01.30.08

Reebok Boston Indoor Games

Posted in The Blog of Jabaut at 5:54 pm by Jason

On Saturday, January 26th I lined up against an international class field of milers at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, MA.  Healthy and with unbroken training, I had high expectations for the race:  I wanted to win and I wanted to break 4 minutes for the mile indoors, something that has proven rather elusive over the past 3 years (I ran 4:00.95 and 4:00.32 indoors in 2006). 

Well, if you watched the race on television, or glanced at the results, you saw my 7th place finishing time of 4:02, and (I hope) wondered, “What the heck is he doing?” 

I have an answer: nothing. 

I sat in the back of the race and did nothing about my position, and worse still, I did nothing to impact the race.  Joan and I talked often in the spring of ’07 about the major players in a race – you know, the players who influence the race, shape it, mold it into an actual contest of wills.  I was learning to be a major player, by staying toward the front in nearly all of my races in the spring.  But, like a deer in headlights, I did nothing this past weekend to affect the race.  I just let it go by. 

So, while everyone is happy to have seen me on TV, I’m disappointed that they saw a shadow of me on the race track. But I have returned to Carrboro with renewed vigor and belief in my training.  I may have loped along in last place for the majority of my 4:02 jaunt at the Reggie Lewis track in Boston, but I felt strong and FIT.  And for January 26, during in an Olympic year, 4:02 is a starting point I can live with. I will be racing a mile at Virginia Tech on February 9th.  Look for my first sub-4 indoors.  This time, I’ll be the guy in the front. 

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01.29.08

do or do not …

Posted in Uncategorized at 7:52 pm by Joan

… there is no try.

discuss.

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01.26.08

7:25pm

Posted in Uncategorized at 5:23 pm by Joan

Jason raced to 7th place in the Reebok Boston Indoor games mile on Jan. 26th (2nd from left in photo below).

Click here for results.

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01.25.08

Synergy

Posted in Uncategorized at 1:51 pm by Diana

Joan used the term “synergy” a lot in the fall. I think there were moments of it, but on Wednesday I felt lucky, grateful, and pushed by the synergy the women had on the track. Everyone took their turn pulling/pushing the pack; as individuals tired, someone else would step up to fill the gap and make sure the workout stayed on track. The workout was hard, but it was such a relief to feel the burden of the workout on the group as a whole, rather than each individual trying to get through it singularly.

I think I took my high school and college team dynamics for granted. Sure, not everyone got along, but the team feeling was almost always there. Perhaps that was due to more extensive opportunities for bonding (e.g., long bus rides to weekend invitationals, locker rooms, shared classes and coursework). It was great to feel the women come together as a whole Wednesday and have the whole be greater than the sum of its parts. 

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01.24.08

Rarified air (Part 2)

Posted in Jeuland's Musings at 10:15 am by Marc

So Joan stole the main thunder of my post with the quote from my workout log, but that’s ok. In any case, it’s been interesting being in Ethiopia so far. Our luggage got lost somewhere in Europe (for some reason, United thought it was a good idea to send it to Paris instead of Frankfurt, where it sat for three days before finding it’s way to Addis), so I had to go buy some running shoes, as mentioned below. It’s funny that in a country with so many world class runners, there were so few running shoes to choose from (at least in the shops I checked out). I guess many of them do not have much in the way of running shoes unless they somehow break into the national team elite, at which point I guess they get shoe contracts. I went to a half dozen of these stores, and found about 3 pairs of running shoes in them all combined, and one in my size, so that was the one I ended up buying. Then I had one t-shirt and one pair of running shorts (that I had packed in my carry on, luckily), so I would run, wash, run, wash, run. But our luggage has finally arrived!

In any case, this field where I have been running recently is mostly flat, which is nice, and it’s also a unique opportunity to get a glimpse of some segment of the running scene here. I think many of the elites train in the Entoto hills around Addis, but I don’t have an easy way to get there (no car), so will probably stick to the field most days, and head for the hills on long run days when road traffic is lighter (i.e. Sundays). There are really two categories of runners at this field: elites who are obviously doing intervals and tempo like runs and fartleks, and the rest. The elites have nice warmups and shoes; the others run in more modest clothing and may or may not be wearing running shoes. Most of those have some other type of footwear.

I’m the one white guy out there, and I think that has added something unique to the mix, and is probably why I get a bunch of compliments running by even though I feel like I am dying most of the time.

I hope everyone is enjoying sea level.

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rarified air

Posted in Uncategorized at 9:31 am by Joan

Marc is away on school business in Ethiopia and I have yet to receive an e-mail from him, but through the wonders of the internet, I am able to read his workout log. I know that he lost his luggage and had to go out and (horrors!) buy running shoes. I also know that, apparently, altitude really does make it hard to breathe. Check out Marc’s comments from his first four days in Addis Ababa:

Date   WorkoutLOG Comments Mon Jan 21 [log]   Boy the air is thin! Especially hard was the fact that I had to run in the evening, when the air quality here is really poor. Will switch to early mornings from here on out. Tue Jan 22 [log]   Air was much better, and cool too. The hills are tough though. This will take some getting used to. Will try to get a blog up tomorrow.     Wed Jan 23 [log]   Felt pretty good. Still sucking wind more than I should be… Thu Jan 24 [log]   Felt easier than yesterday, but not by much. Shu Wen ran a bit and had to take it really easy. Description: Easy run at that field. Saw some Ethiopian elites (Defar for one).

Re-read that last line … “Saw some Ethiopian elites (Defar for one).”!!!
Meseret Defar?! Are you serious?

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01.22.08

another day, another world record …

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:02 am by Joan

John Hinton broke the indoor mile 45-49 age group World Record on Saturday (he ran 4:20.18, breaking the old record by 1.5 seconds) and maybe, just maybe, we can get him to say a few words about it …

John?!

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01.21.08

Brockstar on tour?

Posted in Uncategorized at 9:26 pm by Joan

For those of you who don’t know, Baby Brock Phillips splits his training time between CAC and the UNC club XC team. Here he is on the XC club nationals bus practicing for his American Idol audition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px4s5-kVYQU

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01.19.08

Teammates!

Posted in Uncategorized at 10:15 pm by Tori

Well, I must say after this week…I just want to give a tribute and THANK YOU!!! to my teammates.  The word is really beginning to mean something and that is one of the things I love about running - your teammates.

This past week, I truly realized how fortunate and blessed I am to have my teammates - and I realize what a gift from God they are and praise Him for that because a couple months ago I was really feeling lonely here in NC, regardless of my team and friends.

However, this past Wednesday when my day of horror came to a climax with getting my clothes and car keys locked in the fieldhouse - my awesome teammates were right there to help me - reminding me to take deep breathes and immediatly brainstorming of plans to get the keys.  Diana ran over to the gym and searched out the campus security with me and everyone was so supportive and stuck around till we were sure I had my stuff.  That support and commaderie and help just meant so much on that particular day.  Thank you guys!!

And then, today at my first indoor track meet in NC and in a while period.  Kim stayed and helped me feel “at home” and get ready and be prepared for my race.  She stuck around to see me race, yelled out split times, and encouraged me during my laps.  She even introduced me to key racing personnel (which got me a free bid into a 10K this April! sweet!! - BTW Joan could you post/comment on that - so that our readers know about this 10K and can sign up for it if they want?). It was a great afternoon of indoor racing and snow outside, which reminds me so much of my time in Boston, but it meant so much to me that Kim stuck around to support and help me out. Thank you Kim!!

I really realized supportive and positive team work this week - through my CACers and even through my work (it was grant week which equaled long hours and stress). God has truly blessed me with my coworkers and especially my team.  I couldn’t be more thankful. I just wanted everyone to know how awesome my fellow CAC-ers are.  I can’t wait to see what this Spring season will bring and to continually see you guys out there on Wednesdays

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Hello, old friend

Posted in Uncategorized at 10:02 am by Rob

Well it finally happened.  I had trained for 3 1/2 years without any injuries, and the streak is unfortunately over.  I tweaked one of my quad muscles, and have been off my legs now for a week.  I am not sure what did it, but think it was probably a combination of the long runs on the roads and the speedwork.  It hurts every time I lift my left leg in my upper quad.  I feel it when I get out of a chair or situp from a lying position.  I feel it particularly while running on any downhills.   Needless to say, this makes running all but impossible.

And so I have found myself back in the water full time.  For the last week I have been swimming and running in the water for an hour a day.  Ah, the memories it has rekindled of my time in college doing this exercise.  The strange looks from the swimmers, lifeguards,  and bystanders never get old (something I mentioned in an earlier post).  I also dislike the limitations of time, which never happens with running.  For instance, I had to hit the pool right at its 5:30 opening this morning because the pool would be closed after 6:15.

Despite the frustration about not being able to run on the trails or with my teammates, this nonetheless stokes the fire within me to keep pushing.  My goal is to maintain my fitness, rest this annoying injury, and salvage the spring road and track season.   If my skin doesn’t peel off by then from the nasty chlorine, I hope to hit the goals I set for the outdoor campaign.

Hope to see you all soon!

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