Thatcher's Running Blog

I felt much better today. It was really nice out today, and I felt great during the run. We went somewhere new today, on a dirt trail for a little bit, and it was awesome. I was running with Neal, Trevor, and George, and we all thought it was really nice to run somewhere new. It was just what I needed, and I loved it. We averaged about 6:27 pace, and it felt way easy. I wasn't even breathing hard a the end of the run. Our last mile was at 5:57 pace, and it felt awesome. I was just cruising along, and it felt easy and smooth. 

I also got my locker today, and shorts and a shirt. My cross country season is essentially over, and I don't know if I have any other races. I might be running in the BYU Homecoming 5k this Saturday, but I will have to see.

I was finally able to drag my self out of bed this morning and get a run in. I ran 3.7 miles easy. It was about 7:20 pace. It felt short and easy.

This afternoon, we did 1000 meter intervals.We warmed up about 2.5 miles.  We were originally going to do ten of them, but we ended up doing eight. Coach told the traveling guys to hit 3:07, and us to hit 3:14. (they were slower because we only had a one minute rest) Our first one was around 3:12. It was a little fast, but it was good. I was around the middle of the pack. The next several were around 3:10-3:12. I slowly moved up. I was in the front of the pack, and there would be one two people who were ahead of the pack. On the seventh, I was feeling strong, but I got a sideache with about 300 meters left. I managed to finish at about 3:12. After the seventh, coach told us we would only have one more. I managed to work my sideache out, and I pushed it really hard on the last one. I came through the 200 in 33, and realized I was in front of the pack, with no one with me. I decided to keep pushing it, and I felt really good. I came through at 700 or so, and was tiring, and was sure they would catch me. But I gave it my all, and no one caught me. I pushed it in and was at 2:54 with James about a second or two behind, and no one else very close to us. For reference, the top guys did about 2:54, with Stephan the fastest at 2:52.

I felt great on this workout, and it gave me some confidence. I realized going out slower helped me on this workout, and I was able to finish very strong. We cooled down about 1.75 miles.

I ran for fifty two minutes today. I'm not sure on the distance, but I think it was around 7.5 miles. We started out slower, and picked it up at the end. I felt pretty good today. We went on an new run today, and it was fun. The next couple days will be pretty easy, and I'm running the BYU homecoming 5k on Saturday.

I ran pretty easy today with Neal. We just had a good easy run and talked the whole time. I just wanted it to be over today. I didn't feel bad, but I didn't feel great.

I didn't run much today. I went and watched the Region 2 Cross Country Meet. I ran around cheering, and I warmed up with Gemachu about 25 minutes.

I really wanted to break sixteen minutes today, just like I have every 5k since June, where I ran a 16:06. But once again, like the last four or five races, it didn't happen again. I started out by warming up three miles. I thought warming up longer would help my race, because I've been doing better with a long warm-up in practice, and with starting the first couple intervals out slower.

I felt pretty good, but I didn't have my flats, and I wore my normal running shoes. When the race started, I tried going out slower, so I wouldn't die like I did in my last couple races. I didn't push it too hard up the first hill, and I was able to recover pretty well. After that, I pushed it harder, and my first mile was 5:15. (this was about where I wanted to be) The second mile was much faster, and I could tell. It was still only five minute pace, but it felt too fast. I don't know why a five minute mile should feel so fast in a race, when I can do four fourty or fifty something in practice, and it doesn't feel too fast. But anyway, Michael Vick passed my right around the start of the second mile, and I tried to hang with him, but I couldn't. I really just couldn't move my legs any faster. I don't know why. I came through the two mile in a pretty good time though, I was at 10:15. That's about the best I've been at two miles for a 5k ever. A guy passed me, and I told myself I could go with him. I stayed with him for a little bit, but then I couldn't do it anymore. After that, it was terrible. The guy in front of me gapped me by quite a bit. My third mile was 5:50, I slowed down fifty seconds on the third mile. I also got a sideache on the last mile, which didn't help at all. Even though I slowed down so much the last mile, I didn't get passed by anyone but the one guy. I almost did, but I was able to hold two guys off with a decent kick. 

 I felt pretty sick after,  and my ears hurt a lot. I managed to cool down four miles about 7:30 pace, and work out my sideache. I don't know why I'm racing so poorly, but I would be satisfied to be even close to as fast as I was at the beginning of the summer, even though I expected to be much faster than that now. I don't really know what my next race will be, or if I will even be racing anytime soon. I'm just going to keep training hard with the team, and improve in workouts, and play it by ear.