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

Why is it harder to do 4 miles on Sunday then it is to do 10 on Saturday? Anyway I managed to drag myself out of bed and out the door, after much self dispute. Just a nice, easy run today. Averaged 7:00 flat pace. It would have been faster if it hadn't been for a 7:30 first mile, but I just warmed up the first mile, then let myself go at whatever pace felt good the rest of the run. It turns out that pace was about 6:50, so I know I'm back to where I was a few weeks ago. Well, from here on there is no where to go but up:)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111781486 

AM: Today is Labor Day so no school. I got out the door later that I would have liked. It was nearing 8 am. I was going to do an LSD run this morning, but I thought about it, and I feel like a fast run now and an easy run later would be more beneficial than one big slow run. So I decided on eight this morning and four later. My goal for the eight was to finish in under 56 minutes, a 7:00 pace. I finished in 55:16, closer than I would have liked, but taking into consideration two miles of steady and steep incline, I think I did okay. I averaged a 6:54 pace, and I felt good. Not tired after the run, even though I definitely pushed. The last half of the run is where I really picked it up, letting the downhill take me at whatever speed, then pushing on the last straight from 8400 W to my house. Averaged 6:38 for those four miles, keeping pretty consistent mile splits even onto the flats. Here is my Garmin link: 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112085598

I had some running buddies for about a mile on the way back on 3500 S. Two dogs followed me from 8400 W all the way to just past 7200 W, where they I guess they were too tired to keep going and stopped to sniff a trash can. There was a Beagle and a big Golden Retriever. I was contemplating stopping and looking at their tags or something, but I would have lost my pace so I just kept going. I hope those dogs find their way back home...

PM: Wanted twelve for the day so I went for an easy four in the late afternoon. It was supposed to be an easy run but I still averaged 6:54. That tends to happen on these small runs. Anyway, I am getting a bit of shin splint pain and my calves are really tight. I took me about three and a half miles to warm up.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112264047 

AM: For morning practice today we ran two grass laps and then a mile speed changes. After I put on flats and we started our chases. We were doing four sets of 400-200 chases. I was with Teeples, RJ, and Taylor. Teeples and I started the first 400 and Taylor and RJ were at the two. Once the 400 runners hit a cone about 20 meters away from the 200 mark, the 200 runners had to catch up. My goal was to just be consistent, but it turns out I ran the fast and consistent:) My four hundred times were 71, 68, 67, 68. My 200 times were 33, 30, 31, 32. For some reason on the third set Teeples didn't run with me so I really thought I would slow down but it turns out it was the fastest. After we had some great breakfast courtesy of Mrs. Jackson. I hit 5.25 total, but I will call it five since I left my Garmin on for the standing recovery.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112502122

PM: The workout for today's afternoon was just a nice easy run for tomorrow. Varsity ran up to This is the Place along the Running of the Leopards course, obviously just backwards. JV ran straight up Sunnyside to the park. Once Bill arrived we started figuring out a new course since the old one won't work anymore for some reason. After a lot of running around and confusion that I don't want to get into, we figured out a course. After all that business was over we all just ran back to East along Sunnyside. I hit 6.5. Hope I can reach my goal tomorrow...

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112502099

(this is just the run back, not the entire workout. it is split into three garmin links that I don't want to post.) 

Today was our Bountiful dual meet. We rode the bus up to This is the Place and for a warm up Bill told me to go along the gravel and mark the course. So Nat, Abigail and I hit about 1.5 doing that and running around the course trying to get to know it better. Then the girls went off to start their race and I kept warming up. I hit 3.5 total by the end of the warm up, including six strides I did. Then I got over to the line and the race started. It was very obvious once the race started that the Bountiful guys were going to remain as a pack for at least part of the race, because Scott and I took the lead easily for the first half mile and we did not start very fast. Anyway, the race went on, and at some of the sharper turns I could see the Bountiful guys breaking up as some fell behind and some picked it up. It became apparent that the top Bountiful guys were going to chase me so my goal was just to hold them off as long as possible, well as long as this race is worth anyway. It sucks to be the front runner, because you are running in constant fear of being caught. I held the first guy off until 2.25 exactly, so 2/3 of the race. Then another guy came up behind and passed me. Those two broke away from me a bit, but maybe 100 meters before we hit the gravel again I began to close the gap on the second guy. Once on the gravel, I was going to sprint with all I had to try and catch the second Bountiful guy, who was now only about 40 meters ahead of me, but the gravel makes sprinting hard and I have BYU on Saturday so I just settled with kicking it in and not letting the Bountiful guy behind me catch me. I finished third, with about 80 meters on the next Bountiful kid. It was an okay race, the course turned out to be better than I thought, except for the gravel. My hamstrings and calves are kinda sore. I met the goal Bill set for me, which was only letting two Bountiful guys beat me. It is a good indicator for region. Here is my race:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112710272 

AM: Today for morning practice we met at the track, as usual. It was really windy. Once Bill arrived we started. It was just a recovery run in the gulley. We ran there along 1500 E and then did three laps, before running back the same way. This run is always a blast, although I didn't scare anyone this time... Once we got back to the track we did 8 barefoot strides on the grass. They were the length of the football field and I just focused on form. Then we showered and had some delicious crepes provided by Olivia's mom.

PM: For afternoon practice we ran from the track up to Gaurdsman, then left onto Foothill and Varsity did one loop in the cemetery, then down to 1300 E and back to the track. Once we got back we got right into two 300's. My first was a 47.5 and I caught Javier. My second I asked Bill if I could chase Natalie, mwuahhaha. I caught her and I hit a 45 flat. Then I did another half mile to make my mileage for the day 8. After I iced with some cups and stretched a bit. Here is the link for the full day.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/112907224 

Today we had a super easy recovery day for BYU tomorrow. We just ran from the track up to Sunnyside, one lap around and then back to the white tree, then 10 strides, then we just cut across the field straight back to the track. Like I said, super easy recovery day. I hope I do well tomorrow.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/113118082 

Once we arrived I did a half mile shakeout cheering the Frosh/Soph boys in their race. Once the Frosh/Spoh girls race started I went out for a 2.5 mile warm up around campus. I got back and put on my spikes and headed to the line once the girls race was ending. I probably did ten or twelve strides total while we were waiting for the start. I made sure to not lose my warm up. By the time I reset my watch for the race I had hit just a bit over three. Overall I'd say I got a very good warm up. Then the race started. Really, I was going into the race hoping for a top ten finish. I got out well, and after we were out of the baseball field on the first lap, the lead pack was starting to separate itself. There was three Davis guys, me, and some other kid. Anyway by the time we got on the track, one Davis kid and the other kid had dropped off so it was just me and two Davis guys. Going into the baseball field for the second time I took the lead and was going to try and separate myself from them, but they hung on and we stayed together until we were going into the baseball field for the third time. At this point, they pulled away from me. The second Davis guy was maybe 20 meters ahead of me and the first guy probably 20 meters ahead of him. I heard Bill screaming at me to get back up to them and not let them get away, which is usually what happens at this point in the race for me. Once we were out of the baseball field and onto the soccer field, I started closing the gap, which was about 40 meters from me to the second place guy. By the time we were going down the little hill that leads into the track, I passed him. I was kicking hard and the entire time I was just thinking about those 300's that Bill makes us do after our runs. I was ahead of him until about 40 meters before the finish, where he passed me and managed to stay ahead of me. So he finished like maybe ten feet ahead of me and like one second faster. That is my only complaint about this race, to just have a stronger finishing kick and not fall back any places. Other than that, I am proud of myself. I caught the guys even though they were pulling away from me on the last 800, which I consider to be my weakest spot in the race. I was fighting the whole race and stayed focused. Great race today and I am excited because I know that with some hard speed work, I can shatter this PR. I had planned to do a two mile cooldown, but my stomach was really hurting so I only got a mile. Here is my race:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/113345065 

PM: I REALLY didn't want to go run. I was hungry, sleepy, and oh so tired. Since my stomach was killing on my cooldown I didn't get as much as I wanted at the race, so I had to do it all tonight. That was 6.5. I was debating whether I should go the full run, or go 1.5 and be at 55 for the week. I had almost convinced myself to make it 55, but as soon as I got out the door, my mind made the decision for me. So, I did 6.5 miles. Ugh. Despite my extremely negative attitude towards the run, it ended up being a good one. I felt fine, just tired. My shins are hurting a bit so I will ice those. Here is my link:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/113385433

(Bill, you better click it.)