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

AM: I met Bill, Dakota, Caden, Faysal, Chris, and Caden's ski coach Matt at Cowboy grub, and we carpooled up to a certain trail in Park City. We did a 13 mile run on that trail, talking the entire time, stopping at mile six where Kim left our drinks. I killed my Powerade and left my shirt there too. I thought it would be much colder than it actually was, so I wore a long sleeve; not my brightest idea. It was actually pretty hot. The next seven miles after we stopped we picked it up. We were hitting about 6:45 miles the whole time, and brought our average from 7:23 before we stopped, to 7:05 when we finished the 13. It was a good run. The guys stayed together and we finished a long run at a fast pace as a group. The car was still about a mile away from where we finished, so we just jogged slowly over to it. Once at the car I needed like .7 to hit 15 so we went out and back .35. This is the longest run I have been on in a while. It felt good to get one of these in. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/223883555

Plus my hamstring is feeling much stronger and my hip gave me almost no trouble :) 

AM: Easy four miles on my own this morning. I have my half day today so I got to sleep in! :) Also, my hamstring is almost 100 % back! Plus my hip feels stronger and stronger every day!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/223883523

This past week was a tough one for me. I had some set backs and learned a lot about myself and mileage. I'm glad I got this out of the way now, right before I start to race the really important races coming up. I am excited and happy to get back into high mileage and back to my old self! 

PM: Today we ran down to 1300 East form the track to the park on South Temple where we did 10 long hill strides. Then we got some water and went over to the start of our usual Avenue's hill workout. We went all the way up to 11th ave and then ran back the Shriner's way stopping at the fountain by the fire station once more. Faysal and I were the first and only ones back to the track for a while, so we did two 300 chases. I was careful with my hip on these so they weren't very fast. (52, 49) Then I did about .70 cool down to be at 10 for the day.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/224574974 

AM: For morning practice we did the VA loop, then after we found a way past the locked cemetery gates, we did three laps inside the cemetery of fireman. The guys did well sticking together. Afterwards we ran back along 1300 E to the track.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/224574952

PM: Speed workout today. After a mile warm up and speed changes, we started the workout. I timed mile, then an 800, then 4X400. My goal times were 4:50-4:55, 2:20, and 70's. The timed mile was honestly the hardest, and I hit a 4:54. I let the pace go too much the second lap. I did three laps recovery. Then I hit a 2:20 with two laps recovery and 67, 67, 66, 65 all with a lap recovery. Afterwards I did a mile cool down. Overall a solid speed workout. I am finally starting to feel like myself again.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/224574940 

AM: I slept in and got a great nights sleep, then went for an easy four miles.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/224574912 

PM: Varsity boys and girls stayed behind today from the meet since none of us were racing today. The guys met a little later than usual because we all had stuff to do after school. Once we finally got together, we went to Sugarhouse park, did a lap around the perimeter, then did 10 strides, foloowed by going back along 1900 E to Sunnyside, then back down to the track and adding a little for 8.

 http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225195879 

AM: For morning practice, we did the VA loop, cutting across Guardsman back to the track. Then we did 10 hill strides on Kernoodle hill. After we went over to the start line and did 4X400 with standing recovery. These were much slower than our speed on Tuesday. I was to hit 72's. I was holding back to what I thought was a 72 and making sure to keep the entire 400 consistent, but I kept running them too fast. (71, 70, 69, 69) Afterwards we did like .75 cool down to be at 5.5.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225195864

PM: Today for practice we ran over to Fairmont, met at the west field where we normally meet, and did 10 strides on the grass. After that we ran back to East along 900 E and up the big hill.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225195850 

AM: After sleeping in I went for an easy 5.5 miles on my own.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/225195836 

PM: Since Bill wasn't going to be here for the workout, I was able to get started right away once I got to the track. I did a mile warm up, two miles of speed changes, then a mile and a half cool down.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/226267312 

AM: After arriving at the race I did my two miles shakeout, then waited for a few hours until my race. After keeping hydrated and eating a little bit, I started my warm up. I was feeling great. I wasn't tired and my body was sore at all. I did a bit of research and knew who the main competition was, for the most part. At the line I didn't see the two guys I was expecting, but I still prepared myself for a tough race.

Right off the line I got out well, but not to fast. I didn't want to take the lead from early on and have the target on my back the full race. I settled into 4th for the first 400 meteres-ish, and after the first hill moved into 3rd. After the roller coaster and onto Bessie I moved into 2nd. I was right on the lead guy going down Bessie, biding my time. I knew it wasn't a good idea to pass him going down Bessie, where he could easily surge and try to hold me off. So I stuck right on him past the triple trunk tree and up the hill on the back stretch of the course. I accelerated off the hill and passed him, who I had noticed had slowed down. I took the lead and surged away from him. After I had about 20 meters on him, I settled into a good pace, one that I knew was faster than I was going before. I passed the guy just before mile one, and I just kept the pace fast. I could tell they were still about 25 meters behind me coming off the slant hill, but going up Bessie is where I really opened up the gap. From here on the gap only got bigger, so now it was a race against myself. Since I was the only East guy in the race, Bill didn't have to cheer on anyone else but me, so I saw him in easily 10+ places around the course, which really helped me. It is easy to wimp out of pushing harder when you are in a sizable lead, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't at all. However, I did push myself the large majority of the time and Bill made sure of that. Coming along the backstretch Bill saw me look back to see how far the guys were behind me and he screamed to focus on my own race. He got me moving along the fence, and then along Bessie. I worked up the hill, then came off Bessie and had a good kick to the finish. 

One thing I love about coming in first is that you don't have to wait behind obnoxious, overly-dramatic guys who appear to have just barely survived a heart attack. I got to walk straight through the chute, then they scanned my bib and gave me my time card. I immediately started cool down and got just over two miles before we had to leave. Chris and I left our stuff on the bus, and ran along 1300 E until the bus picked us up, by which time we'd gone about a mile. Then back at the track I added another .4 to get my mileage for the week.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/226267288