The Renegade

We did a tiny workout today it was fun. Basically a pseudo time trial, a mile tempo not all out. We warmed up to Willow and did it where we did reps last season. In the faster group was Damon, Keith, Collin and Me, I wish the whole varsity was there. Damon and I ran low 5:50, and I'll admit that felt like the opening of a 5K so faster than tempo, but I think  we were supposed to go faster anyways. I felt relaxed through all of it. Then I ran a 5 mile cooldown with Strand, along with a 400 when I got back to the school, ran it in 69 seconds, so fastest 400 since the 4x800 at region. 

Heat run today. I felt weird, like dehydrated but a weird type.... I dunno. Just wasn't on top of it. I was planning on going 7 but I decided not to. Ran to Canyon Rd. and back basically. Said this on my strava post to but man I'm glad some people were watering their lawns. In the last half mile I turned up to like sub-6 pace (finishing effort) for the 15K on saturday. It kind of hurt but it did bring my last mile to a 6:40. 7:27 avg tho so it was pretty polarized. 

Shake out run to willow park. 7:41 avg.

Great race today. Started off with Isaac and Angel, Angel fell back after like two miles, then I stuck with Isaac who was doing a good job at keeping the pace up, and at about mile 4 he started to drop me so I spent the next mile catching up. Miles 5 and 6 went by fast, and then we hit the hill. Isaac pushed it and started to drop me again, and then he started barfing. So I went on and still felt pretty good after that hill. Then I passed this ultra runner dude who we were chatting with earlier in the race, and Daniel Olsen. I saw Mandy Ashcroft up ahead and thought I could catch her but then my heartrate blew up and the last 1.3 was a real grind. Isaac caught up about 300m before the finish and we finished right next to each other, I only beat him by .02 or something. So I didn't get my sub-60 goal but that's alright, this was still a big confidence booster knowing I can push it as hard as I did for 9 miles. And Strava says I burned 1,111 calories lol, plus it says I have the fastest overall time for the Hydropark to Hollow road segment in 2015 (cuz they haven't held a race there yet this year and anyone who finished ahead of me hasn't uploaded their run) but it's cool.

Just adding this on for blog because it says I ran like 43.8 but I ran 46, strava said so. 

Good little run to shake out the legs from Saturday's race. Found out practice is cancelled for the rest of the week. 

Ran Avon pass with Jack. Love love love love that road, its beatiful, definetley running there again soon probably for a long run this time. Felt good today.

Sucky tempo today, but whatev. Warmed up 2 and then did the tempo up canyon road and back on the canal trail. 3 miles tempo, a rest and then another mile. the first two I ddint even break seven cuz today sucked and it was slightly uphill. The next mile was like 6:46 and then the last one after the break was a 6:20. I cooled down and actually saw Mark haha got to talk to him, and then on my way back homw I stopped at the track and did some strides.

Super chill run didnt even go under 8 the first two miles but it felt really easy. I'm going to do my long run tomorrow I think. 

If I didn't love running in the mountains before today I definitely is now. Ran the first 3 miles with Isaac then he turned back. It was so beautiful, especially in that area with all the rocks before it gets super steep. I felt like I was in another world almost. I had to like powerhike at some parts, but thats okay it was super steep and I still had another 6-7 miles. I felt like Sage Canaday out there all I need is a go pro and a pair of Hokas haha. Think I'm gonna try and hit a lot more trails this summer, especially once I get my license. I was super thirsty going back so maybe I'll invest in a hydration pack for these longer runs. Got back, jogged out the 12th mile, then sat in the reservoir. I rode my bike up but I was so exhausted after that I called my mom to come pick me up. Then I got a slurpee and a donut. :)

So, I didn't actually run six miles today. I hiked a six mile round Mt. Naomi in the middle of the day with some friends and I counted that whole thing as 3 miles of running. Then I ran 3 miles in the dark a few hours later, so yeah I think thats about six miles of effort.

Great run today :) Started off with a bunch of the guys, including JD and Johnny, (superseniors!). So we ran up through Denzil Stewart and into River Heights, those guys turned around, but Jack and I kept going down south to Death Hill and Von Park. So we went pretty hard up the hill cuz its a strave segment, but we stopped to soon so the clock was still ticking on the segment haha. I'll have to remember that for next time :/ So we ran down the trail in Von Baer and came back throught the dirt road in River Heights. Good run we averaged 7:29 and one of them was a sub-7. Iced with my bro after. My foot was still feeling weird so hopefully that'll fade away before the race on Saturday.  

AM: Slept in a bit and had doctors exam soon so I squeezed in four to Golf Course road and back. Felt really pushed. I just wasn't feeling good. 7:21 avg.

PM: Slogged through three miles on the grass in the heat at willow park. 7:40 avg. Then I tested out the new Saucony spikes I got in the mail today, just did some strides in em. It was hard to go that fast with my ankle so maybe I'll have to try again with those. They felt just like my victories, did (a little big) they're 11.5s so I shoud've gotten 11s (dang review said they run small. I'm sure its not worth returning them thoughm theyll be fine once I break them in. 

Ran to Willow to do 2x1 miles tempo with team. Felt pretty crappy, hit like 6:10-6:20s for em. I barely beat some of the JV kids. (still first though, that shows you how readily available our Varisty is to come to practice)It was mainloy just my ankle. Ran back to school and did a 400 and two 200s. Felt pretty crappy on those too. Talked to coach about the ankle and he just said to keep doing what I'm doing with stair calf raises implemented so sounds like a dandy plan.

Started the run off with Angel but he had to turn around early cuz of chaffing. Poor guy. Now that I think of I should have just told him to take his shirt off. I guess I just used to running with a shirt off tho lol. Ran the canal trail cuz they just repaired it wear it was broken from a land slide a few years ago. Killed three people actually. Anyways now its actually runable right there so the segment times on strava are gonna go way down right there. I actually pushed it going out, but only ran a 6:58 because I was feeling crappy. When I was on the gravel trail tho my ankle was not working the way it should've, but when I got onto the good old pavement it was fine. Finished off with a few close to 7 minute miles. 7:32 average. 

Lightning warning was red so we had to go inside for practice. Jogged half a mile and then they sent us away. I actually told my brother to take my stuff home with him so I could do my own run. Felt okay I geuss. I ran with Paul until I turned around (on the canal) but he was going way too fast for my liking so I LET him drop me lol. 7:27 avg. 

So Jack and I got to the starting line before anyone else and started getting our race kits ready and warming up. It wasn't long before it was ready to start. So we had gotten a mile in and some strides. the race started (no gun) and Jack got out quick. So did these two other kids who ended up finsihing in like the twenties. This course was a point to point, and net downhill. I was set up for a nice three mile PR. Sadly that didn't happen. Started with a 5:48, felt really good. Light and quick. I kept feeling good through the 2 mile mark. Split: 6:03. No wonder I was feeling good. Last mile was a 6:08. I didnt have a bad race it's just that I really didn't push it hard enough, and that's a dissapointment that I've experienced before. The whole thing felt like more of a tempo run. So I geuss not pushing the pace hard enough after the first mile can be disguised as "feeling good". I will definitely take note of that and put it to good use when the season starts. So all in all this was a great learning experience. And I was running alone the whole time so thats also part of it. I finished fourth overall (just missed a cool trophy) But I did get 1st in my age group because top 3 doesn't count for age groups, so I got a first place ribbon. The guy who finished behind me (around 18:10) was Jack's awesome friend from Africa who actually hadn't run in 8 months before a week ago so kudos to him. Apparantly last year he ran 16:10 on this course. Jack won with a 16:10. He got a a 15:38 here last year but he had a hiatus too if I havn't already talked about that. So we jogged back to Jack's car at the start, now desolate, and drove up to this natural spring where we filled up our water bottles, and then  I finished my cooldown (3 more miles) by myself on a the start of would be a really awesome trail run. (I guess Jack wanted to put in his exptra miles later) After that we had breakfast at Golden Corral in Orem (same place we ate at during state track, triggered some feels) so that was great shouout to Jack's mom for paying for it. 

Awsome run to start off the week. ran a nine mile loop that went up to Lundstrum's canal trail and back through the usual canal to the school, Good route really. My ankle was feeling a lot better, I guess I forgot to mention that my ankle felt good on saturday too, but I think that ailmetn is pretty much gone. &:32 avg. It was a nice overcast morning. Got back and the whole team was gone except my bro.. oops. He was fine with it though. 

Deer Fence today :) Happy I came because I've been a little discouraged since last time I ran it in June since it was wet, overgrown and I was feeling crappy. But this time it was great. I think it's the fastest I've ever done it, except for maybe 1 run in September last year with Mark, Keith and Vickie. We finished that pretty fast. But yeah 7:35 avg. it was like mid morning so not to hot but enough that I had an excuse to drop my shirt. So that's two good days so far heck ya. I felt pretty powerful going up some of those little hills, and the big ones, and I had to because I needed to close fast to make up for the slow opening miles. 

GREAT WORKOUT. Two weeks ago I attempted a four mile tempo (with a break between 3 and 4) and it went terribly. This is the opposite. We warmed up to Ryan's and did the tempo on the roads in Providence and River Heights (coach called it "River-Prov" on his STRAVA). So here are the splits: 6:36, 6:30, 6:10, 6:05 (last one after a rest) Woooh! I felt quite descent, almost great. Now I know that I'm at least at the fitness I was at during the 2014 XC season. And Paul actually ran the whole thing with me while the other guys started to string out. He's going to have improved a TON. Last year he didn't even break 22. This year he'll start in the low 18's at our course. So good for him. The course had some up and down, but it was gradual. The tag was an out and back where we started, so it ended uphill for the second half. I felt great. Didn't even have my flats lol. 4.5 mile cooldown after swinging onto the canal trail and back to the school and felt descent. Then I did some strides but wasn't able to do them that fast. 

Ran Green Canyon with Paul. I felt fitter than last time I ran this going up the constant climb that is this particular trail. Average was like 9:15 when we got to the turn around, so I pushed a lot going down actually. Last three miles were 7:17, 6:36, 6:12. I felt descent so that's why I didn I geuss. Dang I wish I Mark to do these runs with so we could pick it up at the end like he always did. *Sniff* (have a fun two years in Argentina bro) Avg. 8:01. I felt the ankle thing coming back so I guess I'll have to do some more calf raises. Rode my bike home on the Bonneville trail that was fun. 

So I was originally planning to go run the local 5K today (not hard at all) but I overslept so instead I chose to ride my bike to Logan Canyon and do my easy run there. Went well. Didn't run into any heart rate issues (guess I haven't talked about that) but my stride was still a little off from the calf problem. It's never brought me any pain so I guess as long as it doesn't linger too long than I'll be okay. Averaged 7:32. Closed with a 6:21. Tomorrow I going on a big trail run down in the South end of the valley so hopefully that goes well. it's on probably my favorite road in the valley, same road they do Ragnar on. 

AM: 10 miles on Avon Pass today with Johnny (and Mr. Strand, but he ran pretty hard). Great run. I might've said earlier in the summer that I love this road a lot. We started and I actually felt really good, probably smart hydration and rest. Johnny stopped at. 4.3 and waited for me to get back. That 5th mile really wasn't that steep but I was getting tired. Turned around and it felt a lot steeper than it looked because I just floated through 6:40 pace before I got to Johnny again. We ran down pretty fast and I made it a progression run basically. Probably 6:25 avg on the descent which made it a 7:05 avg, so I was pretty happy with that, but we were pushing it a lot by the end of the last mile. My leg felt a little weird but I could tell it was getting better.

PM: (Alright I'll admit, this was Sunday morning but on the rare occasion that I do a Sunday run I count Sunday as the last day of the week) I was going to run two miles last night but I fell asleep super early and missed it. Felt pretty relaxed, just getting in two more miles to make it over 50.

Another good starter to the week. Ran the alot of that long run loop I do when I have to do it in town, on the canal trail, through cliffside, and back through river heights.It was fast, just nice and relaxed 7:40 average pace. I was with Jack most of the time. I got the strava CR for Water Lab climb, and I wasn't even pushing it that much. Jack was having kind of a tough time, apparently he pulled an all-nighter last week. I felt really smooth and I still had a lot of energy when we got back, so I towed Jack through a couple 200s, both 29s or 30s for me, Jack ran like 33. I felt super smooth, pretended I was Nick Symmonds. Like I said, good run to start off the week. I'm planning on going 50 again before I move up 5 for next week.

Pretty good run today. I ran Logan Canyon with Isaac. He's still trying to come back from his ankle problems, said it was still bothering him, but it started to get better the further we got into the run. I told to just keep cross training. So glad I haven't had to resort to that yet. I felt decent, definetley not tired. We averaged 7:15, but that was from some fast miles on the way back. Miles 6 and 7 were a 6:23 and a 6:26. I finished off by running up the Bonneville Switchbacks and running out until I hit a mile on the golf course canal trail. Tried to attempt a CR on the switchbacks but I stopped too soon at the top. Probably would've gotten it if I had kept going another few yards. My foot felt worse after that coming back down. Didn't hurt though.

Tempo today. Same workout as last Wednesday (3 miles + break + 1 mile) but this time it went even better. We def didn't have as much of a pack this time, not even as many guys going 3. So I ran the whole thing alone rather than having Strand and Paul next to me the whole time (Paul is feeling problems in his knee). Felt great the whole time. Here's the splits: 6:33, 6:18, 6:04, (5:48 after the break). 3 mile time was 18:57, so I was pretty happy about that because during track I was running high 19s for tempos, on a flatter course. If I havn't mentioned this before I love this course for tempos, the dowhills let you go a lot faster and the uphills don't feel that noticeable. That's right it actually ends slightly higher up than where it starts (half a block up) and it feels like there's more dowhill than uphill. I think all those trails have benefitted me. SO the 5:48 was a bit quick; I broke my areobic threshold and started feeling the lactic acid big time with a quarter left, but thats okay. Good to get use to running at least that pace since my 5K race pace will be faster than that this season. I can blame it on Coach Strand if I want but I'm glad we went that fast. I felt good before then. 2 mile cooldown and then some strides. Good day! I even did a substantial amount of lifting after.

Solo trail run up Prov. I've actually never ran there before so I didn't know what to expect but it was pretty cool. After the first 2-3 miles it opened up and it looked like a rock quarry with these huge rock piles (prob limestone) on the sides, and really steep wider road.After I hit the three mile mark I really took my time and didn't worry about pace (which is okay because it was recovery , I actually spent a lot of time taking pictures and videos. Once the road ends it's this super rocky trail that looks like a dried up riverbed. Probably went like 15 minute pace at that part. So after a bunch of exploring up there I finally decided to head back and I almost missed the spot where I parked my bike. Average 9:08.

Easy run on the river trail with Keith and Austin. It was nice to recover foreal.