You've got to want it to win it

Today we went out to the Oval for a speed workout.  We started with 8 laps warmup and then 4 laps of speedchanges.  Then I changed shoes.  We started with an 800, my time was 2:45, then we had a lap recovery.  Then we did four 400s, Natalie and I ran them in lane 2 :) my times were 1:15, 1:17, 1:18, 1:18 and we had a lap recovery after each.  Then we did another 800, my time was 2:53.  Then I changed shoes back and did 7 laps cooldown for a total of 9 miles.

Today we started out run along 1300e going south from the school.  We ran over to 2100s, then down to 900e, and along there until 1300s.  Then we cut down and ran to Liberty Park, where we did a backwards lap and then came up along 900s.  Then to make it an even 6 we ran almost a full lap around the school.

Bill couldn't make it today but he told Dakota to tell us to run 6 miles.  We ran our Shriner's route, and turned around when we hit 3 up on 11th Avenue.

Today we ran 4 miles at a stop in Saint George.  We went out 2 miles on the trail and back.

This morning we went and walked the course at Mt. SAC. We just ran from the last hill down to the starting field for 20 strides (walking back counted). Then we finished with a lap around the corral for cooldown and went and got our packets. I was with Natalie and we were checking to see if we would get to start on the front line in the seeded race but my name wasn't on the list. Turns out I am going to be the 10th returner and will get my name announced at the start tomorrow! :)

This morning Natalie and I went to the course a few hours early to watch Abigail and Delaney and other teammates race. A little over an hour before our race we took a potty break and started a warmup. We did about 2 miles with Bill out on a trail behind the loop at the start. Then we went and stretched by the start and did some drills. Finally it was time to go into the start area so we left our sweats and went in. I did some strides while I waited for my name to be announced. Then on the line I did a few strides. Coming back from one of them I noticed a girl with a red bib on the back starting line so with one of the other girls I went over and we told her that she could be up on the front line because of her bib number. When the race started few people from the sides got in the front fast. The girl who had started next to me fell I think, I didn't really see. The first mile I had to work a while to get up to where I needed to be. Natalie was ahead of me, and I could also see Kelsey and Summer. I passed all of them in the first mile, my mile split was 5:35. Starting up the switchbacks I was behind Caroline from New Mexico. A few people passed me but as soon as we were up the hill I pushed past all of them. Then I made myself go fast on the downhills. Coming down onto the asphalt I heard someone tell me I was 24. From then I counted down as I passed people. By about mile 2 I had moved up to 16, then a girl passed me but I passed her right back. By the final hill I was switching between 11th and 12th. From that point I knew I had to push with all I had left to pass 2 girls and make it to nationals. I didn't want to be 11th again. Coming down to the road I passed a girl and going on to the track I was in 11th. There was a pack of 3 girls not too far ahead of me at that point and I noticed when all of them started to speed up their kick. One of them fell behind the others and then I told myself that I had to pull out a really good kick because otherwise my working up the whole race wouldn't have paid off.  Going around the curve I tried to pass the girl on the inside but then I stumbled and almost fell, taking a step over the metal bar to catch my balance even.  Then I went around her the other way and kicked as hard as I could into the chute, finished 2 seconds ahead of her and one second behind the girl who took 9th.  As we were walked to the building to fill out paperwork for nationals the person walking with me was really nice.  I am very excited for nationals!  I hope I have a good week next week then place high at nationals :)