Sock tans

Holy. Smokes. It's so freaking hot. It's 90 degrees and super dry. Depressing thought of the day: It's gonna be hotter and dryer in Albuquerque. At least I'll only have to run for 2 miles right? We just did a run. Natalie, Tomy, Angie, and Jaden came today so our group was huge today! Okay not huge just bigger than normal. So the first 2 miles were great, we stayed together and everything. Then some of us crossed the road (we may have jaywalked a bit..) and Natalie and Angie I guess decided not to cross so they missed the light and got separated, then at the same time Garek and Tomy seemed to have sped up and gapped the rest of us (Bill was killing it up front with a huge lead), Jaden was just a little ahead of me. So I stuck with Jaden for a bit. We went to Sugarhouse and did a shorter version of the cemetery run. So I stuck with Jaden for about a mile until we turned onto the street after the bridge or maybe a titch farther, then Jaden fell off and I was tempted to slow down but... I figured it was gonna hurt the same amount anyway. So then I was completely alone, I was just close enough to have Bill turn around and motion for me to turn left. And I'm lucky cause I saw the second time they turned too. And then I was overheating and crashing and calves on fire and everything burning, but tried to push through. The last 3 miles were miserable. Mile splits were 7:24, 7:03, 7:35, 7:26, 8:14, 7:41, 8:18 plus .5 at a lovely 8:45 pace... ha. 

We did 34 laps and 36.something laps is 10 miles so I'm pretty sure we did 9.5. Anywho, 4 laps warmup and 4 laps speed changes (at the oval), then changed shoes and did another lap. Then we did 800, 400, 400, 800, 400, 400. 800s were at 2 mile pace (2:50), and 400s at mile pace (77-80). My times went 2:47, 76, 75, 2:45, 74, 73. Actually those last two 400s were on the verge of 75 and 74 respectively so idk. The purpose of this workout for me was to latch onto the group and then kick the last 100 and beat everyone. Excluding Garek of course... haha. But I had Bill, Angie, and Natalie to pace me. I latched on pretty good, the second 800 I fell back maybe 5 meters so had to make it up at the end, which I did! Towards the end of the workout my hip was doing something funky, kind of like what it did at Pine View. So the last 400s my first 100 meters were slow and I fell behind because I was having a hard time driving my knee forward and as I warmed into it I picked it up so that by 200 I was with everyone again. Then just tried to stick with it and push a little harder the last 100.

Good workout, last speed for a while. Starting to get pumped for GSW! Also, stoked because I'm almost done with high school, I got 45 minutes of class time then I'm DONE FOREVER. (We have a weird schedule tomorrow so I'm only going to 1 class and classes were shortened and the rest of my teachers might "forget" to take role). I'm so ready to be done.

Laps around Liberty so that we could stay flat. My hip took a while to warm up but eventually it did. It should be fine, I wonder what I did to aggravate it? It was hot but not nearly as bad as monday. Good news-  it's actually not going to be as hot as expected this weekend! Also no more school, just yearbook signing and graduation!

Ran to Sugarhouse, started at the fountain on the far side an easy fartlek (30 sec on 1 minute off) just as some pickups. Felt pretty good. My hip pain slid down to my knee by the end of my run so tight IT band it is. Bill massaged out afterward, it hurt so good.

Can you give shout outs to yourself? If so, shout out to me cause I graduate high school later tonight. Hahaha I'm so stoked.

Will update later to include distance. 

I have mixed feelings about the race, it was soooo windy (Bill estimates 40+ MPH winds) so that really affected the race. Well I was just gonna stick behind someone and draft, thought maybe I could draft off of Julie Sumsion because she was seeded only a second faster than me. I knew the girl that won was gonna kill it, she was seeded with 10:30 and ran 10:59. I contemplated going out with her, but thought I better not basing it off of how I felt. I felt like I was working hard but I have a hard time feeling good about my time. I got out good right behind Julie, then she slowed obviously not wanting to take the lead and going with the pack, then the girl that won from Arizona jetted out after 100 meters and Julie surged to go with, and so did I and another girl from New Mexico. Then we settled and Arizona girl gapped us, I chilled behind Julie for a while then somehow passed her ? Not sure how that happened maybe I felt she was going too slow or something but somehow ended up in front of her and she drafted off of me for most of the race. The wind was absolutely brutal, on the backstretch we were running straight into it. I began to struggle with 3 laps left, I felt like I had pushed hard the first mile and wasn't too relaxed which worried me cause I knew after the announcer said that the Arizona girl ran 5:23 first mile we were going a lot slower than I had hoped. But it felt like I was running just as fast as I was at some of my better races. Anyway then Julie and New Mexico girl surged and I didn't stick with like I should have, it was right before the backstretch so perfect timing cause just as I tried to respond we were going into the wind and they were too far ahead for me to draft. I wish I would have stuck with. I began to fade a little, 500 left another pack had caught up to me and 400 left I tried to pick it up, 300 it was me and 5? other girls I think all right there and 200 left was really the first time all season I have actually kicked. I decided right then I didn't want to be beat. I got moving good, unfortunately the two I passed at 200 to go got me right at the end. Ehhh. 

Time was 11:50 so way slow. Wind obviously was a factor and elevation maybe a little. I know this race really doesn't matter and I know State was the race I needed to have a great performance in, which I did, but I still wanted to get a decent time. It wasn't a bad race but it wasn't spectacular either. Julie ran 11:41 so if I had stuck with her I could've been 10 seconds faster... Just a thought. But really that's the only thing I could've changed cause that's just how the race played out.

Cool experience, okay race, good trip. I'm lucky to have been able to come and so for that I am grateful.

I was originally going to take the whole week off, but not running was driving me nuts. I've been at my cabin this past week so I did it on the dirt road. The first day back sucked I felt like I couldn't breathe and was so tight. Was probably the worst run of my life. But oddly felt good to get back into it.

Twice around the island on the dirt road

Twice around again

Twice around again.

First summer practice! I'm happy the team still lets me come even though I've graduated :) It's gonna help me get ready for college running! It's gonna be great. But first I gotta get back in shape (okay I probably haven't lost THAT much fitness... but I still feel really slow and out of breath and ouch my core is suffering). I kept up with the group for 3.5 miles, then we reached the cemetery and man I just felt awful, so I stopped for a minute then ran the loop backwards until I met back up with them. I know I know I should never ever stop but I honestly was dying. 7:15 pace is hard for me right now. Hopefully by next week I'll be back to where that's not such a struggle.

I overslept this morning and was bummed out that I missed practice. It was a mistake to wait until later to run which meant running in the heat. I really just want to be able to go for an easy 10 miler, I was going to try today but with the heat, wind and having a hard time getting air it wasn't happening. I wonder if allergies are part of the problem, I was prescribed fluticasone propionate last year when I went to the doctor for my crazy asthma-like cough (along with my inhaler) but I haven't used either in a long time. I ran out of the fluticasone propionate and didn't think it necessary to use my inhaler (no asthma attacks). Maybe I should get some more and try using my inhaler as he suggested instead of abandoning it completely. I might try it for a week and see if it helps me breathe. I just don't think I could've lost that much fitness, so why am I struggling so much?

I got my wanted 10 today! Practice was up on Pipeline. I ran with Natalie, Angie, and Tresa on the way out then on the way back with Angie. On the way out I felt good and like I could've pushed harder but thought I'd stick with the girls so the way back wouldn't be so brutal. Good thing too because on the last 2 miles I was struggling again. Breathing wasn't so bad until the end. Nat had a hard time breathing today so maybe there's just something in the air, but kind of glad I'm not the only one! I was really glad Angie was there on the way back because conversation made it pass quicker :)

Ran to practice, it was at Sunnyside, we did Shriners run to the second fountain then came back and did 2x800s that were really slow for me (had a hard time breathing again). Then cooled down to 10.

We left for Youth Conference yesterday right after practice. We went to Zion! Today we hiked the Narrows I went up past what Richard called Wall Street idk if that's the actual name? But where it narrowed out and became shady. Went up quite a ways past that. I was at the front and Richard finally caught up to us and told us we were past Wall Street (that was our original destination cause the Narrows go on for 19 miles) we prolly would've gone farther if he hasn't stopped us. But the Narrows are my new favorite hike if you were wondering! It was perfect and I was stoked that we did that one instead of observation point because the river was so refreshing the other one would have been miserable (we went in the middle of the day when it was 100 degrees.) Anyway I think it was about 8 miles. When we got back we had some free time so while everyone else went to the pool or zip line I did a quick run - 3.5 miles.

Night run tonight! Got back this afternoon so I was able to come. We did laps around Liberty then went along 600 E I think? Out and back then added to 10. Feeling much better, unfortunately I had stomache problems but I can breathe now. I'd take that any day. Also just cause it's on my mind I got two really bad bloody noses at Youth Conference. It may have looked like someone socked me in the nose judging by the amount of blood that dripped onto the paper towel. But no I just made the mistake of blowing my nose. When I got off the shuttle there were some startled faces. Hahahaha ok that's gross.

Got my SUU packet this weekend, it's weird to think that in less than 2 months I'm gonna be on my own. I'm super happy I have been able to run with Angie cause she's literally the only person I know going to SUU that I'm close with, there are a few girls I met at track meets of course! But all my friends are going to BYU, U of U and BYU-Idaho or on missions. Gotta enjoy this summer while it lasts.

For the run today I thought I'd go with the earlier group so I could get more mileage. I need to jump back up. I always feel better on higher mileage so if I can get myself back into the 65-70 mile range and maybe above I know I'll be more confident and be in better shape. In the packet coach said he wants us to work on building base and the workouts he listed are very similar to the workouts we do with Bill. I was a little worried at first about the workouts with East conflicting with the ones coach Houle wants us to do, but it seems like that won't be a problem.

Today we met at Sugarhouse and did a 5 mile loop with Natalie, Jaden, Bill, and Angie. Idk why but it just felt hard. It was 7:45 average (first mile was slow) so really not that fast. Maybe I just got used to the slower paced runs. Or maybe it's more that through the craziness of this month I have forgotten quite often to take my vitamins and iron. I'm trying to get myself back into the habit. Oddly my breathing was fine through this. Then when we got back to Sugarhouse everyone else joined us and we ran to Tanner Park and back, then added to 11. That part was slower, I was getting fatigued and I got the same I-cant-breathe-deep-enough feeling. Frustrates me, but I'm also encouraged because I know that it will go away eventually and by the time I'm in Cedar Ciy I'll be in better shape than I was even during track this year.

Rock run at JCC. I felt very fatigued. I think I need more sleep. I got to bed early last night cause I was just exhausted after yesterday's workout and work. I have to work extra long today, yayyyy. At least I'm making money right?

Finally had a good(ish) workout! I still felt a little sluggish and slow on the warmup. 2 miles then we did some strides, after the first couple I was surprised to feel good. Then we started the workout, 10 x 2 minutes on 1 minute off fartlek. I felt good on the first two or three, then alright until the 5th, then I started to hurt. But it was the good hurt, something I haven't felt in a long time. I tried to just focus on sticking with Natalie and Bill. On the 7th I realized we had one more than I had thought (I guess I lost count) and my thoughts went negative (already were kind of negative cause it was hurting but added to it) and that was my downfall. Halfway into the seventh I fell off, if I had turned my thinking around I could've finished with them. But it's easier said than done, I just need to relearn how to stop overthinking things and just run with the pack cause I'm sure that's how college runnings gonna be and it makes things so much easier. Luckily I got a little while longer to practice :) Also kind of disappointed cause next week I'll be gone to my cabin and I'll miss out on a week of good training. I just don't want to dig a deeper hole. But it'll be fun and it's the one week I get to be with all my cousins up there, this time we'll have the boat out on the water! And maybe I can convince my mom to let me run off of the island. :)

Met at Sunnyside, did VA loop into the cemetery for a lap then back to Sunnyside and the rest of the group joined us and we went to the gully, 2.5 laps and then up to 1900 E, over to 1700 S, down to 1500 E, and back to Bonneview Dr and back up to sunnyside. 

Was up super late last night and accidentally slept through my alarm and yes I'm genuinely disappointed that I missed practice, even if it was some 800s. Actually more because of the 800s haha, I miss the speed. Did 5.5 miles later.

10 on Shriners run on my own, started a little after 5:30 AM and it was a struggle to get out the door. But it was nice once I did! Headed to my cabin in just a little bit. 

AM: Didn't get the chance to run yesterday, I was going to push yesterday's workout to Friday but after an easy 7:45 first mile I decided to turn it into the tempo. I did 2 more miles at 7:02 and 6:55, making the three mile 7:14 average. Goal was 7:15 pace so yay! Then cooled down to 6.5.

PM: 2 laps = 4.5 miles.