A Look Back and a Look Forward

Well I guess now is the time that everyone is looking back on 2013, and looking forward to 2014, and I guess I shall join them as well.

2013 was a good year for me.  I ran a PR in the 1500, met and moved in with my girlfriend Sarah, hit the Olympic Trials "B" Standard in the 1/2 Marathon, and ran my first full marathon.  I was top American in 2 relatively major road races, posting two top 5 finishes, won a 10k in California, and even ran some XC again!

While 2013 was good, it also had plenty of bumps in the road, and growing pains.  Learning how to be a professional athlete with a job hasn't been easy, and getting that down played a crucial role in beginning to post better performances.  Along with that, I also recruited the help of an experienced coach, Trina Painter, who has led me to the successes of the fall.  Her ability to take my ambitions and turn them into reality has been nothing short of incredible, and I can't thank her enough for what she's done for my career. 

There are tons of people to thank for 2013 and I'll try to list as many as possible: Vince and Sarah Sherry (for employing me, and guiding me through the maze that is professional running), Sarah Grothe (for being my biggest fan), the aforementioned Trina Painter, Kym Wilkens (for keeping me healthy), all my teammates and friends: Adam Vess, Steve Soprano, Forrest Misenti, Ryan Blood, Becky Belanger, Matt Walsh, Forrest Boughner, Julian de Rubira, Rivers Puzey, some other groups that have helped me out: Swiftwick Socks, and of course my Parents who put up with my relative poverty and support throughout whatever I'm trying to do.  I'm sure I've missed some people, which I don't mean as an insult, sorry.  I can't thank any of you enough for the support and help. 

So now 2014. 2014 is the year where I begin to make my mark.  If 2013 was the year of gaining experience, than 2014 will be the year I gain some scalps.  I'm more motivated than ever to make big things happen on the track and on the roads.  This will be my year. 

Keep an eye out for some familiar faces in Runners World in the coming months, and keep an eye out on my blog because some big things are hopefully coming here in the next few weeks.  Below is my tentative 2014 racing schedule.

Nick Hilton
The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

2014 Spring Racing Schedule

1/24 NAU Invitational (Mile or 3k or Both)

2/7 NAU Mountain T’s Invite (3k)

2/15 USATF Cross-Country Championships 12k Boulder, CO

3/9 Mountain to Fountain 15k Fountain Hills, AZ

3/21 Baldy Castillo 1500 Arizona State

3/29 ASU Invite 5k

4/5 Stanford Invite- 10k

4/18-4/19 Mt. SAC Relays 5k or 10k

5/4 Payton Jordan Invitational 10k

5/10 USATF 25k Championships at the Fifth Third 25k

6/21 Grandma’s Marathon

7/4 Downtown Mile

(Several of the Flagstaff Summer Series Trail Race through July and August)

9/3 USA 20k Championships at the Stratton-Faxon 20k

10/5 USA Marathon Championships at the Twin Cities Marathon

11/16 USA 12k Championships in Alexandria VA

12/13 USA Club XC Championships Bethlehem, PA

Some thoughts, plus a quick Club XC wrap-up

So I’m on a flight to San Francisco, and I’m getting a bit tired of reading, so it seems like the perfect time to type out a blog post. 

I had a dream last night that I was, for all intents and purposes, fully sponsored by Saucony.  It was certainly a fantastic dream.  What runner in my position doesn’t dream of being fully sponsored by someone?  To have all your gear taken care of, travel money, cost of living stipend, and everything else involved with being a fully funded representative of a shoe company. 

I’m sure that there are some pressures involved with that as well.  I can’t imagine what it’s like when your contract is about to be up, the gut wrenching feeling of not knowing if your main source of livelihood is about to be taken away.  That is a pressure that I don’t believe I have felt yet, and one I’m not sure I want to feel. 

I remember waking up this morning, and being pretty disappointed at the fact, that no, I’m not a Saucony sponsored athlete, and that nope, there is no check in the mail from a shoe company on the way to pay my rent. 

I could quit being a distance runner and go get a full time job that makes 40k+ per year.  Be way less stressed about my expenses, and when my prize money is coming because well, I have a car payment due, and student loans to pay.  But what fun would that be?

I have the best day job in the world.  Regardless of what people say, I’m still a Professional Athlete, and what kid doesn’t dream of being that at some point?  Maybe I’m not doing it the most glamorous of ways, but shit! I’m still doing it. 

Maybe I live paycheck to paycheck, and maybe every race I run that has prize money involved is a critically important race, because that $300 pays for the next trip. Maybe living like this is stressful, but it’s LIVING at its finest.  Here I am, on a plane, sitting next to one of the best runners in the USA, on our way to a National Championship race where we’ll go mano-a-mano with some of the other top runners in the country.  How is this not wonderful?  How is this not life at it’s finest, in its full glory?  Who needs handfuls of the green stuff, when at 12:45 Saturday morning I’ll be spiked up, amped up, and running balls to the wall in the mud, hurdling hay bales.  Sounds like living to me.

And I couldn’t ask for a better life.

I won’t say no if Saucony comes calling though, they have some pretty sweet shoes.

In news, I was honored to be a part of the first EVER Team Run Flagstaff Pro XC Team at this years USATF Club Cross Country Championships.

We finished 3^rd Overall with a stud team (Ben Bruce, Nick Arciniaga, Matt Llano, Adam Vess, Forrest Misenti, Steve Soprano, Rivers Puzey, and myself).  It was a truly incredible experience.

The course was tough, (thanks Max King) as was the competition, but overall was a great time.  The best part by far though, was the feeling of being back on a team.  We had a great synergy, and I think we certainly developed that sense of belonging to something.  It was definitely a piece that I’ve missed since college, and I’m glad to be back a part of a team, with fantastic teammates.  I look forward for what the future holds for this fledgling organization.  I think there are going to be some really great things coming out of this.

Good things are a-coming.

Nick Hilton

The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

The Marathon

First off, Thank You.

Thank you to everybody who reached out before the race, Thank you to everybody who came to the marathon, and Thank you to everybody who reached out after the race.  I can't express what it really means to me to hear from all of you.  You provided the emotional energy necessary to go the distance, and the continuing motivation to move on the next race.

With that said, let us talk about the race itself. 

Beforehand I was pretty nervous.

A. Because I couldn't poop.
B. Because 26.2 miles is a long way to run hard. 

It was actually a relief when the gun went off, because all the waiting was finally over, and I could just freaking run the race. 

The first 7 miles were very controlled (5:15-5:20ish) and were run with a big pack.  At times it was hard not to just burst away, as we were running through the incredible crowds of downtown Philly, which were LOUD. 

After 7 you hit a series of hills through University City and Fairmount Park, and let me tell you, we ran these cautiously.  My instinct is to pick it up and work up a hill, but apparently, I was the only one.  We ran anywhere from 5:32 on the ups, to 5:14 on the downs.  And after we hit ten miles, I was still feeling very good, and very antsy.

At this point I just wanted a consistent, faster pace.  5:15's or better.  I was hesitant to get out in front and push, because of my inexperience, and opted instead to sit in the pack and run 5:20's.

We hit 13.1 in 1:10.35, comfortably, but it was at this point that the race changed.  Everyone got more aggressive, the real racing was about to begin.  We hit 14 in 5:10, our fastest split yet, and our group was beginning to string out. At 1/2 way we had 9 guys, that would whittle down to 4 by 17. 

After 14 miles the surging began.  We would run a 5:10-5:12, than the eventual winner would throw in a 5:05.  We'd settle back for a mile, where I would lead and not let it slow too much, until the next surge.  This time it was back to back 5:05's.   Coming through 17 miles, I was still feeling pretty good, but the surges were beginning to take their toll. 

We were down to 3 by 19 miles, and facing a long gradual uphill climb to the turnaround in Manayunk at 20 miles.  The leader threw in a sub 5 (I ran 5:08), and finally broke away from Dube (runner-up) and myself.  I ran with second place through 21 and 22 splitting 5:10 and 5:12.  But definitely was no longer an aggressor, I was in hang on mode.  23 was 5:22 and I fell back from Dube, and was running by myself in third.  This was where I began to hit the wall.  At this point I told myself to "just hold 5:20's!"

24 was 5:32, and I thought to myself, "just hold 5:30s!" 

25 was 5:42, and I thought "Just make it to the finish without being passed you bastard"

Those 2 miles were loooooooong.  I didn't take water, I just stared straight ahead and focused as hard as I could on putting one foot in front of the other.  It was there I saw some familiar faces, which gave me a MUCH needed shot in the arm and kept me inspired to keep pushing.

26 was 5:48 and then I was in the home stretch.  The noise of the crowd brought me home, and I crossed the line, grabbed my knees, and tried not to cramp.

The race was emotional as hell.  Seeing everyone out on the course was fantastic, and every bit of encouragement through that 2nd half of the race was sorely sorely needed, and incredibly appreciated.

I can't wait until the next one. 

Nick Hilton
The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

Some Final Thoughts

Being that we're now less than 5 days from the Philly Marathon, I thought it would be good to type out one last entry with some final thoughts before the big race. 

Needless to say, I'm very excited to go home for a bit, run a race, see family and friends, and just spend a wee-little bit of time back in the keystone state.  It's always a refresher to see everybody (although I practically guarantee that I'll be WAY more tired when I get back to Flag than when I left), and is a fantastic way to reset and get ready for the second part of the year.

 To say that I'm excited to run my first marathon would be an understatement, as this is the race that I feel that I've been best suited for since my formative years of running.  Even with that excitement, I'm trying to stay as even-keeled as possible, as I don't want to run a 4:45 first mile and blow up in spectacular fashion.  I've been training and racing smarter than I ever have before in my career, and I don't want that to change now.

I'm also fitter than I've ever been in my life, of that I'm 100% sure.  I have 0 doubts in my mind that my coach has prepared me fantastically for this race, and will get me to the line healthy, fit, and ready to roll.  She's taken me from a 3:46 1500 runner in the spring, molded me in 6 weeks into a 1:04:41 1/2 marathoner, and now has helped get me into a position to run a very competitive marathon.  I've been putting in a TON of consistent work since June, and am ready to toe the line and put 100% out there. I can't thank her enough for helping me out and getting me into this position.

The field is certainly pretty tough this year, as there is some talk that the course record will go down (2:16.47), but that doesn't scare me one bit, it has me licking my chops for a good; competitive race. 

So, it's only a few days until Sarah and I board the plane to come into town, and through these next few runs I'll certainly be doing lots visualizing and mental preparation for the race to come.  Along with that, I'll also be thinking of everyone who helped me get to this point.  It's been a long road, and this is certainly NOT the end, but hopefully the beginning of a new phase of my career. 

And when the race gets tough, as it certainly will, I will be using the home crowd and all of you as motivation to put one foot in front of the other, and get to the line in a speedy fashion. 

Thanks again,

I'll see you all on the other side of 26.2

Nick Hilton
The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

Why not?

November 17th 2013 is definitely going to be a big day.  The plan was to run the 1/2 marathon at the Philly marathon, and try to better my time from the last time I ran the 1/2.

But...

I've decided that I want to make Philly my debut MARATHON instead.  So on 11/17 I'll make first attempt at the 26.2 distance.

Here's the rationale:

1.) I've already achieved the "B" standard for the 2016 Olympic Marathon Trials, which was my original goal going into this season  (I wasn't expecting to break the 1:05 barrier at AFC).  Since my plan is to transition to the marathon anyway, why not get one under my belt, since there is really nothing to lose. 

2.) I'm healthy, fit, and running well.  I've been able to put in a really solid of uninterrupted training since June.  My workouts have been very consistent, and even before the decision to switch, I had run over 20 miles several times.  The original plan was to debut next fall, but I want to take advantage of my current health and fitness and get a baseline idea of what the marathon is like so I can have a better idea of how to run very fast next year. 

3.)  I can't think of a better place to debut than Philly.  It's a great running town, and I definitely have always wanted to do something big in Philadelpha (since I feel like I'll have some homefield advantage).  So what's bigger than trying to win my debut marathon in front of the hometown crowd?

4.)  When the miles get tough, I'll have family and friends to get me to the line.  There's nothing like performing in front of family and close friends. 

So, with that said, here goes nothing.  Only a little under 3 weeks remain to the big day.   Have done some higher volume workouts up here to get prepared for the longer distance.  The key one was a 16 mile steady state run, where I ended up averaging 5:22 pace at 7000 feet, with the last 5 miles at 5:17 pace.

I know its going to be a brutal test over those last 6 miles, but I trust that with my preparation and a little help from the hometown crowd that I'll bust through the wall and do something great. 

Thanks as always for the continued support, I can't wait until race day

Nick Hilton
The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

A Win!

Cruising home in the final mile

 So for the first time in my competitive career I got to do something that I've always wanted to do.  Break the tape. 

In no race that I have won since the beginning of my career, have I won a race that had tape at the finish line.  Let me tell you that it is every bit as cool as you think it is.

If you haven't figured it out yet, this weekend went pretty well.  I ended up winning the 10k in 30:39, 18 seconds over the 2nd place finisher, who just so happens to boast a 13:36 5k PR.  

The race played out like this:  The pace was pretty honest early, with a 4:50 first mile, with three of us in front.  The course starts to climb after the mile mark and we slowed to 4:58 for the 2nd mile.  I noticed my competitors beginning to labor a little bit as we climbed, so I threw in a test surge, and formed a gap and just continued to push a bit through miles 3 and 4, which were a slow 5:08 and 5:17 respectively.  By the time we reached the 4 mile mark, I had increased the lead to about 100 meters, which I held through the finish.  The course cruises downhill for the final two mile, which I recorded in 4:43 and 4:40 respectively.

The time definitely was not what I wanted to be, but the race was definitely more of a tempo effort, which bodes well moving forward. 

The weekend overall was much needed,  and I always enjoy spending time with Sarah and some good friends on the sunny shores of Santa Monica. 

Results Here--->http://www.geminitiming.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/sm5000_10k_fl_131.htm

So, next up for me is the Phoenix 5k in November, which will serve as my final tune up for Philly on 11/7. 
I honestly can't wait for Philly, I'm absolutely chomping at the bit to come home and post a good race in front of friends and family.  I've put in a lot of work in the past year and am ready to do my best to put on a show for the hometown crowd. 

About 6 weeks to go, gotta keep the nose to the grindstone, hammer out some great workouts, and be ready to roll for 11/17.

I'm 100% sure that the energy from all my supporters will propel me to my best performance yet, and I can't thank you guys enough. 

Before I sign off,  A HUGE shoutout to my co-worker, mentor, and friend Nick Arciniaga for winning his 1st NATIONAL TITLE at the US Marathon champs this past weekend.  This guy puts in A TON of work, and deserves it more than anyone I've ever met.  CONGRATS!

Until next time,

Nicholas Hilton

The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

My Dad told me to blog.

Back by somewhat popular demand!  Or, otherwise known as, my Dad told me to blog again.  So!  Here it is!

Things have been great out here in Flagstaff, boringly great for the most part.  My last race was the George Kyte XC Classic at Buffalo Park, here in flag.  XC at 7000 feet didn't sound too appealing, but I was happy to get on the line and test my chops on the ole' XC course again.

Ran 24:45 (which is only 17 seconds off of my XC 8k pr at sea level) for 2nd place.  Was happy with the time, not so much with the place.  Waited too long to really move, and got caught by a speedy collegian with a little more turnover than I had at that time.  The race felt like a tempo for the majority of it, the last 1k or so proved to be my downfall, as I wasn't able to shift to the next gear.  Overall, positive effort.

Results here --->http://www.nauathletics.com/sports/xc/2013-14/files/2013KyteResults.pdf
Note: Technically I won the Open Men's Division, but both races (Open and Collegiate) were ran together, so overall through the whole thing I took 2nd.

Finishing the final 400 at the George Kyte XC Classic

Next on the docket is the Santa Monica 5000 (where I'm racing the 10k!!) I'm actually leaving for this race, in about 90 min.  I'm super pumped as always to head to California for a weekend.  Pictures should follow.

For this race, the absolute only thing that I'm focused on is bringing home the W.  For whatever reason I want this win bad.  So I'm gonna do everything within my power to take it.  The field is strong, but I've been feeling really fit and strong myself.  It should be a fun race.

Results can be found on www.santamonica5000.com.

On a different note, I just want to say that I'm incredibly grateful to the people who continue to support my career and help me grow as an athlete.  I'm getting closer and closer to being where I want to be, and everyday you guys help me and inspire me to continue pushing.

So thanks to Mom and Dad, Vince, Kym Wilkens-for keeping my stupid hamstring, sartorious, and adductors in line, Sarah, Trina, and all my teammates and fellow runners in town.

Also, best of luck to Nick Arciniaga at the US Marathon Champs, and Adam Vess who will be travelling with me to Santa Monica and racing the 5k.

Bless all of you, and Thank you!

Nick Hilton
The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

BOOM!

Well, I'll try not to get too pumped about this, but.... I QUALIFIED FOR THE OLYMPIC FREAKIN' TRIALS!!!!!!

Ok, ok I'm done.  But seriously, I'm pretty pumped.  This is the kind of performance that I've been looking for.  And while I know that it's a big step for me, I know that in the grand scheme of things I still have a ways to go and lots of work to do, but this run has done a lot for me confidence wise. 

All My Gear Pre-Race

It's just a validation that I'm doing the right things, and heading in the right direction, and gives me more motivation to work my ass off more going forward.   

I'll break down the race quickly and how it unfolded.  Gun went off, and the first two mile were pretty controlled as they were pretty rolling.  4:55, 4:50.  about 1/2 way through the second mile you start the dive downhill which made the pace start to get a bit hot.  The next two miles were 4:38 and 4:25 (Hot damn!)  and a pack of four kenyans broke off from the main pack. 

After 4 miles we hit the flats, and I'll be honest, after cruising downhill my quads were pretty jacked up and that flat did not feel so great.  We ran 4:49, 4:52, and 4:55 for 5,6,7 and came through 10k in a PR of 29:34. Mentally I was in a good place at this point, I was in a pack of 4 and just came through a rough patch and was feeling ok.  Definitely wasn't feeling great, but just focused on running in the pack and keeping up a good cadence.  The next few miles were flat as well and we slowed a bit, running 5:06, 4:59, 5:01. 

Beautiful Course along the Bay!

I didn't panic after the 5:06 on mile 8, because I knew I had a good bank of time from those downhill miles, but I knew there was a biiiiiiiig hill coming up, so I didn't want to relax too much and tried to push our pack a bit for 9 and 10. 

We were down to 3 guys at this point and approaching downtown and the hill, we had passed one of the Kenyans from the original front pack so we were fighting for that 4th place prize.  I knew the guys around me were fatiguing a bit so I took control of the pack and started to attempt a push to pull away.  I put about 10 yards on the two guys, but they reeled me back in, but I pushed again on the second 1/2 of the hill and finally broke free and was alone in 4th. 

Whomever thought that it was a good idea to toss in a long steep hill on mile 11 of a 1/2 marathon is certainly a mad man, cause that freakin' hurts.  A lot.  My 11 and 12 split was 10:25 (I missed the 11 mile mark).  So my pace was definitely killed by the incline, but I rallied coming over the top and just tried to get back into a rhythm for the final 1.1 miles and pushed the best I could.  The last 1.1 was 5:41 and I crossed the finish in 1:04:41 for 4th place overall, 1st American. 

Flippin' Hills!

The feeling was pretty incredible at the line.  I knew I was fit enough to run sub 1:05 (which is the qualifying time for the olympic trials), but to actually get out there and hit it is a feeling words can't do justice for. 

So now I'm back in Flagstaff and ready to get back on that grind.  For me It's time for some more miles and work to get ready for the next attempt at the 1/2 marathon distance on November 17th in Philadelphia.

Sarah and I checking out the starting area

Since I ran sub 1:05 here, that takes some pressure off of me for Philadelphia.  Now I can focus on really getting after it there and trying to contend for the win.  I don't have to worry about the time nearly as much because I have a qualifying mark under my belt. 

The goal for that race is to contend for the win and try to break 1:04.  

My next racing will be 9/7 at the George Kyte Classic (an XC race) up here in Flagstaff, and then 10/18 in a 10k at the Santa Monica 5000. 

Thank you everybody for the huge outpouring of support post race, you guys are my inspiration and keep me going when things start to hurt.

Also a huge shout out and thanks to Run Flagstaff for their support, Kym Wilkens for helping keep me healthy, and Sarah Grothe (who also finished her first 1/2 marathon in San Diego!) for keeping me sane. 

Thanks again everybody!

Nick Hilton

The Moderately Talented (and Olympic Trials qualified) Distance Runner

Time for an update!

Hello All!

It's certainly been awhile, and I apologize for that, sometimes the whole blogging gets thrown to the side for awhile.

But as I'm about to begin my next racing season, I guess I should start getting back on this thing!

Firstly though, lets talk about how the spring ended, since I never really covered that.  My last event of the year was the Jim Bush Classic, held at UCLA, and that was to be my all-out attempt to crack 3:45 and get a USA B-standard.

I know I was fit enough to run that fast, to me it wasn't even a question, I thought that 3:45 was on the slower end of what I should've been able to run.  I believe that I was definitely in 3:42-3:43 shape.  Below you'll see my final workout before the race, the one that really gave me the confidence in my fitness.

The race didn't pan out as planned.  Got caught back in the pack right off the line, and spent much of the race trying to get back into contention.  Ended up running 3:48, which was disappointing but at least consistent, I really didn't have a really bad race from Mt. SAC on.  So for me, this season I lowered my 1500 PR from 3:54 to 3:46, and my mile from 4:08 to 4:06.  So I would call it a productive season, and a good step in the right direction for the next year.

Race video is here ---> http://www.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=30&do=videos&video_id=90996

So after that, it was time for a little down time.  2 weeks of sporadic easy running, and getting ready for my best summer of training to date.  I was fired up and motivated after that race, I wanted my season to end with a bang, not a whimper.  So I was ready to rock and roll after those two weeks.

Next for me was the Flagstaff Downtown Mile on July 4th, and that was certainly an exciting affair.  Took home the win in that one in 4:21, after a thrilling kick-off down Aspen St. with NAU All-American (and co-worker of mine) Brian Shrader.  The results said I won by .6, but it was certainly less than that, definitely one of the most exciting races I've been in.

The end of that race signified the end of mile training for me, and the beginning of some serious mileage and a build-up leading up to the Philadelphia 1/2 Marathon in November.

So since then I've been racking up some mileage and putting in some good longer workouts in preparation for a good fall of some base-building and longer racing.

First on the docket for me will be the America's Finest City 1/2 Marathon in San Diego on 8/18.  I'm really excited as this will be my 1/2 debut, and I want to go out there and put down a strong early time.  Workouts indicate that I should be in sub 1:05 shape, so we'll see how this first one plays out.

The rest of my season includes the George Kyte Invitational up here in Flagstaff, for a little high altitude XC action.  Than a 10k at the Santa Monica 5000 in mid-October.  Philly 1/2 is November 17th, than Run Flagstaff Elite will be making its team XC debut at Club XC in early December.

I'm really excited about this season.  I'm ready to crush. 

Chasing

3:46.9
4:06.3

These are the results from my past two forays into racing.  The first in the 1500 at the Mt SAC Relays, the second in the Mile at the Penn Relays.

I'm happy to have finally put together a string of good races, and hope to keep this going into June.

While I'm happy, I'm certainly not satisfied, this string just got me more motivated and focused to keep going and hit some faster times.

The "B" standard for the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships is 3:45, and I fully intend to do all I can to hit this standard.  My next race is June 1st at the Jim Bush Classic at UCLA.

I've been hit with a shot of confidence after these performances, as they've been a validation that I've been doing something right the past few months and that I'm certainly going in the right direction.



The key going forward is to continue to stay focused and just make it happen.  Do not try, Do.

I've also just been enjoying running much more lately, and appreciating the fact that I've been given this shot, and that I do not plan on wasting it.

I had a moment on my run today which just reminded me how freaking blessed I am to be able to be doing what I'm doing right now.  I was running through the trees and single track trail that lays beyond my apartment building.  Just cruising along, focused on the trail ahead, when I burst out into a meadow with the San Francisco peaks in front of me, the sun shining above me in the middle of a clear blue sky.  Just made me stop and say "Damn". 

Not many people really get the opportunity to truly go after their dreams, and experience the journey that comes with the chase.  For whatever reason recently, I've been able to put these things into perspective, and truly appreciate the ups and downs of the journey.  Knowing that regardless of how it ends, I will be enriched for what I've done, for meeting people who will have touched my life, and for realizing the experiences that will shape me going forward.

So, in short, people (regardless if you're moderately talented, incredibly talented, or whatever):  Chase your dreams, don't settle into your epilogue, and embrace the journey, it will all be worth it eventually.  

To quote a new favorite band of mine:

Get outside, get all over the world
You learn to love what you get in return
It may be a problem and it may be peace of mind
but you have to slow down
and breathe one breath at a time

I guess life is just good right now, I'm certainly content in my situation.

Again, thank you everybody for the support, I say it every time, but it truly does motivate me every time I step out of the door.

The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

A Step Back

Tonight didn't go as planned.

I had the unique experience of my mind not up to the task of handling a tough race.  I got to 1200 in a slow 3:10-3:11 in a weird race, and got incredibly negative and just pulled off.  DNF

D. N. F.

Three letters that are shameful in distance running. 

So now I have to build myself back mentally to be able to handle these racing scenarios again. 

I feel that I've been off mentally for quite awhile, but the question of how to fix it is a question that I do not have the answer to. 

I somehow need to get out of my own head and just freaking race.  I need to get some confidence, so I can get to the line and know that I can handle any pace, any scenario, any race.  Do I tweak some workouts? Just race more?  Do yoga?  I don't know.

I hate that I feel like a head case now, I don't think I've ever had to deal with this before. 

Running for yourself is different, after doing this for a team all my life, finding that last gear to do it solely for yourself is much different.  I want to do well, I want to succeed, I want to throw it into 5th and come screaming into the home stretch.  So what's the issue?

I need a coach, this much I do know.  Someone to help answer these questions, someone to help erase this doubt and get me out of my head. Someone I can trust.  It just has to be the right fit. 

All I can hope is that this step back will lead to a bigger step forward in the future.  I tried to obey Coach Russel's 30 min. rule, but I'm still reeling a bit and trying to decode this mental roadblock. 

I'm working on it, just gotta look at the big picture.

Nicholas Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

Race #2

Race number 2 of this fledgling season is slated to go off tomorrow at 6:20 PM PST.  It will be my second attempt at the 1500 meter distance this year, and I'm pretty freaking pumped for it. 

The heat I'm in is pretty stacked, to say the least, check out the heat sheet below to see some of the names that will be in the race.  (Note Boaz Lalang who has a 3:35 PR, nbd)

Heat Sheets ---> http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/asu/sports/c-track/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2012asufinalheats.pdf

But, I go in not nervous, and not intimidated. I just want to run my race, be smart, push the 3rd lap, and hopefully break 3:50 for the first time. 

I was definitely race rusty the last time out, and I think, mentally, I'll be sharper this time around.  The main goal is to just keep progressing as the season wears on, the more I progress, the longer my season will be. 

For me, this season is really just a re-introduction of track racing and getting back in the competitive state of mind.  I've been away from it for awhile, and I really want to focus on getting that mental edge back into place for the next 3 years. 

Just gotta keep my eyes on the real prize, 2016, plug away, and try to prepare myself the best that I can.  

In the meantime I'm gonna enjoy the hell out of this shorter stuff, and fall back in love, once again, with track racing. 

I'll update tomorrow on Facebook and Twitter (@Nackhilton) pre-race, and post-race from Tempe. 

Catch you on the flipside.

Nicholas Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

One Race, One PR

I can't express in words how great it felt to be back on the track.  Nothing feels as good as lacing up the spikes, feeling that adrenaline pump before the gun, and taking off down the track towards the first turn.  I feel like a brand new person.

3:52.38.  PR.

I honestly felt pretty good in this race, came through 400 in 61, 800 in 2:03, and 1200 in 3:05.  Didn't close great, but I made my biggest mistakes on the third lap.

I was still feeling good on the third lap, but didn't move up because I was a bit boxed in, and wanted to make sure that I didn't die hard in the final 100.  This is a mistake I won't make again, because I know I have more in the tank.

Results for the Race can be found here --->  http://www.thesundevils.com/sports/c-track/stats/2012-2013/resultsfriday13baldy.html

Hamstring felt pretty good all day on the warmup, during the race, and on the cool down.  Definitely a good sign, hopefully as I work on it it'll feel a little better every day.

I'm really looking forward to my workouts this week, and a 1500 again on Friday.  Its track season and I couldn't be more pumped!

 List of 2013 goals through 4/27:

1. Feel good and bust some rust on the track: CHECK
2. Break 3:50: PENDING
3. Get accepted into the Mt. SAC Invitational: PENDING
4. 3:48: PENDING
5. Get Accepted into the Penn Relays OD Mile: PENDING
6. Sub 4:05: PENDING

Nicholas Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

Back on Track

Today is the day where I start my track season.

After a solid 15k last weekend, 47:30 on a tough course.  I'm ready to move to the fast stuff.  Tonight I open with a 1500 at the Baldy Castillo Invitational at Arizona State. 

I've been nursing a bit of a hamstring issue the past few weeks so training hasn't been ideal.  But I know I'm strong, and I'm confident in my speed. 

I'm not going to lay out specific time goals for tonight, cause honestly, I have no idea whats going to happen.  Its a strong field, and I just want to run with confidence and finish hard. 

This season is about getting fast.  So its time to get fast. 

I'm definitely nervous.  The last time I stepped on a track to race was at the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championships. 

So, I shall try my best to go into it with confidence, and walk out of it with my head held high, ready for my next race. 

I was born ready.

Nicholas Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

Welp, time to post

So, its been awhile...my bad. 

Things have been going reasonably well out west.  Haven't raced anything since the Midnight run, had a couple things planned, but in the end they didn't end up working out.  Oh well.

Good news is that its almost spring time, and spring time means track!

A decision has been made by yours truly (with some help) to really focus this spring on getting faster. Working on that pure, unadulterated, get-down speed, hence the 1500/Mile becomes my focus. 

Its been a long time since this was the focus, so I really want to work on improving my top end speed and my ability to finish fast, and be comfortable at a range of different paces (especially in the 58-62 second range)

So the first half of my spring race schedule looks something like this:

3/11: Mountain to Fountain 15k (good prize money, last longer effort for awhile)
3/15: ASU Baldy Castillo Invitational (1500, 800)
3/22: ASU Invitational (1500)
3/28 (Possibly): Stanford Invitational
4/6: ASU Sun Angel Invitational (5k?)
4/15: Mt SAC Relays (Possibly)
4/27: Penn Relays (OD One Mile Run)

Thats a lot for the first half, but I want to keep options open.  The ASU Invites are a definite, as well as racing at Penn, That is 100% on my schedule.  The California stuff honestly depends on finances and what not, because travelling ain't cheap, and I ain't made of money. 

Its been a long time since I've been in touch with this faster stuff, and I haven't spent an outdoor season focused on the 1500/Mile distance since high school, so I'm actually really excited to run these races and get sharp.  Obviously, long term, the goals are sub-4 and sub 3:45, and also moving back up in distance, but for this season I want to be reasonable and set achievable goals early on and hopefully keep pushing the bar up. 

Socially, my life is not terribly exciting.  I've been working a ton and trying to save some money in anticipation of the spring.  So, really, nothing exciting whatsoever to report on that front. 

Again, thanks to everyone for the support.  I've gone through a couple rough patches during the winter, but with help of some friends, and knowing that all of you are out there, I've gotten through them and kept grinding on. 

The weather is getting warmer, and hopes are looking up. 

So I'll keep holding on and pushing forward with all of you in my thoughts.

Nick Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

Thoughts Beyond Running

So obviously its important that I should be thinking about what I'm going to do once this little experiment with semi-professional running is over.  And, I have been thinking about it, pretty extensively, and it's something that weighs on me pretty heavily, because I know I can't do this forever. I definitely can't work 2 part time jobs for the rest of my life, and one day I need to step into full-time work.

The question is, what do I do?

Right now, that question seems pretty baffling to me, and maybe its baffling to other runners, or even non-runners in the situation.  The "Post college, 2 part time jobs, what the hell am I doing with my life" situation.  I'm sure there are people out there who can sympathize with this sentiment.

I'm 23, which is young, but not super young.  And by the time this experiment is over I could be 27, which is well beyond the realm of super young and getting closer and closer to "no longer that young at all, you need to get your shit together man".

Still, the question of what should I do persists.  I'm always open to suggestions, feel free to comment!

A big part of me wants to continue working in the running community.  I've enjoyed working in running specialty, and i think I would like to continue with the sport.  Ideally I think my dream job in the running industry would be to work for a company, and specifically working with athletes that the company sponsors, and help people get sponsorships, and aid to continue their careers.

This is something very near and dear to my heart, because I see athletes every day who deserve to get help, who are talented enough and accomplished enough to get help, but they can't.  I think a restructuring of the system can be done to maximize the amount of athletes that could be helped without bleeding the companies dry of resources.

I have ideas, I have a lot of ideas.  And I want to help athletes, and help promote the sport and to help it grow in popularity, not just as an activity, but as a sport that people outside of the running community care about and want to see.  I'll expand on some of these ideas in another post.

So what else do I want to do?  I've always wanted to work in government, whether it be local, state, or beyond.  I think that it would be awesome to be involved in a process that affects so many people
s lives everyday.  I'd like to think that I would be helping people, and helping the process.  I believe in government, I always have.  And I think it would be incredibly fulfilling to be a cog in the wheel of propelling our country forward on a daily basis.

Just some thoughts, gonna go do my long run now.  Hope everyone has a fantastic Sunday!!

Nick Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner (who cares about his future, and wants to make an impact in the world)

Long Delay

Welp, Sorry about the long delay, sometimes I get distracted and the blog goes a bit to the wayside, so I'll update you on the news!

First, The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run.  Not what it could have been, for several reasons I believe. 
 1.) Like an idiot, I ran a race the day before, harder than I should have.  In my defense it was in support of the Berks County Cross Country Coaches Association, but I definitely shouldn't have ran it as hard as I did.  (Thanks for that one Timmy Getz!)
2.) I allowed myself to get out of my routine when I was at home and wasn't as disciplined about several things as I had been when I was in Flag, so I believe that had a negative impact as well.

But, Oh well, Its in the past and now its time to move on to track season!!

Links to Emerald Nut Results here ---> http://web2.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/start.cgi/aes-programs/results/startup.html?result.id=b21231&result.year=2012


Track Season! My excitement for this season is practically unbridled.  Its been almost 2 years now since I've had a proper track season, so its time to get down and dirty and do some real racing!  On the winter schedule are two 3ks.  

The first will be on 2/2 at the NAU Mountain T's Open at the famous NAU skydome.  Should be an interesting one considering that it will be at 7000 feet!  Hoping to run 8:30 or under, which is gonna hurt like hell, but who would have it any other way?

The second will be the following week (2/9) at the Boston University Valentines Invitational.  That will be the big daddy as I hope to break 8:10, and ideally run close to the USA Indoor Championship standard of 8:03.  That's a track I'm very comfortable on, that always has good competition, so it should bode well for a good performance. 

Training wise, I'm just getting over a pretty brutal cold, so things should be consistent and solid the next few weeks as I begin to really prepare in earnest for the Oval. 

I have high hope for March, April, and May as those 3 months will decide how this season will play out.  I need to be super fit and ready for the races in late April and early May so I can get the standard for this years USATF Championships. Sub 8:40 is the baseline goal for the season, but I like to dream pretty big, and would love to be under the World Championships 'B' Standard of 8:32.   So training goes on to achieve that goal.

Thanks for all the support!

Nick Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner

P.S. Below I'll post a few recent pics of some fun outings with MansionMates!
The Mansion Crew at the Grand Canyon

Looking for a good path up Bell Rock in Sedona
Checking out on hell of a view

Scaling the side of Bell Rock, in Sedona


Passed out on floor after some core

Back In Flag

So here I am, after a week of the east coast, back in Flagstaff, and as always with leaving home, it comes with mixed emotions.  The new year didn't start great, there's no glory, no girl, and too much gluten (don't worry, just a temporary lack of will power, consider the gluten gone once again).

I've been spending a lot of time in my head lately, (not always a good thing, I know) just thinking about what I'm doing, why I'm doing it, and where I want to go with it.

If you read my last post, you read that I am ambitious and hungry, and all of the above.  And I am, I truly am.  I want those things more than I want anything else.  I've already given up a lot to attempt (with no guarantee) to achieve them.

But sometimes I wish I could turn off my brain.  It can be my greatest asset, or my worst enemy. Right now it feels like an enemy.

Don't worry, I'm not going to think myself into abandoning what I'm doing here.  I know that I'm guilty of doing that before.  Running away, but  I'm beyond that stage of my life at this point.  I'm all in, and there is no turning back.  I refuse.

There is no running away anymore.  I've ran from people that care about me, who invest in me, who believe in me.  I've been so terrified of letting them close, that I flee wildly, and hurt them in the process.  And with that I alienate myself.  I recognize this, I've recognized it before.  Multiple people tell me this.  And I'm lonely because of it.

I guess this is a side that people don't see of me frequently, cause I can be good at quelling it and putting it aside.  But hey, we all get a little melancholy sometimes, right?

I don't know, I guess its just word vomit at this point.  I needed an outlet, and this blog seemed like a good place to do it.

Doing this is a lonely pursuit, running in general is.  No one can make it happen, except you.  Which is why I like the sport to begin with.

I recently moved on from my coach out here, for a variety of reasons.  I appreciate everything that he did for me, I really do.  But there are some things we didn't see eye to eye on, and I wholeheartedly believe that it was best for my career to move on and try something different.

So now its time to enter a new phase of training, a new phase of this adventure.  Brain or no brain, I shall continue on.  Its not gonna be easy, this aint no lark.  Some people may believe that this is all fun and games and what not.  But its not, not one bit.  I'm doing what I love, but it comes at a cost.  I'm willing to accept that cost, and the whole process will be heartrending and incredibly difficult at times.  But anyone who has walked down this road will agree, that in the end, it shall be worth it.

For now, I'll coach myself, and use whatever resources I have to craft a training regimen that will work for me in the long run.  I've got a lot to work on, so I guess I should get some shut eye.

Thanks for listening to this bitch session.  Sometimes I just gotta talk myself through these things.

Nick Hilton: The Moderately Talented Distance Runner