Running Blog

Arctic Circle today.. It's nice to have 3 milers once in a while.. since the deal was 1, maybe 2, speed workouts a week and this week we're doing 3, with a 5 miler thrown in there.

I'm just kidding.. I just enjoy annoying Coach with my complaining. (:

AM: Arctic circle run

PM: Cruiser thingys at Bloomington Hills park.. 1.5 warmup, 1x1mile, 2x1200, striders and 1.5 mile cool down. Twas not fun. This course is definitely not one of my favorites. But when we were done it felt like it hadn't been that bad.. but that's pretty much how it always goes.

Bonus mileage: Run-a-thon! It was fun.. but everyone was being lazy and didn't show up when it was their time to run. So Matt and I had to pick up some of the slack. It was FREEZING though.. so running wasn't that bad because it warmed me up. By morning, I was falling asleep standing up.. so I sat down and fell asleep there. Overall, it was fun.. but it probably could have been better.

Well.. this week has been stinkish and for some reason I can't wake up in the mornings! I set my alarm clock across the room so I wouldn't just hit the button and fall back asleep. And somehow I've managed to sleepwalk to my dresser and turn off the alarm twice in one week. Tuesday I was sick so I ended up staying home anyway.. but I'm trying! Anyway.. today's workout was okay. It wasn't that bad, except we have to run on the grass across the top, and that grass is all bumpy and squishy and I'm afraid I'm gonna pull a Tyson and end up with a broken ankle or something. But the 1000's felt fine and the 800's felt better than that. So.. yeah.

AM: Arctic Circle. Whatevs.

PM: Race! I kinda forgot about it and ate pretty much whatever I wanted (a donut, fudge, you get the idea.) and after I remembered, I remembered everything I ate and kinda made myself feel sick. But then we got out there and I felt fine. We ran a pretty good warm up.. and then the wind started to pick up. And then I found out we were supposed to pace the first mile of the race. So I was feeling good, even up to the starting line. We started out a little fast, which apparently ruined the entire race for some girls, but by the bottom of the course we were right on pace. Then we hit the mile mark and Kaylee disappeared in a cloud of dust. Just kidding.. (: I actually could see her for most of the race.. which is a big deal.. for me. (name that movie!) But for the rest of the race, we were catching up to the other girls. And I didn't actually know when the finish line was and so I didn't start my kick as early as I wanted to. So basically, to sum it all up:

Good: Our team stuck in there and showed them what we've got! Frida and Mia were right up in there and did really well. Also, it was nice and cool. And.. I admit it.. I actually love the course. It's so chill and the grass isn't that bad. Also, I figured out how to keep the shorts from rubbing (don't get me wrong, I still hate them.. but not as badly.) and my heel hurt the entire race.. but no blisters!!!

Bad: Whoever thought up the sprinkler idea needs to be kicked in the shins. I can't breathe when I run through water! Plus, Kelsey whats-her-bucket came up and gave me a hug and she was all wet and nasty from them and I almost puked on her.

AM: Michigans.. not too bad! They felt okay until the last lap-ish. Then it felt not so great. But it was still okay

PM: 3. The weather was AMAZING. (:

A lovely 4 in the morning with the varsity girls.. we were mucho more chatty than usual. Well, me and Stoner were anyway. Even if we were just arguing about our dead cat named Puds.. it was a lot of fun!

This speed workout felt really good!! We did the 4x30 sec, 2x800, 2x1000 thing. It was really chill because the pace got easier as it went. For some reason, girls kept disappearing in between so we had pretty long recoveries. Also, someone needs to speak to someone else about the whole sprinkler issue. It's gonna get colder soon.. and if they don't stop sporadically watering the lawn, I'm quitting speed workout days. Just sayin'. We all get all nasty from the wetness and my shoes are damp allll day. Anywho. I need to go, because I might actually get some sleep tonight.. after I finish studying for a certain test that I'm pretty much gonna fail anyway.

Arctic Circle.

So today was kinda amazing. Too bad I didn't really understand the course and I thought I was on my last lap when I was NOT. Oh well.. it turned out to be a really good race anyway. I'll admit.. I was kinda hoping for it to be cancelled.. but now I'm super glad it wasn't. Twas rainy and cold.. but it was way fun anyway. (:

Frida, Mia, Rachel and I slept over at Frida's so we could run together today.. and it was really fun. It was really nice weather and it went by way fast. The tempo was fine too, even though we almost ran over a lady holding a garbage can. Then we had pancakes. (:

Well, a certain someone forgot to update the PVHS blog and so I just made up a number for the mileage. We did the 4x30 second thing again.. except with shorter recovery and an extra 800.. yeah. Guess who hates this workout now? That would be me. By the 1000's I was doing my weird breathe/squeal thing. And Roberts beat Kaylee and I on the finish. So.. pretty much.. today was kinda terrible.

What is this?! A Tuesday morning 3 miler?? I almost cried for joy when I heard that. Of course, we had 6 200's after.. but still! It was kinda magical. And.. I heard a rumor that we don't have a speed workout tomorrow morning.. could this be true??? I guess I'll go check the PVHS blog. Anyway.. it was a fantabulous run. (:

A lovely 3 in the morning.. I guess we were not supposed to do 200's yesterday.. Oh well! I killed Stoner and Kaylee again anyway. I guess it's just still fresh legs, huh? (:

I'm liking this whole 3 mile every morning thing.

AM: Arctic Circle.. whatever.

PM: Race!! My legs were very squished up from riding the bus for a million years and my stomach hurt and my long spikes wouldn't come out so we ended up chopping them shorter with pliers and I had a pretty short warm up. So, before the race was quite hectic. Then we started and there were a kajillion people and I ended up right smack in the middle of them. So for the first lap, I was focusing on passing girls. Then as we started the 2nd lap, I heard them call out the top ten or whatever and I was in there.. and that's when I realized I was close to the front. So I tried to just stick it in there and pick them off one by one. Then as we started the 3rd lap, Coach yelled that I could take 2nd if I didn't settle. So I passed this girl.. and a few yards later, she passed me. Then as we turned off the track, I passed her again. Then she passed me a few seconds later. Then I passed her AGAIN.. and finally she stayed where she was supposed to and I didn't see her again. So I was in 3rd. Then Coach told me we needed me to pass the Lehi girl in between me and Kaylee. So I tried to pick it up, but by the time we got to the track, I was still 20 yards behind her. And I thought "Shoot. I'm not gonna get her." then I heard my dad yelling at me to go.. so I did. And I passed her! And I took 2nd! And all the people handing out water and medals were telling me how great my kick was. And I was in a great mood.. and then I took off my shoes and found out I had, in Tim's words, an "alien egg sack" on my heel. So I couldn't walk with my shoes very well. And this entry is getting super long. So I guess I'm done.

Well, as mentioned before, I have a blister the size of Nebraska on my heel. So I wasn't sure I could put on my running shoes. So instead of the speed workout, I was supposed to walk the course.. but I was kinda dumb and didn't bring a jacket. So I started to jog out of the need to survive. And I realized that as long as I didn't push my feet off too fast, and I limped up the hills, my feet felt fine. So I jogged the course like 1 and a half times and then we cooled down to the park to watch the JV race. Which was way fun. Then we all squished back onto the bus and headed home. And now the trip I was looking forward to all season is over. (Not that it was all it was cracked up to be anyway, what with the football players and my blisters and having to go to bed early because of rooming with people who had to race in the morning.) Anyway. Yeah. Well.. bye.

Sigh. This morning was NOT good. For some reason, when we ran our warm-up, this pain started in the arch of my right foot and traveled upward to my knee. But it wasn't terrible so I kept going and went ahead with the Michigan.. but I did really terrible and by the end of the 2nd 800, Coach asked me if I needed to stop. So I sat and Liz stretched my arches and I watched Rachel and Kaylee own at it. And I just felt really frustrated because that's the 2nd speed workout I've had to miss out on. And I just want to go out and do well and improve. But during soccer today we had to do sprints and my leg felt fine.. so I guess that's good. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

To Starbucks.. twas fun. My legs were kinda hurting but it wasn't bad.. I think. I don't actually remember. It was two whole days ago. I'm pretty sure they hurt. We found PudS. Emphasis on the S. Because with a Z it just looks dumb.

My leg really hurt on the Arctic Circle part. But during the 200's, it felt fine. And since we are probably the only people on planet Earth that don't own paper or plastic cups, and if I freeze my sister's cream soda I'll get my head bitten off, I'm just gonna use a bag of ice the night before the race and see how it goes. dksjahiifhjawifIJIFJASDIOJ. <-- Jumble of Frustration. I just wanna run!!!

Easy 3.. Blah. My leg was feeling better, kinda. I don't know. At this point, I really don't know much of anything. Oh! But I did ditch Seminary yesterday to buy new racing flats!! And special sock things. So if I get blisters tomorrow, so help me, I will quit cross country! I know no one actually believes me.. but I'm serious! They hurt SO bad! But today we had a lovely soccer practice of kickball and Cranium.. so hopefully my legs will kinda be a little rested up. But I don't know how much sleep I'll get because Michael told me we have a math test tomorrow and I'm freakin' out! And if I stay up to study and it turns out we don't have a test.. don't be surprised if he can't race because I took an ax to his legs. Just sayin.

AM: Arctic Circle. I iced my arch last night and this morning it hurt worse than it ever has. Blehhhhh.

PM: Race. Definitely did NOT go as well as I wanted it to. My arch hurt before, but not in the same way its been hurting the rest of the week. Before today, it was like an achy hurt. At the race it was like I pulled a muscle in my foot, if that's even possible. Rachel taped it, but it didn't do much good. And I started out way too fast. And then died. And got a sideache. And pretty much gave up on life. I tried to stay with Stoner when she caught up, but that didn't happen, so my main goal was to not let Frida pass me, because I could hear people cheering for her behind me. Then three other girls passed me and all I could think was "This. Sucks." Then on the last lap, Coach told me the plan was for me to stay on the other girls' shoulder, then outkick them. So I stuck it in there and passed the 3 girls.. and I came THIS CLOSE to getting Stoner.. but my breathing sounds like I'm suffocating and she heard me and kicked it in and beat me by half a second. And so I wasn't happy. And all I wanted was to talk my mom, but she was too busy being Super Team Counselor Who Knows Everything About Anything to pay any attention to me, so I didn't get to talk to her til she was done making herself a part of everyone elses problems. The only really good part of this race was that I got new spikes and socks, so no blisters. But I think I'm going to rest my arch more this weekend and maybe not run Monday, and we're gonna try some stretching and rolling stuff on it.