C Mantz Running

     XC-We did Golf Course Extended backwards, and coach said that we could extend it up sunny-side if we wanted, so I did that.   I did 2 half mile (very) downhill pick-ups once my GPS finally locked on.  I did one at 4:38 pace.  That one felt pretty good.  I did another down the Sky View hill, and it was way too fast, but that's okay, I still have 2 easy days before the 15K.

      Pretty easy pace. I got new Asics 1170s yesterday and I tried to break them in today, but they didn't feel too good.  Maybe that's just how breaking in shoes is.  

      Today I ran the Blacksmith Fork Freedom Run in Hyrum.  I was hoping to be 47:59 or faster, but I just didn't have it in me today.  I learned a few things, so it was still a good race.  I need to get better sleep the 2 nights before. I didn't take a water at mile 4, and the one I took at mile 7 splashed out when I grabbed it, so that was another thing I could've fixed.  It was pretty warm, in the 60s or 70s at the start, so not ideal but still good.  I didn't feel the regular tail wind you get coming out of that canyon, and it was hot, so I think if I had the great conditions I had last year, I may have been able to break 48. 

      The first mile didn't feel too good.  I didn't feel like I had everything there.  It just didn't feel like a race.  I was running alone, but I could see Jon Coyle (who ran for Weber and was a very accomplished steeplechase runner.  He also beat me in Smithfield half last year and this same run 2 years ago where he bandit the race) behind me, but I had a good ways on him.  The next few miles just felt slow.  I haven't ran a race over a 5k for almost a year and I think that may have effected me.  After the fourth mile I looked back and saw I still had a good ways on Coyle.  At mile 5 I thought I was speeding up a lot, but when I looked back, Coyle had gotten a lot closer.  After a little ways I looked back again, and he was only a small ways back, and then he passed me.  I ran with him for a little bit, but he was just going too fast, so I let him go.  He had probably 10 to 15 seconds on me when he hit the hill.  I pushed the hill and it actually felt pretty refreshing.  I almost caught up to him at the top, but then when it became flat I think I slowed down.  He gained a lot of time on me on mile 8.  I calculated it out that if I ran 5 min. mile pace for my last 1.3 I would break 48.  I pushed it a lot more when I found this out.  I pushed it a lot and started catching him.  With a half mile to go I was in a good position to get first. With .4 to go he threw in a kick, and I just dropped off pace.  I should've sprinted here, but I just thought the race was over and I couldn't get a better time.  I know I slowed down here though, and that cost me a few seconds.  If I would've pushed the last .3 more I think I may have been able to break 48.  After I talked to Jon, and he said that he was taking it as a workout, and during the last half mile he heard me, and he got competitive and really pushed it.  He was 48:02, and I was 48:10.

      Mile splits: (possibly slow because my IPod had me about 9 seconds slow again.  I think it's just my IPod's timer) 4:48.9, 5:06.6, 5:12.3, 5:11.6, 5:02.6, 10:23.5 for two miles, 5:34.9, 5:06, 1:41.4 for the final .3

      XC-5.3 with team.  It didn't feel easy because my calves were really sore from yesterday.  Not as bad as last year though, so that's a positive thing that happened.  Tyson said we did two 7 min. miles, and I think that's the fastest we went. 

      No running today, my calves hurt too much and I think I should just play it safe.