The King of Controversy

PM - 3.5 miles. 3 miles with 5xShort Hill Sprints. Foot felt pretty good. Super excited for time trial mile tomorrow. I can't wait to see what kind of shape I'm in.

PM - 4.5 miles. Today we had our annual XC "Dream Mile". I came into this sort of still wanting to break 5 even with the shape I am in. I didn't get it which wasn't really surprising but I still ran a decent time. I started out pretty slow and I tried to stay relaxed but as almost always on these track races, my upper body started tightening up. I tried to speed up on the next three laps but I could tell that each one got slower and slower. I still struggle to find that final sprint and that is something I'm really going to try to work on heading into track. My time wasn't maybe as bad as I thought it might be and it shows that I'm not too out of shape. I think I could still put up a solid time at Nike this weekend so I'm really excited. The biggest reason why I was bummed today was because I'm still not running where I'd like to be. Andrew (who I really want to run with) threw down a 4:49 and that is where I really want to be. I'm going to do everything I can to catch back up with him by track.

PM - 5.5 miles. 4 miles with striders. Foot felt okay and the rest of me felt pretty good but I'm a little sore from yesterday. Not much else to say.

PM - 3 miles. Stopped in Kingman for the night before going rest of way to Phoenix. We did a quick little shakeout run down Route 66. Foot felt okay. A little pain but not much. Good run.

PM - 3.5 miles. We went and ran at the course today and then did a few quick striders by the start line. It had been raining all day and since the course had been run on all day, it was already beat up. Much like Footlocker last year. It was good to get the run through in. It's definitely not a difficult course. It's mostly just a bunch of long straight flat stretches. It shouldn't be too hard but the course is going to be a little crappy. Run felt good. Foot didn't bother me.

Race - 2 miles warm. When the gun went off, I got out pretty good but still got absorbed in the pack. I tried to stay relaxed as possible in that first mile but I could tell that my upper body was tightening up. I came by the first mile at 5:30 which was good but I started to die off in the second mile because I wasn't staying relaxed and I dropped to 12:00 (6:30 mile) at the 2 mile. I did my best to relax and fight back hard in the next mile and I finally had a decent kick but I finished with an 18:54 (about 18:15 at 3 mile which is about a 6:15 last mile). I just didn't come prepared mentally to race. That is the one thing I've struggled to do this season, is prepare mentally. It is something that I'm really going to need to work on. But, my season isn't over yet because Preston invited me to come to Footlocker with him. I won't get to take a two week break like the most of the rest of the team but I don't care. I already took a three week break this season for my injury and we still sort of get a two week break after that (no running but we are doing other stuff like yoga with the rest of the team).