The Eugene Diaries: Chapter 12
Full Send
I woke up Saturday, ready to go. Race day was still 43 days away, but the morning felt like the first step into the endgame of the training cycle. A 10k was on tap, the first of three tune-up time trials I’d be running over the next month, and I wanted to run a PR. Three times in 2023, I ran this exact distance outside, with a similar goal. Three times in 2023, I averaged between 5:54-5:56 a mile, finishing each faster than 37:00, including a 36:35 in mid-September where I felt like I left some time on the trail1. I woke up Saturday not just wanting a new PR; I wanted to destroy it.
What better way to go after something you’ve never done before than by asking a friend to help pace you? So, I texted my buddy Blake Ziegler, fresh off a 35:35 PR in the 10k at the Leprechaun Chase a couple weeks back. Sub-36? Was it doable? As I said, I wanted to destroy my previous PR.
We confirmed our meetup time Friday night, with a message from Blake. “Just gonna send it!”
We arrived at Lake Cunningham around 7:30. On our warm-up run, I realized I hadn’t given him the exact details of what I was going for. Previously, I said I was hoping for sub-6:00 for each mile. As we made our way on a perfect morning, I let him know I was aiming for 5:47-per mile, every mile. I wanted to go sub-36:00. He told me to separate from him if he wasn’t able to keep up, but I knew that wouldn’t be a problem. After getting some water and a little fuel, it was time for us to set off. I clicked the start button on my watch at 7:45, knowing I had ~36 minutes of pain coming.
Not even a minute in, we both realized at the same time we had went out hot. My watch showed a pace of 4:50 at one point. It wasn’t until five minutes into the workout that my pace actually hit the goal of 5:47, instead hanging mostly in the 5:30s.
Oops.
Yet, I felt under control. By the time the first mile finished in 5:40, I wasn’t just confident about a PR, I was confident I was going to really put some distance between what I had done last year. We said a few words here and there, but those first three miles went pretty much right into the wind. The second mile clocked in at 5:41 — “I have 13 second banked right now,” I thought to myself — before the third finished in 5:44.
As each mile unfolded, it became less about averaging 5:47-per mile and more about never hitting that number (or more). At some point I realized doing the math on banked seconds to beat my goal was a pointless exercise. It’s not like I needed those 20 seconds; I wasn’t going to run a 6:07. The fourth mile, featuring a couple uphills before a nice downhill, finished at 5:42. No more thinking about banked time, now it was about raw time overall. Passing 4.22 miles was a wonderful experience; “Only two left!”
I never worried. I never wavered. The fifth mile sucked. I was running hard. But I kept on going, knowing how close glory2 was. My watch beeped, and there it was again, another mile besting my goal. 5:45.
“This is what you woke up for!” Blake yelled, with a mile and change left. And he took off. I kept up as well as I could, but I stayed focused on my pace. As long as things didn’t go haywire, I was going to get every single goal I had for the day. At a certain point, our distance apart never grew anymore. The trip east across the dam would feature the sixth mile. After that, a nice downhill to finish and see what my new PR would be. My watched beeped again and again I loved what I saw. 5:45. Not even a quarter mile left.
At this point, what more can you do than just go a little bit faster? I allowed the downhill to do its work, while I added a bit more on my own. Blake was finished and I had a few more seconds left. I added an extra hundredth of a mile, just to make sure. I clicked the stop button and let out a scream.
“LET’S GO!”
Another incredible week has come to a close with more positive stories to tell. I’ve thought a lot lately about what I would say if someone asked me to point out my best workout or my most enjoyable Long Run of this cycle so far. It’s reached a point where I have so many options to choose from. The last Sunday in January, when I finally put together a great LR with marathon pace built in. A similar LR four weeks later, with even more MP on the docket. Not even two weeks back, the ridiculously great 12 miles, with seven miles averaging 5:54, that pushed me to dream for a sub-36:00 10k PR. Add on top of it, well, the entire week you’re about to read about, as my fitness started reaching levels I truly didn’t see coming this fast.
Saturday. A new 10k PR: 35:25. My fastest 5k ever3: 17:39. And my fastest two-mile stretch since high school4: 11:19.
35:25. Full send, indeed.
This week in podcasting:
I appreciated Ben Randall coming on the pod to tell the story of his running journey. Ben’s had an incredible few years in endurance sports, with some ups and downs along the way. We discussed those ups and downs, in particular how a bike crash a few years back became a fork in the road moment for him.
In 2023, at his debut marathon, he ran a 2:24 and set the course record. Did he allow himself to enjoy that moment or think about what’s next? Plus, a super unique answer on what he loves most about running.
Chasing Three Hours is brought to you by Fleet Feet Omaha! I am currently in the process of picking up a new pair of shoes for the Eugene Marathon and Fleet Feet has been a ton of help. Whether you need something for your marathon or any other race, or just easy runs on a Tuesday morning, be sure to stop by one of their two spots in Omaha or the location in Lincoln and mention the podcast. You’ll get $15 off your first pair of shoes at regular price!
The log:
March 11th: 10 miles
March 12th: 9 miles with 5 x 600 at 5k pace
March 13th: 15 miles
March 14th: 7 miles with 6 x 100 meter strides
March 15th: 6.01 miles
March 16th: 10k tune-up race with warm up and cool downs
March 17th: 18 miles
Total: 73.38 miles
Year to date: 838.24 miles
March 11th: My body usually feels pretty full after a big steak dinner, so I was wondering how things would go Monday morning. Riss and I celebrated six years together on Sunday with steak (I had a ribeye, she a filet), some sides, and a couple glasses of wine. I hydrated plenty as well though, so I woke up feeling much better than usual after such a large meal. With plans filling up our Monday, I decided to do one ten-mile run, rather than the usual six + four. I got to the trail before 10:00am and felt… pretty good!
If the end of week 11 was showing signs of big time improved fitness, Monday’s run just confirmed it and then some. I was pretty consistent throughout and finished the ten at a 9:10 average with my heart rate at 123. It rarely peaked. I never felt uncomfortable. I just ran and ran, taking in another beautiful day in Omaha.
March 12th: After last week’s LT workout featuring the aforementioned seven miles at 5:54-per, there was no way I couldn’t push things a bit harder with Tuesday’s workout. Nine miles total, I’d start with 4+ nice and easy before going hard for 600 meters with 90 seconds at an easy pace in between. My goal was to run each faster than a 5:30-per mile pace, which meant finishing each rep in 2:02 or better.
The leadup to Des Moines last fall featured a few workouts that left me wanting more. Outside of the January weeks with too much snow and cold, this cycle has been pretty much the opposite. Not only did I hit my goal every time, I finished the fifth and final rep faster than the previous four.
Yeah, that was great.
March 13th: On July 14th, 2021, I went for a run. At some point that morning, Trev Alberts was reported to be Nebraska’s new Athletics Director. Two and a half years later on March 13th, 2024, I went for a run. At some point that morning, Trev Alberts was reported to be Texas A&M’s new Athletics Director. You’d think I’d be running during other big sports stories in recent years, but most of them seem to happen until after I finish. Not so much for this one.
I probably won’t forget Wednesday’s run ever again. Less for the reasons above, but more because it was the one that really, really had me wondering what the hell would be possible in Eugene at the end of April. Over the course of 15 miles at a 7:45 pace, seven of them averaged a HR below 140. All told, it averaged 139. At 7:45-per!
On top of that, my legs felt great. Seemingly every other day right now, I end up talking to Riss about the leg compressors I use every single night. I’ve never ran so much in my life, yet my legs feel better than ever. A special, special run5.
March 14th: The rain didn’t dampen my mood on Thursday, and I was pleased that I was still able to run some fast strides, knocking out six towards the end of a run that lasted seven miles overall. 8:39-per for the entire run with my HR averaging 128.
March 15th: Though you wouldn’t think so with my writing, I’ve found myself less annoyed by the wind this cycle, but it really does suck on a recovery run given it’s harder to get so warm. Dealt with it at the turn on Friday’s recovery run, but not enough to make it a bad run or anything. Another good one overall, with my miles averaging 9:06 and my HR averaging 123. By the time I went to bed Friday night, I knew my legs were in the best spot possible to attack the miles as much as I would like Saturday morning.
March 16th: New 10k PR: 35:25. All told, 5:42-per mile with my HR averaging 170. I felt like I was floating the rest of the day. Couldn’t stop thinking about it.
March 17th: Met up with Blake again on Sunday, as well as Chris Whitney and Derek Loseke. We all had varying distances on tap for the morning, with my 18 miles being the most of them all. By the end of the run, it was just me, finishing up four miles solo to reach my mileage.
I hadn’t run at Chalco Hills since high school, so I was excited to run at a spot I’ve heard a lot of great things about. The wind sucked again, particularly when we made our way across the dam, but the scenery was certainly nice. I averaged 7:56 for the 18 miles with my HR at 139. Both numbers would have been a bit lower if not for some faster miles at the start of the third and final loop. Just got going and didn’t slow down until I had four left. Oh well.
What a week. I feel like I’ve said that a lot lately. Here’s to saying it six more times before May.
Half of Flanagan was suddenly closed, so I couldn’t do my usual loop. On top of that, it rained just enough that morning to not feel totally comfortable at pushing the pace. I learned my lesson: Hit up a looped trail.
Time trial glory!
One of these days, I’ll run a proper 5k again.
One of these days, I probably won’t run a proper two-mile again!
Also, shoutout to all that prep I did that morning that didn’t see the light of day. It was going to be good stuff!