Team USA Minnesota's Andrew Carlson Fast Debut

 

1. 2:08:24 Ryan Hall (24) London 2007 
2. 2:09:41 Alberto Salazar (22) New York 1980 
3. 2:09:41 Alan Culpepper (30) Chicago 2002 
4. 2:10:35 Brett Gotcher (25) Houston 2010 
5. 2:11:13 Rudy Chapa (26) New York 1983 
6. 2:11:17 Todd Williams (28) Chicago 1997 
7. 2:11:24 Andrew Carlson (29) Trials 2012  
8. 2:11:35  Dan Browne (27) Twin Cities 2002 
9. 2:12:06 Pat Petersen (23) New York 1983
10. 2:12:12  Bob Kempainen (25) Twin Cites 1991 

Andrew Carlson of Team USA MN, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, has joined elite company as of this morning.  Carlson's 6th place performance in the 2012 Olympic Trials makes him the 7th fastest American in their first attempts at the distance.  Only two of the men ahead of Carlson weren't Olympians; Gotcher and Chapa.  Chapa holds the American High School Record in the 10k at 28:32 and Gotcher will still have a good shot at making an Olympic team in the future.  Andrew looks to be one of the favorites to qualify for the Rio de Janiero Olympics in 2016 as Meb and Abdi will most likely retire before then.

Great Race today Andrew!

Women's Predictions- How did I do?

The women's race was just as exciting as the men's!  Let's see how off my predictions were!

+1 1. Desi Davila- It was a toss up and I picked the wrong one.
-1 2. Shalane
Right on! 3. Kara
Right on! 4. Amy Hastings
+5 5. Magda- not her best race but not horrible either.  Magda is very consistent!
Right on! 6. Deena
+57 7. Jen Rhines- I went for an upset and it went bad
+3 8. Katie McGregor- This pick was more of an "i want you to run well" pick than an "i think you will run well" pick but she still was pretty close
DNF 9. Steph Rothstein
-1 10. Dot McMahan- Those consistent Brooks Hansons runners!

I didn't pick and finished well; 5. JCB 7. Clare Grandt 8. Alissa McKaig

I am proud of these picks.  Yea Jen didn't run the best and Steph didn't finish but 3 Perfect and 3 just one spot away.

Full Results/Let's See How I Did

Today was the greatest US Marathon ever in terms of depth.  Four men went sub 2:10 with two of them setting Personal Bests.  The race was full of surprises as usual.  Here are my thoughts on the race.
My Picks:
+1 1. Ryan Hall- I really thought there was no way Ryan was going to lose this race.  I think even he might have over-looked his competition.  Let's hope he is prepared for the Olympic Marathon.
-1 2. Meb Keflezighi- Meb is 36, should be past his prime, ran a marathon just over two months ago, got a nasty, disgusting, painful foot infection during that marathon, and had to run the race in Skechers.  How did he win?  I don't know.
(DNS) 3. Galen Rupp- Rupp didn't start so he can try to medal in the 10k.  Good plan.
(DNF) 4. Mo Trafeh- Mo is skilled but dropped out once he realized that he wasn't going to qualify.  Look for him in 2016!
-1 5. Dathan Ritzenhein- Dathan ran a strong race and is the fastest non-qualifier ever.  If the Black Cactus hadn't ran so well he would have been in.  This race shows how talented Dathan is to comeback from surgery and injuries and still run a PR.
-1 6. Brett Gotcher- Brett ran a conservative race and while not qualifying still ran well.
+1 7. Nick Arciniaga- Like his teammate, he didn't put it all out on the line but still a solid effort.
+24 8. Jason Hartmann- Hartmann bombed and ran about 5 minutes slower than he should have.  My guess is that he went for it and fell back.  We'll have to see in the NBC coverage.
(DNS) 9. Ed Moran led us to believe he was going to delay his honeymoon to run but apparently his wife couldn't wait.
+8 10. Jason Lehmkuhle- Jason didn't run horribly but it was far from his best race.
 -3 t10. Fernando Cabada- Cabada had a great race.  He said he might run 2:08 in a pre-race interview.
(DNS) t10. Brent Vaughan and Tim Nelson- These track guys are apparently not ready to step up to the marathon.
Possible Contenders. Abdi "Black Cactus"  had the race of his life!  He seemed to know something that nobody else did.
Josh Moen: DNF, must not have had the help of Greg Beesley today.

I didn't pick and should have: 6. Andrew Carlson! 9. James Carney 10. Jimmy Grabow

Olympic Trials Results

It was an exciting morning in Houston!

Meb runs strong for the win in a 3 second PR of 2:09:10. (My Pick: 2nd)

Hall qualifies 2nd. He was the favorite by almost everybody. (My Pick: 1st)

Abdi, the Black Cactus, Surprises everyone! (My Pick: New Contenders)

Dathan, almost qualifies, 8 seconds behind Abdi. (My Pick: 5th)

Women:

Shalane runs away in the finishing miles!  (My Pick: 2)

Desi hangs on for second after leading about 20 miles during race. (My Pick: 1st)

Kara runs an emotional 3rd place to qualify! (My Pick: 3rd)

Amy Hastings runs one of the faster non-qualifying times ever. (My Pick: 4th)

More race recap to follow!

The Life of an Olympic Trials Champion

Twelve years ago, our legendary coach, Rod DeHaven, won the Olympic Trials.  Below are a series of links and photos that outline his career.  Good luck to all trials participants in 7 hours!!

UW Arb- Rod DeHaven Mile

Gettin After It

Marathon Trials

Olympic Portrait

Results

Rod's Logs

Pre-Sydney Letsrun.com Interview

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Interview

USATF Bio

Drake Master's Mile Domination

Video after 2010 SDSU Classic

Letsrun.com Thread about Addison at Nationals

SI Article- "Hot Rod"

SD Running After 6th Place at Boston

An Awesome Quote About a Quarter Page Down

New Trials Contenders Emerge!

The first of my new contenders for a trials berth is Abdi Abdirahman, also known as the "Black Cactus".  How can you not pick a guy with a nickname like that?  Other than his nickname, this guy has some credentials.  As the picture states he is a 4 time US 10k champ, and a 3 time Olympian.  His 10k PR is 27:16 which still ranks pretty high on that list and is tops in this race.  Abdi hasn't done much since the 2008 season but he's still running and you can never count out a guy who has run that fast.

My second contender is Josh Moen.  Josh is being picked for different reasons.  The main one is that Josh has a stunt double!  Meet Greg Beesley, 2010 Summit League 5k Champion, of South Dakota State University.  Greg and Josh look fairly similar and with a little make-up and hair work they should be nearly identical.  However, the most convincing part of this stunt is their running form!  Here is a video of Josh, and here is a video of Greg.  Keep a careful eye out for the wonderful pacing in that second video.  If anybody needs a rabbit for a 14:40ish 5k race, I'm your man.  Anyway, back to Greg and Josh.  I imagine certain parts of the racecourse are going to be a little more remote than others.  This is where Greg will hop in for Josh and run a mile here, a mile there and Josh will rest up.  I've even heard that Greg might run the first 10k so Josh only has to run 20 miles!
       

My final contender of the day is my obligatory, everybody else is doing it/I don't want to look really stupid when he qualfies/Brian Sell of 2012, etc., is Mike Morgan of Brooks Hansons!  Those guys are always geared up when it counts!

Warning: Only the first half of this blog is serious and as far as I know Josh Moen has no plans on cheating tomorrow.  Best of luck to Abdi, Josh, Mike, and the rest of the competitors tomorrow!

This is the NCAA... Not the Miami Heat

              

       

Patrick Casey

In the past few weeks two high profile milers have transferred to the University of Oklahoma.  They are Riley Masters and Patrick Casey.  Both athletes rose to prominence last year from mid-major schools.  As a student-athlete at a mid-major school I take offense to their leaving.  Their respective coaches brought them to the level that they are at- and a level that no current Sooner is running at.  Why not respect your coach and continue to run for him?  This isn't professional sports, it is the NCAA.  Student-athletes are students first, and athletes second.  They are supposed to get an education and run in the meantime, not the other way around.  I have respect for an athlete who obtains a degree at their first college and then leaves to pursue grad school at another school and chooses to run their as well.  Even if the student chooses a grad school that will merit them a chance at a national title.  Ryan Collins, who graduate from Virginia and went to Wisconsin for grad school, is a fine example of this.  Also, I can understand when an athlete chooses to leave after a year or semester because it isn't the right fit.  But leaving a coach who recruited you and is largely responsible for your success after a few years of school?  This shouldn't happen.  Coaches are also part of the problem here.  A coach can choose to not release an athlete and that would cause an athlete to sit out a year.  That might make an athlete, especially one who is late in their career or one who has already used his redshirt seasons, think twice about leaving.

Riley Masters

Another athlete who has committed this crime is Trevor Dunbar, who left Portland for Oregon.  Dunbar, like Masters and Casey, is now the best on his new team at his respective event.  Unlike Casey and Masters, Dunbar was leaving a team the was very comparable to Oregon.  Oregon failed to make the NCAA championships this past year while Portland finished 8th.  Dunbar was also only the second runner on his team.

In conclusion, this is the NCAA.  It is designed for student athletes to get an education at the university of their choosing, not multiple universities.  Coaches should not grant releases for stupid reasons.  Athletes should live with their decisions instead of so easily being able to move.  Also, this brings up the question; why Oklahoma?  Were they recruited?  Norman isn't exactly a milers hotbed.

                                    

Trevor Dunbar bursting onto the national scene with a 9-flat 3200 meter time trial on his snow-covered home track in Kodiak, Alaska.

   
                                            

BRRRRRRRRRRRR...

As you Brookings folks may have noticed, winter has arrived.  Winter is cold, dark, snowy, and really not that much fun.  I was really enjoying the "winter" until yesterday.  We did a workout in shorts and t-shirts... or less and were totally fine on Tuesday and Wednesday half the team ran inside.  I guess that's South Dakota winter for you.  As I write, the windchill is a blustery -15 and doesn't look to get above 0 until tomorrow afternoon.  I really hope I don't have to wait outside long to get into the USD basketball game!  Anyway... Here are a few tips that will help you get through winter fitter than ever:

1. Take a Vitamin D Supplement.  During the winter months we do not get nearly enough Vitamin D.  The reason for this is that the sun is further away from us, it is often obscured by snow-bearing clouds, and we spend less time outside with more clothes on.  Studies of professional track and field athletes find that they perform better at the end of their summer months.  This is the time where their training peaks and they have been exposed to Vitamin D the longest.  When looking for a supplement, get the biggest one possible.  The same study showed that what was previously thought to be %100 of daily value wasn't even close.  I have found that softgels work better than tablets.

2. Carefully plan your runs.  If you run outside, have someone drive you out so you can run with the wind.  The primary cause of cold in South Dakota is the wind.  It can turn a pleasant winter afternoon into a torturous one. If you don't have someone to drive you out or any inside place to run then you should always run into the wind first.  If you run with the wind first then turn around you will have sweated under your layers and it will be over!

3. If you do run inside there are certain precautions you must take.  First, while running inside you must be conscious of your body.  During a longer run inside your body is turning hundreds of times.  Take the curves wider and switch directions a few times per run if not more frequently.  Running inside may also require more stretching.

4. If you run on a treadmill, be sure to put the grade at %1 incline.  This will accurately reflect the effort needed to run your pace.  If it is set at no incline it will be too easy.  Also, if planning on using a treadmill, bring other shoes with you to run.  People get angry if you get their treadmill wet, sandy, etc.  Also, be prepared to be ridiculed if you choose to wear short shorts.  People are probably just jealous but they can still be mean.

5. Watch out for ice!  A slip can be a season ending injury!  Here is the story of a woman who had been running for 33+ years until she slipped and broke her ankle.  Ice Story  She wasn't running when this happened but it could happen while running.  Consistent running on slippery surfaces can also cause wear and tear injuries to any part of your legs, specifically the achilles tendon and calf muscles.  

6.  Snow is slow.  Some people go out for runs with the intent of running a certain pace.  Sometimes, in the winter, that has to go out the window.  Snow, ice, extra clothes, wind, and limited areas to run will make you run slower than planned with the same effort.  Run by perceived effort instead of actual time.

7. The days are shorter and it is much colder when the sun isn't up.  Plan accordingly!  If you do need to run in the dark wear reflective clothing and a light.

8. Don't get discouraged!  It is hard to get back into shape after long periods of time off so just don't get out of shape!

Thanks for reading and supporting my blogs!  If you have any questions, or want a certain topic covered let me know and I can do my best!

Selling Your Body... It's a Good Thing.

Nick Symmonds, the top US 800 meter runner and the number 6 ranked 800 runner in the world in 2011, is selling his body on eBay.  Now, this is not nearly as bad as it sounds.  In fact, it is a good thing.  Symmonds is the poster child in the fight against the USATF and IAAF regulations about advertising.  He argues that athletes should have more say in how their bodies, uniforms, warm-ups, etc. are used for advertising.  Current regulations are very limiting to how much money an athlete can earn.  I understand that the USATF and IAAF might want to preserve the dignity and national pride at large events like the world championships and Olympics but they should have little say in what athletes say, do and wear outside of those events.  At the New York Marathon in November, Lauren Fleshman was forced to remove temporary tatoos on her arm- advertising her own business, Picky Bars.  This event ended up working in Fleshman's favor as her website had 86,000 views later in the day but she should not have had to interrupt her pre-race routine in order to find rubbing alcohol to take off the tatoos.  I like to think I own my own skin, don't you?

Anyway, back to Symmonds.  Auction Link  He is selling a spot on his left arm where he will put the lucky bidder's twitter name.  Currently the bid is up to $4,350 with 3 days remaining.  It has recently plateaued so it will be interesting to see how much higher it gets.  Symmond's listing is fairly elaborate and contains all events he plans to run in 2012.  Here is the list:

Feb. 18th  Sydney Grand Prix

Mar. 3rd  Melbourne Track Classic

May 5th  Oregon Twilight

May TBD  USATF High Performance Meet

June 6th  Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, OR

June 26th-June30  USA Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR

Aug 20th   Herculis, Monaco Diamond League 

Sept. 6-9   2012 Olympic Games in London, United Kingdom

TBD Post-season events. 

Overall, I think this fight is a good one for the sport.  Track athletes don't make very much money unless they are at the very top.  This will allow lower ranking athletes the chance to obtain more sponsorship money so they can put more emphasis on training.  Often times athletes give up the dream soon after college because they can get a career and become financially secure.  I hate to admit it but Nascar does something right.  They have hundreds of sponsor logos all over the car.  It creates a variety among the cars.  In track there are the adidas guys, Nike guys, Saucony guys, and Brooks guys.  Usually about 4 different uniforms.  It might spice it up a little bit.

Women's Predictions! Only 3 Days Away!

In my mind, the Women's race will be very much similar to the Men's.  There are two clear favorites to make the team and another who would be a favorite but has had a few bumps along the way.  Another similarity is that on any given day, most athletes in the top 10 have at least a small chance to qualify if everything goes their way.  That is the beauty of an Olympic Trials Race!

   1.       Desi Davila, Brooks-Hansons- I just can’t say no to that 2:22 and near win at Boston!

Davila after 2nd place at Boston

   2.     Shalane Flanagan, Nike/OTC- Her prowess at the shorter distances and overall versatility are going to provide a big challenge to Desi.  Shalane ran 30:39 for 10k and took bronze at the World XC Championships in 2011.

  

   3.       Kara Goucher, Nike/OTC, (Wheeler, native of Duluth, MN)- Despite pregnancy, a few injuries and a coaching change, I think Kara will bring the heat on Saturday.  She has the talent and is at the right point in her career for the trials this year.  Kara Goucher will be the third qualifier for London.

   4.       Amy Hastings, Brooks/Mammoth Track Club- I wanted to put Amy in the top 3.  Her only marathon was a 2:27 at a soggy Los Angeles.  I expect her to be in the mix long into the race.

   5.       Magda Lewy Boulet, Saucony- Magda is old (for an elite runner) at 38 years of age.  With age comes experience and Magda is probably the second most experienced in the field.  Magda will have a good day on Saturday as she always does but will it be good enough to make the team?

   6.       Deena Kastor, Mammoth Track Club- Another ‘old’ woman in the race is Deena (again 38).  The American record holder and Bronze medalist from Athens will bring the experience on Saturday.  She also had a recent pregnancy like Kara.

Deena on her way to Bronze at Athens '04

                                                  

   7.       Jen Rhines, Mammoth Track Club- Rhines is a year younger than Magda and Deena but no less experienced.  She has made 3 Olympic teams including one marathon.  Jen was also the 2011 US Half Marathon Champion.

Rhines Winning 2011 US Half Championshps

                                                      

   8.       Katie McGregor, Team USA MN (another MN!)- McGregor, of team USA MN fame, is another experienced runner who has a shot on a good day.  She brings a 2:31 and 1:11 to the table.

McGregor at the Rock and Roll Philadelphia Half                                 

   9.       Stephanie Rothstein, McMillan Elite/Adidas- Stephanie ran 2:29 at Houston last year.  That is a solid time and maybe her experience in the city will be what she needs to qualify.

Stephanie Running her PR at Houston

                                                        

   10.   Dot McMahan, Brooks-Hansons- Another Hansons-Brooks athlete who probably won’t qualify but is consistent and will place well.  Dot ran 2:31 while returning from maternity leave- seems to be a common trend among trials favorites this year. 

Dot Running her PR at Grandma's this past June

          As the event won't be televised live this year be sure to tune in to NBC for their coverage in the afternoon!

My New Year's Resolution

My New Year's Resolution is to run every day of 2012 and to blog every day of 2012.  Upon careful observation you may find that I didn't blog the first 3 days of the year.  But since this is my blog, I get to make the rules.  I didn't make my New Years Resolution until January 10th so that is when my year begins.

You may ask "Why would you want to run every single day?" or "Couldn't that be bad for you?"  And my answers would be "So I can join the United States Running Streak Association" and "Yes, but their rules say you only have to run a mile.  A mile can't hurt, right?"  I mean who wouldn't want their name to be among the legends such as Stephen DeBoer of Rochester Minnesota who is 57 and has run every day since he was 17.  Some people have streaks twice as long as I've been alive!  Here is the USRSA Active List.  I have currently run every day since November 30, 2011 so I have awhile before I get to be on the lists.

Thanks for reading and supporting my blogging and running habits!  Check back soon!

Student, Runner, Soldier, Hero

Anthony ‘Blu’ Bongard, a 2007 graduate of Redwood Valley High School in Redwood Falls, MN, has had a successful yet untraditional collegiate running career.  After having success in high school, Anthony decided to pursue college running at South Dakota State University under coach Rod DeHaven.  Anthony had a pretty typical freshmen college year at SDSU and during that year made the decision to join the Army National Guard.  In the summer between Freshmen and Sophomore seasons Anthony completed Basic Training then began Advanced Training which led to him missing the next semester of school.  Anthony, a talented and motivated runner, returned with a vengeance in the spring semester and was a solid contributor for the Jackrabbits.  The next two cross country seasons saw Anthony garner All-Conference honors and also saw the Jackrabbits capture two team titles.  Anthony knew his National Guard unit out of Redwood Falls would be deployed to the Middle East sometime.  He was informed that his unit would deploy in early May, 2011.  He was able to compete in all meets up until the conference meet, where he was ranked 6^th in the 5k and 5^th in the 10k.  Anthony is now deployed for 400 days and plans to return to school and competitive running in the fall of 2012.  Here are a few questions that Anthony took time to answer for us.

1. Both running and military life require certain sacrifices. How are they the same and how are they different?

The major and only difference is that military asks you to put your life on the line. You can say that almost everything else is similar for running and the military if you look at it from the right approach.  A few similarities are: they are both demanding lifestyles you have to eat, sleep, and live every day for it.  They are both a team effort and you are only as strong as your weakest member. An example is, you can’t go and win a meet by yourself or you can’t complete a lot of tasks without your squad.  I am sure I could write an essay about this question. 

2. How hard was it for you to get deployed just before the conference track meet when you were ranked near the top in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters?

I had made up my mind about going on deployment after the fall semester.  So I knew I wasn’t going to make it to the outdoor conference meet.  I tried talking to my leadership so I could participate but we had important tasks to get done before the deployment.   I am sort of glad I didn’t compete at the outdoor conference meet.  My performances leading up to conference were subpar in my eyes.

3. How is training in Kuwait? Is there a safe place to run or do you find yourself on a treadmill or running laps often?

I just started serious training about a week ago. Kuwait is a safe zone so almost anywhere on base you can run.  The base only has a perimeter that is 6 miles long.  Right now I haven’t made it more than one time around.  It is nice to run on the treadmill once in while because you can at least listen to music and watch TV while you run. There are also have 5k’s on holidays that people run. It is just like any other road race but with a lot of Army gray tops and black shorts. 

4. Prior to deployment you were a multiple All-Conference performer in Cross Country and Track. Have you met anyone else with a similar story?

We have your, “rec. Runners” but no one that I have met has a college running background. 


5. What is the attitude of your officers and fellow soldiers towards running?

My leadership loves it because I am the fastest guy on post, it makes them look good.   For my fellow soldiers it is impossible to find anyone to run with me. One, they are either afraid to run with me because I am fast or they can’t keep up. Two, most of them HATE running. They either go to the gym and/or sit watch movies in their down time.  It is a little hard to motivate yourself to run the same loop day after day.  I know it is going to take a lot of self-motivation and discipline to get where I want.


6. What are your goals, in running, school, and life, when you return from deployment?

To honestly tell you the truth I would like to be an All American once before I graduate.  I know it is going to take a lot of hard work and dedication but I hope to get there in XC or Track. 

For school right now is just finish what I started and maybe sneaking in with my degree. 

Right now I am rolling with the punches when it comes to life.  I have quite a long time before I graduate college and finish my eligibility. I am sure in my final semester I will have better idea.

When I return home I am hoping I can find a summer job and start some serious training.

7. What do you most look forward to on leave and when you return for good in June?

Good food and a beer or two.

8. There will have been two classes graduated and two classes of new freshmen. How do you think the team will be different when you return next fall?

Really different! I am going to be the oldest guy on the team but at the same time a new member.  I feel like it is going to be like freshmen year all over again.  I am hoping that the younger team members can step up like we did and help bring back the Conference Championship to SDSU.

9. Has deployment taught you any important lessons or changed the way you look at life at all?

To honestly tell you the truth I am not sure. I don’t think I have changed too much but people back home might think I have changed a lot.  I am just taking it day by day and hoping that it will be easy to transition back into regular life. 

We wish Blu the best of luck as he finishes his deployment and transitions back into civilian life in June.

If you want to ask Blu other questions about deployment or send him a word of encouragement he would love to hear from you.  Here is his email address:  arbongard@jacks.sdstate.edu

If you would like to send him a letter, package, or anything else his address in Kuwait is:

Anthony Bongard

C co 1-34 BSTB
Apo-AE 09330

A Review of My Training Week

Today's post will be short and sweet in preparation for tomorrow's excellent blog and I'll try to not bore you with numbers or anything of that sort.

My last 4 weeks of mileage are as follows: 67, 92, 100, 92.  As you can see that is a significant jump from the first week to the second.  I would never recommend this to anybody unless they have been at or significantly above the mileage they are jumping to.  My reason for jumping up this much in mileage is pretty simple.  The first week of these four was finals week at school and I had projects, papers, and tests.  I was unable to double and sleep was near the bottom of my priority list.  The first 92 is the first week of winter vacation.  I was motivated, the weather was the best it has ever been at this time and I really didn't have much going on.  I felt great for that week and the week of 100 as well.  However, in this final week of 92 I began to feel the wear and tear of higher mileage and the big jump.  In this 4th week I had accumulated 80 miles after 5 days, ran an easy 10 on the 6th, and had a nice long run planned for the final day of the week which would have put me between 105 and 110 miles.  That day I felt more tired than usual, more hungry, and less motivated.  However, the thought of another triple digit week was too appealing so I started out the door.  As I ran I realized that I had made a mistake.  I didn't need to run over 100 miles for the second week in a row, I needed an easier, shorter effort.  I had put in the work and it was time for the other half of becoming a faster runner.

Here comes the important part of the story.  Listen to your body!  There is only one thing that knows when you need to push the intensity or volume of your training or on the other hand, take hold of the reins and slow it down.  That person is you.  Not Jack Daniels, Arthur Lydiard, Mark Wetmore, Alberto Salazar, Jerry Schumacher, your own coach, or anybody else.  Sometimes it is better to sleep a little more instead of getting that 5 miles in the morning.  Sometimes it is better to run 7:30 pace instead of 6:15.  My point is, running slower or shorter here and there when you feel you need it isn't a sign of weakness.  Often, your body needs the rest and recovery in order to take steps forward.  The graph below shows that running breaks you down.  That is only one step of the process to become better.  The other part is recovery.

Compensation Curve Graph

Well, that went a little longer than I had planned.  Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog, it's going to be great!

Updated Marathon Predictions!

Alberto Saladbar, as Rod DeHaven (who happens to be 3-0 against him) would call him, has made it public that Galen Rupp will not be competing in the Olympic Trials Marathon this upcoming weekend.  Saladbar says that Rupp needs to work on his speed more than his marathon endurance for his best chance to medal in London.  Last year Galen was the 4th fastest in the world over 10,000 meters with his AR of 26:48.00.

So, now that Galen is out, who is in?  Mo Trafeh is my new pick for finishing third in the Trials and earning that last Olympic spot.  Also, I have picked three men in a tie for the 10th position.  Two of them are teammates on the highest profile Track Club in the United States.  The other is an American Record holder in an obscure event and is a definite darkhorse.

t10. Fernando Cabada.  Fernando is the American record holder over 25km, holder of a 2:12 PR from 6 years ago, 2008 US Marathon Champion, and he has been running well lately.  Fernando has made it clear that his goal is to finish in the top-3.  In an interview from fellow blogger "Writing About Running", Cabada says "If I was to run a 2:08 on January 14th, that would't surprise me. I've been due for a performance like that. It's on and I'm ready for any kind of race."

t10. Tim Nelson, Oregon Track Club.  Nelson ran for the Badgers as a collegiate and followed coach Jerry Schumacher out to Oregon to join him at the Oregon Track Club.  Nelson has been successful on the track in the last few years with PRs of 13:24 and 27:28.  He has qualified for National teams in Outdoor track and  Cross Country.

t10. Brent Vaughn, Oregon Track Club.  Brent, the University of Colorado school record holder in the 5k, recently moved to Eugene in hopes of improving his running career.  He has begun training with Nelson, Chris Solinsky, Simon Bairu, and Matt Tegenkamp.  Brent, like Nelson, will be making his marathon debut this weekend and is certainly a darkhorse to qualify.

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Thanks for reading!