Running is a means and never merely an end

2.2 mile warmup, speed workout, 1.5 mile cool down. My workout was 4x400m at 6 minute mile pace (slightly faster than my 2-mile race pace) with 60 seconds rest between reps, 5x200m at 85-90% sprint speed with 45 seconds rest, then another set of 5x200m at the same pace but with 40 seconds rest. 3 minutes between each of the 3 sets. My first 400 split was 7 seconds too fast because I think I was subconsciously showing off a little bit for Coach Williamson (WCU's coach) who was finishing up a workout with some of the sprinters during that first rep. Other than that, my splits were consistent and I felt strong! 

4.3 mile fartlek workout with a .7 mile cool down. The workout was a ladder of 5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5 minutes, alternating easy and hard paces (i.e. 5 minutes easy, 4 hard, 3 easy, 2 hard, etc), totaling 30 minutes. My calves were ridiculously tight during this run, I was very happy when it was over and I could stretch them. I probably should have done that before I started.

Somewhere around a 7 mile jog today with some strides afterwards. Indoor states are on Saturday so I am starting my taper for the rest of the week. I have been so incredibly stressed and bogged down with homework this week...I think the most sleep I've gotten was about 5 and a half hours. I really hope I will be able to get more sleep before Saturday but honestly the outlook is bad with this huge paper I have due Friday. Oh the struggles of being a student-athlete....

30 minutes semi-easy and some good stretching today as I wind down towards state on Saturday! My calves were still extremely tight during my run, if I can find some time away from my homework tonight I will try to ice them.

Really, really easy pre-meet practice before state tomorrow. 6 or 7 minute jog and 10x100 strides, plus lots of stretching. I am ranked 5th in the 2 mile and 8th in the mile, but I think we are planning to scratch me in the mile. Senior night is tonight so we won't be heading down to Winston Salem until way later tonight...not ideal but I guess that's just how it goes sometimes!

Well, there went my first and last indoor state meet! I did end up scratching from the mile, mostly because we didn't get to the hotel until about 2am last night, and so I only got a few hours of sleep and knew I wouldn't have much energy for more than 1 race. I knew that my best bet was to work up a quick burst of energy and use it all up in 1 race. We went out and I was right there with the pack for the first 4 laps or so (200m track, so the first 800), and then we started to spread out a little bit. The lead girls started picking up the pace and by my splits it looks like I just kept a consistent pace. I came through my first mile at 5:55 or so. During the second mile I started feeling really burnt out, not so much physically as mentally. I was just really ready for it to be over honestly. But I tried to just grin & bear it and kept a consistent pace, and kicked on the last lap as best I could. I placed 6th, which I was a little upset about because it was above my ranking for one, and I also really wanted to get top 4 (all-state). But I did set a PR of 12:13 over my previous 12:17 PR, which was also set at JDL. I'm happy about my PR, but I can't help but feel very sad that I lost my chance to get all-state. 

My higher-ups are wanting me to take a week off before I start training for outdoor, which I think will be really good for me mentally, even though they are thinking about it from a physical standpoint. I hate taking time off usually because I feel like other people are getting better while I am not, but this time I think I really need to just be patient with my training and make sure I don't let myself get burnt out. So this will be my last entry for a little while!