C Mantz Running

AM-Fun race, I'll write more later.

2.5 warm up, strides, then the race started.  It was a pretty small field, and they had the starter on a ladder about 50 meters from the line, so I was more concerned with avoiding the starter than getting out well.  We got out well as a team, but it wasn't super important with such a small field.  The course had lots of turns, so I just ran on the inside where I could.  It was pretty flat, so I just let myself get into a rythem.  The goal was to wait until 4k, and then start stringing the race out, and then push the last 2k if need be.  I led a little in the first 2k, then the next 2k I sat behind a couple Portland guys.  I could tell they were annoyed that our whole time was just sitting on them, but that's how it goes sometimes.  At 3.5k, Zac took the lead.  At 4k, I took it and started a push to string things out.  At 5.5k, it was just Jake, myself and Kipruto from Portland.  At 6k, it was just Jake and I.  I kept the pace pretty consistent, and tried to get Jake to run with me.  I wanted Jake to fight for the win with me, or try and cross together if we could, but he wasn't feeling the greatest.  I maintained a small lead the rest of the way, motioning Jake to catch up.  At the last 100m, I sprinted it in.  Not my usual racing style, but it was good enough for the day.  Short cool down after due to interviews.  

PM-8.5 miles with Michael. Talem and Matt were with us for 2.

AM-18.1 mile long run. Felt good and kept it chill. Mostly with Micah.

AM-6.5 miles alone.  Woke up early due to daylight savings, but waited for others to run with.  No one showed up though. 

PM-12 miles, then some strides on the track. Went a bit quick during some parts.  Ready for a great workout tomorrow.  

AM-6 miles with Michael, Talem, and then we met Andrew Brewer on the way.

PM-10.8. 5 mile tempo at lake loop. Wore trainers, coach said no flats today. Goal pace was 4:50-55, but my watch was a bit weird, and I didn't hear splits after mile 2, so I went off feel. Ran 23:58, just 18 seconds off what I ran it in 4%s last year with people. Today also felt easier. Good things to come.

AM-11.2 miles, starting at 5:50AM. Earlier than I wanted, but it's fine.

PM-7.2 miles with strides. 

AM-6.1 miles. 

PM-2x(mile, 1200, 800) on the grass near the track.  Fast starts for the miles (64 and 65 first 400s).  Went 4:30, 3:21, 2:14, 4:33, 3:28, 2:07.  After the first 2 reps, Coach had me tone it down after this and run with the pack. I ran with the group on the first 800m and the second 1200m, and part of the second mile.  I felt good.  

AM-6 miles with Michael.  

PM-10.1 miles.  9.7 outside, then 4 strides on the indoor track.  

AM-Long run with the team. Last 8 miles were with Jake. I felt a little tired, so hopefully this shorter long run will help me be ready for two weeks. 

AM-7 miles. Watch died at 6, and so I missed the turn around for the 2 mile add on. So maybe more, but I'll count it as 7.

PM-4 mile warm up, 2xmile at tempo then 4x800 at an interval pace, all done at intramural field, 4:45 and 4:46 for the tempos, then 2:12, 2:10, 2:09, 2:09. Felt really good until the last 500 of the last rep. Surprised at how fast I ran at intramural field because it's usually tough to get moving there.

AM-6 miles with Michael and Jake.

PM-11 miles with Clayton, some with Milly and Jared. Strides after. Always a blast running with those guys. It was Milly's first time running since New York, which made for some funny jokes.

AM-5.3 easy miles with Jake.

PM-tempo 800, 2x400 on grass. 2:22, 60, 64.

AM-4.2 easy miles.

PM-4 miles on the course and then some strides.

PM-NCAA Mountain regional. Got out poor, thought I was good to settle in, then I got pushed to the back. I slowly moved up to the lead around 1k, stayed in the front pack, kept a good tempo, but nothing too quick. Tried to relax a lot. Around 9k a few NAU guys made moves to get the win. I followed for a few seconds, thinking I could be fine, but then I remembered to take it chill because nationals is just 8 days away, so I did. Time to recover, maybe get a second run in.

AM-10 easy miles. I felt great. 

PM-almost 40 minutes. Ran into Kale partway, so I ran with him for a few miles.

AM-5.2 easy miles with Jake, Michael and Talem.

PM-13.5k with Clayson, some grass loops, strides, and then I ran back with Jake and Kramer.

AM-5 miles with Talem and Jake.

PM-8x400 alternating on grass and track. Felt really good. 

AM-8 easy miles early in the morning. Felt tired.

PM-4 easy miles and then strides. Felt great.

AM-8.3 miles on a beautiful trail with 2x60 seconds and 2x30 seconds at a quicker pace.

PM-3 miles on a treadmill. Clayton did this before his win in the 10k, so didn't seem like a bad idea. 

6.3 miles at the course. Strides near the start. 

2.5 mile warm up, strides, race where I froze, post-race freezing, and then some warming up after a couple hours. I'll write more later, but I'm very proud of the team to push through the conditions and earn our first team national title. I'm thankful for the coaches we have, the teammates who didn't race, and for NAU for setting the bar so high, as well as being very gracious and classy about their loss. 

Race report: Got to the line after the warm up, did some strides, then I started taking off the outer 2 layers, until I was just in armsleeves, jersey, and hat.  I felt cold before the race started.  I did a couple strides, and then put some olive oil on my legs like last year, and then was ready.  I was already soaked before the race even started.  I was also really cold.  The gun went off, and luckily, we were on the second to outside box, so even though I couldn't get moving quickly, I didn't get boxed in.  I eventually started passing people ahead, and was in about 20th once we started the first turn.  I passed Matt and thought we were looking good as a team, because most of us were already up close to the front.  I got passed by Kigen around here, as he started running on the inside where the grass was longer, but didn't have any mud.  This kinda ticked me off, but whatever. I slowly moved up and was in the top few.  At 2k/3k I started feeling pretty terrible.  My calves already started burning, and my quads were hurting.  I was right behind Peter Suefer here, and he started pulling away.  I went with him for a bit, but I was feeling like garbage, so I let him go and decided to run with the pack.  

From 3k to 8k, I still felt like garbage. Suefer had made a big gap, so I tried to close it a few times, once at 5k, and once at 6k, but I just didn't feel how I've felt all year.  Running in the mud and being cold was really tough today.  Around 4k, I had told myself to just stay in it iwht the main pack, because 1)the team needed me, and 2) I wanted to, at the very least, finish in the top-3.  This led me to making moves to try and get to the front.  

Around 8k, the pace kept picking up and we passed Suefer.  I was feeling slightly better here, but still not my best.  Once Kurgat passed Suefer, I tried to go around the pack and catch up.  At about 1k to go, I had gotten some really good momentum, and was trying to catch up to Kurgat who now had a 10 meter lead or so.  Once the fence ended, Kiprop went OUTSIDE the course, running in the grass where there was NO mud, and then he passed me and cut me off.  I slipped, almost fell, and had to re-accelerate.  Right after, Klecker made a move around us all, and takes the lead of our chase pack.  I had to put a lot of effort into catching back up to him, and then I was with him until about 400m to go.  Kurgat had increased his lead to a point where catching him didn't seem possible, and Klecker had started to pull away. I heard someone yell "you gotta catch this Colorado guy for points" at me here.  This was the only time I heard someone yell anything about points or the team race the whole race.  Right after this point, Seufer passed me and started battling with Klecker.  Klecker dropped him, and he was dropping off, and I dug as deep as I could in the last 100m to get the minimal goal of top-3.  I caught him with about 5 meters left, and it was great. 

After the race, I was more exhausted than I've been after any race this season.  I watched the finish of other runners, but I had no idea what was going on.  Eventually Danny or Jake came to me, saying "I think we won." Due to NAU being such a good team, I didn't believe them.  I was also so cold that it never settled in. Eventually, I went to the media tent, and was asked what it was like to win by over 50 points, and then I knew the chances of us not getting the win were next to none, so I was pumped.  We then had a team interview, were congratulated by NAU, and it was great, other than being so cold. I couldn't stop shivering during all this time, and I actually couldn't focus on how great the team win was becuase I felt like I was freezing.  After walking back to the tent, I was so cold and couldn't stop shivering, that they trainer stopped me and had me go back to the medical tent.  They treated me for hypothermia, put tons of blankets and heaters on me.  I wasn't the only one with that problem.  They started asking me my name, and other things I can't remember, but eventually I was back at the awards, and I think I was warm again. This was such a great experience having the team get the win, and it was such a hard race.  Onto the next step. 

AM-5 easy miles on my own. Woke up early due to still being used to Eastern Time. 

PM-5 easy miles with Clayton, Clayson, Danny, and Matt. 

AM-5.1 easy miles with Talem, Josh, and Ethan Schuley. 

PM-5 easy miles with Dustin and Zack Erickson. 

AM-3 miles on my own in Smithfield. 

PM-7 miles with Ethan Field.  

AM-10 easy miles with Claire and Landen. It was pretty snowy, but no one seemed to be out, so it was nice.

AM-12 miles. Started with Claire and Landen, then we ran at Liberty Park and I ran on my own. Ran a few miles in the 5:30-5:40 range to open up. Felt nice.

Long cold run. Very ice.