Patrick's Blog

So today for XC practice it was supposed to be only about a four mile day. Which it wasn't at all. So we started by running from east track down to 13th east and along that until about 17th south. We went along 17 south until we got down to 9th east or some street close to that. By this time Tomy Susannah and I broke away from the group a little so we couldn't hear what they were yelling at us to turn so we were just guessing. So then from 9th we went on that until we got to 21st south. We stayed on 21st south until we turn on some side street and went into Fairmont Park In Fairmont Park we stretched while waiting for the rest of the group to get to the park. When everyone was there we did 10 100 meter strides. I did them all progressively getting faster. So my first one was my slowest and my last one was my fastest. I felt way good all through the strides and running there. Going back is a different story. So we left the park and I started to feel sick so I slowed down a bit. I was watching to see where Bill turns but I didn't see the exact street where he turned so I went from Fairmont Park until 9th and 9th. I guess they turned on another street so they didn't have to go up that hill, but I didn't:) So about halfway up the hill I met up with Jared and we ran the rest of the way up the hill with me. We progressively got faster up the hill to get some strength work in for today. So we met up with the rest of the group on 13th east but we didn't want to wait for the light so we turned on the street that East is on and we went up on 8th south instead of 9th south. Then we ran back up to the track and got back at the same time as everyone else. 

When I got home I was at 6.5 miles and I wanted even mileage so I did a half mile on my own. I ran from my house a little bit past 21st south and turned back and came back the same way so I could have 7 miles for the day. 

Today at Cross Country was a weird workout. We started with the usual two laps warm up then group stretching. Then we jogged over the the hill on the soccer field and we did 6 hills. We started the hills by going halfway down the field and starting there. Scott did these with us.... GOOD JOB SCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So we sprinted until we got to the hill then we had to pick it up once we got to the hill to get some strength and just to loosen up my legs. Until and and during the hills I was feeling great. I progressively got faster on each one. My first was my slowest and my last was my fastest, just as I did yesterday on the strides. So from that we jogged over to our stuff and got a drink of water and then went on th actual run. So went were doing the Shriners Drinking Fountain run. We left the track and went up to guardsman, then on that until the U football stadium. Then we entered the campus until it was over then we went down some creepy hill and went in some creepy ally for about a fourth of a mile. Then we turned up a hill, went down a hill, went up another hill and finally down another hill and we were there. I managed to stay with the fast group the entire way there but when we got there I was feeling like I was going to puke. So I took a few sips of water and decided to go slower. So the group left with out me with out me noticing so I had to go faster to catch up to them but that made me feel even sicker. So I got to the group and we came back the same way. But they were going too fast and I didn't want to puke so I slowed down until Abigail caught up to me and I ran the rest of the way with her. I managed to stay up with the fast group until about the U football stadium though. Hopefully tomorrow is better because today was a very bad day for me. Abigail and I was talking about different ways for not feeling sick and we were trying them like the Granny walk at running pace, deep breathing, hip shaking, etc. Overall today sucked. For an even 6 miles when we got back to the track we had to do a lap around the track so we did and that was all I could do with out passing out or puking my fries up that I had just before the run:) Thats probably why I felt so crappy during the run today......

Today for Cross Country practice we had the annual team meeting before the season to discuss the future plans and get all of the grading stuff for next year. So we went on a short run after that because it was getting late and we are building up our base mileage. So we did the run to the graveyard and do two laps around that. I felt really good going there and about half way through the first lap but then my quads started to get really tired so I kept slowing down. Taylor, Bill, and Tomy kept yelling and encouraging me to catch up to them to just stay at there pace. I caught back up to them just starting the second lap in the graveyard. I don't know if they slowed down or I just sped up but I did eventually catch up to them and stuck with them the rest of the run. All day today my calf's have been really sore probably because of the hills yesterday because they havn't taken hills like that since Footlocker about. So my legs were sore today but I did manage to push through it. My quads were getting really tired going up the hills so that shows that I need to run more hills or push through the hills because I have basically lost my strength in them which sucks because I spent all season last year trying to build it up. Then we ran back the same way, we progressively kept getting faster on the way back which is weird because I was in front of everyone. My goal was to catch up to the group only doing one lap, which we did. That motivated me to go a bit faster also because I like looking and feeling fast:) Hopefully I can push it through this week and get my base strength back before we start to do the trails and things because my legs are hurting pretty bad and have been all week since we did that seven miler on Tuesday.

This morning I woke up abnormally early so I decided to go for a little run this morning. So I went from my house over to 21st south, down to 15th east and back the same way. It was a easy shake out run for this morning. Then I came home and my dad made me do 15 arm curls. Those sucked! But during the run my legs did hurt and they are still way sore after right now so hopefully they calm down for Cross Country practice today after school.

Today at Cross Country practice we had a few new kids come. Its cool that kids are starting to take an interest in long distance running. But for the workout we left Easts teacher parking lot, ran down to Liberty Park and ran to the drinking fountain and met up there. Then we did a lap of firemen with the new kids. They kept up with us great. Good job guys because the first day is hard. But then after the lap we got a drink of water, met up again and stretched. Then we jogged back up the east. We had the new kids be in front of us to push them and to keep them running while we are going up that huge hill from 9th and 9th all of the way up till east. But they did it and so did we.The overall distance was 4.3 miles of pretty much continuous running and for the new kids that is really good. My legs were feeling great while I was running towards Liberty Park, then when we stopped they hurt a bit but then I stretched and it went away. During the firemen they did not hurt at all either. But when we stopped to get water they started to hurt pretty bad but then I just stretched a ton and the pain went away. Then when we were done at the school I could feel the effects of that hill on my quads really bad and on my calf's pretty bad also. Hopefully that just means that I need to strengthen them up again because otherwise I have no idea what is going on. But mainly during the running it is fine until I stop and then start up again or when I go up huge hills or go for more miles then I am used to.