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

Since I didn't get to finish my mileage yesterday, I decided to add a little today. I was originally planning on 8 miles this morning, but went 10 instead. I was also planning on a relaxed pace, just to loosen up after my race and enjoy the run. That ended up also not happening. I told myself that in order to just relax and enjoy the run, I wouldn't look at the pace on my Garmin. So I didn't until mile six cause I was curious. 6:39 pace. Oops. I was expecting 7:20's. The pace really did not feel that fast. I was actually enjoying the run, so I figured I would just finish at that pace. I wasn't tired by the end and as a cool down of sorts, I took the dog on probably a mile walk. I felt fine afterwards. Like I had just run, but not 10 miles. A little later though my IT's were sore and my quads and calves are really sore, so I will try and ice bath tonight. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/175575517 

This morning I didn't have to go on a run. I was debating on whether or not to because I am usually more awake when I run in the mornings and I was taking the AP Chemistry test that morning. I ended up not running, mainly to just get some more sleep and be ready for that test. It went well! I hope...

Later for practice, after normal track stuff, distance began our workout. We were all doing something a bit different, depending on what we needed. I was to do 3X400, then 3X200, but I wasn't given any times. My only goal was to catch Natalie and her pacers on their 800. I would start the rep about 10 meters behind them and would catch up to them at about 100 meters, then just finish out each rep. I was stopping my watch at the line, so really I was going 410 meters. In the end, each 400 might be 2-3 seconds slow. For my actual 400 times, I went: 60, 66, 64. My only instruction was just to catch the 800 group, so I did just that, but Ben ended up running way to fast the first half of the first 800, so after I caught him I came in at 60. Oh well. Then one the 200's, we all just did them as a group. I hit a 28, 30, and 30. I was done with my workout at this point, but I volunteered to pace Natalie on her last 800, since her workout was absolutely brutal. I ran a 2:22 with even splits, and she was right on me. Then I did however much cool down to be at 7.5 for the day. 

I felt really good today. I felt considerably better than I usually do after long runs after my 10 yesterday than I usually do, let alone for one so fast. Today I was not tired after my workout either, especially considering I took a 4 hour test too. I hope that I can be this fresh on Wednesday, especially for my other four hour test...

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/175998307 

After normal track stuff the distance group did our normal 1 mile warm up, 1 mile speed changes, 1 mile cool own. Afterwards we got out the ice bath and I did a 15 minutes ice bath up to my hips. Tomorrow is regions! Excited and nervous... 

Today has been an insane day. First, I had the BC Calculus AP Test, which I rocked by the way. Then I had to re-focus on Region.

After helping set up the meet, I got about two miles warm up and one mile of speed changes. Then I grabbed my spikes and headed over to the line to do drills and strides. The race started and it was a really tight group from the start. There was a ton of moving and people nearly falling, I got pushed off the track around the first turn and almost fell, but managed not to and hopped back on the track and continued racing. I stayed in the back of the lead pack for the first lap, during which a ton of moving and passing and re-passing was going on. We ended up running a really slow first lap, a 70 I believe. I wasn't wearing a watch, so I didn't know we had just run that slow, and I was so caught up in holding my position and avoiding all the pushing, that it felt like we went out at an average pace, roughly 67. Anyway, I don't remember much else from the race except trying to go with the one Bountiful kid, both of us running together for almost the whole third lap, tying for fourth. Then it went downhill. I didn't respond to one kid passing me, then another and another passed me, and soon I was back in 7th place. I tried to kick but couldn't muster up any, and  managed to hold that position. Overall, quite a disappointing race. I was incredibly mad at myself for racing like I did and decided to just forget about it and focus on my stronger event, the two mile. I did about three miles cool down to be at 7 for the day.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/176632618 

After helping set up the meet again, I got two miles warm up, followed by one mile of speed changes. Then I grabbed my spikes and went over to the line for drills and strides. I was very disappointed with my race yesterday and was more determined and focused for the race. I also don't have to stress out about any more tests, so I think that allowed me to focus more on my race. I was seeded third and consequently was right in lane two. The gun went off and all the guys on the far end of the curve sprinted ahead of the guys more on the inside, and all the top guys got cut off and boxed in, particularly me. When I got out, I was almost dead last. But another strange thing happened. The pace slowed down immensely right off the line. As soon as we hit the fifty meter mark on the curve, I felt the pace slow way down. So I reacted on instinct and moved out into lane 4-5 and passed the entire group, about 18 guys, and was in second, behind Chris. Even after I passed the entire group, I still didn't feel like I was going that fast, and I wasn't because I came in at a 36 200, and a 73 400, a standard first lap. Slow if anything. Chris stayed ahead of me for the first 800 meters, and I passed him along the stretch. The entire first two laps, I was very confused because I couldn't hear anyone trying to catch me or even close behind me. I expected to be able to see a bunch of shadows right behind me, but couldn't see anything. I didn't ever look back, but all the guys I knew we faster or as fast as I was, weren't there. I can't remember my 800 split, but I remember thinking I was right on pace for a 5 min mile. Finally right after the 800, I heard a guy coming up on me and settling right behind me, I assumed to just chase. I led for the next five laps, with the guy chasing me for the next three. The whole time I remember thinking "What is going on?!" I was right on a 10 minute two mile pace, and only one guy was on me. The other at least three I knew were as fast or faster, were no where to be seen. I was very confused and nervous about that, but figured that if they were as far back as I thought they were, maybe I could hold them off. So after the guy behind me fell off, I was by myself for another two laps, and by a few coaches screaming, I could tell the chase pack was closing. I was actually a bit relieved, because up until now I had no idea what was going on back there. Here is where I made it my goal to really push and hold off the chase pack, and with two laps to go, a different guy closed on my and after about fifty meters right behind me, passed me. I went with him , but he was slowly pulling away, and I could hear a chase pack closing behind me. With one lap to go, I was still in second, and with about 250 to go, another guy moved just ahead of me. Right on the final stretch, I kicked with everything I had and passed him finishing in second. I was much happier with this race than my race the day before, and I was ecstatic about making state. Plus, I finished second!! Afterwards, Bill gave me the option to scratch from the open 800 to be more fresh for the medley and maybe qualify the medley team for state. I decided to scratch. Then the medley came around and I don't know what happened on the 400, but we had slipped from like second or third to last, to last. I got the baton about forty meters behind the next guy, and manged to catch him, but the next guy was really far ahead so we finished second to last. Oh well. After that I did about two miles cool down to be at 8.5 for the day.

 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177303630

Today is more of a recovery day from two hard days of racing. There was only a few people at practice. We ended up going 6.5 miles on some new course Bill is measuring, at a relaxed pace. My calves were really sore on this run, but other than that I felt good. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177303614 

Practice today was at 9 am at the track. Speed today! Yay. There was a total of six of us there. Including Bill. Anyway, we got two miles warm up, and a mile of speed changes, then we changed shoes. The workout was three sets of 500, then a 100 jogging recovery, then a 200. the point of these is to work on the last kick. Since my goal 2-mile, mile pace is about the same as Natalie's goal mile pace, I did this workout with her. We were supposed to hit 1:30 500's, which is about 72 400's,  and 34 200's. We had a long standing recovery on these to ensure we were well recovered. I hit 1:30, 33, 1:29, 33, 1:28, 32. Natalie was no more than a second behind me on each set, and right next to me for most. Then we did two 300's with goal pace at about 48. I hit 47 and 47. After that we did two miles cool down to Sunnyside, one lap around, and back, to get 7 for the day.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/177426626 

Later today I went for a relaxed three miles.

 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/178035073