You've got to want it to win it

Today we started the run as a group from the locker room. The plan was to run Wasatch through the golf course, so we all went out on Foothill together. Nikki didn't really want to run Wasatch, so together we ran up Sunnyside and into Emigraton Canyon. We ran up to 4 miles and then turned around. It went by a lot quicker than Wasatch feels! Back on campus I went up to the track for strides. This is where I think the most improvement in starting races can come. So I like to make sure to really focus on form and speed during these strides. Lifting afterwards. 

I wore new shoes today! And we had a threshold workout at Liberty Park. We warmed up there from Trax and then did our usual strides and drills. It was unusually quiet with only 7 of us, minus teammates who are on break and/or serving jury duty. The workout was 3 1 lap threshold repeats with 1:45 rest. We all ran in a group. And we (not really we, just one person in the group) went too fast on the first one and then Kep didn't want us to pick up speed on the remaining reps as he had originally planned. My times were 8:53, 8:55, 8:52. My shins and calves felt really heavy. After we finished the threshold part, we had four 40 second strides. They felt so long in comparison to the 25 second strides we've been lucky to have all season. We cooled down in the park and then drove back to campus in the vans. 

State meet today! We had practice off to go watch. We were supposed to run in groups, but both my group members changed their plans last minute... So I ended up running by myself. But not really, because I had Ellie with me in the stroller for the first 2 miles before Jesse came and picked her up. Then I did another 5 miles before going to watch the 4a girls race. A few errands later I was back at the park for the 4a boys race, which I watched with my sister before giving her a ride home since she got her wisdom teeth out yesterday. I love my sister!!! 

We got an extra recovery day today before tackling a workout tomorrow.  We did the first mile on the track and then went out on Albertson's loop.  I ran ahead with Sarah, and we came back on 1900e and then went down to Guardsman to get back up to campus.  Finished with strides on the turf.

Today we had an interval workout at Sunnyside Park.  We warmed up to the park and then did our usual strides and drills. The workout was a fast 500, then a 2k threshold (which due to space restrictions we just did 3:45 out on Guardsman with a brief pause and 3:45 back), followed by three 1ks with 3 minutes recovery, then a fast 600 and a fast 400.  The first 500 was fast and definitely felt it!  I ran 1:39 with Shaylen and Kate.  It was supposed to be like the start of race, so it was good that I stuck with Shaylen.  The threshold part next was really helpful for me to actually feel like I was warming up, because we rocked the 1ks after that!  Each one was supposed to be 5 seconds faster, so that's what we did.  I ran next to Andrea on the outside, same place for each rep which really helped because I hate being on the inside because I usually get cut off there.  But having Andrea next to me for each of them really helped because I knew she was really trying to help me and work together, which we did!  Times were 3:41, 3:36, 3:30.  Yayyyy!!  Then on the final 6 we were supposed to go the same pace as on the last 1k, I hit 2:05 (4 seconds faster than 600 split of the last K), and we were allowed to hammer the 4.  We did that in one big group and were supposed to run it as if kicking for a race.  Sarah and Hannah were up at the front, then I was with Andrea a little behind them.  Our 200 split was 34 (fast!) and final time for me was 1:13.  It was so nice to be done with that workout, I felt like as a team it was great quality and we really did a great job working together and helping each other out.  Cooled down back to campus with Sarah and Hannah to get to 9 total. 

This morning we had a cold long run in Park City.  We started at the Smith's and ran out on the trail.  We were in a large group until around 2 miles, then packs started to form.  I ended up running with Shaylen, Becky, and Jessica.  We turned around at 6 and picked up Andrea along the way.  As we ran back I thought we were still doing a good job as a group, but a certain someone in the group who is notorious for one-stepping started to do that, so I was grateful when Nikki showed up with 2 miles to go (her alarm didn't go off because her iPhone did the overnight update thing so her alarm got reset) so I could run an even pace with her.  Finished with strides and walking drills in the parking lot (danger zone) before enjoying bagels and chocolate milk.