called to serve: Florida Tallahassee

Today I went and ran with the STG running club. It was a lot of fun! I really liked running somewhere new and it was fun to run with everybody there. We started at the running store and went out into the desert. The way out was pretty hard because it was rocky, up hill, and sandy. It was different running out there because I am used to running on the roads for most all of my runs. I turned around at 3.5, about 30 minutes. It was kind of hard getting back  but I made it. I ran pretty slow by myself on the way back. I was paying more attention to where I was going and trying not to fall. I was breathing hard on the way out but it was ok on the way back besides feeling a little hammered. Today was good, it was beautiful out there and it was fun to run with the club. 1:01.51 total time.

Today I ran from my house to the school and did the .5 mile grass loop twice and then came back. I hard a hard time breathing again and I don't know why. Maybe it is the cooler weather or something, but I don't know. Another bad thing is that my hips still hurt. I think they are just sore or I need to get adjusted again. But I'm not worrying to much about these 2 things yet. I ran really slow, just relaxing for tomorrow. 27:48

Butch Cassidy 10k. I ran this race last year and it was my first 10k. My time was 46:57, 58th place overall, and 4th in my division. Tomorrow I am going to do way better than that, mostly because I am more experienced. It is kind of a hard course but I will do my best.

Goals: 40 minutes (about 6:30 a mile), top 3 in age group, have fun.

I rode up with the Worltons and told them about the blog so maybe they will join. We got there and got registered and stuff and got ready for the race. I only warmed up a little bit and stretched out. I borrowed Deckers watch (thanks man) to get splits and stuff, I finally mailed my Garmin in to get fixed so I will have that soon. Went to the starting line and off we go.

1- 6:20 Right where I wanted to be. I felt a little sick, like I was going to throw up but that went away in the next mile.

2- 6:27 (12:48) Just getting into the race. Hips hurt a little but got better as I went.

3- 6:50 (19:38) Turn left off the main road, across the bridge, and right for half way. The last mile was off my goal but I was right on for the total. I planned to be at 20 minutes at 3 miles.

4- 7:35 (27:13) This mile is the first big hill (still on pavement). There are a couple more hills but I can't really remember where they are at. Coach Holt told us at XC region this year that we are the best hill team in the state, I kept saying that over and over in my head to get through the hill. 

5- 7:31 (34:45) Somewhere around here you hit the dirt road. I stuck with this one guy for a while and cruised down the road just before the dirt. I think there is two hills at the end of this mile. Really starting to feel it.

6- 7:14 (41:59) I slowed down a lot on the last big hill and had to push myself to get going again. I was really tired but tried to fight through it to the end.

.2 From the last mile marker to the finish. (.39). Some people took a wrong turn and I met Bill and another guy as they got back on the right track. I kicked it in and had a good finish even though I stopped a little short of the finish line (cost a couple seconds).

42:42

I did very good today. I met my goal of top 3 with a 2nd to Hayden Hawks and I was pretty close to my goal time. The last half was really hard and that is where I fell off pace. Today I ran 4 minutes faster than last year and I think I am getting better at 10k's (+ running all together).

Asics 2120 - 281.21

Washington Parkway (7.8 miles). (.5 warm up) It was a pretty slow run today. My legs were tired and burned a little. I will get some more miles in and soon it will be easier to run this far. My left hip still hurts but I agree with Coach, the weight training will help. 1:06

Weights after the run. I did at least 3x10 of all the basics. On some of the sets I did 2-5 more to get a little more in. Squats 85, Sit ups (a couple with nothing, set with 10, set with 25, then a set with 10 because 25 hurt my back), I can't remember the others. I also did some lunges. Benching I was doing a massive 85 pounds and got stuck on my last one. Officer Orr helped me out and picked it up like it was nothing (because it was nothing, for him). Then I did a .5 cool down to...cool down.

Dog pound from my house. Didn't want to run today, tired and worried about school work but I am glad that I got myself out to run. Sore from lifting but that is a good thing and my hip feels a lot better than yesterday. 46 minutes

Formaster 6-miler AT. We took it easy until the top of Sunrise and then started the AT part of the run all the way to the school. I didn't really have a good run. I felt wasted and most of the run wasn't AT pace (31 minutes for AT part). My hip felt pretty good today but still makes me worried. I do not want to get hurt again. I really need to take the time to do some good stretching (along with weights) and that would really help it. Maybe I'll buy a stick too!

Usual weights (no bench today) after school.

Today I went and ran with the club. We ran on some trails, on a golf course, and through some neighborhoods from the store. I didn't know where I was for most of the run because I have never really been out there and it was dark. We stayed together until about the golf course and then we got spread out. I had to keep up or be lost forever. It was a good run and probably faster than I have been the last few days. I am so tired but it was a fun club run today. 56 minutes

My garmin came today. It wouldn't stay on so I sent it in and they fixed it for free, ya warranty! It is all clean so I guess they just sent me a new one.

Sleep on the field tonight! Run-a-thon tomorrow.

Cross Country run-a-thon today. 6am to 6 pm, one person from the team running a mile at a time, fund raiser $.

First mile at 8am, didn't think very much.

1:22 1:32 1:35 1:32 = 6:07

2nd @ 9am. Coach Holt ran with me on this mile. There was a church track meet going on but we made it. Good run.

1:29 1:30 1:29 1:25 = 6:05

3rd @ 2:30pm. I really tried to push this mile.

1:21 1:24 1:25 1:26 = 5:46

4th @ 3:50pm. I knew that this one was going to be hard and I would have to work to keep it under 6. It was very hard.

1:23 1:24 1:28 1:28 = 5:53

Dash for cash. The last 20 minutes we run 400s. I ran a 1:11.

We ended up with 110 3/4 miles (last year was 112). It was a lot of fun and a fun day.

Asics 2120 (314.26)

This is very personal. I don't expect everyone who reads it to understand, but this is what I believe.

I don't know how to explain/say exactly what happened today so I will just do my best to get everything. It was fast Sunday at my ward and I decided that I wanted to talk about Cross Country.

The whole meeting I was trying to figure out what I wanted to say and it was getting close to the end of the meeting. I finally just got up and went up there. I knew that if I didn't say anything I would regret it forever. I sat down and waited for my turn. I was crying a little as I sat and waited but nothing compared to what was going to come. It was my turn and I walked up to the pulpit. I tried to talk but nothing came out but tears! Then I lost it!! I just cried and cried and cried. I finally just tried to get something out and I thought maybe I could talk but I didn't know if anyone could understand me. I explained about when I was a sophmore and by no accident (seriously, I think a miracle) I started cross country. I said that XC was over now but everything that I have learned will be with me for the rest of my life. XC changed my life and I tried to talk about what I learned, like how you can set a goal and work for it not just in running but in life. I had so so much more to say but that is all I could get out. I closed my testimony and sat down.

It didn't stop there! I sat down with my family and put my head in my hands and continued to cry. I knew this moment would come and I guess today was the day. My last race was hard and a little emotional, the awards ceremony was ok, yesterday was fine, but I guess I needed something like this.

XC was so important to me. I put a lot of heart into it. I learned so much like dedication, commitment, hard work, self control, team work, examples & heros, competition, the difference of surviving (just getting by) and living (really really doing something), pushing yourself past your limits. I learned that I can do things that I never thought possible before, things that for me were amazing. These are good for running and life. I learned a lot from XC and from today. I will continue to learn. This is for me personally but I know others have and can find out for themselves.

I talked with my Dad (and Mom) about it and I have learned a lot. We talked about things that you work hard at and put your heart into, like family, religion, even work or your job, and a mission. When you love something so much and work so hard at it, it is hard when it ends. Even thought XC is over the things I learned will be with me forever, and I will run for the rest of my life. 

I am a better person because of Cross Country. Running has really changed my life.

Might be funny or weird but it happened and that is how I feel.

XC Forever

Also thought a lot about this. (found it on Paul's blog). http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=e593f8eba239bada1a0c

Ran out the over pass way. I stopped at a pavilion thing and got a drink. I was thinking a lot about yesterday. Turned around from there and came home. 57:29 8:11/mi ave

Bank maverick run from my house. A little tightish from not running the last 2 days. I kind of took a break/slacked off/did school work the last 2 days.

30:23 total 7:32/mi ave 7:49 7:06 6:50 8:16 

Bank/Maverick run from my house. Just wanted to get out and run atleast a little today.

30:07 total 7:27/mi ave

7:43 7:04 7:09 7:52

Asics 2120 (329.36)

Today was really weird. I don't know why but I had a really hard time running. Once I got going I wanted to stop but that was not going to happen. I ended up running really slow. I think I need more sleep, then my body will feel better and so will my mind. After the run I did the usual weights except sit ups and only one set of bench.

Top of Formaster Run 6.16 miles (+.50 warm up) 52:37 total  8:33/mi pace 

So today I forgot my running stuff so I didn't run after school. When I got home I never got myself out to run. I don't know why but I just didn't want to. I did play basketball tonight and did a lot of sprinting up and down the court. I will try to run up North this week in the freezing frozen tundra!

I ran up in the mountains behind my grandparents house in Farmington this morning. I ran up a zig zag trail 260 ft up, about a 1/2 mile. It was cold but ok, better than I thought.  It was fun running in the mountains.

Happy Thanksgiving

I missed Thanksgiving dinner with the other side of the family today. I got sick and slept through it. I don't know why but my stomach hurt way bad. I'm mad that I missed the dinner because my Grandpa makes the best turkey. Angry Face (borrowed from Ruth :)

Went to the BYU vs Utah game! It was sweet! GO Cougars!

Stomach hurt today too.

Ran the "green pole" run today (5.75 + .5 warm up). I stayed with Austin for about a mile and then droped back. I really need new shoes, I don't know if it was from the shoes or not but my knees and shins hurt way bad.

Today was a good run, no negative feelings.

46:28 total 8:05ave mi

7:08 7:24 8:24 8:36 8:38 .75 6:16

Today I did the same run as yesterday but I turned around at 2.5. It was really cold today. My knees and shins hurt a little but not as bad as yesterday. It was a very good run. I had a little runners high action from when I turned around all the way up to star nursery. Everything came together and I felt like I was flying. It felt so good and it was so fun to run fast. Uber Awesome!

37:57 total 7:29ave mi

7:42 7:35 7:43 7:25 7:02

6 bloody hours of Math and now it's 10pm and I am quiting so I can go do other homework. I feel like cussing right now.

I'm going to the club run tomorrow and no one can stop me!

: )

Club run tonight. It was a good run, really cold and dark but fun. We ran from the store to the trails and went all the way out towards Tuahcan on the trails. I started out with everybody and tried to keep up for about the first two miles (fast). I fell back and then ran with Dustin for about the 3rd mile. After that I was pretty much on my own. When I turned around at 4 I decided to not worry about mile 5 and 6 and pick it up the last 2 miles. I ran with Lindsey for a little and then he took of with Steve and Carlson. I worked hard to keep everything together as I got really tired. I felt like I was working really hard the last mile. It was a little scary in the dark sometimes but I made it back. I felt pretty good, L hip hurt a little, knees are mostly fine, breathing was a little hard but over all I feel good. 

1:02 total 7:47/ave mi

1 7:17 2 7:01 3 7:11 4 8:27 5 8:00 6 7:52 7 8:02 8 8:21

Bank/Maverick run. We didn't go get our Christmas tree because it was raining, so I thought it would be fun to go run in the rain............I forgot that it is winter. It was a good tough run, but still pretty fun.

I ran in my new orthodics (got them last night) and they felt good. The right one was squeeking but it was probably because it was wet. Now I need to get some new shoes to go with them. 

30:23 total 7:33ave mi 7:42 7:13 7:09 8:02