You've got to want it to win it

This morning I started with about 2 miles warmup with Amanda and Natalie.  We did our drills and our strides and then headed to the bull pen.  I was in the fifth heat, so I had a while.  I took my Gu, did some stretching, and then changed my shoes when we had to move to the entrance to the track so the boys milers could come in.  Waiting by the start I did some strides and other stuff to stay warm.  While some of the other girls were without sweats by the heater, I kept mine on until right as my race was going to the line.  I was in the first position in the second alley again.  Going out I didn't have as aggressive a start as yesterday, but I think the other girls started too fast.  The first lap I was behind a lot of the pack, but I didn't worry about it since I liked my pace.  I don't remember my lap splits.  By the third lap I had passed some girls.  There was a time when a girl was going to pass me but Bill told me to match her move.  Then with 600 to go I started my kick, and it was very successful.  I got around some girls and I was able to keep moving up.  I kept pushing as I had less and less distance to go.  With about 200 to go I got around probably 5 girls and was getting closer to the girl in second during the last stretch, though I knew she was too far ahead for me to be able to catch her.  Still it was a great race and I had a nice kick and I got a new PR :)  Afterwards I did about a half mile cooldown.

Later when I was home in the late afternoon I went for a 4 mile run on the Shoreline Trail. 

Today we started with 2 grass laps for warmup.  Then we did some drills with strides.  We did butt kicks, high knees, lunges, squats, and power skips.  I took off my shoes for them because it felt nice in the grass.  Then we did a mile of speedchanges.  Then we did 2 grass laps cooldown.  When I got home I took a 15 minute ice bath.

Today we did an easy workout because of regions tomorrow.  We did 4 laps warmup, and then 6 strides.  To make it fun we changed lanes for each stride.  Then we did 2 grass laps for cooldown, and we had fun singing Disney songs :)

Today I started with about a mile warmup on the road near the high school.  I was running with Amanda, Natalie, Abigail, and Bill.  Then we went back to the track where I took my Gu and changed my shoes and then went for drills.  I did the usual buttkicks, high knees, power skips, and lunges, all with strides.  I got to watch my little sister race in the first heat, she matched her PR time.  Then on the line I was second seed.  Going out I didn't have a very good start, I got boxed in by a few people.  By the 200 meter though I was able to break out and take the lead.  First lap split was 1:17.  I wasn't sure how close the other girls were behind me, but I knew that I needed to go out hard those first 2 laps because that's what Bill had told me to do.  I could hear  Kate behind me and I tried to break away from her.  I threw in some speedchanges in laps 2 and 3,  but going into lap 4 she caught up to me.  I was with her until 300 to go.  She outkicked me, like she has since I was a freshman and she was a sophomore.  Still, I made it to state and I think I got a new PR.  Afterwards I did about a half mile cooldown.

This morning I got up early and ran a mile with my ipod.

The meet start time had been moved up 15 minutes, but we still made it in enough time to get in a good warmup.  We did about a mile and a half warmup again, out on the roads by the school.  Then back in the stadium I took my Gu and we got our spikes and went to the field to warmup.  I jogged a little bit before I started my drills because there was still a few minutes before the first heat started.  I did some strides as I went to different parts of the track to cheer on the girls in the first heat.  Natalie, Amanda, Hannah, and Bre were top 4 in that heat, it was cool to watch.  Finally it was time for me and my sister to get to the line.  I had the first spot, and realized that it wouldn't really be too competitive because Kate wasn't going to do the 3200.  Still I decided to see how well I could push myself.  I had a strong start and got right out into the front and was already breaking away during that first lap, which was a 1:17.  I decided to focus on keeping good form during that race.  The first mile I hit a 5:41.  My goal had been to see if I could hit a 5:28 and then see if I could get a negative split.  Maybe if there were other girls in the race that I could push with I could have, but it wasn't a bad race.  I didn't kick very hard at the finish.  Afterwards I did 4 half mile cooldowns.   

Today we had an easy day.  We ran to Sugarhouse Park, did a lap, and ran back to the track.  I ran with Natalie and Amanda.  We did our lap at Sugarhouse backwards, and the guys who were doing it the other way joined us when we saw them as they went the opposite way.  So we ran the rest of our run with Rj, Scott, and Taylor.  We were going to sing Disney songs again, but really the only one we knew was Mulan.  We had a great time, and are all looking forward to cross country in 17 days!!!

This morning right after I woke up I went for a nice 7 mile run.  I ran to the cemetery on 3300s from my house.  I didn't have to stop at any lights so that was very nice.  I averaged 8 minute miles.  Such a nice day :)

Today we started with a mile warmup and a mile speedchanges, and a lap recovery.  We did the 200 400 chase workout today where the 400 person tries not to get caught by the 200 person who pushes them through the last 200.  I was paired up with Natalie, and I started with the 400.  We did 5 sets.  The times I got on the 400s were 1:17, 1:18, 1:17, 1:16, 1:14.  I don't know the 200 times.  After the 400s I got 200 recovery as I jogged over to the 200 start.  I only caught Natalie once, on the fourth set.  Towards the end my legs were feeling like jello.  Afterwards Natalie and I did 2 grass laps cooldown. 

Today Natalie and I went to jv regions to cheer.  After the mile was done we went on a 4 mile run with Bill just on the roads by the school.  However, we tried to make it just a loop, and it ended up being more than 5 miles.  Natalie and I stopped at 4, and Bill had gone ahead to get a car to pick us up, though we didn't know that.  Still from the 5 miles it would have been a couple minutes walk to the track.  Anyway it was cool to run somewhere we haven't been before.

Today we did a mile warmup, a mile speedchanges, and a mile cooldown.  And I massaged my legs with an ice cup afterwards.

This morning I got up early and went for an easy 2 with my ipod, just to 17th and back twice from my house. 

This morning I got to the track later than I had planned but I still had plenty of time to get in a good warmup and do what I needed to do.  I did about a mile and a half warmup, and then I took my Gu and had to get in the bull pen.  I changed shoes and headed out.  I did some high knees and skips on the way over to the line.  Waiting for the race ahead of ours to finish, I did a few strides.  Finally it was time for our race.  I was number 9 so I got to start second in the second alley.  Bill had told me what I needed to to was get out fast and then stick with the lead pack.  As the gun went off I got a good start and was easily able to break away from the other girls in my alley. Then at the 100 it turns out I was in the lead.  No lead pack to stick with.  I was by myself.  At the 200 I was at 36.  I knew that was a crazy pace but it felt right.  My first lap split was a 1:14.  As I crossed the line and saw the time on the clock I thought to myself "There is no way this is happening, I am not leading the mile at state right now and I did not just run a 1:14 first lap.  Its just a dream and I am going to wake up now and just be in my bed at home."  I was wrong, it wasn't a dream.  I was really there.  Bill was yelling at me to keep pushing.  He was yelling different than he does at different races.  I know he was shocked with how I was running the race, and so was I.  At the 800 my time was 2:33.  I didn't know how far the other girls were behind me but I was expecting someone to come up to me soon.  Even though I couldn't hear them, I assumed they were probably 5 meters or less behind me.  I could hear people cheering for them so I knew they had to be close.  I pushed during the third lap, and was at 3:53 heading into the final lap.  Starting that last 400 two girls caught up to me.  I knew they were kickers which was probably why they hadn't moved until then.  I hung on to them the best I could, but had lost them by 300 to go.  Then going down that stretch there was another girl who caught up to me.  The last 200 I knew was when I would have to give everything I had left to not get passed again, because I figured there was a pack closing in.  I did not get passed again, and I got a new PR by 10 seconds!  I made it to the podium this year too, and I scored 5 points for my team.  Afterwards Bill told me that during the first 2 laps I had a 20, 30, or 40 meter lead (he changes it every time he says it).  Also he noted that my last 800 was only 6 seconds slower than my first, which was great.  He said that it gave him a heart attack how fast I went out.  After I left the track I lost my breakfast...  Then I did about a 2 mile cooldown with Jamal and Bill.  Then later I took a 10 minute ice bath.  Now I'm just working on calming my stomach down and resting for tomorrow.  What a great day today :)

I had stayed the night in Provo so that I could get more sleep for not having to drive to the race.  I arrived at the track a little after 7:30 and then found Natalie.  We got ready and started our warmup at 8.  We did about a mile and a half in the field to the side of the track.  Then I took my Gu, and we did some drills and strides while we waited for our race to be called into the bull pen.  We got in some good strides while we waited, just focusing on staying warmed up during our wait.  Finally we were called in and we changed our shoes.  I was seeded number three, so for the first time ever I got to start in the first alley.  At the line I did some strides.  As the gun went off I held myself back from going the pace that I wanted to go.  Bill told me to try and work in a pack today so I did.  The first lap was too slow though, only a 1:22, and Bill had wanted me to hit a 1:17.  I knew I would have to push to try and make it up.  I ended up going out to the front with Kelsey from Boxelder.  We led the race for a few laps.  I could tell when she would throw in surges to try and break away from me.  I stuck with her.  The first mile was a 5:40, 15 seconds off of what Bill had wanted me to run.  Then with about 3 laps to go I started to lose her.  With 2 laps to go the Ogden girls caught up to me, they had started their kick already it looked like.  I tried to push with them as they moved away from me, and then again I tried to stay with the Orem runner as she passed me.  From the 600 I started trying to really close that gap.  The last lap I was still not that far behind, and at the 300 I tried closing in more but it wasn't coming.  Going down the last stretch was when I really was able to get on my toes and run with everything I had left.  I finished about a second behind Kelsey, and 8 seconds behind the leader.  I'm proud to say that being in the 4A division, it was the most competitive and my time and the girls ahead of me would have won any of the other divisions.  I'm glad to be finished with track (well at least for a few weeks) and to have been able to run faster times this year than ever and compete against the best competition in years.  Afterwards I did about a mile cooldown with Natalie, who had a great race also, taking 15th and getting a new personal best by 31 seconds. 

Today I rested my legs from state another day.  I went to the pool with Abigail for about 40 minutes.  I was in the water the whole time, but wasn't swimming the whole time, and it was harder when Abigail had my goggles.  Fun day :)

Today I did 4 miles on the treadmill.  I brought a book I was supposed to be reading for school, but after about the first half mile decided it was too hard to read and run and did the rest with no form of entertainment.  Afterwards I did armswings and squats with the bar.  Then I joined my mom for her last 15 minutes of biking.  When I got home I did my crunches and pushups.

Today we had a fun run.  RJ, Scott, and Taylor ran over to meet Abigail, Natalie, and I at my house.  From there we ran to see if Amanda could come run, but she had gone in the morning.  So we continued on to Sugarhouse, and ran past highland and turned up the street before the overpass.  We then ran on the underpass.  We went through a bunch of streets that we didn't really know, it was just fun because we were playing tag the whole time and were having fun.  Coming back we went through the middle of Sugarhouse.  Then we just took the same way from the park back to my house.  Afterwards, Natalie, Abigail, and I had snowcones :)  Cross country is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we had an entertaining run.  We started at Natalie's, and first had to find out who all would be able to come.  At first it was Natalie, Abigail, RJ, and me, and Taylor was on his way.  We ran to Scott's to see if he could come, but he had homework to do.  Then we ran back to Natalie's since we were still waiting for Taylor.  When we began we decided to take a caprisun over to Nelson's.  On the way there though I tripped and as I put out my hands to break my fall I let go of the juice to hopefully save it.  I only barely scraped my hands but the juice pack got a hole in it.  We were right by RJ's house though so Taylor drank the ruined one and we got a new one.  At Nelson's he didn't want to trade it for anything, so we moved on.  We then went to Scott's house, where we traded it for fruit snacks, a granola bar, and a krackel.  From there it turned into a game of bigger or better.  We ran to Eliza's house next where we exchanged the 3 items from Scott for a can of refried beans.  It was perfect that there were 3 items since she was there with her 2 brothers.  From there we went on to RJ's cousins where we turned in the refried beans for some berry rainbow flavored sherbet and a plastic fork.  We thought that was pretty cool, and continued on to Jolley's house to see what we could trade that for.  He wasn't home, and by then we were close to our desired mileage, so we just headed back to Natalie's where we enjoyed the sherbet :)

Today I did 4 laps at Liberty Park on the grass outside of the woodchip path.  Afterwards I did my crunches and pushups. 

I didn't go run this morning as I should have, and ended up going to the treadmill in the late afternoon.  I brought a movie with, and that kept me pretty well entertained.  I didn't get to do all 8 miles that Bill wanted me to do though because I didn't have time.  I'm ok with just 6.

Today I ran to Sugarhouse, did a lap, and came back.  Afterwards I did my crunches and pushups.

I went and did speedwork tonight at Sugarhouse and highlands track.  We started with a grass lap warmup, then went and changed shoes for a mile speedchanges with a lap recovery.  First we did an 800, I hit a 1:19 first lap and finshed at 2:40.  One lap recovery.  Then we did five 400s, my times were 1;13, 1:15, 1:18, 1;17, 1:16.  Took a lap recovery after each.  Then I did six untimed 200s with the other 200 recovery.  Then I changed shoes and we did another lap around the park for cooldown. 

Today I went up to the Pipeline Trail to run.  I just went out three miles and back.  I averaged 8:40 pace.  It felt really nice to be up there after having not been for so long.  And the weather was a perfect temperature :)  Afterwards at home I did my crunches and pushups, and I took an 18 minute ice bath.

Today I ran from my house to Shriner's through the U campus.  Just past the drinking fountain was 3, there I stopped for a drink and headed back the same way I came.  My average pace was 7:55 :)  Afterwards I did my crunches and pushups.

This morning since there wasn't school I got to run with Emily and Bill.  We did fartlek at Liberty Park.  We started with a woodchip lap warmup, and then got water and I did a few strides with Emily.  We did 12 sets of 1 minute on one minute off.  Bill said that he and Emily were going to take turns pushing me to go faster.  Bill led the first one and I could hardly keep up, and I knew it was going to be a tough workout.  The second one I stayed with Emily mostly.  A few in Bill had been falling behind Emily and me.  On some of them near the end I would pass Emily during the fast part and she could catch up during the recovery.  The last three I think were the hardest, but afterwards it felt so good to be done.  We ran those on the sidewalk and were just starting a third lap of them when the 12 sets were done.  Then we went way to the outside of the grass and ran on there back to the drinking fountain for cooldown.  Afterwards I did my crunches and pushups. 

Today I ran to Sugarhouse, did the state course twice, and ran home.  I averaged 8:21 pace.  Afterwards I did my crunches and pushups.

Today I ran to Sugarhouse, did a lap, and came back.  I was going to do 2 laps but I was feeling dehydrated and exhausted and didn't feel like running.  I did my crunches and pushups after a while, I almost didn't do them at all though.  Maybe tomorrow will be a better run.