Just three weeks to go now! This week was probably the most eventful thus far. I began the week feeling great, flying through my favorite trails in Big Bear on warm evening runs. The next moment the pine trees were bending from strong winds and snow falling the morning of my Tuesday workout. I battled the conditions the best I could, but sometimes everything seems to be working against you. There are some runs when you really just can't get going, and this was one of those days. I am starting to get better at staying positive on such occasions, but it is still something that I hope to improve upon throughout my career. I have seen Meb and Deena handle sub-par workouts while staying level-headed, and it seems like most great runners are always optimistic no matter what challenges they may be facing. I think that is what allows them to be great. In marathon training, these days are inevitable, but it is how you handle them that's important.
Just as quickly as it came, the storm passed and the sun was out the next day, allowing me to bounce back physically and mentally by the time the weekend rolled around for the Stanford Invitational, where I debuted in 10,000 meters on the track. My trip up to Stanford put me in a great mood. The weather was beautiful, my legs felt good again, and I got the opportunity to catch up with a lot of friends and teammates that I hadn't seen in a long time. It was good to be back on the old stomping grounds and back in the track scene. It was nice to go to Stanford for a stress free tune up for London. The race ended up playing out pretty much exactly how I thought it would. We ran a solid pace but nothing ambitious. I felt strong the whole way but not like I was ready to really roll. At this point I feel like I can run all day long but not necessarily like I can run anaerobically very long, which is why I waited until 500 to go to make my move. I was pleased to close in 60 seconds for my last lap but frustrated to get outkicked in the final 100 in front of the home crowd. It would have been nice to really run a great race because it was the perfect scenario to run fast. My old teammate Jon Pierce did a great job pacing the first two miles and my old teammates even brought out the drums for me. Lord willing, I will return one day and run fast there. But as for this weekend, "Mission Accomplished", one more good deposit in the bank.
The week ended down in Carlsbad where I had the opportunity to watch my wife compete in the Carlsbad 5k. It was great to get to see her again after a week of being apart. Now I am joining the team down at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, where we have everything we need right at our fingertips. This will simplify life even more in these last weeks of preparation, and allow me to focus all my attention on getting myself to the line as fresh and rested as I can be.
High point of the week: Spending the day in Carlsbad with Sara after being apart for the past 10 days.
Low point of the week: Having snow pelting my bare neck as I muscled my way through the rain and snow during Tuesday's workout.
