What began as a weekend of big hopes,turned into one weekend that I will never forget.
On Friday I decided to go pick up my friend Gabriel to go hang out with him because I had not seen him in quite a while. We had been planning to go to a running store by my dorm and today I finally got some time to be able to take him to go buy his running supplies. My dad took both me and Gabriel over to La Verne and we headed out to get some running stuff. We got a bite to eat soon after and proceeded to eat and talk about how our lives had gone for the next hour. 9 PM came and I needed to get him home. Rain began to pour down pretty hard.
We began driving down the street to head down to the freeway that led to his house. We began to go down Fairplex Drive which is a downhill slope heading down to the freeway. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl The road curves around the hill making it pretty hard to see what is happening. We were going about 45 MPH down the hill when we saw a car coming. Then we realized that it was actually driving in our lane. I yelled, "What the fuck!" and Gabriel yelled, "Shit shit shit!" and I turned right so that Gabriel would not get hit. What ended up happening was that the car hit my front side pushing me into the right lane where I got hit from behind into my rear left tire putting us over the curve.
I remember thinking exactly when I got hit, "Wow this doesn't hurt as bad as I thought it would."
I tried to get out of my door but it was smashed in. We got out of the passengers side door and walked out into the rain and yelled out, "What the fuck!!!!!!!!" We spent the next hour in the rain waiting for everything to happen. We had no idea what to do. Stupid lady didn't say a word to us. She never said "Sorry" "Are you guys okay?" or anything like that. I have no compassion for the people in that car. I know it sounds fucked up but when I saw the passengers in the car crying, I just thought, why? How did they not see that they were driving on the opposite side of the road. Look at the map and tell me. The street is well lit. To drive into the lane that I was in you had to go over 2 lanes!
I ended up with a sore chest after hitting the steering wheel. From what I heard Gabriel ended up with sore abs front the impact.
The next day I woke up with a sore neck and back. I had to race that day. I was determined to still race. Yes my back and my neck hurt a lot but my legs were perfect. I had never felt this good. I knew I had a great performance to put down or I was going to try my hardest to. I spent the whole day trying to keep myself from thinking about it.
As time began to tick away I was beginning to doubt myself about racing. I was beginning to think it was not a great idea to go race. I made myself think that I had to. So I go ready to race and last thing I knew I was on the start waiting for the gun. I ended up running the best race of my life again. I ran a 9:19.83. More than a 20 second PR. Considering what had happened the day before I was proud of my performance.
With that said I have to say I am kind of a wreck at the moment. I was not able to sleep last night. My neck and my back are bugging me. Mentally I am not good. I keep overthinking the accident. Now I am without my car, without my full health, and without my mind. All because of a stupid driver.
But I'm alive, so I guess that's cool too.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Breakthrough.
The week leading up to my second race this season was a week of proving to coach and to myself that I was ready to race again. Coming off a disappointing performance at Cal Tech, I was on the bubble of not racing because the coaches wanted me to heal up completely. I was stubborn. For me then thinking that I was not ready to race angered me.
At practice I was caught in my own little world as soon as I started running. I didn't make it through the first workout of the week. I was too tired from school. Wednesday came and I got dropped halfway through the run. I turned at 22.5 minutes and something clicked. I was entranced by the trail leading back to school. The pace quickened for me. I passed by teammates without a single word. It was just me and the trail. Part of it was my frustration of still not knowing if I was going to race or not. I no longer needed to tape up my arches. I was good. While everyone else joked around during the strides, I was still caught up in my own little world.
Thursday was my first indication that I was ready to race. It was a 4 mile tempo run along the dam leading into our two mile time trial route. I felt comfortable throughout the workout, following the pace that they told me. I was tired soon afterward but I felt great. I finally really finished a workout. 2 weeks of running and I was finally getting into the groove.
I learned something that day as well. I have to learn how to run in a pack. That has become my flaw in my running now-a-days. Friday came and I took the front of the pack. I stuck in the front and forced myself to run there until I felt comfortable. I felt good through the run. The strides went well through the pouring rain. I was ready to race. Coach had me set to run the mile.
Friday began as a crappy day. I couldn't find my debit card, my headphones, etc. I was not have a good day. I stopped thinking about how annoyed at was and just relaxed to my music. For some reason I didn't think too much about my race. I knew it was coming but mentally I was in another place. I kept myself calm knowing that I was as ready as I would ever be. I was extremely optimistic as I joked around saying that I wanted to skip the 4:40's.
The weather began to get rough. Rain began to pour down hard. Wind was annoying as well. Sounded like it was going to be an interesting mile. I got through the warm-up and I laced up my spikes. It was on. I was seeded as 4:36.
I walked up to the 1600 line when the official tells us, "This is a real mile." We stepped back to the mile line and the gun went off. I felt pretty good coming through the first lap, it was about a 69. Then I began to push forward and began to lead for a bit. I came across the second lap at a 2:20, I was pretty on pace. I was overtaken for the lead and now my teammates were passing by. I made myself hold on. It was just a lap and a half and it would be over. We came across the bell lap at 3:31. As the my time in this race began to dwindle I knew it was time to push through my fatigue. We hit the last 200 and I began to sprint past two of my teammates. Finish time was 4:43. 10+ second best.
Looks like this is going to be an exciting season.
I told one of the guys in my dorm about it and said I had a lot of fun. His response, "Cris is actually liking track?!" Yes, yes I am.
Saturday was a great day to be a leopard. Distance guys did work. Marcus winning the 200, 4x1, and 4x4. Adam, Michael, AJ, Mike, and Eric having great performances in the 800. Sean having his best race as a ULV runner, finishing with a 66 last 400 to win his heat of the mile, Alex and Alberto having a great race and Matt breaking 4:50 as well. Everyone worked hard evening running that tough 4x4 in the pouring rain right after the mile!
At practice I was caught in my own little world as soon as I started running. I didn't make it through the first workout of the week. I was too tired from school. Wednesday came and I got dropped halfway through the run. I turned at 22.5 minutes and something clicked. I was entranced by the trail leading back to school. The pace quickened for me. I passed by teammates without a single word. It was just me and the trail. Part of it was my frustration of still not knowing if I was going to race or not. I no longer needed to tape up my arches. I was good. While everyone else joked around during the strides, I was still caught up in my own little world.
Thursday was my first indication that I was ready to race. It was a 4 mile tempo run along the dam leading into our two mile time trial route. I felt comfortable throughout the workout, following the pace that they told me. I was tired soon afterward but I felt great. I finally really finished a workout. 2 weeks of running and I was finally getting into the groove.
I learned something that day as well. I have to learn how to run in a pack. That has become my flaw in my running now-a-days. Friday came and I took the front of the pack. I stuck in the front and forced myself to run there until I felt comfortable. I felt good through the run. The strides went well through the pouring rain. I was ready to race. Coach had me set to run the mile.
Friday began as a crappy day. I couldn't find my debit card, my headphones, etc. I was not have a good day. I stopped thinking about how annoyed at was and just relaxed to my music. For some reason I didn't think too much about my race. I knew it was coming but mentally I was in another place. I kept myself calm knowing that I was as ready as I would ever be. I was extremely optimistic as I joked around saying that I wanted to skip the 4:40's.
The weather began to get rough. Rain began to pour down hard. Wind was annoying as well. Sounded like it was going to be an interesting mile. I got through the warm-up and I laced up my spikes. It was on. I was seeded as 4:36.
I walked up to the 1600 line when the official tells us, "This is a real mile." We stepped back to the mile line and the gun went off. I felt pretty good coming through the first lap, it was about a 69. Then I began to push forward and began to lead for a bit. I came across the second lap at a 2:20, I was pretty on pace. I was overtaken for the lead and now my teammates were passing by. I made myself hold on. It was just a lap and a half and it would be over. We came across the bell lap at 3:31. As the my time in this race began to dwindle I knew it was time to push through my fatigue. We hit the last 200 and I began to sprint past two of my teammates. Finish time was 4:43. 10+ second best.
Looks like this is going to be an exciting season.
I told one of the guys in my dorm about it and said I had a lot of fun. His response, "Cris is actually liking track?!" Yes, yes I am.
Saturday was a great day to be a leopard. Distance guys did work. Marcus winning the 200, 4x1, and 4x4. Adam, Michael, AJ, Mike, and Eric having great performances in the 800. Sean having his best race as a ULV runner, finishing with a 66 last 400 to win his heat of the mile, Alex and Alberto having a great race and Matt breaking 4:50 as well. Everyone worked hard evening running that tough 4x4 in the pouring rain right after the mile!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
A disappointing performance, or not?
Exactly 365 days from yesterday I was in the same position as I was in yesterday. I was stepping on the line to race.
Walnut, California: February 12 2010
I stepped on the line at about 5:30 PM. The sun was now gone and it was just me and 37 other people lined up to race. The race was 3000 meters, something I had yet to experience in high school. It was a community college race and I was just a senior in high school, all comers is all comers. I remember pretty much everything about the race, what I was wearing, who I was trying to beat and the surroundings of it all.
The gun went off and we sped off to try to get in good position. I knew nothing about those who I was racing except for one. He was a club teammate. Adrian was running for Mt. Sac and had better marks then I had but as a stubborn kid I wanted to finally beat him. I crossed the mile mark at a little over 5 minutes, I felt like it was too slow at the time. I kept pushing forward and passing people. As each lap passed we went by loads of cheering people. We were the last race of the day and everyone had lined up around the start line to cheer on their teammates. It was magic running around those 7 1/2 laps that night.
Lap 5 came past I saw him.
Adrian is coming within reach. Just a little bit more and I can reel him in.
Closer and closer he came. I was making up ground slowly but surely.
A lap left to go and I had to kick it in before he finished.
He ended up beating me that day but I finished with a kick and ended up out-sprinting someone.
That had to be the best track race I have ever had.
Although I did not get to finish that season at least I had a chance to have that experience.
Pasadena, California: February 12 2011
The warm-up begins. Something feels off. It might be the heat but I can't put my finger on it. I am racing my first college race of 2011. This time I am in a completely different uniform. In 2010 it was my club uniform and some Saucony Kilkennys. This year it was my La Verne uniform and Jasari's. As much of a spike freak I am I have to be completely honest when I say this was the first track race over a mile that I was wearing spikes in. I was pretty pumped.
The warm-up didn't feel too good. Usually before races I am set during my warm-up. Everything flows so perfect. The music coming into my eardrums is perfect and I am pretty much set to race. Yesterday it was the complete opposite. It felt like a struggle to try and feel good. I tried to stay focused.
I laced up my Jasari's for the first time and hit my strides. The shoes made me feel good. The feel and just the fact I was wearing them gave me such a boost of confidence.
We lined up and the gun went off. The first lap felt easy. We passed through at 74 seconds. Way too slow. Coach wanted us to pass the mile at 4:50. I have yet to even break 4:50 in a regular mile. At lap 2 my teammate decides that the pace is much too slow and takes off. He and the rest of the pack have now separated from me and I am basically running alone. I crossed the mile at 5:05 while the others crossed at 4:50.
I have to go now. I try to but it burns. My right foot is rubbing up against the material and it feels as though the shoe is tearing my foot apart. I keep trying to pick it up for the next few laps.
I see one of my teammates. I wanted to catch him so bad. I see that he is fading pretty bad and I have to make my move if I want to catch him. I try to but it hurts to now even step on it.
I hit my sprint and finally the race is over. I run through the finish and jump into the grass so I can rip the shoes off of my feet.
Teammate finishes in the exact same time that Adrian finished in last year 9:38. Coincidence?
I ran 1 second faster than I did last year.
As soon as I took my shoes off I was so angry. I knew I ran like shit. Teammates came up to me and I ignored them. All I could think about at that point was well a lot of things. I was caught in a trance. All that I could think about was how it went wrong. How I could not even cross the half at 4:50. That I couldn't even do that. That coach was disappointed in my performance. I know I am much better than that performance.
I'll give myself something. I did PR yesterday. Even if it was one second. I did better than last year.
The thing that is different about last year is that last year I was able to actually train. The last two weeks have been the first two weeks that I have been able to actually run without having to stop after a mile. The first of the two I was still barely able to do enough. So with two weeks of training I was able to replicate my performance from last year.
I still have to say I am pretty disappointed with how I did but it's just a setback.
Edit: Sorry to those that I may have offended due to my attitude after yesterday. I just need to learn to compose myself.
Walnut, California: February 12 2010
I stepped on the line at about 5:30 PM. The sun was now gone and it was just me and 37 other people lined up to race. The race was 3000 meters, something I had yet to experience in high school. It was a community college race and I was just a senior in high school, all comers is all comers. I remember pretty much everything about the race, what I was wearing, who I was trying to beat and the surroundings of it all.
The gun went off and we sped off to try to get in good position. I knew nothing about those who I was racing except for one. He was a club teammate. Adrian was running for Mt. Sac and had better marks then I had but as a stubborn kid I wanted to finally beat him. I crossed the mile mark at a little over 5 minutes, I felt like it was too slow at the time. I kept pushing forward and passing people. As each lap passed we went by loads of cheering people. We were the last race of the day and everyone had lined up around the start line to cheer on their teammates. It was magic running around those 7 1/2 laps that night.
Lap 5 came past I saw him.
Adrian is coming within reach. Just a little bit more and I can reel him in.
Closer and closer he came. I was making up ground slowly but surely.
A lap left to go and I had to kick it in before he finished.
He ended up beating me that day but I finished with a kick and ended up out-sprinting someone.
That had to be the best track race I have ever had.
Although I did not get to finish that season at least I had a chance to have that experience.
Pasadena, California: February 12 2011
The warm-up begins. Something feels off. It might be the heat but I can't put my finger on it. I am racing my first college race of 2011. This time I am in a completely different uniform. In 2010 it was my club uniform and some Saucony Kilkennys. This year it was my La Verne uniform and Jasari's. As much of a spike freak I am I have to be completely honest when I say this was the first track race over a mile that I was wearing spikes in. I was pretty pumped.
The warm-up didn't feel too good. Usually before races I am set during my warm-up. Everything flows so perfect. The music coming into my eardrums is perfect and I am pretty much set to race. Yesterday it was the complete opposite. It felt like a struggle to try and feel good. I tried to stay focused.
I laced up my Jasari's for the first time and hit my strides. The shoes made me feel good. The feel and just the fact I was wearing them gave me such a boost of confidence.
We lined up and the gun went off. The first lap felt easy. We passed through at 74 seconds. Way too slow. Coach wanted us to pass the mile at 4:50. I have yet to even break 4:50 in a regular mile. At lap 2 my teammate decides that the pace is much too slow and takes off. He and the rest of the pack have now separated from me and I am basically running alone. I crossed the mile at 5:05 while the others crossed at 4:50.
I have to go now. I try to but it burns. My right foot is rubbing up against the material and it feels as though the shoe is tearing my foot apart. I keep trying to pick it up for the next few laps.
I see one of my teammates. I wanted to catch him so bad. I see that he is fading pretty bad and I have to make my move if I want to catch him. I try to but it hurts to now even step on it.
I hit my sprint and finally the race is over. I run through the finish and jump into the grass so I can rip the shoes off of my feet.
Teammate finishes in the exact same time that Adrian finished in last year 9:38. Coincidence?
I ran 1 second faster than I did last year.
As soon as I took my shoes off I was so angry. I knew I ran like shit. Teammates came up to me and I ignored them. All I could think about at that point was well a lot of things. I was caught in a trance. All that I could think about was how it went wrong. How I could not even cross the half at 4:50. That I couldn't even do that. That coach was disappointed in my performance. I know I am much better than that performance.
I'll give myself something. I did PR yesterday. Even if it was one second. I did better than last year.
The thing that is different about last year is that last year I was able to actually train. The last two weeks have been the first two weeks that I have been able to actually run without having to stop after a mile. The first of the two I was still barely able to do enough. So with two weeks of training I was able to replicate my performance from last year.
I still have to say I am pretty disappointed with how I did but it's just a setback.
Edit: Sorry to those that I may have offended due to my attitude after yesterday. I just need to learn to compose myself.
