OLYMPICS

So I made the team. 4 years in the making. 4 years of thinking about London 2012. If I had penny for every time I uttered the term London 2012 to myself I would have tens of dollars, which is a lot. To be honest last year I don't think I could have ever imagined this would be happening. When I started racing this year I went into every race with the intension of winning and running fast splits. When the times started getting faster and closer to Olympic Standard I kept the same attitude going into every race. The things that motivate me are much clearer to me now.

The support from home has been over whelming and the biggest factor in my success this season so far.  The season is far from over though, I will be racing in Halifax on the 8th, Toronto on the 11th and then off to Europe for training camp, races and then Olympics. I appreciate every message and will thank everyone who has sent something individually. I have a long month coming to do the final preparations going into the Games so please keep sending the love!

There is a lot of people who were instrumental in accomplishing this goal. You know who you are and I am forever in your debts.

This is just the beginning.
Cheers.



"natepace" hats on sale now.

What hasn't happened

 I ran 2 Olympic B standards, 5 Personal Bests, and fell at 600m in Victoria. It has been an eventful month. My current PB is 1:46.12 and all things considered I am confident there is room to make that lower. Each race has its own story, I don't think I have the attention span to comment on them all. Though I will try to post some details during the next week, today I am in hour 8 of travel with three to go!
Thanks for all the support!
Geoff

OVERDUE Update

In my lack of motivation to do anything between training sessions I dropped the ball on updates to this, I also forgot to renew my domain name.  

Much has happened in the last few weeks; I ran 2 Life time bests! My current 1:46.80 is a half second of Olympic B Standard, so that is what I am hoping comes next. My schedule is Indianapolis on the 6th, Vancouver on the 10th and Victoria on the 13th, than one more training block till Nationals. Otherwise life's is as about as good as it gets. I am here in Calgary with family which is a nice place to be. I'm chasing dreams and making big plans, couldn't ask for much more.  

Today

It's about time I posted something.

My training is going famously, I am battling some small injuries here and there but all in all the quality is above anywhere I have ever been and only building. The first outdoor race of the season is on Saturday, it's at ASU and will be a fast race. Fast people in it and I am feeling more than ready for a fast race which equals results! The weather here has been great for training, I am getting very excited to get to Flagstaff in less than a months time. Getting up to Flagstaff is always my indicator that the season is started and it's time to perform.

I have had some big changes in my life in the last few weeks and it's been a test staying focused, but I'm coming through stronger for it all. It's funny how these things end up working themselves out in the end anyway.
I will have one more race before Flagstaff at Mt. Sac. If everything goes well might get a trip to Penn Relays and than up to the altitude.
Things are rolling well, I'm keeping the momentum moving forward one day at a time.

I love hearing from home so keep sending emails!

Life

Life in this "training camp" environment takes a toll. It's not a training camp in the conventional way but at this point in the year you've got to live like it's training camp and put 100% of your energy into training and recovery. That doesn't leave a lot of time or energy for social lives. The other Canadian athletes here have found a good balance. We all manage to get out to do something every week or so. Otherwise I watch a lot of tv, and read, if i read this much in high school I'd have graduated with and nicer looking report card which I think has a direct impact on the grammar of this blog, and I apologize to those who care.

I got 110km in this last week, had some quality track session and gave myself a sweet hair cut. So all in all with one week down training here in Phoenix I am feeling on the right path.

PHOENIX

I am in Phoenix! I made it, though the charming customs officer didn't really want me to, (thankfully his supervisor wasn't so obviously angry at his own existence and was delighted to have me come south of the boarder) I got through. For those who were able to attend my Fundraiser you will be receiving some information about your donations soon, please be on look out for that!

I have had two solid recovery runs and start my first track sessions tomorrow. It's a bit of speed endurance, I am excited to see everyone and see how they are training.

I am living here with Nate for the first month then will stay with fellow Nova Scotians Celia and Dan next month, we head to Flagstaff after that! The goal is weekly blog updates so please keep following!

1k Results

I raced a K this weekend, its was new for me. Not because I don't usually race 1K's but because I was actually able to finish the race. For the last two years I have been running on ice when I got to the last part of my races, injuries were holding me back. On saturday I hit my splits and finished with some authority and it felt good.
I ran 2.23:60 alone, lead start to finish on a flat track with a good surface. For any anti-dalplexers it was at the new Canada Games Center and I don't think its short but I don't like to assume anything.
It was awesome to have a meet run on time and have as many runners (and jumpers) as it did here in Nova Scotia.
I am planning on racing once more in the next couple weeks, I just don't know where yet. Otherwise it's back at it as usual!

Racing 1k

 I am racing on Saturday for the first time since July of last year. I went out last year on a low, dropping out of a race in Toronto, dealing with a season long foot injury. I have since taken the steps (pun intended) to heal and my foot injury and to make sure it’s not going to happen again. With my new orthotics and a better foot strike I have got through the longest set of straight training sessions in 2 years. I have been training very well, feeling fit and powerful. I am hoping that when I get to my speed and power phase it’s going to take me above and beyond what I have been able to accomplish in the past.

This weekend’s race is going to be a 1km. I am doing it at the Canada Games Center. I have some good runners in the race, with some of the Dalhousie Varsity team and my training partner Dan and newly acquired Kenyan John. It will be a good pace from the start; wouldn’t it be nice to PB first race of the season? I have barely been in spikes this year. Annnnnd there are the butterflies, right on time. I had a really great workout last night to set up for the weekend 600 – 400 – 200 (2min/1min recovery) -15min with steady state- 5X200… all at 1k pace. Through the whole workout knowing behind me and hearing the foot steps of a fit Kenyan made for some faster than expected intervals.

 

A Rant on improper chin ups.

I touched on this on a twitter post and felt it might be appropriate to elaborate via my blog. I don’t think there are many people reading this during this uneventful time of my running season so…

I am all for healthy living, in all regards, nothing makes me feel more proud of a stranger than when I see them running, or working out at the gym, and you know it’s been a long over due life style change for them. When I see a runner with terrible form and out of shape running with their full “running room” gear, (belt full of water bottles), I am rooting for them. “At least there out there doing it” I think to myself. It’s only when the weekend-recreational runner wants to start debating me about training regimens that my aggravation might show…. Might.

Now I hope (and if there are any dancers out there maybe they can attest to) when I am out dancing, though it might not be the prettiest thing they have ever had the honor of seeing they feel the same. “At least he’s doing it, having fun and trying”.

But, when it comes to the fake “cross-fit” non-athletes I want to rid the world of them. That might have been harsh, I guess what I am trying to say is; I have no respect for you and I’d like you to go away, permanently. 

I can dig Cross-Fit as a theory of working out and getting into a certain kind of practical and functional shape. But just because you watched a youtube of someone doing it, you’re not an expert and you shouldn’t be teaching your friends. You need to take your American eagle cotton t-shirt and your friends to a Cross-Fit gym and have a Cross-fit trainer teach you Cross-fit. Cause right now you look like your having a seizer whilst holding on to a chin-up bar accomplishing what can not be categorized as a chin-up as your chin is not getting up to the bar. As well your 4 person rotation of this is making me wait to do my chin ups and this is not acceptable.

Done.

On a more positive note, my training is going famously. I am light years ahead of where I was at this point last year. I am seeing big things.