Blake Bennions running

Easy run in the morning with Cubby and the team, it was an alright pace. I might do some more tonight depending on what's happening.

Warmed up and then a 400m at get out pace, I ran 69 seconds. Then ran a 12 minute tempo, I was thinking of just doing like mid 5 minute range but Cubby said we should go for sub 10:00 for the 2 mile since we'd never done it before, I said I didn't think this we were in good enough shape for it but we went for it anyways haha, at least for the first two laps, I ran 76 and then 2:35 and then let the pace slow, the next lap came in at 3:55 and then 5:20 I think. I never do well when I dont do even splits for a workout so I kind of let it go and just ran a little under 6 minute pace, Cubby started getting away but then with 2 minutes left I thought that I might as well push it because the biggest thing I can do for the team before I go is give Cubby some competition to train with. So I surged the last 500 or 600m and caught him again, I finished about 8 laps and 250 meters, which is about 5:30 pace. So it was a pretty good tempo run, especially the surge at the end. This wasn't max effort or anything but it was fairly difficult, I think if I had run even splits I could have finished 9 laps and it wouldn't have been any harder. But still a fun tempo! I like tempos, which I've heard you do a lot of in college, so so that's good! I want to run sub 17:00 at the sandy classic on Saturday, that would be pretty fun, mostly I just want to be up racing with the lead pack. Also found out I have a dentist appointment tomorrow morning at 10:00, so if I can't move that I will have to miss my last Alta run, but I will just run with Matt, Tayte, or Davis if I can't make practice.

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.