Eyes on LA: Week of 9/7-9/13

Fall is here in Flagstaff!  Definitely my favorite time of the year.  It's also the start of racing season!

I'm starting off my season in sunny San Jose, at the Rock and Roll San Jose 1/2 Marathon on 9/27.  I'm really pumped to get the racing going, and to get back out on the roads again.  I think this fall has the potential to be a big one for me, and I'm hoping to start building some momentum going into LA in February.  Just gotta stay healthy, and get the work in.

Here's what went down the week of 9/7-9/13.

Weekly Mileage: 120

First Workout: 5 mile warm up, 10 mile steady state on Lake Mary Road, 3 mile cool down.
This one was tough as myself and Kiya went out and back this time instead of straight out.  Lake Mary Road is net downhill if you go straight out, and has some daunting climbs on the way back.  Considering that, I was pretty pleased with how this one went.  I definitely didn't knock it out of the park, but that is OK, sometimes you just have to get on base and be happy with a good effort.

Splits: 5:24, 5:18, 5:18, 5:18, 5:17, 5:15, 5:15, 5:22, 5:14.

Second Workout: Planned: 12 mile run into 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 fartlek, with a 2 mile jog at the end.

DNF'd this workout.  Was having some pretty bad stomach issues through the fartlek, and had to call it 1/2 way into it.  Ended up being a little crunched for time after the bathroom break, so just decided to cut my losses and rest up for a big session on Tuesday.  I was just generally feeling crappy during the whole thing.  Don't think that I gave myself enough to recover from the first session of the week.

Long Run: 20 miles, 6:30 average.

Overall this was a good week.  Bad workout aside, everything else went smoothly, and I was able to get in my desired volume.  I'm lucky to have such an awesome support crew who helps me get through some of the tougher parts of the week.  Working full time and trying to run higher mileage can sometimes strain me a bit, and makes me a little sullen throughout the week. Sarah is always brilliant about it, and does her best to make me smile and make my days a little easier.  I wouldn't trade my life for the world, sometimes its tough, but when things come together, it is always worth it.

I'm hoping to just keep chipping away throughout the next few months and to whip myself in the best shape that I possibly can.  Everyday I believe in myself a bit more, and raise the ceiling a little higher on what I think I can achieve in this sport.  I know there will be some tougher times between now and the trials, and certainly some moments of doubt.  It's time like that when having such a great support system can make all the difference in the world.

I think I'm going into Rock and Roll San Jose in the best shape of my life, and I hope to showcase some of the work that I've been putting in.

Nick Hilton
The Moderately Talented Distance Runner