Finishing Touches

Tonight I wrapped up my spring training cycle with a final good track workout leading into this weekend's USA Half Marathon championships in Duluth.  It was a pretty simple workout - 4 miles at half marathon goal pace with short rest followed by a hard 800 to simulate closing hard at the end of the race.  I nailed the miles very comfortably in 4:58 with 75 seconds rest.  I then took a 4 minute rest to spike up for the 800.  I got out hard on the 800 and came through the 400 in 64 seconds, right where I wanted to be.  I was working hard on the second lap, but brought it home in 65 to finish in 2:09.

I am really pumped about this final workout.  Earlier this winter when I was beginning my buildup, I had hoped to reach the point where I was running close to 5:00 pace or better with this short amount of rest and I am right where I hoped to be!  Following it up with a very quick 800 all by myself is just icing on the cake.  I honestly never really thought I would get to the point where I could drop a sub 2:10 in a workout, but this just goes to further backup my strength=speed philosophy.

I will be running very easy the next three days as I conclude my season.  Nothing more than a half hour per day just to keep my legs loose.  Thursday and Friday I will throw in a few strides at the end of my run to keep the legs used to turning over.

It really still hasn't hit me that I will be competing in a national championship race this weekend.  It is a level I never thought I would reach.  This is what I love about running.  It is a pure work sport, and if you want it bad enough, you can accomplish things you never thought possible.  It might take a few years and thousands of long lonely miles, but when it all comes together for you like it has for me this spring, it is so worth it.

Now, back to business.  At the USA Half, my race plan is to go out no faster than 4:55 and then settle into 5:00-5:05 pace and grind all the way to the finish.  I believe I am fit enough to run 1:06 flat or a little faster.  The key will be not getting sucked out by the true elites who are capable of running 1:02 or better.  If I am able to stay under control for the first half of the race, I believe I will be able to rely on my strength to carry me to the finish in a huge PR!  This is certainly the biggest race I have ever been in, and I want to make the most of this opportunity.  I'm fit, confident, and ready to race!  I can't wait to see how I stack up against some of the USA's best and represent Keystone Elite on the national stage!

Next stop Duluth!