AM: Today was the race at settlement canyon!!! I was hoping to be in the top 3 at least, but I got 4th. But i'm not too sad about it because I PR'd by at least 1 1/2 minutes! It's the hardest I have ever run before! So I kinda just warmed up with everyone, except my race wasn't until almost 2 hours after theirs...:0 We went up the road for a bit then came back, and then Tomy, Chris, Dakota and Bill kept going so I went with them. We went to cheer the others on in their races and ran while we did so. I think everyone did a pretty good job overall, and people stepped up to help out our team!! That was a pleasant surprise!! Then Sarah B showed up, and Bill told her to go for a warmup, and I would stretch in the meantime, then we'd stretch, and then go for a little shakeout run of about a half mile. When we got back I realized there were only 12 minutes left to our race, and so I hurried and had my GU and then went to the car to get my flats only to find that the car was locked, so I spent the next 8 minutes running everywhere trying to find Rhonda, panicking a bit :) Olivia helped me out! Thanks for that! As soon as Olivia came back with the keys I grabbed my flats and put them on as fast as I could, then ran to the line. I made it in time, but no strides or drills for me. Just the cheer, which actually got my heart rate going pretty good :) As soon as I heard that gun go off I got tons of adrenaline pumping through me and Bills words going through my mind over and over again, "get out good, where you are when you get to that trail is right around where you will end up at the finish." Keeping that in mind, I got out pretty fast, I think it might've been a little too fast but I was trying to stay towards the front. I took the lead for a bit, but then some girl in the green came up on me about a half mile into it. Bills talk again played through my mind about "breaking them" so I went with her. Then I crashed mentally a little before the trail, I think this is where I should've done a bit better, but I let the girl go along with 4 others right behind us, then I remembered how I REALLY wanted a medal and I wasn't gonna let anyone take it from me. I was 6th then, so 2 more pass me and it's gone. I got motivated again right there, and tried to catch the group. By the trail I had closed a bit of the gap. As soon as I was on the trail I felt sooo much better. I definitely felt the transition from uphill to downhill and it was amazing! I then focused on the girl in front of me, and eventually passed her, about in the middle of the trail. Then a little later towards the end of the trail I passed another one with a quick surge of energy, a bit sketchy passing that time, nearly tripped, but I caught myself. I could tell that girl was NOT happy I passed her and knew she might've been a problem, so I focused on my arms and worked my way up. I'm pretty sure I gapped her, judging by the spots of cheering. They'd cheer for the top 4, me included, the 3 in front I could see by now, and then they'd stop and cheer a bit later. :) I tried to focus on getting to that 4th place girl. When I hit the gravel she was only a little ways in front of me, maybe 10 strides. As soon as I hit that I tried to start kicking, but it was so difficult!! My quads were burning and I was breathing hard, the negativity came back, but when I reached that river/ditch I pushed it all away and gave it all I had. I was so close!! Or so it seemed. But I knew I had tried so I was happy. I wasn't able to catch her, maybe if I had kicked earlier I would've. But I got a medal and a shirt and so I'm happy!! And I PR'd by over a minute and a half which was pretty impressive considering. :) Then I went for a cool down to get to 10. And had some nice junk food after. :) PM: went for 4 miles
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