GOING THE DISTANCE

7am-  Met at PV for practice.  I was not feeling good cuz yesterday I ate a whole family size bag of takis.  So my warmup was really slow but as I started my first 1k repeat I didn't feel too bad.  I was gonna do three.  My foot wasn't killing me but it was pretty tight and a little iffy. My goal pace was 3:56 and we were supposed to start out slower than our pace and on the last repeat, finish faster than your pace.  But that didn't really happen, I got 3:53, :57, :55.   Then cool down 1.5 and went over to get ready for our team car wash. 

3:30pm -  Got out of school and went over to Bloomington hills north park (region course).  Got a ride with Abel.  The workout for people who weren't racing was 2 mile repeats.  I did 2 of them to keep my mileage down.  The first one, me and Paul's goal for the first mile was 6:30, then 6:20 on the second one.  Got 12:49 kinda easily except it was pretty dang hot.  The next one we were going for 6:20, 6:10.  My watch was jacked though and so I never really knew my pace.  It said about 6:40 - 6:50 pace the whole time but I went about the same speed as Byron and Abel.  I maybe got a 12:20 - 12:30 on that one.  It felt hard but good.  Only one problem which was my knee was pretty sore after.  I don't know why it's acting up this week.

3pm - easy 4 miler today.  The route was to Starbucks and back.  I ran with Paul and Krenny.  My knee was very sore today.  It's really random that's is hurting.  I've been icing it tried to keep the pain away but not much results.  I was able to handle the run okay though, hopefully I'll be really for the Jared Pugmire World Championships of race walking this Friday.  I'm ready to dominate the 25 meter.

5pm -  Today I went on a 10 mile bike ride.  I rode through the neighborhoods around my house.   So I rode lots of hills and got my legs a good workout.  My knee has been sore so this is a good rest.  I planned on going to the pool today, but it was closed.

6pm -  Our team run-a-thon fundraiser was tonight.  I got to the high school at 6 and ran my first mile.  About 45 minutes later I ran my second mile.  Then my next shift was in like 4 hours.

12am -  Ran two more miles in my next shift.  The around 3 I had my two finals in the 25m and the 50m race walk.  I got sliver in both, milliseconds after Trevor in each one.  Then Iraq got gold in the 4x50m.  Later around 5:30 in the dash for cash I ran a 400m, probably 1:05 or less.  Pretty good for being so tired.

12pm -  Early out from school today.  So I guess we met for practice at 11:30 but I was hungry so I ate lunch.  Then the workout was 1k repeats.  I attempted 3.  My times were 3:46, 3:39, 3:34.  They were kinda hard but the worst thing was my knee, it was pretty sore.  Warm up and cool of 1.5 each.

3pm -  1/1 workout today.  I was gonna try to do 15 or until I couldn't anymore.  Around # 6 my knee started getting really sore.  So at #9 I stopped.  I was getting pretty dang tired so I don't know how much more I would have lasted.

3pm -  Michigan workout today.  It was the first one of the season.  I didn't really know what to expect from myself.  So I didn't stress about it or hardly even think about it during the day.  That for sure helped me do good.  My knee has been sore so I was a bit worried it might prevent me from going all out on this workout.  But luckily it felt great the whole time.  So we started out on the track with an 800.  I felt nice and got behing Byron, Taylor, Kyler.  We got going on the grass 800 loops and started spreading a bit.  I just stayed behind kyler like 20m the whole time.  The second time on the track was we're it started getting hard.  On the 2nd group of grass 800's I though about this book I read we're the guy said "you have your highs and your lows".  So I just kept thinking positive thoughts over and over in my mind.  I kept saying to myself, "just run, just run".  So I did I as I went to do my final 400 on the track I was really surprised to see the time was 23:30's and I thought to myself that I could get A standard.  So I started pushing even harder.  This was mentally the hardest part.  I wanted to jog it in so bad but I knew it would help give me a stronger kick so I just kept pushing.  I was glad how I was able to win the mental battle in the workout today.  I think my ending time was in the 24:30's.  I cooled down a mile and it was actually pretty painful in my knee so a day of pool running tomorrow then race on Friday at Herriman.  

5pm -  Great swim today.  did 20 laps in about half hour, maybe a little more.  Race tomorrow, my mind is ready hopefully my body is.

4:30pm -  Today I raced in the Herriman Invite.  It was my first time racing there and it was pretty legit and hard core. We the team left the highschool at 8am then got up to orem and watched the suu girls race.  Then we drove up to sugarhouse park and ran the state course.  The day had been pretty sunny so far, but a huge bunch of clouds was coming from the west and they let loose over the whole salt lake valley.  After we ran at the park, we ate at the the south towne mall and headed over to the race, planning to race at 6:20...

 But we got to the meet and the anouncer anounced the start of the varsity girls.  We all were kinda suprised thinking "did he really just say that, is this really the girls varsity race?" and yes it turned out to be the girls varsity race.  So all the sudden us boys were running in 20 minutes.  We all grabbed our spikes and headed down to the start line.  I was able to get in a few strides and stuff and jog around a bit.  The we lined up and went racing.

The start was small and about 100m into the race, you were stuck in the position you were in for the next mile.  That was my one reallly big mistake was not getting out quick enough and getting into a good position.  The whole first mile was just hills, hills, hills.  Me and Kyler came through 1 mile at 6:35 with Paul right behind.  Most of the second mile was a big downhill slope with a few hills and that was were I passed everyone I could.  I came through 2 miles in 12:05 so much quicker.  Then came the killer last mile, starting with the mutha cussa then a half mile long up hill.  This was the hardest part of the race.  It was SO slow like 8 minute pace.  My legs would not move at all, it took all I had to just keep moving.  I've been thinking if maybe a good strategy would have been to stop for like 10 seconds then maybe it would have been easyer to go faster.  Who knows, but this was a fun race.  Super muddy and lots of hard core hills, all leading to my impressive 5k time of 20:06.  This was actually my 5k PR since I've never run a 5k before.   

3pm -  Nice easy run.  I went out just to get some of the soreness out of my legs.  I planned on going really easy, whatever the pace happened to be.  I thought it might be around 9 min pace.  But as I got running I felt really great and averaged about 8 min pace.  I ran out into the desert then over towards tge rec center.  Then I came back through the desert.  I had planned on going maybe 3 miles but I just felt real good and I was doing what I loved do I went a little farther.  My left arch did get a little sore by the end from running in my kinvaras.

3pm -  1k repeats today for our workout.  I felt pretty good but the last one my body just had nothing to give.  My mind was still strong, my body just wouldn't be strong.  But its ok, nothing to stress about.  Tomorrow ima take it easy so I can go totally ham on the time trial on wednesday.  Coach wants me and Paul to stay with Byron and Abel as long as we can.  I'm actually excited to see how long I can last with them, if not the WHOLE TIME!  I think I could do it.  Why not.

4pm -  After a long activity with Mrs. P.  We finally got going on our run.  I went easy today, just doing sandburgs.  I had some knee soreness when I was done though.  I jus dream of the day when I can just run and not have any major pains.

4pm -  Time trial.  3rd one of the year and I think the last.  I have a good effort and I am satisfied with my time 11:07.  But I want more.  I want to go so hard at bob firman I puke.  I've never puked in a race before.   Today coach wanted me and Paul to stay right on Abel and Byron as long as we could.  So I did and I made it about 1200m. And they started to pull away.  Then at about a mile Matt, Paul and Kyler pulled up with me.  I went with them but at the hill I really struggled.  The third lap I stayed consistently behind Paul.  With 200m left Paul was about 10m in front of me.  I imagined him as a desert hells guy and I though to myself there's no way I would let him beat me.  So I gave it my all and me and Paul had an epic sprint off.  I would say we pretty much tied it was really close.  Good day.

5pm -  Got to Salt Lake and ran 5 miles on the state course.  It felt good to get out of the car and shake the legs out.  Headed up to Boise for the Bob Firman Invite on Saturday.  Each time I run on this course I get more excited for state championships.

7:30 am -  Me and Paul ran 2 miles in the neighbor hood in Sandy near coach holts inlaws.  We didn't know that the morning was our main run so yeah oops.  We thought everyone else was going 3 miles.

5 pm -  Finally got to Boise after 6 hours of driving.  We dumped our stuff at the hotel and went over to run the course.  Fun course, pretty flat with a pretty nice hill.  After we ran the course we went over to the start and practiced how we would start.  

11:50 am -  Race Day!  Woke up at 8 and ate a pretty good breakfast.  It was nice to get so much sleep.  We headed over to the course and watched the boys D2 race.  Then went on a warmup, 2 miles.  Then we got all of our stuff ready and headed to the start line.  We had to draw a card for our spot at the line. We got right about half way, which didn't turn out to be that bad of a spot.

The race started and I tried to get out pretty good.  The first turn where the race bottlenecks I stayed to the outside and wasn't really slowed down at all.  About maybe a 1/4 mile in, maybe more, a few people went down right in front of me.  The kid who fell got like trampled and let out some blood curtling screams.  It sounded like he was being spiked all over his body.  He tried to get up but got smashed down again. Poor dude.  Anyway the race was good and we got on the beach.  This part was pretty tough.  I got to the hill and went up it pretty good, then sprinted down it.  Not many people used this downhill as much as they could.  Finished loop 1 and started a little surge, just continually passing people. The group of Paul, Matt, and Kyler was about 10 seconds ahead and I was gaining.  Coming up the hill second time, people were really slowing down and I passed a few there.  Then coming down I just totally let my body free and passed maybe 5 more people.  I remember how coach said to use the downhill to start your finishing kick, and that you should be going balls to the walls right here on the last 500m.  So I did and probly passed 10 more people including matt and paul before I finished.  This race was really fun and I'm glad I was able to finish strong and get a decent time.  

12 am -  Early out day so still had practice right after school.  The weather was so nice like 75 degrees and when you got in the sprinkler it felt great.  Anyway the workout was 3 1000m repeats at 95 and 97% max and harts warm and cool.  My goal was like 3:37, 3:35, 3:32.  I got 3:37, 3:32 and 3:26 so I did good.  My legs felt good and I just had a great day of running.  After that I lifted weights.

3:30 pm -  Today varsity had a workout at the region course because JV had a race there later.  Our workout was 4*800m.  The 800's were supposed to be pretty hard, faster than our 1000m pace for sure, but not all out 800's.  I was feeling really good again today and I just went how fast I felt I could and I ended up staying right behind Abel and Byron by like 1 or 2 seconds.  My times were 2:34, 2:37, 2:36, 2:35.  I didn't even look at my watch once, I just totally went by feel and the times turned out to be pretty appropriate.  Later the JV boys did really good vs Desert Hells in the duel in the desert.

5 pm -  Swam a mile at the rec center.  Real good upper body workout.  Took me about 40 minutes. 

Later around 7 ran about a mile at the parade.

3 pm -  ran easy 4 miles with 4 hard 200's.  My calf got really tight a little halfway through.  So I stopped and stretched it out.  And I was able to finish, but a lot slower.  My knee was a bit sore throughout the run, but not a big problem.  Tomorrow is the Nebo Invite in Spanish fork so it's time for another race.

5:30 pm -  Race day.  Today was a good day.  We got to Maple Mountain High School at about 2.  The weather was pretty chilly, about 45° so a lot colder than it's been in St. George.  After just laying around for a couple hours us varsity guys went and warmed up 2 miles.  

We got lined up and prayed and the race started.  I got out pretty quick and the first mile was pretty good pace.  I think around 5:15.  The next mile I slowed down but not too much, I passed Matt and Kyler and Paul and just focuse on running.  My mind was pretty empty this race. So that was good, I always race good when I forget about everything and just race.  Starting the last mile I think the time was 10:55.  The last mile I picked it up and passed like 5 people.  I really finished strong today.  I am happy with my race I just wish some of our guys could race how they should be but it's all about patient.

8 am -  After the race yesterday we got up early to do a workout a Sugarhouse Park.  My knee was super sore after the race yesterday, the worst its been the whole season.  I warmed up really slow and my knee maybe got a little looser but still hurt muy mucho.  I didn't give up though, I started the 3/3 workout and it was painful but not as bad as warming up.  The second one was about the same but on the recovery it was much more sore so I stopped there.  I got a hard week coming up so I gotta be ready for that.  My cooldown was 1 mile just meandering around to the bus. 

3 pm -  The workout for today was different than we've done so far this season.  We had to take the best average 1k time from our 1k repeats workout.  Me and Pauls time was around 3:30.  So we had to do 2000m on the track at that pace.  We were side by side the whole way and my breathing felt solid and it was just some really fun hard running.  Our time was 6:56.  It wasn't too hard except that last lap my stomach started getting that painful feeling when you work your body really hard.  Then we did 1000m at that same pace.  For some reason this felt so much harder but we just worked together and finished strong, 3:28.  We cooled down and warmed up 1.5 miles.  After we lifted weights.  I am improving my bench press a lot, and my hamstrings are getting much stronger, which i'm hoping will help with my patellar tendonitis.