Running Blog

AM: 4x30 sec F pace w/ 1min rec, 3x800 I pace w/ 2min rec, 3x1000 T pace w/ 1min rec. Pizza hut warm/cool. Well today was just another one of those days when I just didn't want to go to practice. But, I dragged myself there. Started out on the 30 second things, and they were pretty easy. Kinda just ran by Coach and went as fast as he did. The first 800 I was going fairly quickly I felt like, even though I tripped on a rock and the little bendy thingy inside the bottom of my shoe curled up. Just ran with Coach again. The second 800 was the same, felt okay, but a little sickish. Then I decided I needed to run to the bathroom, so I sped over there, thinking we were gonna start our 1000s so they'd wait for me. But when I came back, they were starting another 800! So I hurried over and started on my own. It was harder not knowing where exactly I should be, so by the end I was just catching the back of the group. Then we started our 1000s. Someone decided we should do them Indian style, and at first I was not happy about it. But when we started them, I decided I liked it better that way.. Less mental, more about just staying with the person in front of you. These weren't exactly easy, but I didn't think they were that hard either. By the end of the last 2 of them, I was feeling like we weren't going fast enough, but I was a little hesitant to break the whole Indian line thing.. So I didn't go nearly as fast as I could have. Anyway. It was a fine workout. What I need to figure out is why I can have such good workouts and then have not-so-impressive races.

PM: easy three.. Took us forever cause we were all dead from this morning and we had to stop every ten feet so stoner could stop laughing.

Easy 3 to Arctic Circle. We kept getting scared cause of the lightning.. but it made me super excited for a storm! Striders after.. we ran and screamed at some random people on the field dressed in black. Kinda. Mostly Stoner screamed and the rest of us laughed.

AM: Four with Roberts, Mia, Stoner and Kaelie G! Mia and Sally and I learned an important lesson. Never ever fall behind Stoner and Kaelie! We saw Mrs. Threet.. that was weird. And Stoner and I shoved Roberts and got handfuls of sweat. Ick.

AM: Three with Sally and Liz and Kaelie and Stoner and Mia. During our 200's we saw a giant explosion in the sky and men started raining down on us.. at which point we and the cheerleaders broke into song ("it's raining men! Hallelujah!"). Then the cheerleaders climbed higher so they could see it better, since it's a well known fact that it's impossible to see the sky from the ground. At first it looked like a giant light saber, then it morphed into a black hole, then the East Australian Current. I think we even saw Crush, Squirt, and Nemo. Anyway, that is the end of my tale.

AM: three to Arctic Circle. Ran in front of the guys on the way there. Played some line running game. Felt way good.

PM: three at Sugarhouse. Something weird was going on with my knee and I couldn't run normally for the first half mile-ish. And everytime we went up a hill, my legs just died. That got me kinda worried for the race- I was just kinda hoping the course wouldn't be too hilly. Yeah.. Turns out that was a joke.

RACE: So.. When we got there and started warming up, the JV girls were racing and half of them were walking. Then some guy told us the course, and showed us there were three huge hills we'd have to run up.. Yay. But I was kinda excited. I told myself after Murray that at Herriman if my legs got tired again, I'd just push through it, and I was feeling confident. After some great pre-race cheers, we started the race.. I got out pretty well again, and Stoner and I were right together for the first loop. The first uphill felt fine and we passed a bunch of girls. Then the gimongous downhill, which was pretty intense. Then there was a little hill, and my legs died again, and Stoner took off. But I pushed it still and stayed in my position for a while. Then some Lehi girls passed me and I was like 'what the heck am I doing?' and forced myself to pass them. After the huge downhill again, we got to up the mutha cussa, which was everything I dreamed it would be and much more. I felt like I was walking the thing. I honestly thought for a second that I was going to stop. Then I passed Coach and he told me I needed to go right then. I didn't actually feel like moving much at that particular moment though, so I didn't.. Until we got to the last downhill, which got me going again and I actually made it up the last hill pretty fast, putting a 12 second gap in between me and the girl behind me. So I was pretty happy with the race. I didn't give up, even though my legs tightened up like crazy on every hill. And our team did totally amazing too. So happy with our girls and how hard they've all worked. Awesome trip and awesome race, even though it was the craziest, hardest course EVER.

Ran with Stoner and Mia at about 10:30, cause I had work this morning. We went from Stoner's house out toward the airport.. We weren't sure on exact mileage, and we made a wrong turn at one point, but we were pretty close. It was warmish and we weren't feeling amazing, but we got it done. At the end we had 1 mile hard, so we did that and I kinda just felt like I was floating.. I wasn't really there all the way mentally. Probably because I only got 5 hours of sleep last night. But it was still a good pace and we did it together so.. Good run I guess. Happy to have it done and have the rest of the weekend off.