Well I didn't think I'd make it this far....

AM: I dragged myself out of bed way to early for a Sunday, around 8, and went for a run. I wasn't able to go my usual ten since I was going quading with my family and I slept in too long. I did half of my ten mile loop in just under 32 minutes. Felt kind of stiff at first, but I loosened up.

PM: After I got back I went on my usual ten miler. It was hot during my run, but I loved every second of it. Such a wonderful change from the depressing winter that seemed to drag on. I was lost in my thoughts during this whole run, and didn't ever think about my pace. I ended up running it in 62 minutes, so 6:12 avg. I felt good for just having raced, other than sore calves.

AM: Easy four on my own after first period.

PM: After the usual track stuff, distance did a mile warm up and mile speed changes, then we changed shoes for speed. I forgot my spike less spikes, so I wore my Matumbo's. Our workout was 2 sets of (300, 1000, 600, 300, 300, 300), and I was supposed to hit (47, 2:48-2:50, 1:42-1:45, 50, 49, 48). This workout didn't hurt to the level of some of our other speed workouts, so it felt weird, but good. I hit everything right on or a bit fast. The 1000's were the hardest, and even then I never had to push myself the usual large amount. We had standing, equal recovery for them all, and then two laps recovery between sets. Afterwards John, Sarah, and I went on a half hour cool down, where we brought our miles to 10 for the afternoon. Overall, a solid speed workout. I am definitely going to be fresh for BYU this weekend.

Records are going to fall.

AM: Went an easy four on my own.

PM: After the track stuff, distance went over and did 6X asphalt hill with jogging recovery back, then we did four laps of barefoot 'X' strides on the field. After that Chris, John, Garek, Sarah, and I went for the avenues hill run. We made a slight modification and did Shriner run until Alta street, were we kept going straight instead of turning and started the hill on the first street past the cemetery. We only cut out three, and they are the easiest ones. After we got to 11th ave, we headed back to East the usual way. Once we got back we did two progressive 300's in which I hit 44, 43. Then we did .75 cool down to be at 11 for the day. 

AM: Easy four on my own.

PM: Today was a trimeet at East against Cyprus and Clearfield. I was only doing a 400 and an 800 again. I warmed up about two miles, then put on my spikes and did the 400. I think I ran a low 55 but I don't remember exactly. Then I ran around for about another two mile, doing some strides right before my 800. I didn't know whether I was going to push the pace in this 800, or just sit the first lap and take off the second. Well, right at the line, the gun went off a lot sooner than I was expecting, and it caught me off guard and I half stepped on the rail and stumbled, so I was in the back of the pack. Looks like my decision was made for me! I just moved up to second with John the first 300, then we both surged and swung around the leader. I took the lead before 400, and hit a 64 I think. I took off the last 400 and just brought it in and finished in 2:05. Then I cooled down four miles with John and threw some Javelin as the meet was ending. I am very proud of the fact that I threw 80-90ft on my first and only try. 

AM: No morning run.

PM: The usual pre meet stuff. Mile WU, mile speed changes, mile CD. 

AM: We got down to BYU and I went for an easy two mile warm up to get myself loosened up. Then I hydrated and did some usual pre race stuff and then did another mile WU at a faster pace. I then took my spikes over to the bullpen and did strides on the field until they called us in. I was seeded 5th with a 9:30, and I had run 9:30 before on tired legs, so I was expecting a huge PR today. 

     The race took off and exactly what I expected happened. Ben was in the lead and gapping, Conner and Jordon were holding a fast pace, Jake was trailing them by about 8 meters,  and I was sitting right on Jake. It stayed like this for a while. I didn't make a move because I thought that once Jake made his move to pass Jordon, I could just go with him. We came through the mile in about 4:32, a fast split, although not surprising. Towards the end of lap 5, Jake started to close that gap. He made several smaller surges, and then a big one to catch and pass Jordon and Conner. When Jake made his move, I couldn't go with him. There has been a bug going around my team recently, (Chris dropped out of the two mile at about the halfway point because he felt so horrible), and I could tell I wasn't feeling 'on.' Jake made his move and I lost contact to him and the other two, and from there my race went downhill. Pretty soon Brayden from AF caught me, and then the chase pack soon followed. Once I lost contact, I couldn't hold the pace and all the guys passing me just made it worse. It's been so long since I have outright down badly, horribly frankly, in a race, and I forgot what it feels like. It was hard to find the positive in this race at first, but in retrospect, it taught me so much. This 3200 was a humbling experience which put this season into perspective. I now have a new outlook and plan for what is left of the season, because this race happened for a reason.

AM: Today was the second day of the BYU Invite. I was racing until the golden hour in the afternoon, so I got to the meet at around 1:30. Once it came time to warm up, I did the same thing that I did yesterday and then took my stuff over to the bullpen for strides. I was seeded 2nd in this race, and I was hoping for a better result from yesterday. The race took off and I found myself in about 5-6th place on the inside. I don't even remember what we hit the first lap in, just that we hit the 800 in 2:12. During lap two, Jake took the lead and started to gap the group by a bit. I knew that I was not in the position I needed and I would move to the outside on the straights to pass people, but I just could not get myself to make a move. From here the race is a blur. Jake kept gapping us and I held on as best I could. There was a lot of movement around me, but I ended up passing one guy and holding off a few others on the kick to finish in 4:20.97. Overall, just not what I wanted at all. The time isn't as horrible as my 3200, but I have still run that fast on tired legs. I just couldn't move at all in this race. Jake ended up running a 4:13.20, which is only a second faster than what I ran at Davis, so I know I could have been with him.

     Racing these past two days has been disappointing in that they went nothing like what I expected, but I have definitely learned a lot. At least today wasn't state. I will be better from this bug by then, and have a new outlook which will hopefully prevent this from happening then.