This past Saturday I happened to participate in the
USATF 10K Road Championships in Mobile, Alabama. I had a difficult week of training in preparation for this peak race, attempting to run 127 miles in the week, as well as attempting to recover from my 5K road victory at
The Great Pumpkin Run in Houston.
I should have used my experience and wisdom and taken more recovery before this race, although I did cancel an early week workout and cut short my 22-mile long run to only 15 miles, but simple peer pressure caused me to run harder than I would have liked on my recovery runs. However, post-5K, my right quadricep was seizing up and tightening to the point that it was limiting my strength. I got Dr. Landry to work on it, and by my Thursday workout of 1200 (3:32) + 5 miles + 3 x 300 (57-54-51) I was feeling pretty good, but still pretty beat up from the race.
Well, I ran an easy 9 miles on travel day (flew to Jackson, MS- for some reason I thought I was in Missouri the whole time- actually didn't help that my rental car was still set to an hour ahead) and figured the lack of an afternoon run would be sufficient rest. When I finally realized that I had time to make it to packet pick-up, I headed out, found the hotel and some left-over spaghetti from the pasta party and ate alone for about 10 minutes, noting Matt Gonzales, Jason Hubbard, and Brandon Leslie eating together. On the way to the lobby, stopped and chatted with former '97 Pan Am Games "teammate" Gabe Jennings, who noted he was now trainig with a bunch of good guys in Cali. So, I headed back to the hotel room, spoke to my wife, daughter, and little brother who had made the trip with his teammate, Andrew Lemoncello, finished off the Matrix Reloaded and hit the sack.
I awoke to humid and windy conditions, and my legs felt quite tired and surprisingly they still felt quite beat up. Met Eduardo and Andrew in the parking lot and proceeded to warm-up and try to shake out my legs. I felt quite depleted in my warm-up, which was not a good thing, but seeing Dathan Ritzenhein and Matt Tegenkamp striding out got my blood pumping that yes, this was the US Championships and many of America's best runners were out on the streets of Mobile, just mobilizing.. and
were they.. so many gazelles striding gracefully on the slanted streets of the post-Hurricane Katrina torn city blocks.
The slanted streets. The crown. It would be my downfall. I started effortlessly, until I noticed I was running stride for stride with eventual female winner, Katie McGregor (32:51), and I was like, perhaps I'm not at my goal pace of 4:55. Passed through the Mile still in contact in 4:52. Tucked in behind a couple of guys and kept my effort, hitting 2 Miles in 9:48 (4:56 split), so I was right on goal pace (actually :02 ahead). Turned onto my favorite part of the course and hit 14:44 for 3 Miles (:01 ahead of pace) and then headed towards the 4 Mile mark, where I just had to make it to before I would kill myself for home. I was getting very excited at this point, realizing I was going to run a huge PR and run very well. Never had 4:55 pace felt so comfortable, nor had I felt so powerful and light. I was rolling.
And then I felt some tightness in my right quad/groin. I thought, hmm, that was weird, and kept going. However, with each step, the leg got tighter and tighter, as I approached 4 Miles now almost protecting myself, feeling injured and slowing down. I remember 25:15 at 5 Miles and a 5:23 mile and thinking my race is over. I might as well stop since I had no push-off on my right leg. No one has caught me yet, but the pack with Gabe Jennings that I was gaining on was now gone, my race pretty much over. We hit the final stretch and I hear runners gaining. I don't want to exert any more effort for fear of permanently damaging my leg. One guy goes by, then another. I think I hear Brian Pope, eventual Master Champion in 31:46, catching me and that gets me going (he crushed me at the
Peachtree 10K by almost a minute). I try to kick, but I'm on one leg and finish. I figured I finish in about 50th place. Depressed and injured. Ritz is talking to the military media. I try to jog to my little brother, but can't. I just walk.
I find the results out later. 33rd place in 31:38, which means I ran one of my two goals: improve place and time (41st in 31:04 in 2004). So, I'll take 33rd in the US, but not the 31:38. I feel this was well worth a 30:38 or better! But, alas, I have never been injured in a race before, but it was my own fault. Lesson hopefully learned. Flew all the way out to Mobile and wasn't able to capitalize on my fitness, as I am tremendously fit (running only 4 miles and still finishing 33rd).
Well, I am home now and taking care of my injury and am not sure about my plans to run the
Chevron Houston Marathon, but I will press on... Just hope this injury heals quickly. Only time will tell...
My wifey wants to read a poem by me,
It's not drowning like Daddy taught me...
