Dave Nightingale - 6/1/09

This winter made me a huge believer in the benefits of training in Tallahassee. Pete has always been a huge proponent of training in different places to have a change of pace and to keep things fresh. After dealing with an especially cold winter in the northeast, highlighted by running the New Years Eve Midnight Run in icy, eight-degree weather, I was ready for a warmer climate. Tallahassee has plenty of training venues, including greenways, bike paths, forested trails, dirt roads, and more, all of which make it an ideal place to run. Even Mike, the paunchy, middle-aged, chain-smoking owner of the Days Inn (our home for the five weeks), expressed interest in joining us for runs and frequently asked where he could buy some of our PowerBar recovery drinks. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, he never met us at 8:00 am in the parking lot for our morning workouts. Thanks to the opportunities in Tallahassee as well as Pete’s training program, I had some of my best racing during the winter. I managed to lower my 3000 personal best at the US Indoor Championships, and I finished just one spot away from qualifying for the US team for the World Cross Country Championships. Nate, CW, Jess, and I also gained valuable experience in tackling international competition and jet lag when we raced in Ireland and Northern Ireland in February.

            Since returning to Zap in early March, I have put in more quality training, but the positive racing results haven’t come quite as easily. Although I started the outdoor season with a new personal best in the 5000 at Mt. SAC, I walked off the track frustrated and hoping for more of a breakthrough performance. I carried the same expectations into another 5000 two weeks later at Stanford, which ended in greater disappointment. Without a doubt, my greatest accomplishment from that weekend was managing to locate an In-N-Out Burger for the post-race meal. As I munched on my double-double, I had the usual doubts that most runners experience following a crappy race, with my thoughts basically boiling down to “What the hell just happened out there?” Since that trip out to Stanford, everything seems to indicate that my training is on the upswing (knocking on wood as I write this). With Frankie and Burg both back in action, our entire group’s (and especially my own) workouts have continued to improve. I also managed to run a personal best in the 1500 a few weeks ago, despite getting out in the first 100 meters about as quickly as David Ortiz gets out of the batter’s box. 

            I still feel like my best racing is ahead of me, and fortunately I have some good racing opportunities in the near future. Nate and I are heading out to Oregon this weekend for a 1500 in Eugene as well as a 5000 the following weekend in Portland. Needless to say, we’ll be keeping it 100 out on the west coast and hoping to return to Blowing Rock with some pr’s.