McMillanElite :: Training Blog - New Blog Every Monday and Thursday!

Entry #189
Week of March 1, 2010
by Emily Harrison

The past two weeks has been a whirlwind. It started with moving out of Cooper 2 and into Cooper 1. Moving is always a pain no matter how well you try to prepare and organize. A couple days later, I was on my way to Fukuoka, Japan for the 24th Fukuoka International Cross Country Meet. The race didn't go as well as planned, but it was a great experience and I learned a lot about international travel and racing. I thought I had done a decent job handling the travel, but I think it caught up to me on race day. The Japanese are so organized and they take excellent care of their foreign athletes. I was also able to do a little sight-seeing run before I left on Sunday morning, so I got see a few Temples throughout the city.

Tochoji Temple site in Fukuoka, Japan

I was ready to come back home, as I was due to leave again on Tuesday. This however, was not meant to be. I was delayed in Tokyo due to "mechanical issues" with the plane and had to spend the next 24 hours in Tokyo. This put me getting home Monday night, just in time to re-pack my bag for the NACAC Cross Country Championships in Tobago.

Tobago was very warm, but a lot of fun. After a day or two, I started to adjust to the Caribbean heat. It's always a great experience spending time with the other U.S. athletes and gaining outside perspectives. The race itself seemed low key, although we still wanted to represent our country well. There were only 19 women in our race, and the U.S. women took a commanding lead early on. Of course, we couldn't be in the Caribbean and not take advantage of the ocean that was right outside our door! We spent some time down on the beach playing in the waves each day, while trying to conserve energy as best we could.

Beach in Tobago

I thought I was ready to come home for some recovery time, but that was before I found out I'd be driving back into the snow! This is the longest period of time I've spent in my new home and it's nice to get back into the normal routine of daily life in Flag. Well, of course there is the slight inconvenience of the latest round of snow to contend with...spring has to be just around the corner!

Staff Blog

Week of March 8, 2010
by Coach Ian Torrence

After a two and a half year hiatus in Ashland, Oregon I’ve returned to Flagstaff. I drove the UHaul into town just before the New Year to find that not much had changed since I left; at least the things that mattered most to me. The endless miles of trails, downtown’s ambiance, the desert sun and, most of all, the people who make Flagstaff the running epicenter of the world were all waiting for me. Instantly, I felt like I had just put my arm around the shoulder of a long lost friend. It is good to be back.

I arrived in Flagstaff with the sole purpose of immersing myself in the running world here. Greg asked me back to assist with his on-line coaching business; a career path that I’ve always wanted to pursue and develop. I had hoped that one of the side benefits of that offer would be to assist with the Team he’s worked so hard to create. I had no idea how that would go. As it turned out, not only Greg, but also Tracy and Trina, have all welcomed me warmly as a staff member of the Team.

Then there’s the Team members themselves; these ladies and gentlemen have heaps of talent, dedication, fearlessness and are downright good people. All of their stories are inspiring. Only two months have passed since my arrival. There has been a slue of impressive results turned in weekly from each team member. My head spins just thinking about it; it’s difficult keeping track. This bodes well for the rest of the year and beyond. We’re all excited here!

The Team has also welcomed me into the circle. I feel more like a peer than an “assistant coach” when I work with the group. I’m taking as much away as they are from each workout, meeting and interaction. The learning curve is huge in our sport and we are all consistently learning, growing and improving. It is great to be a part of it all.

Personally, as a runner who still strives to compete at the best of my abilities, this is the perfect milieu to surround myself with. It’s March; the birds are singing, the snow’s melting and my shorts have come to the top of my dresser drawer once again. I look forward in continuing to support the Team’s progress to success and using that inertia to further some of my own running goals and growth. It’s gonna be a great year!

Entry #189
Week of March 1, 2010
by Andrew Middleton

We had an awesome team dinner the other night. It had been some time since our previous get together, so it was great to see everyone in one place. Winter always seems to scatter everyone about. People racing, taking trips home, going down to Sedona or other warm weather locations. It was a great evening, with Greg giving us a great toast and much needed reminder of how much we have accomplished in the past year.

A great addition has been made to the team’s training capabilities here in Flagstaff. Last week, Jimmy Bean, a representative from AlterG brought us a P200 AlterG Trainer (video here). The potential seems limitless in the application of this tool. It has so many different uses, speed training, rehab, prehab, post-race recovery, pre-race recovery … the list goes on an on. It is always amazing to see, and use, something so new to our sport.

In my training world, I have been ramping up the intensity going into the L.A. marathon next month. Trent Briney has been a great training partner for this race and having him show up to help with my workouts takes off a major load of stress. We push each other well and feed off each other’s successes and strengths.

What I am really excited about is the quality of my workouts. Greg really knows how to get a marathoner to come around at exactly the right time. With all the miles under my legs, I know that come race day, I will be a rocket ready to take off.

Along with the great workouts, my therapy team of Geoffrey Bishop and John Ball have done an amazing job of keeping my legs moving. My last attempt at a marathon ended before it ever started with a prolonged injury. This time around is different. I am very grateful for the attentive and educated hands that have helped me train at the level I know will help me reach my goals.

One last note: mark your calendars for March 26th – Team USA Arizona will be hosting a fundraiser at the Orpheum Theater here in Flagstaff. It will be a great night of food and fun. Check out the website here for more details: (Run to 2012!).

Entry #188
Week of March 1, 2010
by Jaime Canterbury

The last few weeks here in Flagstaff have brought me much hope – hints of spring are popping up every now and then. We have had some good days of sun and the massive snow piles are starting to shrink. A few more dirt roads are opening up and I have been able to do a couple of runs in shorts! To me, this means that the trails that I love so much are closer to resurfacing. My teammates assure me that it will be still be a while, but for now I remain hopeful.

Hope has come in other forms as well. Workouts have been going well and my teammates have had some really great races. Thankfully, we are able to train in NAU’s dome. I have come to love that 300m indoor track. It feels great to lace up the spikes and get some good work in on the track. Lindsay, Trina and I have been able to enjoy some theraputic “relaxation 300’s”. Since I’ve been here, this is the first time I really feel like I am in the groove of training. It feels good to have some consistency (I traveled a lot in the fall). I’m getting fit and excited to do big things on the track this spring.

Along those lines, I have to say thanks to my teammates. Watching everyone do the hard work and then reap the rewards is so inspirational. It is what gets me out the door on the days when motivation is hard to find. Thank you Paige, Alvina, Brett, Jordan, Ian, Emily, Middle, and Lindsay. Each one of them has had some awesome performances in the last few months. Seeing the results themselves are inspiring, but to see the work that goes on behind the scenes is incredible. I feel blessed to be a part of this team.
Other than training, life in Flag has been busy but good. Lindsay moved into Mountain House last week. Trent, Alvina and I are excited to have her as a roommate! My fiancé Ben moved out to Flagstaff a few weeks ago and it has been great having him here. I have enjoyed having him as a partner for some of my second runs, but I’m not sure how much he has enjoyed it! (it’s his first time running at altitude!) Last week the Marin Acadamy High School team joined us for some runs. It is always great to be able to share our experiences with some younger runners. We have also been preparing for our first annual fundraising event, “The Run to 2012”. If you are in Flagstaff on March 26th, be sure to join us at the Orpheum for a night of food, fun, and auctions.
Awesome job to all my teammates who raced this weekend. Jordan and Ian at US Indoor Championships, Lindsay at the World’s Best 10K in Puerto Rico, and Emily at Fukuaka XC in Japan. And good luck to Emily next weekend at NACAC!

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