C Mantz Running

    5 miles tempo, 2 cool down.  I had some trouble today with the run.  First mile went good, second I dropped my iPod(first time in years.  This thing has lasted forever), which has my music and watch on it.  I quickly picked it up and continued running. Later I found the corner was a little banged up, but not bad. Third mile was good.  Fourth mile felt good, but is one of the fastest on the route(three quarters are downhill), but I ran my second slowest mile. Fifth one I saw my split, and couldn't believe it.  I pushed it a lot on this mile and was able to finish it faster(it's really uphill) than the previous one.  The cold was bad, and I think I've been eating too much lately, so my stomache wasn't feeling that good.  Splits: 4:58(downhill), 5:44(uphill for almost all of it), 5:17, 5:39(mile 2 backwards), 5:36(mile one backwards. uphill!)

   3 easy later when it was dark.  I felt better, but it could be I was bundled up.

    8 with Tyson and Ethan.  It was supposed to be my long day (10 to 12), and I was shooting for twelve, but ended up not having much time afterward.  I ran three when I got home, but didn't have time for four.

    Around 7.  Tyson and I ran in a lot of snow.  We did Turkey Trot backwards, then we went up to the top of 6th south instead of finishing, then we ran Cedar Ridge backwards.  Pretty fun running in the snow.

    1.5 mile warm up inside on a 13 lap track. Not too fun.  Then went to the treadmill, and did 5k at 5:00 pace with 2% incline (it stopped at 3.05 miles, but then I started it back up until I finished the 5k for sure by running an extra 300m), then 400m easy, then 1 mile at 5:00 (same incline), then a small walking break to the drinking fountain and back, then 1 more mile at, you guessed it, 5:00 pace.  I kept increasing the incline until I was 5% for the last 200m.  .5 cool down on the treadmill, the 1.5 off the treadmill (had to do some math for how far I ran)

     3 easy with Stockton and Ethan. Halfway through we stopped and had Ethan run a 400m at 5:00 pace to get ready for tomorrow. 

    Great way to start off the indoor season, especially at that track(it usually runs pretty slow).  USU puts on a great race, low key so you don't have to be too stressed about it, and it makes it more fun.  I did a small shake out, then another one with some teamates.  Then we warmed up for the mile by running 1.2.  Then we warmed up again for the mile about an hour later (It took a long time until the mile started), we ran about another mile.  Then we got spikes on, did stretches and went to the start line. 

     They put us in heats, and I made sure I got a good start.  I ran in first, Skyler Williams was in second, and then another kid in a really cool Nike uniform(looked like the Nike Oregon Project's one, just different colors.) was behind us.  We started to make a gap, and we came across 800m at 2:16.  I wasn't ready for the speed of the mile, but once we hit the 800m mark, I started feeling better.  Skyler passed me either on the 4th lap, but then with 700m to go I started to make a big move to lose him(this guy can kick like a madman! He's fast at the end).  He stayed close, but then at 400m to go I through in another surge, and thought I'd lost him.  With 200m to go I thought I'd won it for sure.  With 100m to go, I looked back, and he'd made up everything, and was getting ready to pass me.  Here I sprinted faster than I have for a long time.  Last 200m was 30 sec.  My middle laps were slow, but it's okay, still the start of the season.  I beat him, but it wasn't at all easy.  It was a good effort.

    After a long time of waiting, watching cool races, talking to a lot of people, and eating, the 800m was getting close.  I had planned on running it, but wasn't sure.  My dad advised me not too if I wanted to run the 3200m also, so I listened and decided not to.  It was a crazy race to watch, and just watching it was more intense than the mile.  Tyson started out in 3rd or 4th for what I could see.  He was 60 sec. at 400m, 1:31 at 600m, and finished in 2:00!  He took 3rd to Sam Sorenson and someone else.  The two mile was fun, and I ran it solo.  They combined the heats of girls and boys, so it was crowded, but I felt good.  I didn't want any lap slower than 37.  I ran a 9:38, and Ethan and Stockton were 2nd and 3rd, so top 3 were Sky View.  Cool down afterward to bring it to 10 for the day and 50 for the week.  Great week of training.