Fall Racing Series Feature: Jeff Tomich

 Throughout this Fall Racing Series, we will be sharing the stories of the runners that make this competition. Today we are featuring Jeff Tomich. Jeff joined the Spewak Training Family this past year and has made huge strides in his running along the way. Read his story here!  

CS: Why did you sign up for the Virtual Fall Racing Series? JT: With few or no actual races happening this fall, I wanted to test myself and know my baseline fitness when (hopefully) I can start training for a March marathon. Well before COVID, I decided to really commit myself to being a stronger runner and reap all the benefits that come with that -- more energy and better ability to focus and persevere through all types of challenges. I'd only trained sporadically in the past for a marathon or half marathon and I have never before been consistent in my running. An injury that deprived me of running at all for 3 months last year made me resolve to not take the sport for granted. So I jumped back in last fall. CS; What expectations do you have for yourself racing in a virtual setting? JT: The key for me is eliminating expectations as they apply to results and only have expectations when it comes to how hard I push. I have a bad habit of worrying about pace in a 5k or 10k and would get psyched out over not running a race faster than I did the previous year or month. It's why I didn't do a lot of races in the past -- fear of falling short. I know I need to embrace the idea that I may bonk or fail. It's a lesson I preach to my kids all the time when it comes to sports or school -- don't be afraid to fail. The virtual series is a way to apply the same lesson to myself. CS: You have run two big PRs in the first two events, can you please share what those experiences were like? JT: I knew I'd gotten stronger as a runner this year with the consistency of my training. I'd never consistently run 35-plus miles a week for a full year. Nor had I ever committed to regular speedwork. So the time trials were rewarding in the sense that I could see those brutally hot, humid July and August workouts pay dividends. At the same time, I immediately knew when I finished both runs that I paced them conservatively and am looking forward to shaving a little time off of each distance in the near future. CS: What's the best piece of advice you could give to someone wanting to improve their virtual racing performances. JT: The most helpful mantra for me is: "Run the mile you're in." It's too easy to get discouraged by a slow mile or worry about how you're going to feel in the last mile or two. If you have a plan and just think about the mile you're running there's a lot let to carry with you and it's so much easier to focus and give maximum effort.