Windsor Open 1500m

Was pretty happy with this one. Last year I was 3:57.04 here, and last night I was 3:55.47, which seems like a nice year-over-year improvement. I was pretty disappointed with my tactics though.

I did my standard fade to last in the first lap and then move up. It works pretty well for me but this time I was a bit too slow on the moving up and missed the lead group. I closed harder than I should have been able, and think if I would have ran more even splits I could have run a bit quicker (my splits were roughly 47.7, 62.2, 64.1, 61.0). Easy stuff to fix for the next one. The question that arises though is can I run 8 seconds faster in two weeks to hit Nationals standard. That doesn’t look so good, but I’ll just keep plugging away and try to get it done on race day. I’ll keep you posted.

Also I got the opportunity to meet lots of fast and funny people after the race. Including this guy.

Monday: Easy 18k
Tuesday: 5x600m, 5x200m
Wednesday: am Easy 6k, pm Easy 16k
Thursday: 10x30s
Friday: Easy 12k
Saturday: am 5k Shakeout, pm Windsor Open 1500m 3:55.47
Sunday: 15k Long(?) run

Total: 117kills

This is part of a little skit I've been working on with my family. If you ever want to roll in a tire, make sure you go fast, it's way on the shoulders if you go fast.

Walsh, Walsh

As we've got into the season here is how it is shaping up. Suprisingly I'll robably run two more miles this year, (Queens, Cambridge) which would bring me to 3 for the season and 4 lifetime (I did one last year a USCAA). Weird, because it's an Olympic year I'm confused why miles have a bigger presence this year in Ontario than any other year. Oh well, I just want to run fast, so I won't discriminate. However this does make things tough for qualifying to Trials. Essentially I've limited myself to one shot at RCLDS#3. I'm excited! Sorry in advance for the all the nationals talk over the next month. This blog is going to seem like Glee with all the Nationals talk.

I was in Chicago for the weekend to see the ball and chain, so Saturday's track workout I had to find a track to run on. I jogged over to a track I that seemed promising from some online research but unfortunately it was clay track with soccer bleachers on the track. Oh well, I had planned to go to a backup track just in case, so after a nice 35 minute warmup I arrived at the second track. Only once there did I find out they were running an elementary school meet. So I turned back home, defeated, my plans crushed, and burning up in the heat (32 degrees C). Running back home, it seemed that I got stopped at every light, and even was stopped by some occupy protestors (don't get me started). I was carrying my shoes and phone which were starting to get pretty heavy, and all of this unplanned negatives meant I was having some mild asthma symptoms.

About 15 minutes from home I was in rough shape and got stopped at a stop light. I looked to my left to see the back of construction sign with two words spray painted into it. "Walsh", "Walsh". That was the boost I needed. It was like this sign was cheering me on. "Walsh", "Walsh". I finished the run in a great mood, and then crushed some core and strides. Thank you sign.

Sunday's run was even hotter, but I eventually got to track and suffered through a modified workout. At least today, (the following Monday) was a great run with lots of roundhouse kicks afterwards.

Monday: Easy 16k
Tuesday: am Easy 6k, pm 20min Tempo and strides
Wednesday: Easy 13k
Thursday: 18k with Strides
Friday: Square
Saturday: Easy 12k
Sunday: 2x(400m,300m), 4x200m

Total: 98 kills

In Chi-Town we went to Second City, which has produced an incredible amount of popular comedians. This guy was one of the actors we saw.

One-Eighty

Last Sunday, on my long run I rolled my ankle for the umpteenth time. Thankfully it wasn't bad and the ankle seemed fine a minute later, but my knee felt a little weird. I was halfway around the Wildwood Lake, and had no inclination to swim across the frigid waters to get back early so I just finished the run feeling okay. However, on Monday I was in a rough place. I couldn't move my leg without causing some knee pain. My season flashed before my eyes. I went into intense recovery mode and by Tuesday it was well enough to try to run on.

Certainly wasn't the ideal week leading into a season opener. Worried that my weak knee would buckle at any moment and having to stop a couple times at sudden influxes of pain. Not to mention the fact that I sucked bigtime in my Thursday workout.

But Saturday's Mile in London went really well. Felt relaxed and was able to run a pretty even paced race with no knee pain. I knew going into it that after our pacer (Hendrikx) got off the track that the pace would heat up and I was prepared for a break. So I didn't panic and managed to nail back whatever I lost on the third lap in the final lap, finishing in a PB of 4:16.55. Check out the video here thanks to Trackie.

We even got a handtime 1500m split, but I wish we hadn't. Mine was 4:00.0, which hurts bad. Nothing is worse than three zeroes.

Monday: Square
Tuesday: 10 x 10s hill, 25 min Tempo
Wednesday: Easy 16k
Thursday: 3x(400m, 300m, 200m), 2x200m
Friday: Easy 12k
Saturday: am 6k shake out, pm RCLDS #1 Mile - 4:16.55
Sunday: 21k Long Run

Total: 101 kills

Highlight of the night was meeting Rob Watson at the track. We're pretty much best friends now. It's kinda a big deal.

Onward to 401 Series!

Capo

Get your capo out, we are taking this thing to the next level.

Workouts have gotten a lot more fun lately, and despite getting crushed by Procter on Saturday (the day after he broke the club record in the 800), I'm pretty excited with where I am at (and I am every very excited for Ben).

I open the outdoor season next weekend at RCLDS#1. I'll be opening with a mile, which I don't personally care for, but it should prove to be a good opener.

Monday: Easy 18k
Tuesday: am Easy 6k, pm 3x(5x200m)
Wednesday: am Easy 6k, pm Easy 12k
Thursday: am Easy 6k, pm 8x3min
Friday: am Easy 6k, pm Easy 16k
Saturday: am 5x(2x300), pm Easy 8k
Sunday: 25k Long run

Total: 149 kills

Juggling Triathlon Record
I'm not sure how I feel about this one. Something I love (juggling), combined with something I passionately disgust (triathlon).

Welcome to the Grind

Man everyone seem to be running fast lately. I promise that in a couple weeks I'll have some races to talk about, but right now I'm still in the grind. In fact this was one of my toughest weeks ever. And it doesn't get easier next week. My days of mediocrity are numbered.

Shout out to Taylor Reid for this find. For the record, I don't condone riding bicycles, and recommend that you just listen and avert your eyes.

Monday: Easy 18k
Tuesday: am Easy 6k, pm 10x300m
Wednesday: am Easy 7k, pm Easy 16k
Thursday: am Easy 6k, pm 3x10min
Friday: Easy 19k
Saturday: am 6x600m, pm Easy 6k
Sunday: 20k Long Run

Total: 148 kills

Also I can't get this song out of my head

Tritium!

Gosh I just hate arrogant, ignorant, self-rightous, deaf to reason people. Explanation? Well I had written a lengthy rant about the ongoing anti-nuclear activism in Peterborough, but I got rid of most of it after a good conversation with James. Here's the jist:

A company in Peterborough makes exit signs that contain radioactive tritium. They went over their radioactive release limit. Protests ensued.

Sounds scary so lets go over the most important fact. The levels released from the site will have ZERO IMPACT ON BIOTIC LIFE. The company made some errors, reported them properly, following protocol, and will not harm anyone or anything.

If you want to learn more about the issue here is the very well-done presentation by the company at a public info session I went to (aside: I went to the presentation immediately after a workout, still in short shorts and a sweaty small tee, and I did not get looks for the craziest dressed).

Here and here are a couple of the articles the local paper ran. The comments give you an idea of the kind of arguments I've been having, of course I usually try to keep things civil and fact-based [EDIT: Comments have been taken down].

After a couple weeks of arguing and seeing things horribly misconstrued I finally understand Doug's frustration with some people. I mean, I originally thought the work James did about informing the public about radiation was cool. But now, after going to the information session and seeing the company providing well-grounded statements while members of the audience rudely interrupt with unkind remarks, I could not imagine standing in front of a crowd like and having to politely respond to people that won't listen to me in the first place.

Although at the same time ... challenge accepted.

Monday: Easy 16k
Tuesday: am Easy 7k, pm 3x(5x200m)
Wednesday: Easy 18k
Thursday: am Easy 6k, pm 12x2min
Friday: Easy 16k
Saturday: 18k Steady
Sunday: Easy 12k

Total: 133 kills

In other news, I'm back to real running this week and got to do my first track workout since July. Holy Toledo! Batman does it ever feel good to get back on the oval again. Of course, it's been so long since I've done speed work that my everything is sore.

"My body is confused, it doesn’t know what the hell is going on. But that is okay, just letting the body know who is in charge." -- Rob Watson

That's right, quoting Watson is trending, get on it while it's still hipster.

Tireless

I am easily in the best aerobic shape of my life. For my 20 week "season" from November 14 to April 8th I averaged 115 kills/week (that includes down weeks and injury weeks). As far a seasons go, my next best volume was summer track last year, where I "only" managed 100 kills/week (15 week season). Last year was also my previous best winter volume period, but I ran 88 kills/week, and the winter prior (2010) I ran 76 kills/week. Safe to say my volume is at an alltime high. Of course, typically in the winter I'm doing higher quality with indoor track meets where the trade off is lower volume. My point though, is if the vast majority of running coaches are to be believed, and high aerobic capacity leads to fast running, then I'm setup for some serious PB's this summer.

Couldn't find the article, but I remember reading somewhere (likely on this blog) that Lydiard (or some stotan) believed that you have reached the end of the base phase when you feel like you can run forever without tiring. I was disconcerted that I didn't feel it before now, but on my long run today I definitely felt it. Good timing too because after my little break this week, I get to finally touch the track next week!

Monday: Square
Tuesday: Easy 10k
Wednesday: Easy 15k
Thursday: 8x3min
Friday: Easy 10k
Saturday: Easy 14k
Sunday: 20k Long Run

Total: 89 kills

Switching gears, the Mac team could use your votes as they go photo-for-photo with the Laval boys in a hair and facial hair contest.