Run Buffs Run!

Easy run today with 6x200 meter strides at the end. Sooo cold!

Awesome steady run today by Chatfield Reservoir. It was early evening and the lake was frozen, so the whole scene seemed sererne and peaceful. I even ran along the top of the dam, pretty cool!

Easy run today in the greenbelt.

Today was scheduled to be a high aerobic workout, but not as fast as an AT run. I would assume that this would be close to marathon pace, so that I what I classified it as. It was really sloppy and wet which was less than ideal to run in. In all, though, I got a decent run in.

Easy run today out to Lucent Blvd. and back. I did 6x200 meter strides at the end, too. My highest mileage week ever :)!!! If I want to run well this next track season, I have to make a jump here in the next month or two. After a few weeks of this I am guessing that I will start to really feel it. For a week or two I feel like I can do almost anything, but after that I will really hit the realities/fatigue of 80 miles/week. I will just take it as it comes and try to survive!

Sweet run today. Like last week I hammered it out in Daniels Park, pushing it the second half. Overall, a great workout.

Easy run today up the creek path in Boulder. It was snowing and chilly but fun. I did some strides at the end, too. 

Today was a workout Wetmore likes to call the 3-2-1, meaning 300 at 5k pace, 200 at mile pace then 100 at 800 meter pace with 200 meters of rest between intervals. I did the workout on the indoor 200 meter track, so cranking out 100's was tough since you have to make a sharp turn for the first 50 (I did run one fast just for kicks in 12.7). In all, todays workout was good!

I woke up early to get my run in before work this morning. I ran with Clint Wells and a couple of other guys from the store. I ran to the location to where everyone was meeting to get an extra three. We started at around 6:30 pace, but cranked it down the last few miles (Clint and I even hit 5:25 for mile 11!) I love this type of running. Slowly squeezing and maintaining constant pressure for a moderate length of time really helps me build aerobic base!

Today was really easy before work at BRC. AT run tommorrow.

Today was a decent workout with the team. It was really windy, and Wetmore told everyone to run 27:30 for our five mile AT. We ended up running just under 27 mins. and it felt really easy. We did some strides and plyometrics afterwards before heading to the gym to do some strength training.

Easy miles before work today.

Awesome run with the team today. We ran a four mile loop that Wetmore just discovered and it was really nice. We started out at 6:30ish pace and picked it up each lap (every four miles). At the end (last five), I decided to roll with the big dogs. Vaughn and I ended up pulling away a bit and hitting 5:20 and 5:15 for miles 14 and 15 respectively. I have never been able to keep up with him or Pifer (which was a bit behind us), so today felt really good! Our overall pace ended up being almost exactly 6:00 min/mile. 

Easy run today with some strides at the end. My right knee hurts pretty bad. I can't really isolate a reason because it started hurting about an hour after yesterdays run. I don't remember bending it any weird way, either, so who knows. I will probably take tommorrow off to get things healing.

My knee hurt pretty bad today, so I decided to stretch, ice and do core strength drills. Hopefully this will subside soon.

Alright, my knee felt a bit better today so I decided to attempt a run. We started out at 6:30 pace and squeezed to 5:45's by the end. This felt good after my day off, and my knee did not hurt too bad. Surprisingly, it hurt less when I finished running (even after it had time to tighten back up), so I guess that's good. Besides that, a good run. Coooold!

*New Pic: Our team cresting the first hill of the 8k at the Buff Ranch.

Alright, my knee really hurt today so I am going to take some time and get this fixed. Now is the time to get these mishaps out of the system before outdoor track comes around.

Nada

I crosstrained on the elliptical for an hour today. That was painful. I don't like the fact that you go nowhere. It feels like you exert a lot of effort with no payoff...

45 mins on elliptical

Today I did 30 mins on the elliptical and went to see Mark Plaates for knee treatment. He massaged the area of my knee giving me trouble, and it was definitely one of the worse experinces of my running thus far. This hurt worse than any race I have ran...no joke! 

Alright, I tried running today and my knee is still being stubborn and hurting. Apparently my vastus medialus caused my patella to move a weird way. I can't stand this!!! From now on I am going to cross train for two days, then test running again. I will repeat as long as I need to until I can presume running full time again. Boo :( I want to get this over with and get rolling for track. I think I need about 10 weeks of solid work to get in race shape. If I start rolling at the beginning of February I should be good. I will keep my fingers crossed.

La piscina! Don't know what this translates as far as mileage so I will say nada. 

Pool - 5x6min. "surges" with a one minute break doing freestyle. This was actually harder than running for me.

Pool blah!

Well, my knee felt better so I tested the waters. It felt ok, not great, not bad. I wil lcrosstrain again tommorrow and test again on Monday.

Pool - my skin is drying out from all of this pool stuff. Bad news.

Really easy today. My knee feels better but still not great. We'll see tommorrow.

My knee felt alright today, good enough to make it through my full run without too much pain.

Alright, my knee felt a lot better today. This makes me happy :)! All of my ultrasound, STEM (electrical impulse therapy), icing, elevating, massaging and waiting seem to have helped. I'll see tommorrow (fingers crossed :-)).

Easy run. My knee hurt a bit, but seems to be getting better.

Easy run today wit Wac attack! I lifted weights afterward and did a lot of core strength drills afterward. I need to build up some core strength. I would not be surprised to know that this whole injury stemmed from a weak core and building up mileage too quick. I'll work on that.

Easy run today with some of the BRC runners. Knee hurt a bit more than ususal today.

Alright, my first decently aerobic run in a while. I ran out 4.5 with our team before turning. I ran back a bit faster because my knee felt great. It sort of "numbed out" after 5 miles. Overall pace on the way back was 5:45ish. Wetmore seemed pleased. He said that I am waiting until at least late March to race again. This makes me happy. I have some time to get rid of this knee curse and gain some actual fitness. I talked to Mark Plaatjes yesterday at work and he indicated that I tore a bit of my vastus medialus. That would explain why it is taking a long time to heal. It does seem to be making some progress, though. As long as I can run hard at outdoors I am fine! Haha my profile is now posted on the CU website! They should put my picture up soon!

http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4066&SPID=265&DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=1378066&Q_SEASON=2007

Easy. My knee felt mediocre.

Easy run again today. This knee trouble is persistent. It is getting a bit better, but is taking a long time to heal. Slow running does not seem to worsen the condition much, but I want to put a move on it and get in shape! I guess I just need to relax. This has been my longest ever injury, and it is wearing on me :( 

Easy

Easy with Wac attack. My knee hurts a bit, but not too bad.

Another easy day. I am just waiting for this knee thing to leave.

Easy run before work today. I had to get up pretty early to run, which was no good.

Magnolia road today. I took it really easy on the downhills to not hurt my knee and hit the uphills a bit harder.

Easy run today. Alright, I am at a decision point. I need to decide whether I should take time and get this this knee thing finished. It is slowly getting better, but I know that running on it is not helping the situation at all. I think that cross training may need to happen again. This may hurt my track season a bit, but you can't win them all. I realllly want that regional qualifying time in the 5k, but I will have a lot of upcoming opportunities. All I am doing right now is prolonging the problem.

Lots of pool!

Pool again.

La piscina!

Pool

Swimming

Ok, so this was the worst move I have made in my running career. I went out with my old coach on his long run and my knee didn't really hurt. By the end it did hurt a bit, but was not too bad. I was not thinking at all. I will rest again tommorrow and see how it feels. Bad choice Nick...

Long pool workout. Man the pool is for winners haha!

Pool and 10mins of running. Pain free!

Easy running for 25 mins. and an hour of pool.

Really easy run today. My knee felt amazing!!! I was pain free, and could barely even feel "it". I also swam 30mins. Wetmore told me that he is going to put me in the 10,000 meter at conference in May assuming my knee is good. I really need to get rolling, but not until this knee thing is fully gone. I am going to keep swimming even when I begin hitting full mileage to really help increase my aerobic fitness. I am going to need it come May!

Easy miles. My knee is feelin good!

Really easy before work today.

Good run today at The Grange. I only ran ten miles, but I did it at decent pace (around 6:00/mile).  

Easy run today down at my house in Denver. My knee felt good and the weather was really nice!

Easy run today up the Boulder Creek Path! I felt nice to run for a while and escape schools death grip.

I ran at lower mesa today. It was a little muddy, but it was pretty good. I did the ice tub and electrical stimulation afterwards.

I was completely pain free today. I could not even feel "it"!!! I tried some strides and they felt great too!!! Hopefully I can begin workouts in the near future! I am sooo excited to actually get going again!

Easy run today with 4x100 meter strides at the end. Knee felt great!

Another easy run today before work. So apparently I ran 65ish miles this week, and it literally felt like I was doing nothing. I guess that will change when I start workouts again, but that felt ridiculously easy considering that this was my max limit not too long ago. I am going to begin doing some harder training this week!

Good run today at Coot Lake. It was really cold and snowy, but our pace stayed pretty brisk. I ran about 6:15ish average pace. I can't wait to start getting back into shape!

Really easy with strides at the end. I don't even feel my knee anymore!!!

I was going to do a workout today, but Wetmore decided to keep the team inside on the 200meter track, and didn't want me bending my knee in weird ways around the tight turns. Instead I ran a few miles up the creek path and did strides at the end. Good run!

Today was a middle distance run to South Boulder (Cherryvale). Everything felt good and I ran around 6:15's for most of the run. This was longer than my Sunday run, but I felt good!

Really easy run today by Marshall Mesa. I did some strides at the end.

Well, today was the first workout post injury. I was not expecting much seeing as I haven't run to any great extent over the last six weeks. I was assigned one to two (whichever I could handle) x 2k at 6:15 pace. When we started out and hit the mile in just under 5:00 mins and the 2k in 6:14. I was amazed at how easy and controlled the pace felt! On the next repeat, we hit 6:15 on the dot, and again, I didn't feel like I was working too hard at all. I asked coach Heather if I could join the rest of the crew (Wacker and Herzl) on their last repeat and she said I was fine. We started slow on the last repeat, so I jumped to the front and picked it up. Around 1200 meters, I realized I was all alone. The other guys dropped off the pace a bit, but I felt really good and decided to keep on truckin'. I hit the last repeat in 6:12, and I seriously felt like I could do a couple more. I really surprised myself today. Before I started I was ready to die, but it turned out being much easier than I would have expected. I guess this is good; it shows that I haven't lost much fitness and I can try to salvage a good 5k/10k time this track season. After the workout, we did omni, weights and core exercises. Feelin' great!!!

Just pool today. I don't want to jump back into the full swing of training too fast.

Ok, this run was one my best ever long runs. I started out at fairly easy pace for the first eight miles (49:50), then slowly squeezed it down the second half (running "Vaughn style"). I ended up running 135:30 for sixteen miles, so I guess I really cranked that second half (5:42 pace!) I think time off just makes me fitter haha.

I went really easy today to recoup from yesterday. I did 7x140 meter strides at the end, too!

Today was a 3-2-1 workout, consisting of 7x(300m, 200m, and 100m) with 200 meter rest between each interval. We were assigned 49's for the 300's, 32's for the 200's and 15.5's for the 100's. The workout did not seem too hard, but it was weird to get running fast again. I have not ran with any pace for quite a while, so this felt good. We hit target pace for all intervals, but accidently hit a few 47's and ran one interval of the 100m at mid 14. Besides that, we did omni and weights. Tommorrow is an AT run. I am guessing it will be pretty fast (5:15 or faster for 8k-9k). Hopefully I won't die!

Today was a 9k AT run at Potts field. My legs felt really tight today seeing as yesterday was my first workout with any substancial pace. I have never ran 9k for an AT either, only 8k, so this was a new endeavor. It was windy, too, which would make matters a little tougher. We started out fine at 5:15-5:20ish pace and it felt great. Slowly people began to drop away after mile three to four, but I still felt good so I kept on rolling. I ended up finishing in 29:55, just under 5:20 pace for the whole run. I think the wind slowed times by about five seconds per mile, too, so I was happy with the effort. I felt like I was just riding the "threshold wave", never too fast, never too slow, just haging in there. We did 4x150 meter strides at the end, too. Tommorrow my run will be a glorified walk. We have been putting some good work in and I need to make sure to rest properly to prevent injury.

Really easy today. My calfs are ridiculously sore from the track workouts this last week. I did a lot of stretching and some core work, too.

Alright, today was the first decent track workout of the season. I was assigned 4x1k repeats at 2:50 pace. Everyone else in my group did the workout this morning, so I did the workout solo. Luckily a lot of people from the team were down at the track to provide some support...loved that! I started out way too fast, running the first 100 in 15, but I slowed a bit and settled into pace. Between intervals I had 400 meters rest. I hit almost every split on pace, except the first one which I hit in 2:49. This was a good workout!!! I hope to be able to maintain this pace for the 5k at sea level later this season, so I need to get a good feel for the pace now. I definitely felt the last week of hard work, but I managed to cruise through ok. Later we did omni and lifted weights. Good day!

Easy run this morning before work. I swam a bit afterwards, too.

Today was the weeks long run, and we went to The Grange. I felt ok, a bit tired, but I could hang in. I ran 1:32 for the whole run, and felt pretty tired afterwards. Tommorrow will be easy.

Easy run today up the Boulder Creek path up into the canyon. My left calf is super tight from all of the track workouts this last week. I need to get working on that. 

Today was a good workout. We did 4-2-2-4's, meaning 400 in 63, 200 rest, 200 in 30 then 400 rest. This did not feel too hard, and we hit all the splits in time. At the end I got a bit carried away and ran 28.5 for a 200, but I toned it down afterwards. My calf is really tight again today. I had it massaged out before practice and it felt good during the workout, but afterwards it really tightened. I will do a lot of stretching and foam rolling. Oh...on another note, Wetmore might throw me in a 3k this weekend at Potts. As long as I feel good I am fine with running it. Hopefully I can run fast!

Today was a good medium paced run at The Tank. It was really windy and hot, but overall I had a good run. My calf hurts a bit, but I wore a compression sleeve so everything was ok. I will probably run very short tommorrow.

Really easy today in south Boulder. I could feel my calf a bit, but I massaged it out like crazy. There is a bit of a knot from all of the trackwork we have been doing. I just need to be ready for Saturdays race.

Well, today was a shakeout for my 3k tommorrow. I can't really believe that I am racing this soon, but I guess I will try my hardest and hope for the best! 3k...that's pretty short anyhoo...haha:)

Well...today was my first ever 3k off two weeks of training. I ran 8:57, which is ok considering it was windy and cold. I definitely feel that I could have run faster given a bit more speed work and training (and a sea level race :)). I had no real kick either. Aerobically this was not too hard, but I am not in the groove to run really fast quite yet. My calf hurt a bit during the race too. I really need to pay close attention to this.

Easy run at the Highline Canal today. My calf seemed to stretch out, but I could definitely feel it for most of the run.

Siiiick...my calf is really swollen and hurts quite a bit. Man, I just love this sport sometimes. I can't get in any kind of groove right now.

An hour of swimming! Back to the pool!

I ran three miles today and swam for 45 mins. My calf feels a bit better, but not great.

I ran to the rec center, swam for forty minutes, then ran back.

Really easy today up the Boulder Creek Path today. I swam for half an hour afterward, then did core strength drills.

Only swimming today. I have given some thought to this track season. It is unrealistic to expect any extraordinary times, so I am going to keep my focus on getting well for XC next season. I pushed too hard earlier this season, and I am paying for it now. I have learned a bit about where my limits lie, and how to train in the most efficient manner to avoid injury. Before all of this, I felt like I would never be injured. Haha...well that definitely caught up to me. I honestly think that consistent 65-70 miles/week can get me where I want to be, so I plan on training at this level to avoid injury.

My calf felt a lot better today. I could have kept going, but I decided to keep it short to keep from further injuring myself.

I ran up the creek path today and did a few strides on grass at the end. Surprisingly, my calf didn't hurt at all!

I definitely was not planning on this workout today, so I decided to start and drop out if my calf hurt. To my luck, it held up amazing!!! We did 10 x (4-2-2-4), meaning 400 on, 200 off, 200 on and 400 off. We were assigned 63's for the 400's and 29's for the 200's. This was a great workout! I stretched for a veeeery long time afterward, and got my calf massaged out. I can't believe it felt this good. I am definitely surprised. Nonetheless, I am going to keep things under control. I am not going to make any steep mileage increases or anything of that sort. I plan on running 70ish for a while.  

"Easy" miles up the Mesa Trail today. My calf felt a bit tight, but I massaged it out afterwards, and did a lot of stretching. Tommorrow will be very easy.

Really easy today up a few trails near my appt. My calf felt ok, and it stretched it a lot afterward. Tommorrow morning is a workout.

Today was a decent workout consisting of 3x2k repeats at 6:15 pace. These did not feel too hard, but after this last week of work, they may have felt harder than they should have been. We hit all intervals on pace (second one a bit fast), and did omni afterwards. Tommorrow I am going real easy to prepare for next week. I plan on hitting 70ish miles.

Really easy this morning around south Boulder before work. Tommorrow is a long run up at altitude (8500'), and I want to make sure my calf is ready to go!

Today could have been the hardest long run I have ever completed. We went to Magnolia Road, and I was assigned 17 "steady" miles. It was really windy, too, and that came into play later in the run. In the beginning, I felt really good. Since the route is downhill on the way out, I was not working too hard. Only when I turned around did I realize that the wind would be blowing directly in my face the whole way back. Climbing steep hills at 8500' in the wind is one experience I can now gladly check off my list of running endeavors. Needless to say, I made it back in one piece and I never walked (although I felt like I was moving that speed sometimes :))! My overall time was 1:52, surprisingly! I felt a bit light headed at the end, too from the lack of oxygen at this ridiculous place.

Today was easy with a few strides at the end of my run. I have another 3k this weekend (CU invite), but I will train through it. I am excited because in two weeks I get to run Mt. Sac!

Today was an AT run since we could not use the track (they are doing work on the mondo surface). We ended up running on the 800m woochip path across from the track, which actually felt really good. I had to do the workout alone since I had a presentation for school. Wetmore said the course is 15-20 seconds slow per mile due to excessive winding and a soft, gravely surface. I was assigned 5:30's for five miles, and it seemed just right. It was breezy, but I don't know how much that slowed me down. I wore trainers, too, since I brough no XC spikes today. This felt really good. I hit all miles on pace, and felt like I actually got into a groove (something I have not felt in a while :)). I think this was worth around 5:10's on the track, especially if I were doing the workout with someone else. Another coin in the piggy bank :)

Sooo, today was a track workout consisting of 10x300 meter repeats at 47 second pace. Wetmore initially assigned us 16 repeats, but after our AT yesterday, he backed some of us down a bit. This felt pretty hard. The first few were really easy, but at number seven or eight my legs decided they had enough. It felt like I my effort was going exponentially up while my actual speed was going exponentially down. I guess zip, or high end speed, is the first component you lose when you are training hard, so I was not too distraught. These workouts always seem tough for me. This really short and fast stuff hurts, especially with the recent fluctuactions in my training.

Ten easy miles today with 4x200 meter strides at the end. Tommorrow will be a shakeout for Saturdays race. My legs feel a bit "juiced" right now, but I think that if I rest up tommorrow I should be ok!

Today was a shakeout before tommorrows 3k at Potts. I did 4x100 meter strides, too, to keep sharp. My legs felt a bit heavy, but they should be ok by tommorrow!

I haven't written in a long time for my blog, so here it goes. Today was a 3k race at Potts (CU invite). I felt ok, but my legs felt really tired. I ran 8:58, boooo! I guess the work I have been doing is taking a lot out of my legs. I placed third this time, though, so I guess that is an improvement. It was, once again, crazily windy and I was stuck in no mans land (between lead and chase pack) for half the race, which did not help. Anyhoo, I survived and I get to run the 5k at Mt. SAC next weekend!

Today was an "easy" day around Coot lake, but it did not feel all that easy to me. We have a small workout tommorrow before we leave to Mt. SAC, too, so I need to rest up.

I don't quite know what's wrong with me, but I feel really fatigued. I can run easy for a moderate amount of time, but when I begin doing repeats, I just die. I could only hold 3x4-2-2-4 today when I could hold ten last week. I am going to take tommorrow off and rest.

Nothing. Rest

Well, a shakeout today at Mt. SAC. This is the coolest track I have ever seen. It is decorated, has huge bleachers on each side and, most importantly, is at sea level. Ahh, I can breath!!!

Alright, today was probably the worst race of my life. My legs were absolutely beat, and I felt tired. I warmed up about three miles, then did a few strides and headed to the start. My heat was pretty big, so the start was a mad dash for place. I jumped in mid-pack and planned to just sit for a while. We came through the first lap in 72 (not too fast) and it felt much harder than a 72 should. We hit the next few in under 70, and hit the overall mile in 4:37. This is about the pace I wanted to run for the whole race, but my legs were done. I wanted to stay with the main pack terribly, but I just did not feel "it". At six laps, it felt as if I hit a brick wall, and I could tell my pace went down substancially. After that, all I wanted to do was finish. This was the worst seven or eight minutes of my life, and it dragged on one lap at a time. I honestly can't even believe I finished. I drank some water, then did my cooldown and jumped into the team van. I was in a bad mood to say the least. This whole trip to sealevel and I major sucked it up. I seriously think I could have ran this time a year ago at sea level (when I was not in half the shape I am in now). I will take it with a grain of salt, learn, and prepare better next time. Although I don't ahve another chance for a 5k this season, I do get to run conference (10k), at altitude. That should be good. Everybody has bad days, but it's those who recover the quickest that do the best.

Today was an easy run down by the beach. This was definitely theraputic, and it felt good to forget about everything that happened yesterday. My legs did feel very heavy, though.

Another easy ten miles today on a gravel path in Ontario, Ca. I don't really know whats wrong, but I felt very tired. I seemed ok right at the beginning, but about a mile in it felt like I was working way too hard.

Today was a "long run day" at Draconia, but I had to stop early. I was assigned 16 steady miles, but after two or three I felt spent, and my legs felt machine gunned. I ended up running ten, but I could honestly go no more. I don't know what is going on, and this condidtion feels like it is slowly getting worse. I felt much better after my knee injury (when I was out of shape), and I could definitely run faster for a much longer period of time. I have overtrained before, but this does not feel like that (and I only did 50 miles last week). This feels like my whole bod fatigues at an insanely fast rate. When I begin the run, I feel ok, but after a mile or two it feels like I hit a massive wall. On repeats (track), I can do the first few, but after that I am useless (I have to go in anaerobic debt. to maitain splits). My iron supplement was taken at the airport (security thing), and I have not taken any since, so I think that may be the root cause. Even before it was taken from me, I took a very small amount, probably not enough to make any big difference. I have not felt "good", or even realtively good for almost two weeks now, so I need to find an answer. I checked the symptoms of anemia (online and through teammates) and it seems to match my symptoms. I am going to get a blood test tommorrow to see what is happening.

Easy miles today up the Boulder Creek Path. Felt blah.

Another easy day today around the Sanitas Loop. It was pretty hot today and I didn't feel great. I got some blood drawn this morning, and the sports doctor presumed that my iron would be low. We'll see.

Today was an easy run around "lollipop". I felt ok for the first few miles, but definitely started hurting after five miles or so. I received my blood tests, too, and my ferritin levels are low. My white blood cell count is also a bit low, so I don't quite know what that means. I am sure that our sports physician will know what is happening. I just want some answers to know why I feel so fatigued. I guess my low ferritin levels will produce some fatigue, but I don't know what extent they will do so.

Really easy today. I am still not feeling great, but maybe I will get better soon :) lets hope!

Alright, today was a workout which really scared me. I was not feeling great, but I decided to do as the coaches said and give it a try. I was assigned 4x1k repeats at 4:57. Coach Heather underassigned me a bit to give me some rest time. I did the first repeat and it felt great. I decided to go for the second, and again, it felt great! I finished the last two, running 72, 70, then 32 for the last 200. I don't know hoe this is possible, seeing as I didn't feel like doing a workout in any way. Well, who knows. I guess the multi-vitamins, blood builder and extra iron may be kicking in!

Really easy today with Christian Thompson. It was windy, but not too cold.

Today was a good run at The Grange. I started out slower than most of the team, but picked it up halfway through and caught up. I am starting to feel a bit better, too. A week ago, this type of run would have destroyed me. Overall time was 1:13.

Today was an easy run up the Boulder Creek path. I did 8x150 meter strides at the end on Folsom Field. That was pretty cool.

I felt really lucky today since the coaches did not assign me a workout. A lot of the team did some speed stuff, but coach Wetmore and Heather want me to get out my hole before the 10k at conference. I wont argue with that. Easy running felt really good!

Lollipop loop today with Wac-attack, Castro and Billy Nelson. Pacing was brisk, but not ridiculous.

I did a makeshift loop today in South Boulder, and it was really cool! It was cold today, but once I got moving it felt ok. The last few days of school have destroyed me. I have not gone to bed before 1:00am for the last few days, and I am really feeling tired. Tonight I will catch up on some sleep.

Today was an easy workout consisting of 10x200 meter repeats at 30 secs. each. My left leg gave me a bit of trouble. Me left leg (on the medial side, by my ankle) definitely hurt a bit. I will pay close attention to it.

No running. My leg hurts.

Alright, todays run hurt terribly. I ran 1.5 miles and stopped from the pain. I ended up riding back in a golf cart (that was being used for a race going on at the same place we were running). I like to call it the "ride of shame" haha. All I know is that something is verrrry not right.

Nada. Leg pain.

Nothing. An hour of swimming.

An hour of aqua jogging. This injury definitely hurts.

I am taking my break now. I really wanted to run the conference 10k, but sometimes the cards don't fall in your favor. It is not worth the risk of permanently messing up my leg. Until then...

Nada for a workout, but one of the coolest things happened today!!! I met Ryan Hall and Deena Castor!!! They both seemed awesome! They are running this weekend in Bolder Boulder, and they stopped by BRC to visit! yesssss! My new pic shows all of us together!

An hour of swimming. I went and got an MRI today, and it turns out I have a stress fracture in my tibia, and a partially torn soleus. The stress fracture does not really hurt, but the soleus injury really feels bad. This will take a long time to heal, so I will swim for a while and hope for the best. I don't quite know what to say, but I have definitely realized that I am a fragile runner. I need to really pay attention to small details (strength building etc...) to stay healthy, and I will learn from the training mistakes I have made. Well, I will probably start from scratch when I come back, but I will keep a positive attitude! This could be a while. 

Nada for a workout, but one of the coolest things happened today!!! I met Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor!!! They both seemed awesome! They are running this weekend in Bolder Boulder, and they stopped by BRC to visit! yesssss! My new pic shows all of us together!

Swimming

Pool

Pool

An hour of swimming

Swam for a hour. I am getting far better at this sport than I ever planned on haha...ahhh injuries I hate you!

An hour of swimming. I did core strength drills, too.

30mins elliptical, 1hr of swimming. I tried the elliptical for a bit today, but it hurt. I don't want to subject my leg to this amount of force either (this was more of a "test" to see where my injury is - it still hurts). I also worked on core strength.

An "easy" hour of swimming/aquajogging (30mins freestyle, 30mins aquajogging).

An hour of aquajogging & 15 mins of freestyle swimming. I did a 25 yard "all out" sprint to see how fast I could go. I swam 17 secs. for the distance - very fast for me. Most of the time I struggle to stay afloat, much less swim with any speed or grace :). I did some core strength drills, too. I weighed myself for the first time since my injury (4-5 weeks ago), and I weigh 137 lbs. (I have gained nothing!).

An hour of aquajogging. I think this activity keeps me at least "primed" to begin running again (when my injury is healed). Obviously I will lose fitness, but I want to prepare myself to come back strong when I can run. I believe a lack of cross training would result in a longer, more drawn out introduction. I feel like I have forgotten how to run, too. It will feel weird to get back in the motions after a substancial detour, but I'm sure coordination will come back quickly.

*On another note - "NCAA Champ" - whew that sounds a little fast for me! Does this mean I have to win nationals? Otherwise, I don't know if I'm quite worthy of this title haha!

An hour of aquajogging today. I did a 20min warmup, 10mins at AT effort, 10 mins easy, 10mins AT effort and 10 more minutes easy. I was surprised at the the toughness of this workout - definitely made me work. I actually feel good for the first time in a month! This workout was decent! Who needs running when you can aquajog??? hah!

*My new pic is what I believe to be my stress fracture. This is location in which the doctors said the fracture was, but I had to make a logical guess as to the exact location (using Nick science) of the injury using the cd of the mri they gave me at the hospital. Someone correct my if I am completely wrong.

Hour in the pool

40mins aquajogging

Today, my family and I arrived in Cancun. Lots of flight time & I don't even know where a pool is located. Sooo...goose egg!

Hour of aquajogging in a 90 degree, 5ft pool - this was tough to say the least, especially since I have to sneak in to use another hotels pool (our pool only goes to 4ft deep!). I will have to make the best of this for the next ten days.

Hour of aquajogging

hour of aquajogging

Hour of aquajogging

The usual

Aquajogging

Aquajogging for an hour

We went on a tour that left at 7:00 am and didn't return until 8:00 pm, so the pool was closed. Tough luck for me...boo!

Aquajogging for an hour

We traveled a ton today (layover, driving etc...) and got back to our house in Denver late, so I couldn't do any workout. I will be able to stay consistent with aquajogging now, since I don't have to sneak to another hotels pool to aquajog :) Honestly, I am surprised I had the will power to aquajog as much as I did on vaction in less than ideal conditions!

Hour of aquajogging

Aquajogging

iCorriendo de agua - un hora! Why the excitement? I am officially out of my boot (as of Friday), and walking like normal! My leg does not hurt all. I can hop on it and it feels fine. If I dig in with my thumb I can still feel a bit, but nothing bad at all. There is light after all!!!

30mins elliptical & 30 mins aqua jogging. I reached a HR of almost 190 on the elliptical! Actually, I shouldn't be too proud of this seeing as it may just reflect my lack of fitness. None the less, happy I am. I did 30mins in the pool, too, with one hard 10min interval. I have been juggling the soccer ball in my back yard a lot. I miss the sport a lot. I try to get out and kick the ball around as much as I can, but it seems that XC & Track dominate when the season is in. I like to call it "coordination maintenance."

30mins of the elliptical and 30mins aquajogging. I just talked to my trainer today, and it is t-minus one week for running. The plan is that I can run next Monday for 10 or 15 minutes. My leg feels great! I can push on my bone and I can barely feel anything! My soleus is doing good, too. I have been stretching and massaging it, but I think that running will help stretch it more. It will feel weird to fully "rely" on my leg when I get back again. I have heard that some people have trouble with the psychological aspect of returning to a normal stride since they have mentally adapted to compensation. I have to admit, although my leg doesn't hurt, it will be weird to fully count on it with every running step. I'm sure it's just a mental barrier that takes time to get over, though.

30mins elliptical & 30mins aquajogging. I burned 550 calories on the elliptical in 30mins - thats as much as I burn running! I am now in a competition to beat my previous days calorie burn number in 30mins. Ohhh the fun you can have with cross training. I did core strength including windshield wipers, bicycles, supermans and sitting cobras, too. Such fancy names for boring exercises. I am sooo dissapointed; Turkey lost to Germany today in the EuroCup. Boo...I like to see those smaller, less funded teams make it big in tournaments. They definitely gave Germany a fight, though.

45 mins on the elliptical and 30 mins aquajogging. I even ran 1/2 mile!!!!! (mileage board beware!) I was completely pain free, and I can even dig my fingers into the spot with no problem! Very exciting. Ever since I took that boot off, my leg extensively improved (on almost a daily basis). It seemed like it was in a holding pattern for five weeks or so, but then it made great improvement. I can feel all of the extra calcium deposit on my bone, too. It feels bumpy, but does not hurt. My soleus is feels great, too! It feels nice to finally walk/jog (and run soon!) without any discomfort!

Alright - I did 45 mins of the elliptical & 30 mins aquajogging (with a hard 10min interval while aquajogging). That elliptical kills me! I sweat like crazy, and my legs are pretty much shaking when I'm done (hmm..don't know how good that is). I ran another 1/2 mile! Very nice to run, regardless of the length. Soon my athletic trainer will let me run for 15 mins! I guess then I will get 3 miles in per day! Hah kidding...1.5 is a more probable number seeing as my current fitness level is unspectacular! Onward I press in the recovery process. The leg feels pain free! 

Usual routine today - 45 mins elliptical & 30 mins in the pool (1/2 mile of running too :))!

30 mins elliptical, 30 mins pool running and 1.5 miles running! Just easing my way back.

45 minutes aquajogging and 15 mins running. Starting tommorrow, I begin an official build up to mileage. I will begin at 10 mins for three days, then increase to 15 mins for three days, then 20 mins for three days (etc...) until I hit 30 mins. After that I will make some larger increases, assuming I am pain free. Of course, I will be utilizing the elliptical and pool to supplement my lack of longer running. I will probably be using the pool all summer (even if it is just one or two days a week), to really ease myself back into the swing of things. A year ago, I would have been worried about my current situation. Seeing as I had to make the team, I needed to be fit by the end of August. Now, the goal is to be at peak shape in mid-November. Not that I plan on being out of shape come beginning of XC season, but the ultimate goal is to be most fit when it really counts (Nationals timeframe). Furthermore, I was dead by mid October (just after pre-nats) last season, so I think that my delayed start will put me in the correct timeframe for peaking. July will be used to get back to consistent, aerobic running, while August will be used to prepare myself for the rigorous workouts we do in XC. Muscularly, I need to be ready for those beast workouts. I am really excited! My comeback is forming!

*Oh...really rootin' for my boys Vaughn and Pifer tonight!!! I really hope one of them makes the Olympic team in the 5k!!!

10mins of running today, as well as 55mins of aquajogging. Pain free, felt great!

10mins running, 30mins of the elliptical & 30mins aquajogging. Soon I will graduate to 15 mins running! Big step...mileage board beware! Maybe I'll just triple my cross training miles and count them as running miles - then I'm sure to be at the top. I go to the massage therapist on Friday to get my soleus worked out. Hopefully it will not be as painful as Mark Plaatjes...whew that guys massages are brutal. Worst part is, last time he massaged over my stress fracture before we knew I had one! That grosses me out, him pushing really hard on my broken leg (good thing it didn't fully crack!). It was actually a pretty funny sight, me squiming on the bed like a worm (pretty much in tears), while he just emotionlessly digs his fingers around in my leg. Oh the pleasures of running!

Easy 10mins of running today! I spent 55mins aquajogging and I did core strength exercises. I get to run 15mins tommorrow!

Easy running on a grassy field. I did 30 mins elliptical and 20mins aquajogging afterward.

Easy miles on grass, followed by 30mins aquajogging. I had a massage therapy session today, and it really loosened my soleus. I could feel a noticeable difference in overall flexibility and suppleness in the spot where it tore. Running felt great!

I ran to the rec center, aquajogged, then ran back. This seems to be a great way to combine the two activities - jog where you need to cross train, then jog back! Good day!

Same routine as yesterday. I feel sore! I must be really out of running shape, considering I have barely ran and I feel sore. It is not too bad (not like the 1st 5k of the season sore), but I can feel it a bit. 3.5 resulting in soreness - sort of funny if you ask me!

I jogged to the rec center to aquajog, then jogged back. I stretched a bit too, seeing as I am definitely sore.

Ran to the rec center, aquajogged, then ran back. Tommorrow I get to run 25 mins!!! In a week or two, my mileage will begin to ramp up. Once I can run 30mins pain free, I will jump up a bit more than 5mins every three days. I am contemplating doubles when my mileage reaches the 65-70ish mile mark. Alhtough this mileage is not too high for most runners (on this blog, on my team etc...), I definitely feel it, especially with the density of our training come mid-season. From what I have found, my sweet spot lies between 70 and 75 miles a week (right now). If I run 3's and 7's or 6's & 4's daily (with a long & medium long run mixed in once a week, I think I will put less stress on my body while getting some great running in. Honestly, I need to put some miles under my belt. Everyone on my team has over double my total mileage (even some of the incoming freshman!). I just need to put some steady aerobic miles in the bank.

A little over 25 mins today, but definitely not too intense. I did the regular - ran to the rec aquajogged and ran back. No pain in my leg, but it is still mentally hard to "use" it. I am used to pampering it, so when it comes time to run on it and subject it to force, I feel mental uncertainty. I guess it just takes time.

Again, I ran to the rec center, aquajogged, then ran back. I went a bit over on time, but I felt good and free of pain! It was really hot outside (95ish), but I think I am slowly acclimating. Good run!

Easy run before work today with my dad. We ran a loop in the greenbelt (around Northridge Rec Center) around 6:30 am. Man, my dad has some serious running talent. He's nearly fifty, and undoubtedly can run 6:30's for a decent length run. I think that if he trained hard, he could definitely run 36ish (or below) in a 10k. At 50 I think that is real impressive. He never truly trained throughout HS or College, rather ran for fun (3-milers twice or three times a week) to just enjoy himself. I know that he is somewhat dissapointed he didn't ever try to run competitively (with his ability he would have been good), but to some extent I think he lives vicariously through my running. I plan on running hard to explore this world for us both...we'll see where it goes!

I will aquajog later tonight  

Easy 5.5 miles today in the greenbelt. I aquajogged for 30mins at Northridge Rec Center too. Only a couple more days of 5.5 milers until I get to start ascending to bigger mileage. I need to keep composure though, increasing too fast will lead right back to where I was.

Easy aerobic running with 30mins of aquajogging afterward. It was really hot today.

Easy run this morning at 6:30 am. I will aquajog later tonight and do some core strength drills. too. Tommorrow I can run 45 mins! Very exciting!

I ran eight miles along the highline canal today! I didn't wear a watch, so I was unsure of pacing. After this injury, I have not developed a feel for specific pace. It seems like my coordination is all back, and mentally, I have no problem using my leg again, but details like specific pacing still seem to be a bit off. I guess it is irrelevant, though. I should run based upon perceived effort - pacing is merely a result of the effort level being put in (in various conditions & situations). This is the longest run I have completed in 10wks!!!

Easy run in the morning (6 miles), then 30 mins of aquajogging after work (I jogged to the rec center pool, too). Feeling good. Tommorrow I will do another eight mile run!

Today I ran eight miles on a dirt/gravel path starting in the greenbelt. Great run! Although I am nowhere near fit (yet), this may be the best I have felt in the last few months! I did core strength drills afterward.

Easy running today with an additional 30 mins of aquajogging added. Felt great but hot!

Today was really hot. I moved apts. in the morning (it took nearly 8 hours!!!), then ran afterward. I was actually surprised with how my legs felt considering the mornings debacle. Overall, a good run!

The ususal today, consisting of 6 miles running and 1/2 hour of aquajogging. I lifted weights and did core strength exercises afterward. Well, our team officially has an American record holder! Great race Jenny!

I ran some easy miles after work today, trekking out to Lucent Blvd. & back. Even though it was very hot out, my pace felt similar throughout the whole run (not slowing down when I heated up). Pretty solid run! I am slowly coming back!

I ran an easy six miles early this morning in the greenbelt. The whole run was peaceful and serene until I came about five feet from a coyote. I was in my own little comfortable "cocoon", leisurely running along, consumed by little thoughts and imaginations when wham! I snapped back to reality, only to be greeted by a coyote the size a German Shepherd. I got in a good 200 meters of V02 max work out of the whole deal, though, so I really can't complain. I plan on aquajogging tonight.

Easy run today to Wildcat Reserve Parkway, then around MVHS & back to my house. It rained a bit, which really cooled things off. It felt great to run in some relatively cool weather for a change. It felt like I could run forever - a first for me since my injury! I am taking tommorrow completely off. I have not taken an off day in nearly six weeks (whether it be aquajogging or real running)!!! As I am slowly beginning to enter the running realm again, easy & off days will be key to maintaining health.

Ten miles today along the highline canal. I wore a watch, mainly to see what pace I am running as of late, seeing as I am definitely not fit yet. Total time was 57:50 - oh my! I really should not be running this fast right now, but I just ran what felt comfortable. I guess my day off yesterday gave me excess energy. The whole run felt very conversational, but I need to be very stingent with these types of runs, mainly since my muscular systems are a bit behind my aerobic ability. Even though it feels easy, my overall structure is being stressed quite a bit, maybe more than it should. Tommorrow will be about the pace of walking, along with some aquajogging.

Very easy miles today with 30mins of aquajogging. Felt great!

Easy miles today out to Santa Fe Drive, then back around MVHS. I felt really good!

Morning: Six miles early this morning - aquajogging to follow this afternoon.

Afternoon: I was pressed for time today, so I ended up running a few miles (4ish) rather than going through the hassle of aquajogging. I felt fine.

Part I

Today was my first workout since coming back. It was nothing too difficult, consisting of 6 x (1min on, 1min off, 30secs on, 30secs off), but it was enough to get some leg turnover. I haven't done anything this fast in three months, so it felt kind of foreign to my body. In all, though, I couldn't be happier with the effort. My leg did not hurt at all, and I felt like I was actually moving!!!

Part II

I am now beginning the "run to get fit" process. This past month prepared my body to run again, while using other means to provide aerobic exercise (aquajogging, elliptical etc...). A transition is taking place; I will begin to utilize running as my primary means of aerobic work. A good analogy is the "learning to read" process. Only after learning to read can one read to learn. That being said, I am excited to really get at it again - but this time I will work in a more cerebral manner.

Easy run today out in the greenbelt. There was no pain in my leg, although I am tired from the last few days of work. I will sleep a lot tonight. I did a few lower leg strength exercises using elastic bands, too.

Today I ran ten easy miles on the highline canal. Pacing was around 6:15ish.

Today was my first real work of the season! I was assigned a tempo run consisting of 2x2miles with a minute of rest between intervals. I did the usual warm-up, then got moving. First mile in 5:06 - too fast. Not knowing what particular pace feels like (since I seem to have lost my "feel of pace" since my injury), I just gave it a moderate effort and churned up this time. Obviously, I was pushing a bit too hard for the first mile. Two miles in 10:30, then a minute of rest. This minute of rest seemed to do nothing but take me out of my groove. Very little recovery actually happened in this minute, but it did make the start of the next interval feel harder than if I wouldn't have taken a break. Next two miles in 10:43 (5:23, 5:20). These miles felt fine, and I was in control the whole time. When I did this workout last year, I remember that I ran the first mile way too fast (some things don't change haha :)), but the last three miles were miserable (5:35-5:40's at that). Today was very manageable, which is re-assuring for this seasons first workout. Last year, there was significant difference between my first & last AT runs (over the summer), so I figure this is a good starting point to improve upon (I am sure that within the first few workouts, my times will also be changing quite a bit due since my body is re-acclimation to running). Overall, this workout was a good re-introduction into medium paced running.  

Eight easy miles & 30 mins of aquajogging. Hot outside!

Today was the "long" run for my week. When I began running it was 92 degrees, and when I finished, it was 102!!! If nothing more, fall's cool weather will make me feel like superman! Besides that, todays run was fine.

A.M. Six easy miles before work

P.M. Four easy miles with 4x150 meter strides

Today was a fartlek workout. I ran out to Daniels Park, did the workout, then ran back. The workout consisted of 3 x (two mins on & one minute off, one minute on then 30 secs off, 30secs on then 30secs off). It was very hilly and windy for the workout, but since XC is coming I figure I might as well start facing some dirt hills and adverse conditions. 

Today was an easy seven miles to rest from yesterday and prepare for tommorrow (an AT). I feel sort of un-motivated for running right now. I had some realizations when I was injured. It put the whole sport into perspective, and I can honestly say I am glad that it happened. It made me realize how engrossed I was in the sport, and how I had become a "slave" to its extensive day to day routine. I feel like I am very young and still have tons of opportunities. I want to explore. There is no way I should let only one (such as running) dominate the rest. Not that I don't enjoy the sport, but I think that it can be easily blown waaaay out of proportion. For example: I see teammates with newborn babies just hammering out the miles day after day (1 1/2 hours a day minimum), going on extensive trips (weeks, months etc...)and treating their life no different than before he/she came along. Personally, I think that their priorities are a bit off. The sport has a very invasive tendency, and it is easy to see how many runners let it become "all consuming", but the "if I just run a few more miles..." mentality causes many runners to miss out on other aspects of life, simply because they are a slave to the running routine. By no means am I saying that it is not ok to enjoy running, because I definitely do. I am saying however, that for me personally, I am unwilling to let it take over my life. I enjoy running, but it is not who I am. I am not going to just quit or anything, but I am no longer going to miss out on other aspects of life since "I gotta run tommorrow..."

Today was a four mile threshold workout. I warmed up three miles, then ran the four miles at pace. My total time was 21:16 - not too hard. I can feel noticeable fitness differences on a weekly basis regarding AT runs (right now). I feel like I am actually building a base again!

Rest! I went flyfishing up in Winter Park along the Colorado River!

Nine easy miles today in Winter Park at 10,000 ft! I believe this is an all time highest altitude record for me! It was cool and misty, so the altitude didn't seem too ridiculous.

Today was my long run for the week. I managed to pass a few mile markers near the end of my run. I was in the neighborhood of 6:10's. This is fairly fast for a long run (for me), so tommorrow will be really easy.

Easy miles today with 4x150 meter strides in the middle. I felt really good. Tommorrow I have an AT. I am really starting to hit the ground running now. My mileage is still faily low, but I am beginning to get some quality work in. AT's seem to be the key to getting fit for me, so as long as I maintain a steady regimen of them, I should be ok.

Today was an AT run at the Highline Canal. I warmed up three miles, then got to work. I began fast (2:32 through half), but settled into pace nicely. I finished in 26:34, just under 5:20 pace. I definitely felt the heat today, but I don't know how much of a difference it made on my splits. The workout was nothing too heroic, but overall it felt like a solid, "money in the bank" run! I am pleased with the effort! Oh yeah...and Phelps is the man!

Really easy miles today in south Boulder. Cruisin'!

I ran up the Boulder Creek Path just over five miles, then ran back.

Today was 12x200 meters with 200 meters of rest between intervals. I wore my trainers on the track since I don't want to risk anything right now. I started a bit quick (28secs), but slowed to find a groove at 30ish seconds per repeat. This was not too bad. It felt like glorified strides, but for the first time since my injury I got some leg turnover.

Easy miles this morning. I swam later in the day, too.

Today was the weekly long run, and it turned out to be pretty good. I was expecting to feel bad since this was the longest run I have completed since my injury, but everything felt good!

I ran an easy seven this morning with my old coach. It felt fine.

Today I ran 10x300 meter repeats with the team on Kitt Field. The pacing was not too fast, but enough to get your legs moving a bit.

Middle distance run today on the Boulder Creek Path. I ran 6:00ish per mile, starting a bit slower and easing into pace. Tommorrow will be very easy.

Today was a really easy run at camp in Grand Lake. Our whole team came up here for the weekend to get ready for the season!

Today was a fartlek run on a dirt road surrounding a small pond in Grand Lake. My assignment was 8 x (2mins on (at AT pace), 3mins off (6:00ish pace)). The workout felt fairly easy, even though the elevation was 9,000 ft, and the course was rolling. It was a definite confidence boosting workout. I am definitely way ahead of my ability a year ago, so we'll see where the season goes!

Today was a really easy eight miles to recover from yesterday and prepare for tommorrow. I had no watch, but pacing was slow.

Today was a long run in Grand Lake (still at camp). The first mile or so was slow, so around mile three some teammates decided to get things moving. I just relaxed and let them go on their way. I hit the first half in 45:30 - whew, we were moving (and I was a ways off the leaders!), especially since the elevation was 9,000 ft. On the second half I felt really good, and I just chugged through to finish in just over 1:29. This was pretty fast, so tommorrow will need to be very pedestrian to help my body recover. In all, this run felt really good!

Eight easy miles in South Boulder. It felt fine.

Today was 12 x (300 on, 200 rest), with the 300's in 53ish on grass. This workout felt pretty easy. This Saturday is the time trial! A year ago I was real nervous right now. It feels sooo good not to have that amount of pressure lingering on my shoulders. I will still definitely have some pressureful moments this season (late October/November timeframe), but it shouldn't be too bad. Tommorrow is a middle distance run. I need to run alone in the morning due to a conflict regarding class. This can work well, though. No one will be pushing me to do anything ridiculous!

Today was a middle distance run, and I ended up going a bit far. The original path I planned on turned out to be a bit far, but all is well. Pacing was fair to easy, and I just cruised. I haven't taken a day off in a while, so tommorrow I will take a rest. On Saturday we have the time trial (which will be a decent effort), then a long run on Sunday. With two back to back hard efforts, I think that I need to play it careful today. Tommorrow will be a shakeout, and I will probably do about 8-9 with some strides.

Nada. I did swim a bit, but nothing extensive. I feel fine. Tommorrow will be a shakeout, and I will probably do about 8-9 with some strides.

Today was a shakeout for the time trial tommorrow. I ran 8ish miles with 4x150 meter strides on the course. This is sooooo much less pressureful than last year!!! Coach Wetmore told us to treat it like a workout, so I will do just that. It should be a good time!

Today was the time trial at the Buff Ranch. The weather was hot, but definitely could have been worse. When the gun went off, our team just bunched up and rolled together. We hit the first mile in 5:53 - reaaaallly slow! The next mile was five flat, though, so we did recoup a bit. After that, we maintained 5:20ish pace for a mile, ran 5:40 for the fourth mile, then 5:10 for the final mile. It felt good, and I never felt like I over-exerted myself. Our team finished as a pack with two other runners out front (who decided they wanted to win it (we contemplated chasing them down, but opted against it)). We let a freshman finish in the front of the pack, too! Overall, this was a good workout; nothing too strenuous. Oh...I was interviewed by the Daily Camera! This was my first real interview!

Results: http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3954&SPID=260&DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=1572154

Article: http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=3955&SPID=260&DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=1572205

Good day!

Today was a long run at Draconia - the "fun" four mile square (each leg is one mile). Coach Wetmore's deocument had me down for 16 miles, so thats exactly what I did. I didn't wear a watch, and went completely off of feel. Since yesterday was a decent workout, I didn't want to over do it. I think my total time was 1:40ish (judging by others around me), which is fine for today. I aquajogged afterwards to stretch out, too.

Today was really easy. Our team put on the annual "CU Kickoff 5k", and our whole team helped out. We ran with some of the racers and helped cheer them on. It was a fun time. Today was a good day of rest!

Today was 14x400 meters on a grassy surface. I was assigned the "big boy" group (fastest runners on the team (I hope to keep rolling with this group!)) today, which was cool. Our assigned pace was 74's, but we hit a bit under pace for the first sixor seven. Although this is not too fast, the deep grass made it harder. I felt like I could have done a few more, though. I definitely feel like I am starting to come back after my injury. I still only have five or six weeks of training under my belt, but I can feel it "building" up. Good day!

I ran 12.5 today out to Eldorado Springs and back through Marshall Road. My pacing was nothing too fast seeing as I was sore from some fair workouts the last few days. Tommorrow will be very easy.

Today was an easy run around Mt. Sanitas. I did four strides at the end, then got a massage. My legs did feel a bit heavy, and tommorrow morning we have a big workout.

Today was 3x3k repeats at 9:36 pace. I warmed up, and my knee felt a bit sore (similar to my injury last track season). I figured that I would give the workout an attempt, and if it hurt then I would stop. It ended up being fine, and my splits were as follows: 9:36, 9:34, 9:30. This was not too hard, but the overall workout was long. I iced afterwards, too.

I worked all day at BRC, and felt fairly tired. I tried running afterwards, but my knee was sore, so I opted against it. I tried to go swim, but I forgot my goggles, then the lock I rented (for my locker), broke and I couldn't get in. I ended up walking clear around the rec center in my small little swimsuit to get everything fixed. All that and no real workout...I guess thats just the way it was meant to be today :)

Hour and a half of aquajogging. My knee was sore, so I didn't want to push it and run.

Today I ran seven miles, then swam for 30mins. This felt pretty good, and although I didn't run yesterday, I still felt tired. I guess aquajogging takes more out of you than I previously thought.

Today was 12x500 at foothills community park. Our assigned pace was 93 secs per inteval with 200 meters rest. This was fairly hard since the grass was long and some spots were marshy and wet. We hit all the splits on time, and my knee felt ok.

Today was a middle distance run in south Boulder. I ran in the morning since I had class in the afternoon. After class I swam for 1/2 hour. My knee feels fair. It is not bad, but could be a bit better. Running does not seem to make it hurt much worse, though. Who knows?

Today was an OYO day, so I ran really easy in south Boulder. I swam later in the day, too (30mins). Tommorrow will be a beast workout...I'm ready! Apparently there is a meet in Iowa next weekend before the Rocky Mtn. Shootout, and I am slotted to travel. I think it is a fairly low key meet, though, so I'm not stressing it. Oh...I was looking at my mileage this week & realized it would be pretty low since I didn't run on Sunday (long run). I haven't been counting any of my pool work (even the 1 1/2 hrs. of aquajogging on Sunday). My week may not look like much, but I feel that I am still getting some good work in.

Today was a big workout, consisting of 1,500 meter repeats. I was assigned the top group, too (only five runners in this group!). Our assigned pace was 4:30 per repeat (4:48ish per mile), with 1:30 rest between intervals. It was raining all morning, so I was drenched from the start. We hit 4:32 for the first repeat, then hit 4:34 (a bit slow), then chugged along for the last three and hit pretty close to our assigned time (plus or minus a second or two). The last repeat was hard, but all the rest felt very manageable. This was a great workout! Money money money in the bank!

oh...update to my bio on the CU website

http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=4066&SPID=265&DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=1378066&Q_SEASON=2008