Act like a horse, be dumb, just run.

Went to this meet despite illness and not training for a week.  Ran the 3200m run in the slow heat not knowing what to expect time-wise, but I think I PR-ed. 

Couldn't stop coughing and sneezing yesterday. I hate being sick. Ran the 1600m run in the slow heat again not knowing what to expect time-wise, but I PR-ed again.  I must have really sucked last year. 

Still sick but feeling a lot better.  Ran Bank Run by my lonesome, except for the first half mile or so.  Started slowing down quite a bit on the last uphill mile.  It was nice going my own pace though.  Since I don't have a car anymore I just ran home because I couldn't find Jeff to give me a ride.

Speed work today.  Ran 4 1200s, which is kind of a weird distance but it was actually pretty nice. I was supposed to be aiming for 4:45ish but didn't quite make it.

1- 4:38

2- 4:52

3- 4:52

4- 4:54

The first one went pretty fast but my legs tensed up after and I felt like I was pushing harder to go slower.  Still sick so I couldn't breathe out of my nose which made it a little tougher also.

pm- I was going to go on an easy run with Hazel my nasal, but I went and played soccer with the crew so I thought that would count for at least a mile (even though Zac might disagree because I "suck at soccer" and apparently wasn't doing much to help my team... oh well.)

Anaerobic threshold.  Sounds painful, yeah?  It actually wasn't that bad and it was even a little fun.  Ran about a mile towards the school on 2450 to get to track practice but Jeff pulled over and picked me up before I actually got there. 

For the "anaerobic threshold" thing we ran 4 miles with the middle 3 miles at cross-country race pace.  I did pretty alright, I thought I was going to be running with Zac but I pulled ahead of him at the first and he never caught up to me.  I passed Nikki J and got pretty close to Willy but just stayed the same distance behind him until I was done.  Ran the middle "3" in 18:15 but I am wondering how long it actually was, probably about 2.7 or 2.8. 

Easy recovery day today.  Ran with Zac to sunrise tire and back to the high school (3.5).  Then to Sandstone Elementary for a rousing game of ultimate frisbee, which counts for at least a mile... P.S.We won.

Hills!  Ran out to sunset tire hill with Jeff Ruth Josh Adam and Derrik (about 1.5 mi).  Ran the hills mostly by myself.  I was surprised at how much easier it was to run the hills compared to last time.  Last time I would stop in the middle of the hill but this time the only time I stopped was at the top and the bottom.  I must be getting in shape!  I did 5 hills, and I think the fourth one was probably the hardest but they all were pretty alright. The hill is about a quarter of a mile long.  I ran back with Josh and Jeff. 

I didn't run today! :( I was planning on waking up and running eight, but Catherine called and I went to Vegas instead.  I was going to run when I got home but my femininity came out and I stayed home and ate chocolate and watched pride and prejudice.  Happy St. Patty's Day!

I actually did a warm-up today, one lap around the track.  I should probably get into that habit.  I went on an easy 5-miler out to Green Springs with Ruth and Nikki J.  We were going at a pretty slow pace and I stopped at the golf course clubhouse and at a couple of lights.  I wasn't feeling really mentally strong today until the turnaround point and then I started getting into it.  When done with the run I did nine 100 meter striders.  After that I lifted weights... I would log that but I don't know what the machines are called or how much weight I was actually lifting.  So today was pretty nice; I guess its kind of a prep day for speedwork tomorrow.  I'm going to be running in spikes for the first time, so that will be interesting. 

Pain. I ran in spikes for the first time today and now I have to walk like a penguin.  I did a 400 m warm up with Amanda, then strapped on my spikes and started on some 1000 meters.  My times:

1- 3:40

2- 3:59

3- 3:57

4- 3:57

5- 3:51

We did those plus a 400m jog in between.  I felt like I was pushing on most of the repeats.  I usually fly on the first repeat of any set probably just because I have the most energy then.  That was also my first time running in spikes and I was trying to learn how to run in them.  They pulled me right up onto my toes (thus the aching calves) and I ran the first one like that, but I couldn't keep it up for the other ones, so I would save toe running for when I needed an extra push.  It was a little disappointing getting 19 seconds slower on the second one but I felt like I was doing okay, especially because I never did worse than the second repeat.  The wind was blowing pretty hard which made it a little more difficult, but helped when it was behind me.  It was blowing hardest on the last repeat, but I was working harder so I got faster (which upped my esteem a little bit).  We were supposed to do a 3/4 mile cool down but I forgot and just went home. 

a.m.- Met Ruth and Amanda up at the school for a morning run.  Killer pain in my calves.  I jumped out of bed this morning (because I have a bunkbed and have to jump off) forgetting how bad my calves hurt.  Not such a pleasant thing to wake up to.  I ran a lap warm-up and then we headed out for Arctic Circle (3 mi).  I ran with Ruth most of the way, my calves eased up a little while running.  We ran a little slow on the way out and then got up to a more decent pace on the way back.  The blister I got yesterday popped when I was running back but almost done. 

afternoon- Anaerobic threshold on Dogpound run (4).  Ran a warm-up up to Harts with Nikki J. and Ruth.  Ruth headed out on the threshold run first, then Nikki, and I was still waiting for my mind to will me to go.  I started it out pretty decently, even though I didn't feel really fast.  I caught up to Nikki J at about the Relief Society Building, after that I didn't really have anyone to try and catch up to, so that made the run a little trickier because I had to keep checking my pace.  At the dogpound I was at about 12 minutes something, which is about a minute or so faster than last time.  My finishing time was 17:59, 16 seconds faster than last time.  I must have slowed down a bit on the hills, but overall I felt the run went okay and I'm pretty happy with my time.  After that I jogged back super slow to the school, and then sat on the turf and checked out all my new blisters.  I have two decent sized ones, and two toenails are coming off. 

Easy run day before the race tomorrow.  It was supposed to be a 35 minute run, but I went running by myself during seventh period and got started a little late so I cut the run short so I could be back before practice started.  I ran for 26 minutes, and it was painful. I just ran around the neighborhoods by the school and it was neat just being able to go wherever I wanted.  My calves were still killing me today and so it was hard to even want to go running.  When I run fast I can't really feel my calves, but on this easy run I could feel them like none other.  I stopped once to stretch them out a little.  Overall I liked just being out by myself and being able to go wherever I wanted.  That kind of freedom is nice after so many course runs and track work. 

I don't know what was up with this day.  I ran the 1600 m in the second heat (I think?) out of three.  My calves were still aching but they felt a lot better so I wasn't even too worried about my race.  I think I should have been a lot more worried because I did 9 seconds worse than last time.  I tend to run a lot harder if I am nervous anyways.  So the first lap of the mile went by really fast, in about 1:18, and I got out in front and it felt really good, but I didn't hold it and I fell back a lot in the second lap.  Nikki J even passed me once and I was ashamed because I knew I wasn't pushing it hard enough.  So my second lap was crap, and my third and fourth laps weren't much better.  I needed to focus more on my pacing and plan out the race before hand.  There was also a bit of wind, especially on the last leg of the fourth lap.  That might have brought up my time a bit, but overall I think I just wasn't into it mentally and I wasn't running it smart.  I walked off the track disappointed and embarrassed, and I didn't do even close to my best.

I did a lot better today than I did yesterday.  I first ran the 3200 m in the second heat.  I tried to plan it out a little bit beforehand because I thought that would be a good idea after crapping the mile yesterday.  I ran this race a lot smarter.  I started out okay and then got into a settled (but pushed) pace pretty quickly; my thoughts were to get into a spot and work my way up from girl to girl.  My plan didn't work out the way I wanted it to because I ended up running in a pretty big gap.  I did work my way around one girl and then I kept my eyes on the next girl that was about 100m in front of me for the rest of the time.  I ran the mile in a decent pace but I didn't push it too hard because last time thats what I did and I died on the fifth lap.  The fifth lap was good to me this time and I felt like I was going at a constant pace for most of the race.  I had a hard time pushing it in at the end because my legs were sore and worked and I just didn't feel like I had enough energy to sprint.  Overall it was a good race, improved by 17 seconds, but I still feel kind of disappointed that I'm not faster than I am.  I know it is kind of a harsh thought but I feel like I am one of the slow girls and I am very unsatisfied with myself. 

The 800 was sort of an adventure... I haven't run this race since I was a freshman so it was kind of a new experience.  Ruthie gave me some pointers on how to run it before the race started and let me wear her racing flats.  I ran in the first heat (slow heat) and I took the lead from the start.  I ran the first lap fairly fast and felt myself slowing down after I started coming around the second time.  I kept telling myself to push it harder because I had less than a lap left, but I my distance-running self didn't like that idea.  I kept trying to speed it up but it was hard, especially because my legs still felt a little overworked.  I got passed right about at the start of the last 100 meters and ended up second in my heat.  I wasn't really disappointed in this race but I sure wasn't proud.  I didn't really know what to think of my time and walked off the track thinking, "hmm that was interesting".  It was fun just jumping in and running it but I still feel unsatisfied with myself. 

am- met ruth up at the school at 5:30, ran two warm up laps then headed to arctic circle (3 mi).  I noticed that right under my right calf is really sore, and the left side of my left calf.  As I ran my left leg felt better but my right leg felt worse. 

afternoon- had nothing to do during seventh period so I ran home (1 mi) and then chilled for a minute. Then had my mom drop me back off at the school for practice.  I ran 2 warm up laps, then a big grass loop (.5 mi) and then we started on our speedwork.  We did two sets of five 200m sprints with a 100 m jog in between. I was supposed to be aiming for 40 seconds. My first set went like so:

1- 37 sec

2- 39 sec

3- 39 sec

4- 40 sec

5- 41 sec

I'm not sure if thats exactly accurate, but thats the jist of it. My second set:

1- 37 sec (ran in spikes)

2- 36 sec (changed out of spikes and ran this in my regular shoes)

3- 39 sec

4- 38 sec

5- 39 sec

I tried running in spikes on the last set but I decided that I don't really know how to run in them correctly and that they are probably doing me more damage than good (plus I hate them), so I changed back into my normal shoes and still did pretty well.  I felt like I wasn't doing a stupid i-ran-the-first-lap-really-fast-and-now-i-am-slow-for-the-rest-of-the-repeats thing, and it felt good to be consistent.  Doing 200s was sort of an adventure also, because it is such a short distance.  After I did a cool down around the school (I'm guessing a little more than .5?). Overall it was a pretty good workout, I felt good today. 

Anaerobic threshold today.  Ran during seventh period by myself so I could come home and hang out with my Australian family.  I ran a 2 lap warm-up and then headed out to dogpound (4mi).  The three middle miles were the threshold miles.  Running it by myself was different because I had no one to keep my sights on.  It was pretty windy today, I generally love running in the wind because I don't focus as much on myself and I feel a bit more free.  The wind didn't bother me until I turned right at the dogpound, then it got a little hard to run against.  Mid-way up the first hill there was a massive onslaught of wind and I felt like I was inching my way slowly up the hill.  It eased up a little on the second hill but it was still pretty windy.  My time was 18:19, 4 seconds slower than the first time I ran this.  I jogged back up to school and went on a cool down, 2 miles on middle school run.  Overall I felt pretty good today except for leg soreness.

am- met ruthie up at the high school at 5:30 for a nice morning run.  warmed up with 2 laps around the track, stretched a little and then we headed to arctic circle (3mi).  my left foot was hurting pretty bad until i got warmed up a bit and then i couldn't feel it as much.  We took it really easy today because of the track meet tomorrow.  It was a bit chilly but not bad; i wore long spandex and a jacket.  It was nice running at a slower pace.

afternoon- best run ever.  we were in hurricane for region solo and ensemble, so after we performed me and ruthie went on a run and kept track of miles thanks to her sweet watch.  We ran two warm up laps on the track and then headed out for a wherever-the-heck-we-want five miler.  My left foot has been acting very stupidly, it hurts on the left side on the top and sometimes i have to limp run because of it, especially when i turn left.  the run was awesome though; we ran past some horses, over a wooden bridge, through an orchard, and as we were turned around at our designated (by a cone) turnaround point the wind hit us and it was raining pretty good.  We ran back through the orchard in the rain and came back to hurricane high school.  there was stick that had gone all the way through ruth's shoe.    

Today was not my day.  I ran the 1600m after running a slow 2 miles by myself before the meet and a 3 lap warm up at the meet.  Got new shoes today (asics 2120) and I ran this race in them.  They hurt a little because of the newness but were better than my other shoes would have been.  My left foot still hurts pretty bad, I keep getting told it should ease up because I got new shoes, so here's hoping.  It was a little windy but my time was pitiful even for there being wind.  One second slower than last meet where there was harder wind, and 10 seconds slower than my PR (which wasn't incredibly hard for me to get at the time...)

Grass loop warm-up (.5 mi) and then the 3200, which was worse.  Ruth paced me and I wore her racing flats.  I felt pretty fast, and I felt good like I was really workin it and that I was doing better.  The wind was gone and I felt like I was gonna make a good time.  I had moments where it was hard to keep my pace but overall I felt better than I usually do in the 2-mile, and I didn't absolutely die on the fifth lap.  When I finished I was actually surprised at my time and I couldn't talk to anyone for at least five or six minutes (I actually yelled at Kareena), and thats why when ruth said "let's run the 4x4!"  i was completely up for it because i felt like i had a choice of either throwing something really hard at someone or running a lap really hard to get rid of my anger.  I forgot to do my cool down after but who cares, i am done.

I didn't run at all today.  I was planning on running six after school but I got tied up and by the time I had time I was in trouble and had to eat dinner.  I thought maybe it was a good idea after all to take the day off to give my foot some time to heal a little, however I still feel pretty guilty. 

I tried going out for an 8-miler this morning but I didn't get a half mile up the road before I turned around and walked home.  My foot is hurting and I can't run on it right.  I am hoping I will be able to run okay by Monday.