Re-Adaptation

While “fresh air” in New York City can sometimes be reminiscent of a bio classroom filled with formaldehyde soaked frogs, when I stepped out of my apartment building on West 118th Street and took in a deep breath, it was as if I was on top of a mountain, sucking in sweet air. That’s because I was going for a run for the first time in about seven weeks.

My highly overpriced orthotics made their way into town and I found myself chugging away on a 30 minute run and enjoying the awfulness of it all. While I have kept in fairly good shape via the elliptical machine and the pool, there is only one way to get in good running shape: running. I am three runs into my season now (with a fourth coming tomorrow morning), and there is still a long way to go. Luckily for me, there is still a long way to go until I need to be ready. I’m working my way through a light workout this Friday and then seeing the doctor next Thursday to hopefully get cleared to go full blow.

I can’t wait to get going, because even though I just said there was a long way to go, I know January is fast approaching and I am going to be ready to run come indoor season this year.

Meanwhile, I am adapting back into the New York swing of things. While I spent a summer in sweatpants, I am into the “Mad Men” routine and styling the hell out of New York. (The second part of that sentence was an complete lie: I do dress nicely now for work, but I miss my sweatpants sooooo much.)

New Jersey awaits on Friday for my first “workout” of the year. Let’s Go!

Ps – Only East Coast Electricity was offered as a possible team name. I liked it quite a bit, Furcht.

Mad Man

HamDel...it's good to be back.

“You’re only as good as your last 800.” That’s what we used to say as part of the Columbia Mid-D Crew. I liked the sentiment. It didn’t matter if you were a 1:48 guy, if you were dropping 1:51s, then it wasn’t quite cutting it. Sure it was nice that you had the faster one under your belt, but you couldn’t rest on your laurels. Sadly for me, my last 800 the summer before my 5th year was a 1:57 rig-fest that was one of the worst things I had ever been a part of.

According to our maxim, for almost a full year I was a 1:57 guy. It was discouraging to say the least. Surprisingly it ended up being my best year. I split 1:46.00 and didn’t lose an 8 all year (in retrospect I should have run the 8 at NCAAs and tried to do some damage there). But those parentheses are the problem right there and the problem with Columbia’s Mid-D Rule in general. I’m not looking back at the past anymore (unless I’m looking at the 2007 Penn 4x8 to get myself jacked up).

This year, I am changing that motto. Instead: “You’re only as good as your next 800.” Play with it if you please and insert your event here, but that’s what it’s gonna be for the upcoming track career of yours truly…time to get going and run your ass off.

My last year at Georgetown was a little stale, and now that I’m up in NY, the intensity is back and it’s going to be a fun year. There are real goals now, and I’m ready to make some noise again. You can also look out for me in quite a few more 800s…time to turn myself back into a sprinter type. Boo. Yah.

The move to New York went smoothly. I am packed into a tiny room in an apartment with two assistant coaches at Columbia on 118th and Amsterdam. It’s nice to be close to Columbia and as a volunteer assistant coach I get to use the gym for cross training and stuff like that.

I started up working a part time job on Madison Avenue. It is exactly like the show “Mad Men.” Well, except for the whiskey drinking and the infidelity. Plus, I probably smoke more cigarettes than Don Draper, so that’s a plus (maybe not actually).

I am getting some orthotics, and as soon as they come in I’ll be up and running. It’s still a lot of time on the elliptical machine and in the pool, but I’m feeling pretty in shape so I won’t be too far behind once I get out on the roads, trails and tracks.

And in terms of housekeeping, sorry for taking a week off from the posting...because of it, there will be a Wednesday post with a recap and state of the season report.

Let’s Go!