P.V.H.S.X.C.S.T.S.

so I haven't written anything about my runs for a long while, because usually I forget to get on the site and I'm just making up for past days. but I'll do better now, I promise. Today was good. I ran with Megan, Abby, and Liz; whom are all much much faster than I. I am currently in not in my best shape, the best shape I've probably ever been in was during this last XC season near the end-ish about snow canyon time when I reached my goal. unfortunately after reaching my goal I've just sat back, but I realize I was enjoying xc much more when I was working hard and doing well, than now when I just go and stay about the same. If I want to enjoy track, I'm going to have to work hard. . . fun.

just your average arctic circle run. not very hard. one of these days I'm going to be motivated enough to do more.

just a three. I had to fix my class schedule after school and it took a lot longer than planed. but at least a got a run in!

four miles of a heart to heart with Erin. . . until shakes came creeping up behind us. had a huge lunch, which equals a slow run. I'll try doing 4 miles every other day and hopefully I'll soon be going between four and five.

super easy, super slow. i really need to push myself. I find I usually push harder when I blog consistently. so I'll try blogging it better. not much to say about this run, just the usual.

ran with Erin. we both felt super sick. My stomach and lower back KILLED! I heard once upon a time that more sleep makes you feel better on runs. . . one day I'll try that out, if I have the time. today is the first time in a long time I felt I personally pushed myself speed wise. It wasn't incredibly fast, but it was something more than the pathetic jog I give on a normal four miler. new goal is to make four miles seem like the usual distance for running, not three.

Ran with Megan Gordan again today, I really love running with her. she has so many great stories and interesting things to say, and she's not way faster than me (yet). She's going to get good. I feel alright. I don't know, I kinda feel not in shape, but I've been running for quite some time. I'm a little irked at how hard a three miler still is pour moi.

ba ba dah! I'm back! this year is going to be better than ever, I just know it! I want to work hard again this summer, but I'm going to be gone so often, I don't think I'll see as much improvement as last year. today's run was a toughy, both physically and mentally. I haven't ran for like a month, so I'm in less than prime shape. It's just hard to continually go back to square one, but I'm determined not let that get me down. I ran with Taelor today, and a bit with Jadie; they're dolls! but I want to be a little farther up in the line pretty soon. maybe by friday I'll be good with a three miler. yeah, I'll see if that'll fly.

.5 warm up, 1.5 run, and 1 for kids club. Can I just say that I LOVE kids club? 1st and 2nd grade girls are the best! like if I ever do super senior next summer, I'd come on kids club days because they are a huge reason summer practice is so great! running so far is not too splendid, but no reason to worry, it's only my second day back. I want to have my run be three miles by the end of the week, so I'll probably run two miles tomorrow. and I know this isn't a running injury, but I think I'll just document it anyway: my right shoulder hurts bunches whenever I lift it, especially when I rotate it back. it may be a throwing injury and hopefully will just heal with time.

There is only one good thing about grass runs. it is not the fact that everyone gets to see how many times they lap you, it is not getting to run barefoot on the sharp grass, and it is not that you get to run by the same boring scenery over and over again. the only good thing about grass runs is getting to run with Laney. so Coach Holt, if you read this, just know your five year old daughter is the only way I find joy in the grass runs.

hooray! I did my first three miler of the season! It's sad how tough something that used to be so easy can get when you don't practice. I love running with Erin, she's the best! and I ran with Taelor and Alyssa for most the way there too. ah, but my back is super duper sun burnt, so running is quite painful, but of course so is standing, and sitting, and breathing; so that's nothing to worry about I guess. well, yay for running! I'm sad I wont be here all next week, 'cause I'll be out of town. I'm not a slacker, I'm just busy.

well, that was a lovely two mile run. I like to be able to say that I run my runs, because that's something I've had to work hard for. so I ran my lovely two mile run today. weather is good, so I can't complain there. I haven't been running for over a week, so today was rough, really rough. but patience is a virtue! unfortunately a virtue that I lack! oh well, improvement will hopefully come, regardless of this awkward on off schedule I'll be having. oh! and I know everyone's names, let's see you do that!

yeah, I'm a slacker. and if by slacker you mean out of shape, then yeah, I'm totally a slacker! today I saw a lady walking her cat, that was interesting. but he didn't want to come, and apparently his name was "cat" because that's what she called him. Kids club was lovely, I enjoy it ever so much! this next year is going to be so much fun! I love XC purely for the social aspect of it. I don't imagine our team would be very big if the people on it weren't so awesome! 

Ah, I remember the good old days when all I had to run was "an easy three". but at least it's encouraging that the things that are hard now, will become easy with hard work. It's weird, I kind of enjoyed running up the dirt hill today, since when has running up a hill been enjoyable? well, I won't complain! but I will say, a blister on the bottom of my feet is rather uncomfortable. running is a struggle, and sometimes I feel foolish bouncing in the very back of the line of runners, but it's worth it. it's so worth it.

ran .5 warm up, 3 miles, .5 striders. Coach Holt, Laney is my favorite person to run with. ever. she's so funny! and she makes me feel like I'm cool (she's to young to know the real truth)! but the run itself was okay, I'm just so so slow! I don't have to slow down very much to run with Laney, but at least I can speed up a little when I'm not with her, so that makes me feel a little better about myself. I judge my quickness off of how many times the varsity boys lap me. I wasn't counting today, but I think it was like 5 times. that's kind of slow.

I can't wait until I run an "easy three". I seriously love summer practice, It's like school, except minus everything that makes school undesirable, such as classes. now if this summer just lasted forever, I'd be good. I'm still going really slow. like really really slow. but I run my whole run, that's something I want to always do. people say slow and steady wins the race, but in this case all the newbies who run fast and walk lots are still beating me out. so the saying should be fast and steady wins the race. for example, Michael Finch v. Susan Hutchins, I'm pretty darn sure fast and steady's gonna win it. oh but I'm feeling alright with myself. while trying to encourage a darling freshman today at her first day I was telling her that even though it was my third  year, I'm still not terribly quick, but I'm so so SO much farther off than I was when I began. running really has changed my life.

today during to warm up Coach decided to try to keep it together. It's kind of a good idea, and kind of embarrasing, but I think I liked it. the run was slow and slow. the distance is starting to feel a little better, but as long as I keep going slow. so I need to learn to pick up the pace and continue with my three milers. we didn't time ourselves at the dirt mile, but it wouldn't have made me feel very good anyway. today at kids club the girls were missing megan.  goes to show who their favorite is! ah, oh well, I still love them. 

be proud, be so proud! first off I went running by myself, accomplishment number 1. secondly I went running on a holiday, accomplishment number 2. thirdly I went running in the middle of the day in this hot humid air, accomplishment number 3. and last off, but not least, I went running while on vacation! that's right, I'm in Arizona right now, dying of humid hotness by lake powell on the fourth of July all by my lonesome. not going to lie, it was awful. my stomach decided to randomly cramp up to a crippling degree while I was the farthest point from home, luckily there was a "short cut" nearby. it was the longest short cut I've ever seen, but short cut none the less. so that's why my mileage is only two. I actually have no idea of how far I went, but I do have a run here I know is some where between 3 and 3.5 so it was that, but edited slightly. I think I should get a special prize for this run, as long as that special prize is extraordinarily improved running skills, I'm all for it. well, this is my lovely independence run report, I wonder how many of those you'll get today.

so Erin and Alyssa said to count our five mile hike as mileage on here. so three mile run, five mile hike. I did this awful workout thing with my mom yesterday so my thighs are so sore, it made today's run just buckets of fun! found out i got a four on the APUSH test, not too bad I guess. It really was my favorite class all around, absolutely loved it! but this is about running, not APUSH. run was a little less than fun, and a little less than convienently close. The hike was bunches of fun though, Kanaraville is not for the faint of heart, or the cold of feet.

hooray for eternal level ones! but anyway, today's run was good, very very slow paced, but the whole thing was ran. I think it was my first time going up and down that beastly hill past the fire station this summer. some of the other hooligans I was with charged up the hill "with all the speed of a unicorn" (it's a quote from the Bible. read it, it's in there.) but the point is they were as swift as a coursing river as they ran up the hill, but they all stopped for a breather at the top of the hill and were out of energy. finally, for once slow and steady did win the race! I was able to keep going my same pace up the hill and after the hill and I finished before a few others, it felt good. so that is my story of my lovely July 9th run.

okay, I'm a struggler, big time. My stomach is hurting me like a beast. I just want to curl up in a ball and groan and complain, but I don't think that'd help anyone. So I ran up to the dirt mile, then felt like I was going die a slow and painful death,  so I decided to turn around with Candice and Austin. we walked for just a short spell which was wonderfully helpful to feeling better. today at kids club I was just tired, and the girls were all either tired or roudy and I didn't feel like moving, nonetheless playing games with children who just complain the whole time. Ah, there have definantly been better days! well, I won't be seeing you all until next monday, I'll attempt to run at girls camp!

okay, this was a girls camp run. let's just say it was really. really. hard. I walked, a lot of the time I walked, but I did feel like I got a good work out in. the first lap we did was up the beastly hill, then down the huge stretch of campsites. It was only a slight decline over a long period, but when someone suggested that for the second loop we go the opposite direction, as to avoid the "beastly hill" we found that the whole way is a slight incline. forever. and ever. so yeah. I ran with Erin, so fun to run with her, I miss her. curse the fastness!

oh why is it still so so hard? I just want to run an easy three for once. I may go to afternoon practice today, but I just feel discouraged. um, let's see here... I ran with megan today because she's been gone for a while and she was being nice. it's so much better to run with people. I was able to keep with a the big group until about 3/4 of the way to the turn around point for the level ones. I struggled hard core on the way back. I had to stop twice I think. I don't walk my runs, I run them, but I did have to stop and catch my breath for a moment. I was reading my race report from when I broke 30 the other day. It makes me want to be back to that, it makes me want to work hard and get goals again. I just remembered the feeling of crossing that finish line and hearing my time, and that feeling is way better than the feeling of giving up on a run.

PM- um, I think it was kind of a bad idea. I'm so not up for six miles in a day yet. it was slow going and all by my lonesome. I was doing alright until we got to the end of the long street before you turn into the school, there I kind of died. like a lot. I felt horribly exhausted, and not in a good way.

oh my goodness! I am so so so exhausted from yesterday! It was slow going today, seriously compared to the rest of my summer I was going half the speed of normal. It took energy just to lift one foot in front of the other. it's not that I'm sore or achy, I just have no strength or energy. I love being sore, I actually crave it sometimes, but this is just flat out tired. I just want to cuddle up and sleep, or just walk the whole run, but then it isn't a run. part of me says no more afternoon runs for a while, the other part says I better get out to afternoon runs so I can learn to do it. ugh it's so tough!

oh it's all just so dandy. I just feel tired, I don't want to work hard, I don't want to push myself. ah, but I want to get good. I just found out I was kicked out of my online PE class. splendid, considering I was going to take that stupid proctored final tomorrow. sometimes, I just hate school. so that's put me in a sour mood. anywho- my run was fine, the hill was tough, my whole body just didn't want to work though. so that's my run report for today. tomorrow's a grass run. joy.

I haven't run on a thursday in a long time! I guess karma is being kind and letting me skip out on the grass runs. I had to go take some online finals this morning so I was unable to run the whole thing with striders, but I did as much as time would allow. Today's run actually felt pretty good, I was surprised! it was the first time in a long time I didn't feel like beating myself up over slowness, so that was grand! Jake and Nick still hate me, but I think eventually they'll grow to learn to at least humor me and my "outgoing -ness". Jake and Nick I'll get you yet!

ran around the park thrice with chancie. it was a lovely little run, we chatted about actually important subjects and it felt nice to have some conversation more than the superficial "so... what's your favorite color?" but I always enjoy conversation on runs, it makes them so much better. I've really been feeling super tired, I think that maybe if I sleep up I'll have more energy to run a little tougher, so nighty night, I'll see you all on monday morning! I'm so excited for camp!

what is this? Susan running on a Saturday? what? anyway, I saw hoards of people while running today such as Aubrey also on a run, Wes and Jason in a car, Jarad and Joy in a car, and my mother on a morning walk. the run was slow going but I felt pretty good. You know all the times I complain about running alone? well I guess I kind of enjoy it, just not when I should be running with the team, if that makes any sense. I've learned to be a little less hard on myself for not being as good as I was last summer. I've hardly been in town this summer, how am I supposed to be good if I don't practice? we'll I've come to practice whenever I've been in town, so I'm doing what I can.

what's kind of sad/ awesome is that last week I ran as many miles in that one week as I did the entire month of June. That can be taken two ways... I'll take it the awesome way. running in the rain was good, because it wasn't like pouring, and it wasn't super hot outside either. I sort of love cross country, even if I only see people from the back. XC is kind of the best thing ever and I'm so excited for camp!

home from XC High Altitude camp!! It was way fun, but also way tough. I have yet to go on a four mile run this summer, and now at camp I ran a four miler everyday AND a three! it's kind of a toughie. but it was so great. as much fun as it would be to recap on here everything I've done, it wouldn't be fun. so basically in short, I was a lot slower than I thought I'd be and it was kind of a downer, but I'm sure this week has made me so much stronger. I ran more miles so far this week than I did the entire month of june, so that's kind of impressive. see ya'll on monday, and I'll be sure to do my saturday runs so I don't end up in... "hail"

ran at the high school with a large troop of hooligans. I really just feel so so tired, I kind of just lugged along. it's weird, my body was tired and sore, but breathing wise and heart rate I didn't feel too pushed. I need to quit the simple jogging and actually get my heart rate up there and just deal with the sore legs. I'll try to be motivated enough to actually do well, but it's a lot easier to say I'll work hard as I sit on my couch, but when the time comes it's tough to convince myself to do something uncomfortable.

Bleh! My stomach was feeling all sickish, it wasn't fun. once my stomach started feeling ill, my speed decreased by like 1,000. not a good run, but at least it was a run. So pretty much now I feel obligated to do my saturday runs in order to get into heaven. I guess it's a good thing, but I was just so so exhausted. well, I'll be sure to sleep more, I'm not getting near enough sleep this summer.

today was alright, on the way to the turn around I was able to keep up with erin, alyssa, and mariah for a little bit. and then Micah and Taelor until we were going up that hill. I know I'm going to regret saying this later, but I really think I need to run more hills. Hills are my downfall, I just can't make it up them well at all. You know I'm not the one for random spurts of running quickly and then walking the rest, which is why I don't want to run up the hills hard because I don't think I can make it all the way. I still feel so tired, how can I feel not tired?

PM: I think I can handle six or seven miles a day, but as long as they're split like this. on the way to the turn around I was feeling pretty good, running pretty strong. on the way back I got tired and just lugged the whole time. plyos (sp?) were interesting. I just can't jump. I think it's very much a susan problem, I'm ultra stiff. being so stiff makes me such an awkward dancer, It makes throwing really really hard for me, and it makes me jump like a two year old trying to reach the cookies on the top shelf. oh well, better luck next time.

so so so so so tired! why am I just so tired and exhausted? my legs were all sore from plyos yesterday, and I'm just tired in general. I have yet to be able to time my dirt mile once, I don't run up with anyone with a watch so I don't get to know. I'll be camping with my family tomorrow, so I'll see if I can find some sort of a run. and then on thursday I'll be gone all day as well going up north to see the sound of music with some friends. oh! striders felt good. like I kind of hate striders, and I kind of love them, but I think it's an effective way to improve my speed.

okay, here's the story. I'm at a "family reunion" of sorts, actually I'm just in Provo staying with my sister for a little bit. so here's the story of how I came to run only today this past week. thursday I went to salt lake to see a play, but on our way back we decided to stop and talk to my siblings in provo, and when doing that I just decided to stay with them for a few days. so in short I'm in Provo with nothing but the clothes I was wearing that day, no worries my sister and I are the same size in everything... except shoes. so I this morning I went to go do a barefoot run around a soccer park, but that was locked when I got there so I just ran on the grassy area right next to the sidewalk, going back and forth, back and forth. there are lots of runners in Provo.

a very relaxed run with lesly. just chatted as we ran, I hardly noticed anything about the run itself, I was just too busy with my conversation. I'm kind of frightened for my race tomorrow... yikes!

yes yes, I know, I know I'm a slacker. but when I slept in until 7:30, I wasn't even going to come to practice today! so I ran two and a half miles more than I would have. It was on the grass, but coach's daughters weren't there to run with, so I ran all by my lonesome. I stopped early because everyone else was already all the way done and gone, and I didn't want to be all alone and tired for my first race tonight. I'm scared for this race, right now I don't know where I am speed wise, so I'm not able to make an obtainable goal yet. 

First race today. Success! It's actually the best first race time I've gotten yet, so that's really encouraging. I was worried this season had no hope, but now I think I can possibly get back to my peak from last year. I really am way excited about this. I'm not even in my best shape of the summer, considering I haven't ran lately. so I guess my new race goal for senior year is to break 30 again. I'm a little less obsessed with it now that I've done it at least once, but I think if I put  enough effort in, it's obtainable!

pretty much I feel so exhausted I'm surprised I even got that done. I'll be filling out my running blog, showering, then taking a nap! my whole body is just tired from the race yesterday and from not enough sleep recently. I'll need to try to get as much sleep as possible in for the next week while I still have the option of sleeping.

probably my best run of the summer. It was the first time I felt like I was really running instead of jogging or wogging. I was running with Megan, Mariah, Erin, and Alyssa, whom I've been unable to keep up with all summer. I know they were going really slow, but I appreciate it. So today was a great run, I felt great, the company was great, the weather was great. pretty much the ideal run. I'm so glad I finally feel good about one of my runs!

it was a good run ish. the way back up 2450 was a beast. it wasn't actually such a hard hill, but it just was a long hill. I think I'm ready to run more four milers, so then I can run five, so then I can run six, so then maybe one day I could feel like I run awesome distances.

well, it's pretty much official. I am definitely the slowest person on the team. this whole "run at race pace" or "run just below race pace" thing hardly makes any difference for me. I pretty much run race pace every day. I do run slower and more relaxed some days, but on days I feel pretty good about my runs are days I'm going "race pace". cross country and racing and speed is just so different at my end of the race.

I skipped out early today. I feel currently that I am going to die. all I need now is a shower and a good long sleep. I just need to take it easy, especially in this heat. I don't think I would have been able to do the full five. I need a nap. now.

My head ached like a beast today. I felt like my brain was just boggoling around in my head. but surprisingly my little nap on the grass before the run was super helpful. I understandably went rather slow today, and I don't regret it an ounce. this year is going to be even trickier than last year, I can already tell. I know this sounds awful, but I really can't push myself a ton. I just don't have the energy to give XC my all and then do everything else on top of it, it's a tough life.

easy three. The day was hot, and I think I wasn't hydrated enough.

Ah, my first time getting last place. I've gotten second to last, I've gotten third to last, but never last. I don't really care as much as I would have last year. I've accepted that just the fact I still go out and run these things even though I repeatedly do very poorly is an accomplishment. like Coach Holt was saying, I kind of ran this more like I do at practice. there isn't much of a difference, but there is one. I wish there was someone who was just a little better than me who also ran the whole race who I could try to keep up with, but these girls I'm closest to are the run/ walkers, so that's no good. ah well, there's not much I can do.

AM: 2 miles, we started actually running at around 5:50, I got nervous I wouldn't have enough time to get ready before trilogy so I turned around at 2. those girls move SO FAST. I'm grateful I just have to try to keep up in the morning times when it's super cool. but yeah, even without the actual varsity team it still felt like they were booking it.

PM:3 It was hot, it was slow. I just don't know much else to say. I dislike running in this heat, I sweat so much and the sweat gets in my eyes and burns them like crazy. I start crying and I can't see and I just cant get them clean. so come play time, I'll try morning runs.

well let's just say I'm very very unhappy with this race. It was sad and pathetic and I don't even think it deserves to be called a race. I've been/ still am sick, so that hasn't helped me prepare or preform. It was the first race I ever really seriously considered quitting. It would have just been so much less humiliating, difficult, and exhausting if I had just snuck off the course. But I know I loose respect for quitters, and I wasn't about to stoop as low. It was much less humiliating to finish last than it would have been to quit.

I'm a Senior and today was the first time I have ever been to Sandbergs. I'm glad we did though, it was pretty fun. I ran with Taelor, she was taking it easy today. when we got to sandbergs mia, stoner, aubrey, and little taylor boyer were there, so we hung with them for a moment and I got my feet wet in that nasy and murky excuse of a pond. while we were all getting out, before the other girls finished getting...dressed. the boys team showed up. Kind of one of the funnier moments of my life that I'll probably never forget. It's been nice being able to come to afternoon practice, but boy, I never have really appreciated how hot it is! I've never really had to run after school during the school year, usually when I'd run it's like 5 o'clock so it's not quite as painful. so hats off to you hooligans! Oh and major life break through: Jake admitted to our friendship!

awe, look who came to practice every single day this week! well I can say St. George has the MOST bipolar weather in the world. when I started my run it felt just lovely, then after about two minutes it started to sprinkle, and then it poured, then it became super humid and muggy, and then it just became unbearably warm. It was a little less than desirable weather, but oh well.

bleh! one of the worst work out days ever! I'm so so not feeling good! My tummy's been cramping up all day, especially at the end of fourth. awesome. but I did it! I did all the horrible things I didn't want to do, and I feel just as horrible as I thought I would. but there is a touch of satisfaction in actually doing hard things. as my mom always says, "I can do hard things!"

yay for a saturday run! I really feel like I'm getting faster, even if I'm actually not becoming very fast I still really feel accomplished. now I just need to wait for a race to come along and crush my positive hopes into reality like it usually does. but I'll be pleased with myself for now.

Not bad at all! a lot better than I thought I was going to do, that's for sure! I'm pleased enough with this. I haven't been running too hard lately, so I wasn't expecting much out of this race, but I feel really good about it. I feel I raced hard and gave it my all, so that's awesome. This was the first race of the year I didn't start out in last in, actually I was up like in a pack for quite some time. I was ahead of Taelor for most of the race, but I did fall back in the last lap. So overall, I feel great about it.

I dislike 2450 for a three mile run. I've never ran it before, and I don't really want to run it again. I was slow. I felt slow. but I ran with Erin, and she's great. I know I've said it 1000 times before, but running with people is really so much more fun than running alone. I wish I could always have someone to run with. maybe in collage I'll have a roommate who wants to start getting in shape and I can run with her! but until then I'm stuck mostly running alone. well, that's about all I have to say for today!

Ran with an African... no big deal...

well, I don't even know my time so it's just whatever. the number I put there was just so I could enter this thing in. I really really actually enjoyed this new course. I didn't like the grass too much, but I'd take grass over the big hill any day. I really did like it a lot though, so that's fun. Um... I didn't finish last! I was in last for pretty much the whole race, but coming to the middle of the last lap, I passed Taelor (which I think is a first for this season) and I passed some canyon view girl. I really wished I would have got to have a close race to the finish though! It irks my nerve when the girls at my end of the race wont push themselves in. I mean come on! we don't have a lot of bragging rights, at least brag about having a good finish.

I really dislike running alone. that's all for today.

I love running with people! especially slow people who are out of shape! haha, anyway, I made Mariah run with me today and it was just splendidly lovely! we shared our heart to heart feelings and I hardly realized how awful it was! I had a tough time breathing, but I think it's in  part because I just spent the weekend in cedar.