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