You've got to want it to win it

This morning I had a workout with Nikki and Andrea.  We did the usual warmup route above the track, then strides and drills.  Kep went through his records and found a workout that he had the DMR team do before Drake, and won, so he gave that to us today.  We are doing the 4 by mile on Thursday, and the DMR on Friday.  The workout was two sets of a 500 (goal 1:29) with 1 minute rest and then a 300 (goal 52) with 4 minutes rest, then a 300 (goal 49) with 1 minute rest before a 200 (goal 33) and a 400 recovery before a 200 (goal 30).  5 minutes between sets.  This was a deceiving workout (to someone like me who is used to a lot slower paced reps!), I thought after the first 5 and 3 since it was shorter reps, it wouldn't be so bad.  I was so wrong.  Fortunately I had Nikki and Andrea to work with!  The first 500 I hit 1:31, then 54 on the 300.  On the next 300 I hit 50, and 33 for the 200.  On the next 200 I hit 31.  That might have been my fastest 200 ever...  I took 300 jog recovery in the 4 minutes rest period and a 400 jog in the 5 minute recovery period.  On the second set I hit 1:30 for the 500, with consistent 18 second 100 splits throughout.  53 for the next 300.  Then 50, 33 for the 300 and 200, and 32 for the last 200.  This workout was probably the hardest one I've done all season :-P  Afterwards I cooled down 2.5 miles, finishing at Jamba Juice, what a coincidence!  ;-)  I am hoping to be able to split around 4:50 for my miles in the relays coming up.  With the 500s I did today, I think it may be possible...  Now we have the next 2 days to recover and then we're off to Drake! :-)

The DMR got moved to Saturday... It'll be nice to have a day between races, but stressful trying to change flights and figure out how we're going to study for finals :-P  but we got it figured out.

Being a busy week, it was just Hilary and I for the run today.  Because it was super windy, we started out into the wind so we could have it to our backs on the return to campus.  We ran down Foothill and 2300e to 2100s.  Hilary was with me until Sugarhouse, then she headed back to campus.  I did a lap around the perimeter of the park and then ran back to campus on 15th.  It was actually really hot not running into the wind, so I sorta wished I had left some of it for the way back!  Finished with 9 miles back to the locker room.  Then I stretched for a few minutes and took a 15 minute ice bath.  My quads are sore from yesterday.

Premeet at Liberty Park today before leaving for Drake. I did two laps, then out a half mile and strides on the way back to finish with 4.

Nikki and Andrea were the first legs of the relay today, so Bekah and I started our warmup about ten minutes after theirs so we wouldn't be too soon before our legs of the relay. I did 20 minutes, then a few strides and drills back in the warmup gym.We went down to the track and I did more strides and drills there. We may want to work on our time management skills, Nikki just made it on time for the start. She ran about a 4:55 before handing off the baton to Andrea. Kep got her split at 4:59. Bekah fought 3 girls off during her leg and split a 4:58, then it was my turn! Knowing how the right pace for the start of a 1600 and being alone is hard when you're used to the 5&10k... my first 200 was about a 33. I knew I needed to back off, but I didn't want to so much that I would come through too slow. The wind didn't help with judging effort level either. Through the first 700 meters I could hear footsteps behind me, but eventually I pulled away from whoever was there. The teams in front of me were too far gone, so I was just running. Finally with 500 to go I picked it up and closed the gap on some girls who I knew I was lapping. I finished in 5th, no change from what I had gotten the baton in. Kep said I split 4:57, twitter says 4:56 so I'm not exactly sure what my split was

Kep didn't get 400 splits, which is probably good since I bet mine were all over the place. But he was happy with us for how we ran, especially when alone or down the back stretch into the wind. I cooled down 3 miles with Andrea. I felt tired towards the end of it, though we were going a good pace. At least from that I can tell I did give an honest effort in the race. I wish I could have ran closer to a 4:50, but considering the circumstances I think we all ran well. And it is awesome we had splits so close to each other. The DMR got moved to Saturday, so it'll be nice to have tomorrow to recover and refocus for another 1600 on Saturday.

This morning I went for a run on the trail by the river close to our hotel. I went out 2.5 miles and then turned around. I caught up to Nikki and Andrea on the way back, then did strides to finish with 5.

Today I did the DMR with Nikki, Grace, and Andrea.  About an hour before the start, I warmed up with Nikki and Andrea. I did 20 minutes and then got my uniform and spikes and headed over to the checkin area.  We did strides and drills in there, and planned on more strides down at the track.  Today we were being walked down to the track since there were a lot more events going on.  Nikki started us off ok in the 1200, Grace had a bit of a diffucult time in the 400 since there were 15 people in the race.  She handed off to Andrea, who fought off some girls and got the baton to me just ahead of another girl, and not too far behind another.  I steadily caught up to the girl just in front of me and passed her, then a little further up ahead were two more girls behind a larger pack of girls.  I knew I could catch these girls, but I needed to not go crazy with my pace trying to do that at the beginning.  I gradually closed the gap on them throughout the race.  When I got to the 600 mark, I heard Kep say 72, so that must have been my split from 200 to 600.  I glanced at the clock for my other splits at each lap and got 77, 75, 72 for the last 3 laps.  Kep got my splits a little differently, saying I opened in 70 and then ran 75, 74, 73 I think. The 800 splits were 2:25 and 2:28, meaning I ran a 4:53 which is a new PR for me!  WIth 400 to go I kicked and caught up to one of the girls I had been closing on since I got the baton.  I passed her and kept going, then with 100 to go I could hear her coming back but I held her off and finished our team in 11th.  I think out final time was 11:46, I don't really remember...  I cooled down 3 miles with Andrea, then we approached Kep... Next year he expects more out of us.  

Comparing this race to the one on Thursday, I felt like I ran smarter than on Thursday as far as not going out too fast.  I think I let up too much in the second lap, otherwise I might have been able to catch one more girl.  I should have had more confidence because of my 1500 earlier this season.  But not really knowing what my splits were, or being able to run with other girls, there is a lot to consider.