I can do it. I will do it NINE times!

Snow, snow, snow! What a crazy run! Did the River 8 - we started off into some nasty wind with the snow pelting us lots and it hurt muchly. Once we got past sunrise tire, the wind wasn't against us anymore and from then on out it was a fun fast run. Nobody had a watch, but we were cold and ran fast - I think I got a new time record on the last mile up to the school! Also, we got to run in some very messy muck on the crossing to the paved trail, so my shoes have finally become filthy... bwah ha ha ha ha ha! I don't think I've smiled so much in a run since I ran the steeplechase at SUU last year. Good times. (DS2 169.5)

Ran to the cemetery and did  a couple of tempo miles with an easy one in between, went with Decker, Willy, Holt, Austin and Kimzey. Legs are sore and a bit stiff from yesterday's lifting (2x11 again after our run yesterday) and fast running, plus I have the remnants of a sinus headache -presumably from running in the snow with a cold- so the tempo wasn't the most excellent. But, I guess if you average the two they were almost right on goal pace... 6:14 and 6:23 (gp 6:20). After, we did 4x100m grass strides and ran back to the HS. The guys were going pretty quick on the last mile down on Riverside, so I stuck with them and that mile was 6:40-ish! My left knee is getting tighter and left foot sorer, I think I'm going to call April up for a massage soon. Good run for the most part.Avg. for the whole run 7:05/mi. (DS2 177.8)

The boys all ditched me today! Which was probably good since I think I needed a break. So, since I randomly signed up for a 10k this Saturday, I decided to do my longer run for the week today. Went out on the GS-Desert-Middleton run, legs were sore and the wind was against me for the uphill out, but after the first 4.5 at 8:00-8:50/mi pace, I started feeling good and cruised the rest of the way back at around 7:00-7:20/mi pace. When I got to the HS, I ran most of a big grass loop and a couple laps around the track to get to 10 miles. Total avg. 7:53/mi. Really great run with some wonderful scenery; felt nice to go out on my own and relax. (DS2 187.9)

Big grass loop warm up, then lifted weights - still just 2x11 easy. Next week I'm upping it to 3x11, big grass loop cool down. Will run more with the club this evening.

Ran the usual loop with the club, quite a few people out today, which was fun. In our group, only Fre, Austin and I did the 7-miler, 7:30/mi avg. and I was dying. Not really, but my legs felt really tired and heavy the whole run. Glad I resisted the urge to go donate blood at our school's blood drive. (DS2 196.4)

Took it pretty easy today, warmed up with Amanda, then did Foremaster - started off with everybody, but stuck with Jeff for most of it, since I think we were both feeling kinda tired out today. 7:41/mi avg. (DS2 203)

Goals for tomorrow's 10k: Win, PR and break 40:00! 

I must have bad luck with 10k's - this is the second one (of my 4 total) in which I've gone the wrong way or something! I think there were a total of 10 of us running the 10k, so the start was pretty small and I took off with no boys coming near, so I had goal #1 for the whole race! The race was a out-and-back, so when my garmin said 3.1 miles and there wasn't a turnaround, I was a bit confused, but when I eventually got to 4 miles with no turnaround in sight, I was so mad! I turned around and tried to think of where I could've messed up, but there wasn't any, so as I made my way back I told all the people running it what was up.

The first 2 miles were fast and fun, and the third had a lot of slow uphill. I was actually 'racing' for them, but I got more and more confused/angry on the fourth mile so it was slower (and still uphill). Miles 5-6 were faster with the downhill, and when I got to 6.2 miles total, I glanced at my watch at 6.2 and I think my time was around 41:00. So, whatever. After that, I slowed to a 'cruise' at around 7:15/mi pace for the last 2 miles back to the finish line for a total avg. of 6:46/mi. (DS2 211.8)

It turns out, talking to the race director after, that at some point we were supposed to go from the road to the paved trail and that the turnaround was on the trail. That would've been nice to know before the race. Or even during. Or if it had been marked. But no. I don't think I've been so tempted to flip someone off in all my life! I left right after I finished so I wouldn't freak out on anyone or get even angrier, and to make it to Pres. Hinckley's funeral on time. So I spent twenty bucks for a t-shirt, goody bag, and a 8 mile tempo run. Bleh.
I'm mostly over it by now, just a bit of frustration over a wasted morning.