After running well for 8k at Harry Spring Run Off in High Park, I knew I was in good shape a 24:10 on that course is very good. So I went into my next race, Gina Relays feeling really confident, and went out quick going through 3k in 8:35 and I was still around 8th place at that time, man those college guys got out fast. The end result at Gina wasn’t pretty I finished in 14:45 or a 6:10 last 2k. So from Harry Spring, I knew I was still strong and falling apart after 3k at Gina showed I lacked something. Speed, so now I have another 5k race coming up in London on Wednesday May 23rd and I am gunning for the Olympic Trails standard of 14:25. So what have I been doing since Gina Relays? Well for the most part I’ve been on the track working mostly on my speed with a few pace workouts thrown in to keep me ready for the 5k. I feel I’m a little more prepared to run the 5k on the track, it’s a whole different world running on the track then on the roads and you need to be well rounded for your event to run your best. I feel that my speed has come along well now being able to run 60-63 second quarters when I was having trouble hitting 67-68′s. I’ve come a long way since Gina and am getting a chance to redeem myself on the 23rd. Like a pitcher that has just had a bad game and wants to get back on the mound and get back on track, that’s what I’m looking to do, although it’s on the track where I have to do it.
Well it’s been two years since my coach and friend Terry Goodenough passed away. Terry was my coach for over 10 years, starting when I was an immature 10th grader, through my college years, and into my post college years. Terry helped me develop as a runner and as a person, although I stayed immature for longer than most people and have gone down some wrong paths, Terry would always be there to correct my ways and let me make my mistakes (allowing me to learn in a different way). It wasn’t till after I graduated university that I made my first of seven national teams and it was with the help of Terry guiding me and getting the best out of me that I was able to make these teams. I was very happy when I was able to be on the Ekiden team with Terry as he was one of the coaches, he made the process of running fun and always had a way of making both good and bad races feel better. If I would run bad and feel disappointed he would turn it into a positive, and when I would run well he would keep me grounded, allow me to enjoy my success, but not become over cocky. Advice and wisdom from Terry was something that I grew accustom too, going over training, race plans, season prep, and workouts. When he passed it was hard and I still look for that wisdom and guidance that he provided, and many times when I want to discuss something from running to my personal life, I really wish he was still around to provide me with his calming advice and guidance in those tough times.
May 12th was the Terry Goodenough Memorial Run, they had a ground breaking at the Waterloo Cross Country Cross which they plan to extend for the fall, and have added two big rocks with a memorial plaque for his memory. The run was fun and most people took it easy, I decided to run the 4k hard and push myself, I wanted to run the way I always run, the way Terry knew me to run, always trying to run my best and trying to win. I ended up running the 4k by myself in 12:35. Terry always allowed his athletes to decide what they wanted out of running and then he would train them accordingly. I wanted to win OFFSA medals, a scholarship to an American University, to make national teams and Terry trained me accordingly and I was able to achieve these goals. There are other goals I have in my running and personal life that I still seek to achieve, and will continue to strive to achieve them.
After not racing on the track outdoors for well over a year, I kicked off my quest to run the Olympic Trials in Calgary at Gina Relays in the 5k. The trials standard is 14:25 and I was going to try and get it at Gina Relays. The race is located in Hillsdale Michigan about a five hour drive from Kitchener where I live. So Adam my training partner and I went down the day before to cover the travel. The Friday the day of the race was tough as the races Adam (10k 10pm also looking for the Olympic Trails Standard) and myself (5k 9:15pm) had us sitting around are room most of the day, would really have liked to have raced in the morning to avoid having the race looming over us all day.
Well 9:15 came, and I was quite nervous leading up too the race, hadn’t been on the track in so long. When the gun went off I got off to a horrible start, with 30 plus guys in the race getting off the line slow put me near the back of the pack. I wanted to get back in the mix near the front and spent a lot of energy passing guys on the outside and working my way through the pack to get closer to the front. After moving up I went through the first K in 2:53, but having to weave in and out in the outside lanes took something out of me. The next 2K were similar pace wise as I still went through 3k in 8:35, at this point I was on pace for my goal, but I also had something going through my head that was saying this is fast and it’ll be tough to keep up this pace. I had a rough last 2k, but the last two laps where likely the worst as it was at this point I truly released I wasn’t going to get the standard and that really put me in “just finish mode”. I was passed by a few runners on the last two laps and really didn’t put up a fight. I finished in 14:45 which had my last 2k at 6:10 not very promising. I have to say I was upset with the outcome as I felt I should have been able to run the standard with no troubles.
Going forward I realized that I haven’t done all that much speed stuff. It was also pointed out to me that I’m coming off marathon training over the past year, so transitioning to the 5k might be tough. Going forward I need to do more track/speed workouts that will benefit my 5k. I plan to run another 5k on the track on May 23rd in London Ontario, it will be make or break as there really isn’t any more 5k’s in the area after that. Giving me three weeks to get to that standard, time to step it up and make my goal a reality.
Also Adam ran 30:45 and got the 10k standard for the Olympic Trails, it will be the first Olympic Trails for him, I’m happy that he was able to accomplish this goal and I hope to join him in Calgary at the Olympic Trails in late June.
Well other than a slow indoor 3k a few months ago, I got my real start of the season at Harry Spring Run Off 8k. It was time to see how the training would project in a race. I was a little nerves having not raced in awhile and there being a really strong field. Josephat Ongeri took it out fast from the gun and by 1k he had a gap with Matt Loiselle, Kibet Rutto, and myself a few feet behind in chase. The first Km was a quick 2:51 and the field seemed to start to split at this point, we went down the big hill and rolled through 2k in 2:42 and now we’d caught Ongeri and he just joined are four man lead pack. I was staying in the back to have the others block the wind a bit. Going into the 3k was a nice uphill, half way up the hill was the 3k that we hit in 8:44. When we reached the top of the hill Matt took over the pacing and seemed to go into beast mood. Shortly after 4k Matt and Kibet made a gap on me, but I was able to work my way back. Just before 5k they pulled away again as we went into a downhill. This time they pulled away for good. Shortly after the break Matt started to pull away from Kibet and we all had a fair distance between each other. I just stayed focused and wanted to get to the finish. When I went through 7k Kibet had a fairly good lead and I just hung in there till the hill which was 400m from the finish. I noticed Kibet was hurting on the hill and I increased my efforts in pursuit. I was eating up ground and wasn’t sure if there was enough space to catch him, but near the top of the hill I was close and turned it up another gear and was able to pull away for 2nd place in 24:10. I was very happy with the race and it sets me up for a good 5k at Gina Relays in a few weeks.
Top five
1 23:54.6 1 LOISELLE, Matt M 27 Toronto
2 24:10.7 3 NAKLUSKI, Derek M 29 Kitchener
3 24:17.3 4 RUTTO, Kibet M 25 Waterloo
4 24:41.4 5 ONGERI, Josephat M 33 Hamilton
5 24:48.3 16 HORTIAN, Adam M 27 Waterloo
When looking for motivation for running nothing is better than watching a live marathon on a sunday morning. That’s what I plan to do tomorrow morning as the LA Marathon will be on at 10:30am EST. I watched this race last year a week before Around the Bay and the outcome of the LA marathon was similar to how the Bay race went, the leader pulled away at around the half way mark. This year I’m not running Around the Bay, but I’m running the Harry Spring Run-Off 8k in Toronto in three weeks, I’m hoping that the LA Marathon once again inspires me to run my best!
I’ve had a lack of motivation this winter, and have decided to focus on track in the spring/summer. Having it be an Olympic year I’d like to run the Canadian Olympic trials in the 5000m. Having said this I still plan on doing a few road races along with what I’ll do on the track. I don’t plan on running any races over 10k. I just haven’t been able to get in the right mileage and workouts to do well in longer races and they don’t apply to my summmer race goals. I’m excited about the upcoming season, but I’ll be more excited when we get through the winter and I can get in some good training outdoors.
So this winter is going to be low key with some lower mileage then I’ve run for awhile, and many base workouts like tempo’s and hills. I don’t really have any races planned for the winter, but that might change, if I do have a race this winter it’ll be just to prepare me for the spring. That’s where the tough decision comes in, I haven’t decided what my racing plans will be for the spring and summer. I have an idea that I’ll either do Around the Bay again or a half marathon. This decision will likely determine what I do for the remainder of the spring/summer. If Around the Bay went well I might consider doing a Marathon in May (although I think I’d like a break from the Marathon) although that doesn’t have to be the case. Personally I’d like to try and run a fast half as well being my pb is 65:25 I would really like to go after a sub 65 in a decent race. Again if I chose the half route I’d likely run one or two road races and then focus on track from late April on. Personally I’ve been back and forth about what race I should do and the route I should focus on for the season. If anyone has any input feel free to comment and maybe leave a possible half suggestion for late March early April.
Well every new season brings a new build-up and starting anew. Since my last season ended with a Marathon in the fall, a 3k in January is a big difference in distance something I haven’t really focused on in awhile. With training partner Adam Hortian we decided to run a low key indoor race this past weekend to knock off some rust, we had a goal of running 8:45 with just a few indoor track workouts for prep.
Well the race was low key and ended up starting an hour late, but when the gun went off I took the lead for the first K running it in 3 minutes, I didn’t really feel I could go much faster. After that 3 minute K, Adam took the lead and we went through 1500 in about 4:27-8 so the pace was a little quicker. The 2k was passed in 5:57-58 so it didn’t look like are goal was going to be reached, but with 500m to go I took the lead again and really started to push with 400m to go. I thought my push had gotten me the win until Adam pulled beside me on the final straight. It was a battle, but Adam edged me out by .10 of a second. We both ran 8:50 and are last 400m was in about 65 which is great considering the lack of speed work to this point. Although we didn’t run the time we had set we were happy with the second half of the race. We were still within a range of what are goal was and we knocked off some rust, we will improve from this point and the season has yet to really get going. It’s always important to keep races in prospective and an 8:50 is a starting point!
After a very interseting fall season that had some real fun races and the good weather that is now past, it’s time to get ready for a new season. That means starting at the base phase again. I don’t mind this, but it’s tough as a runner trying to get fit again. It’s winter so it’s cold and trying to get out the door can be tough, with any serious race plans monthes away it’s hard to get motivated at this time of year. I guess the good thing as a runner is we haven’t seen much snow yet, although it could just mean that it’s on its way and will be here for awhile. For now I’ve been doing runs with Adam Hortian and we’ve added some short tempo’s and hills. We’re planning a low key indoor race in January (which gives me a little something to be excited about, but I don’t know how excited I can get about running 15 laps around a hockey rink) so we will get on the indoor track soon. Yesterday I watched Saint Ralph on Christmas which I recommend to any runner to watch, it got me a little excited. That all being said I still got the winter blues!
Here is an interview from after the race in Detroit.
