Penn Relays

 Overall this was a blast. I had a great time racing! It's taken a long time to get to this point but I am truly starting to enjoy racing. I have always loved the process and everything about being an athlete, but competing can be very stressful. It's losing some of it's stress and be replaced with absolute joy.

The race went OK. I ran 1.49 split which is not the greatest time, but isn't the worst time either. I had a lot left in the tank. I received the baton on no man's land. I was out of contention with the front but had a Kenyan in front of me to chase. I closed very well on him. It was really hard to gauge how fast I was going.

There was some drama though, as I was passing the baton the Kenyan who was right in front of me stopped dead after passing his baton and I ran directly into him and bounced off. I got the baton away alright. I hit the track and have two skinned knees. I think I might be a bit sore tomorrow after it all. It was another great experience and a lot of fun to be a part of.

I fly back to Arizona tomorrow and go straight up to Flagstaff! Thanks for all the support this week!

Penn Relays

 After yesterdays flight from hell I think I can muster up some slightly happier words regarding this trip. At the meet hotel I can't walk anywhere without bumping into someone that I either have raced or someone I recognize from watching the Olympics or races on youtube. I got on the elevator and there were 2 Olympic Gold medalists on it this morning. It's great to be in great company! I am going to be at the track today for a warm up.. I will do my best to get some video up of it and will get some video tomorrow for sure. Last year there were 38,000 people in the stadium. If it's anywhere near that this year it should be cool on video from the infield.

Arrived in Philly after a Nightmare of a Flight

Today's travel, for whatever reason might have been the worst experience ever. It started at security; I got through check-in quick and got to security where I refused the body X-RAY. That is a whole other story as to why I refuse the body X-RAY but I do and they didn't like that. They ran my bag through the bag X-RAY 3 times. 3 times. 3 times. I said that three times to make a point, it's not necessary, than they searched every piece for my bag. Than after they realized I'm not a terrorist I was free to go, but not without a stink eye. I think they really wanted to find something they could scorn me for. I boarded my plan to see I was not only at the back but seated next to a 400+ lbs man and 4 children. There was a child in every direction. If I looked North, East, South, or West... child. This was not starting well. Children shouldn't fly or they should have mandatory duct-taped mouths.
It went just how you can imagine, croawded space and screaming for 4 hours. When I finally got off the plane we waited for 45 minutes to get our bags. That was my day! It was not fun. I am here now and getting ready for bed. I hope the children on my plane are still screaming and keeping their parents awake, and Mr. 400 is exercising!
Going to the track tomorrow. Will post more post workout!!

Leaving for Philly Soon! and straight razors

I am heading to Penn Relays in 2 days! I am feeling ready for a trip. We have been here in the same house now for three weeks. I am going to be flying back right up to Flagstaff, which is bitter sweet. The drive up to Flagstaff is a beautiful and familiar one, but it is also 2 hours+. So flying won't be so bad.

Penn Relays is the bee's knees. All the athletes are on the turf in the middle of the track, and races are going all the time. The crowds are massive and the stadium is such that you feel like they are on top of you. They get anywhere from 30 to 40 thousand people. It's a rush to run in front of that many people! So I am starting to get amped for that.

I was at a mall last night and there is a place to get an old fashioned shave with a straight razor. I am considering a little pampering and having it done. It scares the sh*t out of me though... Your letting someone play, essential with a sharp knife on your face. What if his wife left him the night before, what if his dog died. I wouldn't want someone with a knife in either of those states playing anywhere near my throat. Is it appropriate to ask? "Hey, how was your night last night? You feeling okay?" I think that might be a bit odd. Than again if he said "My wife divorced me, thanks for asking". I'd be outta there p-r-e-t-t-y quick.
I'm still on the fence about it. Sweeney Todd, has really made this hard on me.

Post Race Recap

Yesterdays race went very good. It had a lot of really positive aspects and 2 negative ones. First the good stuff. I raced the the race, that sounds silly but is very relevant. There's a lot of times when I go out and essential time trial, I might as well be out there alone cause I am not responding to the other racers. This race I responded well. I got out fast and dropped into 3rd place in the first 200m and very relaxed, rolled through 400m. Going around from 400m to 500m I went by the 2nd place runner. Now it gets weird, going down the backstretch, from 500m to 600m the lead runner moved out very wide so to get around him I would have to go even wider... I decided to pass him on the inside, when I moved up on him he immediately moved back in and got me caught up stuck just inside him. So at the 200m mark I had go back a step and get behind him and pass him on the outside. This might have effected my time a little but that's racing. I took the lead with 200m to go and kept moving well.
Now the 2 negatives. First at 20m to the finish line I looked over my shoulder... This is a big No No. Its only makes you open your hips up and it shouldn't add anything, even if I see someone I should be running full out. I didn't see anyone.. The second negative, Andrew Ellerton was there, and he passed me in the last 10m and ran about 2 tenths of a second faster.
These were rookie mistakes. It's the first race of the season and is the time to work out these kinks. It still makes me mad. All in all it was truly a fun race and I am now getting seriously excited to run at Penn Relays next weekend.

Race Day.

About an hour till I am heading to the track. Still feeling good, excited to see what I can muster up for the first race of the season! It looks to be pretty hot out and only going to get hotter. I will post my result on twitter right after the race @geoff800.
Thanks to everyone for the good luck wishes.

The Day Before "The Day"

Race day can be very stressful, not always negative stress, but stress all the same. For me this normally starts the day before, yet today I don't feel any different. I have a calm that is unusual. I don't know if this is the calm before the storm or a new beginning to race jitters. I will know more as it closer and closer to the race.

Today is race day prep. Going to the track and warming up, doing some race pace intervals with lots of rest and than home for the last stretch of recovery before tomorrow. Had I put this much preparation into my exams in university I would have made the Dean's list. Imagine the day before a test I went into to library and did some mock questions and than home to relax and reflect before the test the following day. Who knew I had the tools to excel at school. Too little too late? Perhaps.

Music, Track and Ripped Hands

From a running perspective nothing is really new here. I am on a recovery week preparing to race this weekend and next. The 800 this weekend is shaping up nicely with a strong field and a lot of Canadians. My training up to now is going very smooth and I am hoping to turn some heads this weekend.

I have been slack lining quite a bit these last few days and have picked up right were I left off, I haven't been on one for months but I haven't lost the touch and even landed a 360. If you don't know what slack lining is google it! It's awesome and everyone should try it. Whilst at the playground where I have been slack lining, myself, Peter Corrigan and Celia decided to play on some monkey bars. This lead to one upping each other as to who could swing and let go and grab the next bar, and than the third bar out and so on... This ended up with Celia missing the mark and landing on her butt really hard, and I tore a callus off my hand. This has given me further evidence that I might stick to track and give up on all dreams of becoming a gymnast.

I have been getting on to some new music while down here. It's worth (if you haven't already) checking out the Avett Brothers, and my new favorite song Glory Bound by Martin Sexton. If anyone has any music worth checking out write a comment. Training camps are about discovering new music.

Recovery, Therapy, and Mental Race Prep.

Today is recovery again, I seem to use that word a lot. Its arguably just as important to training, the whole yin and yang thing. One can't exist without the other, well it can but only recovering leads to obesity and only training won't last, your body will get it's rest one way or another. I am seeing Wynn for some Therapy, Wynn is Athletics Canada Head Middle Distance coach and a bit of a therapy guru. I am going to be poked and stretched and bent in ways that I haven't been before. I have been struggling with my right glut. Hopefully Wynn will be able to get to the bottom of why and how to fix it.

It's count down to race day again, I am racing Saturday in the Sun Devils meet. It's a fairly low key meet. I have won this race before. I'd like to win it again... It's the first race of the outdoor season. So the mental preparation process begins. This year I am going to focus less on having a set out race plan and more on being reactionary and letting things sort of flow. I realized over this winter that the too much mental preparation can be a bad thing, I ended up having opponents not only on the track but in my head. I spent huge amounts of energy just dealing with what was happening inside and not leaving myself enough energy to race to my full potential. The important thing is identifying and addressing the problem, owning it. Accepting it as my own problem and not making other external excuses (it's not easy). I realize the sooner you do, the sooner you can work towards fixing it. We own our emotions not the other way around. This can apply just as easily to simply working out. Finding the motivation just to do a workout, it's always there, sometimes you just need to dig a little to find it. The pay off is always worth it. Recovery is always better when you really have something to recover from!

Bitter-Sweet Workouts. Finding the Positives and Ignoring the Negatives

If I have learned one thing in training it's that workouts can't always go according to plan and you must be OK with that. Today's workout had two sets of high lactic race pace work. I was only able to do the first set. My body gave me some clear warnings about doing more and I listened. Could I have got through the second set? Maybe, but what damage might I have done is more important to consider. So I am left unsatisfied with the workout. In retrospect my first set was above what I thought my ability was right now and I have to take all the good I can out of that. I can't dwell on the negatives, that will only draw more negatives to me. I have to be positive about what I did accomplish and take the right steps to be able to finish the full workout next time. Sometimes it feels like I have lie to myself to accomplish that. I have learned that's OK to. I just remind myself that what ever I am thinking is just an emotion and I can can think about whatever I want. I control my emotions not the other way around. So today is good... but tomorrow will be better!

Bob Dylans Hat and Some Expensive Boots

Today I went out on a mission to find a Bob Dylan circa 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue Stetson Hat (you might need to google that).  This led to trying a pair of boots with a $2500 price tag and me finding the hat! Firstly I did not buy the hat; it was $175 dollars.. that is a massive mark up. Now to the main point, who buys $2500 boots? Who? Who? Really, are you serious, you’ll take the Two Thousand and Five Hundred Dollar boots… Would you like the rest of the cow with that? What the hell. That much money would have a huge impact on my seasons travel and someone is going to buy a pair of black boots with it. The boots weren’t even comfortable. There were many other boots there that were much nicer looking, in my opinion. I am going to sit outside the store everyday and wait for someone to buy those boots. When they walk out I am going knock them over take the boots and say “NO, NO” like there a cat that pooped in the house. I will then give his boots back walk away feeling good I made a difference in someone’s life.  I got a serious workout tomorrow and I fear I am going to be distracted by the boots.

Food: What I Eat! The Rules and Exceptions

I have started a very specified diet in the last couple months, I started this due to a couple reasons; the recommendation of others, my girlfriend doing it and sometimes it's fun to change things up. I have been dairy free for over a year now and feeling good about that. I don't have any intolerance to dairy, I love milk, just wanted to try it out. I have limited myself to nothing processed on this new concept. Here are the rules and exceptions:

1) No dairy (with one exception)

2) No Wheat

3) Nothing processed

4) Rice is OK (for me,I need some carbs post run)

5) Cheese is OK (and that is awesome)

6) Supplements are OK

So I eat lots of meat, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and rice.

In preparing to write this post I did some research on why it's good to cut Dairy and Wheat as a runner and it seems there are some very conflicting views out there. Processed foods speak for themselves, I think everyone could do with less of them. The 2-step rule applies, If it takes more than two steps to look how it does on your plate, don't eat it.

How do I feel since starting this? Amazing. My energy systems are firing at full, I rarely crash hard. Though I love a good nap in the afternoon. I have not had "track hack" since I have started.. (track hack is coughing, very violently at times, due to mucus in your lungs from hard workouts). I simply don't have food cravings anymore. This only is worth it. Feeling nutritionally satisfied almost all the time! Not to mention I dropped about 4 pounds off an already slim frame.

There is one more exception... Once a week I have a cheat meal! I can eat what ever I please, pizza, pasta, a sandwich, whatever I want. Most times after this I feel gross and bloated. It's still fun!

So try it out... If you cut something like dairy, be sure to substitute what your losing that is good from the dairy and the same applies to anything major you cut.

My Hair and Tomorrow PLEASE VOTE

Tomorrow is recovery and it's needed like nothing else. Saturdays workout is going to be a Big One!
I know this is off topic of running but it's something that is important to me. I have been growing my hair for getting close to a year now and have become completely irrational about whether to cut it off or not. I tend to get attached to hair for some reason, sometimes it's my beard, sometimes my moustache. Right now it's my hair. I can put it in a pony tail right now... it's the longest it's ever been. I was original in a bet to grow for year but because my cousin doesn't have abs I can't lose, it's just if I cut it I can't win.
Please vote on the left of whether you like long hair on guys or not. I am going to base my decision on what the poll says. What should I do.. Please VOTE
Thanks.

Workout Result and the lack of Video

Workout went just exactly as it was suppose to, Hit my splits well, 12X200 on a minute rest with a 6 minute set break.. All in 1000m/800m Pace... Little bit of wind took the bite out of the sun and the SPF350 is actually making my skin pigment loose colour. I look like a china doll.

I have made some promises about getting up video of recovery techniques and haven't followed through, my computer doesn't have an audio driver and my limited computer abilities are holding me back from gaining one. Once this problem is fixed there will be video... lots of video.

The rest of today is rest. Recover and some exercises tonight, everything to prepare for Saturday workout from Hell. More on that in the next post!

Recovery and 99cents or less

Today is workout day, 200’s at 1000m race pace. It will be challenging but manageable. Yesterday’s recovery day went well with a 40 minute run and an evening session of activation and stretching. I’m feeling good and excited to work out!

Last night I ventured out on the bike to look for an adventure and found the 99cents department store. It was one of the scariest things places I have ever been in. Everything was 99cents, they had a produce section, frozen food section, a deli,  automotive, clothing, shoes, and of course an Easter section. I didnt get over to the gun section. It scares me to think what is in the packages labeled FOOD… they sell at a dollar and presumably turn a profit.  Who says “I need groceries, I should go to the dollar store” … and the place was packed. I am probably going to have to go back for further analysis.

 

Being a Ginger and Living Anywhere this Hot

This has nothing to do with running... though I only came to this realization because I am in Phoenix training..  so kinda..
These are thoughts about growing up with red hair in a hot climate by a ginger who grew up in a cold climate.

I never had a lot of teasing or bullying because I had red hair, I am though, a day walker. I have the hair get the freckles but my skin isn't transparent to the level of some others.
Now if I grew up here where it gets this hot with these UV rays, I don't think I would be able to say the same about my experiences growing up ginger. These poor kids having to put on SP350 and running from the shade of a tree to the next to avoid the sun... I feel for them. There must me some ginger Scientists out there to fix this problem, sunscreen is not enough. I want to tan too... we all do.
So gingers in a warm climate, ban together and unite... Stand proud of your Casper the ghost like skin and one of you become a skin specialist and cure this allergy to the sun!
-g

Recovery Day, and film

Today is recovery day and by that I mean I have AM and PM workout! That sounds worse then it is, it's a morning run than some activation and recovery exercises in the evening. I will film the evenings session and post it for anyone interested in some of our recovery techniques. I will also get some slack lining video up soon. I am struggling with the editing process.
My lesson yesterday turned out to be that SPF8 doesn't cut it for a ginger. So I went to Walmart and purchased an upgrade to SPF50, if this to doesn't work I am going to hide indoors for the rest of my trip or be like Michael Jackson's kids and wear masks!

Todays Workout = Success

I had a lot riding on today's workout... Getting through was going to have a huge bearing on how I was going to structure my racing season. It was as the title implies, successful. I was able to get through the entire workout with almost no pain in my plantar. The pain was some soreness left over from weights on Saturday in my butt. Finished the workout with a 400m in 49.9... that's my first 400 faster than 1500m pace since last year! All in all I am on a huge high right now. I have to be smart and get recovered and ready for this evenings weight session.

Intensity Week, Recovery, and Brooks Johnson

I have heard the question "what do you do at training camp" a few times over the past week. I think it's a good time to explain. Our training cycle works on a three week rotation, Intensity week, Volume week, than recovery week. Right now we are in an intensity week so we will have lower volume, higher intensity which translates most times times into higher speed on the track workouts. Our main "on the track" sessions are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday with prescribed recovery exercises and runs every AM and PM of every other day.  In between all that we eat and sleep and get therapy.
I once heard Brooks Johnson say recovery is equally if not more important than the training itself in an athletes life. So what may look or sound like laziness is smart training.
I will post a recovery exercises video tonight on YouTube and link it through here. For anyone at home that will be up tomorrow morning.

April 11 MONDAY

Today I get my own bedroom, no more sleeping behind a couch on the floor. This makes me happy, though I think I will miss my cave like bed, my OCD can't wait to organize my belongings. Today is a recovery day, I will do activation exercises, maybe a short run and than some sweet sweet recovery by way of napping.
Hope to get some slack lining video up this evening!

The Condo

The Condo "Casa Del Sol" is a southwestern themed 2 bedroom, 2 story, cozy dwelling. Living here is myself and 4 girls. I know what your thinking, "that doesn't add up, 5 people, 2 bedrooms". Your absolutely right! Being the only male I have been banished to sleep behind the couch in the living room. This will all change come tomorrow when Malindi and Lauren will be moving out.
I am here with Malindi Elmore, Lauren Thomas, Celia Peters and Alicia Dobranowski... all of which are middle distance runners. If I have learned one thing through the last 5 days it's that girls do fart.
You can follow (and ask questions) Lauren and Malindi on there blogs:
Malindi http://canadianrunner.ca/
Lauren http://asklaurenfleshman.com/

Sunday! Church?

 Last night was cold... I came to Phoenix for the sun and heat and was welcomed by rain and 8degrees. Its looking good according to the weather forecast but you just can't trust that group of people. I will get to the track today for some 200's at pace... get my rhythm back and get ready for Tuesday's full workout. So what will I do with the rest of my Sunday? Can I get an amen? naaa seriously I'm not going to church.

April 9

Foot held up through some walking and play yesterday. Going to the track today for a warm up.. Than gym for weights, than to the Sun Angels Track Classic to spectate. Will post results for Canadian athletes as I see them on twitter @geoff800.
It's raining here in Phoenix and I don't have any rain gear... I thought this was the desert, it's not suppose to rain in the desert...

Friday April 08 Phoenix

I will be running for the first time tonight since I receive an injection in my foot to relieve some of the pain and inflammation. Hoping that it feels good and I can be on the track tomorrow. I am staying in the condo with 4 girls and I am banished to foam mat set up behind the couch... it's comfy and I have been sleeping well. I get my own room Monday!

I will be posting a video of our concert that will be had this weekend, there seems to be some talent in the house so a performance seems to be appropriate! I will update tonight with how the run goes.

The Beginning

This is the start of a new Blog but not my first... This will be kept much more regularly (due to having a computer of my own to use) and I hope to recieve more response to it!
I will be regularly posting on Twitter @geoff800 if your into that, I don't even know if I am. Finally I will be posting regular video blogs accessable from this blog but also on youtube.com under "harrisrunning".

Thats it than, Hope to hear from anyone following!
Geoff