ITS HOT IN TEXAS!!!

Haven't posted in a while but have still been running although much slower than I'm used to with the heat. A few things going on with me:

- Spent a few days at a family reunion in Auburn, CA - Finishing spot for Western States (100-mile race from Squaw Valley to Auburn - The Boston Marathon of Ultra-Marathons) - got to run a couple times on the ending part of that race around no-hands bridge up to Auburn. Run #1 Major Hill Climbing, Run#2 15 miler with 2/3rds on the WS Route. I happened to be listening to Dean Karnasas' Ultramarathon Man on the airplane ride to Auburn where he has a long section on his first running of this race so it gave me a bit of a bug to someday run this race - I've already started looked up the entry requirements and I'm eyeing some races that can score guaranteed entry with a good placement - and I'm starting to dream of what it would be like to run this race - but not for this year - go faster first - then maybe go farther and I'm still on the go-faster kick probably at least for another year or two.

- Started first week of training to TCM and decided this was total insanity to expect to get a good training cycle in in Houston in July-August-September. I have a strong disdain for TM running after confining myself to doing that most of the time between Boston and Anchorage and I'm most definitely not going to do that for until October. I was troubled by this - I don't want to run TCM not ready - my wife presented a great option - run San Antonio instead 6 (cooler) weeks later. Looked into it - they have a "Calling Texas' Best" competition that gets me into the race free (requires sub2:43) and it's just a drive away. Distance to Houston Marathon is a bit tight but only 1 week shorter than I did last year between NYC and Houston and that was no problem. So I'm in the process of signing up for it. I haven't cancelled TCM but viewing my running it as extremely unlikely.

- Training right now is speed focused for the next month or so with a VO2max workout per week and a 5k or two mixed in maintaining ~70 miles per week. I'm just now starting to feel heat acclimated with my outside speeds getting faster (I could barely do 8 mpm last week now low 7 mpm is becoming relatively comfortable) - I had been holding off this acclimation pre-anchorage but now I'm getting out and slogging thru the heat/humidity with the rest of them. I found a 5k race that appears to line up with a business trip so I thought I'd go ahead and give it a try to not waist the USATF membership I just got for TCM - looks like a good test at weather that should be better than Houston 2008 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Should be fun.

That's what's new here.

John.

Next - US Masters Marathon Championship

Question to Recruiter:

I'd like to be considered for the US masters marathon championships. I'm 41 and I won the master's title at the Houston Marathon in 2008 with a 2:40:46. Last weekend I ran Mayor's Anchorage Marathon in 2:43:56 (probably a 2:38-39 equivalent on a flat course). Let me know if these are good enough times to qualify to compete at TCM in the US Master's Championships.

Answer:

The qualifying time for men 40-44 is 2:40 so yes, we'd be happy to include you in the elite field this year. Here is the link for your comp elite entry.

---------------------------
Yesssssss - I'm going to Twin City Marathon - October 5th 2008 - Never competed Nationally before - and to line up as an elite is an honor I've never had either (comp'd entry is pretty cool too) - really looking forward to it.

I do have flashbacks to high school where I barely made the cut into a race and ended up finishing last place - but I just felt great to be in the race - and it was my PR mile (4:28) as I recall.