The Renegade

Not exactly what I wanted but for the most part, a good race! Woke up at 4:30 and I was up at the starting line a 5:25, much better than the Freedom Run. Warmed up a mile, shedded my gear, and then waited around and did few strides. Talked to a couple people I know. The run went off and I found myself trailing off the lead pack. I had no idea how fast we were going until I looked at my watch. First mile was 4:55, inconcievable that I would ever open a road race that fast, but it did drop about 160 feet. A little after the mile mark, I heard really quick footsteps behind me (I was pretty sure it was a girl), and after the turn onto thirteenth she passed me and it was a person that took like 10th at the Olympic Trials Steeplechase final. Well then I was like dang I'm gonna get chicked I guess, but at least she's really fast. After the hill where you turn on South Temple I was breathing hard but felt okay. I caught up to an LP guy (Craik?) and we went back and forth on that road, then I sort of dropped him when we turned, but then just like the 15K my heart started giving me problems with 2 miles to go and I started to blow up. On this road I got passed by a ton of people which sucked. I thought maybe if I held on I good still get my goal, but whenever I would try and speed up it hurt so bad. Then I checked my watch and I was already over 35. Thought could get under 36 still but it didn't happen. I did try to sprint adn give it my all the last 100 which really hurt but I had to look like I was trying. Splits were 4:55, 5:15, 5:35, 5:32, 5:59, 7:05, and 6:36 pace for the last .3. Some other cool stats, strava says I ran a 16:18 5K in there. My officiall pr is still 17:38 lol so looks like I've gotta find a flat true 5K race in August  to break 17 on. (to find a serious 5K thats not 2.9 miles is very difficult so if you no of one tell me) Great race, I think I'll be back here someday.

Ran Mueller Park trail this AM. Great place. My legsg were trashed from yesterday and I was feeling pretty tight on the way up and was going to turn around at 3 because the uphill was killing me, but then it sort of levelled out so I went another half mile. Turned around and my legs loosened up more on the downhill and I felt pretty good. Would;ve chosen a more easy run to recover but I wanted to run this trail while I was here. 7:39 ap.

Also, I already found the next race to do. First Dam Pancake Run on the 13th. It's a 5K and me and Johnny Perez and maybe Isaac are gonna duke it out like crazy!

Was going to run with the team but I was too exhausted to get up :/ I headed out at about 3 for a heat run at Green Canyon. Before that I needed to get gas, but I ended up having some real problems with the pump, so I ended up starting after 4. Took my hydration pack  this time and I'm glad I did. I've never run with one before, and benefits outweigh the costs a lot. I didn't really feel much of a difference with it on except that I could hear it sloshing. Turned around 4 miles up. I had the thought that I shoulder have headed up the Preston Valley trail but it was too late. Didn't feel that bad (calves were feeling it a bit from Monday though) despite the heat but it sure was nice to have water. Kept it pretty easy on both the ascent and descent (on the downhill I wasn't feeling bad but I didn't have a lot of energy either) 7:57 ap. Decided to get a slurpee after. That's how you know it was somewhat of a challenge I guess. 

Ran Prov with Hayden today which was a great time. We went all the way up to quarry (it's been about a year since I last was up there) which is about 4 miles from the lower parking lot. The climb was tough but not as tough as I had planned in my head. When we got up there I decided we should follow "trail"/creekbed further up but that was alot longer than I remembered so we turned around after goin around a quarter mile up. We then checked out the waterfall and then headed back down. The road going up to the quarry is insanely steep and going downhill you can only go really slow or insanely fast, we chose the first one. We went a steady pace the rest of the way down. Pace was somewhere in between 9 and 10 minute pace but we agreed to take it easy both ways.

8 miles with the xc team in the morning, to trappers park and back. Felt pretty easy compared to all my other runs this week seeing that I wasn't racing a 10k or running up a steepish trail for 4 or more miles. Theres a burning in your legs that you dont experience on a flat run at 7:13 pace. Still didn't feel completley relaxed, but pretty easy. Much needed recovery. There's some freshmen that have been looking really good apparently so I'm excited for the future of the team. When I got home I plopped on top of my bed and took a killer nap without changeing or showering. Gross but I guess I was really tire for some reason. (btw the way I do my sleep time is I put down the sleep that was or or contributing to the runs in the entry, so since I didn't double today, that nap time is going on tomorrow's entry.

The XC team did a run up Birch Canyon which I've never run before so I joined. Todd's brother Carson (who coaches at Preston) came so that was sick.  When we were starting out the arch in my left foot was really tight and and a bit painful (probably had something to do with playing ultimate frisbee barefoot last night) but a couple miles in it had faded away. We were on a dirt road for a few miles then we got onto a sweet single track, which I almost like more than Green Canyon. The pace felt easy the whole way up and when they let me lead I dropped everyone lol. Turned around at like 4.5 and on our way down I was running and the next thing I knew I was on the ground on my side, my foot had clipped a rock. Got up real quick and was fine tho. Picked it up to about 6 flat pace the last mile which felt good. That's 6,000 feet of vert for this week so I'm okay with being a mile short of 50. Went to Todds house and we had pancakes with awesome caramel syrup.