You've got to want it to win it

I was really late getting to campus today. I had little time to do knee rehab, then got in 2 miles on the treadmill before switching over to the bike to get just 30 minutes total. Class all day the rest of the day.

Workout at the oval today.  I did a few minutes on the bike before joining the group in the warmup on the track.  I did threshold 800s with the freshman + Dakota.  For recovery we jogged the 80ish meters from the finish line back to the 800 start.  My times were 3:03, 2:58, 3:05, 3:03, 3:00, 2:58, 2:57.  Times fluctuated as we switched leaders on each rep.  My knee felt fine, it hurt a bit on the 4th and 5th ones but after Mack's suggestion to take the curves wide it wasn't so bad.  I cooled down 5 minutes on the track and then biked.

Cross training day before lifting weights.

Another workout day at the oval.  I did a few minutes warmup on the bike before joining the running group.  This time we were doing 300s until failure.  We were supposed to hit about 62-63 for each of them, and not take more than 70 seconds recovery, which meant we had to fast jog over to the start each time.  Times were 63, 62, 60, 61, 62, 61, 62, 61, 63, 61.  Surprised that we made 10 all on pace, Kep had us do a recovery lap before doing the next set.  This time he said we would be doing less, so that was something to look forward to.  This time we hit 62, 61, 61, 62, 62, 62.  The recoveries got a little longer on each rep, so we just did 6.  This time I cooled down just on the track to get to 8 miles total.  That's the most miles I've had in one run in a while, so I'm pretty happy about that!

Today was a half run half cross train day.  I ran out 2 miles on Foothill and back.  Then I biked.  

Today was another mixed running and cross training day, but I was able to do 8 miles of running so that was awesome.  The team started out on Foothill towards Wasatch.  Some of the group wanted to run through the golf course, and some wanted to go to 1300s, so we split.  I was in the golf course group.  Having the hill spread out over the distance up is so much nicer than taking it straight on!  We went along Wasatch and then made it to Thunderbird, where we cut down to Foothill and kept going towards the trail over the freeway.  A little ways onto the trail I hit 4 miles, and was glad to turn around since it was snowy and hard to run on.  Also this affected my pace.  On the way back I ran with Nikki and some of the freshman, but they went down 13th.  I went through the golf course again, but because I made a stop at the tennis place bathrooms I wasn't on Foothill by the time Nikki and crew ran by.  But I ran on the north side of the street and rejoined up with them after they crossed Foothill.  Finished with some biking to get rid of the knee pain that had flared up.  

i didn't have lab today! So after class I went running with Kate. We ran out and back on 11th. Lifted with the team afterwards, and then it was back to class!

Workout at the oval today.  I warmed up 5 minutes on the bike and then joined the group on the track for the rest of the warmup.  We started with two 200s before getting into the workout.  I hit 41 and 39.  The workout was sets of three 400s with 90 seconds recovery and an extra lap between sets.  I was with the freshman, and on each set we were supposed to drop 1-2 seconds on the 400s.  Times were 1:27, 1:28, 1:28; 1:25, 1:26, 1:25; 1:24, 1:24, 1:22.  I cooled down on the track to finish with 7 miles total and then biked a few more minutes.

Limited time between class and the team meeting before lifting and more class. Today was a cross training day, I only was able to get in 27 minutes on the elliptical.

Since Kep moved today's practice to this morning with a short notice of yesterday, he got to tend Ellie for me while I did the workout!  He needs practice.  I warmed up a few minutes on the bike, and then with Ellie in the stroller I joined the girls on their track warmup for a mile.  Kep hadn't arrived by the time we got to the strides and drills portion, so I just pushed the stroller for the strides.  At least the first 2, then I handed Ellie over to Kep.  I was doing threshold with Dana today.  We had a 5 lap threshold, followed by a 70 second recovery, a 4 lap threshold at a faster pace with 90 seconds recover, and then a 3 lap threshold.  When we finished that we had 200s.  I hit 38 and 40.  I cooled down to finish with 6 total and then added a few minutes of biking.  

To get out of the inversion I went to City Creek to run today. There were few cars so I thought it looked skeptical but about a half mile up there was a group of runners going down so I knew I wasn't the only one looking for clean air up in the canyon! At about a mile I could start to see blue skies, and I got a shadow as the sun was out! And the air kept looking better and better as I kept going. I went to the 3 mile mark and then turned around. My knee had been hurting on the way up so I wanted to be cautious on the way down. Surprisingly, the way down didn't hurt! But it was depressing running back into the nasty air, and finishing my run without being able to see the sun. Also it was really cold on the way down, I guess I had had the wind to my back. I'm really glad I took the chance and went to see the sun and blue skies today!

I never heard back from the girls in town who were supposed to be doing a long run so I just went out to the oval. I forgot how terrible it is running there when there are ice skaters. And people who think they can just walk all over the track when they get tired of skating. I did 3 miles but was having really bad heartburn from a too spicy lunch. So I switched to the bike. Felt a little better, but the heartburn didn't stop until I was done.

Today was a 60/40 run and cross train day. I didn't have my lab this week, so I was able to run and lift with the team today. For the run we went out on Foothill and then 1900e. We ran right through a herd of deer going down Sunnyside 😳 Oops. I turned around at 2 miles with the rest of the girls who were going 4. Back at campus I added another half mile to be closer to the 60/40. Biked and then lifted after, then after rehab it was back to class. 

Another workout at the oval.  Can winter be over yet?? Having to drive all that way kinda sucked today since it was so nice and warm outside!  And MD got to stay on campus!  Well, sort of.  They were running at Liberty.  The track still had snow on it, and we were doing distance.  I warmed up partially on the bike and then on the track.  By myself.  Since everyone else warmed up outside today.  But that's ok.  Before the workout we did two 200s.  I hit 39 and 42.  I was with Jocelyn, Kate, and Shaylen today.  They were doing 1000s, and Kep had me do 600s because I haven't done stuff up to their speed yet nor this long yet.  So on the rotations I stuck to the back and outside.  They had 2:30 recovery upon finishing each rep, so I had that plus their last 400.  My times were 2:03, 2:04, 2:03, 2:03, 2:01.  On the last one the girls broke it up into a 600 and a 400, so because they were going shorter they helped pace me faster on that one.  We finished with 200s.  I did 3.  My times were 37, 37, and 35.  Cooled down to 6.5 and then biked the rest.

Cross training day. I ellipticaled 15 minutes and then biked 45. Lifting followed.

Today we were supposed to stay on campus to workout, but with the crazy storm that the wind blew in we had to postpone practice until it was safe to go outside and then ended up getting the workout moved to tomorrow. Few people ran outside, but I was one of them! The starting group was Nikki, Jocelyn, Shaylen, Sarah, and Meghan. Shay went about 100 meters and then decided to stay inside. Sarah and Meghan turned around at 1.5 to just do 3 and finish on the treadmill. Jocelyn and Nikki and I ran to Sugarhouse Park and back for a full 6. My legs were drenched in my capri tights when I was finished, but my top was dry because of our waterproof jackets which are totally awesome! My legs below the my tights had freezer burn I think. I finished with 15 minutes on the bike and still had to bundle up to get my legs warm again! Brr! But it was definitely a memorable day running in the heavy snow with Nikki and Jocelyn. A few hours later the whole thing cleared up and the weather acted like there was never even a storm that day.

Today was the rescheduled workout. Because of class schedules there ended up being 5 different workout groups at different times, so in the 12:30 group it was me and Kate. We took Trax to 900e and then ran to Liberty Park for warmup. Kep let us skip the usual stride and drill routine but we did 6 strides once we were in the park. The workout was a three by 8 minute threshold with 1:45 recovery, and the pace was by feel. I was worried I was going to be slow since I haven't done a threshold this long in a while, but I came through the first half mile in 2:55. The mile was 5:59, and we finished just around the corner where we had started from. On the second set I came through the half at 2:59 this time, and had a hard time keeping up with Kate through the mile and through the 8 minutes. On the last one I just did a mile, hitting 6:03. When Kate was done we did four 30 second strides and then ran back to the Trolley Trax station to finish with 8 total and arrived just in time to catch the train.

Our "long" run today was shortened because everyone was recovering from working out yesterday. Most people had to do just between 8-10 miles. We had to do the first lap in the park and then we were allowed to go out. We did 2 laps in the park, and were glad to because on our second lap we picked up Lauren! Who had just finished a 12 mile run, but still ran another 2 miles with the team anyway :) after completing the second lap I went out of the park with Hannah, Sarah, and Becky. It felt nice to be running with them again! My knee has been feeling so much better, though with more running my plantar has been acting up again, though that is something I can run through. My knee did start to bug me but once we were on the flat pavement instead of the constantly changing terrain of the grass it felt better. We ran out on 500e to the golf course and then turned around. Becky and I finished with 8 and Hannah and Sarah went the long way around the park to get their 9. Such a great run! It is crazy how track workouts beat you up a lot more than cross country workouts, but if you have any sort of injury it is easier to manage on the track because it is flat. At least that's how it is for me, anyway. I'm hoping to race at MPSF next week since I've done 3 weeks of workouts now. 

I had lab today so I had to get my run and lift done in the morning.  I went running with Sarah.  When I saw on the forecast that it was supposed to rain and snow, I pictured a day like Thursday again, but today was actually much better!  We ran out and back on 11th Avenue, making it just past the ranger station up City Creek to reach out 4 mile turnaround.  When we finished I had to hurry over to lifting, and then rehab, and then class.  

This afternoon we got to stay at our track for practice :)  We did the usual warmup and strides and drills.  Today's workout for the long distance crew was a 1200 threshold, then two sets of 200, 400, 400.  I was with Becky and Dana, so I think that means that if I get to run this weekend it will be in the 3k.  For the 1200 we were supposed to hit 4:35.  We actually hit 4:29.  Following a 2 minute recovery, we started on the fast portion.  We were supposed to hit 39 and 80s for the first set, and 38 and 78s on the second set.  My times were 37, 80, 80; 38, 77, 77.  Dana was pushing and Becky followed her, so they left me in the dust probably looking slow but I hit my times!  I was watching the splits so I knew if I needed to pick it up or relax...  For cooldown we did 2 miles to finish with 8 total.  Did my rehab in the training room afterwards.

Not feeling great today. I went to class, because I had a test, and then went to the training room afterwards. There is this dumb rule that if you are well enough to be in class, you are well enough to be at practice. Well when you only have class two days a week, you miss a lot of material by missing a class day. And there was no way I was missing my test. I didn't feel like running and I'm pretty sure I had chills, so I just biked for 30 minutes. Luckily, there wasn't lifting! I had missed that memo because I was in class through the meeting and team lifting Monday. Skipped my afternoon class to go home and rest. Slept 12 hours.

Today I did a threshold workout on the track with the other girls who were in town.  We warmed up the usual warmup route, and then got going on the workout.  I was with Jade, Hannah, and Megan, and Jess did part of Andrea's workout with her so she wouldn't be alone.  The workout was 12 400s, specifically in lane 9, so that the recovery jog could be from the finish line to the 400 start in lane 9.  Since there were 4 of us, we rotated each rep to help make the workout go by quicker.  Each of us only had to lead 3 times!  It doesn't sound so bad when you look at the workout that way instead of 12 reps.  Our times were 1:32, 1:33, 1:32, 1:34, 1:33, 1:31, 1:31, 1:31, 1:31, 1:31, 1:30, 1:30.  Recovery times varied from 25-34 seconds, depending on who was in the front for that rep... Something I am glad I learned early in my running career was the benefits of jogging recovery.  It really is so much easier if you keep jogging all through the recovery!  Cooled down 2 miles to finish with 8 total.  Being in lane 9 was a plus because of the wider curves, I think it helped my knee not to hurt.  Until the very end on the cooldown, along with my shin.  After I finished my rehab exercises I did an ice bath.

The girls who were in town did their long run in the morning. When I had to be at work. So I couldn't make it. But I enjoyed the sunny day by taking Ellie for a run at Sugarhouse Park in the stroller :) I forgot how terrible drivers can be and how many of them don't look before pulling out onto the sidewalk or into a cross walk. I don't think I'm invisible, especially in broad daylight and pushing a stroller.

Too sick to run today :( a lot of chest and sinus congestion, and a headache that makes me dizzy when I walk :( I'm glad I'm home and able to rest and not in Seattle like I had hoped last week.

I've been having a really hard time breathing because I'm so congested. He headache is mostly better, but I didn't feel up to running this morning. I ellipticaled and biked 50 minutes and then lifted. The cardio was ok but lifting made my head pound. Again this is a day I would have preferred to only go to class. At least in class I was able to just sit in one place and relax that way.