Sock tans

I set out to do 12 miles today, but then it got dark... The first 4ish were with Angie and Maggie, then when they broke off it was getting dark. For some reason I had in my mind that it didn't get dark until 9, but then I realized that's only true in the summer. Anyway, at one point it was so dark I couldn't see what was 3 feet in front of me... sketchiest run of my life. And I thought running in the dark in Salt Lake was bad. NEVER AGAIN. Oh I almost had a season ender cause I couldn't see the gigantic pothole. Thank goodness I didn't break my ankle. Other than the dark it was a good run, I think I'm starting to get my energy back. I wasn't very fatigued, which is improvement! Ah I keep thinking about Griak and how awful I felt... I just need to brush it off like coach said. I think as I start to feel more energized I can forget about it, I just haven't really had any energy until today haha. Oh and I got my blood tested today too, results should be in at the beginning of next week.

Oh! I almost forgot... we leave for Vegas tomorrow! I keep forgetting we have a meet this weekend. It's been odd not having organized practice. I'm starting to get pumped for it, it's a 5k! I'm excited to see what I can run.

In the morning did a 2 mile shakeout. Ankle was bothersome.

Pre-meet when we got to the course, ran through the course once and then did a 1000. It may have been a little long but ah well, 3:47. I was a bit lethargic but maybe it's from the car ride. On the 1000 I felt awful until like 400 into it. Then I felt good the last 400 but by then I was so far behind. Good thing its just pre meet! Then did starts. My ankle hurt a bit during the course, particularly when it was uneven and I moved it wrong. On all the starts I had to start slow cause it hurt to push off. Then did a mile cool down. Hailey took a look at my ankle again, massaged it out and found that there's actually a huge knot so its not just tightness. Which is a relief cause she was thinking it was turning into tendonitis. I can live with knots! But apparently her massaging was "light". It did not feel light at all, can't wait to feel what deep is.

Ok, other than that I feel alright, better than I did before Griak but still not my best. But I'm going to race hard tomorrow and keep positive, I will do the best I can possibly do right now!

1 mile shakeout before heading to the course. Did 1.5 warmup and warmups and starts. I decided that today I was going to try holding back and stick with our pack. I got out slow cause my ankle was buggin, but that put me with the pack so its whatevs. About a mile into it my ankle stopped hurting. Coach timed our first 2k, mine was 7:17. He also timed our last 800, he wanted us to get sub 3:00 but I got 3:01. But its still improvement at Riverside my last 800 was 3:11 haha. I felt like even though I was pushing I just didn't have the energy needed. Coach thinks its either something physical or maybe I'm just not emotionally there. I have been stressed out lately so that is sensible. I guess we'll find out which one it is next week. I'm just frustrated, I want to be rocking it like I did at the road race. But coach says my time will come so I'll just try to stay positive. I suppose I am getting faster! Last year at this time I was hitting about 19:30s I think so at least I'm already super close to breaking 19:00. Like less than a second close. Dang. 3 miles cool down.

Once back in cedar Jenny and I did 4.25

Felt awful today, no energy. 7:37 average. Going to do a second run, hoping it goes better than this morning. After the run Haley rubbed out my ankle, it hurt so good.

Second run with Jenny 5.75 miles at 7:53 average. It was nice, was stuffed from bread and soup night cause you know, it was all you can eat bread and soup so of course I'm going to take advantage of it.

HR 45

Drove up to the road above the C today, warmups, half mile warmup, then started the 60%. I still feel drained of energy but I worked really hard today and definitely gave it my all. I ended up averaging 7:19 for 5.5 (including warmup) so for 5 I think I was below 7:15 or really close to below. (The range was 6:35-7:20). I was happy to be in the range, I know it took a lot more effort than it should've but I worked hard. I just gotta give what I have. Considering the elevation and hills too I'd say it was a successful workout! Cooled down to 6 then added another mile with Ashley and Jana.

Also, stoked because I get to go to Pre-Nationals! I somehow convinced myself that coach was going to take me off of the traveling team because I've had two bad races in a row and Jana passed me up last week making me our 8th, maybe it was stupid to think but I'm determined to do well these next couple weeks so I can kill it at Pre-Nats :)

Went to Mesquite for workout, workout was 3 sets of 4x400s and an all out mile at the end starting slower on the 400s and getting faster each set with I think 30 seconds recovery for the first set, 60 for the second and 90 for the last. Hit the times for the first 2 sets then on the last one I came in well behind the pack and coach pulled me aside and told me I'm doing 6 miles a day for a week at 50%. I was a bit discouraged but went to start the next 400. Then coach said it starts today. I was very discouraged then, I have never been told not to finish a workout before, in high school I was always expected to finish. But I know its for my own good. Cooled down some on my own then some with Angie. On the bright side, coach took us to a buffet! It was sooo good, I was stuffed.

HR 50

Went to the road above the C again! It was a bit odd to be with the group but not be doing the workout, but doing it at a slower pace was actually pretty enjoyable, it is so pretty up there with all the fall colors. 7:48 average Got my test results, ferritin is still low at 39 but its getting up there. Vitamin B12 is >2000 so thats a shock, too high but I don't think that's the cause of fatigue? Idk. I don't know much about B12. Everything else seems fine. What's wrong with me then??

HR 54

Pool workout this morning, I think to give our legs a little break. 6 10 second pickups in the middle. Lasted an hour. Coach says a run is optional, idk if I will though. By the end I was exhausted, the last 15 minutes were hard for me just cause I was so tired.

HR 50

We went to the course early and did our workout, we warmed up then did two 2ks. I didn't think coach was gonna let me run them but he did! He just said to stick 50 meters behind. I didn't really know what that meant, was that 50 meters behind the last girl or 50 behind the pack? I assumed it was to finish 50 meters behind not just stay 50 meters back because then I'd be running the same pace... I didn't have time to clarify cause they started. So I was like 2 or 3 seconds behind anyways! :) I went 8:16 (or a little faster) and 8:33. There are hills in those. The second one wasn't so fun, my legs tightened up a lot and my foot was buggin (ankles fine now, weird). I was actually kind of happy I could do it, I still don't feel great but I think I'm feeling a little better. I tested negative for mono so yay but now I'm really stumped. I'm gonna try getting more sleep and see if that helps.

Then helped out at the race! The good thing about doing the workout here is that now I know what to expect for the course at conference (we're hosting it here in Cedar this year!)

HR 56

Still sticking to 6 miles a day, energy wise I felt okay, not awesome but I wasn't dying like I was last week. Toe/foot is really buggin, I hope I can get it under control. It's close to how bad it hurt on Saturday, but it's different now. I think it was just inflamed on Saturday, it was a bit swollen and so I've been icing and taking ibuprofen. Today though it only hurt a little at the beginning, when we were going downhill I hardly noticed it but as soon as we turned and went uphill it began to hurt more, until finally it was so bad that I slowed down a TON and was limping up the hill. When it flattened out a bit it didn't hurt nearly as bad and stopped limping a bit. At one point though it was shooting pain towards my heel which hasn't happened before. Alesha and Nate both said there's bruising, but I don't recall ever doing something to aggravate it. 7:35 average.

HR 52

I was worried about my foot this morning, cause I knew that if it hurt like it did yesterday or saturday I would have to take time off of running which is something I didn't want to do. So I was wary of it throughout the warmups, form mile, and even mile of warmup, but it wasn't a bother. There was a little dull pain but it wasn't bad at all. That combined with the fact that I could actually do some of the workout today put me in a great mood :) The full workout was 5x1000, 4x400. For the 1000s we were supposed to start out slow and progressively get faster, first 400 in 94, next 200 in 45, and last 400 in 84-87 I think. There was some confusion about the pace for the last 400 in the first 1000, so we went faster. 3:39, 3:42, 3:44. On the 3rd I fell off the pack in the last 100 because my legs were tightening up and I couldn't move them fast enough. Coach pulled me aside and told me that now I was to finish off my distance. So I cooled down in lane 8 while everyone finished the workout. I hit the pace so I think coach just said that cause I had fallen off the pack. But it was a good time to stop because my foot pain was starting to increase, it wasn't nearly as bad as yesterday though. Overall happy with it because it wasn't forced and felt good for once :)

HR 58- disclamer: it was a bit higher today cause I realized I fell back asleep after my alarm went off and was gonna be late to practice.

Didn't have time to finish to 6. It was just 50% today, a group of us peeled off (we were cruising by the end at sub 7 pace) cause we had class at 8. I was a titch late but my professor's chill with it :) Also stoked cause fall break starts for me once I'm finished with my classes today cause we will be traveling tomorrow, perks of athletics :)

HR 54

Flew out early this morning, once we got to the airport we drove to a park and did our run, 7:21 average. I felt alright, once again I actually had energy! However the long flight and drive I think caused motion sickness, I usually don't get motion sick but I felt like I was gonna puke and had a slight headache. It went away later so that's good! Oddly my quads hurt too. We did pickups in the middle, that was usually where I felt them. Otherwise felt good!

HR 52

1 mile shakeout in the morning, felt pretty good.

Sending good vibes to Natalie, who is racing in Wisconsin today! Good luck!

Later ran the course, I absolutely love it! It's beautiful :) then did the last 1000, it was 3:24 for me. Felt good, my quads were a little sore and I'm getting sick yet again (just as I think I am over my cold I get another one?) But other than that I felt great!! Excited to race tomorrow!

HR 56

I'm so frustrated. I was convinced I was going to have a good race up until the boys raced, they didn't do so hot. I tried not to let that affect how I did. Ibrahim or Mike had said that their legs felt really heavy and as I thought about it mine did too. But I forgot about it later so it was fine. I was feeling a little off, not awful but just in kind of a funk. But I still was convinced my race was going to be good. I wanted it to be good so bad.

We did a mile shakeout in the morning. We warmed up a mile and a half and did warmups, stretches and strides. Was a bit nervous at the start just because of how many people were there.

Coach told us to stay to the right so we wouldn't get boxed in and that helped, still had to slow down a bit on the first turn but it wasn't too bad. I saw Angie and Josie and tried to go with them but I was just far enough back that girls quickly went in front and I lost them in the pack. Once I saw them again they were way up ahead and I surged to try to catch them. I got close, but the pace felt fast and forced, not relaxed. I soon fell off as I settled into a slightly slower pace. That was a bad idea, I got passed and passed and passed. I still felt like I was going fast but evidently not. I had a hard time pushing myself harder, I think that's the main problem with this race. When I got to 1000 left I started to pick it up, and 800 a little more, then when we came around the final turn and I could see the finish I did a little more, and with like 200 left I began to give it my all. I was really happy with my finish because I passed like 5-6 people. In high school I struggled with kicks so that was great for me. I think I was sub 3:00 last 800 which was the goal!

I felt like I had more energy than at Griak, but had a hard time pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I also wonder if weight is an issue, when I went to the doctor for the tests and they weighed me I had gained 10 pounds. Coach doesn't like us to weigh ourselves so I don't know if I've gained more but I think I have. But I just don't know how to healthily get my weight back down to where I was before moving out, all I can think of is choosing better foods to eat so that's where I'll start.

Foot was fine until I did a stride before the race and I think that aggravated it, didn't feel it in the race but after I certainly did. It's definitely the tendon connecting to my second toe cause the pain moved farther down. Felt it after the race when I started cool down.

1.75 cool down while cheering on teammates.

Ran with Nano, foot was bothersome the last mile.

Warmups, form mile, then mile warmup and 2 laps on the track easy then started the 80%. We did 2 laps then headed to home depot. It's uphill with 2 short downs. I'm really frustrated cause I feel like I'm working hard but I physically can't get myself to go fast. Like its a different feeling from just a couple months or weeks ago where I could push myself on runs and yeah feel tired but it was the good tired like I successfully pushed myself into the tiredness. Now I feel tired all the time even before the workout starts and when doing the workout even though I'm giving it my all I physically can't go fast. Like I feel like I'm working super hard but I'm all the way in the back. On the 80% when I was in the back I looked at my watch to see if I was at least going kind of fast and was really discouraged when it was 7:45 pace. It felt like at least 6:40 pace. Coach wants me to get tested for mono again to make sure I don't have it, they just did a finger prick and coach says that sometimes it's not as accurate as a blood draw or something like that. Time was 19:10 so 7:06 average. Whistle hills then ran back to the track. On the bike ride home I was absolutely exhausted like it took me twice as long to get home as it should've. I also have another cold which could contribute.

HR 66

Today I had to take a test during practice (the time was changed) so I had to do it on my own. After the test I went to the training room to get my ribs checked out, I've felt pain underneath the past couple days and Ashley convinced me to get it checked out. I didn't want to cause I feel like I've been in there a lot. Kind of confused about what they think it is but they said to see how it feels tomorrow. I'll ask for more clarification at practice. Then went home and crashed cause I was exhausted, after I woke up I went for my run but only had time for 4 miles before it got dark. 7:48 average

HR 58

Had an appointment to get tested for mono so had to leave early. Warmups, form mile, then workout was 60%. So 6:20-6:45 pace. I averaged 7:21. Just a little bit slow! I've just got to be positive and do what I can.

Went later with Jenny for 4.25.

HR 56

50% run today, ran with Sharlie! 8:06 average. Felt like I needed to take it a bit easier today so it was more relaxed. Still feel really tired, today was one of the worst days yet. Had a hard time staying awake and on task in class.

HR 54

Shriner's run. Was good to be back in Salt Lake. 7:45 average.

HR 58

Didn't have practice today, I ran cross hollows from my house. 7:44 average. Felt good the first little bit, I about hit a wall around 4-5 miles into it though.

Today was a speed workout. We did warmups and the form mile, then warmed up another mile. The workout was 5x1000s with 3 minute active recovery, 3x400s with a 400 recovery. It was a tough workout but I gave what I had. Coach let me finish it today even though I fell off the pack, I'm happy about that cause as much as it hurt I was glad I could push myself for a long time. Coach pulled me aside afterwards and told me to keep my confidence up, my time will come. I doubt I'll be racing Saturday but I will work extra hard to kill it in track.

7 miles, 8:00 average.

Results are in, negative for mono, positive for cytomegalovirus. Also, BUN and creatinine were high.

Dikes run with 30 second pickups in the middle. I guess everyone was feeling good today, 7:19 average. I was doing alright and kept up but when we started the pickups I fell back. I still haven't quite gotten the hang of the 30 sec pickups, they are pretty dang fast. I just couldn't get myself to move that fast. My pace was probably close to that of the 1 min on/off farleks I did when in high school. But its chill I'll adjust eventually. Probably the best run I've done in a long time!

I am grateful I was able to make the traveling team for at least a little while. I'm lucky to be able to run in college and travel! I need to look at the positives in running :)

Ran along the course today for pre meet. Those not racing tomorrow just continued running until we hit 6 instead of doing the 1000. Excited to see how our team does at conference!

Helped out at the course, Maddy and I had a sweet job! Maggie and Jana joined us and helped out with it too :) Should've run more this morning before the meet started. I did a mile shakeout with Ashley and Kamryn. I think I'm coming down with the stomach flu that went around the guys team earlier this week. Felt fine this morning but came home around 2 and crashed and have felt awful since. Idk if I can run I feel like I have a fever but I don't have a thermometer to check.

Shout out to our guys for winning conference! They're amazing :)

Our girls didn't do very well, after talking to most of them everyone didn't feel awesome, and 2 (or 3 if you include me from earlier in the season) of our top 5 didn't run. I bet if the 3 of us were in good health and felt good we could've done way better. But what's done is done and we've just gotta focus on regionals. I wonder if I even have a shot at going to regionals? I'll just work my hardest the next couple weeks and whatever happens I'll be happy with if I know I gave my best.