The King of Controversy

AM - 5 miles easy. I went out by myself today and this was definitely my worst run of the break. My stomach wasn't feeling great and my foot hurt a lot more than it has recently. I almost turned around early but I forced myself to go the full distance. It wasn't the best run to start the new year but that's how running is sometimes. I'm looking forward to accomplishing some great things this year.

PM - 6 miles. Back to school and back with the team again today. I felt pretty good on the run today even though we were going a little fast. We did the Sunrise/Foremaster hill loop. We started out at a nice pace but once we got up the hill, we really got moving. It was a fun, shirtless run but definitely a bit challenging. Foot hurt a lot again but I didn't really think about it much during the run so I was fine. 

PM - 7.25 miles easy. Great run today on a modified hospital loop. My foot hurt quite a bit but otherwise I felt fine. We were going pretty fast again but I was able to keep up without feeling super worn out even up the big hill. I'm super excited for workouts to start next week but I'm definitely going to need to get my foot better soon.

AM - 3 miles easy. I got together with the Freshman 5 this morning and ran the Freshman 5K course. My foot didn't hurt much and I felt great but there were like 20 hills which made it a bit challenging. We did yoga after and then we just partied all day.

PM - 5.75 miles. 2 mile warm, 2x1600 at 85% (goal - 6:16) with 400 recovery, 1.5 mile cool. My times ended up being 6:14 and 6:18. The second was slower only because I wasn't paying attention to how fast I was going the first lap and I was like 20 seconds off pace and I never could make it all back up. Great workout and my foot felt awesome even though I was wearing my Pegs. I definitely need to be a little bit more focused on the workout next time.

PM - 5 miles easy. Today was trail day but since my foot hurts more when I run on unstable surfaces, I didn't go and I ran by myself. I was pretty bummed about not going but I'm willing to skip a few fun but insignificant trail runs so that my foot will get better. It ended up being a pretty good run and I don't regret not going to the trail. My foot hurt a lot at the beginning but it slowly faded out and I couldn't feel any pain. That's what I've noticed a lot with my injury is that it doesn't always hurt. Even on days that it hurts a lot, it only hurts for part of the run. Sometimes I even have days where it doesn't hurt at all or days where it hurts the whole run. It is just an up and down injury. 

PM - 5.75 miles. 12 min. AT tempo (goal - 6:20). Pretty good tempo. Me, Dallin, and Skylar grouped together again and we ran pretty well. I was leading most of the time with Dallin and Skylar just behind and Alex Hill was right in with us too which was way good. The beginning was a little slow but we eventually got into our pace and we really got rolling. We were right on pace pretty much the whole time but I decided to pick it up a bit at the end just like you would in a race. Great tempo and I realized after I finished that my foot never bothered me. I think the injury may be a little mental so yeah.

PM - 5.25 miles. Kosmin Test with 2 mile warm/cool. My goal coming in was to get back up with Andrew and Preston (and all those other guys right in there) so that I can do workouts with them again. And I pretty much accomplished that. My strategy was to relax and hold back on the first two and then go all out on the last two. I pretty much accomplished that too but I was dead after the 3rd one that the last one ended up not being as fast as I wanted it. It still turned out well and I was just barely in front of Andrew with a total distance of 1451 meters. Super happy with how I did considering it is only the beginning of Winter Training. I didn't even think about my foot again and it ended up not hurting again. After today and after talking with Coach about it, I definitely think injuries are partly mental.

PM - 4 miles. 3 miles and striders. Tryed out my new Lunarglides today. They felt pretty good but I was just so sore from yesterday. My foot felt really good though so it wasn't all bad.

AM - 8 miles with 10 min. LT Tempo (goal - 5:24). I met up with a bunch of the guys today at the Soccer Park and we ran from there on the Mosquito Trail and then to the River Trail. We started our tempo just as we got off Mosquito. It was a pretty hard tempo since there was no one else there with the same pace as me and I was still pretty sore. My average pace ended up being 5:54 which was way off my goal but it felt like I pushed as hard as I could and never gave up. So I think it was a successful workout. My foot has just been feeling great lately and today was no different. I just didn't think about it and it did not bother me. I hope this means my injury is getting better.

PM - 6.5 miles. 3x1600 at 85% (goal - 5:35) with 400 recovery and 1.5 miles warm/cool. Terrible workout today. I wasn't mentally tough and I ran like junk. I was right where I wanted to be on the first one but the next two were just the opposite of what I wanted to do. My times ended up being 5:41, 5:53, 6:10. I guess it was a great learning experience. You have to fail sometimes I guess.

AM - 3 miles. First morning run of winter training and my first morning run in forever. My foot hurt a bit but it was a great, slow run.

PM - 5 miles (trail - Mustang Pass). I decided to go to the trail to see how my foot would hold up and also because I didn't really want to run alone. It turned out to not be the greatest decision. My foot hurt a lot especially at the beginning (it kind of faded as the run progressed but it never totally went away). I guess I'll have to keep laying off the trails until my foot is totally better. 

PM - 9 miles with 18 min. AT tempo (goal - 5:44). I felt like I ran okay today. It still wasn't a great workout but it was definitely an improvement from Monday. I started off nice and I was doing good but not great for the first half of the tempo. I was just behind Preston but then I really started to struggle and I started falling of Preston a little bit but I just kept trying to refocus and get back where I needed to be. I was still struggling and the gap between me and Preston grew. Luckily, Jake caught me on the nice downhill by the Boulevard and I went with him and I was able to get rolling again and we started to catch Preston. However, as we started going uphill I started to struggle again but I kept fighting back and I finished pretty well. I still have a lot to work on but I did a lot better today. Foot hurt a bit at beginning but never bothered me during the tempo or after.

AM - 3 miles. Good morning run and foot felt great.

PM - 5 miles. Old Man Hills (2x800). Solid workout today. It wasn't great and I need to dare to push up with those top guys but I felt that I did pretty well. My times were 2:45 and 2:39. I sat back for the first 400 and tryed to push the last 400. It turned out pretty good but I definitely need to work on staying more relaxed. I've started to notice recently that my back tightens up as I start running faster. I'm going to try to work on that a lot more. Great run and the foot felt great.

PM - 4 miles. 3 miles easy and striders. Exploration run through Sandbergs. It was a good run but my right foot got all jacked up. It wasn't just my injury but my whole foot hurt so yeah. 

Race - I did the St. George 5k today with Paul, Nick, and Preston for fun and to help us hit our tempo (and some of the other guys just came to do their tempo). We got in a 2 mile warm up and got to the starting line. When the race started, we all got out fast and so did 3 other older guys. Nick, Paul, and Preston were right up with those older guys for the first little bit but I wasn't far behind. That group didn't last long and at about half a mile 2 of the older guys took off and the race started to spread out. I was just behind Preston at this point as a kid about our age passed me and started running right with Preston. It stayed like that until the turn around point as Preston started pulling away from the kid and I gave a good push as well to pass and pull away from him and he never challenged us again. The rest of the race was uneventful as I stayed where I was at, just a few seconds behind Preston (I guess it ended up being 6). I finished 7th overall and so PV took the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th spots. I also finished 3rd in the 15-19 age division and got a legit plaque since Nick snuck into the top 3 overall. Super fun race  that I hope to do again but I was unable to hit my tempo of 5:24. 

AM - 7.75 miles. 4x1600 at 85% (goal - 5:35) with 3 min. recovery and 1.5 mile warm/cool. I didn't do too well today. I was right where I needed to be on the first two but fell off on the last two and didn't finish like I should have. I need to group up a little better because I really start to struggle when I'm alone. I also need to work on getting right into a jogging recovery after each one instead of walking forever. Anyways, my times were 5:42, 5:38, 5:49, 5:53. Still not a great workout but better than last week. I need to believe in myself a little more. Foot felt great but calfs were pretty sore from the race on Saturday.

AM - 3 miles. Just another normal cold morning run with some nice yoga after. My foot hurt a twinge.

PM - 5 miles -Trail Running Tuesday. I decided that I'm not going to skip anymore trail runs because I feel that my injury is starting to become largely mental. It was a great run and I led most of the time. My foot didn't hurt very much and I just enjoyed flying along the beautiful trail. 

PM - 10 miles with 18 min. AT tempo (goal 5:44). Still off today. I started right with Preston and tried to stick with him but I gave up on myself and I fell back. I guess I'm afraid to hurt and go fast. I really need to break out of the slump I have been in lately. 

AM - 3 miles. Such a great morning run today. I hate cold morning runs but at least we went fairly slow for once. We had a nice book discussion after which just made it so much better. 

PM - 5.25 miles. Old Man Hills - 1x800 and 2x400. A much better workout for me today. I tried to push up a little closer to those top guys and I felt like I did pretty well. I need to work on my form a little more because my upper body and especially my lower back really tightened up on the hills. Great workout and my foot felt great. Nice weight lifting with Andrew after.

PM - 4 miles. 3 miles with striders. We went down to 2450 park today and did a little barefoot run and did our striders down there. It was a great little run. My foot hurt a bit but overall I felt great. 

AM - 6 miles with 15 min. LT tempo (goal - 5:24). I met up with some of the guys today at the soccer park for our tempo. I once again struggled with the tempo and didn't hit my pace. I need to work on grouping up because it is super hard to be on pace by yourself. I should have grouped up with Preston and we may have both been able to hit our pace but instead I fell behind and I wasn't able to hit my pace. My foot didn't hurt at all and nothing else really bothered me much but I just could not hit my pace Not a great week for me. I had one good workout but the other three were crap. Goal for next week is to group up with Preston, Andrew, Josh, and everybody else around me to help me hit my workouts.

AM - 3 miles. Cold morning run. Some people are still dressing like its 100 degrees outside. Foot hurt a bit.

PM - 7.75 miles. 4x1600 at 85% (goal - 5:35) with 3 min. recovery and 1.5 mile warm/cool. Another junk workout. I've fallen into a slump and I'm really struggling to run like I should. Not going to dwell on the negative and I'm going to try to get back to running like I used to. My times were 5:34, 5:42, 6:00, and 5:52. 

AM - 3 miles. Just another cold morning. I'm looking forward to warm morning runs again even if it means hot afternoons. Foot hurt a bit. Yoga sesh after was good.

PM - 5 miles Trail Run Tuesday. We ran the Temple Quarry trail today by the old airport. It was super fun even though my foot hurt a little bit. 

AM - 3 miles. Just another cold morning. Foot felt good. 

PM - 10 miles with 18 min. AT Tempo (goal - 5:44). I did pretty well today even though I was still off pace. I definitely improved and ran a lot better. I tried to stay a lot more relaxed today and I did pretty well. I still got a lot to work on but I'm starting to get there. I need to keep working on staying in a group so I don't struggle as much. Foot felt good.

AM - 3 miles. Same old. Foot was a little shakey and I was feeling pretty tired because I didn't get enough sleep. I need to get to bed earlier.

PM - 6 miles. Old Man Hills - 3x800. Another sub par workout. I'm still struggling to relax my body. My upper body has been tightening up on a lot of my workouts lately and it is hard to run very well. I need to figure it out. 

PM - 4 miles. 3 miles and striders. Fun little run. Nothing really hurt and not to much happened.