High Speeds

Did a two mile tempo in 10:14. Mile splits were 5:06 and 5:08. Busted the first halF mile in 2:31 up that nasty bump on my Dad's 3 mile tempo course. I paid for it with 5:10 pace from 0.5 to 1.5. This is my two mile PR.

Did 4x400 in 64.0, 64.8, 64.5 and 62.6.

Did my Dad's favorite 3 mile tempo run down the canyon. The first mile was 5:07, as planned. I was breathing hard, but not too fatigued. I doubted my ability to run the tempo in our target of 15:30. I felt that I needed to push harder to keep the pace, and figured that I'd better hammer the pace while I still had downhill. I wanted to push hard in the second mile because I doubted my ability to push hard in the third. In any case, my next quarter was 72. That was when things started getting miserable.

I got 10:13 at two miles, a PR of 1 second. My second mile was in 5:06. The second mile with its nasty bump is the slowest mile of the tempo run. I really hammered it. That cost me later on. My third mile was 5:12, with the last quarter in only 76. I got 15:25 for the entire tempo, a PR of 17 seconds. My Dad thinks that If I'd waited to start hammering untill a mile to go, my time would have been at least several seconds faster. He's probably right.

  Today I got my ACT score back - 35 composite, 36 on English, 35 on Math, 36 on Reading, and 34 on Science. I'm very happy with my result. I was expecting another 33, based on how I felt and on how hard the Reading test was. I believe that many more students could score 34-36 on the ACt, than currently do. I'm not in the top 0.3 percent in terms of aptitude. I am where I am because of how I was taught. My parents were not afraid to challenge the norm. People can do what I did if they try. Also, my Dad would give me problems that would frustrate me so much that I would learn the concept on my own. That's how I learned calculus, and chemistry, and physics, and algebra. I was forced to gain a deep-rooted conceptual understanding. I didn't have to spend eight hours a day. My schoolwork usually takes no longer than 3 or 4 hours, but my time is spent efficiently. You can spend dozens or even hundreds of hours memorizing algebraic or even calculus formulas, or you can gain a deep, intuitive understanding of the concepts first, and then all the formulas you really need can be mastered in minutes or a few hours. Memorizing a formula does you no good if you do not understand why it works, or what it means.

4x400 in the canyon in 61.8, 63.7, 63.0 and 61.1.

Twelve freezing, miserable miles in the snow today. My and my Dad had planned a workout, but the snow made the trail too slippery.

Did a three mile tempo down the canyon. I got 15:30 for the whole thing. First mile in 5:09, second in 5:16 and third in 5:05. I think I could have pushed a little harder in the third mile, but flaked out mentally. Still, a 5:05 is good. I felt like I did not want to run fast (not that I don't always feel like that :-), but more than usual.). My Dad thinks it was due to the cold and lack of aerobic base. I think it was a combination of the cold, aerobic base, and mental issues.

Eight easy today.

BYU called back today. They accepted me as a 'status quo' student. I can take up to 11.5 credit hours. I can't register for classes early. I don't have first choice. But I'm in! I'm happy. Hopefully after a semester of good grades I can gain full-time student status.

Last 4 fast down the canyon with my Dad in 23:15. The wind was brutal, like yesterday. At certain points the wind was so bad that we struggled to run 12:00 pace.

This year's Thanksgiving was considerably more pleasant than last year's. Last year, I was sick. My 23:08 four miler last year was the most miserable experience of my life. I also paid for that time with 4 days of misery with a 100+ fever and a throat so sore it hurt to drink water. This year, I got 21:09, 9th place, less misery during the race, and NO sickness afterwards.

  My Dad told me to stick with the lead pack for as long as I could. The first half-mile felt easy, actually. I didn't know how fast I was going. Then It started getting harder. I was breathing really, really hard. I thought, "Am I out of shape or something? There's no way I can keep this up for 4 miles!" Then I saw my 4:55 split at the mile, which was probably short. My real mile split was more like 5:00. Short or not. the sight of 4:55 -- only 3 seconds slower than my official mile PR (though my Dad thinks I should be able to run something like 4:40) scared me into slowing down. I leapfrogged from guy to guy until I got behind Gordon King, a 18-year old just out of high school. My two mile split was 10:26, believable. My three mile split was 16:00, but my Dad thikns it was 5 seconds long. With 1200 to go, I started making a move. Gordon responded and passed me. Then I passed him. Every time I tried to gap him, every time I reached a certain intensity, it felt like I could not breath. I felt like my legs were strong and wanted to fo faster, but that I was unable to breath hard enough. I finished in 21:09. Gordon got 21:01. With 500 to go he kicked, and I couldn't respond. I may have had a little mental lapse between 600 to go and 400 to go. But I don't think it cost me more than 2-3 seconds.

I ended up pacing the one mile race, winning time 5:43 -- Josh Blackburn. I was afraid I'd have to run 5:20 or 5:30. Thankfully, my fears were not realized. Our total turkey count was 7. And this is the first year that everybody has gotten an award -- Matthew for youngest participant, and everyone else for place.  

Last 4 down the canyon in about 23:15.