Well, I'm off to college and so stoked! I figure this blog can be a way to keep in touch with close family and friends while I'm three hours away. It'll probably be a lot about running, but I'm sure some college life posts will sneek in there somewhere...
Monday, March 11, 2013
It has been forever since I updated this thing. Well, it's never too late, right? Training has been going well. I train at least 4 hours every Tuesday and Thursday because I go to steeplechase for an hour, regular practice/workout for 2 hours, then weights for another hour. Sometimes I find it hard to prioritize my time, but so far it's been okay. I am growing to really love practice, I look forward to it most days. This last week we did 4 days of speed and I was surprised my body actually handled it really well. The last day of speed, we did our workout over hurdles on the track to simulate a steeple race. It was so much fun! I really like steeple and hope to go somewhere with it. I'm grateful I haven't been injured or sick these past couple months. Life is good for running, currently. I'm on spring break now so I get a break from school at least! Since I'm red shirting, I'm not racing this weekend in California with the team; however, I am racing in St. George this weekend and running the Spectrum 10K. SO EXCITED! I'm going to race it with one of my team mates!
(This was our homework one day for steeple, to watch the women's steeplechase Olympic Trials 2012!)
Not this last weekend but the weekend before I drove down to Vegas with 2 other team mates and we raced at the UNLV meet! I ran the 800 along with practically all my other team mates and a few other schools (it was a really small meet). It was so weird because when the gun went off I felt like I didn't know how fast to go because I haven't raced the 800 in so long. By 100 meters I was in last. After the first lap I started passing people and towards the end I had so much left and sprinted toward the end. So I guess I ran the first part too slow. My time: 2:26. Bleh, so slow. I wanted a 2:20. Oh well, each race is a learning experience and I definitely learned from that one! It was a fun race overall. Running is college is so much fun and I am so grateful for the friends I'm making!
These past couple weeks have been stressful but at the same time so great. Finals are finally finished, thankfully! I can't believe my first semester of college is already over! What? Running is awesome and I am grateful I can say I am healthy and feeling faster. Last week on Monday we ran a 60% run and I killed it! I couldn't believe it, but I was running up there with our fastest girls. I stayed with them for 4.5 of the 5 miles and averaged about a 6:27ish pace. I felt so good! It's so exciting. I also ran another 60% run by myself on Saturday and it was crazy because my last mile was a freaking 6:16! Man, I hope my body keeps adjusting to this intense training and I hope I get faster. Yesterday I did hill repeats and it was brutal doing it by myself but I pushed through it and felt so good after. I'm so glad I have a 3 week break now and I can just eat, sleep, and run.
Just yesterday I was reading one of my favorite runner's blogs and found out she is pregnant! I would definitely recommend reading her blog, she's so funny. Lauren Fleshman is amazing, visit her website asklaurenfleshman.com
HOLY CRAP college running is hard. This week was pretty much brutal. I ran 48 miles again this week, 8 miles a day, and we did 4 days of speed. Monday was 10x400's at 80-83 pace. Tuesday was a 50% run and Wednesday was also a 50% run but with 10x100 meter strides. Thursday was 7x2 minute pickups and this was freaking hard because my body felt dead. Friday I thought I was going to have to do what the 5K girls ran which was 800 repeats, but I ended up only having to run 500 repeats which was a relief. It was only four, but they were really fast. Saturday was hill repeats and I felt really good running these! My body handled this all right, but the first week is over which I know is always the hardest. I hope this next finals week is a little easier.
Today was the second progression run to see how we have improved this past season. I was really excited for this because, even though it's a really hard workout, I knew I could do it due to the fact we did it at the beginning of the season. I mean, so far I can't finish the whole thing because my coach pulls you out if you fall off pace, but I can still get through a lot of it. Today my legs felt kind of tired and I think it definitely showed today in the progression run. I didn't do as well as I wanted, but I guess it was just an off day. Everyone has those days, so yeah I guess today was my day. I think I need to become more mentally tough though because I probably could have kept going if I didn't let my head get in the way. I need to work on this and stay positive!
It's been forever but don't worry, as Nacho said it, I am still alive. Last week was really exciting running wise because I ran the highest amount of miles I've ever run in a week in my WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE! Yep, it was 48 to be exact. Eight miles every day. The cross country season is officially over and we had one guy from SUU make it to nationals and one of our girls missed making it by one spot! Hope she can make it in track. Anyway, that means all the girls are taking a week off hard workouts and just building mileage back up. So our coach told us to run our high mileage every day last week. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and I feel like my body handled it really well. I'm so encouraged! It really helped to do two a days because it broke up all the miles and made it feel not as long. I am grateful for Sundays though, as they really have become days of rest. Monday we ran the canyon run, and I didn't know how my body would do with this because I ran such high mileage last week, but I felt SO GREAT running up that canyon. It was two miles up and once I found a girl I knew I could stick with we pushed each other til the end. I came through about the eighth girl. There are the girls who travel because they're so fast and then a couple seniors that beat me. So that means I am getting better woot! Today I ran 12x60 sec pickups and felt so good too. I am so grateful I'm not injured and I'm starting to get excited for the progression run we are running Wednesday after the break. I love to run, and it's especially fun when you're not injured and feeling healthy!
The no sugar thing has been great. I'm doing this with my mom and I decided since she's still drinking Diet Coke then I can drink hot chocolate. Yes, hot chocolate has way more sugar than Coke but .... whatever. Otherwise, yeah it's been great with no sugar or junk food. This week on Thanksgiving and today I allowed myself pie and some other treats, but tomorrow I'm going to keep going with my mom. She decided to keep going until Christmas so I decided to do it with her! I like doing this because it makes me feel healthier. Pumpkin pie is SO GOOD though! I love Thanksgiving!
EW. DISGUSTING. MAKES ME WANT TO VOMIT. YUCKY. BLECH. GROSS. NASTY. SICK.
Okay, enough of that. These are all the words I think when I have to take disgusting liquid iron every night. It's the grossest stuff I've ever tasted. My coach requires us to take this stuff because we run so much. I know I need it but its so nasty. AND iron sometimes turns your teeth grey so I have to shove it in the back of my throat. Sometimes it goes down the wrong tube and I can taste it when I cough. It's the yuckiest taste ever! EW.
Okay, so I had to write a paper on a commercial and analyze it. I chose this one and I think it's so funny! I laugh every time! Sorry this is so random but I love it :)
Monday = 5.4 miles + 10x100 meter strides
Tuesday = 7 miles with 4x1000 meter repeats with 2 and a half minutes rest in between + weights
Wednesday = SORE + 8 miles @ 7:45 pace
So gradually incorporating speed back into our training, well speed on the track, is going to take some getting used to. Tuesday's workout was not as bad as I thought it would be though, which is a good sign. We had to hit in between 3:20-3:45ish for the 1000's. My splits: 3:31, 3:29, 3:41, 3:30. Average=around 3:33 pace. I was so happy with how I ran these. I wish my third would have been a little faster but on that rep I felt like I pushed harder and it turned out being slower. It is what it is. This workout was really fun because we had the chance to run with the girls who are going to XC pre-nationals on our team. Usually they do separate workouts from us at a different time. It was really encouraging because our coach was so proud of how the other freshman and I ran the 1000's. He told us we are far ahead of the top girls on our team when they were freshman! Besides being sore from weights yesterday I feel so great. I am so grateful I'm not injured and feeling healthy.
Thursday = Most likely pick ups
Rest of the week = Distance
