You've got to want it to win it

At the course today in Louisville, Colorado we did our premeet.  We ran the first two loops, then Lauren did the third loop with me and did strides into the finish and then from the start.  It reminds me of the Montana course because it has rolling hills in some spots.  My goal is top 15 tomorrow!

About an hour before our race we started our warmup.  We did about two miles and then our strides and drills in the start area.  We left ourselves plenty of time which was nice, and I used it well to get in some good strides.  I wanted to have a good start and be up where I should be sooner in the race so that I wasn't passing people the whole time because I didn't start fast enough.  Kep told us the first lap was probably going to be slow because the sea level teams were scared of the altitude.  He told Bekah and I not to lead.  When the race started, for the first time this season I wasn't behind all of my teammates.  And I got out well.  And I somehow ended up in the lead pack of 4.  Oops...  But the pace didn't feel that hard, we had backed off from the starting pace but there were still 4 of us up there.  The first k was 3:24.  Maybe a little fast, but given the workout on Wednesday it was do-able.  I made it through the first loop and was still up there.  But I was scared because I thought I heard a voice that might have been Kep's voice yelling at me to relax... I was scared that he would be really mad at me because I was doing what he had specifically said not to... going into the next lap a pack started to come up, and I got passed a lot.  They had definitely picked it up.  This lap was a mental battle because I knew I needed to focus to hold on and not die completely, also because I was worried what Kep was probably thinking.  And I was worried I had let the team down.  I had to try really hard not to be negative on myself.  I was still pushing and still in it.  I could do it.  I was able to get back in it and pass people one by one.  Kep told me I was about 30th.  I needed to pick off a few girls if I was going to at least finish better than my 28th place from last year.  In the third lap I was pushing really hard and trying to get up to Catrina from Colorado.  She was passing people, and I was passing the people after she passed them.  I remember passing an Oregon girl who was breathing really hard and was thinking thank you altitude!  Coming up on the final 400 I picked it up and passed the Colorado girl.  I am not sure if I was closing on the girls in front of me.  I didn't think there was anyone coming up on me.  The crowd was too loud and I couldn't hear anyone breathing behind me.  Right at the line an Oregon girl got me.  I am mad that on the results it doesn't show the decimal points, because it lists both of us at 22:37.  I am also a little mad at myself I didn't keep pushing farther than the finish line because that is literally where she got me.  Supposedly.  And because I didn't, I finished one place lower than last year.  After finishing I puked and the volunteers were trying to push me out of the finish area, and I was really mad at them.  Hanah helped me out and then she brought each of us Utah girls and basically sat us down in a row outside the finish area.  Even being an altitude team, coming up to 6000 feet to race was hard.  For cooldown I did enough to finish to 8 total for the day.  I ran with Dana, we were behind the team, but I'm not sure how they were able to pull off the pace they were :P  Dana and I were exhausted.  Rewinding to immediately after the race when we were all sitting outside of the finishing area:  I told Kep I was so sorry for going out the way I had, but he said it was awesome that I had gone for it.  And he said that it would be good practice for regionals, which won't be as competitive.  Thank goodness.  This was definitely a huge learning experience.  But thinking about the race, I speculate that even if I had started in the pack behind the leaders, I probably wouldn't have been able to handle the change in pace going into the second lap because that isn't my racing style... Maybe I need to practice pace changes in workouts to be able to do that.  I sorta think that I would have been passed by more people, or I would have let too many of them go and not caught as many back as I finished.  But then again, maybe having more in the tank I could have picked off more people in the second half.  Who knows.  I think I am able to say I have strength for being able to come back and finish the race after starting the way I did.  Although it hurt bad after the first 2k, I wasn't done.  I held on and even got back to passing people, and had a kick at the end.  I have a lot to think about the next two weeks before regionals...

Today with the team I did zoo loop.  The starting group was me, Nikki, Jessica, Bekah, Becky, Dana, and Kenzie.  Biggest group we've had in a while it feels like.  I was with Nikki and Jessica until they turned around.  I ran to Thunderbird and then turned around on Wasatch, then went through the golf course and by the post office to get back to campus.

This afternoon we went up to Park City for our long run.  Brrr!!!  The way out actually wasn't that bad, but on the way back there was the wind... On the way out I ran with Andrea and we slowly caught up to Alyssa and Becky.  I caught Becky before the others turned around so I ran the rest of the way with her.  

Today I went for a run with Becky, Bekah, and Alyssa.  But mostly I was behind them since they were going just under 7:00 minute pace...  I didn't want to press, just enjoy the day off.  We ran through the golf course and then up along Wasatch.  I cut down to Foothill at Thunderbird and then kept going on the paved Shoreline trail to the freeway overpass.  I stopped to stretch for a minute and got honked at 3 times :-P  I ran back to campus along Foothill, then went up to the track to do strides and hurdle drills.  Afterwards I got a massage from Tim.

Today we had a workout half on bailiff and half on the track.  We did the usual warmup and then strides and drills on the bailiff.  The workout was six 300s and then six 200s on the track.  I ran with Andrea and AuraLea, we worked well together.  My times were 58, 56, 56, 57, 56, 55 for the 300s, then on the track for the 200s I hit 36, 35, 35, 35, 35, 34.  Recovery was at least 2 minutes, we took just a little over.  For cooldown we did the same route as warmup.  Stretched for a while afterwards.

This morning I ran on my own since I am going to a PT school info session later this afternoon :)  I ran just past 3900s on 2300e and turned around.  I'm glad this morning was one of the warmer mornings of the week!

This morning we had a threshold workout at Liberty Park.  I warmed up on my own and then joined my team for the strides and drills.  The workout was 6 minutes on, 75 second recovery, then two sets of 7 minutes with 85 second recovery, then one more 6 minute.  Andrea started them with me and that was helpful to have her close by even if we weren't running exactly together.  The first two the pace was slow, I didn't make it quite to the mile in the first 6 minute set, and my split during the 7 minutes was 6:10.  The next 7 minute set I was at 6:04, and on the last 6 minute set I made it just a little farther than the previous one.  Then we had strides.  I thought they were supposed to be 35 seconds, but before the third one Andrea and I found out they were just supposed to be 25... so we only did 3.  Oops.  For cooldown I did a lap with Jessica and AuraLea, then out and back on 500e to finish with 12 total for the day.  

This afternoon I went runninng with Lauren, Becky, Dana, and Alyssa.  We did what the girls named Hilary's and my route "Fruit Loop" where we start out through the dorms to take the long way to get to Sunnyside.  Alyssa and Dana turned there, then I continued with Lauren and Becky through the golf course and along Wasatch.  I turned around with them when they turned so I could have their company for longer.  We ran back to Sunnyside through the golf course and then cut down to Foothill to go back to campus.  Then I added on above the track and finished with a mile of speedchanges on the track to finish with 8 total.  Then I did hurdle drills.  Mentally preparing for regionals this week... Bekah and I are hoping to make it to nationals!

Today was our final workout before regionals!  We warmed up on the road above the track and then did our strides and drills on the track.  The workout started with two 200s with 200 jog recovery, then a 1000 with 3 minutes recovery, followed by five 400s with 1:30-2:00 recovery, then four 300s with 80-100 seconds recovery, and then three more 200s with 2:00 recovery.  I did the first 200s with AuraLea, Nikki, and Becky, I hit 36 and 38.  Good thing they were too fast because I would have been in trouble if my pace felt that hard...  The rest of the workout I was on my own, but I did fine.  On the 1000 I hit 3:27, then for the 400s I hit 1:21, 1:20, 1:25 (that was after Kep had told me to relax, that always messes with my mind), 1:22, 1:22.  On the 300s I hit 57, 59, 59, 58, and for 35s for the last three 200s.  For cooldown we ran to North Campus from the track and then went back to the track for some backwards laps.  

I started my run today with Nikki, Jessica, and Kenzie.  Nikki went back early, but I was with Jessica and Kenzie for the rest of it.  We ran to 1700s on Foothill, then crossed the street and ran back to campus on the other side of the road.  To finish at 6 I added on a lap at Baillif.  It is weird being able to just do the whole run with the team because I don't have to add on very much.

This afternoon we went up to Ogden to check out the course for tomorrow.  It is awesome!  :)  I ran the course with Lauren, AuraLea, Becky, and Dana, and then did strides and drills by the start area.  Excited to race tomorrow!

It was nice being able to sleep in my own bed before the race today.  We got there and had time to relax before warming up.  Apparently it had been snowing that morning, but we were fortunate enough to miss it.  An hour before our race we began our warmup, the usual strides and drills, then getting changed into our spikes and going to the line in plenty of time to get strides in.  We had a false start, I saw the fall happen before the second gun was fired but as a precaution kept going until the second gun went off.  The second start was better and we were off.  I felt like I got out well, without much effort I was able to get towards the front half of the pack.  I liked the course until I realized just how narrow it was when we got to that first turn!  I could see whole teams in front of me that I knew weren't going to last.  I figured this was the pack that the top girls were going to let do the work for the first bit.  I focused on moving up as people fell back.  I could see Bekah and worked up to her, and was back and forth with her for a bit, but it was hard to hold any position in relation to anyone else because it was so packed.  I tried to pass people and move up via the same route she was going, which helped.  Going into the final stretch of the first lap I think a lot of people fell off and I moved into the group of leaders.  I was right behind and then next to Natalie as we turned to go back to the starting field to begin the second lap.  I was also still with Bekah at this point.  There the pack moved and girls were strung out behind them.  Bekah was up there, and I was trying to move up.  Mentally it was a hard race trying to move up when the girls right in front of me were ones I knew were going to qualify with their team, I was focusing on trying to grab an individual spot but having the team girls mixed in there was difficult because passing them didn't gaurantee me anything, it was the individuals that mattered...  Still I kept pushing and did my best.  Going around the final turn I picked it up and could see that some of the girls ahead of me had shifted position.  If I could just start picking them off I might still have a chance... With about a quarter mile to go I picked it up and passed a girl, but then coming down the final stretch by the flags I got passed by two girls, one individual and one on a team.  My time was the best I've had all season, and this was definitely my best race.  I am still not sure if I made it to nationals, but Bekah did and I am super excited for her!!! :)  And our whole team had their best races today, it was awesome :)  I am not going to get my hopes up about nationals (but if Kep calls me any time this weekend and lets me know that I got in I for sure will be jumping up and down and screaming with joy) because in order for that to happen, BYU will have to get the team bid and our region will have to get the two individual bids.  I am just happy I ran my very best today and had a great race and ran smart, not to mention being just one second shy of my PR :)  For cooldown I ran with Bekah and Becky for about 20 minutes.  Also I got a medal for being All-Region!  I think it is my first medal I've gotten in college for cross country :)

Nice, easy, short run to end my miles for the week at 40.  I ran to Sugarhouse, did a lap around the perimeter, then went up to 1900e to go home.

I ran 4 miles with Nikki today.  She wanted to do Trax, but I told her I only wanted to do 4 miles, so she agreed that sounded better :)  We ran up to 11th Ave. and back.

I pool ran for 30 minutes today.

Today I pool ran with Nikki for 35 minutes. Then we pretended we were dolphins!

Went running in the evening at the oval. I switched directions every 4 laps for 22 laps total. My sacrum/POCKETS hurts (I think I aggravated it at lifting a few weeks ago and it hurts any time I have pressure there from anything not cushioned), but when I ran taller it felt better so maybe it is a posture thing?

5 miles on the treadmill in the training room.  The white wall in front of my was definitely not my favorite.  But neither was feeling like I was going to suffocate from the wind when I stepped outside this morning!

Today I got to be a normal person!  I slept in, didn't go running all day, and it was awesome!  Had to make my last day of break count :)

Today I went running with Nikki, Lauren, and Andrea, and we did TRAX!!!!!!! :)  It has been so long and Nikki really wanted to run it for a while, so today was the day! :)  

Today I went running with Becky and Andrea.  We made a loop up past the dorms onto Bonneville Trail by Red Butte south to Sunnyside Avenue.  From there we ran down to Foothill and back to campus.

This morning I put a bunch of new songs on my iPod and then ran to Sugarhouse, did a lap around the perimeter, and then home. :)

This morning I went running with Katherine on Shoreline trail. I thought we were doing the same one as last time, but I was wrong... so it extended the route a little bit but it wasn't far to the trail she was thinking of. I ran with her to the peak right before the panels peak, but I wanted to be done in time to go cheer for my dad and brother at their turkey trot, so I turned around. At Memory Grove I ran a little bit more on the trail after I had seen my dad, saving myself the walk back to my car.

This morning I ran 3 laps around the perimeter of Liberty Park.  My quads are sore from running up the mountain yesterday, but I averaged 7:26 pace.

This morning I picked up Becky and we drove to City Creek to run up the canyon. We ran up 32 minutes, stopped to stretch, and back down. The way up was cold running into the wind! And my quads hurt on the way down, still sore from running that mountain on Thursday :-P the way down went by fast.