Last weekend the HEP's took place up at the Armory. The HEP's, for the uninitiated, are the three Ivy League Championships for cross country, indoor and outdoor track and are one of the most unique and exciting events in the sport that I have been part of. Princeton men and women won, with Cornell making it very interesting. Cornell's men's sprint squad scored 68 points alone. The Penn men's and women's teams scored 59.3 points...combined. The women's total of 27.3 points was the lowest in 8 years, and the men's total of 32 points the lowest in 22 years. This is not meant as an indictment of the talented and hard working kids on both squads or the dedicated assistant coaches that are still there. It is rather a reflection of the poor leadership of both teams and the failing administration that oversees them, with Gwen Harris and Charlie Powell being well past their expiration dates as head coaches of a once outstanding program. When outstanding coaches, such as the former sprint and jumps coach Jamie Cook, are allowed to depart to greener pastures such as Oregon without any effort by the administration to retain them, which I view as being as glaring as a Fran Dunphy being allowed to depart for Temple basketball, the writing is on the wall. The leadership under Harris and Powell, if it can be called that, is going through the motions; and the administration has written off the program as an afterthought. Until there is a change at both levels, the amazingly competent and deserving of better student-athletes of Penn will be the ones that suffer the most.
On the same day, Sunday, that the HEP's finals were going on I was out at Valley Forge running with one New Zealand Olympian, Adrian Blincoe, and a former NCAA 5k champ Bobby Curtis. We had a great day for a long run, and after 3 miles or so of running on a great trail, Blincoe went off to run the rest of his long run relaxed. Curtis and I turned, and came back on the trail, slowly picking up the pace from low 6 min pace into the high 5's. Just after 4 miles we started our "on" 10 miles. We had another 2.5 miles or so on the trails, and the pace felt brisk but manageable. As we hopped up on the bike path, I got my first split, which was a 2:48 half(after around 17 flat for the first 3 miles)... which was 5:36 pace instead of the 5:50-55 planned. We backed off a bit, and went through the mile at 5:44. The next couple miles were 5:54, 5:58, 5:50, and 5:57. As we came back on the bike path there was a bit of a headwind and at around 8 miles Curtis was nice enough to let me tuck in behind him as he blocked the wind. The last two miles finished up in 5:50 and 5:46, with the on 10 miles being around 58 min(5:48 pace). We stopped and got some fluids and I knocked down a GU and we finished up our last 4 miles on the trail in 25:29. I ran the 17.5 in 1:47:05, about 6:07 pace overall, and Curtis went on to get about 2 hours in total. Curtis helped me out a tremendous amount, and I am looking forward to more runs with him when he gets back from a training stint at Mammoth and Mt. Laguna. Best of luck to him as he goes after the Olympic A 10k standard at Stanford!
On a related note, after my run on Sunday I came back to my apartment and was in a bit of a daze for a couple hours. As I rallied myself to meet my Dad for brunch at Black Sheep, I realized my wallet was nowhere to be found. I searched through my car, and no luck. I decided to call my bank, and sure enough they said my card was closed. But not for illegal activity, but rather because a girl named Michelle found my wallet out at Valley Forge and was kind enough to call my bank and attempt to get my information. She even found my parents phone number and left a message on their machine with her information. I was able to connect with her, and ironically she works a block away from where I live! So I met her Monday morning, and thanked her profusely...and gave her a gift card to Black Sheep...which pales in comparison to the favor she did for me. Thank you again Michelle, you saved my ass.
On Monday and Tuesday I ran with Breton, and did a great set of striders in the pouring rain on Monday night. There is something about a driving rain that makes you feel like you are flying when you get up and run fast. On Tuesday I did an hour in which we got to run on some soft surfaces around a local field in Cherry Hill. Breton's Garmin told us we were running between 6:20-6:35 pace, which is a good sign because it felt like 7 min. pace. On Wednesday I warmed up with a controlled 5 miles on the River, and pretty much had the place to myself because I didn't go out until 8:30 pm or so. When I turned I started 12 x 1 min. on/ 1 min. off. My first 4 on minutes were roughly 10k effort, with my off minutes being around 6:30-6:45 pace. My next 4 on minutes were roughly 5k effort, and I passed 2 miles around 11:50. My last 4 on minutes were 3k pace(again, by feel) and I covered close to 4 and a quarter miles in 24 min. I cooled down the short mile back to my place, and ended up running the ten in 65:15(34:51 back in 30:24).
On Thursday I ran with Elkan and his glitter tights. I will let him explain the significance of this questionable article of clothing. Nonetheless, I ran the 12 miles on the River in just over 80 min. and felt controlled the entire way. After Thursday's run I realized I had run 77 miles the previous 7 days, and around 98 for the previous 9 days. I decided to take a down day yesterday, and am heading out to Valley Green to run with my cousin Aaron and Elkan in a little while. Aaron is in town for his son Ben's birthday which included a trip to the Zoo. We only get a chance to run a couple times a year at the most, but with him running Broad St. with us this May he is also in serious training mode and it is cool to have some of the similar goals...most notably a fast fall marathon.
Tomorrow morning I am heading up to NYC early, around 5:30 am, to run in the Coogan's 5k up by the Armory. With the race sold out, the field should be around 6 or 7 thousand. I am looking for a top 20 finish, which will take a mid to high 15 min. effort on the rolling course. I'm looking forward to the short but intense pain of a road 5k. Most of all, I am excited about the chance to compete.
I had a chance to speak with Steve Spence yesterday for about a half hour about marathon training. Steve is a former Olympian(1992 Barcelona- 12th place, 3rd place in 1991 World's), and is a great coach at Shippensburg U. Steve liked my current plan, and suggested moving my long runs to 10 day cycles to ensure I am getting as many 20 plus milers as possible in. Working on fluid intake and nutrition on the run is another one of his tips, and until he figured out what he needed to take in on the run he was a solid but not remarkable marathoner. Once he got it down though, well, his resume speaks for itself. Of course the 30 mile over distance runs in which he would already be 25 miles in and then make himself cut down to marathon pace the last 5 are also a bit of the reason why he was so damn good.
I hope all is well for everyone, and I would like to stress again how much I want to see the amazing kids at Penn get what they deserve.. which is competent leadership and a fresh start.
Eric
Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It'll help you some sunny day, Oh yeah
Oh take your time..Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
You'll find a women, yea yea, you'll find love,
And don't forget son, There is someone up above.
And be a simple, kind of man.
Oh be something, you love and understand.
Baby be a simple, kind of man
Oh, won't you do this for me son,
If you can?
Lynryd Skynyrd- "Simple Man"
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