The Renegade

2 mile warmup and then 4x400 average probably 70s. After the last one I was lightheaded and exhausted so I had to stop.

loop on the canal trail, cliff side, and river heights.

Surprisingly good workout today. Started out with a shorter warmup in my trainers (800). Then I did 3x400m in 1:23, 1:08, 1:20. So about mile pace for me right now on the first and third ones, but that'll change in a couple weeks. Then I ran 3x300m in 56, 60, 56. After that I did 4x200 in 35, 33, 31, 30. I felt really fast and good on the last one. About then Johnny, Mark, and Eric Strand (one of the track coaches this season)  all showed up one by one after I jogged 800 more meters to keep my blood flowing (before the 200s) They went off on a warmup and I just took a break and waited for them) When they got back I ran a 75 quarter with them. Then I ran two more 200s (I only remember that one of them was a 33) and one final 400 (74). Finally a 1200m cooldown and that was it. I can already kind of tell that I'm slowly getting my fitness back, so I'm excited to build a base this month and get back in top shape. But first, FOOT LOCKER IS ON SATURDAY! And we leave tomorrow morning!

We stopped in Mesquite to run and eat lunch. It was kind of cool to run with way different scenery. It was overcast and kind of wet. I felt pretty sluggish and couldn't really keep up with the other three. We ran through a neighbourhood and then on a sand trail.

Ran the MSAC course. The hills kind of scared me but its a really cool course. 

Fun race. Not necessarily a fast one, but it didn't have to be. I basically just enjoyed myself. I'll really race it next year. The course is the coolest course I've ever been on by far. I wish I didn't only have one more chance to race it. It really scenic, too. As far as splits go, my first mile was a 6:20, and I slowed down once the hills started. It was really fun to coast down the hills, especially the first one. I think I'm pretty good at running downhill in my opinion. I don't remember what my 2 mile split was, but it might have been fourteen, so really super slow. The whole time I was feeling good, and I only really stated to get a lactic buildup with 600-800 meters left. All I can say is I can't wait to race it next year and get a huge PR. 

Here's some pics from the trip!

Good run today. Not a completely satisfying training session since I had to leave before strides and stretching though. It was the second day of indoor training, so we actually have a coach (Eric Strand) who's pretty fit, so it looks like he'll be running with us every day. It was just Mark, Johnny, and Keith, plus coach. He wanted us to do some grass running today, so we ran to willow park, did a couple miles on the grass, and ran back. It took us maybe 30 min., and It wasn't even hard for me, so good signs for me finding my old fitness again.

Tiring workout. We actually ran from the school right to my house by coincidence. (For Coach Strand's workout. After spending some time doing stretching drills we did a 2 mile tempo, just out and back on a mile stretch of road. That was it for the workout. I ran a 12:50, which I easily could have done during the cross season. Right now I don't even know if I could break 12 in the 2 mile. We then ran back and did some more stretches and strides, plus a fair amount of core.

That was a slow run, but it was sort of satisfying. I ran out to providence and onto the trail at Von Baer, then came back around on the road. I felt sluggish going up, but once it was all downhill, I felt good except for the fact that my legs were feeling pretty tight and weren't landing the right way when I was going downhill. 8:20 average. That may be an improvement, I don't know, but there is the fact that I was still tired from yesterday's workout and a crummy night's sleep. All day I had to stretch whenever I say up from my desk. My legs were just really tired! Well, hopefully in the next week or so I can naturally get my easy runs down to a sub-8. Tomorrow I geuss Ill try to run. But I don't want to miss watching FL Nationals tomorrow! It's gonna be a really competitive race!

Loop on the canal trail and then up to cliffs use and directly back the school from there. I felt pretty crummy for most of the run. It want until like the very end that I sort of started to losses up, but most of the time, my legs were really tight, and that was the main problem. 2x200 on the track after. Both 32s. They didn't feel bad. I realized I should probably get some new shoes soon before I get injured, cause my precious ghosts are finally wearing  out. Workout tomorriw with Coach Strand. I'm excited as long as get enough sleep. I think that is mostly what effects the quality of my runs, because I hydrate like crazy no matter what.

Good solid training day. It was just Mark, Vickie, Coach Strand and I. We warmed up to my house like on Thursday, did some warmup drills, and then another 2 mile Tempo. I got 12:58, so 8 seconds slower than last week, which is weird because I felt better today. Then we ran back to the school and did a miles worth of strides. After that we went inside and hip strengthening, lifted a bit, then did core and stretching. Half a mile more on the track while waiting for my mom to pick me up.

Good run up the canal trail and back with Keith, Vickie, and Coach Strand. Keith and I really picked up the pace at the end and Keith went crazy and sprinted. Geuss it makes up for him not being at practice yesterday. After the run we did some hip drills, core, and yoga, which is something I've never done before. It mostly focused on stretching.

Pretty intense today. We had the same people as yesterday plus our freshman freind Zaire. 1.25 mile warmup, and then 4x800 with a minute rest in between. And we followed the rest time pretty strictly. I usually end up lengthening the rest. My times were 3:01, 3:02, 3:02, 3:07. My set time was 3:02, so I think I did pretty good. We went out pretty fast on the first repeat, so we had to slow down a lot to even it out. Keith stayed on my shoulder on all of them but a couple feet behind me. Except for the last one where I was really struggling and he turned up with 250 to go. I was able to stay on HIS shoulder, so that was good. The rests seemed shorter and shorter each time, which is expected. Good workout though. I'm just trying to figure why Keith is already running with me on the repeats and he only started running again last week.  After that we did a grueling but relaxed 2 mile cool down, 4 x 40 yard flys (barefoot) and then some hip drills and core.

No run, I felt that running today would not benefit me. I was pretty tired and dehydrated during school, and I took that as a sign that I need to take the day off.

6 miles on the deer fence and then one more mile a little bit up Dry Canyon and back. Ran with Coach Strand and Vickie. My lower legs were pretty tight almost the entire time (partly because we didn't do any stretching), so my stride stayed pretty restricted, but it was fine. I was able to just run the whole thing with ease. That last mile in Dry Canyon was pretty tough though, half mile really because the other half was downhill. It was a nice morning, completely overcast, but warm enough and not raining. The trail wasn't muddy, either. Good run to finish my highest mileage week since the cross season! Not a lot, but I know I can be at my highest fitness by the end of January at the latest.

Not such a good workout today, but that's on me. Mile and a half warmup on the track and around the school. Then our workout was 4x1000m w/ 2 min rest in between. We also had to jog 200 in the rest. My set time was 3:45, so the same pace I was doing for the 800s last Thursday. Keith had the same pace set, but I'm pretty sure he actually hit that pace at least once. Here it was layers out:

#1: 3:51, 2:00 rest - On this one I stayed with Keith the whole time. It didn't feel that sucky, but I could ready tell it wasn't my day. 

#2: 3:52, 2:07 rest - We were slow in the first 100 of this one, and Keith sped up and lost after that. After that one it started to get hard.

#3: 4:09, 2:11 rest - For this one I figured out I was going at a high 20s 5K pace, and I know that I could at least run a sub-20 right now (and regaining ground fast). I just wasn't feeling it. This was were my form broke. I was just focusing on finishing the workout at this point. I felt super weak.

#4: 3:55, END - This wasn't as bad as the last (as are all final repeats). Enough said.

My problem was dehydration and too many Christmas sweets over the weekend.  Got a ton of sleep last night so that's definetley not it. After the workout I felt light-headed and stumbly. During it I was getting some hard core side-aches. Mile cool down on the track and then 4x40m flys. Those felt okay. Then inside for some hip-drills, weights, and core. In the weight in did 2 sets of bench with 15 on each side, squats w/ 25 in each side, and cleans with 10 on the sides. They were all pretty easy. For the core we just did some crunches and planks. Productive day. Just wish I was more physically prepared for it.

(Run was actually 6.3 but I rounded it down for organisations sake) 

Amazing and peaceful morning run! It snowed enough last night to blanket the valley in white, so it was beautiful running through Logan with most of it untouched. I hit all the best places to see like that. (Center St., Downtown, the temple, Old Maine, Canyon Rd.) That pretty much mapped out my run for you. I felt pretty good too, and my average pace was a 7:50, so I'm seeing some improvement there. I just told myself at the end that if it was sub-8 than I would be happy for today. Temp was in the twenties, so not optimal for running, but I stayed toasty (except for my fingers.) Another 2 mile T run tomorrow. I hope I can be closer to a 12:40 for it.

Another 9 AM workout today. It was just me and Keith just like Monday. We warned up to my house and then did the 2 mile tempo. Keith stayed in front of me the whole time, more in mile 1, and then I stayed sort of behind him the rest of the time until until he kind of pulled away with 300 to go. Finished in 12:55 about 3 seconds behind Keith. So it's good that I've at least been consistent for the first 3 tempos so far. We then cooked down back ( I felt pretty tight) and ran a couple more laps on the track. Keith sat out. Then we did 4x100m strides. They kind of sucked. Keith left and we went in and did hips, weights, core, and stretches. Apparently I've caught onto the power-clean pretty fast, and I guess that's the most important one for the 800, so that's good. Good day of training. I'll running in Idaho for maybe the next week and a half, so I hope it doesn't snow too much.

30 min. easy today. It was really 3.85 but I rounded up. My pace was pretty slow. It was an out and back on a straight dirt road covered in packed snow. On the way out I had a tailwind, and so coming back I head wind, so that slowed me down. I'd rate this run oust okay, but it's Christmas so I'm glad I even got out today.

40 min on snowpacked roads and highway. I felt sluggish.

Good and not so good run today. It was good because my muscles and breathing felt great and I was able too end with and average pace of 7:50, and considering the cold that's pretty good for my current fitness. But in the course of the run the temp dropped from -3 to -2. By the end my face was literally covered in icicles and my hands were super cold, despite having two pairs of gloves on. I took a loop around west of the house. (Still in Idaho). When I got home I put my hands under some leuk warm water but I couldent take it so took them out. For the next five minutes I was in more physical pain that Id been in ins long time. I would have much rather been racing a 2 mile then going through that. Luckily tomorrow it will warmup. After that I did a little bit of hip strengthening.

last run of the year! Wasn't too good. Tried to do a two mile tempo but it sucked so bad after the first mile that I had to cut it short. After that I did a tiny tiny cool down. Weak ending for the year but I can't control when have my off days sometimes. Anyways that wraps up a 1,315 mile year. Next year my goal is to run 2015 miles, which is an average of about 38.5 mile per week, so I can do it as long as I stay healthy and don't get injured.