Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Steve Prefontaine

In the world of Distance Running today is the best day ever cause it is the annversary of Steve "Pre" Prefontaine's Death. 37 years ago today we lost a distance running idol, Pre. For those who don't know who he is well I will tell you. First of all, he is the most famous athlete in Oregon and at University Of Oregon and I think that is amazing that a distance runner is more famous than a football player at U of Oregon. He was a guy that held American/Collegiate Records from 2K-10K on the track and got U of Oregon's XC Team 3 Team Titles. He was in the '72 Muich Olympic in the 5K get 4th place. What I like about him is that he had pure heart and guts when he ran on the track, in workouts and in long runs. I don't think that track & field would be where it is without Steve Prefontaine. He fought the ATU, Amater Track Union, on a few things. He start the track meet USA vs. Finland, which would be renamed Pre Classic. He is one of the best of the best. Pre had two movie, a documery, and a meet named after. The movies are "Prefontaine" & "Without Limits" and the doc is "Fire On The Track." The meet us the Pre Classic which is happening this Friday Night and Saturday at Hayward Field. There is a book about his life called, "Pre" and another book called "Running After Perfontaine." Pre is so big of superstar in the sports world that Tom Cruise almost played him in the movie "Without Limits" but he only Produced the movie along with big movie producer Paula Wagner. In the words of Pre, "To give anything less than your best is to sacfice the gift" and no truer word then this not just for Distance Runner but I believe for everyone who is in a sport. RIP Pre. Always and forever

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Racing Updates

This blog is a racing update on some races that I have done. I know it has been a while since I bloged and I am back

Marquette Twilight
The first outdoor track meet was The Marquette Twilight where I ran the 5K. This meet was close only about 20-30 mins. away in Milwaukee. I got to run with The Marquette Guys in the ran and in the warjm-up & coo down. The weather was the worst yet cause it was in the high 30s/low 40s. I got a time of 19:48 and it wasn't my best time and it wasn't my worst.


WIAC Conference Meet Day 1
I didn't run in this meet I just went to watch the meet and see my distance running buddies race. I went to the meet cause I was to run in The Wisconsin Open the next day in Madison and it was closer drive to get to the meet but you had to have a qualifying time to get into The Wisconsin Open Track Meet so I ran the 5K at Carroll University Invite #2

Carroll University Invite #2
Carroll is always the closest meet for me, about 7-10 mins depending on the lights, but I as in Whitewater for The WIAC Conference Meet so it was longer like 45 mins. I ran the 5K with two Carroll runs fighting for who was going to run the 5K at The Midwest Conference Meet The next week and in the 5K I got a 10 second pr, 19:29 and I was stoked.

Augustana Last Chance Meet
My next meet was a week after I took a week off of racing. The reason that I took a week off of racing on the track was cause I was in Madison, Wi for The Big Ten Outdoor Track Championships. I ran the 5K here and I got a pr of 17 second, 19:17, and I am getting close to going sub-19 in the 5K. This meet was the furthest away cause it was 3 hour and 30 mins. away and I got back home at 2 am on Saturday and the meet started at 2:30 for field events and 5 for track events