Working out with an Elite Athelete....

Tuesday September 28th, 2010 is a day that went down in MY history book. I was able to participate in a work out with Josh Baker, 30 year old working to go to the Olympic trials for the Marathon. I went to meet the group of runners from Fleet Feet that do a regular workout at the Lenoir Rhyne track. This past Saturday I saw Josh Baker at an invitational at Freedom High School, where I placed 6th (17:40 a PR) in the high school 5k championship race. We had a great conversation and he invited me to train with him at the Lenoir Rhyne Track. So this was the day I had been waiting for. It was an explosive work out and it truly hurt. I felt the pain and the excitement all at the same time. I got to see just how much it would take for me to make it to this elite running status. It was great to be so close to a man of this talent. To give you and idea... we did 800 repeats and he kept them in the 2.20 range. Killer.

As I race thought this season I am meeting the goals I have set for myself, but I also see the new goals over the horizon. I am meeting other runners and looking at other running styles and techniques and I am learning that my freshman year of running will be my first real running performance. It has been great to do the invitationals to run the courses, but the road races have allowed me to run with college talent and grow as a runner this season. When I look at the national rankings I know that I want to be hitting the 16's when I am a Freshman and it is within my grasp. Running is all about me all I have to do is dig deep inside to find these "Josh Baker" workouts and strive to make them easier. When I am a junior in high school I fully intend to be putting down runs in the low 14's.

Keep up with my progress and I will keep running. I have also seen allot of cool statements on t-shirts as I run around the country and I am going to spot light them each time I post. The new one is at the top of my site. "trample the WEAK and hurdle the DEAD."

Keep running!!!!!

Cross Country Dreams

Well, it has been a great start to my final school year at Concordia Lutheran School. After my 8th grade year I will go to high school. I had hoped to run cross country my last year at Concordia, but they could not get a team going for my final year. Never the less I have been running and it has been a pretty good year so far. I have been to a few invitationals but I had to run with the middle school program which is okay but I feel like I was running against kids that were to young for me to run against. I LOVE running against the talent that comes out for a road race. Normally, they are all college cross country runners and I have to dig deep to keep up but that is what I like. I love the hurt it causes and yet at the end I find myself right with the pack. You never improve unless you run with faster and better runners. As I race this year I realize that I am approaching my first full race year. It will be a year this December that I ran my first 1/2 marathon. My focus is on 5k's at the moment, but distance running is something I really love. When I do a middle school race they only let us run 1 1/2 miles, which is harder for me because I have to put in a mile or two before the race just to get my legs.

I am going to post my race details in a few weeks. I am proud of myself and realize that I have so much more inside of me and every race I run makes me want the next race that much more. I have my sights set on running cross country my freshman year in high school like no other freshman ever did. Keep me in your prayer and I will keep you posted on my journey as I run.

New PR (personal record)

Today at South Side park in Newton I did a time trial with coach. I ran a my first real PR for a 5k with a time of 17:59 . I finely broke 18 it was an epic achievement. And I cant wait for the next race.

Working HARD

I have been working hard with my coach so I have not had posting time. Hope you are all missing me. Here is a picture that says it all. See you all soon.

UP DATE!!! Work hard or go home!!!

Well it has been a good while since an up date. I ran my final 1/2 marathon on March 20th and finished 35th overall and ran it in 1:35. Just about the same as my last 1/2 marathon. This one was in High Point and the course was very hard. I am now going to focus on my training with my coach. We started working on the 16th and again on the 22 and he is going to challenge me. I had a tough day on Monday but I loved it. Coach Crowe is giving me allot to think about and has a plan for my training. I am very excited and I leave my training day with the coach looking forward to my next training day. I have a blast with it even though it is hard. I have another training day on Friday and I can not wait to work hard.

Day OFF

Today was a well needed DAY OFF!!! It rained so I had to take the day off. I did put in a work out it was just not running. I had to do it!! Did my push ups, sit ups and bicycle and core work. I really need more work in all of these areas.

I am running tomorrow!!!

My 1/2 Marathon March 6th 2010

Saturday was my 1/2 marathon in Charlotte. I really trained and worked hard to be ready for this day. The bottom line is I ran the 1/2 marathon in 1 hour and 35 mins and when I finished I felt terrible. This was a terrible 13.1 miles. I got confused when I started the race, because I could not tell which guys where running the 1/2 marathon or the 5 K or the relay. All the bids looked the same and by the time we hit the 5K split I had paced to fast and ran with the 5k RUNNERS. Right after that the race changed for me at about the 8 mile mark my legs turned into mash potato and I had cramps in my calves. I had no leg turn over. It was terrible. I struggled all the way until I crossed the finish line. I really wanted to make much better time and I know that I could have. I think I could have been 1:20 had things not taken such a bad road. I struggle with the bad running days. My mind was ready to run a great race and my body let me down. I know that this is part of running and I have read the stores about Olympic athletes that have missed the Olympic trials due to a bad day. I just do not think I will ever get use to the bad runs. I reallly work hard and want the training to pay off on race day. My next race is on March 20th and I really want a great race. I have my first training with my Coach on the 16th and I know this will make a big difference. I am ready!!

I took Sunday off and then Monday ran with Joe White andwe did a 6 mile tempo. That run was great I felt wonderful. Tuesday, I did 2 miles for time run and then a 1 mile time run and the 4 1/2 miles for time and 2 100 yard sprints. Not a bad day! Today, I went to Lenoir Rhyne track field and ran 1- 1/2 miles for a time run and 4- 400 meter runs 8-800 meter runs with 400 rest in between. I was a great day.

I am taking the day off tomorrow!!!