McMillanElite :: Lindsay Allen

Entry #75
Week of November 3, 2008
by Lindsay Allen

There is always something exciting happening here in Flagstaff! I'm sure Greg and Tracy can attest to the constant commotion between travel, racing, training and team gatherings. We 'tracksters' just returned from a fun-filled weekend in San Diego where we competed in the San Diego Track Club Cross Country Championships in Balboa Park. All 10 of us piled into one big van and we headed out for California.

Greg had his connections, as it seems he does everywhere, so our entire team was housed by members of 'Movin' Shoes,' an adidas club team in San Diego, led by George Vontsolos. They were a great group of people who graciously opened their homes to us and showed us around the town. Thanks so much to all of you!

This race was primarily a tune up for the big dance this fall, the US Club Cross Country Championships in December, so we all tried to have fun with it. We took advantage of the opportunity to race on some grass and hills and really work together as a team. The guys ran first and set the tone for the meet. The gun went off and then next thing I knew, all five of our guys were running away with the race and the next competitor was nowhere to be seen. It was really exciting to watch and gave both Becky and I a sense of confidence. In our race we were able to work together for a few miles and ended up finishing first and third overall.

It was nice to get out of Flagstaff for the weekend and I began to convince myself that I could tough out the snowy winters up here. Of course, this thought came as I was lying on the beach in San Diego! This confidence quickly vanished as we rolled into Flagstaff the following night to find the city dusted with a few inches of snow. Amidst internal panic, I tried to admire the beauty of the snow. This came more easily than anticipated, as my run the next morning landed me on a snow covered dirt road with nothing but snow coated trees in sight. It was surreal and more beautiful than I had ever expected. Needless to say I'm excited to see what the snow has to offer and to build up my cold weather tolerance.

adidas will just have to bring the heat!

I've been here for almost 2 months now, watching my teammates dominate workouts and put in the miles, so I know they're ready. As for me, I've put in 3 consecutive weeks of more mileage than I've ever done before, so while I'm a little worn out, I know it will soon pay off. That's the beauty of running, you get what you give and patience is the name of the game. I can say that now because of all my teammates and their constant advice and encouragement. Whenever I get down they are right there to pick me back up and remind me of all the positives, which I tend to easily overlook. Paige reminds me that it will all come together and that this is a building process, Becky is always cheery no matter what and Brett is Mr. Patience himself. With this great supporting cast I know I can stick through the rough times and will come out on top.

In other news, we had a great team meeting and dinner on Monday. Complete with Trina's motivational speech, Tracy's top-notch pasta bake, and a giddy Angus smiling the entire evening. It's great to be able to sit down with the team in a context outside of running and just relax. I've also been working with Tracy's environmental consulting business, which has been a superb experience for me and will be a valuable asset in my career after running. I've also been helping out in the new store Brett mentioned in his blog. 'Local Color' just opened up in downtown this past weekend and we had a great time setting up the store and now working there, which I've found is a great way to relax after a long run or workout. It's always nice to be able to take your mind off of running every once in a while. We sell prints and lots Flagstaff gear - mugs, shirts, books, you name it, we probably have it. By now my family should know what to expect this coming holiday season.

That's about it up here, be sure to look for us in coming results and thanks for all the support!

I've been settled into Flag for almost two weeks now; two weeks defined by one main thing - the Olympics. On any given evening there is a group of us huddled around the TV to see if Phelps will actually win the gold, or by how much Bolt will break the world record, not to mention checking the results of teammates and Flag-based athletes like Martin Fagan and Andrew Lemoncello.

In addition to watching the Olympics, we have been running quite a bit. Unfortunately, my adjustment to the altitude is taking a bit longer than average, so Greg and I have agreed to take it slowly my first few weeks. And once the Olympics are over I'm not sure what life will be like. Perhaps it will involve sufficient sleep and discussion of non-athletic related topics - who knows. All I know is that this week has been a blast and I'm excited to take on the challenge and lifestyle of professional running.