Failure makes me work even harder.

AM- 12 w/ 3 mile tempo.  Well, today started out feeling alright.  We went for about 6 miles then started out 3 mile tempo.  I started out the first mile with coach holt and michael at 6:06 pace.  Then, something happened that didn't last week....I freaked out.  Here's my speal.....and please I know I shouldn't do this but I did.  To be honest....I am intimidated by Michael now....Before it was Tyson, but now that Michael has done so well and broken that mental block and well, I haven't.  I know I'm just as fast, but where's my proof?  I need to just trust myself and run my workout/race.  Because every workout this summer I've done well....he hasn't been here!  I can't seem to concentrate on the right things.  Anyways the next mile I slowed down a ton (6:32).  Then, the very last mile I just fell apart (7:00) and hunter passed me.  I really need to get over these mental limits and also just shake off this run!  I need to just be me and run like me (which is way faster than this)!

PM-3 I kinda gave myself a pep-talk before this run.  I really just boosted my confidence and just told myself I am a good runner and that I am mentally strong and stuff like that because sometimes I just tell myself I need to improve this or that and that I need to fix my mental strength when in fact I am really mentally strong I just don't believe in that mental strength!  I really had fun this run and had some good jokes and laughs along the way!  I really had fun and really want everyone to do well this wendsday...including myself! 

AM- Ran on the dirt mile today.  Our splits were around 7:05 and 6:50.  Coach said before that it's not to go fast just to learn to have consistent mile times.  NOT to go fast....that's what tempo's are for.  So, I felt bad because that's what I did last week.  So, this time I decided to just stick in the group and go whatever they were going.  I felt pretty good.  I drank this one 333 stuff that's suppose to be for long distance athletes....and I felt like I had a lot of energy in my legs!  I am really excited for tomorrow!  Coach had a speal today about if you had a bad workout what do you do?  Learn from and move on, don't dwell on it, because we all have bad workouts...even the best.  And that really comforted me about yesterdays workout, because I sometimes think the best have only good workouts...which isn't true!  So, I learned what I did wrong and such and will definitely learn from it!

PM-3 Nice, easy run. Didn't feel too hot outside surprisingly.  I think I'm tolerating the heat more and more.  Really calm and ready for tomorrows race!  I average 7:30 pace(-ish) and just thought about things this run.  Legs feeling good!

AM- 5 on grass w/ striders.  We did a 2 mile loop on the road then did the rest on the grass barefoot.  Some of the guys must be antsy for the race, because they were trying to go way to fast!  So, I sat in the just behind them with Wes and Kreshaw.  I felt good, I've been telling myself that every race all I can do is give my best and I can't ask anymore of myself.  That has helped me a lot!

PM- RACE REPORT!  Okay, so this wasn't as good as I wanted, BUT it was a great learning experience!  So, later I found out the Desert Hellians plan was to stick on me to break me....kudos to them...but next time it wont be so easy!  Basically all they did was make me wanna crush their hopes and dreams even more!  Well, I started out well, but I think I could go out faster, I was just scared I would die out!  The whole first and second mile I was surging ahead of the brigham and Chris Hansen (I think) and they would just surge to get back ahead of me (trying to break me...which eventually worked).  But, the whole time I was well within myself and could've gone way faster than them but wasn't sure if I could hold pace by myself (with michael way ahead and a gap between us and Jason Quinn).  So, next time I am going to trust myself and just go for it!  The last mile they broke me because I had tried so hard to surge ahead of them.  Next time maybe I will just stick behind them...maybe I won't let them catch up....who knows! It wasn't my best, but it proves I can acheive my goals....I found that not thinking about the race the day of for me is the best...just try to have fun, destract myself, and positive!  Next race I am thinking I will make good adjustments that will pay off!

7.5 w/ 6x1min. hills and 8x30sec. hills. in Hell's hole.  Well, I didn't get hardly any sleep last night for some reason....so I wasn't exactly energizer bunny this morning.  We ran down to Hell's Hole then started our 1 min. hills.  Michael and I hit about the same spot on these with maybe a couple he was barely ahead of me.  Then, on the 30 seconders Michael would start out a good speed then he would hit it faster on the second half, so I tried to stay with him, which I did.  It was a great run considering I was dead tired and my mouth was so dry I couldn't even spit.  Found out we probably will run Hurricane.  Which I think is good, help me improve my racing before bigger races like SUU and on.  I feel really positive since yesterday.  And I know I didn't perform my best, but it just proved to me I can run so much faster than that because I felt well within myself.  Next race, push myself more!

PM- 3 w/ plyos.  We showed up just as the boys were leaving, but me and Krenshaw didn't have our shoes on so me and him spent the whole time trying to catch up, but just went slightly faster, nothing too fast.  I felt really good and strong.  Went to the Running Center thing after, which was really nice of steve and his family to buy us food and drinks!  I also won a hat...which is also cool!

AM- Dixie Center Trailhead. 7 miles.  We started out running and we decided to detour onto a dirt trail which turned out to just lead to the river.  So, we just basically ran in sand for a bit then decided to turn around.  We then went back onto the trail where we ran past a golf course and ran for a couple of miles on the road when the trail ended.  We then ran back.  I felt alright today, no real spring in my step, but really just discomforted muscles.  I think sometimes I blow a little pain out of proportion and it's really just a little discomfort.  My dad showed me this article on pain.  It was interesting it said that the word suffering use to me the same thing as passion, which I thought was really cool!

PM-3 easy. Felt good.  It was a nice, easy, slow pace.  It was so hot and I didn't really feel like pushing it so I just took it easy!

2:30 PM- 6 w/ long hill.  Well, I thought the mileage was 5 but I'll count my miles and miles of mountain biking earlier!  I went out in the heat today just to get use to it, because we are going to have to run in it in the middle of next week!  It was super hot, but I wasn't going tempo pace or anything so it wasn't that bad the first couple of miles.  I couldn't find a really long hill so I just went on the one by  Hunter's house.  I felt pretty tired because I went mountain biking with my dad this morning, so I wasn't going to push the pace.  I was watching David Rudisha's WR 800m in the Olympics and WOW what an awesome race.  Not only the speed, but it was without a rabbit!  The announcers were saying that going for a record would leave him vulnerable to defeat, so it takes SO much trust in yourself to do that and go for it!  I think that's the one element I'm missing now, not being affraid to go all out!  So, I'm going to work on that next workout, race, ect.!

Goals next week: take care of myself (ice, use the stick, stretch, etc.), have fun running, don't overstress hurricane!