Thatcher's Running Blog

I ran with Neal and Trevor today. We went out on the Provo River Trail towards the canyon. We went out a little over five miles. Our average pace was 6:34. I feel a little sick today, but I felt good during the run. It was really nice out today, and we ran with our shirts off in December!

I didn't know what the workout was, so I lifted before I ran today. It later found out we were doing 400's, so lifting before I ran was a bad idea. Anyway, today I did eight 400's on the indoor track. The first one felt really fast at the start. I thought I just wasn't used to doing four hundreds, but it was a little too fast. I did a 61, I was right behind the front guys in my group. On the second one, I was in front at the end and did a 64. I was near the front for the next couple, and I was just a second back on the fifth or sixth, all at about 64. On the seventh and eight I really started to feel the effects from the weight lifting. My legs were really tired, and I couldn't get out any faster. I stayed at 65 on the last two, but couldn't go any faster. The other guys pulled away on the last two. Even though my legs were tired, I stayed consistent throughout. I'm not much of a speed guy, but I did pretty good compared to everyone else. Even though I would have liked to be in the 61 range on the last two, this was my fastest 400 meter workout. After we finished, I cooled down five miles with Neal. 

I ran with Miles, Dylan, Jacob, and Brandon today. We went on a new route that I had never been on. Our average pace was 6:34. It felt pretty good. It was a little fast, but I felt okay. We did eight miles. 

For our workout today, we did a fartlek. We warmed up 1.5 miles and then did 10 minutes hard, 5 easy, 5 hard, 5 easy, 3 hard, 3 easy, 2 hard, 2 easy, 1 hard. It was a pretty good workout, a total of ten miles.

The ten minute hard was about 5:15 pace. I stayed with the group for the first mile, and then I dropped back. I ended up about fifteen seconds back.

On the five minute hard I ran with Dylan and was pretty close to the pack. I'm not sure on pace, but I would guess in the 4:50's.

The three minute push was 4:35 pace. I finished up with Trevor just behind the pack.

The two minute push was 4:30 pace. I was a little bit off the pack.

The one minute push was 4:12 pace. I felt pretty good and stayed with Miles.

I felt better than Monday, and did well on the 5, 3, 2, and 1 minute pushes.

I just ran easy with Neal today. We averaged 6:43 pace. It felt pretty easy. My hip was hurting, I'll have to keep an eye on it and see how it feels tomorrow.

I only did seven today. I was planning on doing 13, but my hip and back were hurting, so I decided to back off a little bit.

Today we did a workout on the indoor track. We did five laps (1 mile), 4 laps, 5 laps, 800 meters. My times were 4:47, 3:55 (approx.), 5:09, 2:15. I did well on all but the second mile. I was right in the front on the mile, a few seconds back on the 4 lap, and three seconds back on the 800. I don't know what happened on the second mile. It wasn't a great workout, but I still felt pretty sick and I did all right. My goal for the three thousand meter time trial is 8:45, or 4:40 pace. I think that's possible, but I have to have my best race. I'm going to try my hardest and do it. I haven't had the best training of late, but I know I'm in better shape than ever, and I'm stronger than ever.

I ran with Neal and Dylan. We went up past the temple and onto a trail. We kept the pace really easy. I felt good.

I went by myself today. I went for thirty minutes on the provo river trail. I kept it really easy, about 7:20 pace. I felt good, and the pace felt really slow. I'm ready for a good race in the time trial tomorrow.

Today was the 3000m time trial. I decided I would start out in the back and try to move up after the first mile. I started out good, but after the mile, I started to fade. After I fell back a little bit, it was hard to keep the pace where I needed it to be. Neal started to fade off the pack in the last three laps, and I decided that I might be able to catch him. I pushed it hard and was gaining on him. I went all out the last lap and finished really strong but just missed catching him at the end. My time was 9:10. I finished up 11th out of 11. 

It was an okay race, but I felt that I should have been at least 8:55, that was possible. On the other hand, I was ten sconds off my outdoor pr at state last year. I know I am capable of going faster than that indoors right now, so I've improved a lot. Another positive note is that I finished strong. My last lap was 55 seconds, and I felt really strong in the last 100 meters. I don't remember feeling that strong in the last 100 in a long time.

After the meet is done, there are going to be cuts, and I might be cut. I talked to coach, and he thought I did well, but he doesn't know if I will be cut or not. I'm running the mile tomorrow, and I hope to beat my pr.

Today we ran the mile in the time trial. I decided I wasn't going to start out in the very back this time. I got out pretty fast, and came through the first 400 in 65. I was in pretty good position. I was feeling okay, but then on the second lap my legs turned to led. I don't know what happened, but I started losing ground fast. I came through the eight hundred at 2:15. I finished up at 4:41. I don't know if my legs were tired from the 3000, if it was because I was sick, or because I didn't have enough speed yet, but I did not race very well.

I was feeling sick and decided to take the day off.

I ran with Neal today, 9 miles at a 6:40 pace. I feel sick still, but it was a pretty good run. It didn't feel too hard, but we were running on snow and ice at times. It was pretty cold and it started snowing during our run.

Nine miles with Neal at a 6:42 pace. It was a little bit harder running in the snow, but it wasn't too bad.

I didn't have time to get in a run today, I was too busy with finals. I didn't have time to talk to Coach Eyestone myself, but I heard from Neal (who is the only other walk-on who made the team for cross country) that we both didn't make the track team. Coach said that no walk-ons made it this year for track. I will talk to Coach after the break, but it guess that's it for this year. It looks like other years we would have made it, but this year was a really good recruiting class. 

I think I will keep training and run the meets I can unattached. I'm not sure on what my plans are though, I will play it by ear.

Today was a hard run. The pace was slow, but there was a lot of snow to run through. I went down to sugarhouse park, did a lap, and came back. The lap around sugarhouse park was really hard, because there was a lot of snow that wasn't packed down. I averaged about 7:20 pace for nine miles.

No running today. I hurt my back weightlifting.

No running again today. My back is still hurting. I could have run, but I decided to take another day off.

I did four on the treadmill today at 7:00 pace. My back still hurts, but it is getting better.

I did five miles on the treadmill at a 6:48 pace. It was pretty easy. My last mile was at about 5:40, last 400 in 75.

I did four miles tonight while watching a Christmas movie. I ran at a 7:00 pace.

I ran seven miles outside today at a 7:00 pace. It was pretty windy, but it wasn't too cold. It was pretty easy.

I did five more miles on the treadmill later. I did a fartlek. My first mile was 7:30, second was 6:45, third was 6:15, fourth was 5:25, and sixth was 5:35. I alternated between 6 something per mile and five something per mile.

Four miles on the treadmill this morning at a 6:54 pace.