You've got to want it to win it

Today after the team meeting I went for a run with Nikki, Jessica, Lauren, Alyssa, and Dana.  We ran fruit loop and then through the golf course onto Wasatch.  By 1300s it was just me, Lauren, and Nikki left.  They were with me until 2100s and then turned.  I continued until I was up on the paved Shoreline trail by the freeway, not too far from the first bridge.  I took a few moments to stretch and enjoy the view before heading back to campus the same way I had come.  My goal these next few weeks is to get some mileage in.  

We had a threshold workout at Liberty today.  Some of the girls were having a negative attitude about the rain and the workout but I wasn't letting it rub off on me!  Plus when we went outside to catch the train the rain had settled down from earlier.  Also I saw my cousin on the train platform, she was just getting to campus to watch her team play in the state basketball tournament.  We warmed up to the park from 900e, then did our strides and drills from the track starting spot.  The workout for long distance was a 7 mile threshold, dropping 7 seconds per mile.  For me that meant starting at 6:32, then negative splitting 7 seconds a mile to finish at 5:50.  Kep told me I could wait and do this workout Saturday, but to be honest my legs don't feel sore or anything from racing, so I felt I could do it.  Bekah wasn't there today so I was on my own, but I was ok with that.  I started behind Jess and AuraLea, and Lauren and Alyssa.  I ran through the first mile in 6:36, a little too slow but I would have rather done that than start out too fast.  About a quarter mile into the second one I passed Lauren and Alyssa and everyone else who had joined them at the mile.  My second mile was a 6:22.  I could see AuraLea and Jess up ahead, so I was able to focus on them which really helped me.  Next I hit a 6:16, then a 6:10.  Still feeling great, though on the 5th one I overestimated how much I needed to pick it up by... coming through the half in 2:54.  But I finished that one in 6:03, bad splitting on that one.  But on the next one I ran a 5:57, and passed AuraLea and Jess during that one.  The last mile I felt like I was giving all that I had left.  From the second half of the 6th one I was starting to feel my calves, but not too bad.  My 7th split was 5:58.  Oops.  But if I wanted to make excuses I could say that one had the slight uphill in it.  I thought we had all done great, but Kep thought otherwise... He wasn't very happy with other practices that day and I think overreacted at some of the small mistakes a few of us had made, or small comments before starting...  We got our strides in and cooled down.  I ran to 1300s and then up to 900e and then to the Trax station to finish with 12 total.  I am exhausted.

Today I ran 7 miles on my own before going to the pool.  I started on fruit loop and then ran above the zoo and to 1300s, where I cut down to 1900e and took that back to campus.  Giselle was finishing on the bike just as I got back, and she was going to the pool too, so we pool ran together for 30 minutes :)

Today the long distance group had a fartlek workout up on the trails. We warmed up to there and then did a few more minutes on the trail before taking a stretching break. We didn't have to do the whole strides and drills warmup, so we just got right to work. The workout was four sets of 1:30 on with 1 minute recovery and then 2:30 on with 3 minutes off. I worked with Bekah, we got to choose our efforts for each rep so we did faster pace stuff for the 1:30 and longer race pace for the 2:30. We ran out and back on the trail behind the dorms for the first, on Red Butte up and down for the second, bythe new museum for the third, and on the Red Butte road again for the fourth. We cooled down over to north campus drive and back to the locker room to finish at 8 for the day. Then I did normatech for 20 minutes.

Got my run done early this morning because I was planning on going to watch ski nationals with Giselle and Nikki.  Turns out the meet was postponed because of snow :P  But it was still nice to get my run in.  I ran along 15th to 2100e and then up to 1700e.  I got stuck at the light, and on the other side of the street there was a runner jogging back and forth at the light, also waiting to go south... When it was our turn to go that runner was keeping up with me, and I was getting competitive... I slightly picked it up, but even going 6:40 pace that other runner was appearing in my peripheral vision...  I turned at Parkway and that was the end of that.  I ran the cemetery loop street route, and when I got to 3300s went east to 2000e to return home.  The wind on the way back wasn't fun.  Back at 2100s I ran up to 1900e and then home.  7:04 average pace.  

Today I started my run along 1300e towards campus.  I ran past campus and then up to 11th Avenue.  I ran to the last street before the canyon and then turn and ran down to 7th Avenue to head back east.  Then I ran along the cemetery until I was back at Virginia Street.  When I reached campus I went through and out onto Guardsman, and from there went home to finish with 9.