Endurance Boost

Hadn't run for a couple days, so yeah, it felt awful.

Broken up into two runs right next to each other. First four pretty fast, the last slow. Coach assigned us to run with rookies.

This was kind of a bad run for me. I was kind of sore, I think because I slept on my knees weird. Split into a run + strides 

Smashed off my alarm and didn't have time to do seven, like I hoped. Oh well, here's to even mileage!

The running felt good. The circuits after were killer.

A little under three mile warmup, 5X1 fartlek, little over a mile cooldown. I was kind of tired from yesterday, because I hadn't run 10 for a couple months. Felt pretty hard.

One lap around Liberty warmup, 6 hill loops, two laps cooldown. The hills hurt my legs, but didn't have any trouble breathing or oxygen def. The last bit of the cooldown killed. I aimed for seven today, but I just couldn't seem to get my legs to move. [Sorry, Bill]

Felt about as good as yesterday.  

Ran by myself today. Took it pretty nice and easy.

Felt good, even though I took it pretty fast. I wanted to get even mileage so I did seven instead of eight.

Ran a couple miles with the advanced group, and then a lap around Sugarhouse with some of the new people. Did dynamic stretching and circuits, then a road lap cooldown.

Felt pretty good today. Mostly flat and easy. I did ten this morning, but this evening I was really stressed out and I went out for two miles just to loosen up.

Did a trail run today. My legs were kind of tired, but apart from that it felt pretty good.

Lap around Liberty warmup. Then we did strides and two 800s (first 3:09, second 3:04), and finished off our cooldown to get five today. After yesterday, it took a half mile or so to work off the soreness, but after that it felt great.  

I actually didn't run today, but I did a ten mile mountain bike ride that was about seven miles uphill and three of the scariest miles downhill I have ever done. I could barely walk after, so I'm counting that as my finisher for the week.

I had a 5K today, and I got second in my age group. It was okay I guess, but my time wasn't that great. After a three mile warmup, race, and four mile cooldown, I decided to be done for today.

I was really tired today. I had to take the run pretty slow, but it still hurt. I wasn't sore specifically, but my legs felt really heavy and my balance was kind of off. Ran up a little past the firestation and back.

Today we all went to Cottonwood Complex. After a three mile warmup, we stretched and did strides. I think the strides helped me a lot-they got me to loosen up a little. Then we did four Bessie loops. Times- first, 2:07; second, 2:04; third, 2:06; fourth, 2:02. Then we did a three mile cooldown, which hurt a lot more than I thought it would. Good workout today.

Went running at Pipeline today. The first seven or so miles felt great. After that I abruptly crashed really hard, and my pace slowed down a ton. I'm not sore at all today, though. That's a start!

Today we all went to Liberty Park. We did a lap warmup, a lap of firemen, and a little over a lap cooldown. That added up to be five miles, and I added on another two when I got home so I wouldn't have to do a lot tomorrow. Everything felt great today. I wasn't sore or tired at all.

Woke up at 5:45 to run five and did a hike at 7:30. I felt very active.

Not bad at all considering I ate seven slurpies right in the middle of the run. Yeah, not one of the smartest things I've ever done. But hey, 7/11!

I did nine this morning. We did a fartlek workout, ten 1X1s. That felt very good. I stayed a little behind Amanda most of the way and ran with Geo.  Then I did three more when I got home that evening. Not sore or anything, but I might feel it tomorrow.

Got up at a little before five to run on my own so I could get to Girl's Camp which started at seven. Felt pretty good, but I was kind of scared to run that early when it was still dark. Felt pretty sick after, but I think that might have been from upsetting my sleeping pattern. I don't ever get up that early.

The first three didn't feel too good, but at the turnaround I felt a lot better. Girl's camp is fun.

Did the same run as yesterday. Kind of boring.

I tried to hit my miles today, but I just couldn't do it. I got maybe a collective sixteen hours of sleep over the four days I was at Girl's Camp, so my legs felt like lead and I was really dehydrated. I'll either have to do 55 next week or jump to 60, whatever Bill wants me to do.

That was the worst run I've had in a really long time. I think it was the inserts in my shoes were forcing me to change my stride, working muscles I normally don't use as much. They also hurt my arches, so I'm going to be pulling those inserts out for tomorrow's run.

Not bad today. I was kind of sad throughout the whole run because I was thinking of how I was going to have to do more miles tonight, but then (hallelujah!!!) Bill told me I only had to run forty this week. Now I am very happy. :)

Party. I'm pretty excited for regions this year, because we did fartlek on the course and even with all the recovery I finished in just over twenty minutes, so I'm pretty confident that I'll break twenty this season, which is my goal.

Went on Pipeline today. Showed up a little bit late.

Tapering for my 10K on Monday. Did about a mile and a half, six strides (those felt really good), and ended with another mile and half ish. Bill told me to just do 35 this week.

Whopping, right? Today was just a shake out run for monday. I didn't want to run on Sunday, so Bill told me to run as late as possible on Saturday. I ran at 11:30 at night.

I ran my first mile probably a bit too fast, in about 6:15. Felt it about mile five. Stayed with a girl from Park City for the first half or so. I thought I did pretty good at first, but later I kept getting these 'looks of disappointment.' I hope I'll do better next time.

Had a kind of old woman shuffle today. Race made me sore.

Ran with the team at Sunnyside. Still had a bit of an old woman shuffle, but I warmed up after the first mile or so. We did drill exercises. Those felt fine, but the lunges hurt a little. Did an extra mile when I got home, and I'll do three more tonight.

Dry Creek Trail run.

Speed work at Liberty. Four eight hundreds- 1st: 2:58; 2nd: 3:02; 3rd 3:09; 4th 3: 11. Yeah, just kept getting slower, and slower, and slower. But that's ok, those are pretty decent times anyway. Equal recovery.

I just went with a couple of members from the team to Magna to run on a highway. Lots of roadkill, and it just kept getting bigger and bigger...first a cat, and then a racoon, and then a coyote/fox, and then a deer! I just did four and a half out and back. The first half SUCKED, but the last half felt pretty good. Mostly because I knew I was almost done. But there were mile markers! Those totally made everything feel better, Bill.

It took my legs a long time to warm up today. I didn't start feeling good until about mile three, I'm guessing. When I got to about mile eight it started raining really hard, so I ended at 9.5 instead of 10 like I planned. Bill told us to frontload this week, so I did a couple more miles tonight.  

Fartlek workout today. Stayed with Amanda for most of it. Started with 1 minute on, then 2, then 3 on, and then started again. Like yesterday, I'll do some more tonight. Also, I'm getting a little freaked out because some of the new girls have been on my tail, so I'm really going to have to step it up.  

I do not like hills much. 'Nuff said.

Bike and run today. I ran into this ax murderer, and I fought him off with my bare hands (in other words, I biffed it on the bike). I had to be a wimp and drop out, and now I wish I had just sucked it up and pushed through. Ben and I had a decent chance to win it. Feel pretty bad about it. Going to do some more miles tonight.  

This is pretty decent time, I thought, considering I couldn't bend my left hip properly. I have a scab there that I got there a couple days ago, and it reduced my movement. This race got me really excited for the XC season; I'm thrilled to start racing again! Only two more weeks!

... Also went for a half-mile longer cooldown than I needed to. Oh well, it can't hurt, can it? 

Ok, so I'm on vacation, and I don't have the energy nor the patience to be finicky about my miles this week. So I'm going to be counting my biking and hiking miles as well as my running, because I am too drained to try to go out and run 50 miles this week.

Camping tonight.

Sore quads, probably from backpacking.

Biked and ran.

Same sort of stuff I did yesterday. 

Never thought I would have to use this phrase on a run before, but that was BLOODY TERRIBLE. I even had to end the cooldown a mile earlier than I should have, I felt so awful. When I got home I threw up, which hasn't happened in a while. That sucked.

Did Speed work at Liberty. I didn't feel as bad as I did yesterday, but I still didn't feel 100%. I started to feel sick to my stomach about two miles in, which makes me think I've come down with something rather than just running too hard. Anyway, times-> 800 3:18, Mile 7:18, 800 3:21. I know, pretty awful times, but again, I wasn't feeling good today. Had to end the cool down early again, like yesterday. Probably going to go out and do more tonight.

Went on my good ol' friend Pipeline today. I got a blood blister a couple miles in because of the socks I was wearing. It hurt throughout the run, but not bad. I'll have to put moleskin or something tonight if I want to do extra, and tomorrow as well.

Went to Sunnyside today. We did a little under three miles warmup, strides, and about two for a cooldown. Felt good today. I was a bit sore from yesterday, but it didn't take me too long to warm up. After practice we voted on who's going to be team captains, which we get to figure out at the Alumni Barbeque tonight! We're also going to be doing kind of a time trial to see who gets on varsity before the Barbeque.

Went to Liberty again today. Did a lap warmup, lap of firemen, did a little over a lap cooldown to finish it off at five.

This was a great race. The season's just starting, so I'm really happy about my time.  

Speed work at the Regions course. Nearly three miles warmup, six 800s, a little over two cooldown to finish it off at eight.

Hot hot hot HOT!!!! Drank a lot of water.

Did six and a half at practice, three and a half later with RJ and Amanda.

Tryouts were today...=} we did three three minute ons three minute offs. The offs were standing recovery, which was nice. I did about an 800 each time. Went running with Amanda later.

Went down to Liberty today. It was one of those runs where it felt awful at the start but got better as it went on. Did five more tonight.  

I ran 4 this morning, and mountain biked eight this afternoon. Gaging on the effort spent, the bike ride felt like a five mile run. I'm going to run another three tonight to get 58, 'cause Bill told me to go five up from last week.

Ran a cemetary loop, did 300s, and mile and a half cooldown.

Morning and afternoon practices.

Bad race. I was ok physically, but mentally I was terrible. I've been kind of having a rough week mentally and emotionally running-wise, but I still was within eight seconds of Regions last year. 14 seconds behind Abigail.

Morning practice at Sunnyside.

Nice race. Flat, but again, I was mentally awful today. The girl in first lead us about fifty extra meters, so I took the liberty to shave a couple seconds of my time =}

I did three easy little runs. I did about a mile in the morning (I was running around watching my dad and Susannah race) and another 4.5 with Susannah later. Then in the evening I did another 3.5 with RJ. It all felt nice and easy, especially after yesterday's race.

This race was just kind of a spontaneous thing I decided on last night. I had to register there, and you had to go to the booth about forty five minutes early. Amanda, Rj and I got up not-so-bright and early at 4:20 to get to Payson by 6:00. Right before we left, I figured out I left my trainers in Natalies car on Saturday, so I had to warm up in my racing flats =} They are nice, supportive flats, so it was ok. My quads did take a long time to warm up, though.

The first two miles I was behind this old guy with really REALLY short shorts(as in, the shortest I have ever seen). Yeah, really gross. I was NOT going to run behind that the whole race, so I sped up the last four.

First mile, 6:50. I didn't really keep track of my miles, but my pace was about 7:30. I decided that wasn't too bad for a 10K.

Anyway, I finished two seconds in front of Amanda. But yeah, turns out we weren't in the same age group. I was third in mine and Amanda STILL got first in hers. But that's all right. I still medaled.

Fun race today.

Morning: One mile warmup, one mile speed changes. Four 200s, all at around 38 to 40. Four 400s, mostly at 1:24. Mile cooldown. 5 miles.

Afternoon: Ran around This is the Place park trying to figure out the course for tomorrow. Bill tore his MCL, so he had us run around for him. Ended up being about 6 1/2.

This was a super tough course, but no harder than State will be. This makes me a little bit nervous. That's a disappointing time, and mentally I was not there. I'm kind of clueless about how to get mentally "in shape."

Morning workout. Didn't feel great in the afternoon, so I didn't go.

Nice little recovery today. Ran up to Sunnyside and did barefoot strides. Felt so I good I ran back to the track barefoot. Might have to do that more often!

Great Race today. Bill Ran me in the Frosh/Soph race today, and I hung in second for most of it. I got out kicked at the end, but I'm still happy with my time. I got a medal and first pic on the t-shirts! (Top 30 get shirts, and last year I was 28th. Ended up with a dress instead of a shirt.) My form held pretty nicely through the race, and Natalie helped by telling me to stop crossing over whenever she yelled at me. For the past couple races, I feel like I've been slouching and running ineffeciently, but today everything felt smooth and tall. It felt awesome.

But anyway, after the race I started seeing little yellow and blue squiggles. That's always a bad sign; it means I'm going to get a migrane headache, which I did. So I didn't get a chance to cool down. I'll probably run tonight.

Today was the hardest workout I have ever done, including the dreaded Boot Camp. We did eight 800s. After the first three I couldn't feel my legs, and that was fine, but it still hurt everything else... I feel like this workout is going to do me good, particularly mentally, but it sure hurt like the dickens.

I was grouped with Voung, Kevin, Patrick, and Abigail. We were all aiming for 3:00s, but I usually ended up around 3:05 to 3:08. We would spread out a little, with Voung and Patrick and Kevin usually in front of me. I would stick with the boys, but the last one we all spread out and I stuck to Patrick. Abigail was behind me. Mentally I really felt I did good holding it together; I didn't break down or let negative thoughts get to me.   

The cool down actually hurt as much as the 800s, but I was going about half as fast. Not very fun.  

This morning we ran to Sugarhouse. My legs felt about as light as lead, so I only did four.

This afternoon we ran up to Shoreline trail, I think it was. That was about two miles, and then we did about a mile's worth of hills (they were long) and ran back. I felt pretty good. Going down the hills hurt more than going up them.

We ran to Liberty today and did a tempo run, despite many protests. But it was pretty easy; we went the long way to the start and got three miles in, and then Bill grouped us up. There was under 20 minutes at the last 5K, 20-25, and over 25. I felt like I was cheating because I ran a 20:08, and probably should have just slid in with the under 20s. But anyway, the tempo we had to hit was15:40, which actually felt really nice. I ran it in 14:20 instead...which was actually my fastest race pace last year. And it felt nice and easy....I've really come a long way.

An easy four this morning. We did the loop that goes around the cemetary and goes back to the track along 13th East. We saw a dead deer along the way, and it freaked me out so badly.

This afternoon we stayed at the track. 1 mile warmup, 1 mile speed changes, 1 mile cooldown.

This race felt amazing to me. My legs felt light and springy and I could breathe amazingly. The problem was the start. There were about 300 people in my race, and I got boxed in behind some people who were slower than me. I was weaving in and out of people the whole race, and sometimes would have to slow down to not flatten people. There was a complete bottleneck about half a mile in, where about 100 people where trying to squeeze through six feet of space. I didn't want to slow down, so I jumped up on a wall to get past. It was sheer craziness.

Anyway, apart from that it felt awesome. I just wish I had gotten a better start, because I know if I hadn't gotten boxed in today would've been the day I finally broke the 20 minute barrier.

Just an easy nine today. Amanda and RJ and Bill were running their marathon, so while we were waiting for them at mile 14 about I ran three just to look around. Beautiful canyon that the Top of Utah marathoners ran down. It was nice, even with a couple marathoners teasing me that I was going the wrong way up the canyon. =} It was very rainy, so my clothes and shoes got drenched.

Did another six tonight. My trainers were soaked through, so I (stupidly) ran in my flats. My shins and calves sure didn't like me much after. I guess I should've been a man and ran in my squeaky shoes.

Today we ran to T Street to do some hills. We did something that I called a 'ladder': we strided up the street in front of us until we got to the corner, and then turned left to jog to the next corner. We did ten of these 'ladders' until we got to 11th Ave. I was in front of everyone in my group apart from Abigail, until the last one when everyone pushed because Bill was watching. It sounds snarky, but I can't see how pushing on only the last hill would be beneficial.

But to each their own, I suppose.

Morning: We got up at 5:30 to do a freaking speed work out. It really hurt, actually, with or without the ice bath yesterday. We did a ladder: 200, 200, 400, 600, 800, then back down again, all with equal recovery. I didn't want to look at my splits after the 400, because they were pretty darn slow. 200- 0:45 200- 0:48 400 1:friggin30...and then I just didn't want to know. It's in the effort, right? Right?

Afternoon: Started pretty early and was back before 4! Pretty impressive considering we were actually doing more than three miles. We did a breezy six this afternoon, but if my thighs were given voices they would've been screaming by the end. Ran to Sugarhouse, did half a large loop around there (I had to stop and use the potty, and rather than run back up the death hill I added extra later) and back.

This might be the highest mileage day I've ever done, I think.

Today was technically a race, but we ran it as a tempo run. We were against Bountiful and Woods Cross. Both of those teams seemed to be racing it, though. The entire girls group had to hit 7:30s, which felt AMAZING. Everyone stuck on for the first mile, but by the end everyone fell back apart from Abigail, Natalie, and me. It was a party of a "race"-we were singing and chatting the whole time (except up the hills). and the funny thing was that even at that slow pace we still ended up top ten. About a mile warmup, two miles cooldown.   

Bill also told me I've got top three in Regions, but I'm going to have to push myself hard.

Challenge accepted.

I actually should've hit nine miles for today...not just six. Dangit.

But anyway, this morning I woke up and felt fine but as soon as I stepped out of the car to go to morning practice, my nose quit its job. My sinuses clogged and I was shivering like crazy even though it wasn't that cold, so I asked Bill what I should do. He told me to do a mile easy and light stretching. It felt...well, easy. But my throat was on fire by the end.

This afternoon I felt better. We did a fartlek workout. We did about a mile warmup which took me a very long time (I had to stop and use the potty at the park, I've been doing that a lot this week!) Then 10X1min on/1min off. I tried to stay with Abigail for it, but I eventually fell behind her. And...I only got lapped by Tomy once. Not bad in a very sad way. I should not be getting lapped this late in the season, but then again it is  Tomy, and he's pretty dang fast. Anyway, I didn't quite hit what I wanted to, but Emily said I had a very good workout this afternoon. So maybe I'm being a bit hard on myself, or Emily's being a bit nice.

Easy workout today. Half mile warmup, mile speed changes, half mile cooldown. Felt fine, but my calves were super tight at the end. Gonna turn in early tonight. And break twenty tomorrow.

Drove up to Idaho today for the Invitational.

Didn't break twenty. =( But on the other hand, it was hot, and I was still recovering from my cold, and I didn't get much sleep the night before. But that doesn't get me a 19:50 time.

Anyway, mile and a half warmup, three mile race, four and a half cooldown. The cooldown felt like a breeze, and I'm glad I got it in before it got too raging hot.

Today was the last day our team could train at Cottonwood Complex without being DQed. I'm starting to get excited for Regions (and keeping my fingers crossed for hail and snow again this year).

Anyway, we jogged the course as a warmup. I took the warmup very slow.

After that, six strides. I accidently stepped on my foot wrong and my knee got a bit of a tweeking, but it didn't affect my workout.

Six Bessies after that.

First 2:00

Second 1:56

Third 1:57

Fourth 2:00

Fifth 2:00

Sixth 1:56

Those felt good. It's fun to look back at what I was doing on Bessie a few months ago and what I'm doing now. (Oh my gosh! There IS progress!) Anyway, two miles cooldown. It felt nice to train on grass today; my achilles didn't hurt which was a bonus. If I train for too long on a hard surface, it starts to hurt.

Morning: Only morning workout this week! YES! Anyway, we did two laps warmup, three laps speed changes. Then a timed mile. 6:41 was my time on that, with 800 recovery. Then six 400s. 1:27, 1:27, 1:26, 1:24, 1:28, 1:27, 1:24, standing recovery. Then an 800 cooldown. I was kind a jerk to Bill this morning about being late, which I feel bad about. Added up to five.

Afternoon: 3.5; around the gully, then three 300s on the track. Felt nice.

Today was encouraging, because I felt awful. My legs hurt like crazy. But I still got third, which is what I should get for Regions. And I'll be feeling a lot better on Regions, because I'll get to bed early the night before and eat what I should that day and ice.

Didn't run today. Why? I was running around trying to turn my stupid German project in that REFUSES TO WORK ON ANY COMPUTER.

GAHH!

Race went fine.

Got to cool down barefoot. Felt awesome.

Did a speed workout today with Amanda; 4X200s, 2X400s, 1X800s. Felt a little sluggish because of yesterday, but not bad.

It's been a pretty nice low mileage week this week. Regions is on Wednesday. I really hope to do well!

Wow...this was a hard day for me, actually. We started with a half mile warmup, mile speed changes. The speed changes killed. Not a specific part really. Just they hurt! The actual workout, 800 (3:07), 400 (1:27), 300 (0:59), 200 (0:38), 400 (1:23), 300 (0:58), 200 (0:38), felt fine, though my legs felt super duper tired. The mile cool down hurt like the warmup. Bill was saying that going slower can actually hurt more than going fast, which would make sense today.  

Stoked.

I did it! I got third, just like I was supposed to! The girls sadly didn't win Regions, because behind the first three (who were all from East, I might throw in) Woods Cross had a perfect score; numbers 4-11 I'm pretty sure. But I did all I could, so I'm not too depressed about losing our winning streak.

Anyway, I had about four girls on me the entire time. We kept leapfrogging, but after about mile two they didn't pass me again. They did get close though. I couldn't back off one second in the entire race, particularly when going down hill because that's when I usually use the brake to catch my breath and keep my feet beneath me. I had to go nearly as fast as I could the entire race, and my kick had to be really good as well. (I'm famously bad at kicking.) But I just gave it everything I had, which felt amazing. I do have a kick!

Anyway, I'm excited for State now.

We just ran on our own today. We were supposed to do six, but for some reason my big toe and metatarsal started killing, so I ended it early.

No running today. I asked Bill about my toe, and he started pushing on different places. When he reached a certain bone in my big toe and pushed on it, it KILLED. It hurt so bad. So he told me to not run today and do core stuff. He told me not to run until Monday and to tape my toes together for support.  

I really hope it gets better.

Again, no running. Biking, maybe, but even that hurts a little.

I miss running already.