The Start of a Great Year

Time to do some catching up.

In brief, here are my last few weeks.

BU Valentine: 18 sec. 3k PR: 7:57

USATF Cross-Country Championships: 19th Place

USATF Indoor Track and Field Championships: 3k- 13th Place.

Needless to say, it was an exhilarating few weeks there.

The PR was great, especially considering the lack of specificity at this point in the season.  We've been focusing on strength, so to get out and run a huge PR gave me a big dose of confidence.

The next 2 weeks were OK.  The experience was great, and getting the opportunity to run with the big boys was great, but the finishes were not.  Next time I line up at a US Championship, I want to contending for a top spot, and not just running off the back.

I'll have to wait until May for that opportunity though.

The performances of the winter, I think, set me up for a great spring.  Originally, my goals were to crack 14 min. in the 5k, and 29 in the 10k, but considering recent times, I think I need to raise the bar a bit.

How about, 13:45 for 5k, and 28:40 for 10k.  That seems a bit better.  '

Training continues to go well, and I continue to stay healthy (knock on wood).  If those trends continue, than I'll be heading into outdoor with a lot of confidence.  I've been able to get many weeks over 100 miles while continuing to have good workouts, so I just need to keep this momentum going.

Next up for me is the Mountain to Fountain 15k in Fountain Hills, AZ just outside of Phoenix.  It has a strong field, but I believe that I can hang in contention and put up a good fight.  My strength is definitely there, I just need to translate it onto the roads.

If you haven't checked it out yet, take a look at my weekly blog for the iRunnerblog.  I write the column titled "The Running High", and its an opportunity to see me write about something other than myself.

I've heard from a lot of people after my run at the US Indoor Champs, and it was fantastic and I can't thank everyone enough for just being out there and following.  Hopefully I can keep it up.

Also I want to thank the companies that have been helping me out thus far this year.  I've been added to the Powerbar Team Elite roster for 2014, and I'm truly exciting to be representing such a great brand.  Also a thanks to Swiftwick, for keeping my feet happy, and supporting me!
Nick
The Moderately Talented Distance Runner