Jack and Jill Went Up the Hills

I apologize for the lull in action, but my blogging activity tends to coincide with my running. This is a running blog after all.

For a few days this week, I was dragging. The good thing about not wearing a watch is that you don't know exactly how slow you are running. This is good because you run according to how you feel instead on obsessive-compulsively checking your watch. After a tempo run last week, I needed a couple of recovery days.

Sure there are tougher workouts than tempo runs, but I have not done much "fast" running in the past year and a half. Everything is kind of rusty.

Eventually I recovered, only to do an intense hill workout this past Thursday. It was with a running group I never ran with before. I had no idea they had a hill workout scheduled, but I was already there. The reason I was weary is that the last time I did a hill workout after running on nothing but flat terrain for a long time, I broke my foot.

I don't think I broke anything this time (knock on wood). We warmed up 1.5 miles, ran a 4 mile very hilly course (I lost count how many hills) around some neighborhoods, then cooled down another 1.5. The 7 miles was the longest I have run in a while, since I broke my foot last fall, but it felt good with the easy warm-up and cool-down.

Since I had not run hills in a while, I started the 4 mile route a little fast. Actually, I did great for about the first 3 miles, but then we hit a really steep hill and I fell back. I still finished within 15 seconds of the lead guys though. They were impressed. They said this was the hardest workout they do. Little do they know this is only me at 22 mpw while they are in the midst of marathon training.

German Fernandez 3:56.05

This Saturday, January 24, German Fernandez ran 3:56.50 for an indoor mile at the Razorback Invitational at the University of Arkansas. I repeat, 3:56.50! That's his first-ever collegiate indoor track race, as well as his first race back from an injury. It is also a new junior world record.

Expectations have been high for Fernandez this year. Fernandez, 18, from Riverbank, CA, is a former high school running star who is now a freshman at Oklahoma State University, coached by Dave Smith. Some predicted a top-10 finish at the NCAA DI Cross Country Championship meet 2 months ago, but he DNF that race because of an Achilles injury.

"I didn't expect to break the record at all," Fernandez told OSU after the race. "That's the best time I've run in my life. I couldn't believe it at first."

No one was sure how soon Fernandez would rebound from last fall's injury. Some critics thought he would not reach the level of success he had in high school, but if his 3:56 mile is any indication, he will surpass it. There is a long track season ahead and he is only a freshman.


**Photo from Facebook.com

A Minimalist's Shoe Reviews

I train in racing flats. Crazy, right? Well, after wearing "normal" running shoes and going through 3 different pairs of orthotics, I kept getting injured. One day I read some threads on LetsRun about minimalism and it made sense that stability, cushioning, etc. in shoes weaken your feet. Think about it: try to run barefoot and see how long you can heel-strike. I am a natural mid-foot/forefoot striker, so all that extra heel height put additional strain on my tibia.

Minimalism is not a cure-all, however. I have had injuries since the switch, but they were due to training errors. If you are fine in regular running shoes, stick with what works. If you want to try something new and have the patience, try training in flats. Here are the flats I have trained in, ranked by my preference:

#1 New Balance RC152

I like the slightly curved last and wide forefoot of the New Balance RC152. These shoes fit my feet really well. The only drawback is that they are bright orange. The color is good for racing to make you look like a badass, but on the trails they got a few stares. I still want another pair. These are great shoes.

#2 Adidas adiZero RC

The adiZero series is quite popular. I'd like to try the Pro and PR. I really liked my experience with the Adidas adiZero RC. The shape of this shoe is very similar to the NB RC152, but more narrow. It has a low heel and is flexible. The sole of the shoes were durable, the upper on both shoes ripped. It ripped where the 3 stripes are stitched to the mesh. Perhaps mine were defective or I should have gone up a size.

#3 Asics Gel Hyperspeed 2

The Asics Gel Hyperspeed 2 is classified as a marathon racer, so it is more solid than some of the other flats. I like that it has a little more cushioning so that I don't feel every sharp rock under my feet, but still has a low heel. A drawbacks is that the shoes are less flexible than some of the other flats. You also have to be careful running on trails because the soles are made for roads. Overall, these are really good shoes. They are also what 2008 Olympian Ryan Hall wears in his races.

#4 Mizuno Wave Idaten

My first pair of flats were the Mizuno Wave Idaten. They are now called the Wave Ronin. I used to always wear the Wave Rider, a neutral trainer, so this was a good transition shoe.

Mizuno shoes fit my feet really well. However, the heel is still high for a flat and the shoe has the plastic "wave" in the arch and heel which makes it heavier and less flexible.

#5 Asics Piranha

The Asics Piranha is the lightest shoe I've worn, about 4.8 ounces. It almost feels like it's made out of paper. Unfortunately mine were a size too big, so my footstrike was a bit off. They are also

fairly narrow. I recommend them for road running. They don't hold up well on trails.

#6 Nike Air Zoom Streak XC

Nike makes great spikes, so I tried a pair of their flats, the Streak XC. They were okay, but not a favorite of mine. The heel is a little high, the sole is not flat, and they are very narrow. However I did see Dathan Ritzenhein wearing them at the Olympic Trials. Nike also makes the Air Zoom Katana Racer and the Air Zoom Marathoner. I've heard a lot of good things about the Marathoner.

#7 New Balance 205

The New Balance 205 has too much heel in my opinion. It's not

necessarily too high, but it felt wide. There is a large amount of space between the heel and the forefoot. Also, there is hardly any

traction on the sole. This is not a problem for racing, but is if you train in flats. I've seen several NB sponsored athletes, like James Carney, wear them.

#8 Nike Trail Free 5.0

The Nike Free is not exactly a racing flat, but it is a minimalist training shoe. I have a pair of the Trail Free 5.0. It is similar to the Free 5.0, but has a little more traction and a suede upper. Mostly I wear them to walk around in, but have worn them running. They are heavy and it bothered me that they did not have a heel counter. They are comfortable for walking around. I'd like to try the 3.0, which is much lighter.

The Ego Withers in the Face of Evidence

No matter how hard I try, I continue to make (at least) one rookie mistake with my running. I cannot stand it when I am out on a training run and someone passes me. Yes, that's pointless and ridiculous, but let me explain. 

It does not bother me if someone is running faster, especially if it's a guy (I can't recall the last 

time I was passed by another woman). What bothers me is the guys that try to race me because they can't stand the fact that a female runs faster than them. At least I think that's the reason. I never see them sprinting ahead to pass a man. What's really "fun" is when they sprint ahead, stop and walk, then sprint ahead again, only to stop completely while I keep going. They are doing themselves more harm than good. Keep in mind, I'm not talking about racing, just normal running on the road or trails.

The other day in Houston, I went to Memorial Park to run. A loop around the park is a little less than 3 miles. I was doing two loops. As I was about to start my second loop, a guy with an iPod was just starting his run. I kept the same pace I had been running as I passed him and sure enough he heel-strikes his way up next to me. Eventually I got annoyed by his huffing and puffing down my neck and sped up a bit. He went with me of course. I let him pass because there was no point in playing this game. Sure enough, about 400m later the guy stopped with his hands on his knees, spitting (or vomiting) on the ground. I went on my merry way.

You can always tell the non-runners. That guy was definitely a weekend warrior. One thing I love about running is that, for the most part, it is not a masculine or feminine sport. Men and women are on the same teams, train together, race at the same meets, coach each other, etc. All that matters is what you accomplish and mostly everyone supports each other. 

Real men can accept that a woman is faster. Train harder if you don't like it. You have the physiological advantage. Just look at Paula Radcliffe, the female world record holder in the marathon. How many men can run a 2:15:25 marathon? It's okay to get beat by a girl.

Keflezighi Starts 2009 as USA Half Marathon Champion; Merga Breaks 20-Year-Old Record

After a turbulent year, Meb Keflezighi had a breakthrough race at the 2009 USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston, Texas, Sunday morning. Keflezighi ran 1:01:25, ten seconds in front of runner-up Dathan Ritzenhein (1:01:35). McMillan Elite runner Brett Gotcher was third in 1:02:09.

Keflezighi and Ritzenhein led the race from the gun at an average speed of 4:42 per mile. At the 10-kilometer mark, Keflezighi’s split was 28:40, 15 seconds ahead of Ritzenhein. The gap widened, but Ritzenhein kept Keflezighi in sight. At mile 9, they were 18 seconds apart. Around mile 11, Ritzenhein made a move to close the gap, but it was too late to catch Keflezighi. Ritzenhein stayed about 10-15 seconds behind Keflezighi throughout the race, but in the end did not have the kick necessary to close the gap.

“I didn’t feel good. I just didn’t have the spring in my legs” Ritzenhein said. “[Keflezighi] ran great. There’s a reason why he’s an Olympic silver-medallist.”

Ritzenhein is currently training for the USA Cross Country Championships in Derwood, Maryland, February 7. He will then train for the London Marathon in April.

A 2004 Olympic silver-medallist and 10,000m American record-holder, experienced a number of setbacks leading up to the 2008 US Men’s Marathon Trials, including a pelvic stress fracture.

“This is probably the sweetest national title I’ve ever gotten…because of what I’ve overcome,” he said. “It was a rough year…[but] in life there’s challenges.”

Keflezighi’s coach, Bob Larsen, was happy for him as well. He said he was sure no one would beat him, but that “he took it one step further” by running away from the field from the start. Larsen said that depending on how Keflezighi feels after this race, he might run a spring marathon.

Ritzenhein’s 2008 Olympic teammate, Brian Sell, ran 1:02:36 for fifth place in Houston. At the pre-race press conference Friday morning, Sell seemed unsure of his fitness level.

“I think Dathan and Meb are really going to roll,” he accurately predicted.

As far as his training, Sell said he had a rough Christmas, but that the past three weeks before this weekend went well. He will likely run the Boston Marathon, April 20, as well as a possible fall marathon.

After an exciting Olympic year, the USA Half Marathon Championships set the bar for American distance running in 2009.

Merga Runs 2:07:52

The 2009 USA Half Marathon Championships were held in conjunction with the 37th annual Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Half Marathon.

Deriba Merga of Ethiopia won the men’s marathon with a time of 2:07:52, good for a $45,000 prize. His time is a new course record, but he said he wanted to run a 2:05.

Merga was fourth in the 2008 Beijing Olympic marathon. He has a personal best time of 2:06:38, which he set in London last year.

Past Travels: Eugene '08

One of these days, I have to move to Eugene, Oregon. It's Heaven for runners, Tracktown, USA. Hopefully I'll make it back this summer for the US Outdoor Track & field Championships, but it won't compare to last year's Olympic Trials.

For 2 weeks, I was breathing track and field, even more than I usually do. The best part was that so was everyone else. I could talk running with random strangers there, while back home people tune me out if I do.

Of course the races were exciting. The best was the men's 800m final. I'm so glad I was there in person to experience that, especially the celebration later that night. I don't think I slept at all while I was there, but I didn't care.

Past Travels: Texas Marathons

The good thing about living in Texas is that there are 3 major marathons within 3 months. In December, there's the Dallas White Rock Marathon. In January, there's the Houston Marathon. In February, there's the Austin Marathon. You get the idea, it's warm in Texas.

Houston is my favorite. It is very well-run (no pun intended). It is also the host of the USA Half Marathon Championships. Last year, my sister and I went and had fun covering the races for Flotrack. This year was even better. The fields were loaded with awesome runners. In the end, Meb Keflezighi (2004 silver medalist) and Magdalena Lewy Boulet were the champs.

Luckily Meb didn't get stuck in the elevator the day before. The elite 

athlete hospitality room was at the Hilton on the 21st floor. The elevators got stuck, so we had to walk down a few flights of stairs and then 

pack like sardines in the one elevator that actually worked. We made it out though and ate some dinner later that evening.

The next morning, we rode on the press truck leading the men's half. I felt weary when the driver told us it was his "first time to do this." I was right. He kept slamming on the accelerator and we'd go flying. There wasn't much keeping us on that flatbed trailer.

My life flashed before my eyes a few times. I could have fallen off and been trampled by Meb and Ritz. What a way to go!

At the White Rock Marathon, we had to sign a waiver first. That was a good idea because a cameraman jumped off and hit hit head. I think he was okay...

Next up I'll probably go to Austin. Last year, Henry Rono, Dick Beardsley and Steve Jones were there. 

Past Travels: 2008 Men's Marathon Olympic Trials

The first major race I covered was the 2008 Men's Olympic Marathon Trials in New York City. I had never been to NYC before and flew there alone. My friend lived there, so I wasn't alone for too long.

It was an amazing learning experience, that's for sure. The morning of the race, I got lost on the subway for 3 hours. There were maps, but some routes were closed for the marathon. By the time I reached my destination, the race was half over. I didn't even have press credentials that day. I found the guy I was working for and he tried to get me into Tavern on the Green (media HQ) with him, but security was tight. I remember making it through the door and down a long mirrored hallway, but 

the last guard would not let me through. So I sat and waited until I got bored and went back outside.

When I got outside, there were a lot of sad-looking people (athletes, coaches, agents, media, etc.). I thought they were just sad because they didn't make the Olympic team. Then I bumped into wejo (letsrun.com co-founder) and he told me one of the athletes, Ryan Shay, had died. Everyone was in shock. When the shock wore off, I cried.

It was a weird mix of emotions that day. Part of me was extremely sad, but part of me wanted to be happy for the 3 guys who were going to be Olympians - Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell.

President Obama is Part Kenyan

Obama became the new president today. I noticed he was careful not to say "change" too much in his speech. Instead, he chose words like "remake." But I like Obama. I liked him more when he visited Hayward Field and "hurdled." 

No, that's not why I voted for him, but this is primarily a running blog after all. Despite having the Internet for the past 13 years or so, I've never been good at keeping a blog, but it's about time I do. Let's see how long this lasts.

Running...

In a nutshell: For anyone who doesn't know me, I started running back in 2001. Over the next few years, I got better (fast enough to run D1), but didn't realize I was overtraining until I was in college and got a number of chronic injuries. For a while I tried different activities like cycling, swimming, etc., but there's absolutely nothing compared to running. To get my "fix," I found a little website called LetsRun.com. It was like no other running website I'd seen. These people were as crazy, if not crazier, than I was about running. Soon, I learned a lot about proper training and other interesting things.

Which brings me to today. I wish I had known what I know now about training before I got injured the first time. I still run some, but can't get too far without getting another problem. It's not all sad though. I've now worked with various running websites/publications/organizations to promote the sport I love. I've been all over the country and met some great people. Still, part of me wants to race again so bad.