welcome

[lukeshomestead]

Kiprop killed the field at Hayward for the 4th time.

[lukeshomestead]

Although nearly two years ago, I remember this moment like it was yesterday. I still have the video on my phone that I created this gif from. As someone who's only left Iowa's borders a handful of times, being at Hayward and witnessing this was truly a dream come true. When they toed the line, my focus was on Kiprop-- the reigning world champion and the field favorite. Among labored strides, his looked so effortless. A living, breathing testament to what the human body is capable of. 

On May 2, 2018 all of this changed. This picturesque memory became tainted. 

For those reading this that don't know, Asbel Kiprop has reportedly tested positive for the banned substance EPO. Here's a link from The Guardian. Since this has been brought to public attention, Kiprop's released a personal statement regarding the happenings via his lawyer. His statement alleges extortion and wrongdoing from the doping agents that collected the sample. 

If every point in Kiprop's personal statement is true, the meta state of the sport is in more danger than we once thought. If every point in his statement is a falsehood, this is likely only the tip of the iceberg. 

While Kiprop wasn't my idol by any means, I certainly did marvel at his accolades. It got me thinking though... What would my reaction have been if it were someone I truly looked up to? One of my roommates and teammates looked over at me as he was reading the personal statement and said "if Eliud's cheating, I'm quitting running." What if it were Eliud Kipchoge that had received a positive test for a banned substance? Personally, I'd be very distraught. It would be a difficult pill to swallow that one of my greatest inspirations was a facade. 

If Kiprop's example and the overall poor state of the sport has any effect on you, let it be this: Let it teach you to be your own inspiration. As cliche as that may sound, there simply isn't enough stability in dependence alone to carry us to our own breakthroughs. Running in its purest form is an individual sport, and learning to use individuality and independence as a self-sustaining force is everything. 

[lukeshomestead]

Only 100 pairs on planet Earth // can’t sit in the box forever, right?

[lukeshomestead]

[rosieveggie]

#fitblr

[lukeshomestead]

@rosieveggie Please don't shame my blog with that tag ever again

[lukeshomestead]

What kind of underwear do you wear?

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/871783609492844544

[lukeshomestead]

the final lap

The weight on the shoulders of the pack break the weak.

The strong break free.

The crowd is an orchestra, yet all you can hear is the symphonies of your own heartbeat.

Your legs burn with agony as you build to the crescendo.

This is where titles are taken.

This is where ranks are earned.

This is it.

[cbucks-fitness]

Off-season is so weird because you go from spending all your time planning your schedule around practice and planning your meals and fixing your work schedule around training to laying in bed for 9 hours because you no longer have structure in your life

[lukeshomestead]

One of my summer pastimes includes sitting in my kitchen on tumblr for about 90 minutes after I get done running before I decide to finally move and/or shower. 

[lukeshomestead]

Year 1 of College: What I've Learned (and why next year will be better)- An Open Letter

As my freshman year of college winds down, I’ve learned a lot of things about myself as a runner and as a person.

First semester

In the beginning of XC, I started out as our 3rd finisher, although that was only a 6k race. In the first 8k race, I was our 4th finisher. A little discouraging at the time, but 2,000 meters can change a lot; Especially so when having only raced as far as 5k previously. 

Fast forward to the final two weeks of our season: Conference and Regionals. While pushing through an injury (believed to be Morton’s neuroma) I finish each race as our 6th runner, and finally PR for my 8k.

First 8k: 27:31//Conference (PR) while injured: 27:27

This is where things go south..

After cross country, I take 7 days off under the instruction of my coach. I begin to try running again, but not without pain. The injury persists through the winter. Distraught about the injury and my rocky adjustment to college, my grades suffer. Severely. As does my training.

My first semester grades were terrible. Whatever GPA you’re imagining.. it’s wrong. Guess lower. (EDIT: it was 1.425)

Second semester begins

I sit in the front row and start participating a lot more in all of my classes. The injury persists, but I’m finding new ways to cope. A lot of cross training and a new pair of shoes later, I’m injury-free. I’m just really out of shape. I train without relapse for a month before deciding to enter in a 5k race unattached. What can go wrong? I ended up running a 17:40 or something like that.. I didn’t care enough at that point to bother checking the results. To put things in perspective, my XC 5,000 PR from high school under low mileage training sits at 16:25.

Fast forward to now

One non-running related concussion, one dental surgery, one family mega-crisis, and one terrible awful no good race later, it begins to dawn on me. 

I begin to realize why I failed. I was running higher mileage, so by default I was destined to compete better. And I did during cross. The increase in mileage wasn’t what led to my demise. It was my workouts. Instead of running fast and relaxed, I ran hard. There’s a big difference between the two. I was running myself ragged. I had no business leading 800 meter repeat workouts, I had no business surging ahead on final intervals, I had no business trying to push the pace on every tempo. Hell, I’d even push the pace on recovery runs, despite not meaning to. 

The purpose of a workout is to make your body comfortable while running fast.

The purpose of a workout is to make your body comfortable while running fast.

The time to leave your comfort zone in the dust is in the race. 

The time to give 100% is in the race.

Please don’t make the same mistakes that I did. Learn from this. Learn from me.

Disclaimer: My school has a term called Mayterm, where we take one class or other credit-associated activity for 3 weeks. It is essentially a single semester 4-credit course crammed into 3 weeks. Mayterm grades are included with semester 2 grades.

Here’s the “Holy shit” moment, or at least that’s what I said when my coach told me. 

Albeit my Mayterm grade (as I have not completed the course yet), my semester 2 GPA is 3.908 (EDIT: final including mayterm was 3.86). I went from being academically ineligible to the Dean’s list (you know, if I don’t lay an egg on Mayterm). 

No matter how grim things may look, whether it be running, academia, or your family, keep your head up. Look to the future. Things will get better. 

You can change.

You can turn it all around.

Knowing what I know today.. This.. This is why next year will be so much better. 

Attached within the post are two links:

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00158

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2006/09/wejo-speaks-why-i-sucked-in-college/

[chaturanga-runner]

my shin still hurts and its been 2 months and im scared this is going to be one of those injuries that keeps you out of running forever

[lukeshomestead]

Have you received a diagnosis? It may be a recurring stress fracture or stress reaction, if it hasn’t been given adequate time to heal. It could very well be something else, but the most important thing to worry about is mental health; dwelling on the injury and nursing it are two different things. Seek a professional and most importantly, stay mentally strong- it’s what runners do best.

[hancarolyn]

things are gonna fucking work out. do this for yourself. don’t you dare quit. put in a ton of effort, it won’t betray you.

[lukeshomestead]

if you work hard enough for long enough, you'll be rewarded. the only thing stopping you is yourself; don't allow endeavors to become regrets.

[lukeshomestead]

Your mind must be stronger than your legs. That’s how PR’s are made.

(via runnerist)

[justwalkbyymyside]

I use running as my way to be happy. But what am I supposed to do when I have a bad run. What am I supposed to do. How do I cheer myself up. How do I feel better. How do I fill this void

[lukeshomestead]

You have to find something in life other than running to make you feel whole. Running is amazing but you cannot rely on it; For if you sustain an injury, speaking from experience, it's easy to slip into depression. Read a book that makes you cry with happiness and awe, play some Pokemon, take up drawing- anything that fills your glass and keeps it full when running cannot.

[lukeshomestead]

running from my problems still

[lady-feral]

Clothes that are too dirty for the closet but too clean for the laundry: welcome to THE CHAIR.

[lukeshomestead]

me as a runner

[just-shower-thoughts]

Professional runners spend lots of time running in order to run for as little time as possible.

[lukeshomestead]

Every morning that we open our eyes, we are granted a choice: Whether we shall have a good day... or a bad one. Unfortunately, many people including myself haven't entirely grasped this concept. In reality, most never will. Regardless of what happens in the world around us, we choose how it affects us. Perhaps the run that you embarked upon before daylight left you feeling miserable for the entirety of your day, contrary to the normalcy of the run's effect that you have learned to love. Perhaps you are frustrated with studies, your job, or your relationship. Guess what? None of these are excuses to have a bad day. The key is not only to learn from the negative experiences, but to cherish the seemingly meager moments of happiness throughout life. Stay positive. The individual can only conquer what the mind says it can. I maintain hope that someday, I will truly be able to live by the philosophy. Until then..

[lukeshomestead]

Favorite pump up/running song.

It's not really a song, but the audio from Nike's Rise And Shine.

[lukeshomestead]

Dicks out for harambe homie

I shouldn't.