You've got to want it to win it

Today for practice we started on the track for a mile before going out.  To keep it flat, we did the Albertson's loop.  I was running with Sarah, and the two recruits came with us, so it was a great opportunity to talk to them.  I'm not sure what happened to everyone else, but they probably should have been with us since the recruits were...  At the track we finished with strides.  The hurdles got put away before Sarah and I got to do our hurdle drills, oh darn...  Weights took a while but I was with Nikki and Claire so we got them done quickly.  I have a test and a paper due this week and a book report and another paper due next week so yippee!  At least we aren't traveling.

This afternoon we had a 7 mile tempo on Jeremy Ranch Road.  Not my favorite place to run.  Or anyone's I'd bet.  It was only slightly better than on the treadmills, because around mile 4 there is loose gravel and rolling hills and the effort we were supposed to be at by that point felt pretty much impossible.  We warmed up 4 minutes out and back and then got into groups for distance and pace.  I was with Sarah and Hannah.  The first mile was 6:52, so a little on the slow end of what our goal was for the end, but Kep said to error on the side of too slow.  Then we picked it up too fast after that.  The next mile and a half were 9:50, right around last week, but the next were 9:25.  After that I was able to hang with Sarah and Hannah for another mile before I started to lose it.  The last 2 miles dragged on forever and I was by myself and couldn't make myself pick up the pace to where it needed to be.  I was so glad when I finally got to 7 miles and was able to be done.  We cooled down a mile and then did our drills before piling in the van to go back where we had started.  It was a long drive, I can't believe we ran all that way. The end.

This morning I went running with Shaylen and Sadie.  We did the first mile on the track, and appreciated how flat it was especially after our terrain yesterday.  Then we did the Albertson's loop.  Sadie turned around early but it was nice to run with Shaylen.  Running is a great way to get to know people.  We averaged 7:36 pace, then did 50 meter strides and cooldown drills. 

Today I went running with Sarah, Nikki, and Shaylen up on 11th Avenue.  Albertson's loop and Wasatch get old really quick.  Sarah and I ran up City Creek a little past the gate, turning around when we got to 4.  On the curb at a house on 11th, there was a carseat base that matches the one Jesse and I already have!  So I drove back later to get it :)  running is the best way to look through trash piles/ see what people are getting rid of for free!  I might be doing a lot of runs in the avenues next summer come garbage pickup time... 

Today we had a workout at Sugarhouse.  We warmed up around the perimeter of the park and then did our strides and drills.  The workout was two sets of 500, 1k, 1k, 500.  The 500s were at goal race pace (82 for my group) and threshold pace for the 1ks (3:45 for my group).  The recovery after the first 500 was 1:30, we had 45 seconds between the ks, and 1 minute after the last k.  6 minutes between sets.  My group was Sarah, Hannah, and Giselle.  My times were consistent at 1:46, 3:40, 3:51, 1:47 for the first set and 1:47, 3:45, 3:50, 1:46 for the second set.  And for the first time in a while I felt that I was able to feel what the pace was supposed to be without dying just trying to go whatever pace my group was going :)  Cooled down to get to 9 total.

Nice morning long run in Park City.  I ran out with Hannah and Sarah, then back with Sarah since Hannah had to turn around early.  7:25 average pace.  It is really nice to get to run up there in the fall and get to watch the leaves change.