You've got to want it to win it

I decided to start my week off with a nice long run.  I didn't want to get up early enough to go with my sister, and felt lucky that it was only 75 degrees when I started my run.  I decided that I was going to do a bit of fartlek in the run after 3 miles to see how my hip felt so I would know if 3 miles will be enough warmup on Wednesday.  I allowed myself to take my iPod, but turned it off during the 10 sets of 1 minute on 1 minute off.  I ran the cemetery loop route from my house, and started fartlek when I was just past 2700s so I wouldn't be stopped by traffic during my first minute on.  I felt great during all 10, finishing on 1800e right before the road Ts and I go down to 1700e (I don't do the loop in the cemetery when I'm by myself usually, so I skipped it today).  I stopped to stretch for a few minutes before running another 4 miles up along 1900e to Sunnyside and home.  Then I did my PT, countdown abs, and I even decided to do a few pushups.  I decided as long as I'm going to be skipping out on lifting, I should at least maintain my own routines for core like I've done in previous years.  

This morning after I couldn't get to sleep past 6, I got up and went for my run.  I ran to Sugarhouse, did 2 laps, and came home.  It was already 75 degrees and the sun wasn't even up yet!  So I'm glad I got it done early.  Then I went to physical therapy to find out that my next appointment actually is next Tuesday.  So I went home and took a nap.  Then woke up and did my PT exercises.  Last day of work before I finally have some days off!  5 days in a row is tough :P  Hoping to not stay up too late after I get home so I can get some good rest before Murray.

This morning after Abigail, my dad, and I picked up our bibs, I went for a 2 mile warmup with Abigail.  We ran around the Indian head and then along the pavement by the river like the Murray Invite cross country course.  We thought about how that part of the park had been flooded last year, and now how crazy it is that this year there are fires everywhere!  No happy medium there.  After finishing 2 miles, we took our Gus and changed shoes and headed over to the start line.  We did some strides and a few drills, and then stood by for several minutes while they waited to start the race.  It was hot standing in the pack of runners, and I'm sure if we had to stand that close after the race it would have been really smelly.  Finally the race started and we had to wait for the people in front of us to move before we could get out.  Right at the start I was able to catch up to Stefanie who had taken the lead.  I was with her for a few strides but gradually broke away.  Rather than settle and fight it out later, I decided I'd have to go with some of the guys in the race if I wanted to try and pull away.  That is one thing I really love about road races is having guys to work off of and to compete with when the lead is taken.  I felt like I was pushing pretty evenly and running well.  I definitely didn't start out too fast like I have in previous years at this race.  I didn't wear my watch so I have no clue what my splits were, I thought there'd be people calling them out at each mile mark.  Guess not but I didn't really mind.  This was a good mental toughness race.  Coming to the turnaround I was surprised to see that Stefanie was still pretty  close and so were a few other women.  Abigail was in 6th so I was happy for her :)  The rest of the race I was running in fear that the women behind me would close the gap.  I was also focused on trying to get up to the guys in front of me, but they weren't getting any closer.  But I also wasn't getting any farther away so that was okay too.  Going around the corner onto Vine Street I tried to sneak a glance behind me but there were too many people there for the parade that would be coming so I couldn't see anything.  I focused on keeping my form good and running tall.  Coming to the final turn into the park I knew I should be picking it up.  I did a little bit, but I know I definitely have a lot more kick in me than I used...  I'll have to work on that in workouts coming up.  After I finished I walked back from the finish to watch for my dad to come in.  Then I went back to the flagpole where I had stashed my shoes and changed back to my trainers while eating a strawberry popsicle.  I have learned the hard way at this race that if you don't get to the popsicles fast, you won't get the good kind.  Then I grabbed my iPod and went for a cooldown.  Abigail came with me for the first bit but didn't stay with me long since she wasn't going as far.  I was running around the baseball diamonds when I heard clapping and then I turned and then Jamal was there on his cooldown too!  So I took out my iPod and ran the rest of my cooldown with Jamal.  We ran backwards the course along the parade route, so we caught some of the parade as it came by.  We turned down one of the streets along the route after a while and then headed back towards the park.  I finished with 3.75 cooldown to get to 9 for the day.  Did my PT when I got home.

This morning I was so glad for the rain because I was able to sleep in and not worry about having to run in the heat!  When I finally got up I grabbed my iPod and went for a run.  I don't worry about it getting ruined by the water because I have completely submerged it in the ice bath before... I ran up 1300s to Wasatch Drive, then stretched for a moment before continuing over to the paved Shoreline Trail that goes by the freeway.  The climb up to the bridges wasn't as bad as I remember it being from last time I did this run, which was awesome.  The park on the other side of the freeway looked neat in the rain.  Coming out of there was a bit more hilly than I remembered, but it was worth it.  After leaving the park I took 2700s to 2000e and then cut down to 1700e before the freeway underpass, and then went over to Sugarhouse.  I did part of a clockwise lap before going home since I remember this run being just short of 10 last time.  It felt great to be finished!  I did my PT exercises, and then went puddle jumping with Nat after she finished her run :)  The track at East has some great puddles :)

This morning I got up and joined the group going up to Pipeline.  I went out to Rattlesnake and back.  I was with Kiley's friend Ryan just about the whole run.  On the way back my left knee started hurting pretty bad and felt really tight, but Ryan said I wasn't limping or favoring it or anything so I just kept going.  It did stop hurting a couple of miles later, but after I finished it was popping when I would bend or straighten it.  When I got home I did my PT exercises, though I cut the last one, side planks, because yesterday when I was doing that one it felt like there was a pinching in my back to the left of my spine.  The fact that I still have pain when I don't even go to lifting makes me feel even better about not going!  In August when I am done working I think I will go back.  But it also depends on what the physical therapist says.  

This morning I decided I'd do some mile repeats down at Liberty.  Part of me wanted to change my mind because it was a bit windy, but then I told myself what I always told Abigail and Natalie this season at windy track meets.  I warmed up out on 1400e to 17th s and down to 700s, and then to the park.  Once I got to the park I stretched for a bit because my left knee was hurting again!  It was popping when I would bend and straighten it, but when I would touch it as I bent or straightened it then it wouldn't pop.  It wouldn't pop when my mom touched it yesterday so I could show her how it was popping.  I decided I might not be able to to the mile repeats so I started to run towards 900s so I could run up and go home.  But, to my surprise, my knee stopped hurting on the way over so I decided I'd try to do some speed while it was feeling good and that I'd stop if it hurt too bad.  The first mile I ran in 6:21 and I was kinda disappointed, so I was determined to do better on a second mile.  I took half mile recovery, then hit 6:08.  Not quite up to speed as much as I would love, but better than the first.  I did one more in 6:10 and my knee was hurting as I finished so I was done after that.  Most I would have done was 4.  I finished that lap around the park, got water, and then ran home back to 1700s and up to 13th e and home.  Did my PT, crunches, and pushups.  And picked a lot of apricots.

After work I decided I would go ahead and run another 5 miles to get to 60 for the week.  Ran to 17th and back 5 times.  On the last 2 times, as I almost was to 17th there was a car that followed me... Good thing the second time was when I was going to finish the last mile, I wouldn't have gone back after that.