You've got to want it to win it

This morning I joined my sister at practice for my run.  They did the cemetery loop.  I was with the group for the first bit but before we hit Alden Street I felt cramps coming on and had to drop the pace a bit.  By the time we got back up to Imperial Street the feeling was gone so I tried to pick up the pace a bit.  I broke a lot of walls on this run because as I kept feeling better I was able to get the pace back up.  I did 2 laps in the cemetery, and then was cruising at 7:20 pace on the way back to Sugarhouse.  Or maybe that was because I was mad that the rest home on 33rd wouldn't let me use a restroom and I really had to go.  After finally getting to the park I was able to take a potty break, and then I caught up to Bill and Natalie and joined them for a lap on the road, and then I did another lap on the road to get to 11.  When I got home I did my PT exercises.  

This morning I joined the group going up to Pipeline.  Those of us that needed more mileage went up on the road to the trail head that is the end of the switchback trail route.  Then we got on the trail and ran to where the trails connect, then I kept going all the way to Rattlesnake.  The Davis team was there which was kinda cool, good thing they run in groups so it was easy to step aside once to let them pass.  After running back to the cars I had to add .2 to get to the full 14.  I think this ties my longest run ever, which was also on trails up at Drycreek.  When I got home I didn't do my PT before going to work... so ended up just doing 2 exercises later when I got home.

This morning we went out to Cottonwood Complex.  We did a lap around the softball diamonds and then out on the road for warmup of 3 miles.  Then we did strides and stretches.  We did 3 different hills, 4 times each.  Bessie first, then rollercoaster, and finally Miranda.  It was nice that we got the hard ones out of the way first!  Then we did 2 laps around the baseball diamonds and then the same warmup route, and then another lap for cooldown to finish at 10.  I did my PT when I got home.

This morning at Sunnyside we started with a warmup over to the gully with 3 and a half laps and back to the park.  Then we stretched for a few minutes before doing 2 sets of Flannagan circuits.  Then we did step-ups.  Following that, we ran up Sunnyside to Emigration Canyon.  I was with Natalie and Tomy most of the way, and Sarah S., Bill, and Chris for parts of it.  We ran 5 miles up, which got us to the firestation, and then stretched for a minute before running back down to Sunnyside.  Then I had 17 minutes to hurry over to Foothill Village for the sidewalk sale to start.  At Salt Lake Running I found 2 pairs of Mizunos in my size for $65 each :)  I was very happy, especially since I am pretty sure I have the most common foot size for runners since last year my size was gone at the sidewalk sale.  That is why I made sure to get there right when they started :)  When I got home I did my PT.

Later in the evening I decided to go for another run.  I was doing the 5 mile route I did with Abigail a few weeks ago, but when I made it to Emerson on 17th I felt really sick and didn't want to run anymore.  Abigail was at a friend's house nearby so I went over and she gave me a ride home.  3 miles is better than nothing I suppose.  And I won't regret not running last night because I really needed sleep. 

This morning I went with the group at Liberty.  We did a lap warmup, and then stretching before running over to the painted start line.  Since Abigail and I are racing tomorrow and not at Des, we didn't do the workout but we did backwards laps to cheer everyone else on.  Kiley only did one set so when she finished we all did strides together.  Sarah B. even joined us for a few.  She is doing her first half marathon tomorrow! :)  Then we did a lap cooldown to get to 6 for the day.  When I got home I foam rolled and did my PT.

This morning after arriving at the park and taking a quick potty break I ran out a mile and back on the Porter Rockwell trail.  Abigail and Clayton joined me on the way back.  We stopped to look at a zebra that some people own who live near one of the crossings of the trail.  Then I did another half mile out and back.  Then I had about 12 minutes to race time so I hurried and changed shoes and headed over to do a few strides.  I did probably about 3.  The start area was different this year so it was packed just walking back to the start, not to mention having to narrow down to go under the red arch and by the finish.  Fortunately, I was able to get out with a great start.  Kiley was with me for the first bit, but then I passed her and didn't have contact with any other women in the race.  For a few seconds.  Then Stefanie was right by my side and soon Allie was there too.  I went with them when they would pass guys, and then I was thinking to myself deciding what I should do.  I could stay with them and just match their moves, but I also told myself that I had broken away at Murray so why shouldn't I be able to break away here?  I went with the second option and surged ahead, focusing on the pack of guys in front of me.  I caught up to Ryan, and at that point we were sort of the lead of what had become the second pack as the larger pack of leaders was breaking away.  Working with Ryan really helped me, I did my best to hang on up to the first mile mark.  There wasn't anyone calling splits and I don't race with a watch, but I'm sure I ran a decent time for that mile.  Around the corner I glanced back (not a great angle to do so in this race but better than just turning to look) and saw neon yellow close by so I knew this was not going to be easy.  Also I read my blog entry for this race last year and was reminded that on this slight downhill portion of the race last year was where Emily broke away from me, and I didn't want that to happen again.  A guy in red caught up to me so I decided to push to stay with him.  Going around the second corner I was pretty sure I could hear female breathing behind me so for that side of the race I was running in fear of getting caught and passed.  I passed the guy in red back and forth a few times which helped, and I kept my eyes up on Ryan in his blue because that was an easy focus point.  I threw in a lot of surges and fought a really hard mental battle to be strong during this stretch.  My back was hurting and my pockets were sore but I pushed through the pain because I wanted to win.  Coming around the corner going east again I think was the last time I could hear breathing behind me.  I had closed a bit on Ryan but when we got down the driveway and to the final few hundred meters he kicked it in hard.  So did the guy in red, I tried to stay with him but his kick was too strong.  I finished just over 18, and am not disappointed to not have broken it.  The next girl finished 6 seconds behind me; if I hadn't made all the surges I did I think she would have beat me.  After Kiley and Abigail finished, we went with Ryan and then found Ethan to join us for cooldown.  We did a 5 mile loop that goes backwards over part of the course and then up on a road that took us back onto the Porter Rockwell trail.  I did another mile when we got back to the park to finish at 70 for the week :)  It was awesome :)  Next week I think I will go to 75, and the week after that are my last 2 days of work so I think I will be able to use my free time to try to make it to 80 :) and get some good workouts in.