You've got to want it to win it

This morning we met as a team for our run.  We ran along Foothill to Sunnyside, and then above the zoo.  AuraLea had to stop and tie her shoe when we were behind the elephant encounter, and it was when the elephants were going out for the day so we saw them!  On Wasatch everyone turned at the 4 mile mark, so I was on my own.  I continued to Thunderbird and then to Foothill, and over to the drinking fountain and on the trail.  I ran to the overpass for 215, just over 6 miles, and then ran back to campus on Foothill.  Then I went up to the track to do strides and drills. 

This afternoon we had our only workout of the week at Liberty Park.  The clouds came at just the right time!  And there was a cool breeze, couldn't complain about that :)  After the warmup, strides, and drills, we did a mile threshold ending by the drinking fountain.  I hit 5:55 for that.  Then we had five 800s, Kep had marked a loop around the pond.  The rest from the mile was 90 seconds, and for the 800s it was equal time but minus 5 seconds for each rep.  My times were 2:55, 2:54, 2:50, 2:52, 2:55.  The last one hurt.  Then we had another mile threshold... which I ran in 6:09, the first half being 3:09.  After I finished that I ran back up to the pond because I was going to get my shoes from the van, but I wasn't thinking and didn't realize that Kep would be bringing the van around soon anyway since everyone else was going to be finishing their mile...  We did three 25 second strides, and then I changed back to my trainers.  I cooled down with Hilary and Lauren the long way around the park and then to the 900e Trax station.  Hard workout, I guess it made up for having my classes cancelled today and just relaxing... I stretched for a few minutes in the training room afterwards.

This morning I ran 10 miles.  I ran along 1300e to campus, and then through the alley into the Avenues, and up to 11th.  I ran to City Creek Canyon, but turned on B Street.  I took the stairs down 4th Avenue and then did a lap around Temple Square before running back up South Temple to 1300e and then home.  My hamstrings are sore!!!  So I got them worked on, as well as my calves.  And my left piriformis was pretty bad too.  

In the afternoon we drove out to Murray to run on our course which we are racing at on FRIDAY!!!!  The men race at 3 and we race at 3:30, if you aren't doing anything else come cheer!!!  We did the course and then strides, then Hilary and I cooled down to 4.

This afternoon we did our premeet run for our home meet tomorrow!  We started on Foothill, and after everyone else turned, Hilary and I continued on by ourselves as usual.  We did the Albertson's loop, and then finished with strides on the bailiff.  My muscles hurt, not from any of the running we've been doing, but all the foam rolling and softball rolling at lifting... Hopefully resting and a shakeout run in the morning will help them feel better!

This morning I did a 2 mile shakeout run before going to school.

In the afternoon after getting to the race, we warmed up on the field a bit and then did the lower loop.  We did strides and drills up on the field while watching the men's race.  I changed shoes and then did more strides at the line.  Going out I went the same pace as the two Boise girls, and there were some Weber girls in the pack too.  Taylor fell off, and then I was with Kelsey and the two Boise girls.  The first 800 split was 2:54, but that is the only split I remember being told during the race.  Coming around the loop the second time, coming out of the final turn before going over to the pavement and running down there, Kelsey cut me off... so I might have kicked her in the achilles, to which she responded with an "Ow!" ...but I didn't feel bad at all.  Then I had the energy to surge and get even with the Boise girls.  Going down the pavement I stuck behind them again, and was just holding on up to the final turnaround.  I had really wanted to pick it up with 1k to go, but that is not my forte so when the other three girls did I fell back... and finished alone.  For cooldown I did some with Hilary, but only made it to 3 miles and felt awful, so I just stopped.  Kep wasn't too happy with the team about racing together (not me this time since Bekah wasn't racing).  But he was also kinda busy running the meet so I think he was very distracted.  I felt great the first 3k of the race but I need to get back mentally to be able to fight through the pain all the way to the end.  Also seeing as my average pace was 5:51, I really need to work on that...  I did finally beat Taylor in the first race of the season, that didn't happen last year or the year before, so that was nice.  I don't race again until Montanna I think, so I have two weeks of workouts to refocus.  Then it will be on to Stanford and bigger meets!  

This morning we went running in Park City.  The temperature was perfect!  The other girls wanted Hilary and I to start early... :(  But we waited for Becky, since she is awesome in that she does long runs with us!  We ran together for the first 4 miles, then Becky and I picked it up a bit.  We stopped at 6.5 to stretch, then ran back.  I felt great most of the time, and actually considered adding on another 3 miles on the end (I know some of my teammates would not have appreciated that...) but the last 2 miles I was ready to be done.  We stretched before heading back to campus.