C Mantz Running

      Warning: This race report is really long. 

    I got there and was just thinking of one choice the whole time.  Which shoes to use, my nike matumbos or my new nike zoom streaks.  After about 2 hours and lots of talking with Brian, many athletes, and officials I decided on the matumbos.  Anyway, I went on a small shakeout  run with Jerrell, and then I saw Elijah Armstrong and Zach Perrin.  Two fast people I didn't expect to be at this race.  After the warm up I did some warming up with Adam Hendrickson.  Then I changed my shoes, and went to the start line and stretched.  They announced my name, and the other top 20 seeds, except Jerrell for some stupid reason. I went and decided to start a ways from Jerrell because last year I think I cut him off at the first, and I didn't want to do that again.  Kramer Morton and Ben Saarell started next to me.  It was pretty tight and I wasn't able to get that great of a stance at the line.

    Mile 1 4:50s-The gun went off, and so did Kramer, Ben, and all the other 150 guys who can sprint a 100m faster then me.  I kept getting cut off, and saw tons of people falling, but I was a ways back there.  I relaxed, did what Brian told me to do.  Just let others go all out this first mile, and then pass then on the hills.  After 400m the group around me started slowing even more, and I had to just get around them if I wanted to keep my pace.  Before the first mile marker, I was just passing people without throwing any surges in.  I felt great.  Better than usual in this point of a race.

   Mile 2 10:10s- We then started going up the switchbacks.  I knew this is what I had been specifically training for.  I pushed it up it, but stayed relaxed enough to not be too tired at the top.  Once I hit the top I passed tons and tons of people.  I saw Rory from Herriman and told him good job.  After the downhill, we hit the road, and the mutambos held up really well.  I was still getting closer to the leaders.  Then we hit the next big hill.  I had decided just to pace off the person in front of me on the hill.  This person didn't go too fast.  So I passed him, and ended up passing Jerrell and Chuk also.  I remember telling them to follow or something, but I don't know if they heard me.  At the top of the hill, I saw I was within striking distance of the leaders.  I just kept my pace and came down the hill and I kept passing people.

   Finish: 15:41- At the second mile marker I finally passed two people and got in the top ten.  I wasn't in the lead pack yet, but I was gaining on them.  At the turn for the last uphill I passed Elijah.  I pushed it up the hill, but (I think) I was still in 8th, and I knew 2 people could outkick me anytime, and my hopes would be gone.  I kept pushing up the hill, and at the top I think I passed Zack, and then on the downhill, he passed me, but I quickly passed him back.  I kept trying to get on that lead pack.  At the buttom of the hill I was in 6th or 7th.  I kept thinking someone was coming to outkick me, so I kept pushing it.  As soon as we hit the track Saarell was gone, but I just stayed on the tail of the two guys in front of me.  I thought I might get beat here, so I sprinted with everything I had left and passed Andrew Gardner and a sophmore(whose name I forgot) from Washington.  I think that was my best finish of a race ever. 

    Kramer and Ben were the other guys from Utah who made it.  They both had amazing races.  Jerrell took twelth and Chuk was also top 20.  Mike Finch was top 30, bearly missing out on a medal. After about an hour or two of talking and writing about the race, I finally was able to go on my cool down.  I went with Jerrell at first, and the Ben came, and Kramer and Chuk too.  We also found out Utah took the team score.  I think this was my best race of the season.

    About a two mile warm up to the track from my house.  Then a mile at 5:31 (goal pace was 5:30).  Then an easy mile, then another mile at 4:58(goal pace was 5:00).  Then I found a shorter way home from the school, that was possibly a mile and a half.  I still feel sore from the race on Saturday, but I felt better today than yesterday.  I think it a bit strange that for a long time I had the goal of making it to nationals, but now that I have, I don't have much of a plan. 

    Easy run today.  My legs are still sore, mainly because my cool down was too late and just not how it should've been, but they're getting better.  They'll probably feel normal by tomorrow. 

    Last workout.  I really wasn't feeling it today. About a mile and a half warm up. Then I did these .3 mile loops with Brian.  1 at 5:20 pace, although it was supposed to be at 5:40, then two at 5:20 pace, and then two at race pace, they were supposed to be three, but I wasn't feeling right.  After I did one at finish pace.  Two more as a cool down.  I'm leaving tomorrow for Footlocker, so I won't be able to put in the few days before until after the race. 

    Running in San Diego with the fast foot locker kids. 

     Ran the course today.  Goal Time: 15:30s, or 15:20s if I feel good.

    I got up at about 6:30 and got a medium sized breakfast and the left.  I sat by myself on the bus at first, but then a bunch of people started getting on, and I was lucky enough to have Meb sit right next to me.  I talked to him until we got to the course, and it was way cool.  It was one of the best parts of the trip.    We got to the meet, and I sat in the tent area with the West guys.  We talked and just tried to not be nervous.  Once the girls race started I went on a warm up with Kramer, and later we ran with Ben, Zach, and Troy.  We got to see most of the girls' race, and it was a fun one to watch.  After that I did some stretches and some strides and we had the announcements.  It was cool to be announced before a race.  I lined up at the line between Andrew Gardner (who has taken 4th and 6th at this race these last two years) and Ben Saarel. 

    The gun went off, and I knew that I wasn't going to have any trouble with being boxed in because there was plenty of room and only 40 people.  In the first 800m I was in the back with Poli and Kramer.  I wasn't feeling like I was racing here.  I just kept thinking I was at nationals, and had made my goal.  This was just going to be a fun race.  At 800m I was 2:22 and in 3rd to last after passing a few guys.  The group was packed, and the pace was perfect.  I was planning on getting ahead of a few guys before the first mile mark, but it was almost impossible to pass anyone.  Everyone had the same strength as me, it seemed.  I passed a few guys, but I was still at the back.  First mile: 4:52.

    Right after the first mile mark we hit the hill, and that's where I passed a few people.  I got up a ways and could now see the leaders separating us.  Then we hit the downhill.  I was not ready for a downhill this steep.  I would've rather ran up it than down it.  I got passed by one person, but no one else really gained anything here on me.  The race didn't really change much until the next mile mark.  Mile 2: 10:00 (slower than I wanted, I wanted to hit all sub-5 miles)

     At the 2 mile mark I caught up to the back of the long line that could be considered the chase pack.  Ben Saarel was leading it.  I made my move at this mile mark though.  I passed many of the west guys and caught up to where I needed to be.  I kept my pace, mostly passing people, but I kept going back and forth with Zach Perrin, which was good for both of us.  After the second hill I was feeling it and I slowed down a bit too much; one of my mistakes.  I then hit the downhill and kept a good pace and heard a race director point to me and say 14.  I didn't know where I passed the next three guys, but at the end Zach Perrin flew caught a few seconds on me in just that last 200m.  I almost passed Andrew Gardner near the end, but he barely crossed the line before me.  I later heard I was 13th, or 14th, but at the results I found I was 12th.  Other guys from Utah: Kramer took 16th(barely missing all-American) and Ben took 4th.  The west team took 2nd out of 4, but only lost by 4 to the south.  Next year we'll beat them!

      My time was slower than I wanted, but my place was great.  The course isn't hard, and its down in elevation so I was hoping to run faster, I still had a good race. I just feel like I had something left at the end and I wasn't that sore afterward. I finished strong this season and definitely can't complain.  My goal was to make it to Nationals, and I made it so I can't complain.  Also, I'd like to thank everyone for the support and help along the way.  Afterward I did a cool down with Kramer and Summer.  This race was a great opportunity and I'm really excited for next year. 

It was also a lot of fun enjoying the activities Foot Locker had for us, staying at the Hotel Del Coronado, etc.

Me with Meb Keflezighi

Ryan Hall

Hotel Del Coronado

Before the Race

Warming up With Kramer

Race

After the Race:  Utah Runners

     I did an 8 miler up the canyon.  At the turn around I saw Kyler coming down and ran the next 2.8 or so with him.  It was nice to be running with someone from the team again.  After I came home my dog went to the kitchen, like he always does, and begged when I passed his leash, so I took him for a half mile run. 

   I forgot how cold it was in Utah.  When you get back from California and there is now a few inches of snow, it takes time to readjust. 

    A 30 min. tempo run.  I averaged just under 6 I think.  After I ran to the track, did 2 laps, and ran back to the school for a mile cool down. 

    Thought I'd go slow and easy today, but I felt good so I went faster than I shoud've.  Oh well, I'll be having my week break in ten days. 

    5 miles were supposed to be at tempo, but my knee started hurting, so I stopped my timer and slowed down a bit.  My knee felt great after the first mile though.  1 mile cool down after that. 

    I felt great today.  I went four today and kinda had a medium day.  Easy push. 

    I wasn't feeling the best today during my run.  It could've been a lot of things.  The snow/cold, my poor diet of candy and ice cream, or just because I didn't go pretty easy yesterday. 

    I ran a very snowy and slippery run outside.  I tried to go fast, but it just wouldn't happen.  My last two miles were around 6:30 and 7:00, and they were faster than my other miles.  It snowed the whole time, but was actually warmer than I was expecting.  It was 34 degrees when I left and 32 when I came back, so it wasn't cold, just very snowy. 

     5-After school I met up with Tyler, Nick and Kyler for a run.  The roads were pretty clear today, but it was still cold.  I was able to catch up with Tyler and hear about all his college races and stuff. 

    5- I got home and just felt like I still had a lot in the tank to run with.  The roads were clear today, and they might not be tomorrow, so I decided to throw in some tempo.  4 miles tempo, but not as fast as I would've liked.  Not all the roads were clear, but most of them were. Time: 22:22. 1 mile cool down. 

    Easy cold run. For some reason I just didn't feel that good today during the run. 

    I was going to go for a 5 mile tempo with a mile cool down, but I procrastinated until 30 min. until I was supposed to leave to my sister's piano.  5 mile tempo-27:50.  I thought I had to leave right then so my cool down was small.  After I found out I had plenty of time. 

    Not a very good run today.  The pace was easy, but my stomache wasn't feeling to good during the run. 

    4 miles (3 miles uphill, 1 downhil) in 23:15.   a third a mile easy.  4 miles (3 downhill, 1 uphill)- sub-22.  My timer didn't start, and I didn't notice until the first mile mark.  I really pushed it that first mile though, and it was really downhill so I'm saying at the slowest I did a 5:40.  the 3 other miles together were 16:18.  1 mile cool down.   It feels good to get a hard work out over with.  I know I was supposed to have a break this week, but my wisdom teeth appointment got moved for a week or two later.  That's when I'll take my break though. 

    Alright run.  I didn't go fast, but it was really snowy and I think that could be what made it feel like I was working hard. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

   Alright run.  Slow.  The roads were really snowy, except for about 400m twice in my run between miles 2-3 and 3-4 had some places that didn't have snow but were still a bit slick.  It was strange that it was really sunny and blue sky, but there was about a foot of snow out there. 

    I felt like I had tons of energy to go fast.  Too bad it was all snowy.  It snowed all morning, and I thought it would lighten up, so I went at 12 and it was still really snowy.  It's all good, except for the roads.  You can't really run without slipping and sliding across the road.

    On four of my miles they were pretty clear and I tried to go atleast a 6-min. pace for the first five, but I don't know if I really did.  Then 3 miles that were absolutely terrible.  I went easy, there just wasn't any road, it was all snowy and slushy.

    I got my wisdom teeth out today.  No running for a while. 

2 miles of walking.  I don't really like this wisdom teeth thing.  2 weeks until the first indoor meet though, and I won't be able to start my hard training for another week. 

   2 mile walk again today.  I really needed it.  My legs need to run.  Tomorrow I'll finally be able to run again.

   Looking back on 2012, I've had a great year.  I averaged approximately 32 miles a week.  Now to think of new goals for next year.