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

Today I decided to run in the evening. I was planning on four, but I procrastinated on homework, as usual, and I had to rush back home to finish it, so I ended up doing only three. I felt good, my ankle felt pretty good, only a very small glitch of pain is present. Very small. By the end of this week, hopefully, it will be 100% healed. But it is good enough where I can run on it pretty comfortably. I got back and did some core. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110220514 

Today for practice we warmed up in the track, one big grass loop. Then we formed a circle and stretched on the field. There was three options for a run today, the beginning, intermediate, and advanced. I did the advanced run. From the track up to foothill, then left and along foothill until the cemetery, then one loop in the cemetery, and then out and along 1300 E until 800 S, then back up to the track. I was feeling good today, and it is the first day in a few weeks that I have been injury free, well almost anyway. So I decided to push this run. I began with the group, but caught up to bill after Gaurdsman. After a bit of chatting, I brought the spirit of Ben back to cross country, and picked up the pace. I was hoping that a few, or at least one, of the guys would try and push with me, but no one tried. As far as I could tell. By the time I turned left onto Foothill, I had pretty much lost all the guys. I hope that soon some of the guys will step it up and go for it. I was feeling pretty good, but by the time I passed Gaurdsman while on Foothill, my ankle started to feel tired, again. Not necessarily hurting, just tired. I felt an unusual stiffness/soreness in a place I have never felt anything before. The place about 2/3 of the way up the outside part of the shin. I forgot to ask Bill a way to stretch it, but I will just do the shin stretch and hopefully that does something. I averaged 6:51 by the time I was back in the track. While everyone got back, I decided to go to five. Just when I was finishing, a few guys and Bill were entering the track, and Bill said to get to the three hundred mark. We did a 300 chase. On the first one I was to catch Patrick, and we ended up crossing the finish line at the same time. On the second one I was to catch Natalie, and not let Vuong catch me. I did close the gap on Nat, but I was still about 15 meters behind here at the finish, and Vuong nearly caught up to me! Good job! After that I just went to six miles and headed home. I will go for a run later.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110462555 

AM: This morning was our first morning practice of the season! We started a little past six a.m. and ran along 15th E until the fountain at Sugarhouse Park, and the varsity had to do one outside grass loop, and then back. I felt good, and I guess I pushed pretty well, because I averaged 6:44 for the whole run, including all the hills. That just means that I can push harder next time!! Anyway we got back, showered, then had some french toast, courtesy of Papa John. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110731128

PM: Today for afternoon practice we warmed up a mile, then one mile speed changes, then we did 2 X 200, 2 X 400, 2 X 200, all with equal recovery. I was feeling this morning in my legs a bit, but was still very consistent. My times were in order: 33, 33, 70, 70 (stopped my watch a bit late), 33, 32. I would have liked to run those 400s under 70. After we cooled down one mile to put us at five. I felt okay, my ankle was a bit tired, but we took an ice bath at the track after the cool down and that helped greatly. After we had a captains meeting and then we had a team dinner at the Shields'. Yummy. 

Here is the speed minus the recoveries: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110731115 

Today was Pre Region. I was feeling a bit tired from yesterdays workout, since I haven't been doing two-a-days ever since I twisted my ankle, but I guess it is now time to get back into condition. I warmed up two miles around the course, cheering on the girls. I put on my spikes and headed over to the line. We were standing there for probably close to ten minutes before the race started. I got out well, maybe a little too well. I was dehydrated before we even finished passing the softball field, and it just got worse. I have never been that dehydrated. I held on to third for about the first mile and change, and then two WX guys caught and passed me, but then one fell behind. I fell back about three more guys during the course of the race. I was trying to make a more, but I just didn't have it in me. After bessie, I just finished the race with whatever I had left. Pretty sucky race for me. I was like 8th or 9th. I know I could have been third, easy. I think it was a culmination of things that produced this race. I was tired from the day before, I didn't get a good nights sleep, I didn't warm up enough or hard enough, and I didn't hydrate enough. Oh well, today just wasn't my day. Friday will be better. It was definitely a learning experience though. My ankle feels alright, and apart from that, no injuries to report:) Now to jsut get back into shape.....

 Here is my race: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110947356 

AM: Today we had morning practice. We ran up to Sunnyside and around the park once, then back to the white tree. Then we did 6 strides? I can't remember how many exactly. Then we did a fartlek workout. Each on/off was indefinite. We just had to speed up or slow down whenever Bill blew the whistle. After that we ran around the park and back along Sunnyside Ave to the track. Then we showered and had some breakfast courtesy of Mrs. Reid! I hit 5.7 total.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111159735

PM: For our afternoon practice, we ran down to Liberty and around the park to the drinking fountain as a warm up. Then some light stretching and then six strides I believe it was. Then we did a 2 mile tempo run. I had to hit mine in 13:40, which means splitting at 6:50 miles. Absolute cake. After that we ran back up to the school and I hit 6.3 right in front of the locker room. Nothing is hurting, other than the usual mild pain from my ankle, which is good. I just feel a bit tired. Better than yesterday, but definitely not in tip top rest. I will give my legs a good massage today and get a good nights sleep.

This is just my tempo: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111159716 

Today was the Utah County Invite. We arrived and I did a one mile shakeout around the course so that I could get to know it. Then I hung around and relaxed until it was time to warm up. I warmed up another two miles and then got some water, put on my spikes, and headed to the start line. I did strides at the line while we waited. I probably did eight or ten. I got a good start. Not too fast or slow. My goal for this meet was just to do as best as possible, and stay positive. I did well enough through the race. One place I thought I could have done better was along the fence in the last 300 of the race. I really could have stayed or even passed the group I was with. Anyway, I kicked it in with whatever I had left and I glanced at my Garmin and it said 17:08, give or take. So PR, by like forty seconds, which isn't half bad, but now I know for sure that I can break 16:00 by the end of the season. Overall I thought the team did well. Scott had an amazing race, and I hope that from now on it will be a battle for top varsity between us!! Great race, then back to East for the East vs West game. East won, of course, 27-6. Perfect day. Then I cooled down a mile before we left. Here is my race:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111159716 

AM: At about seven thirty in the morning I went out for ten miles to get 55 for the week. I was feeling pretty good, despite the poor nights sleep. I ran out to 3500 S and then down to 8400 W and on the Magna run until I hit five, then turned around. I was doing just under a six pace until I got to the hills, where I slowed to about 7:40's. Then on the way back I was able to  use the hills and I was usually in the high 6:30's, and when I got back to the flat along 3500 S it stayed under 7:00 pace. I averaged 7:13 for the whole run, which means that I am getting back to where I was a month ago. Last week I averaged 7:33 for the 9.5 I did, and that run had one less big hill. I hope that for the rest of the season I won't be set back by anything else so I can keep improving. Hopefully I can average under seven for next weeks ten miler.

PS: Last week, I felt like the ten went on FOREVER. It really did suck. But now I have an IPod Touch arm band so I can listen to music:) Somehow, this one didn't seem as long...
Here is my link:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111492126

PM: I wasn't feeling very sore or tight from the run surprisingly, and I have been on my feet the whole day so that's great! Either way I did some nice stretching, and I massaged quads, hamstrings, ITs, calves, and hips. Then I did some core.