Moment of inner freedom
when the mind is opened and the
infinite universe revealed
& the soul is left to wander
dazed & confus'd searching
here & there for teachers & friends.
This past week was my highest weekly milage every in my life (90 miles to be exact), and my legs, body, and mind could not be feeling any better! It started off with that famous 20x400 meter repeats at Earl Thomas Conely Park. I averaged 69 seconds per 400 meter. Wednesday, was a very calming spiritual trail 14 mile trail run out at Shawnee forest with Michael Owen. Friday was another workout at Earl Thomas Conely park. This time we ran 4 x 2k where I ran up front with Michael running an average of 6:10 per 2k, and what better way to end the week with a hard 15 miler at Hangover with Eric Putnam and Blake Jones.
You'd think that this being my first 90 mile week ever my legs and body would be tired, but to be honest I've never felt this good. I feel this tingling whenever I think about what I can do these next 36 days. My legs are ready for anything Putnam is going to throw at us, my body feels well rested and mind at ease. I have confidence in my training and fitness level and the great thing is every week I'm feeling so much more stronger! I wish this feeling will last forever...
We are running in Grand Rapids next saturday at the Great Lakes Challenge where the goal is to beat Aquanis and run strong. Personally I would like to run 25:30. Until then all I can do is believe.
I feel like I'm in the middle of a dream waiting for that moment to be waken up...
I don't know how I got to this point in my running, but I'm loving every second of it. I often find myself waiting for my legs to get tired, thinking any second now fatigue is going to set in, or perhaps another ankle sprain on some coarse grain gravel; But that moment never catches up with me and I'm left in awe wondering if it can get any better then this. My legs have never felt this strong, my breathing never this deep. All I can think about is "How can I keep improving"? Recently I've been questioning upping my mileage in the middle of the season. I want to sneak out in the mornings and run 5-8 miles just for the simple fact that it feels so damn good. The quest for a 100 mile week reeks upon me like a kid in a candy store. I don't know why or how I got this way, but to be honest I'm terrified not knowing of it will last or if it could be taken away any second.
I feel like it's Christmas morning, but any minute someone or something will come in and take all of the presents away. This joy that I'm feeling I will give anything to make it last. Whenever work or school leaves my blue I always fall back to my running, knowing that I am good at something, and I'm apart of something so amazing it puts a smile on my face.
This past weekend was the 56th Annual All-Ohio Cross Country Championships. We had some big goals of winning it all going into the meet, and with a total team score of 151 points for 6th place we couldn't of been happier. It was the first time beating the NAIA dominate Malone Pioneers and it still has not really hit me that we might actually have a shot at the tittle come November 20th.
The race was out quick in a load of 200 runners from every division and school in Ohio. We had plans to stick together and pack it up for the first two miles, but having that many runners made it imposable. I found myself with Galen Dills for the first 2 miles or so. We worked together quickly picking people off like it was our job. I went through the first mile in a comfortable 4:57. Trying to stay relaxed as long as possible I found myself running with different packs trying to cover ground with as little effort as possible. I came through the two mile in 10:08 running a 5:11 second mile. By this time Galen had left me and I was running 4th man. Not knowing this throughout the whole race, I thought for some reason I was 6th man. I was a bit nervous, because I knew I needed to run 5:10's in order to run 25:50 and I thought I was already dropping off pace. The third mile was nothing special, like the second I tried to keep pace and form.
My third mile split was 15:29 running a 5:21. That's when I started to get this new feeling in my legs. It felt as if I was carrying a backpack of 50lbs. I felt my spikes come in contact with the soft ground I could feel every spike put pressure on my foot. It was like I had a great amount of sensory nerves in my feet. Brad Liston came up around three and a half miles as he said a couple words, we worked together for no more then a quarter mile and he was off running away from everyone else. I found myself, once again, trying to work with other runners and counting off each meter, knowing exactly how much work I had left. I came through the fourth mile in 20:44 running a 5:15. Not knowing that the last mile was actually 0.97m I found myself questioning if I was going to even brake 26 minutes. As I saw Eric and every Shawnee affiliated person screaming at me to put everything I had out there and to not let Malone's 5th man out kick me, in the back of my head I was questioning why they got so crazy since I thought I was the 6th man, but none the less I put everything I had in my legs for the last 1k and accept that growling pain for another 3 or so minutes. As I came down the last 500m I gave it all I had. Looking up I noticed the clock saying 25:30's. I was in awe. This whole time I thought I was running 6th man not looking to brake 26, and here I am running 5th man looking for a 30+ second PR and out kicking Malone's 5th man to take home the team NAIA title.
As I crossed the line I had pretty much drained everything I had and left everything out on the course. I quickly was looking for someone to collapse on, as this female volunteer said those familiar words "Keep walking, Keep walking" I put my arms around her trying to hold up my feet and not let them collapse. She then replied "I got you, it's ok". I was in way too much pain and not knowing what I had just done to grasp life. As I left the shoot I was grated by other teammates and coaches letting me know that I was in fact our 5th man and had run sub 25:50. That feeling I got cannot be explained. I was quickly to respond that we should not celebrate anything until it's official.
As I struggled to cool down with lactic acid taking over every part of my body I was grated by other Varsity runners who had yelled out with great energy we had beat Malone by a small margin of 2 points. My relief was great, knowing that I held my own and for the first time in my life, I had officially scored for my Cross Country team in what is know the best race we have run yet this season. My official time for the 8000m course was 25:49.5 running a last 0.97m in 5:05.5 making that a 36s PR from last years Aquinas meet.
We are not done. The team still has loads of work to do till November 20th, and we are hungrier then ever.
Shawnee Bears Varsity (Minus Keegan Rathkamp) and Corey Culbertson
I've had this little thought in the back of my head for years now. Ever since I came to Shawnee I questioned what I could do by the time I graduate. Could I leave this place with All-American honors? Could I get to that point in my running where I could finish in the top 30 at the NAIA Nationals? Knowing this would take loads upon loads of hard work and dedication, I thought in a couple years perhaps when I'm a senior... Saturday was something I've never felt before. It has given me an itch to go out and give everything I have for this team. Could this really happen this year? Would I have a chance to earn, what some take a lifetime to get? Can I race at Nationals and become an All-American? Can Shawnee State University really become National Champions?
These questions linger in my head. I can't stop thinking about it. In class, on runs, even at work or in bed. It's like a disease I can't get rid of, but the thought of making these dreams become reality creates a tingle in my spine. A feeling that I cannot find words to explain. I want this more then I've wanted anything in my life. All I can do now is Believe...
GOALS
November 20th 2010.
25:30 - All-American
2010 NAIA National Champions Shawnee State University
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.
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.
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!
