Blake Bennions running

Ran with Matt Walch, the gully longer run and then a few miles in the part of of the lower gully east of the tunnel, or Narnia as it used to be called, on a day like this you can see why, its full of giant 5-6 foot high plants and it looks like a jungle, its almost enough to make you think you left Utah. It was a nice run! Last week before my mission, feeling very excited, but also pretty nervous. 2 years, its going to be a lot different around here when I get back. But I'm really excited to go and I know its the best way I could spend the next 2 years, and its the most important work I could be doing. I'm going to give all I can to being a great missionary. This last week before it starts I going to do make a little more noise and go out with even a little more bang, I'm going to try and break 17:00 at the sandy classic, which is good for that course. I'm also going to try and get a 20 mile day next Monday, a gully practice with the team and then a long run with Davis, it will be fun! I'm really going to miss it here, and I'm going to miss my team!

The 20 mile day is a maybe haha

Ran at porter Rockwell today. We ran with the freshman for the first 6 miles and then ran did another 4. When I grow up I'm going to make a Gatorade fountain. I dont know exactly how its going to work, but its going to.

Some easy jogging

Really fun race! Also congratulations to Holt for winning it again! I started out easy, about 10th or so, and I took it easy up the hill. But once I got to the top of it I made my move, I passed a couple people and got 15 meters behind cubby and some bigger dude, I worked my way past them the next quarter mile. The big guy fell off the pace and after I passed cubby I was in 2nd place, Holt had a good lead, like 80 meter probably. Maybe I should've gone out faster, but I think that going out conservatively was smarter and gave me a lot more energy to run a good race. The rest of the race I tried to catch up to Holt a little, I made up ground in some places and then lost it in others, he made a surge on the final uphill with about 1/2 to 3/4ths of a mile left and finished strong. I was holding my pace and then once we got into the final 400m straightaway I started looking for a place to get off the course, at the end I slowed down and stepped off the course about 5 meters from the finish and a second later a kid ran past me, but I think I would've been able to outkick him no problem if id been kicking instead of trying to get off the course haha, I also might have been able to run 17:15 or so if id been kicking harder and I would have gotten a medal if I was registered too, so I think I should remember to register next time. It was a really fun race though! After I finished I went on a cool down with Holt, he's awesome, he's a SUU track and xc alumni and a really fast runner so I was happy that I was able to finish decently close to him haha. After that I found Murphy and cubby and we went on a cool down as well, so I got a good amount of cool down in! Good final race for me before my mission.

This is the first time a 15 mile day felt easy.

Am- I ran the gully long run with Cubby, we ran a good pace, last gully run I will do I two years, also possibly the last practice with my team. I go into the MTC in about a day and a half, running has been helping a lot with the anxious excitement I'm feeling haha.

Pm-I ran the wasatch-pepperwood loop with Davis, it was rainy so it was nice and cool and it was pretty easy. It was a good run and it was great to get one more run in with him before my mission. I spent all the time in between these two runs doing stuff to get ready for my mission, so I was surprised at how good they felt. I could easily go for another 5 miles tonight to make 20, maybe I will after dinner? Tomorrow I will run with my Coach and if I have time maybe Tayte, I was going to run with him on Sunday but he got hurt. Also hopefully I can show up during practice one of the next two days for a little to see everyone again.

I ran city creek canyon with Coach Murphy, it was a lot of fun and I was really grateful to get on last run with him before my mission, he's an amazing coach and I've learned so much from him! City creek was a really beautiful trail, it was cool and there was a lot of shade. Murphy also showed me memorials to Utahs veterans and war heroes, including my great uncle Mervyn Sharpe Bennion who received the medal of honor, that was really cool! On the way back, about a minute after Murphy warned me about hurting my ankle, I sprained my ankle. Its a pretty bad sprain, I had to walk another mile back to the road while Murphy ran back to get his car, that was a pretty long mile, I kept wanting to stop because it was pretty painful to walk on, but I figured the faster I got back the sooner it would be over. After that I went to Coach Murphys house and he got me some ice and food, then he took me to the hospital my dad works at, my dad checked out my foot and said it was really loose, I think it will be ok though. I have an appointment at 4:15 so I will get an xray and see if its ok. We will have to do this run again when I get back and do it without a sprained ankle haha. Hopefully by Thursday or Friday I can try to run a few miles, my hopes for the MTC mile record have taken a hit, but I'm still hoping. I will make one last post after my appointment.

Its just a sprain, they gave me a boot though. They said two weeks, but its already feeling a lot better today, I think I will be out of it by Sunday. They have bikes there so I will preserve my fitness that way until I can run again. If I break the record I will have someone post it for me on here! This is my last post for two years! Good luck to everyone!