The Renegade

Pretty interesting run today. We did the Canyon Road/Canal Trail run, and when we got to first Dam, everybody who made it that far (there was five of us), decided to take a super scary trail above the reservoir that eventually took us to the top of Sumac Drive. We pretty much walked the whole way on the trail, because we were bound to fall to our deaths if we even jogged.  After Sumac we stopped by Vickie's house and had some popsicles. Then we ran two more miles to get back to the school, where we did a good round of core, and then I would have iced but I had to run home again. Hill Repeats at Gibbons tomorrow. I think it's nice that we've started to put in speed work during practice, because then I don't have to worry about doing it on my own.

Great workout today. We took a bus up to the park on cliffside and and after  close to a mile warmup, we did 6x800m hill repeats. I was a workout very similar to the one last year with Brian Mckenna at this park, but his course was flatter, although that workout is still imprinted in my mind as one of the toughest of the season both mentally and physically (maybe because it was about 80 degerees out and two days after our race at Mt. Crest. All I know is that he designed to simulate the state course at Highland so I'm assuming it was the same for this. It started out pretty flat with a couple small hills here and there, and around 600m we had to get to then top of a big hill and run back down. Then there were a few rolling hills for about the last 200m. We had a little over a quarter mile jog in between sets. My splits were 3:10, 3:07, 3:03, 3:05, 3:01 ( I think), and 2:46. (I just went all out on the last one). I ran pretty much all of them with J.D. and Ethan, but I don't think they had to put in as much effort as I was to get those times. It's funny because even though the last repeat was run harder and and being much more tired for it, it was easier than most, almost fun, actually. I geuss it's like that with alot of workouts. I didn't really have any problems other than a couple small cramps in my shoulders and neck, but they went away fast. Afterwards we had a 1200m cooldown and took the bus back. Then I iced, wich I geuss isn't such a good idea if you still have to run more after, especially if you do it from the waist down like I did today. So I had some shin pains on the run home but they went away as I warmed up again. 

4.5 easy miles with Jake and Keith, up Mainstreet to Carl's Jr. (approximatley).Then we got back and kind of got to gimp out from core because we got  there when everyone else was finishing.  Then I ran home after icing. (I don't know why I keep icing when I have to run again, it's probably just because I don't want to get left out at all)

AM- For XC we ran up to Providence and then did 8x20 sec pushes w/ 1 min recovery. Ididn't feel totally on top of it, but it was OK. For the first few pushes I was really just reaching as far as I could with my legs and overstriding, not increasing my cadence, which actually felt pretty good and satisfying. Then coach told me I shoulden't do that, so I just worked on having a quick, definitive stride. I think I'm going to work more on both of those things, increasing my natural stride length, and also being able to "slice" through the air with my legs. Back at the school I iced for a long little while and then ran home.

PM- I got the new racing flats I ordering online delivered today, and I coulden't wait to break them in a little, so I did a short little run on (mostly on grass), did some strides on a field near my house, and then ran back. I felt pretty fast in the shoes, and I'm excited to race in them. I might even use them for our 2 mile time trial next tuesday.

Good run today. I actually ran to practice, wich I think is a great warmup, bett erthan the 800m we usually do. I ran with Keith, Damon, Jake, and Isaac. We went up to the Aggie Bull statue by the stadium. I felt pretty good, and I think it was the good night's sleep I had. Then we went up the hill to Old Maine super quick, (we were sort of racing), and then a good pace until we got down to mainstreet, where we sort of raced all the back to the football field. (I geuss I started it by picking up the tempo). Then we had about 8 minutes of core, iced, and I had a pretty good run home. 

This morning I did my last long run before the half marathon. It was a big loop just like the one in the past two weeks except this time I arn all the way up center street till I hit cliffside, then once I got up to dry canyon, and ran the deer fence trail to providence and came back through the residential are and then past Macy's and the Golf Course. I got feeling pretty tired once I got across mainstreet, but it was ok. I pushed the last mile like I usually do, so that I can remember to do it on race day.