2013 Poca River 15K/ Mullens Dogwood 5K

Poca River 15K

1st Place

52:49

I used WV's Oldest Road Race for my last tuneup workout before Cleveland Marathon. I ran the rolling hilly course at roughly goal marathon pace and enjoyed another fun event. 

------------------------------------------------------------

Mullens Dogwood 5K (long course)

1st Place

16:06 

$250

(Day after Susan Komen 5K, another nice race used as a workout with the added bonus of picking up some cash)

Susan Komen 5K

(The Start Line of West Virginia's Biggest 5K)
Susan G Komen
1st Place
15:57

(Finish of the 2013 Susan Komen 5K)

Earth Day 10K and 5K (Beckley, WV)

(*Nice double wins to pick up some cash while using the races as tempo workouts)

Earth Day 10K 

1st Place

33:40

$200

Earth Day 5K (long course)

1st Place

17:15

$100

Press Coverage:

NewsStation Video with Interview

NewsPaper Article with Picture

NewsStation Article

2013 Athens Half Marathon

45th Annual Athens Half Marathon

2nd Place

1:14.35

$150

45th Annual Athens Half Marathon (2013) (Click on picture above for race pictures)

*I hope to look back on this workout in 5 weeks and say this is Marathon Pace!

January/February/March Training Recap

January Mileage: 181
Week of 12/31:
*63miles
*4mile Tempo run(5:30avg)
*Medium-Long Run of 15miles 
*Charleston Winter Series 8K Race (25:48/5:11avg)

Week of 1/7:
*72miles 
*Medium-Long Run of 15miles
*Failed Tempo Run as my achilles started to flare up
*19mile Long Run (6:14avg) with the last 14miles all under 6:10 pace

Week of 1/14: 
*13miles for the week
*Streak of 2+ years without missing a day was snapped dealing with injured achilles
*I was lucky to go 2+ years with weekly average of 80miles a week during the streak

Week of 1/21: 
*28miles

Week of 1/28: 
*14miles 
*Turned the corner with the achilles 

February Mileage: 176
Week of 2/4: 
*40miles

Week of 2/11: 
*45miles 
*Hilly Tempo 6miles (5:44avg)
*Tempo 7miles (5:48avg)

Week of 2/18: 
*57miles
*Hilly Tempo 6miles (5:36avg)
*Tempo 5miles (5:30avg)
*First double digit length run (10miles)

Week of 2/25: 
*61miles 
*Hilly Mono Fartlek (4x90sec,60,30,15 all with same rest) 
*Hilly Tempo 5miles (5:32avg) 
*Longest run 12miles(6:25avg). 

March Mileage: 321
Week of 3/4: 
*66miles 
*Tempo 5miles (5:28avg)
*Cutdown 10x400 on the roads
*Longest run hilly 14miles

Week of 3/11: 
*63miles
*Long Hill Repeats (4xCarriage Trail)
*Tempo Intervals 5xMile on the roads 
*Longest run hilly 15miles 

Week of 3/18: 
*78miles
*Progression Tempo: 12miler with middle 8miles (5:39avg)
*Tempo Intervals: 14miles with middle 10miles in 57:54 consisting of 10x800on/800off
*Long Run: Hilly 16miles 

Week of 3/25: 
*85miles
*10mile easy run that progressed to medium effort (30:20 last 5miles, 5:43 last mile)
*Long Run: 17miles with some hills
*Long Run: 17miles with lots of hills (1800+ft elevation gain)

2013 Spring goal is to better my Marathon PR of 2:29.34, I feel like I'm back on the right track towards that goal! I have a comp entry into the June 22nd Grandmas Marathon in Duluth, MN but I'm hopeful to make it to the start line of one of the May Marathon options. For that to happen I need things to go perfectly and with no setbacks. 

My everyday training log can be found: HERE

Winter Series Champ (Marian) and Pre Race Video Interview

(Check out the pure ice covered roads for the 10K)

Final Series Results (First Place Female): Series Result Link

High School Basketball - West Virginia's Eyewitness Sports

Above is the WCHS Video Interview on Marian from last week (her segment starts about 2:10 into the video link)

Winter Series 8K

WS 8K

25:48

3rd Place

Result Link

Splits: 5:01-5:08-5:09-5:14-5:13

I'm pretty happy with this tuneup, I have basically just ran medium long run and long runs the past month for my early marathon prep work. I have ran exactly 1 mile in the past month under 5:20, so to test the legs with a short race and average 5:11pace, I'm walking away very happy and know training for the ultimate goal (Shamrock Marathon) is going in the right direction. 

I was in no mans land from about mile 1 to the finish, McCollam and Ragg had about 10seconds on me at the halfway turn around point so I still had thoughts of keeping the gap close. But those two dueled back and forth and really left me in the dust the second half and especially the last mile. My lack of speed caught up to me at that point. I know McCollam has been rolling some fast track workouts so going in my chances of staying close were already at a minimum but I still wish I had finished a little bit stronger and keep the gap closer. Congrats to McCollam for the win and his first sub 25 and to Ragg for going sub 25 as well only 5weeks post CIM marathon. 

Marian rolled to another easy victory of 40+ seconds with a winning time of 29:29. Her prep for the race was yet again less then ideal as she battled being sick for 2 weeks and hardly got much training in. It's starting to become almost amazing to me, that she is getting these results off weeks as low as 18miles and no higher then 30-35...that has been her training since she started her comeback from giving birth. Her lead in the series is over 1:20 with just 1 race remaining, hopefully she can finish off the 10K with a nice PR!

2012 Review

Mileage Total: 3971
Weekly Mileage Average: 76.4
Mileage Previous 3 years: 2011(4239), 2010(3822), 2009(4147)
Days Ran: 366/366 
*Second straight year without missing a day.
Highest Mileage Week of the Year: 109
Races: 21
PR's: None (unless you count running my first 15K)
Prize Money(with incentives from Sponsors): $4700
Best Race of the Year: Myrtle Beach Marathon-2nd Place-2:30:49

2012 Races (season best race in bold)
Winter Series 5K--15:42--2nd Place (12/9)
Drumstick Dash 5K--15:52--1st Place (11/22)
Nick Caldwell 5K--16:03--2nd Place (11/17)
Columbus Marathon--2:34:10--13th Place (10/21)
Twin Falls 5K--16:02--1st Place (10/15)
Wine Cellar 10K--32:50--1st Place (9/22)
CDR--1:27:43--5th Place (9/1)
Pineville 5K--16:22--1st Place (8/26)
Racing Hearts 5K(short course)--13:55(15:39 finish pace)--1st Place (8/18)
Glade Springs 10K--33:01--1st Place (8/11)
Oceana 5K--16:20--1st Place (7/7)
Reds 10K(Long Course)--33:23--3rd Place (6/2)
Mullens 5K--16:08--1st Place (5/20)
Poca River 15K--50:13--1st Place (5/12)
Susan Komen 5K--16:15--3rd (5/5)
Joker 4-Miler--21:54--1st Place (4/1)
Run for Adam 3-Miler(short course)--14:33--1st (3/30)
Arts in Action 5K--16:22--1st (3/10) 
Myrtle Beach Marathon--2:30:49--2nd (2/18)
Tallman WS 10K--32:20--2nd (2/5)
Tallman WS 8K--26:04--1st (1/8)

Recap: I was pretty happy with the 2012 year. Although other then MB Marathon I never ran fast this year, it was the best year of my life as we welcomed our little Clara into the world. It was a challenge to train and race with all the life changes. I even had some well respected friends who are fast dads say I should avoid racing much during this adjustment period. Against that advice I still toed the line and raced a solid amount. Although the results weren't great I learned a lot and enjoyed every minute of it. Most importantly I also figured out I need to make some serious changes if I want to get back to racing my best. So far so good with the changes as I'm actually feeling recovered and not so worn down again as I train and race. Early 2013 results (25:48 WS 8K) show I'm heading back in the right direction so that is a huge positive. My 2013 goals are pretty simple, have fun, train hard but smart, PR at every distance but most importantly the Marathon and at CDR, and last but not least run fewer races. I need to get back to not being so open to run every race that someone asks me to do and put the main emphasis on racing all-out when I do toe the line. My goal is to cut down from 20+ races to more in the 10-15 range. I feel like with 10-15 races I can go just about all-out for current fitness in 5-10 races a year and still have another 5 or so races that are mostly workouts to either win some prize money or support a friends race. I'm looking forward to the upcoming 2013 race schedule. I have a feeling it's going to be a fun and fast year!

December Training

Mileage Totals
Month: 300 
Year: 3971 (3rd Highest Yearly Total)
Completed my second straight calender year of running everyday (2+years overall)

12/3-9: 63miles 
Key Runs:
Lactate Threshold  (10miles with 4mile tempo in 21:40/5:25avg)
MLR 11miles (6:44avg)
MLR 13miles (6:47avg)
5K Race (15:42)

12/10-16: 68miles
Key Runs:
MLR 14miles(6:22avg, last 10miles 6:15avg)
MLR 12miles (6:47avg)
Long Run 18miles (6:30avg, on the GRT)

12/17-23: 75miles
Key Runs:
MLR 12miles (6:20avg, some hills 2nd half of run 6:10avg)
MLR 14miles (6:57avg)
MLR 11miles (6:30avg, 2miles worth of 150 stride/ 250 easy)
Long Run 18miles (6:40avg)

12/24-30: 64miles
Key Runs:
MLR 15miler (6:47avg)
MLR 13miler (6:42avg, through snow/ice)
Long Run 20miles (6:17avg, last 15miles at 6:14avg)

Recap: Solid month of Advanced Marathoning Endurance building. After the WS 5K(15:42) the rest of the month just consisted of MLR and LRs. Most of the runs are easy to steady, effort wise. The next 4 weeks will remain about the same but Lactate Threshold runs(sub 5:25avg), Marathon Pace run(sub 5:40avg), and one race (8K, race effort) will all be added into the mix.

I'm really feeling excited with the direction the training is heading right now. The key changes have been going less mileage but higher quality key days. So instead of slogging through 90-100mile weeks, I'm putting in easy to steady effort Medium Length Runs 2-3 times a week plus more steady Long Runs. 

I believe that the next 4 weeks with the increase in LT, MP, and race effort running combined with the endurance being gained form the MLR and LR running will really have me feeling extremely fit. 

As of today there is just a little bit less then 11 weeks to go until my goal marathon race. Plenty of time to get to where I want to be---Sub 2:25 and Top 5 finish at Shamrock Marathon!

WS 5K

Winter Series 5K

2nd Place

15:42
(Race Splits: 4:57, 5:02, 5:10, 31)

Result Link

Start line, getting ready to push through the rain


Start, 360+ finishers making for the biggest WS race ever. I had to fight off the line to keep from getting cut off.


Solid race for about 2miles, then I drifted back from McCollam and sort of struggled home.


McCollam powering home (and away from me) to get a nice sized gap in the series standings. He also broke my course record of 15:29 which made him only the 2nd person to go sub 15:30 on this course all time...what a friend to drop the hammer on me like he did the last mile! :) He beat me by a long 21seconds with almost 15+ seconds of it coming in the last 1.1 of the race. 


Battling through a week of being sick, overall weeks of low mileage, and still just 8months post birth of Clara, Marian rolled along for a solid effort to grab the win easily in 18:11. Her 3 comeback races have all been wins with times of 20:00(workout effort), 17:59, and 18:11 today. Proud of what she is doing on only 20-25miles a week(past month), it just shows true natural talent and positive friendly attitude will shine through against all odds.