You've got to want it to win it

This morning I did a workout with AuraLea and Bekah before lifting.  We started with the usual warmup from the lockerroom up past the track and across North Campus drive and back to the track.  Then we did our strides and drills.  Then we changed shoes and started on the workout.  First we did strides over to the other side of the track to start our 1000s.  We had 3 at threshold pace so we were supposed to hit between 3:45 and 3:50.  First we hit 3:52, then 3:47, then 3:49.  We had a minute recovery after each of those so we did about 100 jog during that time.  Then we did five 200s which were supposed to be around 35-36.  We hit 33, 36, 35, 35, 35.  200 jog recovery for each of those.  We finished with a progressive 2000 on which we were supposed to drop 4 seconds a lap, starting at 96.  We came through right at 96, still on pace with 3:08 at 800, then 4:36, 6:01, 7:23.  Not bad, just the last one felt really hard, but I'm glad we hit the pace for the first 4 laps at least :) I jogged a lap for recovery and then changed shoes for cooldown.  I stayed at the track for 5 laps in the opposite direction, then ran out to North Campus drive and decided to change it up by going down to the road that goes by the engineering building and towards the union and took that over to the bailiff and then back over to HPER to finish with 2.5 mile cooldown and 10 miles for the day.  Then I hopped on my bike and pedaled over to the Smith to get the lift done.  My knee was hurting a bit this morning before I started but I took some ibuprofen and after it warmed up while I was running it felt fine.  Still I substituted hamstring curls at weights with curls on the physioball to play it safe.  

Today I did my same 9 mile run as last week.  This time I made it back the same way I came after turning around at 4.5 when I was on Imperial Street!  Again I took Blaine down to 1400e to avoid the final downhill at the end to protect my knee.  I only had to stop twice, once in Sugarhouse on the way back when I got a bug in my, and then again at 1700s when I was waiting for an opportunity to cross.  Ironically, I forgot to take the inhaler today even though I went running right after my Dr. appointment!  Also now I am supposed to start using a peak flow meter before and 5 and 10 minutes after I run.  I should probably buy one soon so I can get started on that...

I started off the morning with a nice 8 mile run.  The hardest part was deciding where to go, but once I got that figured out it was nice.  I ran along 1500e to 2100s, then went up to 1700e and across to the road that leads up to the freeway underpass at 2000e.  I stayed on 2000e all the way until about 3600s when I hit 4 miles.  On the way back when I got to the light at 3300s, after I pushed the button for the light to change I realized there was a spider on the light pole!  Then when I got to the light at 2100s and 1700e there was a black fuzzy spider :(  I might have a fear of those pedestrian buttons now...  Again when I got to Blaine I took that down to 1400e.  I think that will probably become routine now whenever I'm coming home along 15th.

Today I did my final workout before conference this Sunday!!  I did the usual warmup and then strides and drills at the track.  As I changed into my spikes Kep told me the workout.  I started with two sets of two 200s and a 400, equal recovery jog for everything.  I hit 37, 39, 1:21, 40, 40, 1:25.  I think on the 400 in the second set I relaxed too much because I had felt the rhythm of the pace for the 200s but couldn't quite get it up to 400.  Then I did a set of 200 400 400 and hit 39, 1:20, 1:21, and finished with one more 200 and one more 400 in 40 and 1:20.  I stayed at the track and did 8 laps cooldown in the opposite direction.  I think tomorrow and Saturday I might run 8 miles each day; my legs felt great today after 8 miles yesterday so I think it will be alright before my race Sunday.  After I finished cooling down I took a 10 minute ice bath.

This afternoon after arriving at our motel in Eugene and resting for a bit, I went for a run with Amanda, Andrea, and AuraLea.  We went out on one of the trails off campus.  I turned around with them at 15 minutes because it is their premeet today, and stretched with them when we got back to the motel.  Then while they went to the track to do their strides I just ran out and back again about to the same spot as before to get to 8 miles.  Just my calves were tight but stretching fixed that for the rest of the run.  When I was all done I stretched for a few more minutes before going inside.  On the peak flow meter I got 350 before the run and 375 then 400 5 and 10 minutes after.

This morning I went for a run with Kep as part of my premeet.  We did a loop out on the trail, this time entering at a point more west (I think, I'm bad with navigation without the mountains!) than yesterday.  We got about 4 miles in out on the trails and back to the motel, then I went and grabbed my spikes and ran over to Hayward Field to do strides and drills.  I changed into my spikes at our teeny team tent (ours is only 10' by 10' the other teams got 20' by 20' tents...) and then did a few strides and drills in the little field where all the tents were set up.  Then I went up to the little practice track and did some strides up there.  Then I changed my shoes back to my trainers and did a few more laps at the practice track before going back to the motel.  My legs felt great during the strides and really fresh as I was finishing my 7 miles, hopefully they feel just as great tomorrow!  On the peak flow today I hit about 400 before the run, and 5 and 10 minutes after.