Ambitions Of A Runner

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you would do anything and everything in your power to reach out and just take it? You've worked so hard for something and nothing, not even your family, friends or other pressures, will get in your way. You're constantly pushing your mind and body reminding it daily why you are doing is for a purpose. When any doubt enters your head you quickly erase as if you were literally picking it up and throwing it out. You know all these years of hard work and dedication will lead up to a single day. A moment in life that will go by in a flash, but when it's all over that single moment will last for eternity.


54 days...


-BJW

September Blues

When ideas become too complicated, and the pursuit of perfection is misconstrued as a need for excess. When there is so much involved that individual components cannot be discerned. When it is hard to break the rules of excess. Then new rules need to be established. It descends back to the beginning where the construction of things visual or aural is too uncomplicated to not be beautiful. But this is done in the knowledge that we can only become simple to a point and then there is nowhere else to go. There are definite natural things which cannot be broken down into lesser components. Even if the goal for achieving beauty from simplicity is aesthetically less exciting it may force the mind to acknowledge the simple components that make the complicated beautiful.

The quest for sub-26 is less then 8 days away, and these past four days have been anything but satisfying. It seems like these small nagging injuries are growing day by day. I'm trying my best to push through them with the whole "Mind over Matter", but sometimes you question everything you do because of something so small. I'm going to spend these next seven days focusing on getting healthy and making sure I am 100% ready to go on October 1st, because when I toe that old silly spray painted line, it's time to let everything go and be free. Until then it's back to basics. Run, Ice bath, Stretch - Repeat.

-BJW

Iona MOC - NYC

(Finishing strong down the cinder path)

(Around 3 1/2 mile mark with Brad Liston)

(The Start of the Race. Packing it up early)

The Race:

Going into the Iona Meet I was a bit unsure of the course. Van Cortland Park has been known for its hills and tough terrain which make for a great Cross Country course. We didn't get a chance to run the course the day before due to the 15 hour bus drive from Portsmouth to New York, so I was not to familiar with the mile markers or terrain which made me a bit on edge.

The race went out pretty quick. Our top five (which included Michael Owen, Keegan Rathkamp, Josh Linkous, Me and Galen Dills) stayed tucked in together in a nice pack for the first mile in a half. The only split I got the whole race was the first mile right around 4:58-5 flat. The pack broke apart once we hit the woods. I stayed with Galen as Michael and Keegan where up front and Linkous right behind us. From 1.5-3m it was all rolling hills which included some steep ups and downs with rail road beams and loose gravel. A lot of physical body contact which is always a great time.

The terrain started to wear on my legs and I started dropping off pace around 3 miles where Linkous passed me. When we came out of the woods we had about a 600-800m stretch where we ran on the outside. Brad Liston polled up next to me where we ran together for about 400m until he polled away right before hitting the woods for the second time. I tried to keep up my form the last mile in a half, but as soon as we hit Cemetery hill my breathing was shot. I went into O2 debt within seconds and was trying to leap towards the top. As soon as your down running up hill your foreced into a massive turnover down a 400m steep downhill with sharp turns and loose gravel.

I was surprised how strong I felt coming into the finish after running those hills. I thought for sure my legs where shot, but I was able to have a nice kick and passed a few runners. My overall place with 85th with a time of 26 minutes and 44 seconds. I'm happy to have a good time on a tough course my first 8k of the year and am excited to pursure sub 26 at All-Ohio on October 1st at Cedarville.


The City:

Following the race, we got cleaned up and ate a quick lunch at our hotel and were off to explore New York City. We got into time square around 3pm. Looking like a bunch of tourst from Southern Ohio who haven't seen anything like this before, we where amazed by the size and vast cultures the city had to offer. The first stop he hit was Bleeker Street Records in Greenich Village. This was the one thing I was really looking forward to. I picked up a few vinyls which included a used edition of The Beatles White Album and a brand new pressing of The Velvet Underground & Nico produced by Andy Warhol.

We then proceeded to Ground Zero, Hard Rock for Dinner and some shops around Manhatten. We got a bit lost on our way back to the Bronx on the subway. We took a wrong train and ended up near Queens which delayed us back a good hour, but that was the only part of the trip that went bad. I had a blast and would of liked to spend a couple more days in the city to see everything.

(Bleeker Street Records)

(Walking around Time Square)

Results
Video

-BJW

Time To Put The Hammer Down

September is the month of eye cringing and gut wrenching workouts that leave you staggering around with that famous hands to knees grasp, asking yourself "Why the fuck am I doing this"? You quickly shake off all negative thoughts as you here those words, "Alright guys, take a deep breath...GO"! and your off pounding your way to a spray painted line somewhere in the woods trying to stay as relaxed as posable, but yet so incredibly animal-like you can't help but love every second.

As the first meet of the year has come and gone, it is time to start learning from past mistakes and push even harder. Dayton Flyer 5k was this past Saturday. Going into the race it felt a bit watered down due to the fact my that my twenty first birthday was that night and all my family and friends are here to celebrate that. I was no where near where I needed to be in my mind and I had trouble getting into that "race mode".

The 5k itself was gone in a flash. From what I remember I tried to stay relaxed and go out with the guys I've been running with in workouts. I came through the mile in a 4:53 which I thought was good. As the pace continued I felt a heavy weight come upon my upper body. as my form struggled so did my breathing. I was taking deep grasping breaths trying to relieve my body of this lactic acid that was taking over me. I had a terrible last 1.5 and got passed by quite a few runners from Miami and Dayton. I think I came through the two mile in a 10:03 which means I had at least a 5:27 last mile. I was 29th overall with a 15:54.

Our team was staggered throughout the whole race. We did not run as a pack like we usually do. I think we were just so caught up with trying to run with Miami and Dayton we really didn't think about helping each other out to do the same. All we can do now is learn from our mistakes and work heard these next two months and run fast when it really matters. I need to stop being so damn content with my training and find that inner strength some might call the "Chi". The time has come to live what you preached early on an put the Hammer Down!

-BJW