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some pics from my trip out west

9/3/2017

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Training Log: leadup to Queens 10K

9/2/2017

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I was recently featured on Erin Kelly's blog The Runner Diaries with a post that detailed a week's worth of training as I prepared for the Queens 10K - go over and check it out, and check out the rest of Erin's features while you're over there!

https://runningfrommyproblems.com/2017/06/21/the-runner-diaries-joe-oleary/

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2016 Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Report

6/6/2016

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RACE: Brooklyn Half (5/21/2016)
TIME: 1:28:48 (PR by 6 seconds)

While due to miscellaneous scheduling problems the week leading up to the race itself was a frustrating one, the morning of the start couldn't have gone better. I woke up with plenty of time and remembered to leave the apartment with everything I needed. It wasn't cool, but wasn't hot. I didn't get a seat on the train, but was well rested enough to the point that it didn't bother me (too much). I breezed through security, saw some friends outside the corral, got maybe 800-1000m of warmups in, and had plenty of time to wait on the bathroom lines. I even had five minutes to sit down before getting into position. In contrast to last year's corral debacle, I was feeling pretty good.

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New Music! EL SUDAR - #ravewave #synthcore lives in NYC

5/17/2016

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Race Report: United Airlines NYC Half 3/20/2016

3/21/2016

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RACE: United Airlines NYC HALF
TIME: 1:28:54 / 6:47 pace

Adjusted by NYRR later in the day from the original 1:29:00, I'm somehow even MORE pleased with myself after this result. A sub 1:30 (never mind a sub 1:29) was something I had on the agenda for NEXT year. I went into the race with goal A being PR (sub 1:34:09), goal B being sub-1:33m, and goal C being a 7:00 pace (1:31+). I surprised even myself. I had no idea I was capable of this kind of performance and it's making me re-adjust a lot of my goals.

SET: Training has been going super well. I've been back in the gym doing squats, I get a nice variation of workouts every week (Speed, Easy, Tempo, Hills, Long), and consistency, nutrition and sleep have been on point. My intention was to use this race as a gague of my fitness for what I figured was the more favorable course, the Brooklyn Half, in May. I had a good taper week, including a fantastic run on Wednesday, and felt very prepared. My goal was to go out at 7:10 for the park miles and then pick it up on the flat miles through Times Square and the West Side Highway. Got a good night's sleep and had a banana and cup of water in the morning, packed two gels, and set out at 6:25 for a slow jog up to the park.

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Race Report: Washington Heights 5K

3/8/2016

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Race: Washington Heights 5K - Sunday March 6th, 2016
Time: 19:11 / 6:11m pace (PR)

“We’re almost there, aren’t we?” Susannah asked. “Almost to the shooting.”

Roland nodded. “And the shooting will happen so fast and be over so quick that you’ll wonder what all the planning and palaver was for, when in the end it always comes down to the same five minutes’ worth of blood, pain, and stupidity.” - Stephen King, The Wolves of Calla

SET: Didn't really do anything different this week - took a rest day instead of an easy day, and did a quick shakeout w/some strides on Saturday. I've been feeling fantastic and my workouts have been going really well so I was looking forward to a strong showing. The course is fairly hilly so I was not expecting to PR, but I figured anything that beat last year's time (20:07) and was in the neighborhood of my PR (19:20) would be fine. I had a great night's sleep and had a half of cup of cold coffee and a banana on the subway up to the Heights.

SETTING: It was a gorgeous day. Sunny, not too cold, big crowds, plenty of porta potties. I arrived in plenty of time to get a bit of warmup jogging in, and, outside of a minor shoe issue, made it to the corrals without incident.

THE RACE: 6:14 / 6:17 / 6:03 - Anticipating a bit of a logjam at the beginning, and knowing the first mile was largely uphill, my goal was to go out at 6:20 and then just try and hit 1:30 400s as long as I could. The first mile went just about as expected. I felt good and just tried to keep a consistent pace. Once into the park and at the Cloisters loop, the goal was to just not let the big hills in the back end of the 2nd mile slow me down. I came out of the park with a good stride and plenty in the tank, so I opened up. With about 800 to go I could see the finish line and kicked. Took out four or five runners in the last 100.

FINAL THOUGHTS: 5Ks always remind me of the quote up top. In this way, 5Ks are hard to analyze because they happen so fast, and are over so quickly. Because you're working so hard, there's no way to reflect on it while it's happening - there's no getting to know the runners around you, like in a half; it's hard to break the race into segments, because they're so short. At least for someone like myself, the race report for a 5K is always going to read something like this: "I ran as fast I fucking could and hung on for as long as I could."

This was my second year running this course and it's becoming one of my favorites. The crowds are awesome and it's so cool to be running through the streets of the Heights and all of a sudden come out to the park and the incredible view. I felt I put in a good effort and was very pleased to PR. Now it's back to work - it's a short turnaround as the NYC Half is in 13 days.

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NYRR Dash to the Finish 5K - race report

11/2/2015

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Wrapped up my 9+1 at the Dash to the Finish 5K. Ran a 19:25 / 6:15 pace, which is four seconds off my PR. I felt I ran OK. Would have liked to been able to finish a little stronger. At around the halfway point, I could tell I was going to be close enough to PRing that I would expect to get it and as a result was pretty bummed about my time. But I like my effort in this race in the context of my year. Perfect weather, crowded field, but not a lot of spectators until the park, which made running down 42nd and up 6th quiet and surreal.

Photos and full race report below, Click "Read more"

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some pics from my trip out west

Training Log: leadup to Queens 10K

2016 Brooklyn Half Marathon Race Report

New Music! EL SUDAR - #ravewave #synthcore lives in NYC

Race Report: United Airlines NYC Half 3/20/2016

Race Report: Washington Heights 5K

​Race: Washington Heights 5K - Sunday March 6th, 2016Time: 19:11 / 6:11m pace (PR)

NYRR Dash to the Finish 5K - race report﻿

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Race: Washington Heights 5K - Sunday March 6th, 2016
Time: 19:11 / 6:11m pace (PR)

NYRR Dash to the Finish 5K - race report