7 mile run...improving

I got in a nice 7 mile run this morning. I ran up to the aqueduct from my house, then did 1.5 miles out and back, and returned home. I enjoyed getting up on the aqueduct and running a little faster. I always run a little bit harder up there. My knee did bother me after about 2 miles but was not as intense and did not get any worse on the run. I was hitting low 7 min pace on the aqueduct and finished the 7 miles in 52:30 (7:30 pace).

April was an interesting month. It started with achilles tendonitis and a PR for 10 miles, then a 50 mile trail race that left me with mild ITBand friction syndrome. I only ran 10 days the entire month and after all that I actually feel like I LOST fitness in the past 30 days. There is no way I could run 62:01 for 10 miles right now. Maybe I am just down on myself, but it is a good time for a break anyway. I plan on taking it easy for the next two weeks and then making a 6 week push for the Newhall ID 5k.

I stayed up tonight to watch the 5ks and 10ks at the Stanford Invitational online. There was lots of hype out there with some amazing talent and great American matchups. They did not disappoint. Shalane Flanagan took the lead early in the women's 5k but faded late in the race and was passed by 1500m specialist Shannon Rowbury in the last 100m. Shannon won in 15:01.

All eyes were on the first heat of the men's 10k as Galen Rupp had the race set up for an attempt at the American record (27:13 by Meb). The pacers did their thing early on and Galen took the lead after about a mile and lead the rest of the way. There were three other guys that held on with him, including American Chris Solinsky who specializes in the 5k. With 800m to go Chris took the lead and it appeared that Galen was fading but it was an optical illusion as Solinsky took off, running his last 800m in 1:56 to become the first American to run under 27 minutes (26:59.7)! Galen maintained his pace and also broke the old record running 27:12! It was an amazing race and a very smart one by Chris Solinsky with an amazing kick. A new collegiate record and a canadian national record were also set in the same race!

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

Great interview with Chris Solinsky immediately after the race.


The last race of the night was another 10k featuring local elite runner Sergio Reyes. Sergio stuck right behind the leader, who dropped out after a mile, and then Sergio took the lead! After another mile he settled back into about 5th or 6th for the next 4 miles and the lead pack was tight with the front seven runners. With a mile to go Sergio had worked up into the lead again for one lap and then was passed holding on to the back of the front pack for the last mile. With one lap to go the pack was still at five runners, and with 200m to go Sergio unleashed an amazing kick to win the heat handedly in 28:29.6 (another PR!). McMillan's calculator predicts a 2:13:40 with that 10k time and the VDOT equivalent is 2:11:23! I think McMillan's calculator is a bit more accurate. Either way a return to Chicago this fall should mean a new marathon PR!