Sunday, August 18, 2013

6 Seconds from Glory

If you're are wondering what is with the new look of the webpage, it's because "THIS MEANS WAR." Today's race has added not just a little fuel to the fire, no no, it has dumped a barrel of gasoline on that fire. Here are the only results that matter from the 10k in Dundas, ON Today:

1
Fred Karanja
Kenya
917
1 Top Fin
32:39.9
32:40.0
2
Frank Sorbara
Thornhill
890
M
1/5 20-24
32:45.0
32:45.0

One dream that I have had since I started distance running was to beat the best at the sport. Quite simply no country in the world has ever dominated any discipline like the Kenyans have dominated distance running. So many factors play a role in this dominance, but whatever the reason for it may be, I still want to beat them using the skills I have - my main weapon being my absolute desire to be the best. I really wish there were someone video taping this race because damn was it entertaining. According to my Dad who took me along, it was a very dramatic race from a spectators point of view. Got to the race around 7:40 - didn't have the greatest warm-up that I would have liked to have had not because there wasn't time but because I spent most of my time trying to learn from the race organizer what was quite a complex little course. The course starts with 2 laps around the Dundas Driving Park (on the road) then a 3-4k loop out of the park into town, then back into the park for another lap around the park, back to the 3-4k loop around town, then finishing coming into the park for one more lap. Basically, "Hold on, say that again," Frank says with some concern to the race director. So as confused as I was, and a bit concerned of what my time may be like considering I didn't realize we were running in the foothills of the niagara escarpment - literally getting in to the park almost made my throw up going up and down and around - I thought JUST RUN and the time will be what it is in the end. 

I'd say I look pretty serious. Man those are nice shoes.
Gun sounded, and I was in the lead as expected. Almost half of the first lap in I thought - don't really hear anyone behind me, nice, should be a solid win. Then all of a sudden some guy passes me like I was even moving (while I was running at 3:11/km pace) and practically gave me a heart attack because I was not expecting any real challenge. Turns out this guy must have signed up last night, or in the morning, and is a ringer from Kenya. Well, okay now the race is back on. I caught back up to him and took back my lead. He was obviously a smart and experienced racer because as I led he ran so close behind me could practically feel him breathing down my neck. If I learned anything from this race it was how important positioning is - just foreshadowing what is too come. 


On my tail like a bear on honey.
Back to the race Fred and I were flying throught the course - the surprisingly huge crowd of spectators were really getting into the race and you could tell by the announcer's voice she was very excited to see what was shaping up to be such a competitive and entertaining race. Me and Fred ran neck and neck from about 3-4k but I retook the lead with a formula one like turn around the pylon at the turnaround back to the park. I took such a good turn (maybe because of my wide reciever days during recess back in grade 6 - lol) I made a 15 meter gap or so between me and Fred. At this point I thought briefly to myself ya this guy probably just some kid trying to sprint the first few kilometers to look good in front of the crowds - oo never mind hes back on my tail, crap run faster. We had slowed to 3:18/k on the 2k uphill, and really slowed to 3:20/km on the 5th split back into the park as you must go up a steep incline. Here's where the race takes a bit of a turn - Fred grabs the lead and starts to build a gap. My legs just weren't feeling as great as I hoped, and at this point I was getting pretty down on myself, and thinking maybe just wasn't my day. Fred's lead grew a little more to maybe 100m. At this point we are on the 6-7th split on the uphill again and I am started to think second is okay let's just run our own race now. But wait -- Fred looks like he may be feeling a little of the effects from that hill -- Frank this is your only chance close this gap. Run, Run, Run. 75, 60, 50, 40, 30, 25, 15, 10, 5, and we've passed him. SOB we got him, now put the pedal to the metal and run like you've never ran before. A 3:04 split. Now here's the plan at 8.5 kilometers I am going to shake Fred off my tail with an almost all out 250m sprint. Here we go, spprrriiinnntttt. "Did we get him?" - Nope still on my tail as if nothing ever happened. Still in my shadow. On the way back into the park I think Fred has got this race and relay this message to my Dad standing on the side by just shaking my head. I knew it because I had just given everything I had there and could not shake him. But hold on, holy smokes I'm still leading and there is less then 1k to go. 800, 700, 600, 500, 400. Get ready going to kick it pretty soon. He is running so close behind my back I can't see what he is doing, when he is going to try to sprint for the line. 250 meters left: let's rip it, start my almost all out sprint. But still can't see Fred and there we were finish line just 50 or so meters left and Fred bolts past me. Before my brain can process it it's too late and I didn't make too much of an effort to come back because it was just too late, too sudden, too absolutely demoralizing (especially since I have never been passed in the final 100m of a race - sprinting is one of my fortes). I crossed the line in a PB (well it's my first 10k ever so ya PB i guess) in 32:45. 

Lots of lessons to be taken from this defeat, about positioning, finishing kick timing, attacking the lead, defending the lead, and so on, but one thing I definitely accomplished from this race is that it was the most fun I've had in years. 

Next up: Run for the Grapes Half Marathon in St. Catherines.   

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Pre-Race Report

This Sunday - August 18 - I will be taking part in the Stryker Dundas Cactus 10k run just outside of Hamilton. I decided to run this race for a few reasons:
 First, I will use it to test my current level of speed and to sharpen my race skills. During the spring I learned that there is little substitute for experience. Basically, you can train and train all you want, but what is really going to help you improve for racing is to do more races. Not only does it help you learn more about tactics, being able to surge ahead of the pack without depleting your energy, perhaps holding on to and run with the lead, but it will also help to find your optimal level of arousal. In other words, learning how to control or act on your emotions. Before any race, whether it is on the track in high school, a half marathon, or a full marathon my heart is pounding out of my chest. And I can admit that during my 2nd and 3rd full marathons (both the Toronto Waterfront) this frenzy-like level of physiological arousal thwarted my chances of accomplishing something great. During both races I started like I was trying to win a 100m dash. Unfortunately, there was 42.095 kilometers to go after that first 100. I remember saying to myself during last year's STWM at around 31k that there was nothing really left in my legs and I just had to hold on and get to the finish before something bad happens. So, basically racing regularly helps you learn how to be calm and cool before the race. But having said that in tomorrow's 10k I'm not going to have to worry too much about started to fast.

Second, I will use the race to break up my training a bit. If you are training for a marathon - and training at a high level (high mileage, two-a-days, lots of speed work, over-mileage long runs), it is important to split your build-up into training blocks also known as periodization. Basically this is organizing your training into macro, meso, and microcycles in order to peak at the right times. The macro cycle last about a year, and is essentially your year at a glance. The meso cycles are the approx. 16 week long cycle that break up the year. These include base building phases, buiding phases, pre-competition phases, tapering and transition phases. Finally, and what is relevant to what I'm talking about, are the micro cycles. These are 1-4 week training blocks where you are going to put a lot of stress on the body and where the subsequent recovery time will allow the body to adapt and be stronger/faster for the next cycle. Leading into this race I have been average around 200 kilometers per week with 3 track workouts a week, and long runs ranging up to 39.5kilometers. This week the 10k race will lower my mileage down to just over 160 kilometers on the week (since there will be no long run) and therefore will allow my body to adapt to the last 3-4 weeks of hard training and get ready for the next cycle -- Next week I have a 41 kilometer long run planned.

Lastly, I am doing this race for fun. I have never ran a 10k road race before and I think it will be a lot of fun to just run as fast as I can without having to stress/worry about going out too fast. Also looking at the competition and last year's winning times I have a solid chance of winning the race. Leading into the next block of training, it would be nice to have a win to boost my confidence and drive to carry me through the long hard training.

Just to end the post my goal for tomorrow is obviously to win, and more importantly to achieve a good time. I am hoping or sub 32:30ish which would per averaging 3:10-3:12 per km. I am also so excited to run in my new adizero hagio's which are by far the fastest shoes I have ever ran in, in my life. Leading into the race I did a 6k tempo run in them in 18:45, so ya I like them quite a bit. I'll review them in the next post.