You've got to want it to win it

Today we did speed out at the oval.  We started with 4 laps warmup, then stretching, then another 4 laps warmup and 4 laps speedchanges, then a lap recovery.  Then we changed shoes and Bill told us the splits each of us were supposed to hit for the eight 400s we were going to do.  My goal was between 1:17 and 1:19.  We had equal time standing recovery.  I hit 1:18, 1:17, 1:18, 1:18, 1:17, 1:17, 1:19, 1:18.  Then we did 2 recovery laps before changing shoes, then did 4 laps cooldown to bring us to 8 for the day. 

Today after the track warmups we did stepups and then went into the weight room for.  In there we did wall sits, leg lifts, planks, balancing on one foot, squats with the bar, calf raises with the bar (I just used weights), and then lunges and tippy-toes out in the hall.  Then a few of us went up to Steiner to run on the treadmills because the wind chill was freezing!!!  So I did 8 up on the treadmill there, and then did arm swings in the mirrors afterwards.  

Today we did speed out at the oval again.  We started with 4 laps warmup, then stretching, then another 4 laps followed by 4 laps speed changes.  Then we changed shoes, I wore my spikes because I felt like being a rebel today :P  We did two sets of three 300s with equal timed recovery back to the line and with 2 laps recovery between sets.  I was supposed to try to hit :56s, my times were: :54, :57, :55, :56, :55, :55.  Then we did another lap before changing shoes, then we finished with 5 laps cooldown to get us to 8 miles for the day.

This evening I took an ice bath for 10 minutes.

Yoga felt really nice today, we did pigeon pose and warrior pose which really felt good on my hips which had been hurting earlier.  For the run at practice we made a new route called the flagpole to flagpole run.  We ran along 1300e to President's Circle, turned around the flagpole, and then went back along 1300e to Westminster and ran around the flagpole there.  The run was supposed to be 5 but I did the math wrong and it was an extra quarter, but I just walked that part.  Then we did our core when we got back.

Today at the oval I got in 8 laps warmup and 4 laps speedchanges before I had to finally get my sticker from the bull pen and then go to the line.  I did a few strides with Natalie.  On the line I was the third seed.  Going out I didn't go fast enough at the start because two Skyline girls and Mckenzie came in from the right and there was a girl on my right so I was boxed in.  But after about 100 meters I was able to go around because the girl to my right was falling back, and then I took the lead.  I knew the pace was too slow, but I tried to pick it up.  The first lap was a 1:18.  Bill had wanted me to hit 74, 75, 76, 74 but so much for that plan.  At the 800 I was at 2:44 or around there.  I still had the lead and I kept trying to pick up speed.  On the last lap I knew Avery was getting close but I picked it up at the 300 and the 200 but then with about 100 to go she got me.  I hung on her for a bit but then I lost her.  Then right by the line at about where Avery got me last week, Jamie got me, I don't know how close our times were but they are within the same second.  After the others had finished racing we went for a 2 mile loop outside for cooldown.

When I got home I took an ice bath for 10 minutes. 

This morning I went for an easy 2 mile run with my iPod, from my house to Sunnyside and back.

At the meet we went for the same 2 mile loop as last night for warmup.  Then we went inside of the ice oval and did laps there, then some drills, then a few more laps until Natalie and I had to get to the bull pen.  We counted that as a mile and a half.  After going to the bull pen we were supposed to wait a few minutes until the first heat started until we could go out on the track for strides.  Natalie and I snuck out for a POTTY break and did strides then.  Then as we were waiting by the line as the first heat was going we did strides.  For this race I was second seed.  When the race started I got right out into the lead and stayed there the whole time.  The first few laps I could hear people behind me, which was helpful as a reminder to keep pushing.  Bill wasn't calling out splits, but I think it was better that way because then I can just go by feel.  At the mile my time was 5:30.  Whoever was in second at that point ran a 5:35.  I knew I had to keep going, so throughout the race I kept surging to make sure I wouldn't slow down.  On my last lap I really picked it up, and Bill said if I could run the last lap in a 1:18 I could break 11 (the last lap was a 1:18).  He told me that Jamie was coming up and that I had about 30 meters on her.  I kept picking up speed as I got closer to the 300 to go, and on that stretch Demetrio told me I had 40 meters on her.  They probably each judge the distance differently, but still it was helpful to be reminded.  Also Bill would do arm swings which was helpful too so that I would remember to keep my arms going to help me keep going.  Going down the final stretch I was able to pull out a better kick than last night and last week, and I finished 4 seconds ahead of Jamie.  I also broke the indoor state record for the 3200!!!!!  I was so excited when I crossed the line, I looked up at the clock and was a few seconds under the old record, 11:08, and I threw my arms up in celebration for having reached my goal! :)  And Natalie got a huge PR too which was awesome :)

Afterwards when I got home I took my iPod and did a 2 and a half mile cooldown, from my house up to 1500e, over to 900s, up to 1900e, and down 1300s.  Then I took a 10 minute ice bath.