Just to give a recap of my short indoor season, I ran a total of 3 races and didn't do particularly well in any of them. Of course I ran my hardest in all 3 races but after each I felt like I could or should have done better. My first race, an 800, I messed around in the back of the pack and barely squeeked out a qualifier for the indoor national meet in Boston, which was my second race. There I actually ran a very good tactical race. I finally did some thing in the early part of the race that I had been having trouble with. So I was really happy with that but just didn't have much in the gas tank the last 200m. I finished 8th overall in the country which is the highest I have ever placed at a US National meet. Then I thought my indoor season was over but ended up going to Seattle one more time and running an open 400, my first since I ran 2 of them in Europe last season. I ran in lane 2 the whole way around and still ran a 47.3. I was happy to be in the mix but knew that 46 slipped through my fingers.

I was training through the indoor season to focus more so on the Olympic Trials, and that is how I felt. There was not much of any excitement or an urge to compete which is why the short season was so blah. But I have to remember that if I were to try to peak for indoors it will take away a little edge at the end of outdoors.

Rolling into Outdoors

After a few days off mentally and physically from indoor, I feel energized and ancy. I wait patiently all week for our speed workouts and get pumped up for them. I sat down with my coach during my break and planned out my outdoor meet schedule and I have several 400's in there. I am super excited about that for two reason. One, by running alot of 400's and 4x400's I will be able to really get some good speed work throughout the season. Second, running 400's are/were my thing. I think its going to help me get that bit of swagger back that I had in college and help to boost the old self-confidence level.

I am still very much excited about the 800. Last year at this time I was doing workouts that would seem like a warm-up to me now. I am so much stronger and have a much better base than last year. And last year I ran 1:47.08 so right now I don't have any limitations in my mind. Just looking at things like I've been mentioning it seems almost for sure that I could run 1:45 this year. But of course 4x 26 sec 200's sounds pretty easy to most any sprinter.. haha.

Oregon Preview

My upcoming meet is next weekend, March 22, in Eugene. I'll be running the 800m and 4x400m relay, most likely in some cold windy rain. But that's Eugene in March and I love it. It has to be better than the 25 mph winds on the backstretch of the tracks in IL where I grew up. My goals for this weekend: WIN! I don't know anyone else as of now that will be running but I know that I need to get used to winning. It is contagious and if I start now it can only be good. Time-wise I would like to go under 1:49. Last year I ran my first race at 1:48.8 so I think it would be nice to do that again. I had a great, tough week of practice that included (throughout the week) a 23 sec 200 and a 64 sec 500. I won't tell you what I run at longer intervals, I came from a sprinter background so lets keep to the positives..lol.