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