United States Olympic Trials
Marathon Qualifying Standard – 2:19:00 or under
My goal – 2:18:59 or under
Current PR – 2:30:03
Current Weeks Mileage Goal – 65 miles
Next Race – 800m and 1 mile on December 11, 2010 in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Saturday, December 11, 2010 - Race day in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! This was my first indoor 1 mile race in four years and my 800m race in nearly 8 years. So, even those were short quick races, I was pretty anxious for them. The mile was the main race for me today and went off first. Below are my 400m splits:
400m #1 - 69 seconds
400m #2 - 69 seconds (2:18 at 800m)
400m #3 - 69 seconds (3:27 at 1200m)
400m #4 - 63 seconds (4:30.1 at finish)
4:30.1 = First Place
My goal time for this race from Barry was 4:32. I was glad I ran under that goal time and I was certainly happy how I competed and how I kicked in this race. The race went out super fast, (30 second first 200m) which would have been a 4:00 mile if that pace was held. So, I had to hold back, stick to my race plan and get after it in the last quarter of the race. That's what I did. I was in 7th place after the first 200m and in 6th place after the first 400m of the race. After that, so I didn't get boxed-in and thrown off of my goal pace I had to pass guys quickly. Once I established 4th place it was now time to get up to the pack of three UW-Milwaukee runners. Once I caught and passed them I was now in the lead with three laps to go, it was now my race to control. I knew if I could get to 200m to go in the lead it was going to be very difficult for someone to pass me. So when I got there in the lead I just turned it up as hard as I could go and was able to run a 29 second last 200m and win the race.
I cooled down for a mile and now had some time before my second race of the day, the 800m. Now I was supposed to have about 40-50 minutes after the mile until the 800m would go off. Since I was already fairly warm from the mile race and the cool down I didn't need the typical 40-45 minutes of warm up time. I just needed about 20 minutes. The race was supposed to run at 12:00pm so I started my 1.5 mile warm up at 11:40am. Well, we then find out that because of more heats of the 200m and then adding the 400m and 600m races in between that the race was being moved to 12:30pm and then eventually to 1:00pm. To make a long story short, I had more or less been warmed up and mentally preparing for the race for about an hour and 25 minutes. Which is not ideal. My legs were already feeling a bit shot from the hard work in the mile race so I ended up running a 2:08 800m and finished 4th. That was Barry's goal time for me, so at least I hit the goal, but I was feeling just okay about that race. I know that considering many factors that it is a solid performance and it will help set up my workouts and upcoming races for the better.
Now it is time to prepare for next Saturday's 2 mile race @ University of Chicago (Ted Haydon Holiday Classic). My goal time for this race will be 9:28 (4:44 mile pace).
Sunday, December 12, 2010 - 12 mile long run @ 6:20 mile pace (1:16:00). So considering the snow and 40 mph wind gusts I ran 4 miles outside and finished the final 8 inside on the treadmill. The four outside were actually mostly underground the whole time going from lowest Wacker Drive to lowest Columbus Drive to lowest Randolph Street to lowest Harbor Drive. If anyone knows where I am talking about this is a pretty mile loop. Ran that at right around 6:20 mile pace. The final 8 miles on treadmill were at 6:14 mile pace or slightly faster. This made the average for the entire run right around 6:16-6:17 per mile. It was a good effort, I felt good and know I am ready for the Bears to kick the Patriots ass!
Eric Wallor
