Week of October 17th - 23rd, 2005

Monday 10/17
8pm – Tonight I just ran an easy run with Barry. We were pretty much running all around the neighborhoods looking for places for rent, seeing if there was anything available and that looked good because it looks as if we’ll have to move in January. Afterwards I did some really hard and long strides in my trainers. My legs looked leaner than I have ever seen them, it was pretty cool.
10 miles

Tuesday 10/18
Wednesday 10/19
8pm – I thought Vig would make me run a lot today, but he said since a lot of money on the line this weekend that I should gear up for the race, so I only ran 45 minutes easy with Barry.
7 miles

Thursday 10/20
9pm – I tried to get a workout done at the UT track but unfortunately they were setting the place up for Cold Pizza and ESPN Gameday, so I was forced to go down to Austin High, which actually wasn’t all that bad because the sprinklers were on that felt good. I ran 4 x 1000m really easy (2:53, 2:50, 2:48, 2:40) with 90 seconds rest. The last one I kept the same pace through 600m but closed in 59. I felt like a champ, and things might look good for the weekend.
8.5 miles

Friday 10/21
Today I traveled to San Diego in the late afternoon, but I squeezed in 20 minutes before I left and then ran 20 minutes and stretched a couple hours after dinner around the hotel.
6 miles

Saturday 10/22
Today I ran with Matt Kerr and Reid Coolsaet from the hotel in downtown San Diego. We ran down past the tourist aircraft carrier and along the waterfront. We ran about 25-30 minutes and then did 4 long strides on asphalt in a parking lot.
4.5 miles

Sunday 10/23
RACE – North American 5k Team Championships – 1st place – 13:58 (Team Winners)
Today I ran an awesome race to win the NA 5k champs in Chula Vista, CA. It was pretty windy out, but I decided to take it out after the first mile (a relatively easy 4:35). I think my second mile was in the low 4:20’s, and by the middle of the third mile I had built a pretty sizeable lead of about 15 seconds. I realized I had the win and was able to cruise home for the win in front of a pretty large crowd. It was awesome, and I felt like a million bucks ($3300 to be exact, hehe). Afterwards I cooled down with Reid for 25 minutes and then later on in the day took the plane home.
12 miles

Week Total – 48 miles

Week of October 10th - 16th, 2005

Monday 10/10
RACE – Izumo Ekiden (Izumo, Japan) – Leg Winner 23:36 8k (team was 14th/21)
I was really excited and happy to have gone back to Japan this year and won my leg at this race. It was probably one of the best athletic experiences I’ve had. The race itself was brutal since there was a stiff wind right in our face the entire way. I started pushing at 4k and only one guy went with me. He was a tough little guy and only dropped with less than 1km to go. It was on national tv in Japan and so I can’t wait to watch the video when they send it to me. Afterwards I ran for 30 minutes or so.
13 miles

Tuesday 10/11
8am – This morning before leaving Izumo I ran 50 minutes at a decent pace with the guys. We ran along the canal and up to the hills and back. It was a really nice run, and I didn’t feel to bad from the race.
8 miles

Wednesday 10/12
10pm – When I got off the plane from Japan tonight I was extremely tired, but I still managed to get out there and shake out for 20 minutes. Actually, I didn’t feel too bad, I slept almost the entire way home.
3 miles

Thursday 10/13
11am – This morning I ran down to Town Lake from the house and ran about 70 minutes at a decent pace. I tried not to look down at my watch, but I was probably running 6:10’s or so trying to stay easy.
11 miles

Friday 10/14
Today I ran 40 minutes in the morning and then 40 minutes faster in the evening with Barry. I felt great, and no feeling of jetlag at all.
12 miles

Saturday 10/15
11am – I ran a workout this morning. I might have waited a little long before doing it since the weather was a little hot and the bike path was really packed with people. In any case I ran 2 x 4 mile tempo with 4 mins jog R. I ran 21:10 for the first 4 miles and then turned around and ran 20:45 for the way back. My last 2 miles were 5:05, 5:10. I think I may have been pushing it a little hard in the last two miles, but maybe its because I hadn’t done a workout in so long.
13 miles

Sunday 10/16
8pm – Tonight I ran 90 minutes with Barry (on a bike) from the house to Scenic and then TL with a trip around the shoal creek area and all the huge houses there. It made it a pretty hilly run and I was moving pretty fast the entire way. I felt great, but the quads were a little sore from yesterday.
14.5 miles

Week Total – 74.5 miles

Week of October 3rd - 9th, 2005

Monday 10/3
Today I ran 50 minutes around Shoal Creek with an add-on. I definitely could feel that there wasn’t something right with my stomach, so that’s why I stopped a little short.
7 miles

Tuesday 10/4
I could not run today because of food poisoning. My stomach felt horrible.
0 miles

Wednesday 10/5
8pm – Tonight I tried to run 30 minutes easy with Barry, but I felt bloated and my stomach felt terrible. I had to stop a few times because of the shooting pain to my gut area. It may have been the worst run I have ever done.
3 miles

Thursday 10/6
Today was totally lost to travel. I had to catch a flight a 7am, and no time to get up and run. I had the most horrible GI problems ever on the plane. It was almost disastrous a few times. I have never gone to the bathroom so much in my life. I felt terrible.
0 miles

Friday 10/7
With the time difference and the travel to Japan, today was almost lost. When we got to the hotel in Izumo we ran maybe 25 minutes easy since we were crazy jetlagged. It felt good to shake the legs out.
3 miles

Saturday 10/8
8pm – Tonight I was able to get an easy workout in on the roads around the hotel. I ran about 20 minutes to warm up, and then ran 4 x 30 seconds hard with 30 seconds rest. I ran this in my trainers. I then ran 20 minutes to cool down. I’m a little worried because I haven’t worked out all week and this was a pretty pathetic attempt before the race on Monday.
6 miles

Sunday 10/9
10am – This morning before lunch we went for a little run along the river. I ran about 25 minutes and did some strides and some drills. I then stretched a bunch before going out to the special garden and tea house and then to the noodle place for lunch.
4 miles

Week Total – 23 miles

Week of October 3rd - 9th, 2005

Monday 10/3
Today I ran 50 minutes around Shoal Creek with an add-on. I definitely could feel that there wasn’t something right with my stomach, so that’s why I stopped a little short.
7 miles

Tuesday 10/4
I could not run today because of food poisoning. My stomach felt horrible.
0 miles

Wednesday 10/5
8pm – Tonight I tried to run 30 minutes easy with Barry, but I felt bloated and my stomach felt terrible. I had to stop a few times because of the shooting pain to my gut area. It may have been the worst run I have ever done.
3 miles

Thursday 10/6
Today was totally lost to travel. I had to catch a flight a 7am, and no time to get up and run. I had the most horrible GI problems ever on the plane. It was almost disastrous a few times. I have never gone to the bathroom so much in my life. I felt terrible.
0 miles

Friday 10/7
With the time difference and the travel to Japan, today was almost lost. When we got to the hotel in Izumo we ran maybe 25 minutes easy since we were crazy jetlagged. It felt good to shake the legs out.
3 miles

Saturday 10/8
8pm – Tonight I was able to get an easy workout in on the roads around the hotel. I ran about 20 minutes to warm up, and then ran 4 x 30 seconds hard with 30 seconds rest. I ran this in my trainers. I then ran 20 minutes to cool down. I’m a little worried because I haven’t worked out all week and this was a pretty pathetic attempt before the race on Monday.
6 miles

Sunday 10/9
10am – This morning before lunch we went for a little run along the river. I ran about 25 minutes and did some strides and some drills. I then stretched a bunch before going out to the special garden and tea house and then to the noodle place for lunch.
4 miles

Week Total – 23 miles

Week of September 26th - October 2nd, 2005

Monday 9/26
Today I ran 70 minutes easy, feeling a little bit sore from the long run yesterday.
10 miles

Tuesday 9/27
7am – This morning I ran by myself a couple of times, in the morning and then in the afternoon. It was really hot out today. I ran maybe 30 minutes in the morning and then 40 minutes in the evening.
11 miles

Wednesday 9/28
7am – This morning I was feeling really tired due to lack of sleep, but I did a short workout on the track in my flats. I ran 8 x 200 in 30-31, with 40 seconds rest jog (jogged 200m). It was really hard basically because of the heat. Tonight I ran again for about 20 minutes to shake the legs out.
9 miles

Thursday 9/29
Today I ran 40 minutes twice from the house, running very easy.
12 miles

Friday 9/30
4pm – Today I ran the course for the IBM race coming up. So I ran about 40 minutes pretty easy, and then did some strides in my trainers in the parking lot.
7 miles

Saturday 10/1
Today I just went out for an easy 60 minute run from the house to Town Lake and back
10 miles

Sunday 10/2
RACE – IBM Uptown Classic, Austin, TX – 1st place 10km – 29:05
I ran a terrible race today tactically. I felt great through 5km, but it was way too fast in 13:54, and then I died with the bad heat and horrible humidity. My 4th mile was like 5:10 or so. That was stupid and it cost me the record (29:03) and the money that went with it. The only good thing about this was the fact that I went through 5km that fast and felt so good, which means I’m starting to get in great shape. Afterwards I cooled down about 25 minutes or so.
14 miles

Week Total – 73 miles

Week of September 19th - 25th, 2005

Monday 9/19
7am – I ran 60 minutes easy down to Town Lake and back. Felt a little heavy after yesterday’s big run.
10 miles

Tuesday 9/20
7am – This morning I ran a hill workout with the guys at Morris Williams. We jogged there about 20 minutes and then did 20 hills. I was giving them about 2-4 seconds per interval and catching them near the top. The length of the hill repeat was about 200m, starting at 35 seconds for the fist 10 and then down to 31 for the last few.
14 miles

Wednesday 9/21
7am – This morning we met at the Greenbelt, but I ended up running on Town Lake. I felt pretty tired this morning and so I took it easy running about 6:40’s for 80 minutes.
12 miles

Thursday 9/22
Today I ran 40 minutes in the morning on the IF fields and then another 35 minutes in the evening around town easy.
11 miles

Friday 9/23
7am – This morning I ran a tempo run with the guys on Town Lake. We ran 4 miles in 20:30 (5:12, 5:03, 5:13, 5:02) from the 4 mile mark to 0.0. We ran back to the track where they ran 2k in 5:52, but I ended up running 3 x 1k in 2:43, 2:44, 2:44, with 90 seconds rest. That was really tough with the short rest.
12 miles

Saturday 9/24
7pm – tonight I ran 58 minutes from the house down to Town Lake and then back.
I felt pretty tired from running errands all day, but otherwise ok.
9 miles

Sunday 9/25
7am – this morning we all drove down to Bastrop State Park and ran 2 hours. The first hour was pretty easy and then the last hour steady. The trail was very nice most of the way.
18 miles

Week Total – 86 miles

Week of September 12th - 18th, 2005

Monday 9/12
7pm – Tonight I just ran 30 minutes easy with Barry around West Campus. I lost Barry about 10 minutes in as he chased a girl running in a Cornell shirt. He ended up getting her number so I guess that’s good for him
4 miles

Tuesday 9/13
7am – this morning I ran an easy 4 mile tempo run with Cutrer on the track. We went 5:15, 5:10, 5:10, and then Cutrer fell off, and then I ran the last mile in 4:45. It felt really easy except that I felt pretty fatigued from lack of sleep.
10 miles

Wednesday 9/14
8am – This morning I ran 70 minutes around Town Lake. I didn’t feel great, I think because it was so hot out, but I ended up running about 6 minute pace the entire way which was surprising.
11 miles

Thursday 9/15
8pm – Tonight I decided to take it easy, and I just ran 40 minutes.
6 miles

Friday 9/16
7am – This morning I worked out with the guys at Morris Williams golf club. We ran 8 x 1k on the flatter grass loop in 3:04-3:06, which felt really easy. The last one I opened up a little and run 2:44, and it felt easy, but I felt bad because I think I made a couple of the guys puke afterwards. Afterwards I ran 20 minutes cooldown and then 10 minutes easy barefoot on the infield.
14 miles

Saturday 9/17
10am – I ran the shoal creek loop on my own and added on a little in the small park for 40 minutes.
8pm – Barry and I ran 35 minutes during halftime of the football game, we were running at a pretty good pace.
10.5 miles

Sunday 9/18
6:30am – This morning I met with the guys and ran a long run. I ran the first mile with the guys and then dropped them since I couldn’t handle going 8:30 for the first mile. I looked down at my watch and ran 5:45 for mile 3 and then 5:45 for mile 4. I felt very good today and legs were great. I made it to the 8.5 mile marker in 48:00 and then turned around and averaged 5:35 for the last 5 miles that I could see the markers. I got to 0.0 in 1:33 or so, and then jogged the last 7 minutes.
17 miles

Week Total – 72.5 miles

Week of September 5th - 11th, 2005

Monday 9/5
Today I ran shoal creek easy. I was really tired because of the jetlag.
4 miles

Tuesday 9/6
This morning instead of doing a workout I ran for an hour around town. I ran on Shoal Creek and then added on a little.
9.5 miles

Wednesday 9/7
7am – This morning I joined the guys and ran on the Greenbelt for an hour, mostly with Raul. It was nice, and pretty cool out.
9.5 miles

Thursday 9/8
7am – This morning I ran a short but hard workout on the track. I put on my training flats and ran 1 mile in 4:34 (first 400 in 69), and then 1 min R jog, followed by 2 x 200m in 30 with 200m jog fast. Then jog 3 minutes, followed by 1 mile in 4:20 (last 400 in 61). I thought this wasn’t too bad considering I hadn’t done a stride in a week.
9 miles

Friday 9/9
Today I ran 15 minutes in the morning on my own and then 15 minutes in the evening with Barry.
4 miles

Saturday 9/10
I ran 15 minutes in the morning before getting on the plane and then 10 minutes with a few strides when I got to Providence.
4 miles

Sunday 9/11
RACE – Providence CVS 5k – 13:54 (5th)
I felt pretty good for the first 2.5 miles of this race and then I started to hurt pretty bad, I guess it’s because of a lack of base training that I couldn’t keep the pace. We were 8:50 at 2 miles and I thought I might contend. In any case I was pleased because I have never really run a competitive road race before, so this was a good start.
10 miles

Week Total – 50 miles

Week of August 29th - Sept. 4th, 2005

Monday 8/29 – Tonight when I got to Rovereto, which is an absolutely gorgeous place, I ate and talked a long time with Joe Gibson about training and the state of track, and then I went to run about 40 minutes easy. I saw some pretty funny sitings on the run, including a prostitute hanging in front of her car right in front of 4 cops in the middle of nowhere. I couldn’t figure out what the deal was with that. Anyway, felt good.
5 miles

Tuesday 8/30
Today I ran 20 minutes easy and then did some strides on the track in my spikes.
3 miles

Wednesday 8/31
RACE – Rovereto, Italy , 5000m – 13:41.09
I don’t think I’ve ever been as disappointed after a race as tonight. I missed the Commonwealth Games standard and it was horrible as I watched the clock go past. I had to run all alone the entire way and I was really frustrated about the guy behind me clipping my heels. It just didn’t happen tonight. I had to close in 59 just to get back to a respectable time. Afterwards I was so upset I ran a tempo run to clear my head a little.
14 miles

Thursday 9/1
5pm – When I got back to Dublin I ran 30 minutes easy
4 miles

Friday 9/2
I ran 35 minutes in the morning and then 35 minutes in the afternoon around Dublin.
8 miles

Saturday 9/3
I squeezed in 20 minutes before getting on the plane to Toronto
3 miles

Sunday 9/4
No running – Travel

Week Total – 37 miles