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

AM: I slept in this morning thinking I would just go for my usual Sunday run, but when I checked my phone I got a lovely surprise... Chris and I were to do a speed workout at Liberty Park! :) So I made my way over there and met up with Bill and Chris. We did a lap around the park warm up, then 6X800 with 800 recovery. Oh, excuse me, half miles ;) Bill told me to hit 2:30's or under which is code for low 2:20's. The lap isn't entirely flat, there is a slight uphill side and a slight downhill side, so even though I was giving the same effort, some were faster or slower than others. I was fast on the first one; I was just trying to figure out pace (2:16). The second and third ones were more or less on the flat parts and I held back a little to keep pace consistent (2:22, 2:22). The fourth had a large part of uphill, so it surprised me to come in at (2:18). Great, now I would have to try and push the rest that fast!  The next had a considerable amount of downhill and I was (2:17). The last had some uphill at the beginning but then flattened out and I came in at (2:20). Afterwards we did a lap cool down and I was right at 9 for the day! This was a tough workout and it pushed me, but I'm glad I did it! That's it for workouts until region!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/229124228

AM: For the first time in forever, I didn't run in the morning. It was nice to get to sleep in although I find it's just as hard to get up an hour later than usual. Plus, I didn't wake up until like third period. I don't think I like this...

PM: Once Bill arrived everyone got changed into their uniforms and after a grass lap, we took the team picture. After that we started the workout. We ran over to Sugarhouse Park and regrouped at the state hill. Then we ran the state course, with four minutes of just normal running and then 15 seconds of hard. Sort of like a really unbalanced fireman drill. Then we headed back to the school and right to the gate I got 8 for the day.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/229124195

AM: Again, no running. Last day before Region!

PM: It's the day before region so we have several traditions. First we did our team service project, then we went over to the River Trail on 53rd and did an easy 1.5 out and back. I was itching to get my legs moving so I did get myself moving, but Bill said no faster than sub 7's so. Then we had an awesome team dinner at Emily's! REGION tomorrow!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/229878653

AM: I was only allowed to do a two mile shakeout this morning. I didn't charge my Garmin and I needed it to be charged for later so I just left it charging and ran my normal two mile loop. I don't know what pace was like, but I just went with whatever I felt like. 

PM:  REGIONS! Wow, I can't believe it is already Regions. Where did the season go? I went into this race feeling confident, but nervous. I have been the top runner in the region all season, but I know that a lot of guys do some incredible stepping up at this race. But, I knew I would fight with everything I had to win as well. I have trained hard these last few months, and my ultimate goal was to be Region champion.

     We arrived at the race and I had like two and a half hours to my race. I did the usual pre-race stuff in that time. With like an hour and a half left I began my warm up, or rather, the waking up of my legs. This is the first race that I have tapered at all for, and my legs aren't used to being this fresh. So, I knew I would have to get in a solid warm up to shake off the sluggish feeling from them. After about three miles I finally started to feel less sluggish. I took a small break after that to get some water, eat a little something, and cheer on the Varsity girls. Then I went for another two continuous miles. By the end of that I was finally feeling like I was about to race. I put on my spikes and did a little more warm up over to the line and then strides. I got in a few good strides and then the official started us.

     Right off the line I took the lead, which is something I usually don't do. I usually wait for the guys who start fast, to begin to feel the pace and die off, before I take the lead. Well, I guess I went out faster than I realized because there was no one next to me off the line and there wouldn't be the entire race. Afterwards, Bill told me that guys were scrambling to go with me and not let me get away. Well, I continued on the pace I established past the roller coaster the first time. Going down Bessie is when I got the first clue as to how far behind guys were. By how it sounded from cheering, Jacob from WX was within 15 meters behind me. Before the race started, I wasn't expecting to break away until like mile 2-ish. Apparently, that wasn't the case. So, I thew in a surge right off the turn of Bessie towards the triple trunk tree. I drove up the hill and pushed the flat of the backstretch. By how it sounded, it worked because when I got around Miranda the first time, I caught a glimpse of the chase guys just coming down the last little hill right onto Miranda. So my lead was about 40 meters.

     I got over to Bessie and I drove up that hill too. I know that hills like Bessie are my strength, so I made sure to power up it and open up the gap even more. Coming off roller coaster and making that sharp turn to go around the softball fields, I caught another glimpse of the Jacob, who had broken away from the chase pack, coming off of roller coaster. So my lead was probably 60-70 meters. This whole time I hadn't looked at my watch, which I wish I had at mile one, but I forgot. Going around the softball fields, about 150 meters from mile two, I saw Bill and he said to me "You've got a great time going, I want you to push this last mile and break 15!" My initial thought was, "Oh Bill, you and your crazy goals.." Then I looked at my watch at mile two-ish and saw that I was in the high 9:40's, and thought to myself "Holy crap! Maybe I CAN break fifteen!"

     Well, from this point I stopped worrying about the gap and chase pack, and just started focusing on pushing the last mile.  I went up and around Miranda, and then up that last steep little hill and onto the backstretch. I pushed off the hill and accelerated to get right into my pace again. I worked on that last back stretch, because from there all that's left is Bessie one last time. I drove up Bessie for the last time in my high school career, and accelerated off the downhill to kick with everything I had left. I finished with a time of 15:14, 32 seconds ahead of the next guy! And, this is a PR by like 33 seconds too! And with this win, all those months of high mileage and hard workouts payed off. I was in a rush after between all the people wanting to talk to me and then the awards following closely, I only had time for a half mile cool down right before we had to leave.

     I did well in this race. I have to work on getting out better to get with those top guys sooner, and I definitely practiced that. It's a shame I didn't see my first mile split, but it was definitely low 4:50's or perhaps under 4:50. Best of all, I pushed every little bit of this race, and worked every single hill. Although, had there been someone on me during the entire race, I know I could have been faster. If I pushed with someone else, I just might have broken 15. Either way, I couldn't be happier with this race. I won, I PR'ed immensely, and then to top it off at the awards I turned out to be All-Region!  Everything came together just right, and now I can finally call myself a Region champ!

    And now, STATE.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/229878642

AM: I got to bed pretty late last night, so I slept in particularly late, which was good because this morning was quite nippy. I was surprisingly not sore again. My hamstrings were just a little sore before I started, but they loosened quickly and I felt awesome during the run. I wasn't focused on pace in the least bit, but I averaged 6:50's.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/229878638

PM: Just a long recovery run today. We went up Sunnyside to the post office, then turned left and ran up to the Des News 10k start, then continued along Arapeen until we passed the dorms and got to the fountain. After a  quick drink, we went up to the Red Butte fence, then at the top, turned off and got onto the adventure trail, which led us to the JCC start, then we took the upped trail along Popperton until we turned down by Shriners and took the usual Shriners route back. Then at the track I added laps with Chris and Dakota to hit 10.  A nice, easy talking pace the entire run.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/230650267

AM: An easy four miles on my own.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/230650261

PM: Speed workout. After a mile warm up and a mile speed changes, we did 1X2000, 1X1600, 1X1200, and 4X200. On the 2000, we started fast and got slower. I was supposed to hit 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 and was almost spot on, expect for the first lap was too fast and I came in at 68, and then I was fast on one other lap, I can't remember which. After three laps recovery we started the 1600. We were starting slow and getting faster. I was to hit 78, 76, 74, 72 and I hit almost all of those, except the first. I was focusing to much on getting my pace that I was slow, but I made up for it on the other laps and finished and the overall time I should have. Then after two laps recovery, we did a 1200. I was to hit this at race pace, 75's. I was fast on all the laps by like 1-2 seconds. Then we were supposed to do easy, "opening up the stride" 200's, not having a time goal. So I was going to do that, and not even lap my splits, but then right before we started the first one Bill says "So, you should be under 30's for all these." Well, so much for just going with the feel of it. It was good practice for getting off the line quickly though. I hit 29's for all of them. Then I went to Sunnyside with Bill, Chris, and Abigail for 2.5 miles cool down.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/230650254

AM: This morning we met at the Park and Ride to carpool up to Pipeline. Natalie came up from BYU and ran with us! :D Well despite the freezing cold, it was a great run. The fall colors are beautiful and I spent the whole run gabbing with Natalie! Just like old times :) On the way back, after we passed Rattlesnake trail, we threw in 10X1min on/1min off. I could tell I was going fast and it was good fartlek, but towards the end I was feeling tired. Probably from the speed yesterday and the hard race on Wednesday. Afterwards, we went to Millcreek Cafe and Eggworks for breakfast! It was so nice to get to run with Natalie again!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/230650234