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

Ok, I've been slacking off on blogging lately. I have been running, but it has been lame mostly and I just don't feel like writing about it. So I probably won't go back and fill in, I'll just go from here on out. Finally, after a lot of crappy running, I feel like I might be more where I was two years ago instead of four years ago! I've been supplementing my weekly running mileage with a four or five hours of biking and rejoicing in the refreshing lack of snow on the ground.

Anyway. Today we were going to do a hurdle workout, but Mike (Mike Spence, our new steeple coach - a professional steepler turned marathoner/coach) decided to give us a break on hurdles since we have a race at UCLA on Friday. So, after a 2 mile warmup, 20 minute hurdle ritual and two laps of jogged curves and strided straights, we did 8x400s at our sea-level mile race pace (75-76) with 80 second recovery. 

Times were 75, 76, 75, 75, 75, 75, 74, 73. Super awesome! Felt a little tired after the first 4, but just kept on crusing on the next few, pushed on the last two. Champion! Overall, the workout felt exceedingly great. Cooled down for 31 minutes, then did a few dry water barrier practice jumps on the grass. First couple weren't too great, then I fixed some stuff and Mike said they were good. :) Planning on a bike ride after FHE tonight. (K2 ~650) Wow I should get some new shoes. (L Spike 3)

Went out on a nice hour long run around on the short version of the Providence loop... with some timely additions and subtractions. Felt  alright, calves are freakishly sore though! (K2 657.5)

Should've run more, but after warming up and doing the 3000m at 3x(300@1:30, 300@1:06, 200@1:00, 200@44), my calves were killing me so much that I just did a lap cooldown and headed over to the training room to get them rubbed out. (K2 660) (L spike 5) 

Just an easy half hour in LA for our premeet. Calves still unfortunate feeling, so I didn't do any strides. Did some hurdle stretches and relaxed. Aiming for a 11:00 steeple tomorrow. (K2 664)

Not bad, not great on the race today. Obviously, compared to last year - definitely not good at all. Frustrating in that way, but for my first steeple back from injury and all that crap I guess it's not too awful. I guess. I felt like I could've gone faster though, so that's a good sign. I'll be running it next week at our home meet, and although that's at altitude, I'm hoping to run a similar time there. We'll see! Maybe someday I'll be fast again. (K2 668) (L spike 7)

Got up freakishly early in LA to get my run done before heading back to Logan at 6:30 am. Armed with my pepper spray, I ran out from our hotel in Marina del Rey to the beach and ran along it for a ways, then back to the hotel and a couple more miles on the treadmill. 90 minutes total. (K2 679)