So I set a new PR this weekend. 3:50.78 for the 1500 meters. Am I happy with that? NOT AT ALL! I felt I had a terrible race, and felt like crap too. Everyone says that you cannot be upset with a PR, but I disagree. I did not want to travel to Oregon to PR by 1 second. I am ready to run 3:47 and I had a bad race. I will start from the beginning of the trip first.
So I traveled out on Wednesday at 5pm from JFK to Salt Lake City. From there I met up with Jeff Caron and then we traveled to Eugene, OR. We shared a hotel room which was pretty cool cause it was right on the edge of campus, so the track was within walking distance. The next morning I went for a run with Jeff's teammate Mario on Pre's trails for an easy 30 minutes and did some strides (Mario was also sleeping on our floor). The scene out there was AWESOME. Everyone was really into running and really seemed to know their stuff, and the area was so runner friendly. The only downside I can see to that place is the winter being cold and rainy, but so is Ireland, and that is where I have thought of living. Pretty much we just hung out all day and walked around campus and checked out the Oregon chicas and drank Chai. It was a nice relaxing day. After our day hiking around we went and picked up Brendan O'Keefe at the airport cause he was also doing the 1500. We ate dinner later that evening and pretty much called it a night. Oh yeah, I also forgot that there was a moment of tension for me when I found out there was a "B" Section of the
1500 and that I might not be in the fast heats. It worked itself out and I was all set.
Race Day:
One issue that kinda sucked about the whole trip was the fact that we could not really sleep in past 6 am. The first morning we were awake at 5:30 and the second day was a late 6 am. SUCKY! So we went down and ate a nice big breakfast at Deb's diner which was like 4 buildings away, I also think that I ate a little too much. Like most people imagine, we went back to the hotel and pretty much did nothing. Ate lunch, then did more of nothing. At 5pm we walked over to Hayward and then I did nothing for the next 2 hours. It was a very productive day. Once it was time to warm-up, I got my ass moving and lightly jogged around the cemetery on campus for 15 minutes and then began my pre-race warmup. I however, did not realize that there was going to be a guest appearance at the meet that would throw my event back 25 minutes. Barack Obama showed up at the meet and delayed the meet 25 minutes. I think it is very cool that he showed up and supported the meet, but there could have been a better way of doing it then just showing up and messing people up who are planning on racing well. There were actually 400 meter hurdlers IN LANES, ready to run when he came on, and then they had to get off the track for 20 minutes. NOT COOL! Anyways, I was already pretty much done with drills and decided to wait another 20 minutes before starting my strides, cause I wanted to be somewhat warm when I started my race. I did not feel the best doing my warm-up or strides, not really sure why, but I just felt choppy. Once I got on the track and did a stride or two I felt pretty relaxed and said to myself that this will be pretty good. We lined up and BANG, we were off pretty fast and found myself in last place pretty quickly, which I had no problem with. I was in last place at the end of the first lap in 60.5, and when I tried to move up on the second lap I found alot of resistence from people in the back and couldn't really move, so I just hung out being patient. 2:02 at the half and tried moving a little bit to get into better position, but with no avail. I ran the 3rd lap almost in lane 3, the whole time I was on the far side of lane 2 and COULD NOT get around people, it was really annoying. 3:03 at the 1200 and I moved around a few people, but with like 150 to go I was already tying up and dying. So I walked home in 3:50.78, a new PR, but a shitty effort. I felt very tight and tired the whole race, not smooth whatsoever. I am not making excuses at all, just did not feel great and raced the best my body was letting me. It was just a little disappointing.
Jeff also had a rough day. He had not run the whole week due to extreme pains in his shins, which had been thought to be stress fractures at first. He toughened it out and tried to due what he does. He went through the first mile at 4:34 I believe, and then the shins kicked in and he was forced to back off. He finished up at 15:12, and for all of those who know Jeff, that is a time that happens EVER for him. He will bounce back and get fast again at his next couple of meets.
Brendan O'Keefe was 2nd in the fast heat in 3:40.9, which was a nice PR for him.
We went out afterwards and had a beer and some food then hit the hay cause we had a long day the next day. My flight was at 10:30am and I decided to go for an easy run with Mario before we left. So we got up at 6:50am and went for 55 minutes. We ran along Pre's Trails, out by Autzen Stadium, and then back where we ended up going to Pre's Rock, where he died. The hill to get there, SUCKED! It was very cool to see it though.
Sun. May 11, 2008
11 miles on Colonial Greenway (easy run)
Sat. May 10, 2008
55 minutes with Mario in Eugene, OR. Pre's Trail/Pre's Rock
Fri. May 9, 2008
Oregon Twilight Meet - 1500
15 minute warmup, drills + strides, 20 min delay, 3:50.78, 3.5 mile cooldown
Thurs. May 8, 2008
30 min + strides, Pre's Trail
Wed. May 7, 2008
30 min on OCA, 5:30 pm flight to Eugene, OR
Tues. May 6, 2008
3 mile warmup, 2x800 1x400, 1 mile cooldown, STOMACH ISSUES
2:10, 2:12, 65
Mon. May 5, 2008
50 minutes + strides BRX path
Sun. May 4, 2008
1 hour 15 minutes at Rockies
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