called to serve: Florida Tallahassee

Ran up north in Centerville/Farmington area the morning after the family fantasy football draft party. It took me a long time to get out the door because I was so tired and sore. But I finally got out and started running. I saw a lot of people running and biking. I started to feel better as I ran and my mile splits got faster. I went out 2 miles and felt bad that I wasn't helping my Dad clean up my grandparents yard so with that excuse I turned around and went back. After we worked for half the day we went to the BYU game. We got lucky and got some tickets and got into the game, it was fun. 

38 min total 9:06/mi ave

I know I should have been running more saturday and today but I didn't. Went out just as it was getting dark and went up to the new Pizza Factory, left to the Bank, down to Maverick, left to Milcreek and up to my house. My Garmin kept shuting off so I had to go drive it to see how far it was. My hip hurts a little so I need to stretch it more but besides that I felt good and rested (sleeping all day after church yesterday helped a lot with the rested part).

My watch keeps turning off and I don't know why, but it's bad (it stayed on for most of the hills, just turned off once). We did 10 Firestation hills today. I don't know why but I was tired and sore. It was hot today and I know I didn't drink a lot of water during the day so maybe that has something to do with the tiredness. Each hill is about .13.

1- .59

2- .56

3- .51

4- .54

5- .53

6- .53

7- watch died on this one.

8- .55

9- .54

10- .53

Went slow on the way back, legs tired and tight. It was so hot that Z and I stuck our heads in a gutter. It was a nice gutter with nice clean cool gutter water. I also stopped at Hearts to get some water. Not a great run today, just not feeling it I guess. I will get into it the rest of the week.

Chyropractor adjusted me today to try and help my hip and everything be good.

AM

Arctic Circle. I had to pull myself out of bed but I finally got up. Felt ok running, a little tired, but pretty good. Hip doesn't hurt as much right now. Watch wouldn't stay on but I started at 6:47 ended 7:11.

24 minutes 3 miles

PM

AT Dog Pound. No watch, but I got splitts from Decker. First .75 up to the bank easy (5:53) then about the next 2 miles at a little slower than race pace. I felt really good, form felt good. I got 12:27 for the middle part of the run, pretty good pace. Easy 11:53 on the way back with Decker. My hip hurts a little on the inside of my leg, groin/hammy area, but over all pretty good.

DI loop with Decker (2 miles). My legs felt kind of tired. We did 4 grass loop 1200s. I really pushed myself and I think I did pretty good. I am disappointed about the last one, I was tired but I should have gone all out for the last one. 

1- 4:38

2- 4:34

3- 4:35

4- 4:44

Grass loop backwards (.75) with Ethan and Rob.

AM

Arctic Circle run. I was there before 6:30 and I am glad that I woke up and got there (sometimes I am tired so I sleep in a little and end up running by myself). It was an awesome run, ran with Holt, Z, Baker, and Kimzy. We stayed together (untel the last road to the school we got spread out a little, I really pushed myself at this part to keep up with Z and then Bake) and had a great run. One of the fastests if not the fastest morning Arctic Circle run ever. Running fast and staying together like that made this run so awesome and fun! 

20:37 3 miles

PM

10 striders in the grass with no shoes. Then Ultimate Frisbee. We split up into 4 teams mostly by grades, and I went with the Freshies :) I did better with the younger kids than I usually do with everbody playing (obvious reasons). The sprinting in the game made my hip sore.

Team Night tonight!!

Our bus couldn't get us to Las Vegas for the race. I was excited to race and run a new course and I was going to run Varsity. No Bueno.

AM

Arctic Circle. Last night I set my alarm clock but didn't turn it on and my phone's alarm clock was set for PM. So I was lucky and woke up on my own at 6:30 and got out the door. Ran by myself and had a fine run, nothing special but good.

3 miles 23:07

PM

3x Mile reapeats, Industrial loop. My watch still doesn't work but RJ had his and he said it was 3.93 total and the loop was .90.

1- 5:01   Went out fast and did awesome.

2- 5:15   Didn't push myself extra to get a good time.

3- 5:48   Very bad. I was very tired, my body felt heavy, and I just didn't push myself at all. I am ashamed again of the last one. This happens a lot so I have a goal to still go fast on the first ones but try harder to keep the ones after it faster and work on all of the repeats being faster. Basically I need to push myself the whole time and especially dig harder on the middle-last repeats. (kind of a definition of Repeats)

Before we started the last one we were standing on the line and suddenly Goold falls on me on his way to the ground. I was so surprised but then realized that something was wrong and that I should help him. I tried to help him up but got no help from him because he was probably unconscious, but everybody lifted him up and got him into the shade. An off duty EMT guy was driving buy and was there the whole time. He called an ambulance and they came and took Goold away. I think he's ok and it wasn't too serious (just dehydrated) but still scary. 

Foremaster 6 miler. I didn't have a watch so I don't have any times but I know it was fast. I really pushed myself to go fast and stay with those guys infront. Today was a great run.

AM

3 mile Arctic Circle. Very tired this morning. Ran with Coach. I messed around with my watch (batteries) and I thought it would work this morning but it turned off within a minute of running. I turned it back on and it stayed on the rest of the run, I don't know what is wrong with it. I think I will just take it back and get a new one.

PM

4 mile AT Dog pound. Not a great run today. We started the fast part of the run at the bank (like last time) but ended after the hill right before you cross the big street. I started ok but coudn't keep the pace. I think the hard workouts and not enough sleep caught up to me today and my body was just tired. Middle part of the run 18:44.

I ran with my orthodics with the extra part on them today. They take up a lot of room in my shoes and it's not very comfortable. Tomorrow I will take out the bottom thing in the shoes and run with the orthodics to see how they feel then.

I am excited for this weekend!

Easy day today. Varsity ran together, turned around almost at chuck-a-rama. 6x bare foot grass striders. It was windy and hot and I am still kind of tired. Get a good rest tonight and with a fun trip tomorrow I will be ready to race.

Some goals I have for this weekend: Don't be afraid of the pain! Push hard the whole time, even when I don't think I can anymore. Stay positive. Run good on Varsity! Have fun.

Long bus ride up to Murray. Warmed up good, put on my race shoes, had a gu, and went to the starting line. I felt good and not too nervous. There was like 250 people in the Varsity race so it was packed. Restarted the race twice and on the 3rd one had a clean start. It felt like the whole race I was surrounded by people. I pushed myself making my way around people and through the course. Only one big altittude moment where I felt different breathing, between the last mile and last 1/2 mile. Had an ok kick to end the race, I need to concentrate on my form and having shorter strides at the end. I also want to try and push myself to stay with the team (there was only like 30 seconds between our top 5 runners), it will take work to close this gap but something I want to work for. This was an awesome race and really fun. Ended up 6th on the team, happy about this run. 

I did not feel great this morning. Allergies were bad, chest hurt, and I was tired. Warmed up, shoes, gu, starting line. Our team had a bad start and we ended up way in the back at the start of the race. I tried to push myself but I struggled the whole race. I ran mostly with a group and we pushed each other. When someone would pass me I tried to stay with them to get myself going. When I got to the last half loop to the end I heard somone say 19:09, and I thought there is no way I am getting over 20! I kicked it in and made it by 1 second. This was not a great race because I struggled the whole time but I still worked hard to keep myself under control and I am happy about that effort. Cool down with no shoes on (the course is all grass) felt good.

Running Varsity is very fun and I want to keep working hard to earn a spot on Varsity. Friday night we talked about our team and how we push each other. We talked about how people on JV make the Varsity work hard (me) or they are ready to take their spot. Cross Country is such a big team sport and this was a fun weekend with a lot of focus on that.

XC FOREVER

AM
Arctic circle. Bad Monday Morning. Sunday my chest hurt, head hurt, allergies, and I was just tired so I sept all of the afternoon. This morning I wasn't feeling that great and my left calf tightened up (rolled it out with a bread roller at home). I just didn't feel great but I told myself it was just monday morning. 3miles 23:49

PM

DI loop warm up (2 miles). Pyramid. (3.75). .75 loop cool down. (6.50 total)

600- 2:00

800- 2:54

1000- 3:27

1200- 4:57

1000- 3:28

800- 2:54

600- 2:11

Didn't feel good today, everything I've mentioned and my knee started up, I also had breathing issues and I coughed a lot. Talked to coach and he said that I was still recovering from the weekend.

I'm sounding really negative, so on the bright side we get out early 3 days this week so that will help with home work and recovery! We also have a race wed. and sat. so that will be fun. : )

Foremaster 8 miler. We got out early so we ran in the middle of the day. It has been cool weather yesterday and today. Pace today was not to fast, not to slow, but just right. I think I did good at keeping a good pace, I also tried to work on my form. Stopped at the car wash for a quick drink. I felt good, a little tight and tired, but good. This morning I was way tired and not good but by the time it was time to run I was fine. 1:05 total

Long drive to Richfield. We thought the girls race was first but really the boys were first. Because of this surprise we didn't get a very good warm up. Decker and I went for a jog to find a bathroom and when we got back our team was going to the starting line. I got dressed, threw on my shoes, ate a gu, and drank some water. I took the gu to late and it never really settled inside me. We ran to the starting line and BANG we were off. I started really good but I wasn't really focused and I couldn't keep the pace. The course went out into the desert and came back into town to the school to finish on the track, it was a little short. There was some big up hills and big down hills after each one. I never felt settled or really focused and I didn't push myself like I wanted to. The race was over quick and my time was better than I thought it would be. The boys team won and we had a lot of people that did really good. I want to work on staying positive and consentrate on really pushing myself past that point into the next level.

Out to chuck-a-rama and ice cream at Arctic Circle on the way back. I didn't feel good on the way out but felt fine coming back.

AM

Arctic Circle. Legs kind of tired but I still ran pretty good.

21:27 3 miles

PM

AT Dog Pound. We had real team pictures today, it was fun and I'm excited to see them. We took it easy to the bank and then ran hard until the big industrial street like last time. Last AT run I struggled, I struggled today but not as bad. My legs felt weak and I didn't ever get to the pace I wanted. Next AT run I will work harder on pushing through the middle. Last time I stopped for a minute at the end of the middle AT part, this time I did not stop so that is cool.

Middle AT: 18:29 (about 15 seconds faster than last time)

Swiss Days tomorrow. Last year I ran 20:51. I didn't run very hard and I remember that I didn't really race it. Tomorrow I will race!

Drove over with Deckers and got signed up. There was a lot of people from the cross country team at the race. We warmed up a mile or two (cool down also, probably less than a mile), I had a nice warm up with Bake, Holt, and Bill. At the starting line we had all our team together and I thought that I could keep up with our group for atleast a little while. The race started and I couldn't keep up from the beginning. I say this a lot (to much) but I was tired. My legs felt weak and I couldn't get my feet moving quick. I am a little disappointed but it was still a fun race. There was a lot of people there that I knew so it was pretty fun.

AM

Normal Arctic Circle run. 21:27

PM

4 1xMile (industrial loop) repeats

No drive today. Have to get that fire back.

5:32

5:50

5:51

5:28 (last one27-30 can't remember exactly) Worked hard to earn this one.

Last time we did this RJ had his watch and got 3.93 total. So add .90 for another loop to get 4.83. I never know if I should count the .50 warm up, I usually don't but today I rounded up a little from 7.83.

Same 8 miler as last week (around Formaster). Not a great run today. I am really struggling in school right now and it is really afffecting me. Running and XC is very mental and it's hard to be were I want and need to be mentally when I'm overwhelmed/stressed out.

Didn't eat lunch (typing english essay) but ate half a pbj just before practice. Made my stomach cramp up a little and my abs hurt. Add weird breathing to the list. Stopped (5 minutes) at the car wash for water and to take out the extra inserts in my shoes. They started to slip around so I took them out but left the orthodics in. 

1:17

(1:05 last week)

AM

Arctic Circle, feeling the same as yesterday. 3 miles 26 minutes.

PM

Dog Pound AT. Best run of the week. I don't know why but I felt a lot better. Ruth really help me in the middle to the end of the run. Good run today, really helps with the emotions. Middle AT part 17:21  

Easy day chuck-a-rama 4 miler. Ran with Decker.  I was a little tired but I'm fine. 32:50

Goals tomorrow: I did very good last time we ran at Cedar so I am excited to go there again. Stay mentally strong.

It was weird to think that today was my last time running at Cedar. I was excited to run and put the week behind me. We warmed up around 1.5 miles and got ready for the race (stretch, shoes, gu). I was running JV today and I was glad that my whole family was there to watch. As I ran I got to a point were it got hard and I just kind of stayed there. I needed to keep pushing myself to go faster and push through it. After the race I got my time and was actually surprised to see that I got a PR by 4 seconds. My best time before that (18:16) was from the last time we ran at Cedar this year. I know that I worked harder that race and I gave it everything I had. Today I was faster but I didn't give it eveyrthing. I am a little disappointed in myself that I didn't give it everything because I know I would have been so much faster today. I want to work on always running my best and pushing myself. I also need to concentrate on my form.

I was supposed to leave from Cedar with my family to go up north for my cousins wedding but we decided to come back so I could light the PV and then go up north. It is a cool tradition that the XC team gets to take part in. It was at half time of the Home Coming football game that the whole XC team got to run out infront of everybody and light a PV that we have on one end of the stadium. We wore our uniforms and with Seniors in front carrying the torch we got to run out and light it up. It was very worth coming back and driving up later (Thank You to my parents who drove all night).