Today is Footlocker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Dylan and I did a mile warm up while cheering for everyone else running in their races. We tried to stay as flat as we possibly could because we didn't want to tire our legs out before the race. It was a rather boring warm up. When all of the East kids lined up we did 2 strides because we did not have that much time until the race starts. We then did the usual last year track drills. Then the announcer came on and said we have 10 more minutes because the girls were still crossing the starting line. So we did a few more strides and stretched. Then finally the gun went off. The entire junior boys race went out faster than all of us expected, so we picked up the pace to stay with the group. I was supposed to go out really fast and see how long I could hold that pace. I was supposed to hit somewhere between 5-5:20 for the first mile. I went out OK, because going around the first 800 I think they say 2:36 but I might be mistaken. When we did the second lap around, approaching the switchbacks I saw the mile clock, but I looked at my watch and it said 5:11, so I was right on pace. By this point I was really really really tired because that is my new PR in the mile. Going up the switchbacks I saw all of the East boys starting to pass me. I went up the hills really slow because I was just trying to finish the race now. When I saw the top of the hill, I start picking up the hill because I was recovered enough to do an up and over approach. I caught a few people. Going down the hill I did push the pace a bit knowing that I had poop out hill coming though, I did not push as fast as I wish that I did. Going up the hill I tried going faster because Bill say Dylan was just ahead of me and to catch him on the uphill. So I tried but I gave up mentally and slowed way down half way up the hill. Then when we finally got to the top of it I did another up and over approach and passed a few people. From there you have less than a mile to go so I tried picking up the pace. On the flat parts, I was just like at a tempo pace of 9 minutes. THAT SUCKS!!!!!!!!! Going up the last hill, I just took it way slow because I was just tired of racing and wanted to be done. Then I did another up and over the top of the hill, passing people going down the hill. On the flat part I didn't start kicking it to the finish until I got to the fence, when I should have started at the top of the hill. When I finished I was really disappointed knowing I could have taken the first mile slower, to go up the hills faster and to kick faster. When I was done I realized I was not that tired and I should have kicked it in better! When I was done racing, me, Vuong, Nate and Chris all went for a mile cooldown while cheering for Natalie in the Seeded Girls Race. CONGRATULATIONS Natalie for getting 20 and making all WEST!!!!! And Congratulations Kelsey for getting 2nd in the seeded girls race and 8th at Footlocker Nationals!!!! | 