorious reflective power of a thousand suns! With the immediate ground-zero area most likely blinded, I passed my first mark.

Yes, even with a mostly overcast sky our singlets are pretty bright.
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

I cleared the second mile in 6:06 and I could see my teammates Zak and Karsten a good 30 seconds ahead of me at this point. As I finished my second loop I saw Amanda point to an Olympic College runner a good ways ahead of me and yell "that's your next mark!". 

I surged forward and closed the distance by a couple yards. He noticed I was coming up on him and increased the pace himself. The battle was on. I was somehow able to keep on his heels through the third loop but I was definitely hurting at this point. Daniel shouted that I had only one more loop to go with a small add-on to round out to 8k. There was still time to catch him. I was unfamiliar with the add-on section and so I decided to make one final move and put in one final kick with what I estimated was a little less than a mile left to go. My Olympic mark was still keeping an eye on me apparently because he answered my kick and sped up to match my pace. I was surprised when we passed another Olympic runner as a result of our push and I used that mental reinforcement to help block the mounting levels of misery and pain and continue my push. I gained a couple precious yards on my mark but realized that was as close as I would get as he had just crossed the finish line. I followed shortly after with an official time of 30:50 (6:12/mile avg. pace) which placed me 30th out of 53! 

Holy cr** what a fun race! Although I would have liked to break under sub-30, I was more than satisfied with my first 8k performance. It was freeing to run with no watch, using the other runners around me as a guide. I am honestly not sure if more strategic pacing would have affected my overall time, but I know that I needed to run a race like this. After a build up of technical racing over the year, it was awesome to be able to just go out there and have fun running with a team, simply trying to catch that next guy in front of me!


Post Race/Women's Race:

I joined up with the rest of the guys and we headed off for a quick cool down jog. The Women's 6k event would follow shortly and so we headed to the start line to cheer on our teammates.

Start of the 2014 PLU Invitational Women's 6k!
Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

The women's team rocked it and my friend Sayaka was even able to grab the "W" placing 1st!

Post race team photo.

Photo credit thanks to Daniel Julian.

Closing Thoughts/Comments:

1. I knew cross country would be a very different experience from the road races that I am used to and that I should step back and look to define a distinct set of goals specifically aimed at cross country and ask myself what I wanted to get out of the XC season as a whole. This is definitely a work in progress and my PLU Invitational experience has certainly helped provide perspective.

2. It was encouraging how much non-discriminating supportive the spectators provided. From what I noticed, most people cheered on runners regardless of what school/team they were running for. I remember a couple times where PLU alumni and parents/friends of other college runners cheered whenever I passed, yelling out something along the lines of "keep it up Darkhorse!" ( although admittedly sometimes turning to the spectator next to them and asking "who is Darkhorse again?").

3. Throughout the race, I tried paying attention to my running form and posture. I have been trying to pinpoint what muscle groups/areas tire out first so I can begin to focus in on strengthening specific weaknesses. 

4. I was able to meet 2x Olympic 800m runner Nick Symmonds last month during a book signing held at SJJ. Very humble guy, definitely fun to get a chance to talk with him.

I almost wore the same t-shirt Nick was wearing. How awkward would THAT have been?
Photo credit thanks to Sayaka Yoshinaga.

5. My next race will be the Emerald City Open on Oct. 18, 2014 hosted by Seattle University. There should be a healthy mix of University and Club XC teams participating so I am looking forward to facing off against so much local talent.

6. A recent Jasyoga blog post asked "What does teamwork mean to you?". Teamwork is a way to grow as an individual. It is human nature to focus through the perspective of "self" and it is easy to take for granted or pass up opportunities you can achieve by simply expanding your way of thinking to include others. I see teamwork as a crossroads or connecting point. It's where multiple roads of individual experience and individual goals can meet and transform into a shared experience and shared goals.

Seafair Torchlight Run 5k Race Recap (Another PR + First Sub-18!)

The Seafair Torchlight Run is very popular local racing event as it is one of the main events of the Seattle Seafair Torchlight weekend and takes place right before the Torchlight Parade. The race starts/finishes in downtown Seattle at the Seattle Center and offers both a 5k and 8k race option. The turnout is always impressive, with 1,423 5k runners and 1,374 8k runners this year. The first mile of the race course actually runs along the same stretch of 4th Ave that the Torchlight Parade follows, so thousands of spectators line both sides of the street and cheer on runners as they wait for the Parade. All year, I have had my sights set on this race, knowing it would be a great target race to truly test how far a consistent season of training would allow me to push myself.

Seven of my Green Lake Track Club teammates were running in the event as well, and we decided to meet before the race and go through our warm-up routine together. Both the 5k and 8k were scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. start, and we arrived at 5:30 p.m. to pick up any last minute race packets and begin our warm-up. I also quickly realized that everyone was wearing matching green GLTC racing singlets. I on the other hand was sporting my blue Seattle Running Club singlet and sticking out like a sore thumb (queue up some Eiffel 65 music anyone?). We began an easy warm-up run around the Seattle Center and our group was big enough that when we turned a corner, we elicited a ridiculously enthusiastic but cut-short cheer from some spectators who thought the race had started. It was actually quite synonymous with that cliché scenario where everyone is hiding in wait at a surprise party and go absolutely bats#!% crazy as someone walks in, only to find out it's not the right person. Anyways, we finished our pre-race warm-up run and headed over to the start line with 10 minutes to spare where I ran a couple of last minute strides on my own. One minute to go and the announcer began the final countdown. As per my usual race routine, I blocked out the noise around me, set my watch, and calmly recited my favorite Jasyoga "reset" mantra (Breathe in: "I am", Breathe out: "Here now").

Start of the 2014 Seafair Torchlight Run!

The race was under way and the time to test myself had arrived. I fell in stride with Zak as we set out at a solid 5:45 pace. With all the energy surrounding us, it felt like the pace was painfully slow. All those previous races of starting out too fast must have finally got through, because I managed to shut down my anxiety and let runner after runner pass me. As we traveled down 4th Ave, we were greeted by cheers from spectators lining the streets which added an almost (half) marathon type feel to the event. My watch signaled that I had cleared the first mile in a split of 5:37. Not only had I kept a consistent yet slightly faster pace than I set out at, but I felt strong. For the first time, instead of slowing down as I am so used to doing after the first mile, I felt confident enough to maintain the pace and see if I could keep up with a pack of Club Northwest runners right ahead of me.

As we turned onto Seneca Street I took advantage of the downhill as we flew toward the Viaduct. When we reached the bottom of the hill, 8k runners were directed left onto the Viaduct while the 5k runners were directed right. After running straight downhill, my legs did not want to make the sharp right turn onto the Viaduct. Then I remembered that a friend recently ran a race with two 180 degree turns and I stopped complaining and salvaged my remaining dignity. #FirstWorldRunnerProblems.

Turning onto the Viaduct.

As I transitioned onto the Viaduct, I realized that the majority of the pack I had been running with were running the 8k and had broken off at the turn. I suddenly found myself in a weird position where I was a ways behind the front pack but significantly ahead of the second wave. I was not completely alone however, as I had fallen in between the first and second place female runners Lana Lacey and Erica Pitman as well as a St. Olaf College cross country runner, who were in the same situation. We formed a small temporary pack and kept each others' paces honest. At that moment, in the middle of the race, it hit me how much fun I was having. This was so cool. I was racing next to some amazing runners and I had found that elusive feeling that running on the right day can bring. The feeling of flying. Of weightlessness. Of speed. My watch signaled I had cleared the second mile split in 5:40 placing me in a perfect striking position to hit a PR.

Feeling strong, I began to break away. Taking a chance and making a move!

The third mile of a 5k hurts. There is no escaping this fact. With the splits I was pushing in the first two miles, I knew it was going to be especially brutal this time. All you can do is accept this truth and try to hold on. As we moved off of the Viaduct onto Western Ave, I let all hesitation go. It was no longer about strategy. It was about trusting that the hard work and the miles I put in this season and the confidence gained little by little from previous races would carry me through to the finish. It was about taking a chance and putting everything I had into one last mile. I accepted the hurt and embraced the final uphill section of the course up Broad Street. With about 200 meters left to go, I turned the final corner and the finish line came into view. My eyes immediately zeroed in on the official race clock with anticipation and excitement.

[17:31] Wait, what?! Not only could I run a PR, but I had a shot at breaking 18:00 as well!

[17:35] I switched gears into 200 meter repeat mode and thought of the path that brought me to this point. 

[17:37] Learning from other runners, running blogs, friends, coaches.

[17:38] Learning from past races. Discovering race by race what works for me and what doesn't.

[17:40] The long runs. 

[17:42] The track workouts.

[17:45] The pre-race warm-up. 

[17:47] The 5:37 first mile. 

[17:48] The 5:40 second mile.

[17:50] The pain I felt from running a hard race, loudly reminding me just how alive I was and in the moment.

[17:51] And most importantly: knowing I was exactly where I should be, doing what I love to do. Run.

[17:53] I made it.

'I look up to the sky, and now the world is mine, I've known it all my life. I made it. I made it.'

I flew through the finish line coming in 15th overall with a new PR and first sub-18 5k in an official time of 17:53! There were no trumpets or bells or fanclub groupies cheering my name. There was just an overwhelming sense of accomplishment of breaking a significant barrier and gratitude that I was healthy and able to give it my all that day on that 5k stretch of road. As Oiselle runner Lauren Fleshman stated in my favorite article from the June 2014 issue of Runner's World: "The 5-k is freaking awesome!". I couldn't agree more.

Post Race Comments/Fanboy news:

1. I ran into a number of TMNR friends who appeared to have had great races as well. Congrats to everyone!

2. Neil - Yes, I ran a glorious "Old Man PR B-Standard"!

3. So Brooks Beast Jamie Cheever totally complimented me on my running shirt during the last TMNR (probably made my week). Sadly, I admitted I totally stole the look of her teammate Riley Masters from an Instagram photo of him during a track workout. Maybe the Brooks Beasts should try to add a modeling clause into their contracts.

4. It was awesome having so many from the GLTC show up. It has been forever since I have been in a team setting and definitely drew strength from knowing my team was there with me.

Green Lake Track Club at our home track field.
Photo credit thanks to Janelle.

Things that have helped me achieve my racing goals this year: 

1. Jasyoga. I kid you not, this has become a staple in my recovery and injury prevention routine. I will be the first to admit that I am definitely not the model yogi. Downward dog? No no, but I can do this awesome rigid tree pose. Reclining hero? No no, rigid tree pose. Standing forward fold? No no, awkward bendy rigid tree pose. Like running, yoga has taken a lot of consistent work and patience but it has overcome all odds and turned this runner from a rigid tree into a respectably pliable tree.

There I am in the back (where nobody can see me) managing a pitiful 3 inch lift on the single leg balance (the bane of my yoga existence). #KillingItOutdoorStudioStyle
Photo credit thanks to Jasyoga.

2. This past year I have tried to connect and surround myself with other runners who inspire me. There is  so much running talent in Seattle that it has felt overwhelming at times. I have also tried to do everything in my power to stay motivated and not burn myself out. During any down points throughout the season, I always tried to step back and look at the bigger picture. Key races I was working toward. Goals I was hoping to achieve. Team members and friends there supporting me.

To summarize this in a very sage and philosophical way:

Surround yourself with inspiration, compliment it with motivation, and support it with determination.

Firecracker 5000 5k Race Recap (and new 5k PR!)

For many, July 4th meant enjoying simple endeavors such as holding barbecues in the back yard or going out with friends and family to watch fireworks. Pathetic mortals. For 685 Seattle runners (myself included), July 4th meant showing up at the Seattle Center at midnight to run a 5k. The Firecracker 5000 is hosted by Club Northwest and so it always tends to attract a lot of fast local running talent. Having recently finished the Fremont 5k in 18:46, I was excited to see if I could push myself even further on this tougher downtown Seattle course and also see how much I could improve on my time of 19:42 from the previous year's Firecracker 5000. 

Zak (the Green Lake Track Club coach) informed me that he would also be running in the Firecracker 5000 and asked if I wanted to join him in warm-up drills and run the first mile together. I jumped at the opportunity, knowing that he would do a good job holding me back at the start so that I could avoid my recurring bad habit of going out too fast. The race start/finish was located at Memorial Stadium and I arrived at 11:00 p.m. to pick up my race bib and chip timer. Zak arrived about 15 minutes later and we began our warm-up with an easy loop along part of the course around the Seattle Center. With about 10 minutes remaining, we headed to the starting line and I ran a couple of stride drills along the length of the Memorial Stadium field until I realized I was managing to catch every astroturf pebble in my shoes. One minute to go and the announcer began the final countdown. I blocked out the noise around me, set my watch, and calmly recited a simple mantra I learned from Erin of Jasyoga which helped clear my pre-race jitters and reset my mental focus (Breathe in: "I am", Breathe out: "Here now").

Start of the 2014 Firecracker5000 5k!

The race started and I immediately moved into position beside Zak. My body screamed at me to pick up the pace as about 60 - 70 runners flew ahead of us, but Zak assured me we were on a solid 5:45 pace and that we would be seeing many of those runners again "real soon". Trusting his instinct and advice, I settled into the pace and realized how familiar the situation felt and how easily I could mistake the moment for just another one of our weekly tempo workout runs. Sure enough, we started catching up with a lot of runners who had clearly started out too fast and my watch alerted me that I had just cleared the first mile in a solid split of 5:46. 

At that point, Zak broke away and sped up his pace while I felt just strong enough to maintain it. The second mile brought the first major hill and it hurt. I was not joking when I said this course was tougher than the Fremont 5k. Downtown Seattle can be an unforgivable bi-...g pain. Maybe those pathetic mortal endeavors of barbecues and watching fireworks might not have been such a bad idea after all... If I had run the first mile any faster I probably would have crashed towards the end of the second mile. Instead, I was able to hold on and clear the second mile split in 6:05.

Section of the race course along the Seattle Center. The entire course was surprisingly well lit.

The third mile was just as tough. The section along 1st Ave consisted of a half mile of pure joy uphill. Fantastic. I was about to hit the 2.4 mile mark when my journey up Mt. Everest 1st Ave was interrupted by a group of college students driving by in the adjacent lane which was still open to traffic. A young woman leaned out the window as they passed and yelled "YA! you go guy with the short shorts!" Now, hold on here a second ladies and gentlemen. You don't even understand how badly I wanted to respond with something like "Am I rocking these short shorts or what?!" or "They should probably put me on the cover of the next Runner's World!" or even "Excuse me but the full politically correct term is Aerodynamic Short Shorts (ASS)!". However, with my lungs busy inhaling sweet precious life and exhaling death and misery plus the fact that they probably wouldn't have appreciated the magazine or bodonk reference, I only managed a polite smile and wave. With about a quarter mile left to go, I switched gears into 400-meter repeat mode and flew into memorial stadium and across the finish line with my first sub-6:00 average pace and an official time of 18:33 (5:59/mile) for a new 5k PR. Double score!

This is about all the external happiness I was able to convey that late at night. Trust me, I was a lot happier than I look.
Photo credit thanks to Brenda Alvarez.

At the finish area, I met back up with Zak and thanked him for pacing me the first mile. I was also able to catch up with Brenda and Nick (two more Monday Night Runners) who also had good races!

Hanging out with Monday Night Run friends after the race!
Photo credit thanks to Brenda Alvarez.

Before heading out, I managed to hear that brother and sister Brian and Andrea Masterson were the winners of the overall Men and Women divisions. I was also able to catch a glimpse of this year's costume winners.

FireCracker5000 2014 costume winners. 'Murica!
Photo credit thanks to official Firecracker5000 website.

 
Post race thoughts/comments:

1. Thanks again Zak for pacing me to a new 5k PR!

2. I am still building up my mileage with the Green Lake Track Club. It is so awesome to see the improvement I have been feeling reflected in actual race performance. It has delivered a confidence boost and at the same time has helped reassure me that the training and miles I am putting in each week is working. With that said, staying healthy is the highest priority for me. No amount of improvement is worth the risk of seriously injuring myself and I have already had to adjust and even skip a number of runs over these past couple weeks after listening to my body.

3. We have moved on to long interval speed work phase with the GLTC. Our next workout will consist of 2x 400-800-1200 repeats. I have never actually incorporated long interval distances into my training before so I am looking forward to (surviving) this learning experience.

3. The next race on my schedule is the Seafair 5k on 7/26/2014.

4. I highly recommend trying out this race. Just be prepared for an erratic sleep schedule throughout the rest of your Fourth of July weekend.

Fremont 5k and Briefcase Relay Race Recap

Fremont is a place of bridge trolls, chocolate, naked bicyclist parades, and the new Brooks Running Company HQ. It is also where one of my favorite annual 5k races takes place, the Fremont 5k and Briefcase Relay. The briefcase relay option is also a 5k distance, with teams consisting of five runners wearing office/business attire from the waist up. Each team member runs one kilometer, passing off a briefcase filled with canned food that is donated to charity afterwards. I personally judge the relay teams not upon their time, but by their team name. This year's winner for me was the "Brooks Boxers or Brief(case)s".

The Fremont 5k is different than most other local 5k events in that it is an evening race, starting at 7:00 pm on a Friday. I love it. I usually go out for my daily training runs in the evenings after work and so my body is especially synced and ready to go at that time. I arrived at 5:30 p.m. and headed over to the gear check tent where I met up with a runner who I had met at the Cougar Mountain 5 Mile race a couple weeks prior. He asked if I wanted to join him for a warm-up run and we headed off along a section of the Burke Gilman Trail, towards Gasworks Park. With about 30 minutes left we arrived back at the general event area and I ran a couple strides before making my way to the starting line.

Start of the Fremont 5k!

I took a moment to look around and was happy to catch sight of Lulu and Chris (fellow Monday Night Run friends) in the crowd. I also noticed Uli Steidl (10-time Seattle Marathon winner and winner of the Boston Marathon Masters Division for two consecutive years) and Brooks Beast Coach Danny Mackey (with a 15:50 finish he apparently doesn't just talk the talk, but runs the walk...) lining up at the front, along with an assortment of other Club Northwest and Seattle Running Club representatives. Hooooo boy. Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love competitive fields, but it has one unavoidable side effect that I bet you guessed coming a mile away (pun intended). Yes ladies and gentlemen, I went out too fast. Not just too fast, 5:12 first mile split too fast. Here is more or less an elapsed time internal play-by-play of the first mile:

00:00 - Breathe in "I am", Breathe out "Here now". -Thanks Erin!

00:01 - I got this!

.

.

.

05:00 - I got this!

05:05 - Hey, is that Kristi Houk from Club Northwest right next to me? The Kristi Houk that always finishes ahead of me by a full minute or two at EVERY race?

05:12 - Watch beeps signaling that I have passed the first mile.

05:13 - ABORT! I don't got this!

At that point, I slowed way down knowing that in about six minutes I would be in for a world of hurt. I slowed down to about 6:00/mile pace and fell into a solid pack of runners. A little past the mile mark, a group of young adults were cheering for their friend Lauren. There were two women right ahead of me (they ended up with 2nd and 3rd overall in the women's division) who were both named Lauren so I am not sure exactly which Lauren they were cheering for. Maybe both? Maybe they call everyone Lauren. Maybe they were also cheering for me too! See? Mental tricks aren't just for kids! Small moral boost achieved, I hit the halfway mark and was turning around when all of a sudden I heard a "LOOKING STRONG, CARL!". At first I thought maybe I had taken the mind games too seriously, but I looked back and noticed my friend (assistant coach for the Nathan Hale High School Cross Country and Track teams) standing there in a volunteer vest. These two moral boosts in the second mile pushed me through with a 6:05 split.

The third mile hurt. A lot. I was about halfway through the third mile when I passed Lauren's fanclub once again. I was just thinking how imaginary cheering just wasn't the same when I caught sight of another friend and fellow Greenlake Track Club member, Pablo, who had come down to cheer Chris and I along the course and snap a couple race photos. When you are exhausted and hurting at the end of a race, words can't describe the real effect of having a friend genuinely cheering/encouraging you has on your entire outlook at that moment. I finished the third mile in 6:02 and crossed the finish line a little later with an official chip time of 18:46, securing a solid sub-19:00 finish!

Feeling that third mile!
Photo credit thanks to Pablo Cabrera.

Fellow Monday Night Runner Chris looking strong near the finish.
Photo credit thanks to Pablo Cabrera.

Post race thoughts/comments:

1. Thanks for coming down and cheering on your TC team, Pablo. You helped me survive that awful final mile!

2. I have been continuing to get my long runs and track workouts in with the Green Lake TC and can really feel my fitness improving. We have been running about 10 miles on our Sunday long runs and our latest Wednesday track workouts have consisted of tempo runs, hill work, and 3 x 200/300/400 ladder repeats.

A snapshot from my GPS watch of our latest Green Lake TC Sunday long run, starting and ending at Gasworks Park.

3. I was able to volunteer the following weekend at the Cougar Mountain Trail Series #2 event. I ran into fellow TMNRer Brenda, who placed in the women's division of the 5k!

Brenda and I at the registration/packet pick-up booth I was helping with.
Photo credit thanks to Brenda.

4. The next races I plan to run are the Firecracker 5000 (July 3rd  midnight run at the Seattle Center) and the Seafair 5k.