You've got to want it to win it

Today I found out that I got moved down to middle distance.  This got me out of a workout :)  until tomorrow, but I'll be doing quicker stuff now.  Today I went for a run with Andrea and Both Nikkis.  We ran along 1500e to 2100s and back.  Then we did strides around Huntsman, and when they went in to do their steeple drills I ran a bit more until I was at 7 miles.  Afterwards I got in the ice bath for 10 minutes.

Today I worked out with the mid-distance group at the oval.  We went for the usual warmup out on the main road and back.  Then we did our strides and drills.  After we changed shoes, Megan and Nikki R. split to do their workout and I went with Nikki D., Andrea, and Amanda to the 200 start.  Our workout was four 200s at 36, two 400s at 73, a 600 at 1:47, two 400s at 69, and four 200s at 34.  We took about equal recovery after each one.  I ran just behind Nikki most of the time.  We hit 36, 38, 36, 36, 1:13, 1:16, 1:55, 1:13, 1:15, and 34 for all the last 200s.  Kep told me when we got to the 600 to just try and keep the pace even since I'm not used to the quicker stuff.  Then on the last 400s again I was just supposed to keep it even.  After we were finished, Kep seemed happy with the workout.  For cooldown the other girls ran outside but I stayed inside and did 6 laps going the other direction.  When we got back to campus, I decided to massage my legs with an ice cup rather than an ice bath.

Today I went for an easy run with Andrea and Nikki R.  We just ran along Foothill.  They turned around at 20 minutes but I kept going until almost 3 and a half miles; I decided to turn at Thunderbird since the road was turning into the freeway shortly after.  When I got back to campus I did my strides and drills by HPER and the pool.

Today I did a pre-meet with Andrea.  We ran out on Foothill just past the library and back.  Then we did a few strides and drills between HPER and the pool.  Then I did a few laps around HPER until I was at 4.  Then Andrea and I took an ice bath for 15 minutes!  BrrrRRr!!!!  But I feel ready for tomorrow :)  I still haven't decided what I'm racing Saturday though...

Today after arriving in Pocatello, we had some down time before heading to the arena.  I was on the distance medley relay team with Nikki D., Andrea, and Steph.  We got to the arena about 2 hours before our event, and with about an hour before I did a warmup with Andrea.  We did a big loop around the block the arena was on and then Andrea came with me part way on a second loop before turning around, and I just finished the second loop.  Then I went in and joined the other girls in drills and strides, and then practiced handoffs.  Nikki was starting us off with a 1200, then Steph had the 400, followed by Andrea in the 800, and I was the anchor with the 1600.  Finally the relay started, and Nikki held on to the pack and battled with the other 3 teams, bringing us the baton in a close 3rd if I remember correctly.  Steph took off with it and secured 3rd for us, really opening up on the 4th place team.  ISU had really gapped everyone but 2nd, 3rd, and 4th weren't that far from each other.  When Andrea got the baton, she was able to bring us up to second and gain some distance on the 3rd team.  When I got the baton, ISU had been given about a 100 meter lead.  I started off way too fast, which is just how relays are, with a 33 for the first 200!  I could see that I was closing on the ISU girl though, but knew I needed to hold back and slowly creep up on her in order to overtake the lead.  Gradually I kept getting closer and I could definitely tell that I was gaining ground.  Finally with 200 to go I caught up to her and took off and broke away hard.  Our team won and when I finished I saw that I had gapped the ISU girl by quite a bit!  Kep said that my split was about a 5:04 with a 2:27 and a 2:37 for the 800 splits, so not too even but still not bad.  Our team won t-shirts for the event which was pretty cool :)  Afterwards I went outside for a cooldown of a lap around the block and then about half lap, a total of about 2 miles.  When I went back in I joined Nikki and Andrea watching Klaudia, our pole vaulter, finish up her event before we all went to dinner.

Today I decided that I was going to race the 3000, not the mile.  Kep said this was fine since I had run a fast mile last night.  AuraLea made it into the invitational so she was able to warm up with me :)  We stayed pretty flat, we went out on a flat street north of the arena and just followed it until AuraLea wanted to turn, then I just went back with her.  Then I did a lap around the building of the arena to get a few more minutes warmup in.  My lower back was hurting pretty bad during the warmup, I think because of the wooden track, so when I went inside I got some advil from Hanah.  Then I took my Gu and grabbed my shoes and water bottle before heading down to do strides and drills with AuraLea.  We still had about a half hour before our race so I just stretched for a bit between strides and then as the race got closer I threw in more strides.  I tried to keep them down to more of the pace I would be running in the actual race, especially I haven't really practiced the pace this week.  Also I cheered for Ben in his race which was right before mine because he had made it into the invitational as well.  I got to start up on the higher part of the track and cut in after the first 50 meters.  When the race started, I stuck with the girl who had the first seed because she only was listed at 3 seconds faster than my time last week.  It was a bit fast starting, coming through the first 200 in 36 and then 400 in 76, but I was determined to hang onto her as long as I could.  The second 400 was in 79, but I still was hanging onto the lead girl.  Then Laken from Weber (she beat me in the mile last week) caught up to us and then I lost contact with the first girl and was just trying to stick with Laken, though eventually she broke away.  with 1200 to go I told myself I was going to close the gap, and I could see that I was gaining on her.  Through the last 1000 I still worked to close on her but wasn't gaining very much.  I ended up finishing 3rd in 10:07 but it wasn't a bad race.  Afterwards I went for a cooldown with AuraLea.  We just stayed around the block so that I could be close if my back flared up again.  After a lap she went back in so she could say goodbye to her parents, and then I just did another partial loop like I had done yesterday.  When I got back inside I made 2 ice bags and had Hanah wrap them to my back and I kept them on for 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, after arriving home from the race my stomach was hurting really bad and I ended up in the ER.  I went through 3 IV bags; I must have been really dehydrated and not really realized it.  The doctor thinks that maybe after my race, the blood flow did not return to some of my organs as it should have.  Not sure what is going on but I've really got to work on drinking more water throughout the day!