You've got to want it to win it

Today Kep got a few of us with the workout sheet he posted in the locker room :-P  I caught on when I was reading the mental goals section and it listed "dumb workout before race".  Not to mention that the shoes listed were flippers or cleats.  It was funny watching other teammates come in and look at it and see how long it took them to realize it was a joke :)  We did the usual warmup out above the track and then strides and drills.  It was really windy when we were running one way, and really hot when we were running the other.  That wasn't so fun.  The real workout for the long distance group was three 1k thresholds with 60 seconds rest, then five 400s with 90 seconds rest, then four 200s with 200 jog rest.  I was on my own today.  AuraLea stuck with me for the first 1k and we hit 3:45.  For the second and third I hit 3:41.  On the 400s I hit 1:19, 1:18, then Kep told me to relax since it was supposed to be 10k goal pace, so I hit 1:21, 1:20, 1:21 for the last 3.  On the 200s I hit 36, 37, 35, 35.  Then it started snowing!  I ran 3 miles cooldown around campus and then went to the team meeting.

Today I went for a run with Nikki, Lauren, Jessica, and AuraLea.  It was snowing when we started, but not that cold which was nice.  We ran 11th, and by the time we got to City Creek it had stopped snowing and was sunny :)  We could see water evaporating off of everything, it was like we were running in a cloud :) The other girls turned down Memory Grove and the road behind the capitol, so I continued on my own up City Creek canyon for about a mile before turning around.  I ran down Memory Grove and then back up to campus via South Temple.  Stretched and foam rolled afterwards.

Today I started my premeet with Dana and Becky. We started out on Foothill, they turned down Sunnyside but I kept going. I did the Albertson's loop and then strides and drills on the track. We fly out to Stanford tonight.

About an hour before my race I started my warmup.  I did a little over 2 and a half miles, then some strides and drills.  My race was actually a little bit off schedule since they had only planned 24 minutes for the guys race before mine.  This was probably good though since I felt like I was going to puke.  I took my time doing more drills and strides, just keeping my heart rate up before going out onto the track.  There were 41 girls in my heat.  I was on the first waterfall line, but there wasn't room for all of us on the line so I just tucked in behind the girls in the first few lanes.  Going out I got to the inside, the pace felt really easy.  Just past 200, a girl fell and made this most dramatic scream, and another girl tripped over her.  Glad I missed that one, I just kept gong.  I don't remember the first lap split.  I really wanted to break 34 minutes, which was doable if I could run 81-82s.  Kep told me that if the pack was going 83-84s though, to just go with it.  Sorry Kep, but I wanted the PR more.  The first few laps I would move up on the curves, and they were about 83-84, we came through the mile at I think 5:32.  Then I went up front and picked it up just a bit.  Now I had some 81s.  Kep was telling me to let someone else lead, but as long as I was on pace up front I wasn't going to move back.  I think somewhere around lap 8 is when 2 girls came up and took over the leading.  This was just fine with me.  After a few more laps, one of them fell back, but I just stuck to the shoulder of the other one.  I think my 2 mile split was just over 11 minutes, and the 3 mile in the 16:30s.  The 5k mark was about 17:10 (Kep said 17:12.  I was rounding in my mind to make the math easier).  I knew I would need a negative split, and was just waiting for the race to get down to the single digits of laps remaining to start picking it up.  With about 8 laps to go I think we separated from the group, another girl came up and ran with the girl in front of me.  With 4 laps to go they took off.  I tried to hang on to them, which I did for a bit, but couldn't quite pick it up that much.  Coming around the curve just past the 200 mark now with 1000 to go, another girl had passed me and was moving up.  I was moving around some girls I was about to lap, and one of them swung wide!  Frustrated at this move, I yelled at them to move to the outside and then flew past them in pursuit of the other girls.  Kep told me to just go around (I would have had the one girl not swung wide!) but once I passed them I got a surge and closed on the other girls a little bit.  With 800 to go I calculated that I would need about a 2:40 to break 34.  I was running the splits, but I knew that any lapse of focus and I would miss it.  I kept pushing.  With 600 to go, Kep told me I needed a 1:58 to be able to do it.  I knew if I could pick it up and have a kick, I would be there.  With 500 to go, I caught back up to the girl who had passed me before, but I felt like I really needed to puke so I held back from the kick just a little bit longer.  The last lap I finally kicked, especially as I got 100 meters closer.  I finished in 33:55.98, PR by about 51 seconds and meeting my goal! :)  Also I did not puke, though if I had been a few seconds closer to 34 I might have dug deeper and gone into puke mode.  For cooldown I did another 3 miles around campus.  

This morning I went for a run around campus.  I started up towards the golf course, then headed towards the track area and by the housing neighborhood there.  I found a nice trail so followed that for a while.  I turned and headed back to campus, but somehow ended up going a little too far past the hotel.  I found a map at a bus stop and realized I was only about a block too far, which was fortunate.  I was tired, but still maintained a 7:31 average pace.  My calves are really sore.

This morning after lifting I went ahead and got my run done since I had plans with Jesse for his birthday :)  Then my only class was cancelled, and a group project I had to do tonight fell through!  What an amazing day!  For my run I started towards Sugarhouse and then did the cemetery loop route.  At 3300s I went up to 2300e and then headed back north towards home.  Still a little short of 10, so I had to add on out and back on 14th.  7:12 average pace.  Calves are just a little sore from the race, I think the start of the run was most exhausting just because of starting right after lifting.

Today I did the workout with the group at the track.  We did the usual warmup and strides and drills.  The long distance workout was five 500s at 10k pace with 70 seconds rest, then a lap jog, followed by five 500s at 5k pace with 90 seconds rest, then a lap jog, and then four 300s where we got progressively faster.  For the 500s we were supposed to run single file for racing practice.  Which is nothing comparable since in a real race we are way more packed in.  But it was nice to always be running the rail.  Then for the last 200, whoever was in back had to practice keeping an even effort while passing the leader.  I ran with Bekah, and we traded off starting in the lead.  For the first set, I hit 1:39, 1:41, 1:39, 1:41, 1:39.  On the next set I think Bekah had a harder time adjusting to the pace than I did, so I was sorta on my own but I hit 1:36, 1:36, 1:35, 1:35, 1:35.  The 400 splits on those were 77s and 76s.  On the 300s I ran 54, 54, 53, 53.  My calves are super sore now!  But I am glad I was able to do the workout.  For cooldown I did 2.5 miles to finish at 10.

Today we had a large group starting the run :)  It was me, Hilary, Lauren, Dana, Jessica, Becky, AuraLea, and Bekah.  We did the fruit loop route and then up above the zoo onto Wasatch.  I was with Becky and Bekah until 4.5 miles, when they turned down Foothill.  I kept going, to the drinking fountain on Foothill to see if it was on.  It wasn't.  I ran back along Wasatch and then cut through the golf course, finishing back on campus with 10.  Then Tim worked on my calves.  They aren't as bad as they were last year, I think some of the ankle rehab helped my calves as well.

Today I went for a run on my own since just about everyone else is doing a premeet.  I ran up to 11th Avenue, down City Creek and Memory Grove, and up the stairs onto 4th Avenue to go back to campus.  My knees hurt running down 11th and Memory Grove, but the pain went away when I was going back uphill.

This morning I went to Liberty for a threshold workout.  I warmed up a lap and a half around the perimeter of the park, then did my strides and drills down the middle.  The workout was three by 1 lap with two minutes recovery, then four 200s.  My times were 8:25, 8:28, 8:25.  Mile splits on each were 5:52, 5:56, 5:53.  The strides felt good.  My legs felt very fresh, which is kinda weird on so many miles.  My calves started to get tired towards the end of the last lap, but not that much.  For cooldown I did another lap and a half to finish with 11 total.  Now I'm going to go help out at our home track meet!  Throwing events start at 2:30, the first running event is at 4:45!  :)

I went to Liberty to start my run today so I could stay where it was nice and flat.  I ran out on 500e all the way to 3900s, then went up to 900e and headed back north.  I made it all the way to 3900s and 700e before hitting a red light.  Once I got back to 13th south, I cut back down to Liberty and did a lap around the perimeter plus a little extra to finish with 11 total.  6:55 average pace.

Today I started my run with Hilary, Nikki, and Lauren.  We ran to 11th Avenue, then down City Creek and behind the capitol beforre running down Main Street.  When we got to South Temple I ran back up to campus on my own to get 10 total.

Today we had a workout at the track.  We did the usual warmup route, followed by strides and drills.  The long distance workout was two 200s with 200 rest, two 800s with 2:10 rest, and two sets of four 400s with 90 seconds rest and a lap between sets.  My times on the 200s were 36, 39.  For the 800s I hit 2:37, 2:36.  On the 400s I hit 1:16, 1:17, 1:15, 1:16 for the first set and 1:17, 1:15, 1:16, 1:17 for the second set.  Cooled down a mile and a half to finish with 8 total.  

Today I went running with Lauren.  We started on the fruit loops route, then went above the zoo and onto Wasatch.  She turned around at 4.25, I kept going until I hit the fork with the street that goes down to Foothill.  I ran back to campus along Foothill and finished with 8 total.  Sometimes it is fun to run with just one other person because you really have the chance to get to know them better than when in a large group.  Running is awesome :)  Afterwards I got a massage from Tim.  My legs feel great right now, so I just got a flush out.  

This morning I went running with Jesse at Liberty Park. We did two laps, then out a half mile and strides on the way back to finish with 4 miles total.

About an hour before my race I started my warmup.  I got in about 2 miles before going to checkin, then did my strides and drills.  I changed to my spikes just before we were allowed onto the track so that I could do a few more strides in them.  There were 44 girls signed up for my heat.  I was number 43, so I took my pick on the starting line in the second row in the 3rd lane.  I'm not sure what everyone else with the high numbers was thinking, they were all in a cluster in the outer lanes behind the girls there.  Starting where I did, I was able to get to where I wanted to be - the rail - and just move with the group.  There was a lot of moving around by the people around me for the first few laps, so those laps went by fast as I just made sure not to trip or anything.  This was probably one of the best heats I have been in in a while, since the pack was going the pace I wanted to so all I had to do was stay to the inside and let everyone else do the work.  We came through the 1600 at 5:12, right where I wanted to be.  I paid attention to the girls around me and noticed when girls would slip off pace and quickly move up so as to not lose the pack.  Only once did I move to the outside to pass, because both of the girls I was tucked behind were slipping off pace.  I came through the 3200 at about 10:22-23.  I knew it was time to go and that I could pull out a fast last mile.  If I could drop a few seconds, I might even have a chance at the two-week-old school record.  Here is when some girls broke away from the pack.  I moved up, to the point where I was by myself behind a pack of 4, who were behind the 2 leaders.  This was hard to move up, but with my eyes on the girls in front of me and seeing them move back and forth was a good target to keep moving forward.  With 600 to go, Kep told me I would need a 1:53 to break the record.  That was going to hurt.  But I picked it up and kept pressing on, I was so close!  With 200 to go, Kep told me I needed to run a 35.  Not sure if I had that left in me, but I gave it my best and apparently it was fast enough!  I finished 5th in the heat, and reset the school record to a 16:06.31.  Since I got a PR, I went to the Brooks tent for my free pair of golden sunglasses :)  I didn't know this was part of the deal, but I had to get my PR tattooed on somewhere.  I chose my bicep ;)  For cooldown I did 2.25 around the Footlocker starting field and the parking lots.  I think this race tonight was probably one of the smartest races I have run.  It helps that I was in a heat that was competitive and able to pull me along.  The first few laps were surprisingly easy, since I just focused on running in the pack I was in and being patient, rather than trying to go around everyone and get to the front.  Sometimes that is necessary, like at my 5k at Stanford last year, but this time I am glad I had the chance to race in a pack and practice separating at the end.  Since this time will probably get me into regionals, now I just need to figure out what my race plans are going to be the next few weeks at the conference at regional meets...  

This morning I went for a long run over by Mt. SAC campus.  I ran there from the hotel, then ran towards the dirt trails behind the corral.  Part of it was roped off so I wasn't sure if I was allowed to go there, so I ran part of the Footlocker hills instead.  Then I realized there must be some event going on since there were people there motioning for me to follow these painted arrows on the trail... Then 2 of the guys racing passed me... Awkward.  I ran part of the course but then when the dirt was going back to the road, I turned and kept going on the trail.  Some of the race volunteers were yelling that I was going the wrong way... I don't know how the hints of my lack of racing bib and slow speed in comparison to the runners who had already passed by didn't get through... I ran back over to to corral area and went to the trail. And found out that was part of the race course too... But only a short part of it.  So I ran out on the trail for a bit, then when it turned, I was on the race course again... but I think most everyone had passed by.  I followed the trail back to campus, and found myself behind the corral again.  It was about a 2 mile loop, so I did that 2 more times and then ran back to the hotel to finish with 12 miles total.  

This morning I had a workout with Nikki and Andrea.  We did the usual warmup route above the track, then strides and drills.  Kep went through his records and found a workout that he had the DMR team do before Drake, and won, so he gave that to us today.  We are doing the 4 by mile on Thursday, and the DMR on Friday.  The workout was two sets of a 500 (goal 1:29) with 1 minute rest and then a 300 (goal 52) with 4 minutes rest, then a 300 (goal 49) with 1 minute rest before a 200 (goal 33) and a 400 recovery before a 200 (goal 30).  5 minutes between sets.  This was a deceiving workout (to someone like me who is used to a lot slower paced reps!), I thought after the first 5 and 3 since it was shorter reps, it wouldn't be so bad.  I was so wrong.  Fortunately I had Nikki and Andrea to work with!  The first 500 I hit 1:31, then 54 on the 300.  On the next 300 I hit 50, and 33 for the 200.  On the next 200 I hit 31.  That might have been my fastest 200 ever...  I took 300 jog recovery in the 4 minutes rest period and a 400 jog in the 5 minute recovery period.  On the second set I hit 1:30 for the 500, with consistent 18 second 100 splits throughout.  53 for the next 300.  Then 50, 33 for the 300 and 200, and 32 for the last 200.  This workout was probably the hardest one I've done all season :-P  Afterwards I cooled down 2.5 miles, finishing at Jamba Juice, what a coincidence!  ;-)  I am hoping to be able to split around 4:50 for my miles in the relays coming up.  With the 500s I did today, I think it may be possible...  Now we have the next 2 days to recover and then we're off to Drake! :-)

The DMR got moved to Saturday... It'll be nice to have a day between races, but stressful trying to change flights and figure out how we're going to study for finals :-P  but we got it figured out.

Being a busy week, it was just Hilary and I for the run today.  Because it was super windy, we started out into the wind so we could have it to our backs on the return to campus.  We ran down Foothill and 2300e to 2100s.  Hilary was with me until Sugarhouse, then she headed back to campus.  I did a lap around the perimeter of the park and then ran back to campus on 15th.  It was actually really hot not running into the wind, so I sorta wished I had left some of it for the way back!  Finished with 9 miles back to the locker room.  Then I stretched for a few minutes and took a 15 minute ice bath.  My quads are sore from yesterday.

Premeet at Liberty Park today before leaving for Drake. I did two laps, then out a half mile and strides on the way back to finish with 4.

Nikki and Andrea were the first legs of the relay today, so Bekah and I started our warmup about ten minutes after theirs so we wouldn't be too soon before our legs of the relay. I did 20 minutes, then a few strides and drills back in the warmup gym.We went down to the track and I did more strides and drills there. We may want to work on our time management skills, Nikki just made it on time for the start. She ran about a 4:55 before handing off the baton to Andrea. Kep got her split at 4:59. Bekah fought 3 girls off during her leg and split a 4:58, then it was my turn! Knowing how the right pace for the start of a 1600 and being alone is hard when you're used to the 5&10k... my first 200 was about a 33. I knew I needed to back off, but I didn't want to so much that I would come through too slow. The wind didn't help with judging effort level either. Through the first 700 meters I could hear footsteps behind me, but eventually I pulled away from whoever was there. The teams in front of me were too far gone, so I was just running. Finally with 500 to go I picked it up and closed the gap on some girls who I knew I was lapping. I finished in 5th, no change from what I had gotten the baton in. Kep said I split 4:57, twitter says 4:56 so I'm not exactly sure what my split was

Kep didn't get 400 splits, which is probably good since I bet mine were all over the place. But he was happy with us for how we ran, especially when alone or down the back stretch into the wind. I cooled down 3 miles with Andrea. I felt tired towards the end of it, though we were going a good pace. At least from that I can tell I did give an honest effort in the race. I wish I could have ran closer to a 4:50, but considering the circumstances I think we all ran well. And it is awesome we had splits so close to each other. The DMR got moved to Saturday, so it'll be nice to have tomorrow to recover and refocus for another 1600 on Saturday.

This morning I went for a run on the trail by the river close to our hotel. I went out 2.5 miles and then turned around. I caught up to Nikki and Andrea on the way back, then did strides to finish with 5.

Today I did the DMR with Nikki, Grace, and Andrea.  About an hour before the start, I warmed up with Nikki and Andrea. I did 20 minutes and then got my uniform and spikes and headed over to the checkin area.  We did strides and drills in there, and planned on more strides down at the track.  Today we were being walked down to the track since there were a lot more events going on.  Nikki started us off ok in the 1200, Grace had a bit of a diffucult time in the 400 since there were 15 people in the race.  She handed off to Andrea, who fought off some girls and got the baton to me just ahead of another girl, and not too far behind another.  I steadily caught up to the girl just in front of me and passed her, then a little further up ahead were two more girls behind a larger pack of girls.  I knew I could catch these girls, but I needed to not go crazy with my pace trying to do that at the beginning.  I gradually closed the gap on them throughout the race.  When I got to the 600 mark, I heard Kep say 72, so that must have been my split from 200 to 600.  I glanced at the clock for my other splits at each lap and got 77, 75, 72 for the last 3 laps.  Kep got my splits a little differently, saying I opened in 70 and then ran 75, 74, 73 I think. The 800 splits were 2:25 and 2:28, meaning I ran a 4:53 which is a new PR for me!  WIth 400 to go I kicked and caught up to one of the girls I had been closing on since I got the baton.  I passed her and kept going, then with 100 to go I could hear her coming back but I held her off and finished our team in 11th.  I think out final time was 11:46, I don't really remember...  I cooled down 3 miles with Andrea, then we approached Kep... Next year he expects more out of us.  

Comparing this race to the one on Thursday, I felt like I ran smarter than on Thursday as far as not going out too fast.  I think I let up too much in the second lap, otherwise I might have been able to catch one more girl.  I should have had more confidence because of my 1500 earlier this season.  But not really knowing what my splits were, or being able to run with other girls, there is a lot to consider.    

Finished my last final this morning!  Then went for a 10 mile run, out on the fruit loop route and up Emigration Canyon, and back.  Then I lifted with Hilary.

This morning I did a workout at Liberty Park with Bekah and AuraLea.  We warmed up a little over a lap in the park, then did our usual strides and drills.  I was super sore from lifting yesterday morning (that's what I get for taking two weeks off from that...) so the strides hurt!  Not to mention just running, but strides especially.  The workout was 15 10 5, with 3 and 2 minutes recovery.  On the 15 I decided to try and go just sub 6, not sure what my body could take right now and wanting to be smart with the 10 and 5 left.  I came through the mile in that one at 5:54.  I started with Bekah on that one, which was good to get a feel for the pace, but she was feeling a better day today so when she took off I just had to focus in on my pace and not let hers distract me.  Same with on the 10, I started with her and then let her go.  I think my mile on that one was 5:47.  On the 5 I came through half mile in 2:52.  When we were done, we did four 25 second strides.  Those hurt the worst!  Then we cooled down a lap, and I added on just a bit more to finish with 11 total.

Today I ran xarT with Hilary.  This verion of the route included going to the drinking fountain in City Creek, and then down Memory Grove.  Hilary ran up South Temple with me to about 600e before going to catch xarT, then I was on my own the rest of the way back up to campus.  Afterwards I saw Tim for a massage.