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.
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!
Growing up, I had always been put behind my older brothers shadow. In grade school going to watch Jeremy run track meets influenced me to join my track team in the sixth grade at St. Catherine of Siena. I was not much of a runner in grade school, having personal bests in the mile in seventh grade being at 6:12 and eighth grade at 6:09. I ran no more than a couple miles at practice and never ran cross country until I went to High School.
Jeremy graduated in June 2004 when I was in the 7th grade. He had made a huge indent on Central Catholics distance program which made my two years spent there seem a bit overwhelming. I remember going to Wildwood metropark to run miles with Centrals team the summer before my freshmen year with Jeremy. Having run no more than a couple miles in a single run and getting thrown into a prgram bassed off of the Pavvo system was a hard transition. As cross country season came and gone I had a personal best of 19:34 in the 5000m at the city league meet. That spring I improved my mile time to 5:30's and started to get the hang of things. My sophomore was spent waking up at 6 am to run 4 milers before school and doing interval workouts on the track after.
We were hitting 60-70 miles per week and I had finally started to get my growth spurt. I ran a 17:34 at Toledo City League, but started to hate running. I had only picked up the sport because Jeremy had been a big influence on me and it seemed to be fun. I had no idea what it took in order to become good. I had no drive or ambition to take that extra step to become great. With music, friends and other activities I had started to enjoy my own free time and running became secondary, and soon became something I had completely lost interest in.
My spring semester of my sophomore I had quit track. I had found myself hatting Central, and as I started to become my own person I realized I wanted a change. I set my head to the books that semester and raised my g.p.a high enough in order to transfer to St. John's Jesuit High School. This would be a huge change for me. It was like stating school all over again. Going from an inner city catholic school with multi-diversity to an all guys strict academic jesuit school would be a hard transition. That fall, I met some new friends, was enjoying school and once again was back into running Cross Country my junior year.
It felt like I was new to the sport and my times showed I had some work to do. I ended my Cross Country junior year with a personal best of 18:30's. I loved what I was doing and finally got used to the change in my lifestyle. That spring I worked hard and found that balance between school, work and academics. I ran a 5:10 in the mile and was ready to put some work in the summer going into my senior year.
I had a lot to prove to everyone, but more importantly I had to prove to myself that these past three years were not a waste. I was back running 50-60 miles a week and was with the best group guys a team could ask for. After running a personal best at the Toledo City League meet with a 16:42 and making the first team all city, I had some confidence going into the State Championship meet. We had been ranked 2nd behind Medina that whole season and where fighting to take home the title.
That race came and gone in a flash. Are number one man, Joe Miller, had struggled the last 200m with dehydration and collapsed nine times. Are four and five ran slow and I got out kicked and ended up being our seventh man running a 17:14. It was a disappointing day, but we managed to keep a smile on our face and I was happy to be apart of this program. We got sixth overall in the Division I State Championship and just being a part of that, in my eyes, was a win.
I had always wanted to pursue my running in college, watching Jeremy run at Heidelberg and seeing how much fun he had with his team, influenced my decision. I had only gotten a couple letters from Heidelberg and a small school in Kentucky called Cumberlands. I had also been on the phone with Otterbein's coach Matt Borland and was all set on Running there.
Going into St.John's I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I didn't know they took things so seriously. I had ended my senior year with some decent times in track, but no where near the g.p.a needed in order to be running at a collegiate level. I had been declined admission from Otterbein and I was left scrambling around for a college I could get into and run.
My adviser had told me about Shawnee State's gaming program for some reason, and I went to the library and did some research on their team. I got in contact with Eric Putnam and after a visit in January 2008 I was pretty much all set on heading down to Portsmouth, Ohio that fall for college. This decision would be the best decision I had ever made in my life.
These past couple years have been the best time not only in my running career, but also in life. I've met some of the most respected and motivated people this state has to offer. I have been pushed in academics and in my running like you wouldn't believe. These past couple weeks have been the best I've ran in all my life. I put in a lot of miles this past summer and I finally truly believe my running is taking shape and have figured out what it takes in order to be great. After eight long years and pounding the pavement mile after mile. I finally have something to show for it. As this cross country season is only days away from getting started, I feel like this is the best time to have finally figured it all out. Breaking 16 for the first time last weekend had opened my eyes to realize this is no walk in the park. This silly thing we do day in and day out can make you become the man your suppose to be, or continue to hold back your dreams and passions. The only thing is your the locksmith and you decide what door to open.
I cannot describe to you my excitement for where our team can go this year. We have been through it all and finally we are getting some respect and are making a name for our program. I like to bring myself back to my younger days when I would trot along that famous red trail at Wildwood and remember why I do this. Its not all about the fame or the times you run. What it comes down to is self-motivation and determination.
I'm going to end this post by a quote made famous in Without Limits by Bill Bowerman...
"Running, one might say is basically and observed pastime, on which not to be exhausting ourselves, but if you can find meaning in the type of running you have to do to stay on this team, chances are you'll be able to find meaning in another observed pastime, life."
School started just yesterday. I can already feel myself quickly jumping back into the familiar habits. Waking up early, going to class, eating some lunch running and working have once again taken over my life. I wish I could think of something interesting to say, or perhaps some insightful thoughts, but my mind is set on "what's my next workout", "Do I have to work tonight", or "When is my next class".
It is in these times when I can ether find myself and push through it or loose my mind interlay. I've been running good workouts and staying healthy so that's always a positive. Classes so far seem to be alright. Other then that i'll keep on keeping on and rolling towards that goal of mine...
Well, as you can tell I've been having an eventful summer. As the last couple of weeks of summer come to an end I'd like to spend a little bit of time to write about my thoughts and adventures of yet another summer spent in Portsmouth, Ohio. Next week I will finish up an Ethics course I am taking. It went by super fast and I'm pretty pumped about getting all my GED out of the way. The next 2-3 years will be strictly science/geology related courses.
Camp starts on the 8th and I am feeling pretty fit these days. An earlier goal for me was to hit 70 ten straight weeks before camp. I did not do this but, I am going on my fourth week of 70. I will be at 75 these next 2 weeks and 80 the week before camp. Since that Is how I planed to end my summer training I feel pretty good about it. I definitely had the best summer running wise of my career so far. I have stayed consistent and am ready fora great cross season.
Other then a short summer class, a couple trips to Toledo and Dayton and running, there really hasn't been too much excitement this summer. I would have liked to write more, but really didn't have much to talk about. As school start back up in the fall I'm sure i'll be on here more getting back into that familiar routine.
I'm writing this paper for ethics these past couple days and it has gotten me thinking a lot about life and how your suppose to live and all that. the title of the paper will be "The Pursuit of Real Truth". I'll plan on posting it on here later next week when I finish it.
Honestly, I feel like I'm just rambling on, so I'll wrap things up. I'd like to get on here more like I said. It feels good to get out a lot of the stuff I keep in my mind. Its very soothing almost like a late night 4 miler.
Interpret the Precambrian-Paleozoic evolution of the Southern margin of North America...
And that is exactly what we did. First stop was St. Joe State Park in Park hills, Missouri. After a smooth eight hour trip from Portsmouth, to Park Hills we quickly set up camp, had a couple beers and made a nice pasta dinner by the fire. Next morning was spent looking at Precambrian igneous Granite at Knob Lick Mountain.
Camp Site #1 at St. Joe State Park, Missouri.
Knob Lick Mountain
We had six stops which included, Knob Lick Mountain lookout and quarry, Exposure of mafic dike swarm in slabtown granite, Precambrian = Paleozoic unconformity, silvermine granite, Johnson's shut-Ins, and the Elephant Rocks.
It was very tiring and strenuous day out, but a great start to the trip. Before leaving for Hulbert, Oklahoma we stopped off at the everett J. ritchieTri-State mineral museum in Joplin Missouri. We got to Sequoyah State Park later in the afternoon. We got a great camping spot right on For Gibson Lake. We had some free time in the afternoon so we all went swimming and Dr. Bauer made chicken fajitas.
Day four was mostly spent at Eagles Bluff sorting creating a stratigraphic column and collecting and interpreting samples. I got beat up pretty bad by some rocks but it was awesome out there. later we ate lunch on the Illinois River and headed back to camp. In the evening we hiked this local fossil trail on the campgrounds.
