2019 ended one of my best years ever as a runner, and 2020 started (literally) right where I left off...with a PR (post high school) on New Years day with a 5k race (17:07).
After taking just a few days off totally after NYC, I eased into some weeks before the Turkey Trot at the end of November with a great race in the 8K, garnering a top 15 finish and a first in my age group award, which also won me a free year's membership into the Tracksmith Hare AC club. After that, December was enjoyable running with the fitness I had built all the months earlier in the year, and beginning to incorporate some more speed-work, as I was eyeing races for 2020 where I wanted to continue to lower my times. In fact, I even bought my first pair of racing flats for the first time in a decade to motivate me for the speed interval training.
As January slipped into the middle of the month and I was starting to run harder again, I had my first injury setback in years. Backing up, after the NYC marathon I noticed a soreness in my Achilles, no doubt a part of the price I paid during that event. Yet, it was very manageable and not hindering. So, on a mid Jan. track workout, while attacking some short intervals, I felt my Achilles give out. Immediate pain. I gauged it, was able to continue with just a slight gait adjustment, and stubbornly proceeded to finish the workout. When I was cooling down to my car, I could tell I had messed it up, for it was getting worse. The next day I couldn't walk normally. I took off a couple days, iced it, and followed with some very short easy runs to where I was about back to normal within a week. Was feeling pretty fortunate that I had seemingly escaped a close call, and was back on track, despite having to sit out the Winter Classic 8K at McAlpine which i was really looking forward to.
By the end of the month I was back to workouts and eyeing a big PR at the mid Feb. Charlotte 10 miler. I was feeling in shape and ready to race.
The race went great, and I did get a huge PR (over 7 minutes!).
When the gun went off I got out and settled into pace, which, surprisingly to me, had be up in the top 5 the first half mile. The racers settled in, and I was in position just behind Michael Cooney. When he went passed he got to about a 10 second gap on me, but once we were rolling we stayed equal distance. I was able to keep focused on him and the other leaders still view-able up ahead which kept me engaged. Also, being on sub 60 minute pace and feeling good I was eager to stay attacking. Started closing the gap on mile 6 to Michael up in front, and was starting to get to a good mental place where I knew with 3 miles to go I would be able to mentally start attacking a little bit more. At mile 7 then, I did come up to him, say "lets go, three miles, we got this" and passed him. That 8th mile I was focusing on staying ahead, and then we turned off the greenway into the neighborhood nearby and immediately began climbing uphill. The hill was pretty steep, but then we made a 90 degree right turn and got some downhill, only to turn left and begin an even steeper and longer uphill. At the crest of the hill there was a U-Turn where we would simply go back the way we came back into the greenway. That being the case, as I first exited the greenway the leader of the race, Chris Raulii passed me on his exit from the neighborhood, almost a mile ahead of me, and minutes in front of the next person. Dude was rolling. It was pretty cool to be able to see everyone who was in front of me run past, giving a sense of where I was, and also, to see who was behind me after I made the u-turn myself. Definitely motivating to keep pushing and not get caught.
Once we were back on the greenway, we hit our 9th mile split and the race was on to the finish. I was trying to pick it up, and was surprised a guy I hadn't felt or seen was coming up quickly on me. He inevitably caught me, and knowing he would I tried to get prepared to not just let him go but to fight and use him to carry me with on the increased pace. Alas, I couldn't hang with him for much more than a minute or so, nonetheless by the time he was past me I only had a couple minutes left in the race so I tried to dig in and get that PR as low as I could. For a moment I thought I had an outside shot to break 59 minutes, but would have needed a really fast last mile to do so. I didn't, but still I had a faster than average mile and got to the finish line in 59:09 for 7th place overall and first in my age group.
Had a good week of running of recovery and bounced back for a nice 12.5 mile run with 5 miles of alternating 800s at hard pace and medium paced recoveries.
This past week I signed up for Cherry Blossom 10 miler April 5th, one of the nations biggest and most well known road races. And then this past Tuesday, after my first workout of the week - mile repeats, with some minute surges afterword, my IT band outside side of my left knee, began hurting, giving me some anxiety about a potential new injury popping up, one that portends to be a more serious one than the nagging Achilles I have been dealing with.
I'm writing this after taking yesterday off, and almost certainly about to take this day off as well, which would mark the first consecutive days off I have had since Dec. 13th 2020.
Hoping to race the Elizabeth 8k March 21st.
