a tANGIBLE StORm

Fresh in the mind's eye

2012-01-18T16:10:00.004-06:00

I have met a lot of fantastic people over the years, and I am thankful for that. Please read this blog by one of the most humble friends I have. My eyes were slightly misty anyway.

Olympic Trials Marathon 2012

2012-01-01T21:09:00.002-06:00

Check out the preview for our documentary detailing the months leading up to the Olympic Trials Marathon. Two weeks until race day. I cannot wait to race this sucker.

training with a little over two weeks to go

2011-12-27T21:22:00.000-06:00

Today was a gut buster. We threw down some pretty solid times on K repeats out on the Minneapolis side of the River Rd. right near the St. Paul border. The wind helped to make reps 1,3 &5 ridiculously faster than reps 2 and 4. In fact, I remember thinking I might not be able to finish the thing after the first one as it was a screamer. AC got it started off on solid footing.

Yesterday, Lehm and I met up with a 5 or 6 young lads (mostly Edina alum) for a nice 10+ miler out at Hyland. We are going there again tomorrow as being able to run on the dirt trails here in Minnesota right before the start of the new year is damn near impossible. Just a reminder that anything within reason is possible. I will be using that mantra coming up shortly.

One last hard workout before the Trials will be a marathon pacing session on Friday totaling 10-11 miles with an easy jogging break at the halfway point. I am guessing it will be a reasonable session as I have dropped my miles a bit this week plus the tubes will be blown out as a result those fast Ks.

I have always done well off of a significant reduction in volume before a big race. Some call it the 'taper.' I do not as I think that word is really stupid. Let's just call this part of the cylcle the leg/mind freshening period. Anyway, some folks do not prescribe to this practice and that is totally fine because everyone is different. I just know that for me, I need to drop the miles a bit in order to get the most out of myself on raceday.

Thanks to my sponsor Saucony, I have in my possession 4 new pairs of the Fasttwitch racing flat without the stability post. These suckers are awesome and I will be racing in them on January thee 14th. The Fasttwitch have a perfect amount of cushioning for 5 minute miling over 26.2 miles and they are the ideal weight. I have run the longer workouts in them as well as a few longish runs of 20 miles or so....couldn't be more delighted to be wearing them.

Finally, I have hopped on the Timberwolves bandwagon and am hoping I remain on board through the shortened 66 game NBA season. Ricky Rubio can pass that rock. Even LeBron tweeted that last night. I have a hunch he will get carried away some nights, but for the most part he will be exciting to watch. My prediction for the season: 33-33.

i don't need no beast of burden

2011-12-24T15:56:00.001-06:00

It looks like some of the major players for the Trials have been doing some really lovely training. I pay attention to this, but I never really 'pay attention' meaning I don't give a flying f what these boys' workout times are or how much they are loving training or how excited they are to be competing in Houston.

I learned my lesson a long time ago that it rarely matters what the others are hashing out. What matters is that I experience that 'feeling' in workouts and training where you know you are in the best shape of your life. I can think back to about 4 different periods of my career where I knew I was gonna pop something special and low and behold it popped. At the same time, there have been many times where I have faked workouts and appeared to be in good shape, but I knew deep down that things didn't feel just right, and my races showed it.

At this very moment I am so happy with where I am at in the cycle and I am very prepared for this marathon in 3 weeks. I have done every single workout with one of the top marathoners in the country (minus one mile of a 5 mile quick finish longer run where I just stopped early for some reason). I have never really felt like I was truly skulling it. I have felt very rythmic and strong in the faster sessions, much like a horse might feel when galloping across open fields. Or something.

Merry Christmas to every single person who happens to view this rant. I absolutely love the feeling that the holidays bring to me and am very excited for the day and happy to spend Christmas in SLP with my wife. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Christmas tuneage that you could listen to over and over and over and not be annoyed:

probably took it a little too far trying to sweat it out

2011-12-22T14:01:00.003-06:00

2011-12-20T16:56:00.002-06:00

There is currently no snow on the ground in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. No snow. On the ground. In fact, Lehm and I were able to pound out a steady 12 down at Hyland today, December 20th, 2011. Ree-gosh-darn-diculous.

Before we started this whole training cycle, we were trying to come up with some sort of contingency plan in case we needed to escape for awhile in December to put the finishing touches on the training cycle. This was when the plan would call for the long, marathon-paced, grind it out kind of running. The stuff that really puts the tiger in the cat. Like the 15 mile pace run with surges we ended up doing in Minnesota this past Sunday.

We most definitely did not want to have to do it on the treadmill. One of the options was to drive to Duluth and fly to Phoenix for $44 one way on Allegiant. For what we have needed to accomplish, and for whatever reason the weather, and more importantly the footing has been about as ideal as we could have ever hoped for at this point in the year in this state. And specifically on Sunday we needed it to be exactly how it was outside so I thank the Good Lord for that.

So we ran 12 miles at a very good pace. And then threw in another 30 minutes of surging. I can best describe my reaction to the workout as feeling the way it should feel in a marathon build-up at this point - fairly difficult, but easily able to maintain the agreed upon speed limit. I left the workout believing that if I was able to run a marathon, on fresh legs, 4 weeks from that day that I would be confident trying to maintain the pace. Not sure if that will happen or not, but the confidence to do so is there and that's very important to me. Also, it wasn't easy to the point where I felt completely sharpened which I don't think you would want 4 weeks out anyway. A couple more workouts at this type of intensity, and then a good 2 weeks of freshening the legs and we will be good to go.

We have a doctor's appointment on Friday to check in on little Doris Mae. She loves hearing Ryan Adams played when we make up in the morning. I tune it in on Julie's iphone and place the speaker on her belly, and the little gal just goes bonkers in the womb. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me. I think she already has fantastic taste in music.

Three more days until Festivus. Tis' the season.

Here are our splits from Sunday's run for the first hour of running. There will be documentary-style footage coming up of a lot of the training we did over this Olympic Trials cycle. Stay tuned.

4:54, 4:59, 5:00, 5:00, 4:57, 5:00, 4:57, 4:56, 4:55, 4:57, 4:58, 4:56... 59:33 at 12 miles then 30 minutes of top-secret style surging. I will not divulge the recipe....a definite game-changer though.

ahem, is it me or is it hot in here?

2011-12-15T21:11:00.001-06:00

So the other night AC and I ran at Lifetime inside on the treadmills. I wore long tights and a long sleeve. AC wore long tights, winter hat, tshirt, and sweatshirt. SWEAT. ING.

Tonight I one-uped old AC. Tights, Goretex pants, Carharrt overalls, two pairs of wool socks, four long sleeves, a Goretex jacket, Carhartt jacket, and sweatshirt, two hats, and my winter boots. Oh, and a neck gaiter. And a balaclava. I did 20 miles at a relaxed 5:16 per mile pace. God, it was so hot. I forgot three pairs of gloves, including one Gortex.

So I made this up, but we are trying to make sure that we ignite the sweating mechanism and run in a little bit of a mini-sauna in case Houston gets a tad warm on the 14th of January. The record high is 80. So we are trying our best to "heat train" as Sparky calls it using layers upon layers and hopefully we can be as prepared as possible coming from the Northland.

In closing, my brother and his wife Megan are running the 5k the day after the Trials in Houston. They started running to get fit before their wedding this past October and are still at it - I am thinking they caught the bug. This makes me extremely happy and I am very excited that a large majority of the fam will be making the trek.

Ryan Hall says it will take under 2:10 to make the team. Guys like Reid Coolsaet (Canada take off eh), Scott Overall (UK), and Brett Gotcher (USA) have PRs near that, and so knowing that I have come fairly close in some, not all, races to those boys over the course of my career gives me some hope. I am not saying I am going to run 2:10 easy, no problem, just line up and it's guaranteed. But I will go down fighting and if I can run the pace that day I will, and if I can't well then I'll take what I'm given on that occasion and be happy with knowing I put it all down.

2011-12-08T09:18:00.000-06:00

Every mile is two in winter.
-George Herbert

I find this quote true to the fullest extent. Two days ago was the first time since last February or March where I stepped out the door and felt like I just got blasted hard in the face by what is Minnesota. And I was layered up hardcore - long sleeve, short sleeve, water/windproof jacket, tights, pants, two socks, hat, gloves. I was way overdressed. Way overdressed. It took awhile to warm up the muscles to move the way I intended them to. And with all those variables, it seemed as if I was working way, way, way harder trying to get in a simple 11 mile run than I would in the summer. I want to call this poor man's altitude (minus the blood chemistry changes) where the body is working way harder to run slower.

Yesterday, the four of us hammered out a 24-25 miler from the SLP LTF. For me, it was exactly like a marathon in terms of going in and out of the feeling good-feeling worse state. But at the end of the thing I honestly had that special feeling where the body and mind tell you that it is time to bust a really good marathon. There are five weeks until we will find that out and until then I will just keep plugging away at it. There is some difficult training over the coming 3 weeks, but if the storm can be weathered, sickness can be avoided, and injury dodged then chaos might just ensue down in Houston.

vegas, baby. vegas.

2011-12-05T19:33:00.002-06:00

Sunday evening I ran a 1:04.19 half marathon. This was done the hard way by myself meaning I was skulling it out the last few miles as the legs were shot. The race was run under the lights, along Las Vegas Boulevard (aka The Strip). I was very pleased with the competitive fire I showed in the last couple miles as I gutted it out trying to stay with Mr. Quigley. Hartmann, Lehmkuhle, and Carney were staging a battle about 150m ahead while Houseworth had cleared out the field around 7 miles. That kid looked really, really smooth and efficient. At one point I felt as if Quigley and I were gaining on the three others, but alas we were not and had to fight off some young lad named Tapia the last half mile. That was not an easy course as there are plenty of turns and the last half had a slight incline with a wind in the face.

The part that sticks out the most from this particular footrace was not the gleaming lights of the MGM Grand or the Ballagio, but at mile three when Jason L. cocked his head to the side at an extremely weird angle, pursed his lips, and scratched the side of his head basically telling himself enough was enough; time to string out this field of pretenders.

So he went and naturally I went and the 4:33 mile strung the pack down to who I thought would be there in the first place (+ the winner Houseworth). So now it was 6 of us through 10k in 29:20. It was the same pack for another half mile or so. I felt extremely good just before 10k and threw in my own surge, but by miles 7-8 things were broken up and it wasn't me who caused it. It was the young gun. I ran with Jason Hartmann and Sean Quigley for a small while as James and Jason L. had given chase to the youngster Sean Houseworth. Hartmann and his mentronome running style just weathered the storm and ended up realing them in and going on to claim runner-up status. I can see why that guy is such a fantastic marathoner as his cadence, breathing, rhythm, and intent focus never changed; from my vantage point anyway.

The last 5-6 miles the legs were tight and heavy...definitely could tell the marathon miles were there. The wind was cold. The slight uphill seemed like I was climbing Everest. But I competed and was reminded that the Marathon will be a long process in January and that I need to keep my composure early on and stick to my own race plan. Letting other people dictate what you do in a marathon race sometimes can be a small recipe for disaster. In contrast, in a half-marathon I feel like a few more risks can be taken for greater reward although going out so fast and ending up having to skull it out the last few miles down the Vegas strip may prove otherwise. But I wouldn't want to have run that race any other way and was happy I threw punches as long as I could at those boys.

After a complete day off from running today I am looking forward to really hammering out the next month or so before it will be time to spend a couple weeks freshening up the legs. I am pretty sure I will just do all my training here in Minnesota and I don't really have a problem with that. I will be able to really grow out the beard hardcore and let the red shine through.

set out runnin' but I take my time, a friend of the devil is a friend of mine

2011-11-29T08:26:00.000-06:00

There's something about going out for a jog on a clear, cold, Minnesota night that makes you really feel like you're training. Like you could just blast by anybody in a footrace. It's a feeling of invincibility and I loved that feeling last night. I hope it's there on the Vegas Strip on Sunday evening.

Another week down in the cycle. 6 weeks from Saturday...day of destiny - do or die.

I had a lovely time this past Wed, Thurs, and Fri in Manchester, CT. I once again was fortunate enough to have the Kilpatrick family as my hosts for the Manchester Road Race. This was Thanksgiving number 2 with them and it was a nice celebration. I was sad to not be with Julie, though. We made the jaunt to Dubuque County Friday, straight from the airport. That was a long travel day.

The race experience this time around in Manchester was different than the last here as I was extremely pleased with my race overall rather than dejected. I remember running about 50 seconds slower back in either '07 or '09 and getting beat by some fat guy wearing a letsrun.com singlet who I had never heard of. 2009 at Manchester was just demoralizing all around.

The 2011 version was different. I was competitive the entire way and felt like my old self out on the road which has not happened too many times out recently. I wished I had dug a little deeper the last 300 or so, but alas the legs were truly marathon legs at that point in the race. I've put in 120-130 mile weeks the previous month so I made myself let the buzz happen after finishing 4th here and running 4:34 per mile for 4.748 miles. 21:42 on that course is very solid and in previous years would have pushed for the win. Major, major props to Father Olinger who ran one of the fastest times on the course in its 75 year history. And to the young Landon Peacock: you have many great years ahead of you. Stay the course...you have one of the best coaches out there in Peter Rea. AC ran tough as always, and earned the 3rd spot. Deservedly so.

Today was 4 x a deuce over on a different Edgecumbe course in St. Paul. I think I went something like 9:37, 9:35, 9:30, 9:21. This was a bit of a struggle as I ran 24 miles on Saturday and the legs felt it. I felt fantastic on that Saturday run though out in the rain on the Heritage Trail in Dubuque County, just dreaming and hoping out there on the crushed limestone. Thank God I put band-aids on the nipples that day - 0 chafage.

And so we will have one more test this coming Saturday evening with the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Vegas. The cool thing is the course is entirely on the Strip. There are some gents in the race who I would love to beat and I will dig as deep as I have to. It's a red-eye outta there on Sunday at 1am and then time to put the hard hat on and grab the lunch pail.

Just a little something to get the morning started off the way it should...

Taking down the last post

2011-11-21T21:58:00.001-06:00

I took down the large majority of my last post because I thought it sounded like I was being a little whiny, spoiled, American. Please click on the link to Toni's blog though as it is a fantastic read.

MG

2011-11-21T15:02:00.002-06:00

I read this piece by Tony Reavis and it really struck a lot of chords.

Monday, 9 weeks to go

2011-11-14T14:31:00.000-06:00

I'm guessing that we will soon be blasted with pre-race coverage of the Olympic Trials Marathon(s). This is a good thing. It is also a bad thing. Obviously, any excitement that stems from promoting the greatest sport on the planet is a good thing. But for the love of God, if I see any more running coverage that is extremely below average I am going to, well, I don't know but take Benjamin Franklin's advice..."Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.” I will now get off my soap box.

Last week was relatively high in terms of miles. Obviously, nothing compared to the marathon vet Jason Robert Lehmkuhle who threw in 140 plus. But I was up there and had some good workouts including a 28 miler where sub 6 minute miles near the 3 hour mark didn't seem like sub 6 minute miles. In a good way. But I very much wanted that sucker to be done when mile 23 rolled around. We averaged some good splits last Monday over 40 minutes of "threshold" running. What exactly is threshold I will never be able to say, but our last mile was 4:33 and I was pleased.

It appears we have some k repeats scheduled for Wednesday of this week. I need to wrap my head around the fact that it is November and the weather hasn't kicked us in the nuts yet. I see some 30s as high temps in the near future, but it's nearly Thanksgiving and we have gotten in some good work on iceless trails and for that I am thankful.

The minute it gets too bad to run fast outside, I am hightailing it to Phoenix. The wife has given me permission after "making sure" a million times that this is an ok thing to do. Unfortunately, our gas bill will skyrocket over this 3 week stretch as I am sure the furnace will be jacked up to 75+ during my 3 week hiatus. Oh, the sacrifices.

Looking forward to racing the Manchester Road Race for my 3rd and final time in Manchester, CT, on Thanksgiving Day. This is a great race on a fairly, but not too fairly, difficult course. I have been disappointed in my previous two results there so hopefully the third time will be the charm.

the year of years

2011-11-07T13:03:00.002-06:00

I will describe 2011 as easily the greatest year of my life. So far anyway. Not even close.

1. Married to the most fantastic woman on planet Earth
2. Baby girl Doris Mae Gabrielson on the way this Feb 17th
3. As a rookie coach led Edina girls to first MN State CC Meet in 12 years and finished in top half of the standings in 8th.
4. Ran huge PR in marathon at 2:13 which is the 6th fastest time in USA this year; currently seeded 11th for Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston January 14th.
5. Brother Mike married

So I am just really blessed. But I also believe that a human being goes out and makes things happen and that if one does things the way they were intended to be done then things totally will fall into place - or at least things will happen the way they do. There is always something to be learned whether it be a hard, tough lesson, or one that is easily digested. Whatever the case, I'm motivated and at 33 years old feel like I've accomplished a lot and really want to pass on those lessons learned to anyone willing to listen.

Today was a banner day out on the Luce. If I were to compile a list of my favorite training partners of all time Lehm and AC would be interchangeable at 1 and 2. It was the three of us skulling it out over the infamous Fifteententenfive today. It felt good to just push, and feel like we were really training our balls off. It was a fantastic feeling not letting myself give in and to have those guys there to drag me along was really awesome. It felt good to be in control and to really feel that progress is being made in fitness as Jan 14 looms just less than 10 short weeks away. So 8 miles averaging just at 4:50 pace or so is a huge boost to not only fitness but probably more importantly confidence.

I will add that the last five miles of Jason and my Friday 21 miler was right at 24:44. I did have to dig deep for that one, but the two days after of slogging actually did not feel that bad and that's a good sign also.

Finally, God bless whoever came up with Spotify. I am not sure how long this thing has been popular but for all the love it is an awesome, awesome concept. I have had to turn off the feature that lets others see what I am currently listening to. I don't need anyone learning about my affinity for Pitbull or Lawrence Welk. Wait...

one step closer to the edge

2011-10-19T21:56:00.001-05:00

Today was the Wednesday Hyland run with Schen-dell, Lehm, and the rook Jonny Grey. It's easy to overdo this thing because of the hills. But I will be out there each Wednesday until the snow starts letting loose. The loop has been logged as anywhere from 9.7-12 miles depending on who you are. Zac had a Garmin on one arm and the Nike Sportwatch on the other and pathetically they were .3 of a mile different. He does hold his right arm in a jacked position so i am attributing the differences to that. We ran this loop a couple minutes faster than last week with the same effort so I am guessing the more consistent training the last couple weeks is coming together.

24x200 tomorrow and 3x2.5 miles Sunday. 120 miles for the week with 12 weeks to go from this Saturday until the (semi) big day. The actual big day will be around Feb. 17 when Doris Mae Gabrielson is due.

Section Cross Country Wednesday for the Edina Girls. I would give anything if the girls can grab one of the coveted two spots to the State Meet from Section 6AA. We'll race to get one that is for sure. Go Hornets!

Seventeenth of October Twenty Eleven

2011-10-17T14:01:00.000-05:00

There are just certain people that bring out the best in me. I will not name those who bring out the worst, even though I desperately want to. But I am extremely blessed to have my wife Julie by my side as she really brings the positive energy. And in running I am fortunate to train with a great group of boys. Especially AC and Lehm. I just feel confidence after a good morning of training with these guys.

We've started preparing for the Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston on January thee 14th. I would guess that each of us feels like we are in a good spot at the moment with the fitness, yet top level shape feels like it's light years away (even though it is extremely close. Like probably 12 hours for Jason). And although the first couple workouts and long runs of this 3 month stretch are challenging enough to elicit the same response each time, "Ugh," we can handle them and be excited for whatever is next thrown at us. I would say this is a fair assessment.

I also think it will be extremely important over the next 13 weeks to spend a couple Saturday nights hanging out at the Park Tav, enjoying Surly's Furious, and listening to somewhat surprisingly above average karaoke. Thank you AC, wife, Joey, and Hannah for the laugh attack(s) Saturday night.

13 weeks to go, plenty of 130ish weeks, lots of dreaming big, and a ton of memories. I'll keep you posted.

Can I get a hallelujah from the congregation

2011-09-30T09:36:00.000-05:00

2011-09-18T17:40:00.000-05:00

One week from tomorrow we will learn the sex of our first child. I have this deeply seated feeling that Julie and I are having a girl. Also, after 33 years I will officially become an adult!

Honestly, it is still hard to grasp onto the idea that I will become a father in February. Never in a million years did I think I would feel this attached to something that I haven't even laid eyes upon yet. This is completely the case, though. I feel like everything I do from training to coaching, to hawking shoes at TC Running, is motivated by this little human being that will be born around February 17.

And to be honest I needed a shot of it. Of the motivation. I am 33 years old and it just isn't the same as it was 10 years ago when you pound out every run trying to become the next upstart American distance runner dreaming of outsprinting Tim Broe, Adam Goucher, or Bob Kennedy to the line in the 5000m.

In the present time, the thinking is what do I have to do to sneak into the top three at the Olympic Trials in Houston, Texas? In the marathon. Completely different.

Do I need to get out there and skull 140 mile weeks or are 110 enough? Pace on these runs mean very little to me now. I am sure sometimes I average 7:30 pace on a 10 miler. Whatever. !0 years ago, I possessed the mentality that every run should count. Meaning, hammer every run. I have learned that every day is different and I always take what I am given. I believe this is how you see improvement. You never push the envelope if you cannot. And if you can, well for the love you better be pushing.

I also truly believe that, besides Ryan Hall possibly being a lock, the 2nd and 3rd spots are up for grabs on January thee 14th in Houston. Who knows what Ritz is up to, or Meb, or if Galen or Solinsky will run? Who knows?

But I know that there are about 10-20 guys who could have the day of their lives out on those roads of Houston, Texas, and sneak away with a berth on Team USA for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Everyone will have their own motivation, but none will have the extra shot of motivation I will have to make that team.

Two dates in my future with everything on the line: January 14th and February 17th. 2012.

Summa Summa Summatime

2011-07-03T13:32:00.002-05:00

Uff Da. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind with very little running, yet some nice activity to refresh the mind, body, and spirit.

I did not run a step between the time I crossed the Grandma's finish line and last Sunday the 26th. Julie and I were in Rapid City for a long weekend and on Sunday went for a 20 minute shag around her old neighborhood trails. I could tell two things on this run: 1. We were at a touch of altitude and 2. I lost some fitness during that week off.

The highlight of the trip was a the hike up Little Devil's Tower in Custer State Park. Just spectacular views of the Black Hills.

It was a perfect way to spend a Saturday in the summertime and topped off easily the best 4 week stretch of my life. Got married, ran a solid, solid marathon, was named head coach of the girls' cross country team at Edina HS, and turned 33. I have learned to not ride the highs too high or the lows to low, but it was tough to follow this philosophy over that month long period with so many good things happening.

I made it out two other times this past week for 20-30 minutes. I have biked a couple times. It has been a nice break from the daily grind, but it is time to get back to work with the main focus being the USA Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston on Jan. 14.

I can't wait for the buildup. Not sure what the races between now and then will be at this point, but I will be doing quite a few from 5k-halfmarathon in distance.

Grandma's Marahton mile splits:
1 515 (easing into it on purpose)
2 509
3 507
4 505
5502
6504
7/8 1009 for 2
9 506
10 457
11 506
12 505
13 505
14 453 (could feel a drop in pace and backed off)
15 500
16 502
17 505
18 507
19 458
20 512 (complete stop at water bottle station)
21 507
22 505
23 502
24 509
25 506
26 516 (into wind)
.2 64

I need to get out and enjoy the summer air in the meantime.

Dam(n)

2011-06-12T09:42:00.009-05:00

One week to go until Grandma's. I am in great shape. The weather looks favorable...decent temps with quite possibly a tailwind.

One week ago, however, I did not know what the heck was the problem. I was a little off my game at Dam to Dam. I attribute that not to warm temps at 75 up to 80f, but mainly to the humidity on the day in Des Moines. When I walked out of the hotel I was thinking to myself "Holy Mother of God!?!?"

I should have adjusted my plan to running even split 5 min miles over the tricky course with even a 5:05 from the gun for the first mile. This would have given me a better shot to be in the top 3.

But instead I went 4:48, 4:45, 4:48, 4:52 for the first 4 and then it was game over. 6th place. Solo 8 miles to the finish. My competitive instincts got the best of me and then so did the conditions.

So I was reminded how important flexibility is and again I learned a lot about adjusting game plans. I will be a bit more savvy on the journey from Two Harbors to Duluth.

The positive thing was that I never, ever gave up even though I had some 5:15 miles in there. I fought the best I could until the finish line, and really that is all you can ask from yourself.

This is how it is for any level of runner. I have always believed that is one of the greatest things about the sport; that every person running the race has 1 similar goal - to get to the finish the best they possibly can. Some folks are just blessed with a better genetic make-up for distance running and can run a certain distance faster. Big deal. Unless you are Haile Gebresellasie there will always be someone faster.

But when you have a great day, you have gotten the most out of your mind and body, and you beat people you aren't supposed to; you get to the finish line the best you possibly can - this is a beautiful thing.

I will say that I love being in a pack of the journeyman Kenyans and Ethiopians and being the only white boy. At Dam to Dam, I just wanted to beat all of them...I mean just crush them and have a perfect final two weeks of prep for Grandma's.

Instead, I will just have to make the last week perfect and give it another shot up on Hwy 61.

There are some good Americans in the field as well, but if we all were to have our best days out there I feel like I am the best of that bunch. But that's the thing, it all depends on the day and what your body will allow you to do. I'm almost certain that these guys would feel the same about themselves, and this will add to the allure of the race.

I am and will be prepared for this race and I will be as competitive as is humanly possible.

When all is said and done, I believe I am a 2:12 marathoner on my absolutely greatest, most perfect day. That result may or may not happen in a week, but I will go into this sucker with a smart race plan and nothing but positive energy flowing through the veins.

When it starts getting to the really painful part of the marathon I will let the mind be in charge and will not turn back. Let's do this.

This baby got my heartrate rollin':

not even sure where to begin

2011-05-31T07:52:00.000-05:00

There is now a wedding ring on my finger and I cannot stop twisting it around and around. It feels sooooo good, too.

The last week for Julie and me has been an absolute blissful, nonstop, whirlwind, adventure. I am pretty sure I had about 3 or 4 minor heart-attacks when the weather became uncooperative for a bit on Saturday. I am also pretty sure on Saturday before the wedding I had to hit myself repeatedly on the chest like Chris Farley in those Chicago Bears/Bulls SNL skits, but then the sun came out after the pouring rain stopped and we had an absolutely spectacular setting at the Lyndale Peace Gardens.

There is too much to write about in one blog so I will say this:

I am an extremely, extremely fortunate human being. I love Julie so much. I have a wonderful family on all sides, and the greatest friends a guy could ever ask for. Thank you to all of you for one helluva weekend.

I was so tired on Monday, but I managed to get outta bed (even though I couldn't sleep and was wide awake at 3:30am) for the greatest Memorial Day celebration on planet earth: The Brian Kraft 5k. Now keep in mind I was fueled for this thing by mainly beer and over processed meat products and very little water, yet it felt surprisingly easy running out on the south Minneapolis roads.

There were some faster young bucks in the field so I did not want to leave anything to chance once the "gun" fired and have it come down to a sprint finish. Even though I still would have pulled it out, I have a lot of 5 min pace in my legs at the moment and to drop it down to a 60sec quarter mile at the end would have been extremely difficult.

First mile, 4:28. Feeling surprisingly easy. Second mile, 4:32 with some wind in the face. Still feeling great. Mile 2.01 major, major, major side stitch which made mile 3 an agonizing 4:50. I had to dig real deep to keep on trucking as it felt like a knife was being repeatedly jabbed in my right side below the point of the rib cage. Although I experience this frequently in races this one was probably attributed more to dehydration, lack of sleep, a lot more beer being consumed than water, and a fast pace. I am confident I would have run 10 seconds faster than the official 14:24 if not for the effing stitch. It was not present on the cool down so that it a good thing.

Overall though a good, solid effort. I continue to feel the fittest I have in years. The run also set a course record and I picked up 200 bones in the process. There were a lot of fantastic people out at Lake Nokomis. Glad Julie and I trekked over there Monday morning.

Dam to Dam 20k this weekend is up next and then two weeks to go until Grandma's. Still some work to be done, but I am confident and excited about the prospects.

Thanks to all of you who celebrated with Julie and me or who sent positive thoughts and energy our way. It doesn't get any better than this.

Got a brand new suit and a brand new wife (almost) I can live on rice and beans Some people never worked a day in their life Don't know what work even means

2011-05-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

Thought of the Day:
Do you ever notice when you are on a run the cyclists all decked out in their lycra and helmets and silky smooth legs...you can hardly tell the difference between who is absolutely fantastic and who is average on the bike? I mean obviously in a case where they are riding 30+mph it is differenct, but man I tell you I saw about 15 riders who looked like they could be a professional during my 1:20 run yesterday afternoon.

Another workout in the books. I will rank today's sesh as my best effort since late September of 2008. This morning a little after 7, I met good, ol' Lehm at his place and jogged to the Ford Bridge parking lot by the Lock and Dam where Ddog was waiting patiently as usual with a gigantic grin on his face. You could just tell that old Gargamel Barker and something very tricky up his sleeve.

On tap was 2x5.5 miles on the River Road loop heading north, crossing Lake/Marshall Bridge and heading back on the St. Paul side to Ford Bridge and to the parking lot. It is not flat by any means but more steadily rolls similar to how Grandma's will play out. A big hill going up to St. Thomas mimics Lemon-Drop hill at a point in the workout where I needed to dig a little to stay on pace as well. Brilliant.

So I averaged 4:58 on the first rep with Jason right there doing his first workout since running a very nice 2:13 at London Marathon. I felt pretty good on this first rep and always felt like I had something more to give which was good as I had another one to go.

Took the short rest between to drink some Cytomax and jog out any stiffness in the legs that had crept in. The second repetition blew my mind as I averaged 4:50 and felt very in control. I told Dennis beforehand that this workout was going to be tough SOB. His answer: "Well good, it's supposed to." I did not think I would be in so much control of my body, breathing, and rythym. Very happy with today.

I am in a good spot right now with 3.5 weeks until raceday in Duluth. I will be very busy over the next few days with all the wedding activities which is probably a good thing as I won't have training on my mind constantly as I sometimes do. Distractions can be good for the soul.

I love running though. Especially in the spring when the humidity is starting to be noticeable and especially when you experience the training effect I was fortunate enough to feel today. My mind is sharp at the moment and I am fit so it's just time to stop talking and instead time to rock and roll. See you at Brian Kraft, two days after I become Mr. Julie Schwengler.

2011-05-22T22:01:00.000-05:00

4 weeks remaining until Grandma's Marathon. I will throw two races in there before then - Brian Kraft 5k on Memorial Day around Lake Nokomis and Dam to Dam 20k in Des Moines on June 4. I feel like I am going old school with this one by racing a variety of distances close to marathon day. I almost feel like a lot of the current American marathoners might be a bit too cautious with the racing and putting too many eggs in the basket for the one special day. Although, it normally works for the Hanson's group, there have been an abundance of 2:14-2:15 performances coming out of Rochester Hills. Now I am not knocking these times, as I would be absolutely thrilled to add a 2:14 marathon PR to my resume, but perhaps a few more races in the lead up could help knock a minute or two off those averages. That's what I am banking on this time for myself. We will see how my hypothesis plays out in four weeks.

The USATF 25k footrace I ran last Saturday in Grand Rapids was a good evaluation of my current fitness heading into the last month of the Grandma's training cycle. I layed off the hot pace early and stuck to my game plan of running even splits. I accomplished this, but it kinda sucks remembering that I was watching the pack stay the same distance in front of me for half the race. It got tough running solo, however, as we turned into the wind and hit the hilly section of the beautiful course. If I was sharper and did not have the mindset that the race could be used more as marathon prep, I am hoping I could have been up there in the top 3. Possibly not though, so I will just take the result and use it as a confidence boost because I felt very strong. Averaging 5 min pace over 25k is so much more of a marathon predictor than any half marathon and so I took a lot of positive from the day.

Here is my training for this past week with a hard sesh on the Lake-Ford River Road loop looming this coming Tuesday:

Sat Race 25k 1:17.50 for 5th place, wu&cd
Sun Easy 1:20+ min with Julie on the bike giving fluids every 20 min. Felt ok considering the race was still in the legs
Mon AM 76 PM 58
Tues AM 1 hr with Lundo @ SLP LTF PM 45 min
Wed AM with Schen-del and Lehm 10 at the Lakes PM 25 min
Thurs AM 40 min PM Grass Track 24x35 sec wu&cd
Fri 1:15
Sat 24 miles in the pouring rain w/AC home-medicine lk-Theo Wirth last 1200 5 min pace or under
Sun 65 min

2011-05-06T09:08:00.002-05:00

The time has flown by the last few months. Finally, finally the weather seems to be turning for the better and all the Minnesotans can get their vitamin D levels back up to where they were before winter reared its head last October. May and June will be busy times for myself and Julie.

Three weeks from tomorrow is the BIG wedding day. We will be married at the Peace Garden near Lake Harriet. This area is a favorite of mine in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area and if the day is sunny and warm then it will be absolutely brilliant. It hasn't really hit hard until recently that my wedding day is actually going to happen after nearly 33 years of waiting for the perfect woman to come into my life. Luckily I layed down major 'game' the night I ran into Julie and she fell for it. I cannot wait to be married to her...she is just an awesome human being. And although the costs of putting on one day of celebration are utterly ridiculous, I would not have anything but an open bar for people that would take time to witness our wedding...it'll be a good time!

Then on June 18, I will run my fourth marathon this time in Duluth at the 35th Grandma's. I have made a few simple changes to the training this time around with the help of many folks including Dennis Barker, Schen-dell, Lehm, Lundo, V. Lucas Watson, Matt Downin, Nicoli, Kurt Decker, Nathaniel Jenkins and a few others I have spoken with about the tricky art of marathoning. These changes aren't major, but simple things like: not skulling out as many miles as I previously thought I may have needed, putting another day of recovery in between hard sessions if needed even if it's 3 days of easy running, finishing the last few miles of long runs with more effort, or maybe not running such long continuous marathon paced runs. In fact, it is very handy to be running the USATF 25k Championships in Grand Rapids, MI, in a week as this can serve as the major long, hard, marathon-type effort of this cycle for Grandma's. Although it will be a lot faster than the pace for the marathon, the effort will be very difficult especially with hills and this will be good prep.

I feel fit and really want to be able to put myself in a position to be in the top 3 at these events in May and June. The fitness has come a long way since the Gate River 15k back in early March and the racing last Saturday at Get in Gear 10k felt more natural then it has in awhile. I battled the Kandie-man for nearly 6 miles and then tightened the screws a bit over the last quarter mile. He couldn't match it, and I won the race fairly convincingly over that last stretch 29:45 to 29:51. It was a really good feeling to pull that one out because I know Richard Kandie's credentials are very solid and he is the best Kenyan runner in the area. He battle MacDonard Ondara to the line in Kansas City over 4 miles at the Trolley run a few weeks back, and MacDonard ran fast at the Bloomsday 12k last weekend so this is justification enough for me that my run was a good one.

So the bottom line is, I am confident about my running at the moment and if I compare it to where I was a year ago, it's night and day. I (fortunately) watched live Christopher Solinsky set the American record on the Stanford track over 10000m and then I subsequently finished dead last in the next heat, ran a miserable 30:10, and messed up my achilles which took me out for the summer. It was not fun. But looking back I realize I have fought hard and stuck to my guns and have put myself in the position to be able to challenge at Grandma's - this fire's me up. I have that Grit I used to have in high school where I hated losing on the track....hated it. You need that in competitive distance running. It gives you that extra edge where there is a fine line between mediocrity or relative success. I have been missing it for a year or even two but it's there and the results will happen as they do.

dare...to be great, powerful beyond measure

2011-02-20T08:52:00.000-06:00

Sunday AM 10 PM 6
Monday AM 8 PM 10 with LT on TMill
Tues AM 9 PM 9
Wed AM 8 PM 8 with 200s
Thurs AM 10 PM 7
Fri AM 8 PM 7 + pacing 3000m at U for AC and Hassy
Sat 22.6 miles at low 6 min and under miling

An absolutely fantastic video here:

When you run When you run I run

2011-02-12T13:06:00.002-06:00

My very good friend AC has a phenomenal blog. Witty, hilarious, true. I will steal a little of his style here and tell you a story from my childhood.

My brothers Mitch and Mike and myself used to play winter football on the farm in Iowa. We would have pads, helmets, jerseys; we shoveled the out of bounds and yard markings. I, of course, dominated as I am simply a superior athlete. However, usually games were not completed due mainly to fights that would happen related to my endless need to win every game. And when it wasn't going my way I would get pissed off and take it out on one of those poor lads and the game would abruptly end. Did I mention my superior athletic ability? I mean a human being doesn't 'just' average 15.9 points a game in Iowa class 2A high school basketball without it.

Anyway, I can remember ever so distinctly a game where Mitch was all-time QB and I was up against good, ol' Mikel. He was probably 7 or 8 at the time so that would make me a young man at age 13. On this day, I was just destroying Mike. I was, as they say, 'in the zone.' I hate that term, but it's what I was. Anything Mitch would throw up in the air, I mean anything, was caught by me. My defensive skills were just ridiculous. Mike could not run the ball a yard without being tackled and passing was absolutely not to be an option on that particular day.

And then all of a sudden......BLASTED. Kicked right in the nuts my Mike wearing his plastic, velcroed snow boots. I went down hard, out of breath, trying to mutter something along the lines of "I am going to effing kill you, you SOB." I was pissed. And the game was over.

This takes me to last Saturday at USATF Cross Country out in San Diego. I was so ready to go for that thing. Workouts were the best they had been in years. I actually felt good. And confident. Man was I confident. There was no way that I would not finish in the top 6 of that race. And then the gun fired. And I felt absolutely horrible. I was out of the race after the first 3k. The last 4k I snapped out of it, but by then it was too late and I finished up in 19th place, far away from my pre-race goals. And I didn't get mad. Or upset. But man was I extremely disappointed.

It wasn't until yesterday did I feel like the Cross Country race had kicked me squarely in the gonads. I was PISSED. Mad. Angry. I was feeling sorry for myself. I did not go on a run that day....I had very little, if any motivation. Yet this morning, I woke up, went directly to the bathroom and looked myself square in the eyes via the mirror, and said to myself, "Stop being a pussy." And I went and hammered a solid 14 miles with Andrew, got some things off my chest, and refilled that desire to keep trying to meet the goals I have set for this year in distance running.

My point is this...sometimes you can be on fire with anything you are doing and feel as if nothing is going to stop you or get in the way of your great triumph(s), and then that little brother of yours wearing the plastic, velcro snowboots and the Cincinatti Bengals helmet and Chicago Bears jersey can wind up his left foot (even though he is right handed) and just unleash and land ONE and send you to the ground without any warning at all. And the only thing you can do is wait for the uncomfortable, writhing pain to subside, let the anger dissipate, and get up and hope he wants to play another game in a couple hours. Then go out there and dominate just like you had been doing.

On March 12, 2011, I am going to kick the Gate River Run very, very hard in the balls.

That $#!t Regulation?

2011-01-28T21:23:00.001-06:00

I made the decision not to run the USA Half Marathon Championships down in Houston tomorrow morning in favor of racing Feb 5 at the USA Cross Country Championships in San Diego. I am satisfied with the decision, yet it seems that this little green alien (like on the Flintstones) has been sitting on my shoulder repeatedly reminding me how fun it would have been to be part of the festivities. Especially being able to preview the course for next January's Olympic Trials Marathon. But at the same time, it will be very rewarding if I am fortunate enough to make the USA Cross Country team for the World Championships on March 20th in Spain. Sacrifice.

That brings me to something I want to discuss. Sacrifice. I have made it known that I am a huge fan of the American distance runners of the 70s and 80s. For instance, I love it when I run in to Plaz at the U and get glimpses into this great era of USA distance running. Like last year I was struggling big time and Plaz pointed out that he didn't make his first Olympic team until he was 32. And he reminded me that this required years upon years of plugging away at the thing. Or when my coach Dennis Barker tells me how he used to go into the old Macalester Fieldhouse and run 16 laps to the mile x 5 at 5 min pace in the middle of winter and a 140 mile week. You can't take these stories away from these guys no matter what happens in life.

These stories get me excited, energized, and really just make me happy. And I feel like these guys trained and raced for the total love of the sport. And also trained to be able to enjoy some beers with the boys now and again. But they got up in the morning and just ran. And then did the same in the afternoon. And this happened day after day. The runners of this era didn't blink twice about sharing dumpy living space or eating beans and rice every night. Or having to drink Schlitz. It wasn't a sacrifice to be able to see how fast you could race.

I think that this is lost on a lot of the American runners today. They think it's a huge sacrifice to put off getting a real job or starting a family, or being fancy rich or whatever it may be in order to spend a few years training and racing. In my mind, the sacrifices to be able to do so are little to none. Doing whatever you have to possibly do in order to get the most out of yourself as a distance runner and doing this for 3, 5, even 10 or more years is one of the greatest rewards a human being can receive in life. It has never been a sacrifice over the last 10 years for me. While I have had days where I hated running and did not want to get out the door or seasons where races have just sucked and kept piling up as such, I have never viewed this as putting off anything or sacrificing real life stuff. And I wouldn't change the experience(s) for anything.

I feel like I have underachieved over the years for many reasons. But at the moment I am feeling very good and very confident heading into next weekend out in San Diego. It will be interesting to see how the actual race plays out, and we have prepared for a number of scenarios. Man it will for sure feel good to run in some warm temps., in shorts, possibly shirtless (and pasty white), and mo def having good footing will be huge. Looking forward to this next challenge.

My week since last Saturday:
Sat AM 5 miles easy on Tmill PM 3000m at the U in 8:12; negative split; had another gear at end but since I pussed out helping Lehm over the last 1500 meters I just ran it in for 2nd, 2 tenths behind the old marathoner.

Sun !8 miles first 12 outside on the snow, last 6 fairly steady around 6 min pace or something on the tmill.

Mon AM 1hr30m on the Theo Wirth single track. Probably slow, but feeling good. PM 5 on Tmill

Tues AM 5 on Rowland Rd in EP. This was a morning where I knew I am really coming along and feel I am ready because while it felt fast I was not pushing and looked at some splits and had been running some 5:20-5:30 miles. PM 8 miles of threshold on the Woodway at Plymouth LTF all full-bore at 4:48 pace

Wed AM 8 sloppy, slippery, hamstring killing miles on the paths from Schen-dels. That guy can scoot like nobody else on this stuff. PM 9 miles from my small yet very cozy SLP home.

Thurs AM 6 miles on Rowland Road/LRT in EP PM 10 miles on the Tmill

Fri AM 5 slippery miles PM 4 miles of track workout with AC and Cheever at the U. This was a good day and confirms yet again that things are going well. It was nice to lay down on the massage table afterwards. It was also hilarious that Andrew left a full body print on the Mondo.

Tomorrow will be a 13-14 mile slogfest in the morning and possibly a 4 mile jog later on, but that might get axed.

it is cold

2011-01-19T20:08:00.001-06:00

Today was the best training day I have had in quite awhile as I was able to get in some very solid threshold running at Lifetime in the morning and then a short, quality speed session in the PM which included blasting one of the 200m repeats in 26 high. It's been a long, long time since I have turned 'em over like that. I still can feel some speed in the legs, and I promised my teammate Meghan that I would quit slipping in negatives about the age creeping up on me. My future wife Julie really is correct when she tells me to use my experience to my advantage...age really doesn't mean much and it is all about the positive attitude you should attack life (and running) with on a daily basis that will get you to where you want to be.

On Tuesday, I ran my afternoon run from my house in St. Louis Park over to the Theodore Wirth mountain bike trails. These will be very nice to have in the summer, but I ran on the snowpacked loop and honestly it was some of the most pleasant running I have done in awhile. There was a chill in the air, it was calm, and I was just slicing and dicing on the single track trails in the middle of the woods. I had sheet screws in the shoes, but I definitely could have used a bit more of a rugged traction from a trail shoe. Nonetheless, the 1h30m run flew by, but I was glad to be home as dark at settled in.

We have a really solid group of guys and gals making up Team USA MN at the moment. Everyone is working extremely hard even though everyone is at a different point in training whether healthy or on the mend. It's been really nice having AC back where he belongs. It just adds another element to the training environment. I am sure once Vega gets healthy, we will be ripping epic workouts and racing even more epically. I am excited...my heart, head, muscles, feet; they are all in a good spot at the moment.

I mentioned I will be racing 3000m at the U of M this weekend. This is going to hurt. I have accepted that. But I will put in a good effort and then the big celebration at Famous Dave's will commence and I will be eating pork products until my belly cannot fit anymore in. This will be washed down with some cold ones. Then the 20 miler on Sunday, and bam you have a perfect weekend.

just take everything down to highway 61

2011-01-17T09:12:00.000-06:00

Bob Dylan. I love listening to his tuneage on a drive and usually when I am doing this it brings dreams of the Minnesota northland. And the evergreen trees. And I love it...

It's mid-January in SLP and that means that visions of spring and summer are popping into my head nonstop. In only a month and a half the springtime air will be teasing the skin and although it really means a month or two of winter still remain, the feeling is unmatched. People are out, trails can be run on, it's turning green, and you simply feel good. This spring and summer will be the greatest of my life.

I will be getting married on May 28 at the Lake Harriet Peace Garden followed by a huge party at 5 event center. I cannot wait for this. Julie (with a little help from myself) has planned a fantastic day.

I will be running Grandma's Marathon and thinking about challenging for the W. We will drive to Duluth a couple times this spring and run on Highway 61. What an atmosphere in Duluth. Can you imagine what the feeling would be like to follow in the footsteps of Dick Beardsley?

I will be crewing for my very good friend Kurtis Decker at the Black Hills 100 mile race in Sturgis, SD, on June 25. I cannot think of a better way to recover from a fast marathon than to run on the Centennial Trail in late June. Crewing for Kurt coincides perfectly with a trip to Rapid City to visit the newly acquired in-laws. Very exciting to take a trip to the Black Hills in the summertime as I have been there twice and only during the coldest part of the year. Still beautiful though.

And after the 4th of July we will take a honeymoon. Something a little different is in the cards, but pretty exciting nonetheless. Julie and I are both active people and although I am not the most adventurous person in the world, we will do some exploring and experience as much as we can.

Here is my very tentative race plan through the end of June:
Jan 22 3000m indoors at the U
Feb 5 USATF Cross Country Championships in San Diego over 12 km
March 5 *Tentative* Reedy River Run 10k
March 12 Gate River Run 15k USATF Championship Jacksonville, FL (Best race ever)
March 20 *pending qualification* IAAF World Cross Country Championships March 20 Punta Umbría, Spain
April 30 Get in Gear 10k Minneapolis
May 14 USATF 25k Championshpships
June 11 USATF 8k Championships Carmel, Indiana
June 18 Grandma's Marathon Duluth, MN

last day of the year

2010-12-31T11:27:00.000-06:00

Listen to these lyrics and then make your resolution(s) for the coming year. And then listen to it over and over. You won't be disappointed. 2011 will be the banner year.

Old School

2010-12-29T13:27:00.000-06:00

After a dodgy few days of training due to travel, weather, and lack of time, the workout Monday was a beaut and has given me a shot of much needed confidence. The White Pine and I were able to thrash out the traditional downward ladder in some solid times at the U track. I have not been satisfied with a workout for nearly a year now as I was with this one and I have a gut feeling some good things are about to happen. I am planning on the next 7 days being relatively high in the miles and then off to Scotland on Tuesday.

Today was a gorgeous day and I took full advantage. While the paths are pretty much as bad as I can remember, the sunshine and mild (read 30F) temps made me happy to be out there. I love to be on a run and think about all the guys who came before me who would train through the Minnesota winters and run real fast because of it. Dennis has reminded me numerous times over the last 10 years that nothing quite compares to being out on a run just pushing through the Minnesota dark and cold. Reading his old logs from the 80s gets me inspired to keep up the old school style training. This is where all science is thrown out the window and running is just running. And there isn't another place on the planet where you are able to train as old school as you are in Minnesota. Well, except when we get on the treadmill; or go to the indoor track. Not too old school there. But, you do what you do to gain fitness even if it isn't old school. Although, running fast reps in the Auggie Dome is about as old school as you can get.

Anyway, tomorrow will be a tough one with an AM and a PM sesh. We are supposed to get freezing drizzle followed by rain before the temps plummet again tomorrow as well. That will make it really interesting around here. I have to do a little bit more roof raking so no ice dams develop and then back to square one which will be shoveling more snow. Gotta love living here. Real old school, just the way I like it.

merry christmas, shitter was full

2010-12-23T16:50:00.004-06:00

I have had the opportunity to represent the United States of America in international competition 5 times since 2004. January 8, 2011, will mark the 6th as I have been selected to be a member of the US squad competing at the BUPA Great Ediinburgh cross country challenge against teams from the UK and Europe over 8 kilometers. Leading our US team will be Dathan Ritzenhein, Galen Rupp, Eddy Moran, and Scotty Bauhs. I cannot wait to race in this thing and be a contributor to a victory. I have put in some good work during the fall, and while I have only raced a couple times with fair results since the summer injury, I feel like it is time to breathe some life into this thing. This is the perfect opportunity and I am going to take full advantage of it.

Currently I am in Rapid City, South Dakota, doing some runs at about 3200 feet of elevation. While this is no Boulder, Colorado, I can't help but feel that a week here running lots of miles mixed with some quality sessions will give me some sort of benefit down the road. A week ago Julie and I had made our way to the farm in Iowa to spend some holiday time with my mother and stepfather Paul. I put in one of the hardest long runs I have done since the 2005 Albuquerque runs with Andrew. It was a 20 miler out on the hilly, snow covered roads of Dubuque County. I swear to all that is fair and just that the hills on this loop are the biggest I have ever ran on. They just burn going up them. Add in a strong headwind, cold temps, and snowy roads and you have yourself primed for any distance. Just a real old-school day out there on the roads. I would imagine this is what contributed to Phil Coppess running so well in the marathon as he trained on loops like this day after day. It was more an exercise of mental will than anything else.

My mother had her first round of chemotherapy this week related to breast cancer they discovered a few months back. It is unbelievable how much positive energy she exhibits and I am trying to apply the attitude she is taking with this to my training each and every day. I am ready for Jan 8 to kick off the year of racing and I am going to lay it on the line to the best of my ability. Happy holidays, enjoy the season as it is a time to truly reflect on what we are trying to accomplish here and who is most important to us. Take advantage of it as I will most definitely be doing. Thanks for reading.

I was saved by old times

2010-10-15T11:10:00.001-05:00

Man, it has been an absolutely gorgeous fall. The mornings are just starting to feel crisp, and so gloves and tights will be needed soon enough on the am jogs.

Wednesdays at Hyland with Schen-del and Lehm have easily been some of my favorite training runs in recent memory as the hilly trail running mixed in with the always entertaining political banter cannot be matched anywhere. Rush Limbaugh is indeed an idiot by the way.

Cow Harbor was a complete bust, but since then it has been going well particularly on the subthresh training I have been doing. A couple of 120 mile weeks haven't hurt either. It has been a nice mix of everything from training effects to volume.

The Hornets won the conference meeting last night which probably means reclaiming the #1 ranking in MN. I am extremely proud of how they competed. Julie put it best when she said it looked like they were actually 'racing' out on the course rather than just 'running' as it appeared 10 days earlier at Chaska. Now if we can just figure out how to get the most out of the boys at the section meeting in a couple weeks then the dream season will continue. Onward and upward...

I'll go bravin' anything Through the shine of the sun

2010-09-08T11:35:00.001-05:00

I am on the fence about the Cow Harbor 10 Kilometer footrace in two weeks. I want to compete very badly, but I also don't want to rush anything, and just keep building fitness and then start ripping it. Yet at the same time, it will be a great fitness test on a very brutal course and I can get the competitiveness rolling. We'll see after the early part of next week and how I am managing the workouts. So far, I haven't crushed any one workout, but things have been really solid and there is a process to it which is very important to the whole training cycle and how I handle it. Days have not been piled on top of each other which may have been part of the problem with inconsistency in the past. I feel like I am really playing it smart and safe, but not too safe. I am hitting the sweet spot with the build-up, much like a golfer does on a 300+ yard drive - doing the optimal training for me which will get me to where I need to be at here in the next couple months.

Training:
Mon Aerobic high-end strength development, pm run - 18 mile day
Tues uptempo running of 8, pm run - 17 mile day
Wed am easy yet hard, hilly 65 min run in Hyland, pm 45-50 min + strides
Thursday hill development, pm run - 14-16 mile day
Fri am flat terrain hour run, pm hilly 5-6
Sat long run of 16-18 with some faster running
Sun 9-10 miles very easy + strides

I would also like to send out positive thoughts/energy to my Grandma Doris who is one of the most outstanding women I have ever met. She is spending the week at Methodist Hospital in Des Moines experiencing a tough surgery among other things. I really love my Grandma, and think of her everyday.

Also, positive thoughts/energy to my next door neighbors in Belmond growing up - the Pals family- as they are dealing with the tragic loss of their youngest daughter Brianne. My heart goes out to them.

Also, to the man Hassan Mead and his circumstances. Nicest guy you will ever meet. And fast. Very fast. Here is to a speedy recovery.

SufferFest 2010

2010-08-30T12:44:00.001-05:00

There is a nice little open space that sits on the bluffs of Minneapolis high atop the Mississippi River. On a map this sanctuary is referred to as Riverside Park. But amongst the many runners who have been fortunate enough to run repeat 1200s with short rest here, the place is simply known as "The Park."

The Park is a place were dreams are made; where fitness is restored or enhanced; where running a little too fast can create bedlam. Everyone and anyone who does the secret workout on the secret 1200m loop; who performs the magical number of repetitions, with the exact prescribed rest in between; leaves a little bit of their soul out there, but comes out of the thing a better human being.

The footing is as rough as an uncut diamond (incidentally, I proposed to Julie Friday and she said yes without hesitation). The grass scrapes and beckons at your mid-soleus. And as of now, it has been hot...hot as a mother. And humid.

But if you have enough will to throw times out the window and keep on keeping on in the park, you will be better off in the long run. When the city of Minneapolis runs the lawnmower through there and the beautiful temps of September and October invade the Twin Cities....you will be prepared to race - race hard and race fast.

And so what Jason Lehmkuhle and myself suffered through today was the magical strength building workout in The Park. Maybe in the near future I can give Lehm or Old Vega a run for their money! BY THE WAY, major congrats to Antonio Vega for an outstanding year of racing. USATF Road Racing Circuit Champ is fantastic. Simply outstanding. Puts a little belief back in the heart.

10 years and counting

2010-08-20T12:27:00.002-05:00

Team USA MN celebrated it's tenth anniversary last night at the Minikahda Country Club in the heart of Minneapolis. The view overlooking Lake Calhoun from its west shoreline was absolutely incredible. You could see the entire skyline and the lights from Target Field shining. By the way Twins....what the f happened last night. 11-0. Really? Anyway, it was a very nice evening with my teammates along with sponsors, family, friends, and the like. What an outstanding group of individuals!

Thinking back over the years... all the training days, the many racing and training venues all across the globe I have been fortunate enough to visit...left a little bit of a lump in my throat. I can say with pride that I am so unbelievably lucky to have been a part of this team, the Cities, and the state. We have left a legacy here and I hope the rookies can take this thing over and create their own set of standards. Never in my wildest dreams as a young boy growing up did I imagine that I would become a half-way decent distance runner nor did I ever envision wearing the US national uniform at World Championships in cross country and marathon running. I would never, ever trade in what I have experienced for anything.

And so here I am, giving this thing one more push, working intelligently and diligently, trying to clean up some PRs that have needed a good wash for a couple years. Confident in my abilities, motivated to do some relatively great things, and accepting nothing but the best from myself. I'm proud of myself for taking a step back over the last few months, re-evaluating my priorities and expectations, and deciding that I have a lot left deep inside. I just wanna beat the crap outta some people on the roads and track and I can and I will. That is all.

i was a hero early in the morning

2010-08-18T09:41:00.002-05:00

I have always respected Alberto Salazar and what he has done for distance running - particularly American distance running. In this video he offers great wisdom for any runner of any ability trying to meet goals and achieve milestones. Perhaps most inspiring is that what he discusses can be carried over into many aspects of our lives outside of running. Anyway, I took a lot from the video as far as motivation goes and was reminded yet again that positive mental strength can carry a human being a long ways. Dennis Barker is also tuned into how important it is to use the mind to the best of your ability.

My morning run was with the boys today from the ECC. I felt on top of my game and just enjoyed being out there running for the sheer joy of running. It was great to be able to be on the dirt along Minnehaha Creek. Just the subtle reminders that I am very fortunate.

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

middle distance runner

2010-08-11T16:54:00.000-05:00

I'm really feeling it at the moment. The momentum is finally building in my favor for the first time all year. I am nowhere near top racing form or even beginning racing form, but I hope to change that over the next 6-8 weeks. My first gig may be the local Victory 5k on Labor Day over in N Minneapolis followed possibly by the Cow Harbor 10k out on Long Island Sept 25. Both of these could be blood baths or they could be a great start to finding the form. Either way, looking forward to it.

As I mentinoed though, training is processing nicely. I am up to about 80 miles a week with some sub thresh in there and strides and strength training. Today I was able to get in an hour twenty in the morning in the chokingly humid conditions followed by a 5 mile easy shag (same conditions, but hotter) in the PM along with 5 100m striders barefoot on the soccer fields right by the house. I have been putting a lot of the miles in at the Westwood Hills Nature Centure a mere 1 mile jaunt from the front door. Seriously, we have been stuck in this Minnesota heat-wave for a few weeks now where the temps are 90f and 70+ dew points. I can feel the body getting thrashed each step and I love it. Next week will be high 70s and that will probably feel like winter.

My younger brother, Mike got engaged to Megan Amanda a little bit ago and I am so proud of them and happy for the young couple. Just a perfect match. There is no doubt that this wedding will go down as one of the best. The tri-lams just know how to bring it. Anyway, congrats Mike and Megan.

Cross Country starts Monday and the boys have been working hard this summer. Hoping to sneak into the state meet this year. They have the ability as a team with the depth that exists, but it's just a matter of getting that killer instinct brewing. I will be doing the same with my own killer instinct.

Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love. - Talleyrand, 18th century French diplomat

2010-07-31T09:07:00.001-05:00

The title to this entry is a quote from the 18th/19th century French diplomat Charles de Talleyrand-Périgord. Talleyrand speaks of coffee. When I think of coffee, immediately I am reminded of a fantastic human being who I have had the pleasure of being friends with since 2001. A human being who has such a gentle, calm demeanor on the outside and a competitive spirit on the inside like that of a raging forest fire. Lundo (as he is so affectionately known by most folks now since 2001 thanks to me) - I have learned - has recently been named to Team USA for the World Mountain Running Championships in Kamnik, Slovenia, on Sept the 5th. This town is just under 2000ft elevation, but the finish is a little over 5000ft. Let me tell you though, there isn't a better man we want representing the US at a World Championships than Ol' Lundo. He will go out there and put his body to the test in the most intelligent way possible and the result will speak for itself. All the best over there buddy! Thanks for the new inspiration to hammer it out myself.

Now I must finish my coffee that is calling out at me to drink it slower, and go for a jog with 30 minutes at a faster pace in the middle. Hoping to hit around 5:30 per mile. I'm really jacked to be able to get out there and crank it this morning and put the body through some pain. Slowly building this sucker back...

sun up time now for you to run

2010-07-28T14:43:00.001-05:00

HEY NICK PUNTO.....STOP EFFING SLIDING IN HEADFIRST TRYING TO BEAT OUT A THROW AT FIRST BASE. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEAT OUT A THROW DOING THAT? HOW MANY? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. FOR EFFS SAKE.

Today is the most perfect summer day. The temp is right at 80 or so with little humidity. There is a slight breeze. Contrast that with yesterday when it was as hot and humid here as anywhere in the country I would bet. There is a difference, however. In the TC we'll have a day or two or three like this where it seems utterly unbearable and the world is going to explode according to most people. But little do these peeps realize that it's pretty much like this on a daily basis most places along the eastern seaboard, therefore we have very little to be complaining about.

I for one, do not understand how an individual could appreciate winter more than summer here in Minnesota. Sure the skiiing is a big deal, but for effs sake I would much rather be sweating my booty off on a jog than struggling on ice and snow with a -30 windchill racking me. September and October are easily the best months for jogging especially in the forests around town when the leaves are changing. Quite uplifting and motivating for good training and racing.

Perhaps the most hot/humid I have ever been was in Maine during the 2003 Maine Distance Fest. Incidentally, this meet was one of my favs and I wish it still existed. The setting for this track at Bowdoin College is exactly like the small tracks used for the permit meetings over in Europe in that it is in the middle of densely packed coniferous forests with dirt trails all around. I was racing a 5000m and a storm had just rolled through about an hour or so prior to the gun. Well, the race turned into a death march as I am not that great running in the heat, especially not with major humidity added in. Even still, I will never forget those July meetings in the Great Northeast. Someone should get that thing rolling again. There were great performances over the years.

Anyway, with the cooler temps prevailing last evening and today, I have felt good and continue to have a lot of motivation to race well and represent the VECTOR like I should be doing. I can't stress how important it is for me personally to build up into training after a rest period rather than thrashing it out from the get-go. My good friend Lehm (and it appears now young Vega) can do this like nobody's business. But Old G just isn't made to do it that way. I have recently looked back at old training logs from the years and it is evident in the seasons I have had the most success there has been a gradual buildup, slowly increasing volume and intensity, while mixing in shorter (ie 5Ks) road races to test out the fitness. And then BOOM, it happens. Hopefully come mid->late October this will pay off and I will be meeting expectations.

making progress

2010-07-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

An easy 3 miles today in the AM down at Lindahl's new pad in Chanhassen with Adam and Paul H. The single track dirt trails seemed to go on forever in the forest right behind this b-e-a-utiful new home he and Kelly just had built for them. Just fantastic jogging this morning. The run was over way too quick. A solid hour+ of running in the PM with some surging. On my way.

Dang I love this commercial. Who remembers when Gatorade came in glass containers? Makes me really, really nostalgic for the days of the BBL. Mudrocks 4 life.

Every little thing If you give it time Is destined to change you

2010-07-21T12:51:00.005-05:00

Back in February, the tide was turning. I had a respectable, albeit average race at USA Cross finishing 10th only a few seconds out of 7th or 8th. But the thing is, I felt the feeling where I was just a race or two away from running really well. Really, really well. I have experienced this before and I really believe that I was honestly on track. For whatever reason(s), since the Monday after the Spokane race in February when I did a 2:30 run on the snow and ice of the Mnpls Lakes with Vega, it's been pure crap on the running front. In March, I got sick the Monday before the Gate River 15k in Jacksonville. In April I tied together some lackluster training including a ridiculous 10 miles of running on the track in spikes where it worked out to be 20x400 in basically 61-62 with 400m jog. IN SPIKES. 10 MILES. Not good. At all. This was really stupid and from this I developed a sore achilles that reared it's ugly head a couple days before the Cardinal Invite 10000m the first of May. Since then I first tried to just run miles for a month after 5 days off, and then finally in mid-June or so I decided to take three weeks off totally to let the thing heal. It definitely was the trick and although I feel almost zero pain running it's just a matter of entirely eliminating scar tissue and it will be time to get this mother rolling. Never have I been more motivated to race well and try and beat people that I am supposed to beat. My mindset in races will be modeled after James Carney which is basically telling yourself to flip it and see what happens.

On top of all this, I was definitely coasting on fumes due to what some may call overtraining. Maybe the whole achilles deal was a way for my body to trick me into giving it a rest. I pack on the lbs pretty easily, but since Julie and I now live together and bought a home in SLP we eat relatively healthy and I am only 3 or 4 lbs from racing weight. I have felt the best I have since Summer/Fall '08 on the easy runs.

So the bottom line is I needed to rest. I did. I needed new motivation. I have that for sure. I needed a change of scenery. SLP is freaking awesome and I love the running here so it's been a fantastic move. Hoping to spend the next 8 weeks or so training intelligently and getting in racing shape before unleashing something around mid-October. Wishing the best for everyone out there.

if you can't say f it in this sport then it will chew you up and spit you out

2010-05-05T10:54:00.000-05:00

My very good friend, Ol' Lundo, has a brand spanking new blog that is truly the most fantastic blog I have come across:
www.struggletowardtheheights.blogspot.com
Just some fresh reminders from Chris relating to life and of course the greatest sport in the entire world - distance running.

So I tried a new drink at Caribou this am. This drink on paper sounded fantastic, but after actually taking a drink it sucked. Non- fat chai tea latte with two espresso shots. Not sure what the name is, but maybe I will come up with one. The "yuppie red-eye" might be a good fit. The lady at this particular Caribou is very annoying BTW. Her laugh makes me want to cringe. Enough with the negative energy, MG!

Julie is such a good cook, motivator, and personal strength coach. She is the triple threat. I have never eaten as healthy in my life as the past few months. In fact, she made her way to the mnpls farmers market last weekend and we will be purchasing all fruits and vegetables from this utopia. What a great place....for instance, blueberries for a single $. Also, I have been concentrating on strengthening my hip and pelvic region on the left side as this has been effed up for about 5 years now. Every night at the Lifetime in SLP, we stare at ourselves in the mirrors and even out all possible imbalances. Thank you miss julie.

As for my next go at racing...I'm thinking about running 5000m on the track at an athletics contest hosted by strands.com. It is on May 29th out in Corvallis, OR. The 1oooom at stanford was abysmal. My achilles got effed up during the thing, and I wanted to drop but I couldn't because that would have been 3 in a row. On top of it, I felt like shit. I am taking 5 days off, regrouping, and getting back to training that I have done in the past that has worked for me. I am taking more ownership of my running and training because I know what has worked before, and sometimes that is forgotten.

The Minnesota Twins are on fire. It is May. Love is in the air. The boys at Edina are progressing nicely, and running fantastic. Now if I can just get my own running back on track, life will be nearly perfect.

One last thing, I hope Ruby Anne Peterson is enjoying life thus far. Charlie and Carrie are awesome peeps so she will be as well - that is a guarantee. Pathetically I have yet to meet little Ruby, but soon enough, my friend.

Training for the week

2010-04-27T12:05:00.001-05:00

This week I am staying with my good friend Bolota in Oakland, CA. At about 1:30am Satruday morning, I decided to change my itinerary that was supposed to get me home Saturday by 2:20pm and will arrive on Sunday PM instead. I figure I will be able to absorb the 2 hour time change, and sleep a lot this week in order to be really rested for another attempt at 10000m on the track. I have zero time or place goals, rather this time I will just run to race and let the chips fall. Regardless of the time, I will finish this one. You see, last Friday night was another semi-disaster. During the middle of the race, I decided enough was enough....I felt flat and I knew I would have an opportunity to run faster the following weekend at Stanford. So I ran off the track at about 6k or so. I absolutely hated myself for a moment for pulling the plug, but I was at peace with the decsion 48 hours or so later.

I have trained like this for the week:
Sunday 1h31m run in Golden Gate Park. Solid pace, nothing crazy, running hard uphill at the end. Probably made 14 miles.
Monday AM Hour run on some beautiful trails atop Cal-Berkeley. PM 30+ minutes with Magda and Stephan from the track with drills and a stride following.
Tuesday AM 6.5 miles around some lake. I will workout in the PM with 4x800m with 2 min rest hopefully most under 2:10 but we shall see.

One thing I know about my running loops I have back in the Cities....I love them. A lot. And I realize I'm lucky to have the support from Reebok, my team, Dennis. I want nothing more than to run a decent one this Saturday to pay homege to all. And most importantly, to give myself a nice boost of confidence. Keep on trucking, Peeps.

I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life.

2010-03-25T11:23:00.000-05:00

Jason Hartmann reminded me of something that sometimes I let go by the wayside....that is how much I love running. He reminded me that it can be taken away from you when you least expect it, and the best thing to do is enjoy it. At the moment, I am remembering to take advantage of every single day of running, and reinforcing to myself that the time is limited and enojying every run, workout, subthresh, is extremely extremely, vital. Please do the same, my friends.

Man, I 'pined' it yesterday on both runs: an AM 12 miler and then with some of the Edina boys at the ECC on the afternoon 6 miler. The PM run probably gets 'white pine' status actually. It was exactly what needed to happen with the training in order to set myself up for today's sesh of quarter-mile repeats. There is lots of training happening at the moment, as I am in the middle of trying to get in a month straight of 120 mile weeks. I have shed a few of the winter lbs also, and so things are on the up and up.

Racing-wise, I had gained some momentum after the United States of America Cross Country Running Championships out in Spokane back in Feb. A 23 miler on the snow and icy conditions present around the Lakes with the Chilean Gaucho (incidentally Antonio's nickname has since been changed to the 'Chilean Seabass') two days after that race did me in, however. For a few days after that, I experienced some problems in my left hamstring and hipflexor and I actually pulled up lame during a workout a few days after that on the last effin repeat. Basically for a week and a half I could get in the miles, but was hesitant with any faster running. I am thankful to myself for being cautious as the rest helped, but not being in the rythym and missing a couple key workouts proved disastrous at Gate River.

The Monday before the Gate River 15k, I also was sick. I woke up dizzy and extremely tired and felt like crap all day. I attempted the standard pre-race workout that afternoon, but felt absolutely terrible. Katie was basically kicking my ass that day on the indoor track. Probably should have pushed it to the next day.

From the gun at Gate River, I felt horrible. I was left by the pack at a half mile and muscled my way through 10k and then at mile 7 I had enough and sat on a bench. At Gate River the final two miles are up and down a gigantic bridge to the finish line outside the stadium where the Jags play. The shortest and quickest way back to the start/finish area is over the bridge. So after about 10 minutes on the bench I started jogging back. I finished. I can only attribute my horrible day to missed training and still having some of the virus in me. I did feel good on some 30 second pick-ups the Wednesday before, so there wasn't a chance I wasn't going to make the trip to Jacksonville. By the way, the folks at Gate River 15k are just awesome. Especially my good friends LeAnne Meyer, Bobby Greene and Richard Clark Fannin. LeAnne lives over in White Bear Lake on the other side of the Cities and I've known her for years now. She is such a sweet person. Bobby lost 70 pounds in the last year and records everything he eats. His southern drawl is extremely, well, southern. The man despises the carboyhydrate. I have affectionately given Richard the nickname RCF which has spread like wildfire amongst the training mates here in the TC.

I confirmed my retirement from racing with old Lehm about an hour after the finish. But I was back in the game about 3 hours later, and hungry for the next race which will probably be on April 23 at the Brutus Hamilton 10000m. I may or may not do some sort of gut-check 5000m before that, but am not quite sure. I just want to continue building some momentum in training and getting the 'feeling' back mentally and physically before really getting after one.

That's the message for the day: keep plugging. My good friend Jamie Kirkpatrick reminded me last year when I was down and out that the sun will indeed come up tomorrow. A song that I listened to over and over and over and over on my daily run during this time that helped me stay as positive as I could was 'Time to Pretend' by MGMT. Here is an excellent cover of that song by Jónsi:

The earth is a world The world is a ball A ball in a game With no rules at all

2010-03-12T14:26:00.000-06:00

In Jacksonville. Gate River 15k. I'm due, I just am due. Really gonna focus on myself and staying with the train. Really inspired by Desi Davila's run in Doha, Qatar, running 8:51 for 3k making the World Indoor Athletics Championships finals primarily as a marathoner. I love this song so much, and cannot stop listening to it. Over and over. I just love it. Positive energy, positive thoughts.

TUH-nite

2010-03-05T10:20:00.000-06:00

Thank you, Herb Brooks, for giving absolutely the most adrenaline flowing, ass-whooping, confidence-building pre-game speech in the history of time and sport. And also thank you to sister Mindi's best friend Sarah-bo Barkema for discovering this particular rendition. I listened over and over (to Kurt Russell portraying Herb Brooks and giving the speech before beating the Soviets in '80) before the finals of the 5000m at the '08 Olympic Trials in Eugene. Some of the best memories of my life...

Throw seeds to sprout Make your own break - Let them grow

2010-03-04T11:04:00.000-06:00

Lots of people out there inspire me to try and be as great as I can possibly be. You know - get the absolute best out of myself and my abilities- family, friends, strangers. The girlfriend, Miss Julie, has really been a huge influence on my attitude and life over the last half year. She brings the postive energy and just makes me feel happy. That's the point. She has made me realize ....'I am swift.'

The past year has just zoomed by. I was down in the proverbial dumps around this time last year, and it is crazy to think that my frame of mind right at this time is completely different from a year ago. I could barely get out the door, and was just seriously depressed. At this point, I am roaring to go. Although last week was down and out due to a hamstring prob, it is nearly resolved and I have actually felt pretty good on the daily run over the past few days. I needed to scale it back anyway. Sometimes, we do too much in a short period of time around here, and this time the body was telling me to step off the throttle. I listened and it worked. A tough workout looms tomorrow, and will be a good indicator for Gate River Run next Saturday in Jacksonville. I could care less about workout times at this point, and want more of a general 'good' feeling from sessions. This is better feedback I feel like...anybody can scrape through a workout. I would rather have that ' feeling.'

Moen and I 'White Pined' it yesterday for a while on the paths around the Mnpls Lakes. It was absolutely beautiful....no wind, blue skies, snow still on the ground, in the 30s. It felt so great to be out there. The old White Pine is getting married at the end of the month to Theresa Anderson. All the best to the Moen-Anderson duo.

Finally, I wanted to mention 4 people who I appreciate for being extremely good to me over the years:

My mother, Cyd Klein - Pretty much raised three boys aged 6, 5, and 1 on her own back in the mid-80s after having to deal with some serious strife. That's inspiring in and of itself. Tough. My mom and stepdad Paul recently purchased a treadmill for the basement making walking out on the country roads of Dubuque
County, Iowa, during the winter time simply just an option.

Kurt Decker - I still remember the first day I walked into Runner's Edge in St Paul 9 effing years ago and met old Kurt Decker for the first time. Kurt manages TC Running Co now so we have worked together in two different stores. Kurt knows everything possible about distance running, sports in general, and music. His blog is linked on my blogroll here at Mattychamps. Anyway, Kurt has always been able to uniquely help me keep my running in perspective, but also to make me realize that I need to dream BIG. Thanks Kurt. Kurt has also completed the Western States 100 mile run which is very nuts.

Carrie Tollefson - Carrie is sort of like a big sister to me I guess. She's been through about as many ups and downs in a running career as is humanly possible, yet always perseveres. This girl is a complete example of never giving up on your dreams. She has always kept the positive attitude and energy flowing and probably ran one of the greatest races I have ever seen - leading the Olympic Trials 1500m final back in 2004 wire to wire. She will become a mom in about a month, and her belly is huge at the moment. Her comeback will be monumental after, and if anyone has given up on her, I will say I am sorry, but big things are in store.

Katie McGregor - This girl is the toughest distance runner I know. Our friendship has blossomed since 2001, after a drive to Wisconsin on a Sunday to celebrate our first season in MN coming to an end. I highly doubt there is anyone out there who wants the Olympic dream to come true more than Katie. Even though she is a Michigan fan, I appreciate here affinity for college football, and good food. And I don't have to worry about putting a filter on anything I say around Katie, which if I think about it I don't generally put the filter on anyway, but at least I know it's highly unlikely I will offend her with any of my comments.

So I'm lovin' life at the moment. Can't wait to race and feel good doing it and beat some of these DBs. Peace. And love.

Sometimes they rock and roll Sometimes they stay at home and it's just fine This heart's on fire

2010-02-08T09:55:00.000-06:00

This spring will be epic in the MSP or the 612 if you wanna go in that direction. Finally... all the boys will be in town at one time for training (or for 'meetings' at the Happy Gnome) by March. This is easily the best group we have assembled in the 10 years the team has been in existence because each guy brings such a completely different set of tools to the thing. In honor of this I have either given each of the boys, not including myself, a nickname or have just piggybacked on an existing nickname with maybe a deeper explanation of the nickname.

Jason Lehmkuhle
LEHMKUCKLE or KUCKS. Stemming from a misprint on his driver's license that was in his possession for nearly 6 years before the Dept of Homeland Security stepped in. Special thanks to former teammate Andrew Carlson (our first male National Champion on the roads) for taking advantage of the gigantic Government spelling error and creating the derivative KUCKS.

Josh Moen
My personal favorite nickname created by the man that all of us on Team USA MN aspire to be like at age 50 - Paul Giannobile. However, I will take full credit for helping to spread this thing like wildfire. Weirdly, often times I find myself screaming 'WHITE PINE' at the top of my lungs for unexplainable reasons. THE WHITE PINE. Stems from Moen's battle with Abdi 'The BLacK Cactus' Abdirahman at the TC 10 mile.

Patrick Smyth
Not much is known about this young lad yet. As I mentioned he will arrive in March. Until then he will quite simply be known as the ROOKIE even though his performances and maturity level are well beyond his years. Look for a better nickname for young Smyth by June or so.

Antonio Vega
Our second and latest male National Champ. Ran what was probably a top 3 performance by any Team USA MN male in our ten years of existence at the USATF Half marathon champs down in Houston a month or so back. THE CHILEAN GAUCHO. Gaucho is spanish for 'cowboy.' And while Antonio speaks little....wait scratch that. Antonio speaks absolutely zero Spanish, even though his Chilean heritage proves he should. I personally only know 3 people with ties to Chile - Antonio, Antonio's father, and very surprisingly the elite athlete coordinator at TC marathon Rick Trueman.

Dennis Barker
SPARKY. Found out that SPARKY was SPARKY from Katie McGregor's neighbor back in like 2006. The neighbor said Dennis was a firece competitor on the MN road racing scene back in the 80s and the nickname was apparently fitting. Not to be confused with Clark 'Sparky' Griswold.

Matt Gabrielson
I am still waiting for my nickname. I am sure lots of things come to mind to the folks I know ha, ha, ha. I will wait until the boys of Team MN are all together dropping times this spring for mine. The anticipation, I am sure, will kill me.

It's a new dawn It's a new day It's a new life For me And I'm feeling good

2010-01-28T15:13:00.000-06:00

The key to that is to be able to take more pain than anyone else and be willing to push yourself and them into the zone where it's just you, them and the pain, and nothing else matters to you but you coming out on top.

If there is not, there should be, an unwritten rule in the world of competitive running. That rule is that when you set a personal best - any distance, any age, any race - there should be very little ifs, ands, or buts. With that, I was slightly disappointed with my 22 second half-marathon PR down in Houston nearly two weeks ago. I will take the time, as it was my first dip under 1:04 after running 1:04 low about three other times. But I really, really believed I was in better shape because I had done all hard training with Vega (AKA 'The Chilean Gaucho') and raced an indoor 3k a week prior to the half in a surprising 8:06 exactly to the line with young Antonio. There was no 3k paced work involved before this either. So to be a 1:50 behind Vega for 13.1 miles still leaves me scratching my head. Some of the boys who passed me towards the end of that thing, never really took a risk to go for the win yet there is no way on the face of God's green earth I would change being up in it early and vying for the win. I went through 10k in 29:35 and ran the majority of miles 6-10 alone. If I coulda just hung on for two miles from 4-6 things may have been different.

Anyway, I have fire in the belly at the moment and am just trying to exude as much positive energy as possible. I recently escaped the ice and frigid temps of Minneapolis for a three week hiatus to Phoenix. I am pretty much flying solo down here. My training partners are basically two weimaraners named Hope and Ten-K Schumacher. I cannot stress ENOUGH how good it feels to run on a soft surface, not slip and slide, and be able to let the stride do its normal thing.

Originally, Julie and I had planned a nice little weekend for next week, but things changed with a Reebok function now on the radar. She will be in San Diego for work, and will now make a one night pit-stop in Phoenix before leaving for MSP on Thursday at nearly the same time I depart for Boston. Sad that the trip has been cut short, but we will still make an afternoon of Sedona.

USATF Cross Country is next on the schedule Feb. 13 in Spokane, Wa. I have been fortunate to be on US squads in the World Cross Country Championships on three different occasions. I have been on teams with outstanding runners like Dathan Ritzenhein, Ryan Hall, and the late Ryan Shay in France, Japan, and Kenya, respectively. I have never ran particularly well at World Cross, and so I want to give myself one more chance to do so. It would be nice to have a fellow TUSAMN runner (AKA the rookie AKA Smythdaddy) on the squad also if fortune does indeed favor the bold.

One Step Closer to Knowing

2009-12-29T13:29:00.000-06:00

I have been meaning to wish everyone a wonderful Holiday Season. So Happy Festivus, people.

It has been a long time coming, but I honestly can say that more than ever I feel truly blessed to have the people and relationships in my life that I do. And I love running. I am in a very good spot at the moment. It is all about positive energy as I have been reminded time and time again this year.

I was in Rapid City, South Dakota, with the Schwengler family all last week for a quick hit of altitude training. I ate elk for the first time in my natural born life. My eyes witnessed the truly amazing Mt. Rushmore for the first time as well. I shot guns (22s). I saw a 10 point buck run through the middle of someone's front yard. I threw Julie in a snowbank at 10pm. It was an awesome week. We ended up staying 2 extra days because I-90 was closed down and so returning to either MN or IA was impossible. Because of this I sadly had to miss the gathering of Gabrielson in Belmond, Iowa. I actually cried about this because I was very much needing to see the fam. Luckily we were able to get to the farm in Rickardsville the previous weekend, and we will head to Belmond this weekend for a quick visit.

Next up: USATF Half Marathon. I will say nothing about this except I will run as hard as I am able to on the day. Training has been where it should be. Lehm and I will head to Phoenix to stay at La Casa de Schumacher at some point after Houston for a month or so. I want nothing more than for 2010 to be a banner year. I wish the same for everyone.

PS...Dear Minnesota Vikings, enough toying around. Start playing like the Superbowl Champions that we will be in a few short months. Gracias. Love, Matt G.

Slow down and live, my friend, Take time--take time to understand, The things--the things you hope to win, Before--before your journey's end

2009-11-05T07:48:00.000-06:00

Man it has been a loooooong time since I updated this sucker. My sister Mindi made me aware of this. By the way, I am proud of my family for the quality people they are. Each and every one of them.

The next race for Old G is the second oldest footrace in the country behind the Boston Marathon - the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving in Manchester, CT. The last time I raced this one, the Manchester Road Race took the Man right out of me. So I am going to run this one with purpose and intent, try as hard as I can to be up with the leaders, and hopefully win the thing. That's right - win the thing. This would be the exact way I used to be when I raced every single race in high school, and even my first year of college. Way before any sort of restrictions were put on anything, and when I didn't give a rat's ass who I was competing against. A simpler time when I just wanted to be the best, and finishing time mattered very little.

This type of mindset went by the wayside the last few years. I had been brainwashed by science, and put limits on myself and worried too much about little things, and spent way too much energy worrying about making sure everything was in place and nothing was left to chance. When in reality, I HAVE ALWAYS run best when I don't think about anything, and just go out there and give it everything I possibly can on that single day. When I take risks, when I live in the moment, when I don't worry about the end result. Who doesn't run their best when this happens?

Jason Lehmkuhle proves this to me time and time again. He has been injured on and off so many times that he probably expects it to happen during each build-up. But when the guy races, 9 times out of 10, it is just a phenomenal performance, and he does everything possible to put himself in a position to get the most out of himself. And he doesn't worry about the training he has done, or if he feels like crap in workouts. Why? Because it doesn't matter. Ask him what his training looked like 2 or 3 weeks out from the NYC marathon. Can you say stairclimber and 12 oz curls using Diet Pepsi cans? I sure can. I am totally taking a page out...

It's that time of year to really start pushing the envelope. You realize this when people running around Harriet enthusiastically (way too enthusiastically actually) yell 'JIIIIIIMMMM' at you. I will say I have had about 5 weeks or so of solid mileage, fantastic work, and have done long sustained runs nearly better than I ever have. I am, aerobically, fairly fit. My wheels are there - I recently ran 12.67 for a 100m stride. Probably could have ran 10.9 if the 15 mph wind hadn't been pushing me so much, thus messing up my stride. Seriously though, Manchester will be a major test for me...watch out for 1992-1996/7 Matty G. He's dangerous.

I'll leave you with one of the most beautiful songs I've probably ever heard, just a fabulous cover here:

my journey will be the reward

2009-09-07T23:08:00.000-05:00

Decisions determine destiny...I am not f ing around anymore. And I

love this song. Love. It.

vanity of vanities, all is vanity

2009-08-31T20:01:00.000-05:00

I missed the first two weeks of cross country practice at Edina because I was hanging out at the World Champs. It was great to be there today and have all the boys ask about the experience. I needed that. There are lessons to be passed on to these boys. Big lessons.

Yet, I am still digesting the whole Berlin experience. One of the biggest lessons I have taken away from 'it' ... sometimes it's okay to get sad or angry or depressed afterwards. But rather than fight against it like it's wrong and some kind of disorder, maybe I just relax into the emotion(s) and ride it through until it's over. Even though it didn't happen exactly how I envisioned, it doesn't have to be a gut-wrenching experience.

It's good to experience these extreme emotions: it let's you know you're alive and feeling.

I realize I am way too hard on myself most of the time. But I wanted more than just the fair performance that it was. I am not a 2:18.41 marathoner. I just am not.

I do this thing for the right reasons. I really hope these reasons are enough. I cannot wait for the next marathon.

chester copperpot thanks a lot

2009-08-21T09:48:00.000-05:00

I had a 25 minute run today that I needed to have. Feeling-wise. The surge felt good as well.

Fortune favors the bold.

-Mr. Camp, a Vietnam Vet

you're a runner, baby, you're a runner, a runner wild and a runner steep

2009-08-18T09:51:00.000-05:00

Todays thoughts: some words of wisdom that brought me back to reality. I cannot stress this enough...what is written below was very, very clutch. C-L-U-T-C-H.

Warning copyrighted material here (CMW):

You're head is talking to you because you REALLY feeakin care about this thing on Saturday. I mean its the most important thing you care about right now, THE most. And that is spectacular, because you're getting to do something very few people can ever say they did..... Represent the usa in a WORLD championship in something sooooo close to your heart.
When we care, about anything that important to us, doubts creep in, we zero in on the what ifs the "is this really happening", the "should I really be here" stuff. Especially in running when thousands of things you do, from deciding to go in early on a Friday night, the workouts, the sleep, the decisions you've made that create your days all build into this one thing.... Starting at 11:45.

Why should you have doubts when stuff has gone right? You have the proof. Its such an honest sport and you haven't been half assing. You've done stuff right. So don't doubt..... Be nervous, scared, in awe of the anticipation, but just don't doubt.

We watched the men's 10k at the track. Dathan looked very strong. But Bekele. The stride of Bekele is simply amazing. It did not matter if he was running 62s per lap of 67s, it was just fluid. I wondered if he ever has experienced the pain of distance running the way I have experienced it. Or does pain even exist within his body when he is out there. Anyway, seeing him run live was something else. Also, the men's 100m medal ceremony was last night. 9.58. Sick. If I ever find out that Bolt is dirty, I will hunt him down and kick him in the nuts.

and i hear that train callin just beggin me to go

2009-08-16T06:52:00.000-05:00

Reebok hospitality here in Berlin is second to none. Simply amazing. The routine: jump on the bus with Ed, 30 minutes later pull up to the busstop right next to the Marriott (right on the marthon course by the way), head to the suite, eat fabulous meals, did I mention fabulous meals are eaten here. And the company in the room is fantastic as well. JT and Patrick - cannot thank them enough. There is a Starbucks (aka bucks) right next to the Marriott as well. No JFL or White Uncle Phil in this one though. That just made me laugh. Reebok has internet in the suite as well, but the computers have basically the European keyboard so the y and the z are reversed (among others) and I have to keep erasing the dang z or y. Irritating, but not
reallz(y). Also the physios Reebok work with are also outstanding. Canadians but I won't hold it against them.

Anyway, there is a course tour tomorrow which I am mo def going to take. The weather for Saturday as of today is high of 68°F and raining. Yesterday, it was forecasted as 72°high and partly cloudy Bottom line is it changes so much, and I am not believing the weather until the day of.

The workout Friday was deese. Ran 6 miles in 29:40 or so on a sidewalk/bikepath next to a river. Out and back. Kind of felt like a zombie out there as it was neither hard nor easy. Not sure what type of gauge it gives me for Saturday. But I do know that I feel a heck of a lot better than I did last Monday so that is good.

Nap time. Edwardo is getting on my case (surprise, surprise) to head back to the hotel. Be good, people.

i'm just a penny on the train track waitin' for my judgement day

2009-08-14T02:14:00.000-05:00

Woooo doggy. Lots and lots and lots of things going through my head right now. The story and especially the spirit of little Shannon is occupying nearly every one of my thoughts. And this is good, because it brings about a really unique feeling of pride and motivation. Like I want to just do what I am about to do a week from tomorrow for every single person fighting to live their own life. And her story I just learned about...a story of a 7 year old fighting terminal cancer, but having the most positive attitude and energy about her. Thanks CMW for sharing that with me. Honestly, I cannot do it justice explaining the feeling(s) I experienced reading through it.

So in about an hour I am running 7 miles at marathon pace with some surges. With DB. And this will pretty much polish off 10 or so weeks of what has probably been the most amazing summer of my life. And not a whole lot of really crazy, fun stuff has happened. But seriously, the experiences I have had over the last 4 months or so have contributed to a very different attitude/perspective on life. And it's all positive. And the way some of the things have unfolded and some of the new relationships that have developed out of this, this unfolded-ness (is that even a word), are just nearly unbelievable.

Last night, which was the second night and usually one of my worst when traveling overseas, was not half-bad. 3 hours of solid sleep, 2 awake with some ipod time, and 4 more solid hours of sleep. No complaints. Tonight should be better, and then from there hopefully just as normal as possible. No naps for now which kinda bites, but soon enough. I plan on sleeping so much next week, that people will probably think I have left the Estrel.

So off to do the tempo. Must go get one more cup (very small european style cup) of coffee. My head and heart are in this thing.....hope yours is too.

i see the sun ahead, i ain't never looking back all the dreams are coming true

2009-08-12T14:30:00.001-05:00

Made it to Berlin, Germany, safe and sound. Left MSP yesterday around 3:30, arrived Amsterdam 8am, and Berlin around 10. Got the credential, per diem, athlete info, etc.....first thing I did was exactly what I wasn't going to do. Nap. For 3 hours. But I was exhausted. This will be a short post because I need to hit the sack. But the hotel is very nice. Estrel. Tomorrow is a workout, but that may get pushed if I don't get adequate sleep. Or at least what's adequate for traveling to Europe from the US. Katie and I are heading to Reebok hospitality over at the Marriott tomorrow around 11:30. I will update on a daily basis here in Berlin hoping that people are actually following. Here's what my week has looked like since last Saturday:

Sat (2 weeks out) 18 miles in 1:55 in 90 degree temps and Annapolis, Maryland, style humidity.

Sunday Scheduled day off

Monday am 4xmile in high 4:30s. Not feeling the way I wanted. Lundo assures me this is the marathon peak at work. PM 31 min

Tues My good buddy Zac does dispense the best advice at times. Thanks Schen-del for helping me keep the perspective for this thing. 74 min run into Cedar Lake trails with some strides after.

Wed 61 min here in Berlin with Eduardo. Nice little (stress little) forest 10 min from hotel. Heckuva stretch following.

Positive energy people. Positive energy.

where would i be right now if all my dreams had come true

2009-08-07T11:14:00.000-05:00

The last two weeks before a marathon basically suck. You go from running a total of around 2hrs+ a day to an hour, hour and a half. And it makes you feel like you ain't doing jack squat, and that your fitness will be lost, and all that crippity crap. So here I am in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago, hangin' out with Megan my bro Mike's girlfriend, hazelnut latte already has passed through the system, trying to get my butt out the door for 50m-hr of running knowing fully well that this is it for the day, and I just can't get it going. The last two weeks before a marathon basically suck.

i gotta say that today is fresh, and tonight ain't nobody gonna get any rest

2009-08-04T09:13:00.000-05:00

Made it 29 and half yesterday in 3 hrs. Never forced any sort of pace, just let it happen the way it happened. All of a sudden I was clicking off sub 6 minutes per mile. Some days, 'IT' is just there - for any number of unexplainable reason(s) - where you feel like you could run forever. And it is so stupid because Sunday (by the say I was wearing wind pants, tshirt, and hooded sweatshirt with a headband and hood pulled over my head to make it hot since it isn't here in the 612) I felt terrible for the first 63 minutes of a 65 minute run. Gotta love marathon training!

So I leave for Germany two weeks from today. IT'S AUGUST. For all that is fair and just, IT'S AUGUST...so many emotions flowing through me right now. I think the training is all there....now will Matt's body and mind cooperate on August 22. I mean the objective is simply to avg 505s for 26.2. How hard can it be - right?!

Not much else is going on at the moment. Hopefully, I can pull out a good story or two over the next few days to liven this deal up a bit. All the best to my cousin Casey this weekend, and Tina too, with the nuptials. Should be a good time. Looking forward to seeing the fam.

Ironically I will be doing a final longish run Saturday in Germantown. Albeit Wisconsin. But still Berlin, Germany - Germantown, WI. The karma here is fantastic.

http://dailynews.runnersworld.com/2009/08/a-brief-chat-with-matt-gabrielson.html

fight like a brave don't be a slave no one can tell you you've got to be afraid

2009-08-01T21:23:00.000-05:00

On Friday I learned a fairly tough lesson. And that lesson is that marathon training, can at times, be a B-otch. For July, I avg'd 129 miles per week, and I fully believe it caught up to me performing 4000m repeats on this difficult hilly loop over in St. Paul. The legs....H-E-A-V-Y. The breathing....h_e_a_v_y. I love it. I loved that I didn't lose focus when it started to get tough. I'm ready. The evaluation: we learned it's time to cut back a little, freshen up, and get the body rested during the next 3 weeks. I still avg'd under 5 min pace for 15 miles broken up, but even still that thing got the best of me. On the other hand Antonio effin Vega looked outstanding. He is rounding into form and will run a VERY fast fall marathon. I think we'd agree that we just need the killer instinct to surface come race day and then.....

I love this commercial so much. Even though Coca-cola classic holds a special place in my heart...

so if you're gonna get made, don't be afraid of what you've learned

2009-07-29T22:16:00.001-05:00

Written on the front of the card my mom gave me for my 31st b-day was this:

'Decide to be happy and you are halfway there.'

Now, my mom sent this to me about a month ago, and I took a look at it today and the words really just made my sternum want to pop out - right Claire! Seriously, think about it...think about how strong the mind is. We can condition that which is above our shoulders to do some pretty spectacular things. I wanna do something special on August 22nd, and deciding this and really, truly believing it deep within my soul, well. I'm halfway there.

The other half is training the correct way (at least correct for me) and today I did just that. Nostalgia was calling my name, and so I headed out to Lebanon Hills for some running through the woods. This park is where I did nearly all of my recovery runs before NYC - first marathon - in 2006. Man it felt so good to be out there with the sun shining through the tree gaps without any semblance of another soul around just dreaming about the days ahead.

Dennis said to be very conservative today and tomorrow. So I just did a 52 minute run in the am and 47 in the pm. The afternoon run was pretty late because I did not want to pass up a chance to hit up McCoy's for their happy hour. I especially did not want to miss out on a chance to be in the company of DJ, Corey, and Matt M. Pretty fun times . Actually felt surprisingly good for the second run.

Tomorrow will be one run of 12 before the 2nd to last monster session of this cycle. 15 miles (21 with w/u and c/d) at marathon pace hopefully down to half-marathon pace on the last few repeats. I better bring the 'a' game and I better decide I will rip it, then I'll be halfway there. Thanks mom. Really. Thanks.

may you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung

2009-07-27T19:19:00.000-05:00

To: Me

From: Dennis Barker

Re: What's Inside of You

Create a picture in your mind of the runner you want to be, then go out and practice being that runner every day.

sent July 24, 2009 8:17 pm

he whistles and he runs so hold him fast

2009-07-26T21:57:00.000-05:00

This was one BRILLIANT weekend. The 10k race/time trial Saturday AM turned into a cluster F. I ended up not running the exact course and my offical time is listed as 29:58 but it was quite faster than that. Nobody told me to get on the bike path on the 2nd loop after you cross Cedar Ave, and I stayed on the road dodging the walkers, then realized about 1200 meters later that I was running way further than I should be, and jumped on the bike path around mile 5. I was satisfied though with my effort for the most part. Did feel a bit tired from the training. Afterwards was fun too, getting coffee and lunch with Kristen and her friends. Thanks for the memories peeps.

For the first time in my life, I watched 'Emperor's New Groove' with Heather and Ben Saturday night and let me just say that the message this movie sent set the stage for an excellent Sunday run out on the Minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge trails. This run was absolutely EFFING epic as my favorite runner in the history of running (besides possibly Jason Lehmkuhle) called me up to go thrash it out. This person was in town for a two-day wedding and he was fresh off a US 7 mile championship This person got taken out behind the woodshed and given a good-old fashioned running beatdown Minnesota style by Vega and me. Just messin'. but we did run 17 decent miles (I added on four more). Incidentally, this person was 2004 Olympic silver medalist Meb. Pretty motivating day, and really I am now pumped more than ever for this thing. He offered, what was just fantastic advice for the World Champs. Thank you Meb and Vega for a really great experience.

124 or so miles last week. One last 7 day stretch of higher volume (120-140 mi... we'll see how I'm feeling). We will have a faster session Tuesday to set up a pretty solid Friday session of 2.5 mile repeats at marathon pace coming down to the LT by the end. It's will be nice because Vega and I are in sync this week compared to going at it alone.

I have absolutely nothing else on the agenda, and so this is a major week of focus. Nothing will be left to chance, absolutely nothing. Not diet, sleep, hydration, training, stretching, strength training, you get the point.

Off to simulate the thin mountain air.....be good!

if you wanna get it big time, go ahead and get it get it big time

2009-07-23T22:25:00.000-05:00

Half-tights check. Bandana headband check. Shades check. Garmin GPS check. Throw the arms up in the air at the finish check. Douche bag of the year check.

Perfect night in Mnpls Wednesday evening to run the Torchlight 5k. Workout mode, not race mode. Life Time Fitness has given a lot to our group over the years and they don't ask much in return, so why not run their biggest race of the summer with four of your good buddies. The positive news is that I can tell a lot of fire exists within me at the moment.

Boston Scientific Heart of Summer 10k at Lake Nokomis on Saturday. A good tune-up/rust-bust four weeks out from Berlin. Hoping to run 29 low to mid ish.

Tuesday I ran 10 and 8. Wednesday 10 and 8 with 3 miles at 4:45 pace. Should be at 120-130 this week with a big push next week and then slowly bringing her down.

'Startin to come together, Pepper, Startin to come together!'

what's the world got in store? what's the world got in store for you? what's the world got in store for you now?

2009-07-20T16:44:00.000-05:00

Struggled a little bit today with my contribution to the blogsphere. Then my World Champs Marathon teammate - Nathaniel Jenkins- reminded me about this:

Here is the thing that makes life so interesting. The theory of evolution says ‘only the strong shall survive.’ Maybe so. Maybe so. But the theory of competition says that just because their the strong doesn’t mean they can’t get their asses kicked. Thats right! You see what every long shot, come-from-behind underdog will tell ya this: The other guy may, in fact, be the favorite. The odds may be stacked against you. Fair enough. But what the odds don’t know is this isn’t a math test. This is a completely different type of test. One where passion has a way of trumping logic. So before you step to the starting line, before the whistle blows and the clock starts ticking, just remember, out here the results don’t always add up. No matter what the stats say and the experts may think and the commentators may have predicted, when the race is on all bets are off. Don’t be surprised if somebody decides to flip the script and take a pass on yelling ‘uncle.’ And then suddenly, as the old saying goes, we got ourselves a game.

–From the Versus commercial that has been running a lot lately

Not surprisingly, I was a bit tired today for the session. 800s in 2:12 basically. Fairly happy I was able to hit 2:08 for the last one. The last 4 days I have averaged over 20 a day, including nights at 8000+ feet, so that most likely is the reason for the heavy breathing and lack of 'pop' in the legs. Yet, I deposited more into the account and I am at peace with the outcome from the AM.

As I have said before, I draw so much inspiration from the written word. When I read the above lines from the Versus commercial, my heart-rate skyrocketed and adrenaline started flowing all throughout the body. I look very forward to practicing athletics this afternoon. Most likely I will get out for an hour of recovery jogging. My positive thoughts to those who today, are struggling in this world. Peace and love.

close your eyes, clear your heart, cut the cord

2009-07-19T19:23:00.000-05:00

Today was uneventful in the life and times of old Matty G. I actually slept last night for 8 or 9 hours straight without having to wake up half-way through to take a leak. This is a good thing and for the life of me cannot remember the last time it happened.

In the AM went over to Harv's and cranked out 15 with Havey, Hanlone and the Nicolini (aka Lehmkuhle) family. Nothing fast, but just good enough. Ran another 6 in the pm and wore half-tights without a shirt around Harriet and Calhoun. I am pretty sure what people were thinking, but you can't control what they actually think so f it. It was comfortable and sleek and that is all that matters.

Let's see, this week...prob another at ~130 with a 5k specific workout, some very light threshold, a 10k race, and a long run. A nice refreshing week before cranking out the final 2.5 weeks pre-taper where I am sure we will become a little more marathon specific. Seems like everything is still coming along. I have no complaints. I feel the good tired you should feel during a marathon training stint.

So Hanlone had a lady within striking distance on Friday night. Things were processing nicely... laughs, smiles, a nice dialogue, and then BOOM he called her by the wrong name. This ended any chance. Thanks, Mike, for reminding the rest of us the importance of, at the very least, remembering the name.

The Twins are actually playing the Rangers on a Sunday evening so I am excited for the night ahead. 3 games over .500 and on the way to the penant! Be good!

keep it upstairs for the grand finale

2009-07-18T13:11:00.000-05:00

I love athletics and especially distance running. Is that really a big surprise? Currently I am watching the Heusden KBC Night of Athletics meeting online. This is the first year out of the past 4 that I am not in Belgium racing the 5k in Heusden. I was always fortunate to get into the section I needed to be in. Anwyay, nothing beats thousands of inebriated Belgians going crazy at a track meet. The atmosphere here is just wild....great music blasting ting, announcer has huge energy and enthusiasm, and most importantly always fantastic performances all around. I miss it, so bless the internet.

The session yesterday was outstanding. Nothing too crazy or intense, but a run that left me feeling once again that the marathon training is progressing right on schedule. I felt strong, my arm carriage was comfortable, and my stride felt just right.

McGregor and Carrie came out to display their loyalty. These are my two favorite teammates and training partners in the entire world. I think I appreciate them so much, because there is nothing fake about the relationships I have with each of them. We are always brutally honest with each other, good or bad.

There is a very hilly loop along the Highland Golf Course in St. Paul where we did this long marathon paced run. I was able to set up refreshment bottles on my car so I could grab my special electrolyte beverages each lap. I avg'd about 5:05 a mile on this course which is actually a pretty good clip considering how challenging it is. I do feel fit, almost like I am a real distance runner.

I have learned how important it is to have the legs very strong in order to perform your best at the end of a marathon. While uphill repeats are great and necessary, i think it is extremely important and extremely necessary to also run fast downhill in order to really condition the quads et al. That's why the loop we did the run on is perfect because you get up and you get down. Also, from a mental standpoint you really have to grind it out on this loop after about half-way. It is one tough effin loop.

I am off to meet Deej and his dad for 18 down near Chanhassen. It is so chilly here, in fact I wore long tights and a long sleeve this morning, which wasn't necessary, but I want to be ready for heat in case Berlin weather is not favorable for marathoning on Aug 22. Also, keg beer sucks. That's another thing I miss about Belgium....without any doubt whatsoever, the best beer in the world is brewed by the Belgian Monks.

some of us stand with our face to the fire but all of us breathe the smoke

2009-07-16T18:51:00.000-05:00

Anybody who says that someone who listens to music while running isn't a 'real runner' can kiss my grits. One of the highlights of my day is getting out for the second run by myself and cranking the tunes on the Shuffle. I especially like it in the summertime when one can run shirtless and just sweat it out with tons of people getting fit around the Lakes. Just really great positive energy in this situation.

A very, very easy day today. All I did was 12 miles down at Hyland Hills on the trails. Dennis said to just run once today to save the legs a bit for tomorrow's marathon specific session. That I did.

I really, really cannot wait to do this thing tomorrow. Pretty much a full dress rehearsal starting with the pre-race meal the night before and morning of, practicing fluid intake, pace work, etc. McGregor just texted and said she is going to come out and show some love/support. All the best to me. Hopefully your wildest dreams are coming true as well.

run on and on the lonliness of the long distance runner

2009-07-14T21:51:00.000-05:00

Today, I draw inspiration from a homeless man carrying a plastic bag over his shoulder with what appeared to be empty aluminum cans and possibly some tshirts, but I am not sure. As I was running back and forth on Boom Island, this gentleman stopped to chat with Dennis who was standing at one end of the dirt path. They chatted, Dennis told him what we were out there for, and the guy said that I needed to listen to Iron Maiden 'The Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner' to get me going before the race in Berlin on August 22. Done and done.

Solid workout too of short mile-3k paced intervals. Lots of unique individuals on the Island today. One dude looked like Forrest Gump when he was running all over the US. Honestly, I felt very strong, and this sets me up nicely for the impending marathon specific mother on Friday. Edgecumbe Hills will be tough, but I really gotta nail this one to make certain that I can handle a sustained effort at the goal pace. This will also justify to myself that feeling good as of late isn't a fluke. Drive it like ya stole it as Hos says.

better run run run put your armor on again

2009-07-13T22:00:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts from the day.....

*new season of entourage *ticket to berlin:roger that *roommate request:roger that *the official shipment from unitedstatesofamericatrack&field came with all the uniform pieces *reebok *ive gotta remember to order a new pair of reeboks from Jennifer *taikan IB II is an awesome flat, red, but awesome *so this thing has never been more official *just looking forward to COMPETING *i want to run a huge PR in the 2:12-2:13 range.

athletics practice today: ran 12 in the am with Lehm on the river bottoms. outstanding running terrain. trudged 6 in the pm & felt like shit. that's the way the waves crash sometimes. that actually just came to me. busy day tomorrow...run, work, walk dogs, do a workout, watch the Twins. Let's keep this train rollin'!

get after it!

2009-07-12T21:20:00.000-05:00

Another year of CTTC has come and gone. What a fantastic weekend! Carrie, Kam, and crew have put together an awesome camp....the kids were outstanding as well and I am positive they had a GREAT time. I was lucky enough to be the featured speaker on Saturday night before the big dance (by the way hip hop class at LTF has really brought me along:) It was very rewarding and fun to be able to share the revelations I have had over the past three months with 100 other people. I think it went quite smooth if I do say so myself. Nobody fell asleep from what I could tell!

135 miles this past week with a Tokyo style 25 mile run to end the week. The workout days were Monday and Thursday with 5k work and threshold work respectively. I got my doors blown off on some strides on the soccer field at St. Kate's one day during camp. Heather Dorniden took me out behind the woodshed and broke me down. However, I am starting to feel very, very strong - and more importantly confident - for the first time in about 9 months. I think that I am in the perfect postition in the training cycle at the moment. August 22nd is roughly 6 weeks away, and over the next four or so a lot of marathon specific paced workouts will happen. We will throw a race into this mix at the end of July. Heading to Berlin August 11 to meet up with Dan Browne for the final 10 days before the race. Good times!!!

Also got to watch the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Saturday with all the campers. Throw the Tour into the mix, and I have all the motivation one needs to get out and run a TON. Anyway, shout to David Thompson for a solid finish at LTF. He was able to address the campers after the race and I think the looks on their faces showed tremendous respect. I want so bad to be as ripped as those guys, but it ain't gonna happen unless I start droppin' laps pool style. F that.

More miles, and definitely more sleep. Here's to a week of bliss.

when life gives you lemons you paint that shit gold

2009-07-08T15:47:00.001-05:00

Mike Hanlon (aka Han-lone) tripped me today - AGAIN. The funny thing is right before it happened I pictured it happening in my mind because he was riding it pretty close. I caught myself with my hands on the dirt path and dealt with the burning sensation, got up and didn't yell but lightly shouted 'Mike you are the only one who trips me.' It happened one other time on the Apple Valley loop on the paved bike paths this past spring. That time I got pissed (mainly because life was kicking me in the nuts HARD at that point in time) and finished the 20 miler running 5:20s. This time it was different. I kept relatively calm, and actually felt bad because Han-lone turned and ran the other way because he was expecting a different reaction. I convinced him that everything was fine and to get his butt back here with our group of 5. No 5:20s I promised Mike - he was expecting the same as last time and it wasn't about to happen.

I guess my point is this....I have grown a lot as a human being since March 23, 2009. I am more calm. I recognize that you can't let things out of your control, control you. I have gotten mad in races for people impeding my stride (been known to yell at some of the local Kenyans), thrown full Powerade bottles against the curb at halfway of a marathon because I missed my water bottles because they were in the wrong place, or gotten pissed off because certain workouts have sucked. Dennis and I have had some good talks... about just doing what your mind and body will let you do on the current day and not letting little things matter or bother. Upper body relaxation, he always says, will let the legs then turnover easier. I now realize that the mind is part of the upper body and that must stay relaxed also.

There was also a lochness monster/brontosaurus torso and neck sticking out of Lake Harriet this morning. I don't think we scared it because it never moved. I will do some detective work and get to the bottom of this. Speaking of bottom....bottomless 1000s tomorrow. I gotta go set up the shuffle with some random tunes and get in the second 10 miler of the day. Oh and pull ups. Meeting a new special friend at the Gnome tonight as well. Belgium nostalgia at the moment, so that will be the cure tonight. A shout out to my buddy Stephen Haas...I feel your pain my friend, I really do. Stick to the plan. Stick to your plan.

Last Friday

2009-07-05T16:46:00.000-05:00

So last Friday was our first planned marathon simulation deal. Dennis always has me practice the pre-race routine on these days....getting up 4 hours before we begin, eating what I will be eating on race morning, sipping water and my secret electrolyte beverage, etc. The run was scheduled to begin at 10am in order to get in some traning in warmer temps and higher humidity. I underestimated both of these. Also, Lundo ran the first 2 of the planned 4 - 3.5 mile loops which was outstanding. But my workout didn't please me.

I already was kinda dealing with some stomach issues this week and that morning was no exception - I blame some of this on the previous evening's pesto. Normally I have a stomach of steel and can eat anything, but I had some trouble during the run and especially after. I could have been a little dehydrated also, but I feel like I get in a crapload of water and electrolyte beverage so who knows.

Warmed up for 3 miles easy. After about a mile of the scheduled 14 miler I wasn't feeling like myself. I only made it 10.5 and shut it down, which is disappointing yet at the same time a pretty good call. The plan for this workout was not to run 5 min pace or anything faster, but to just get a nice sustained run in at what was supposed to feel like a solid pace. Mile one was 5:14, two 5:19, and then a bunch of 5:10-5:12s with a last mile of 5:08. Pretty lousy 3 mile cool down after.

After evaluating everything about this workout, I would say my fitness is very high. The pace of this run was very, very comfortable. I think it's a matter of maybe being a bit more hydrated, getting used to the heat and humidity (it was nearly 80 with a pretty muggy feel to the air), and just letting the body adapt to all the miles in the legs from the past few weeks.

Saturday I felt great on the country roads of Belmond, IA and put in a solid 16 miler so that is a good sign. 6min-6:10 pace the last half was clicking off nicely. The surfaces out there were absolutely perfect. Sometimes you can get huge chunks of gravel which is annoying, but the roads were pretty packed down and the footing was nice.

This week will be a hard effort on Monday and probably Thursday. I'm a counselor at Carrie's camp and look forward to seeing the kids and trying to squeeze in 130 miles. The weather looks to be nice and warm and humid. Good stuff.

On a social note, the weekend 4th of July festivities were out of control in Belmond. I had a blast and it was so good to see old friends and family. I came back to Minneapolis with some great stories that will only be discussed on runs with the boys. Smiling just thinking about some stuff.

Take advantage of the week ahead.

was trying to find me something but i wasn't sure just what

2009-07-02T20:32:00.000-05:00

You ever have those days....the days where you wonder what exactly the purpose is? You have all the motivation you could ask for staring you directly in the face to get out there and do some extraordinary things, yet sometimes you sit there and can only ask what for?

Today was not one of those days. All the motivation was there....I got out the door early with Zac, Annie, and the Jogger for an easy 8, went to work for 4 hours, set up my new toy, received a massage, and ran another easy 6. Only 14 total for the day, but only because Lehm told me to learn from his mistakes... 20 miles tomorrow with 14 or so at marathon pace looms. It was a busy day, so I didn't even have time to ask myself what exactly I was doing. It just all fell into place.

This weekend I will venture to Belmond, Iowa, population 2505 for the annual 4th of July celebration. The Corner Bar, parade, BBQ in the park, and fireworks traditionally make this one of my favorites of the year...just really good to see all fam and friends who are back in B. Lots of support there for my efforts especially. Plus I love running out on the dirt roads in the Iowa country with nothing but corn all around you.

Next week and the following week will be relatively big training weeks. I hope to run between 120-130 miles with a lot of marathon paced efforts, and also with some mile, 5k, and 10k paced workouts mixed in there. Throw in some threshold and a 30 mile run and this marathon will be a piece of cake - right!!?? Planning on racing a 10k on July 25, and playing a lot of golf in between. Loving the Minnesota summer, but can't wait to get to Berlin.

some like it hot, but you cant tell how hot til you try

2009-06-26T15:58:00.000-05:00

Let's get right into it...the last few days have been a whirlwind. I have seen so many comments on Michael Jackson passing away, and I just want to say my first (and only that I can remember) vinyl was 'Thriller.' I was six years old, and used to blast that thing on my brown Fisher Price record player. Our Kindergarten gang used to patrol the playground with our Iowa State jackets and criss crossed velcro shoes all knowing that we were the biggest Michael Jackson fans in Belmond. RIP, MJ.

I am SO excited to have my teammate Katie McGregor make the USA 10000m squad for the World Champs in Berlin. That girl works very, very hard and is tougher than anybody I can think of. Even though I know she isn't completely satisfied, it was a solid effort last night in Eugene. I really feel like sometimes, it's hard to run a fast 10k at Hayward so it was a nice effort. Anyway, we are going to Berlin together and it's a great feeling. More motivation for myself to keep this train rolling.

This morning Lehm, Schen-del (and little Annie in the baby jogger) ran 10 miles pretty decent on the Parkway. I actually pushed the jogger for a bit, and it is amazing the looks some ladies will throw your way. I don't think Schen-del gets the same looks I did though. Must be the hairy back or something. I didn't feel the best on the out and back (a change from the usual routine though). It's been pretty hot and humid here, but I think that will serve it's purpose come August 22. Probably will run another 7 in the afternoon heat. A nice massage from Gregg earlier will hopefully help get the legs to come around over the next few days. Lehm and I are running long tomorrow, upwards of 22, and I am gonna wear a water belt. I'm sure it will look cool and everything. I refuse to don the Fuel Belt however.

Also, I shot a 41 at Ft. Snelling today with Lehm and the Swans. Golf is so weird - man sometimes I suck, but sometimes I can get really lucky. Sorta like running. I have decided it's all about how you approach it from a mental standpoint. It's pretty easy to get flustered, but you just have to keep cool, and roll with the punches on that day. I love golf, I love running, and it was a perfect day for both.

Be good, MG