HHC

Ladies,

Let's get right into it.

Runner	1	2		3		Final 10th		5k
Danielle	6:37:00	13:34:00	6:57:00	20:38:00	7:04:00	0:46:00	6:08:00	21:24:00	6:54:12
Carrie	6:37:00	13:51:00	7:14:00	21:07:00	7:16:00	0:47:00	6:16:00	21:54:00	7:03:52
Alli	6:59:00	14:21:00	7:22:00	21:44:00	7:23:00	0:50:00	6:40:00	22:34:00	7:16:46
Shelby	6:58:00	14:21:00	7:23:00	21:44:00	7:23:00	0:51:00	6:48:00	22:35:00	7:17:06
Morgan	7:03:00	14:47:00	7:44:00	22:44:00	7:57:00	0:53:00	7:04:00	23:37:00	7:37:06
Chloe	7:20:00	15:08:00	7:48:00	23:01:00	7:53:00	0:52:00	6:56:00	23:53:00	7:42:15
Bret	7:41:00	16:07:00	8:26:00	24:35:00	8:28:00	0:54:00	7:12:00	25:29:00	8:13:14

Okay, you were all out quickly.That's fine, that's what needs to happen (with minor adjustments for a couple of you). What can't happen is the big drop-off in the second mile. We'll be resting a great deal this week - you won't believe how easy practice is going to be - and we should see an improvement in your ability to hold pace.

A comment for each of you:

Danielle - great race. Your time might not be your best time, but you raced the whole race. You were passing shirts until the end, and had the race gone on another half mile you might have gotten 7th. Congratulations on getting Honorable Mention!

Carrie - as we discussed, mile two is where you have to mentally knuckle down. You're great on the closing sprint. You're great on the final stretch. Remember, you are the same runner throughout the race. When you catch people in a race, keep going, because you will be slowing down with them if you settle into their pace. Catch, pass. Catch, pass. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Alli - Great race! You're almost there, almost ready to crack into the 21's and lower. Try not to get kicked this week, and who knows what might happen!

Shelby - I know you're frustrated, but health issues like this are never instantly resolved. Have faith. We'll figure out how to use that inhaler. You did a great job in spite of the trouble you're having.

Morgan - way to go! If all you do is hold even it will be a victory. You almost had your best time, so hey, we're getting there. Better still, your time seemed to be impacted more from stomach cramps than legs, so that is another positive step.

Chloe - PR! That was a big one too, more than 30 seconds. Imagine, just imagine, your side wasn't cramping. eh? EH?!

Bret - You took your shot. You weren't able to hold the pace, but you went for it the first mile. Now dig in that second mile! One mile at a time!

Extending that idea... notice how some of you tear it up on the 800s, but struggle on the tempo/race distances. Think it's the distance that makes it harder? Wrong. It's the way you segment your running that makes all the difference.

Your body will take the pain of running, if you will it to do so. You aren't doing anything injurious, you are doing something uncomfortable, albeit very uncomfortable. That means you won't hurt yourself by enduring the pain. So? That's actually a pretty big deal

You see, slowing down is a decision for the most part. You decide you can't take it anymore. You decide you don't want to hurt any longer. You decide what is happening now is good enough, even if you could go harder. Search yourself. You know it's true.

Carrie was speaking near me when she realized she was only 2 places away from Honorable Mention today, and worse, she'd passed the girls who took her spot. This is going to eat her for days, because she knows she could have had the spot. Eight seconds was all she needed. Eight seconds.

Using this as the perfect example, here's what I would be thinking if I were Carrie:

1. First, I run with Danielle every day, step-for-step. No way she should be able to get away from me in a race. Won't happen again.
2. Second, once I pass someone, they stay passed. That's my rule from now on. 
3. Third, my second mile was the point the race got away. I may make a lot of mistakes in the next race, but there is one I won't make; letting the second mile drop away like that. That's a major focus for my future racing.

I hope you all realize I'm not beating up on Carrie by discussing it this way. Far from it! This is a process I use on my own racing, indeed I would say any thoughtful endurance athlete would do. You have to recognize your weaknesses to fix them. They don't magically go away, they must be dealt with, directly and decisively. 

I also want to say I felt the course was not a particularly fast one. I wasn't sure after the girls' race, so I set the watch to the boys' race. Sure enough, Arthur was only in the 16:20 range, and Lane slower than that by another 20 seconds or so. These boys were on the edge of 16 flat just a week ago on our course, a hard one. So... I'm not sure what it was about it, but fast it wasn't. That means if you were at or near your best time, you did a truly outstanding job. My guess is it was probably 20-25 seconds off our course times. 

Now for fun...

I was trying to fulfill my contractual obligations with McDonald's, Timex, and Geezer Jock by snapping a photo of a pretty snazzy looking, athletic, older gentleman sipping a McDonald's Diet Coke. It was going pretty well, I thought I had the job done, then I looked over my shoulder. 

Critique of the photo bomb: Excellent placement. The lighting was used to advantage, highlighting the eyes and expression. Slight demerit for not getting the mouth in, which would have allowed a completely moronic expression (always worth extra points), but otherwise a pretty good example of how to do it right. Grade: A-

Conference!

First, the details.

• Meet at the pool 6:20 AM
• Leave BNL at 6:30 AM
• Arrive at course by 8 AM
• Walk the course, warm-up
• Race at 9 AM
• Awards at 10:15 AM
• Be back to BNL by 1 PM

Yeah, I know it's an early start, but we want to be there in time to not be rushed. At all. 

Another thing - we won't run JV. Period. I don't care if they do wind up having a JV race (there isn't one listed on the info pack), I don't want anyone running it. Those that aren't racing are resting, with the exception of the alternates. 

There is a small change to the line up tomorrow:

1. Danielle
2. Carrie
3. Shelby
4. Alli
5. Morgan
6. Locki
7. Chloe

Alt. Bret

Alt. Diana

Here's the reality we face in the next two weeks - we are not healthy. I'm hoping as we reduce mileage things get better, but we must prepare for the possibility they won't. What does that mean? Take tomorrow. Keeley won't run, which hurts us a bit. But it doesn't have to. All of you girls are capable of moving up, and to be honest, you need to anyway. Sure, this makes it a bit harder, but you know something? Sometimes it takes an even bigger challenge to bring out the best in us. 

I attempted two Ironman competitions in my life. In the first one, I couldn't have been better trained. I was a machine throughout the lead up, ran terrific races, and looked like a lock. I did a half Ironman at the time which will likely stand as one of the best athletic events I've done in 35 years of endurance athletics. 

And I still died race day. DNF. Went into convulsive cramping halfway through the bike, and wound up on the ground in a writhing ball of agony. 

Of course I was disappointed at first, and vowed to not waste my time again. Then I thought about it. This only seemed impossible - after all, 2,000 people did it that day. There had to be a way to make it work. I might have done a great job training, but I would have to do a better job, and yes, face the challenge again. No way I was going out like that, no way I would have my daughters look at me like a quitter. 

That race wasn't going to beat me. I set my jaw, looked squarely at my weaknesses and determined what I had to do to overcome it. The focus went from what can go wrong to what can I control. One mindset is inherently negative, the other is positive. With a positive attitude and a strong conviction that you will do whatever it takes to accomplish a goal, there's really not much you can't do. 

The very next year, I was back, and the conditions were every bit as bad as the year before. It didn't matter. Was it tough? YES! But by focusing on the "right now", I was able to function and perform well. I didn't win, I didn't set records, but I was in control the whole way, and in Ironman, that's the ticket. 

What you ladies have before you tomorrow is your own personal Ironman - er, Ironwoman. Whether you're chasing an All-Conference (some of you are), Honorable Mention (some of you are), or simply improving your time, you all have to overcome your particular set of problems. What might they be? Inexperience? Training? Injury? Guess what? Very few athletes EVER show up to the starting line 100% .There is ALWAYS something wrong. Don't focus on that. Focus on what you can control. Pick three things to target, and take them, step-by-step. These are mini-goals that give you just enough carrot to keep moving forward. Do that, and the race will be over before you know it. 

The perfect race has to include total mastery of the body and mind. Keep your head in the game, and your body will follow.

Okay, split workout tomorrow. Split in that most of you will run or swim in the morning, the rest will run in the afternoon.

So far, Shelby, Bret, Morgan, and Lauren have opted for the PM. The rest have opted for morning.

In the morning, Hanna, Locki, Chloe, and Keeley should swim.

The rest of you ladies should run 3 miles.

Practice in the morning is 6:30 AM. Practice in the PM is after school. That takes care of that order of business.

We leave Saturday morning from the pool entrance at 6:30 AM. We will not run any JV race, regardless of whether or not coaches opt to do it (it's not currently on the schedule).

I've made the final call on the varsity squad. It was not an easy decision for a lot of reasons. It's tough to tell an athlete she won't be running. It hurts, I know it. You all want the slot, you all work hard. The fact is, some of you are hurt, and some of you are faster than others. I have to pick the girls that in the short term will give us the best chance to place highly and in the long term won't jeopardize State series. Hard choices must be made.

So, here's the line up.

1. Danielle
2. Carrie
3. Shelby
4. Alli
5. Morgan
6. Locki
7. Chloe

Alt. Bret

Alt. Keeley

These girls, all of them, need to be ready to race Saturday. Of the top-7, three have moderate issues with their health. If any of the top-7 cannot race, we pull up Bret. If two, it'll be Keeley.

Understand ladies, this isn't how I wish the decision would be made. I'd prefer everyone be healthy and you all duke it out, straight-up. It isn't so. This is the best we can do.

This doesn't mean we won't do well. We have a chance to do quite well as a team, and we certainly have girls ready to bust great times, and I think we will. Focus on that, and the rest takes care of itself. 

We are going to rest a great deal next week. We have a race on Tuesday, and I will likely sit out a few of you. After that - Sectional. 

A lot better!

Well, that sure went better today!

I can't say you gals enjoyed it, but I warned you, didn't I? Running in the water is not easy, it's not fun, but it does condition you. Sometimes it's the only training a runner can do. Imagine doing it every day for 8 weeks!

Hopefully today gave all of you the rest you needed without conceding training. I wanted a full hour of aerobic activity, and that's what we got. Between the running (half an hour), kicking, and swimming, you all did around 1500 yards. That's not a lot for a swimmer, but it's a ton for a runner. Good job!

We are handling the Middle School Invite tomorrow. The consensus of the team was we should meet at the pool at 4 PM, run 4-5 miles, then go to the meet. We will need to work the chute, monitor the course, and do whatever other ancillary activity Mr. Callahan deems necessary. We want the even to go as smoothly as possible for everyone. Afterwards, it might be a great idea to schmooze it up with the yunga gurlz. Make them feel welcome, fill them with empty promises like, I don't know, "I'll make you popular!" (instant classic, and one of the funniest things I've heard in a long time).

As for myself, I can't wait to see how my BMS kids run, in particular Chelsey and Zoe (of course). I also have my eye on a couple of other prospects, so stay tuned.

Up for consideration: Friday morning practice?

There have been better days

Ah, what a Renaissance man Ryan Gosling is!

I could have used some of that comfort after practice tonight... not a good one, not a good one at all.

I misspoke earlier when I said Sectional is three weeks from tonight - it's two weeks from tonight. A week from tonight is the Jasper Invite, and the following week is Sectional, ergo, two weeks.

What difference does it make? Plenty. I've pushed you guys to the breaking point, and perhaps beyond. Like it or not, taper has to begin sooner than later. I don't know if we have the base for a full two-week taper, but I do know you folks cannot take another hard week. If I have to choose the lesser of evils, I'll go with rest. You can't race at all with broken legs.

So tomorrow will be different - tomorrow, we run in the water. Well, not everyone. Danielle, Carrie, Shelby, you will run seven miles. The rest of you will run in the pool.

What?! Run in the pool?

Yup. One kick board under each arm and run back-and-forth the length of the pool. I'm not joking, I'm not making it up. It is commonly done with runners with stress fractures. We'll do some laps too, but count on running.

I mentioned progression before practice today, and some of you asked what I meant. I've been charting your progress, and for the most part we are moving ahead nicely. Let's see if I can lay a few out for you and explain them...

Danielle has shown steady growth. Notice how she started a bit over 22 minutes and has steadily lost time ever since? She's lost over 40 seconds from the start of the year, and that alone (assuming it stops there) would be a great season. She has a bunch more time in her, I think, and Sectional should be good to her. In any event, I don't think we've seen the best of her yet.

Shelby's graph is not a steady pattern. The trend was generally faster until the last week or so, and then there is a marked slowdown. This is health-related, and there finally has been a determination as to exactly what is wrong. I cannot disclose this information publicly, however we hope we have it resolved and we should see a return to growth.

Like Danielle, this chart shows great progress. It has tapered in the last few meets, but practice is another story. Carrie is about to experience another bust-out performance, trust me. We aren't even close to seeing what she can do yet.

Alli's quad is finally healthy. Too bad she's been kicked in the shin the last few soccer games. She is progressing in spite of everything, though we must wonder what might have been without the injury. No matter. Once this shin is done, Alli should bust into the 21's again.

Some days I want to hug her, some days I want to choke her, but there's no denying Keeley's ability. The key to improvement is more about next year than this one. Keeley, run more. Simple formula, run more. Fall cross is made in summer training. It's really hard to see what you can do without a good, full running base. That's all that's missing here. As progress goes, this is far better than could be expected, and a hint of what is possible.

Okay, this is the chart of someone who has spent the season injured. While it's true it shows no growth, it also doesn't show a decline. That's remarkable given the slim amount of running Morgan has been able to generate. She's tough, she's managed to ride enough to hold her own. I can't say enough about her dedication.

Locki does not come off as the most confident runner, and often her pre-race utterances are confined to what's wrong and how bad the race is going to be. Then, miracle! She improves in spite of it all. Truth is, all athletes do this to some degree before an event - get the excuses out of the way, then run like heck! The growth here is pretty steady by the way, and I don't think we're near the bottom yet.

Injured! The progression was great, and Chloe was on the verge of being on the front of the group, and now shins and back. It's a shame, because I can tell she really does understand and, dare I say it, is beginning to really like this whole running thing. We're going to figure this out, because I can't imagine a team next year without Chloe on it.

Diana has been a little up-and-down, but as you can see, she has dropped considerable time throughout the season. This is an issue of confidence as much as anything. As the weather cools, she's going to have to become more aggressive about staying with the girls ahead.

Bret has been on a roller coaster. She has split time with soccer, hence the break in the graph. I think that's what the graph tells us too... it's hard to be a dual-sport athlete, and if your confidence wanes a bit, it gets even harder. Bret has run better in the last couple of meets, and it's a hopeful sign perhaps she's turned a corner.




A final thought...

...And time races by...

Heh. Never been one afraid of pounding a point home...

As the picture suggests, we are indeed doing 800s tomorrow. It's a pivotal workout - actually, both tomorrow and Wednesday's workouts are. I turned in the Conference roster today, and it's been narrowed to 10 runners. I have to decide Saturday morning who will run.

Much of that decision of course is based on time - who are the fastest seven runners based on race times? However, there's more to that equation, so before I opt to name the runners now, I need to consider the whole of this week to assess who has the best chance to advance the team.

It's simple. We are fighting for 2nd, which is extremely realistic, though not a given. We've seen everyone else but Columbus East, so I have to like our chances. I think, especially if we run as we should, 2nd is easily within grasp. Therein lies the hook.

We have a lot of girls that are far from 100%. I need to see who is healthy and who is not before making the call. I'm pretty sure of the top-5, but the last 2 slots could be filled by many of you. And here's another thought; would resting a couple of you make you better for Sectional, a much harder path for us?

Ahh... that's why I wear the big-boy pants. Decision time!

So... we'll be going hard after the 800s tomorrow, and yes, we'll do a tempo the next day. I'm telling you now, no, challenging you now to be up for it. Don't look away, stare right at it, steel your mind to be tough and handle what you must. Taper is almost here, don't blink now!

The boys are scouting the Conference course tomorrow... they'll give us the intel on Wednesday. I've run it before, but it was 15 years ago, and I can't remember much other than it was flatter than our course. That means we'll likely see fast times IF we can manage the choke points on the course.

But, to the task at hand...

Carrie, Danielle - 3:05
Shelby - 3:10
Alli, Keeley - 3:15
Chloe, Locki, Bret -3:25
Diana - 3:45

BNL Invite

Hey Girl(s),

Just wanted to drop a note and say I understand if you didn't like the pumpkin bread I made. It only took a few hours of my life.

............

Okay, that's a freebie (from today's discussion).

The meet today went well - for those that were able to run. It's still disappointing to have so many girls hurt, but that's the way sports go sometimes. I'll confess, I've never had so many hurt at one time. It can't go on forever though. I have to believe things will come around in the end.

Runner	1	2		3		Last 10th		3.1
Danielle	6:46:00	13:26:00	6:40:00	20:27:00	7:01:00	0:53:00	7:04:00	21:20:00	6:52:54
Carrie	6:46:00	13:37:00	6:51:00	20:45:00	7:08:00	0:47:00	6:16:00	21:32:00	6:56:46
Shelby	6:49:00	14:00:00	7:11:00	21:09:00	7:09:00	0:54:00	7:12:00	22:03:00	7:06:46
Keeley	6:55:00	14:05:00	7:10:00	21:37:00	7:32:00	0:52:00	6:56:00	22:29:00	7:15:10
Alli	7:02:00	14:40:00	7:38:00	22:26:00	7:46:00	1:00:00	8:00:00	23:26:00	7:33:33
Diana	7:34:00	15:32:00	7:58:00	23:42:00	8:10:00	1:05:00	8:40:00	24:47:00	7:59:41
Bret	7:40:00	16:00:00	8:20:00	24:07:00	8:07:00	1:03:00	8:24:00	25:10:00	8:07:06
JV	1	2		3		Last 10th		3.1
Locki	7:06:00	14:59:00	7:53:00	22:55:00	7:56:00	1:00:00	8:00:00	23:55:00	7:42:54
Hanna	7:51:00	16:44:00	8:53:00	25:35:00	8:51:00	1:00:00	8:00:00	26:35:00	8:34:31

The numbers are easy to read. Danielle and Carrie had terrific first miles, but let the last mile get away. It's getting better every time, and look the times are faster. We just need to tighten up a bit.

Shelby also did well in spite of having another asthma episode. She actually sped up towards the end.

Keeley had her smartest race yet, running splits 15 seconds apart. That's not bad. Of course we can still tweak that, but there's not a lot to complain about here. Good race.

Alli was sick. I should have sat her out, but I didn't. It was a good race regardless.

Diana had a great one, and PR'd. She didn't let the big gaps open up on her splits, either. Getting better!

Bret ran her best race since opening meet. We still need to work on the second mile! It was good to see her racing more like herself.

Locki! I know she hates for us to cheer, but she loves it too. This was a huge drop for her, 25 seconds from last week. Considering this is also a harder course, the drop was all the more remarkable.

Finally, Hanna ran her first race. Clearly there was a big drop-off from mile one to mile two, but hey, it was the first race. After that point, it was an even race. I managed to keep her moving in the final third of the race by employing an old coach's tactic - I lied. She asked how far from the end, and I said, "It's almost over". No, not really from where we were!

One more week of the hard stuff girls, then things get MUCH easier. The hard part's almost over. Hang in there one more week!

The Eve of Construction

Ladies,

A little play on 60's music, my dears. Apropos to the time though... tomorrow, we get some answers. The workouts have been pretty strong, really strong in some cases. We're deep into the speed phase of our training - who will be the first to break huge?

That's a hard one to guess. So many of you have had stellar 800 workouts, I have to think it could come from any of you. A few of you have been backing that workout up with outstanding tempos the day after. I have to feel really good about those prospects. But you know what? Anything can happen in this business. That's why we go ahead and run the meet.

Tomorrow is the biggest meet we run all year. TONS of people will be on the course, and if the promised rain appears, this is going to be a slogfest. Bring the spikes!

Some times to think about...

Danielle, Shelby, Carrie - 6:45 average. You are ready. Make up your minds and do it!
Alli - 7:00 average. Hang tough. You're ready.
Keeley - 7:15 average. Whatever it takes, do it.
Morgan, Bret - 7:30 average. Be brave. Nothing to lose ladies!
Chloe, Locki - 7:45 average. You girls are great on the averages. Be smooth.
Diana - 7:50 average. Don't be afraid to try. Chase shirts after halfway.
Hanna - just have fun!

8 AM at the course!

Here and there

Ladies,

Just a few things tonight... last couple days have been very tough workouts, as I promised they would be. You are showing the nicks and cuts I thought we'd see (figuratively speaking), and tonight's practice showed how close to the edge some of you are. With that in mind, we'll be doing morning practice tomorrow. We'll be meeting 6:30 AM at the pool for... a swim! That's right, we'll do some yards for about an hour, then we'll be done.

Credit Morgan for this one. She asked if we could do it, and the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. You're all hurting to some degree. It's cardio. It's non-weight bearing. Finally, it gives you a full 24 hours rest before you race. I like it! The only thing I hate is I didn't think of it first!

See you all in the morning. 

Tempo - you knew it'd be hard!

Ladies,

It's always amazing to see how differently you can approach back-to-back days. The girls of Tuesday are resolute, jaw set, give-me-all-you-got athletes that are afraid of nothing. The girls of Wednesday are full of foreboding, doom dripping from their brows. Sure, it's hard to run back-to-back hard days, but it's done, and more often than you think. The way a week spaces out, you'll find any serious program will include such combinations. Could it be worse? Easily. We could switch the days.

I like this combination. It let's you get the very most out of your highest quality work, the speed work. It lessens the risk of injury, because that's one workout you don't want to approach already beaten down. Bad form + speed workouts = injury. It also teaches you how to run a hard effort even when you are tired.

I was talking to a couple of you the last couple of days about the real goal of some workouts - to wear you down to the point you have to make a choice. Can you take it any more? Are you tougher than that person next to you? It's funny, because the very same topic came up tonight in the growny-up run I had with my friends. Dr. Jimmy Sowders was trying to encourage a fellow runner to push through her desire to quit early in a run by explaining:

"The reason a 5k is 3.1 miles long is to get you to the last mile. That's where the race really begins."

That's profound, and it's exactly right. Amazing how great minds think alike! Intervals, tempos, long runs... they all share this characteristic. At some point, if the workout is structured right, you have to make a choice. And here's the thing... it's a choice you can't make once-and-for-all. It's a choice that has to be made every single workout, every single day. The toughness has to be developed, cultivated, nurtured, so that when the time comes, it's there.

Some people have that wild-eyed craziness, that absolute fear of losing to the point of doing absolutely anything and everything to win, no matter what the competition. That's not always healthy, especially if you're talking about a tack-eating contest (and I've known people like this), but you can rest assured this type of person always possesses the motivation to hurt more.

The bad part of that type of competitor is it really relegates competition to the instinctual level, and in my mind less fulfilling. There is so much more to this competition thingy than merely winning. For myself, I've always enjoyed strengthening my body, to feel the use of it, to experience my temperature rising and my muscles throbbing as I force myself further and further towards the edge, to experience something few around me can or ever will. I enjoy pitting my will against theirs, to break their resolve. It's my mind against theirs, about analyzing the course and the runners, looking for and finding weaknesses, devising tactics and strategies to capitalize on opportunities, to see it clearer and brighter... What's the perfect race? When all the forces - the body, the mind, the will - come together in unity and execute in perfect harmony.

Man...

Oh, we did a workout today, right? Sorry, lost myself in reflection for a bit... we had some great stuff today. And some not-so-great stuff too, but hey, it was the second hard day, right?

Runner	1	2	Pace	3	Pace	AVG		Projected 5k
Carrie	6:49:00	13:38:00	6:49:00	20:18:00	6:40:00	6:46:00		20:58:36
Danielle	6:49:00	13:42:00	6:53:00	20:47:00	7:05:00	6:55:40		21:28:34
Shelby	6:49:00	13:44:00	6:55:00	21:06:00	7:22:00	7:02:00		21:48:12
Alli	6:58:00	14:00:00	7:02:00		7:00:00	7:00:00		21:42:00
Bret	7:47:00	15:41:00	7:54:00	23:23:00	7:42:00	7:47:40		24:09:46
Locki	8:00:00	16:30:00	8:30:00	23:51:00	7:21:00	7:57:00		24:38:42
Chloe	8:00:00	16:32:00	8:32:00	23:51:00	7:19:00	7:57:00		24:38:42
Keeley	7:50:00	16:16:00	8:26:00	24:53:00	8:37:00	8:17:40		25:42:46
Diana	8:01:00	16:30:00	8:29:00	26:00:00	9:30:00	8:40:00		26:52:00

Pour over the numbers. Start at the top. Carrie was able to negative split, and pretty much ran away from the group. Very impressive! She also continued on for the 5k, running a 21:15, which is her PR. Sure it was practice, but you know what? It's actual. It's not guesswork, it happened.

Danielle also had a great workout. I give her a lot of credit, because she steps up to lead every workout, whether or not she feels up to it. The intervals last night took a lot out of her, but she gave it her best shot. Sure, today, Carrie was too much. But Danielle also ran a 5k, running her season-best 21:38 on a day she was bone-tired. I'd say that was pretty good!

Shelby toughed out another one. This asthma/allergy thing is tough, discouraging, and really getting in the way of uncovering what she's capable of, but Shelby is full of fight. She isn't making excuses, she tries every day, no matter what. I'm very proud of her.

Alli ran as well today as I've ever seen her. She chugged through two miles as if she were a metronome. Her problems do continue, this time in the form of a cracked shin (from soccer), but it's still a net positive; it wasn't her quad! As co-captain, it's good to see her step up and try to bridge a gap that would daunt others to try. She's an important part of our Conference/Sectional/Regional formula, and she knows it. Great job!

Bret returned! The Bret we've all known and loved over the years showed up today, and she rose to the occasion. I handed her a 7:50 goal pace, and she bested it by 3 seconds per mile. That's 18 spm faster than last week's pace, by the way. It was really, really good to see, and Bret, this should give you the confidence to know you are a great runner, you are important to the team, and we need you to keep stepping up. Great work!

Chloe, I know your back hurt awfully bad the last two days, and now your shins are killing you. Hang in there! We are in the home stretch, and taper is right around the corner. You have some great drops left in you. We'll run easy the next two days, and if necessary, you can ride. You are working hard, everyone can see it, and as much as anyone, I believe you've "gotten it" over the last few weeks. Keep it up.

Locki, the toes hurt, sometimes you complain, but I never mind, because you also always come through. As much as you try to push it away, you are a born competitor. You always find something at the end of a hard run, and it may surprise you to hear you're one of the fastest sprinters on the team.

Diana, you started off great, but ended in a struggle. It happens. You are good enough to run with everyone, but you have to believe it. Everyone hurts! Everyone finds it hard to breathe. Everyone cramps. There isn't a single person on the team who hasn't suffered the last two days. It's okay. Convince yourself you can do what they do. Then do it. You are working hard physically, but we need the mind to catch up.

Keeley, you did a great job yesterday. Today was a struggle. You really didn't give the workout a chance. You can do it. As I've already said, everyone hurt today, everyone. Everyone was tired. Push through it. If you have to pretend every day is a race, then do it. I know your feet hurt. Again, the end is almost here. We have to get every hard mile out of you we can before the tournament. We're simply out of time. I've said it to you before but let me say it again, publicly... you might be the most talented runner on the team. Believe it. Accept the responsibility that goes with it. These girls want you to be great, they need you to be great, and by golly, you can be great. If you want it, want it badly enough, nothing will stop you from being great. 

800s and more!

Ladies,

Admit it. When you heard the numbers I threw at each of you tonight, inwardly you trembled. Forget the inwardly part; many of you visibly shuddered, and through wavering lips relayed your doubts of my sanity. "This is so much faster than last week!", or "What makes you think we can do THIS?!" Well, what happened?

You beat them. Every one of them, smashed. Every one of you bettered the goals I set. The goals you thought impossible. Huh. So you guys can do the impossible, eh? ;)

Let's look at the breakdown:

Runner	Goal	1	2	3	4	5	6	Total	Pace
Danielle	3:06:00	3:07:00	3:06:00	3:05:00	3:05:00	3:05:00	3:02:00	18:30:00	6:10:00
Carrie	3:06:00	3:07:00	3:06:00	3:05:00	3:05:00	3:05:00	3:00:00	18:28:00	6:09:20
Shelby	3:06:00	3:07:00	3:06:00	3:05:00	3:05:00			12:23:00	6:11:30
Keeley	3:20:00	3:19:00	3:14:00	3:21:00	3:07:00	3:24:00		16:25:00	6:34:00
Locki	3:35:00	3:21:00	3:20:00	3:24:00	3:31:00			13:36:00	6:48:00
Chloe	3:35:00	3:21:00	3:20:00	3:24:00	3:31:00			13:36:00	6:48:00
Diana	4:10:00	3:29:00	3:35:00	3:53:00	4:00:00	4:04:00		19:01:00	7:36:24

Notice the goal pace, then compare it to the final pace. Danielle, Carrie, Shelby - 3:05. Keeley - 3:17. Locki, Chloe - 3:24. Diana - 3:48.

Now wrap your minds around these numbers:

Today's 5k Pace			Adj Pace		Predicted 5k
Danielle	19:07:00		6:40:00		20:40:00
Carrie	19:04:56		6:40:00		20:40:00
Shelby	19:11:39		6:41:00		20:43:06
Keeley	20:21:24		7:04:00		21:54:24
Locki	21:04:48		7:18:00		22:37:48
Chloe	21:04:48		7:18:00		22:37:48
Diana	23:34:50		7:36:00		23:33:36

What's my logic? First, let's take for granted you probably can't run the 5k time represented by the pace you ran today. You had a rest between the 800s, blah blah blah. Okay, fine, but could you run, say, 30 seconds per mile slower? Hmm. That's adding 15 seconds to each 800 you did today. I bet you can all agree with me that, compared to today, that would be a walk in the park. Once you understand this, you know you can run the adjusted paces above, and therefore can run the predicted times as well. Honestly, if you believe it's possible, you'll do it. Don't accept anything less. On a flat course, these times should be easily attainable.

Speaking of results, I have the Crawford County Invite numbers in my hand. What were our results? Hmm, let me see... yes... mmyes... I see... (paper shuffling) oh!

We were 2nd! We beat Salem (though some of their runners may have been gone), and we definitely achieved one goal in that Carrie, Danielle, and Shelby all beat one of the faster Salem girls. That's major! All three of you beat their #3 runner. Their #2 wasn't in the race (as far as I can tell), but in the end it wouldn't have mattered that much.

Okay... so moving ahead to tomorrow, we have the tempo run. Here's my challenge - run within 10 seconds per mile of the pace you see above. Start there, end there. It's going to be cool out. You have the weather on your side, and to be honest, I think momentum. Believe it's possible, and you'll do it. 

Winding down fast

Ladies,

I know many of you are hurting, and new pains crop up every day. Let me assure you, this is normal. The only way to get the most out of yourself is to push to your limits, and as you might guess, this isn't without consequences. There will be more pain to come.

Take heart; Sectional is three weeks away, then Regional after that. A lot will be decided in that week. Realistically we haven't a shot for State this year - too many people have to drop too far - but we sit at 50/50 for Semi-State. We need luck, we need the weather, and we need drops. If all three come together, we go.

We can't do anything about luck or the weather, but we still have a hand in the drops. The next couple of weeks will be the last chance we have to affect the outcome of this season. We have two more speed and two more tempo workouts before we taper. They have to count!

Tomorrow we do 800s, Wednesday we tempo. Give it everything you have! Here are last week's numbers:

Runner	Target	1	2	3	4	5	AVG	Total	Pace
Danielle	3:15:00	3:13:00	3:11:00	3:09:00	3:11:00	3:03:00	3:09:24	15:47:00	6:18:48
Carrie	3:15:00	3:13:00	3:11:00	3:09:00	3:11:00	3:03:00	3:09:24	15:47:00	6:18:48
Shelby	3:15:00	3:13:00	3:11:00	3:09:00	3:11:00	3:04:00	3:09:36	15:48:00	6:19:12
Alli	3:40:00	3:13:00	3:11:00	3:10:00			3:11:20	9:34:00	6:22:40
Chloe	3:55:00	3:51:00	4:00:00	3:49:00	3:35:00		3:48:45	15:15:00	7:37:30
Locki	3:55:00	3:51:00	4:00:00	3:49:00	3:35:00		3:48:45	15:15:00	7:37:30
Bret	3:55:00	3:38:00	4:09:00	4:00:00	4:08:00		3:58:45	15:55:00	7:57:30
Diana	4:00:00	3:55:00	4:15:00	4:22:00	4:37:00		4:17:15	17:09:00	8:34:30
Keeley	3:15:00	3:13:00	3:35:00	3:47:00	3:56:00		3:37:45	14:31:00	7:15:30

Resolve to be a little better this week. Take charge of your own fate, will yourself to do it, one 800 at a time. Focus on the only thing that matters at that particular moment, that 800. Run it evenly, under control, but run it strong. Challenge yourself, push. It won't be easy - it will be the most intense running we ever do - but it's the workout that makes you great.

Look, this is a microcosm of what racing actually is - living in the moment, the right now. The perfect race is a balance of forces, of pressure, of focus, and the unbreakable will to do what has to be done right now. The second the mind wanders off to what might happen, or how you might fail, the spell is broken. You've heard of the Zone? The Zone is nothing more than shoving everything else out of your mind but the right now.

Human beings are incredible. The body can endure anything the mind can dream possible, it's only a matter of how much pain you can take. Sure, pain breaks us all down, makes us stop, eventually. That's what pain is for. But you can deny that pain for a bit longer, to endure a bit more than your rival, that's the margin.

Ignoring pain won't give you faster legs, it won't make you jump higher, it won't make you stronger. It doesn't matter. In this sport, ignoring pain means you outlast everyone else, that you maintain whatever pace you can run longer than others can endure theirs. Ignoring pain allows you to break your opponents' will, and here's the funny thing... the more you realize you are breaking the people around you, the more pain you are able to accept. It's why competition brings out the very best in us - we can't be our best unless we are pushed to our edge.