Jacob's Running Log

This weekend was one of those weekends that really helps me when I am in doubt about why I coach (small pay, smaller recognition)...I could not have asked for a better weekend in terms of track and field and the way that my athletes competed and ran.

We were at the Bobby Lane/UT-Arlington Invite and since I had a 1500 meter time trial scheduled for Saturday and since I had no guys entered into the 1500 meters I decided to sign up unattached and put myself into a racing situation. My goals were to compete and run smart. Compete, I did. Run smart, I did not.

I was in the faster of two heats with several guys who have pb's in the 3:50ish range. So when the gun went off I just tucked into the lead pack. Passing through the first lap there were four of us at 60-61. Along with myself there were three Africans (Prince Mumba and Shaun Smith from Oral Roberts and Festus Kigen from TCU). This same pack and myself passed through 800 meters at 2:04 which was right where I wanted to be. We were running well, but I began to get antsy around the beginning of the third lap. Thinking that I could not outkick two guys who have sub 1:50 800 meter speed I made a huge move to put myself into the lead. I used the 3rd lap trying/hoping to get as far away from the lead pack as I could. Unfortunately as we approached the bell, Festus from TCU came by me (quite easily), followed by a runner from North Dakota State and a slew of Africans from Oral Roberts. Tiring and tying up I tried holding on for as long as I could. I wound up finishing in 4:00:55 and setting a huge personal best. No complaints, just dumb racing. It was definitely fun and successful for this early in the season.

Aside from my race, my team ran great. Garrett Sage and Hannah Steffan began the day by qualifying for Nationals in the Steeplechase. Garrett took 33 seconds from his time and placed 4th for the second week in a row. Hannah also qualified for the 800 meters later in the day with a personal best of 2:24. Aside from those two, Felix ran 15:44 for the 5k, shattering our freshman record and qualifying for Nationals. Matt ran 31 seconds from his previous 5k with a 16:09. Lacey ran 5:11 (5:12), Ashley ran 5:14 (5:25)...We had a great day competing.

Yesterday I enjoyed a 10 mile run around Whiterock Lake. I'm finally rounding into shape. I took off controlled and picked up the pace throughout the run. It's the first time this year I've done a long run shirtless. It was hot!!! After the run I hurried home to meet Katie and Felix to get racing flats and spikes from Luke's. We then had a mini-speed session before calling it a day.

This morning I ran medium paced for 40' and have a 40' fartlek + 6x200m in 31" tonight. Tomorrow is another killer workout...3x800m in 2:02 w/ 600m recovery + 2x1500m in 4:25 w/ 800m recovery.

So is the life of an athlete in training...

I'm reporting tonight from Austin, Texas and the 8oth Annual Texas Relays. It's only been a day, but what a day!!! Freshman Hannah Steffan continued her domination on her pr's...she ran 4:54 tonight for 1500 meters when her previous best was 5:00. Lacey Morrison also ran a personal best over the distance with 5:09 when previously it was 5:11.

Katie had a solid race for the 5k. 17:58 for a 6th place showing.

My workout the other night was horrible. I haven't reported on it because I've wanted a chance to digest it. I mean, I wasn't sure how it would go before hand and I wasn't able to focus very well, but that is not an excuse. I've always been a good "workout" runner. Paces have been something I can hit. But not on Tuesday.

The workout...3x800m in 2:02 w/ 600m recovery + 2x1500m in 4:25-26 with 800m recovery. I hit as follows: 2:06,2:08,2:10,4:30,4:33.
Completely drained. Had nothing.

Today was 30' a.m. recovery + 40' p.m. recovery. I really felt good during the afternoon run. Tomorrow I've got 6x300m in 46" with short recovery.

Next time I post, hopefully there will something of excitement (with my own running) to report.

I'm still live from Austin...capital of the world...I mean, Texas. It's been a great trip. Lots of great experiences watching great athletes and meeting great athletes/coaches. Hopefully more to come with the night session tonight and the midday session tomorrow. We've have some great running as well...mostly with Tonny Okello, winner of the 5000 meters the past two seasons and a guy with a personal best of 14:00.

Yesterday Garrett, Felix, and myself ventured out onto Townlake...They had an hour easy and I was in hopes of running till I found Austin High School for some track work. Exactly 20 minutes later I was at Austin High stretching for my 6x300m workout. I wore my trainers because of a minor foot pain I've had. Splits are as follows....
47,46,46,45,45,46

The goal was to be in 46 for all. I couldn't judge it in the flats and I felt dead tired. Probably because we were pounding the run before then.

Luckily, Felix and Garrett came back as I was leaving the track and I finished my run (part of it) with them. They felt I was running too slowly so left me with about 8 minutes to go.

Afterwards we had some Mexican food, then I had a 20 minute easy run.

This morning we woke and got in an easy 40 minutes with our new friend Tonny around Town Lake. I'm about to leave the hotel for another 20 minutes easy. Tomorrow we are running the Belterra 5k and then watching the DMR's before heading back to Dallas.

On our final day of our Texas Relays trip we entered the Belterra 5k held outside of Austin in the hill country. Wanting to get in another time trial, just to check fitness it seemed to be the perfect set up. A 5k road race in Austin on what I am considering a running vacation.

Unfortunately it was not a perfect set up. The temps were below 40 degrees and there was sleeting rain. As far as the race goes, there were no mile markers and it was extremely hilly. To sum up a pretty boring race: I lead from the very beginning and was not challenged throughout. My overall time, 15:50 was to second places 16:29.

The time, 15:50, is very disappointing. I figure I am in atleast 14:50 shape, but you get what you get. I did however win a year's membership in 24hourfitness, which I am sure I will never use.

Back to the horrible weather...we were forced to cancel our last day at the Texas Relays (missing out on the DMR's) in order to make it home in safe conditions. Not a big deal as safety is our number one concern; just wanted to wish some friends goodbye and see some good races. There of course is always next year.

This week I've got two workouts and another time trial. This time a 3k at the UNT Invite. I'll keep you guys up to date!

Had a pretty good day yesterday; running wise. All that was on the schedule was 30 minutes in the a.m. and 4x200m (30") w/ 200m recovery + 30' steady + 4x200m (30") w/ 200m recovery. All in all it was pretty good. I am hitting 30" for 200m like it is easy. Which is good being that I haven't been blessed with a lot of speed, and the fact that I did the entire workout in flats is a huge plus as well.

Today is hectic. Tuesdays are crazy for me. I mean, 6 a.m. practice, then my practice, then 2 p.m. practice, then my practice, then 8 p.m. practice!!!

On tap for this afternoon:
400-600-400-200 w/ 300m rest + 3x800m w/ 400m rest.
The first part of the workout is to be run in 61-62" pace.
The 800's are to be run in 2:25ish...

Thursday have a tough quality workout and then on Saturday I'm racing (time-trialing) a 3k at UNT.

Not sure how I am supposed to look at yesterday's workout. Part of me screams "complete failure", while another part is whispering, "you're getting there..." It's just that I am an extremely OCD runner, but aren't we all, and whenever I don't hit my splits (or expected paces/times) perfectly I feel as if I have failed the workout and my coach.

Yesterday was a prescribed 400-600-400-200 w/ 300m recovery in 61-62 pace + 3x800m in 2:25-26. Splits are as follows: 61.05, 1:35.12, 62.37, 29.70, 2:18.62, 2:18.12, 2:18.22

I was way faster on the 800's which should give me a little confidence, but I couldn't run 61-62 for the 600m in the first set...It's just frustrating. I want that sort of speed/power. I also have been feeling horrible on all of my runs. Maybe that's because I'm not use to so much speed work, but I can see myself adapting and running strong into the summer. So that's a good thing...

My team had 6k tempo's yesterday. It's always interesting to see how the tempo workout is going to go. It's usually hit or miss with these guys. Just still learning how to run tempo's and what not, but yesterday was good. Lacey ran 24:15 for 6k in the tempo which is faster than she ran during cross country season for the same course. Cross Country season she ran phenomenally, so maybe things are beginning to click for her. Katie ran 22:40 which I think might be a huge pr on this course. She definitely looked strong in doing so. Felix ran 18:48 (extremely fast) and Garrett ran a solid effort as well.

We've got a ton of work to do but we're definitely getting there.

Something has got to give...I mean honestly, another workout that I just need to forget about. I use workouts for confidence boosters. It is like when I nailed the 3x600m in 1:31, 1:31, 1:30. I went into the 1500m at UTA that next weekend thinking I was untouchable and I raced that way also. Tuesday I was very disappointed with my workout. I mean, I ran well by the standard definition of well, but I wasn't on point. I remember reading in Duel in the Sun about Beardsley and Alberto and how Alberto talked about how he was the only one who knew something wasn't right. How every workout was just off by a hair. That's how I feel.

Then today I took out for my workout and that hair turned into a full afro...(metaphorically speaking)...I was to run 1x1000m in 2:33-35 w/ 600m Recovery followed by 1x600m in 1:32. I real quality workout. I suppose my focus or something is off because I was sure I could do this. I ended up running 2:47 and 1:34. I just don't know what it is. Maybe I'm scared of hurting now for some reason, two weeks after hurting so much? I don't know. Gabe has thoughts to what my problem is and I totally agree with him, but how to change it.

Funny thing is, I was reading Andrew Carlson's newest blog entry and I'm going to paste what he said...Before I started improving as a runner, I would search far and wide for any type of information that might expedite the process. “What did good runners eat?”; “How much did good runners sleep?”; “What part of Once a Runner should I read in order to get myself sufficiently pumped up for my next race?” etc. It was a pretty vicious cycle. Thankfully I finally got the answer I was looking for. I trained with Kip Kangogo for a summer while we were in college. I believe I had just committed to memory, pages 44-81 of the Daniel’s Running Formula and was ready to take on the world. On my way out the door to find glory in the foothills, I asked Kip, “Why are you such a good runner?” As I waited for his reply, I was sure he was going to give me guidance on training at threshold and eating ugali 3x daily, but I was way off. He looked at me and said three words I will never forget, “Running…is…hard.”

Running...is...hard...

In the words of my coach...forget today...press on.

This weekend my team headed up I-35 North to Denton Texas for the UNT-Boathouse Invitational. It was supposed to be a meet where we would find good competition and hopefully a few more PR's. What we found, aside from the good competition, was wind and cold!!!

I won't go into many details but it was a very long and cold and extremely windy day. We ran well for the conditions and competed to the best (I believe) of our abilities on that given day. Starting us off was freshman Garrett Sage who placed second in the 3k steeple with a time of 10:10 which is 3 seconds off of his lifetime best. I'm not sure how to really guage wind, but I'm thinking he would have atleast run 9:55 or better had the conditions been at least mild. Also running well was senior Katie Noss who placed 5th in the 1500m. Her time wasn't fast, but the winner, a young lady from Baylor usually runs in the 4:20's and ran a 4:47...just to let you know how bad the wind was. Katie finally looked strong though and competed well, she just happened to fall apart in the last 150m or so.

As for my running; on the schedule I had a 2M time trial, but figured since there was no one entered from my team in the men's or women's 3k, that I would let that suffice. My coach and I planned to run through the mile at 4:40, no matter what everyone else around me was doing, and then do whatever I felt to finish.

There were about 22 guys entered into the race and so at the start it was pretty crowded. I was the first entrant, therefore was boxed in. I basically stopped in the first curve, let all those around me by, and then ran in lane four to go with the leader. We ran together for two laps and then I broke away from the field and won without contest. It was an amazing workout as I didn't have to race at all. I ran perfectly controlled and even came away with a pr. It's the first time that I was able to fully control what was going on in my own race. I believe that my second mile was 2 seconds faster than my 1st. Here are the splits:
1:10.68, 1:10.49 (2:21.17), 1:09.52 (3:30.69), 1:10.92 (4:41.61), 1:09.62 (5:51.23), 1:10.89 (7:02.12), 35.30 (7:37.42), 1:09.20 (8:46.62)

This morning I had a nice and easy 10 miler. It was the slowest I've done 10 miles in quite some time, but today was scheduled as recovery and this weekend is a huge 1500m race at the University of Texas. I ran through 10 miles at 65:01 today, meaning I ran 6:30's which felt terribly slow. I'm getting fit. Just have to get the mind right and run hard.

Today was an 800m time trial + 3x300m in 46"; I just want to say that I hate not hitting my goal. My coach decided that the goal was to be 1:56-1:56.5...We were going to hit the first lap in 56-57 and then basically finish as strong as we could.

The problem is there isn't a we...I'm running these workouts solo, which I believe builds mental toughness, but makes it so hard to fight through the conditions.

I ran through the first lap in 60.15 and was thinking that there was no way I would be able to finish in under 60, let alone 56!!! I kept pushing though and ended up running 62.33 on the last lap for a new 800m pr of 2:02.33.

I'm highly disappointed in this run. The effort was there but amidst the rain and wind I just didn't have it. Also, I recovered way too quickly as I was able to run my 300's and feel as if I were jogging through 46's.

Splits: 46.24, 46.18, 45.45

Yesterday I had prescribed 20' warm up + 3x400m w/ 200m rest + 20' run. The 400's were supposed to be in 61-62 (no faster) and were just sort of a pre-race workout. It's the first day that I felt like I was feeling a few weeks back. I ran well and felt comfortable doing the 61's as I came through at 61 on all. I felt as if I could have run 6-7 in that pace. But we'll see.

Tomorrow is the UT Twilight Meet and I'm excited about that. Hopefully I will get into the fast section of the 1500m and race with some really good guys. It'll be a great learning experience for sure.

Let you guys know how it goes...

First of all, just want to say that I ran another dumb 1500m race. But I'm learning and I know I am moving in the right direction. I just have to keep pressing on. Not sure how many of us there were in the race, but going in the plan was to run 62-64-63-KICK...unfortunately it was extremely windy (again) and we came through the first lap in 65.xx. I was leading and immediately panicked with the slow first lap. With my inexperience in running a mile/1500m, I jetted away from the pack and ran the second 400m in 62.xx. Now 800m into the race I've built up a 15m lead on the pack and was feeling pretty good. With 800m to go, I was thinking to myself, "race for time, or race to win..." Ultimately I was hoping to run this race for a fast time, so I continued to try and push the pace and get as far in front of the pack as I could. What I did not know was that they were gaining on me. Passing through 1200m still in the lead and at 3:12 I was hoping to hang on and hopefully have enough left to fend off any contestants. At 200m I began to fade and at 150m two runners pulled beside me. With about 50m to go another runner passed me and I just finished in 4:04 and dead tired.

I did all of the work for the group and finished 4th. Severely disappointed, but happy to have (hopefully) learned my lesson.

Getting away from my race, my team had a phenomenal night. Beginning with Katie Ellen Noss (her middle name isn't Ellen, I just gave her that) in the women's 3000m. All season Katie has gone with the lead pack, however fast they were running and all season has run a horrible second half of the race because of it. However, last Tuesday night we ran a tempo with one goal in mind...run the second half faster than the first. She did, and thus she mimicked this in the race. She stayed in 6-7th place until 1200m to go and then began to really pick up the pace. She caught two girls in front of her (one from UT) and would have gotten to third place had she started a lap earlier. 10:19, season's best. Setting up well for nationals in two weeks.

Following Katie was Felix's turn at the 3k. Felix has run 9:09 this season and was in a field that looked to be a little star-studded for our freshman standout. However, he ran extremely smart and didn't get caught up in the excitement. Felix worked from last place to catch runners who ran too hard too early and ended up running 9:05 for a personal best. Another great race two weeks out from Nationals. I'm getting excited about his and katie's 5k race...

Ending the night and maybe the best overall performance was freshman steepler Garrett Sage. Garrett's progression in the steeple before last night has been 10:40, 10:07, 10:10 (very windy and cold) and then last night was in a stacked field. I believe that 4 of the runners in his field went sub 9 minutes leaving Garrett to mainly race by himself as the guys behind him didn't crack 10 minutes (I think). Regardless, Garrett ran 9:53 and set a 14 second personal best. I expect huge things from his steeple race at nationals. He's basically looked better over the hurdles every time we've raced it and he's still doing what I preach in steepling...just be fast between the hurdles!!!

All in all a great meet to set us up for nationals! Just wish it would not have been so darn windy!

This morning I got in 12 miles or so...I went through the ten mile mark in 65:05 which is basically 6:30 pace and then just added on 15 minutes to make it an even 80 for the day.

Rice Twilight on Thursday and a hard tempo on Tuesday...Yikes!!!

Has been a sort of up and down week; thus far. Tonight around 6:30ish I will be driving to Houston for the weekend. I can't wait. I miss home a bit, but I am really excited about the Rice University Twilight Track Meet I will be competing in. At the moment my legs don't feel that great. I cancelled yesterday's workout because of fatigue (normally would have gone through with it, but the race...) and just have done some easy runs. I just don't feel normal and have not for a while, but I think things are going to be lining up very soon.

The plan is pretty simple: Do not lead! No matter what, do not lead, unless I have the chance to do so on the last lap. Gabe and I don't think it'll come down to me having to lead, the competition should be much stronger than what I have faced earlier this year. Hopefully I can stay patient and set a personal best.

Goal: 3:54-3:56

I'll have a little more to speak about later...until now...I am finishing up the day before the drive...

If you can't tell from the title I set a personal best tonight in the 1500m at the Rice University Twilight Meet. This has been my favorite Track Meet since running here as a junior in college. I love Rice; in fact, it's one of the top two schools I wanted to attend (the other being SMU). But grades/money kept me from both!

Anyways, being this weekend is my last weekend free for some time, I decided to trek down to Houston and compete in this meet. I wanted to get in a better 1500m than last week at UT; so I was basically hoping for no wind and some good competition.

Conditions were perfect and going into the race, I was only sure of one guy that I could beat, which meant that I didn't have to take to the lead! I don't have splits, aside from being at 2:06 for 800m. I had so much left on my last lap and actually caught and passed guys. A new experience for me.

Finishing up, I ran a new personal best of 3:57.70 which in my book equates to a 4:13-4:14 mile. Not bad. Moving in the right direction.