February Recap

For the past few weeks, I've been experiencing a lack of motivation to update my blog. This is quite unfortunate because it has been an exciting three and I should documented these experiences and successes as they occurred.

Last month, I entered new territory in terms of mileage, logging 315.25 miles in 28 days, averaging 11.26 miles per day and 78.8 miles per week. For a 10-day period between February 17 and the 26th,I hit 89+ miles for any seven consecutive days of running, cresting 93 miles for one block - the most miles I've run in a seven-day period. Throughout, I felt indefatigable.

On Sunday February 28, I toed the line of the RRCA Maryland Club Challenge 10 Mile, my first race of the year. After my 10 day streak of (personal) record mileage, I ran a mere 25:00 on Saturday to rest for the race. Throughout Saturday and Sunday, I feared that my overload of mileage would spell disaster for the race, which was a team competition with my team, Falls Road Running Store, vying for first place against the strong Howard County Striders, who took the men's title last year. My fears were raced after the gun went off, when, 200-meters into the race, I turned to a teammate and said, "Today will be a good day." It was indeed.

The leader was running near 5:00 per mile pace from the gun, which caused the foolhardy chase pack to disintegrate within the first few miles. This course is challenging, offering few flat, straight stretches were one can recover. It undulates for mile after mile, making it exceedingly difficult to establish and sustain a smooth rhythm. Thus, having gone out at a much more modest pace, I was primed to overtake the victims of Columbia's hills.

I crossed a mile 5 in 26:20, a mere 9 seconds off my 5 mile personal best, though most veterans of this race are dubious of the mile markers' accuracy. Around this point, I had settled into 4th place and was utterly alone in the wind to pursue the distant 3rd place HC Strider. Despite the hills and the multiple 90-degree turns, I felt strong and, at times, smooth. However, despite my best efforts, I could not make up ground on 3rd place person.

As I neared mile 7, I heard footsteps quickly gaining on me. I knew from the cadence that I was in trouble, for I could not muster the strength to join that pace for long. However, I was delighted when I turn found my pursuer to be a teammate, with whom I occasionally train. Although I could only stay with him for a mere mile before he sped away from me, his encouragement broke my malaise and compelled me to run a much quicker last 5K than I would have otherwise.

I was thrilled with my time and place, considering this race was a rust-buster - my first competition since Philly in November. Going into the race, I knew a sub-54:00 was out of the question, and I feared that I might finish in 55:00+, slower than my ten-mile split in my November half marathon. Thus, I was determined to run close to or better than my 54:20 (approximately) split at Philadelphia. I managed to do just that. More importantly, many of team members had remarkable races, with eleven guys breaking 58:00, good enouch for a decisive victory over Howard County. The women's team also took first place with several excellent performances. After years of running sole and traveling to races alone, it was great to compete as a part of team.

Since the race, I've been recovering slowly. I logged 83.25 miles in the last seven days, including a 21.5-mile long run, my longest to date, and a solid tempo session of 8x1600 @ threshold pace, averaging 5:29. For the next nine days, I intend to log high mileage, complete a few long tempo sessions, and mentally prepare for the National Half Marathon on March 20.