Getting back in shape!

Regardless of my place or time, this was not the best race I've done. Probably the worst I've done strategically. That said, I think they messed up my time because as soon as I got on the track I was at 17:20 and I'm pretty sure I didn't run 300 meters or less in 1:17. After the race was over they posted unofficial results on a board and had me at 17:40. But these are the official results so I'll just go with these to motivate me more.

I started the race with a pretty good start that put me at around 30th. My goal was to stick with Zan for the whole race so I had no strategy besides that. We did two loops for the first mile and I was looking for him and keeping my place the entire two loops. Finally on the first hill I found him but it seemed like he was on to me cause he blew by me fast. I saw him for like 10 seconds and than he disappeared in the pack ahead, he ended up finishing int the top ten. I wasn't quite sure how fast I was going, so I just stayed where I was. I then realized that I was going too slow on the second hill, which was the steepest and decided to surge up it. Dumb choice. I blew all my matches on that surge and only moved up around ten places. I started getting passed by a few people on the back stretch and once the third hill came I blew up. I was pretty close to walking on that part. My legs were really heavy. It is here were I got passed by the most people. The last 800 meters I still kept getting passed but once on the track I found some new life and actually picked up my pace.

Overall it was definitely not my best race but I'm glad the season was over. Jerrell missed out on qualifying by two places but he still beat his last year's time here by a minute or so. Conner had an amazing race, making it to nationals! My cool down was running around watching these guys race. I probably should have done what Conner and Zan did by starting off slower. The trip was fun though and I'm still glad I went.

Rest day.

Second rest day from running. I went on a ride around Benson on the bike and felt better towards the end of it than the start. I tried out my new TT helmet and it fits better than my previous one. Now I just need new Aerobars and I'm set for the CV Time Trial Series in the summer.

Did six miles on the trainer. Went at a hard pace for most.

Went out and back to Newton on the bike.I attacked all the hills and felt better than I did on my last ride. Later I went on a 4 mile tune up run for a race tomorrow.

Today I ran a local 8K race as a training run. It was the Reindeer Run, put on by a local running store. It was a really cold morning and I didn't dress warm for the race. The race started and the wind had blown down the signs of the course and so me and three other people missed a turn and added 1.5 miles of pure hill climbing to the race. I finished at around 43 minutes. Jerrell was here and he went all out but still had trouble with some guy from Idaho. He won by less than a minute with a 25. Later I swam about 800 yards with two 50 yard sprints in the middle. I also did a quick sprint workout on the trainer.

Decided to check out how things were going with the xc runners at our indoor track program. I got them to go on a long run, and we went out towards USU. Later I did a hard speed workout on the trainer.

Late night run around the temple and USU.

Went out for 40 minutes with  1 minute long surges every 5 minutes after 10 minutes into the run.

Went out on an easy long run with Jerrell after he had done some strength workout. We went at a good pace, at around 7 minutes with a lot of hills and I was feeling great.

Nice easy run in the rain, felt good the whole way.

Just had enough time for a quick 4

Met Josh after school and went about 6:50 mile pace for most the run.

Met Jerrell after school and did the loop to first dam. We went about 7 minute mile pace the entire way.

Did a nice pleasure run around USU. Came down with the flu and had to miss some days of running. Did this run still sick but the run made me feel better.

We do our gifts on the 24th so I gifted myself a day of rest from running. So today I went on a 6.5 in the morning. In the afternoon, I set a PR for my coldest run, at 15 below 0 Celsius (5 Fahrenheit) in a quick 4 miles. The balaclava I was wearing proved to be quite annoying and I don't plan on going out in that cold again. 

Had to save a bunch a people in the bad conditions outside so I didn't get a chance to run outside but I did do 3.5 miles at a gradual declining pace on the treadmill 7:30, 6:42, 5:40. Man I hate treadmills, almost as much as tracks.Got some fast swim laps in too.

Long slow distance run. Even with the good grip of the Gel-extreme, I still looked like I was ice skating while I was running. Time to bring out the shoe chains.

Hut my knee playing basketball so I took a few days off until today. Braved the freezing cold for one last run for the year. Reflected on the past year of racing and training and it lacked process goals. That will change for 2013.