The Renegade

I slept in today and then I was watching the 10k at the trials so it was a while before I could head out so it was almost dark when I did, but it was super humid and I was not feeling good. Headed up to Old Main on 5th North, did the loop and then came back on the xc route. I just was not feeling good. I stopped off at the high school to do a bit of a workout. 4x200 hard with 200 easy, continuous, in the dark, with fireworks for a backdrop. First one was prolly like 32, then a couple 33s, then like a 31. I could tell I have lost lots of speed. They felt good, but they werent fast. Then took it easy back home. 

Slept in again and was really not feeling motivated to run. So when I dragged myself out at eight I decided to just go five instead of seven because I was tired from trying to run relatively even mileage all week in order to be fresh for the 15K. I shoulda done more mileage on Monday. I did the dump loop then jogged a few laps on the Woodruff field. Then finished off that two mile loop at a pretty good pace. 7:05 average. 

Good race today! I got there to the start line a bit later than I would've liked (15 minutes before start time) but it all worked out. First mile was a 5:23, which was insanely surprising because last year I opened in 6:43, and this felt pretty relaxed. The lead pack went out in 5:05 tho. I was running with Austin Hunt for a half mile (who is actually my second cousin) but then he slowed down more. For a couple miles I was in no man's land, and ran a 5:55 and 6:00. Seeing those splits, I kept telling myself to relax and maybe run a couple 6:20s, because I would've been happy to average that anyways. But it never happened, I just felt good. Pretty soon Eric Nelso caught me and passed me, and I spent about a mile 10-20 meters behind him. That was a 5:54. then we hit a larger downhill slope (the whole canyon is down) and I took advantage of it and let myself go and passed him again, then threw in another surge a little bit after. That mile was 5:40. Then I caught a college age guy that I had never seen before with a 5:47. At this point, six miles into the race, my heart rate surged and I started feeling more tired, and in the same mile the  downhill kind of levelled off into flatness. I was not looking forward to the hill at all (about 300m hill) and I sort of suffered going up it, running like 7:40 pace. Eric alread had passed me then. I hit 7 with a 6:10 mile. Then I got to the aid station at the top and had to walk for a few seconds, and the other guy passed me again. I really suffered on that road to McDonalds and ran a 7:17. The last full mile had more downhill but I only managed a 6:39 and got passed by four more guys. Tried to pick it up but it was reaaally hard to go any faster, but looking at my watch I new that I would definitely be under an hour so I was happy about that. the final time was over 4 minutes faster than last year, even with the terrible finish. Distance was longer than 15K by .1 miles, so my average was 6:07. My goal was to average around 6 so that was good, and if I was feeling decent at the end that I would have stuck with Eric and run a 55. I'm honestly thinking it's in my fitness to run a 55 but my heart kind of short-circuited. It's really a matter of making sure to get enough sleep and hydration several days out from the race, which I failed to do haha. Great day! I took 10th overall just like last year but this one was alot more competetive. 3rd in the AG. 

Easy run at night out to the river trail and I did the five mile loop. Body felt okay, but my calves still felt reeeaally sore and my ankle wasn't feeling crazy strong. 7:33 ap.

I was planning on running later today but I had my Eagle board of review so I drove up to Logan Canyon at about 4 and parked at the third gate. Looked like it would be overcast it the sun came out again a bit after I started so it was pretty hot. I was really not feeling good and my calves were still pretty sore. Because I parked where I did I took the upper trail and got to where there were aspen trees and wild flowers, which you don't see on any other part of that trail. Really pretty. It also felt cooler. Had some GPS probe though. Headed back down at ~6:30 pace. I don't know what he average was but probably like 7:40.

Met Kalin and Paul at the school at 8 in the morning but I didn't wanna run from the school so we drove to Ryan's because it is surrounded by good running spots. We ran to Von Baer (by center street in providence) and ran through there on the trail, then ran back down the curved hill road. Headed down 10th East and then turned at the cemetery and ran around the nature park a bunch. Then finished around Ryan's. 7:41 ap.

AM: I met up with Johnny Perez and Isaac and ran Logan Canyon, this time from the first gate. We actually had a pretty good pace the whole time. We went 5.8. 7:06 ap., with a 6:00 mile in there going down, which felt really relaxed. After that we drove to the grass area up the hill from first dam and did some good ol core. 

PM: Ran 2 miles on the dump road with my little brother on his bike. His tires were pretty flat so he wasn't able to keep up with me like he should've lol. 7:45 ap.

AM: I drove to Smithfield to run the canyon there. Unfortunately I couldn't get anyone to come with :( I parked at Mack Park and headed up the road. (This was at about 7:45, woulda gotten out there earlier) I wasn't feeling too good and I made my way up at high 7 minute pace (for ~100ft grade per mile). At first I was gonna make it a 12 mile run I didn't feel like it so turned around 4.5. Didn't push it at all goin down. When I got back and ran a mile exploring the park. Got a slurpy on the way home yum.

PM: 2 miles at around 9, again with my brother on a bike. Ran to the elementary and I jogged on the grass while he played, then did strides. Then we had an epic tetherball match and he beat me 2-1. Then headed home. Felt really good! I even did some core after.

AM: Headed to Logan's XC practice but it was still Moratorium and the kids that also didn't know that were scrubs that were gonna run 2 miles at 8 minute pace and be done (because of laziness not ability) so I just left after core and drove to Ryan's, warmed up a mile, and did the 4 mile threshold course there, but started at the top of the hill because I could start and end basically at the same place. Was not feeling good the first couple miles and as soon as I started I wondered if I should just save it for another day, but I kept going. The main problem was that I didn't feel very smooth. First three splits were 6:17, 6:15, 6:16. Then I was basically home free after toughing out one more uphill for .25. Last mile was a 6:00. That part felt good. Cooled down a mile to 6. 6:14 average, Which is a PR for 4 mile Ts. 

PM: Another one with the bike by my side, this time to Willow Park and jogged 2 miles there, and did 3 longer strides (prolly added to .25) which felt amazing. Then went the mile back home for 4.4

AM: Slept in till 9:30 and then I had to do yard work for someone, so I didn't get to run until about 2, but since I still doubled I'll count this as the AM run. I did the loop from home that included the full river trail, with my 15 year old brother on the bike by me. It was pretty hot but not as hot as it could be. 7 miles around 7:10 average. 

PM: 2.4 easy down the dump road and back, again with my littlest brother on a bike, this time with sick tunes playing from a speaker. 

Pulled this one off in a single today because of scout camp for the rest of the week. I went to the actual real official authentic original Logan XC practice. We did canal trail and I went ahead of everyone else with Todd, although it was only like mid 7 minute pace (a little worried about the team this year lol jk). Then I Todd turned around at First Dam so I waited for Strand and we hit up the Highline trail before turning around so we could hit 10. Didn't feel super the whole way back. 7:22 average.  

For scout camp we were in Bloomington Canyon and we went to Minatonka Cave in the morning and then Bloomington Lake later, which was sick. The water wasn't even unbareably cold and I swam a couple hundred yards in it. And we did half naked snow angels haha. Then I was impatient for the leaders and ran back to camp from the lake, which was 1.5 miles partlyt downhill and I hit a 5:57 mile with cold muscles ( I was trying real hard to beat the cars). Got to camup changed into my current shoes and running clothes and headed up and ATV trail past camp for .75 before turning around. I think I almost got bit by a rattlesnake oops. Kinda just explored that. That was enough running for this day. 6:57 avg.

We had free time in the morning so after a couple rounds of Swedish Chess, or Kubb (look it up it's fun) I headed back up the ATV trail, this time for2.4 miles. It got really steep at the end up the second mile., but then it levelled off and the I came to a spot where I could see for 50-100 miles westward which was really cool, pretty sure I could see some of cache valley. After I took pics for a group of bikers I headed back down to camp, and added on to 6. 7:38 ap.

Long sort of easy run around town back in Logan in the evening. I went all the way up the length of center street then headed to the canal trail, then came back on sumac, to nature park, to the dirt road in River Heights, then back by Logan High. Felt pretty decent and kept the pace around 7 flat the whole time, averaged 7:03. I had some stomach issues towards the end.

AM: Went to Logan XC practice and did about 7.5 easy on the canal trail, then strides. 7:05 average. (Paul and I picked it up at the end). I think I'll just try and go to these practices every time because it's people to run with and I gotta drive my brother there anyway. 

PM: 2 easy to Woodruff and back, included jogging on the field and a tetherball match. It was raining for like a minute while my watch was loading but then it stopped, I was super bummed about that because it was still pretty hot. 

Woke up and did a workout that involved chasing CRs on some fairly popular segments on the river trail. I had my brother by me on his bike with a speaker to keep me turnt. We started at 8:30 and it was already hot out. The segments were a north one and a south one on the OG river trail, which were .8 and .7. I had to beat 5:44 and 5:14 pace respectively. Relaxed too much on the first one and ran 5:52 pace for it. The next one I really went ham but hit 5:20 pace. Those bridges really mess up any rythmn you  might have going at that pace. Then jogged over to the Icon trail and ran .9 of it. I had to be under 5:16 pace and I was 5:14 pace so I did get one CR. Fun stuff. Getting CRs is another good form of motivation if you don't let it take over your training.

Slept in today and went out for a three miler to willow park at noon. Kept it shorter because I had a job interview at 1:30. Felt pretty good actually. 7:12 ap.

In the evening I ran almost 5 miles to get 8 in the area north of center street and west of main street. Drew something with my GPS. :) Didn't feel too great but I had my bro with me. 7:28 ap.

At about 10am I drove to Logan Canyon and parked at the second parking lot a little bit before 2nd Dam. Took the upper trail and since I parked so far up I got to the rocky area about 3.5 miles in. From there on it climbed at a very rapid rate up Spring Hollow (900 ft in a mile) so I did a lot of power hiking, but it was really pretty and stuff, there were alot of quaking aspens, which you don't see naturally at lower elevations (below 5.5K ft really). I "ran" a 14 minute mile before I turned around. Going down on that part you couldn't go fast at all because of all the rocks. Grea run and it got me the majority of my weekly vert (1600/2000). Maybe I'll try to get a lot of vert next week since I'm not doing any workouts. 8:46 ap!

AM: Went to the track and was going to do my warmup with the XC team but I barely missed them so I did a lap around the school then 4 laps on the track for a 2 mile warmup. The workout I did was pretty easy, I just wanted to get some turnover and combine it with slight fatigue. So I did 8x200 at a pretty hard effort with a 200 jog, and then went right into the next one, so 2 miles of continuous running. I went by feel and didn't get the times but I can tell you the fastest pace I hit on each one if that helps: 4:06, 4:47, 4:33, 4:16, 4:17, 4:16, 4:09, 3:57. So I guess they werent that fast but I was trying to stay relaxed on most of them. By now kids were getting back from there run so I changed shoes and jogged out towards the river trail hoping to meet Paul, Kalin, and the coaches and it worked out perfectly I met them a mile out. Then jogged one more mile with Strand. 

PM: Headed to Bountiful during the day to spend the weekend at the grandparents and be close to SLC for the race. After watching a parade which was reeaally hot I ran 3 miles at 8:30, which was out to Bountiful High, jogging around there and running back. Felt pretty tired but the pace was actually faster, 6:54 ap.

My dad took me to pick up my packet at like 1, saw Collin there at the Utah Run stand shoutout to him. Then we drove the course (would have run it, but it was hot and I did not want to make my dad wait 45+ minutes for me). So we parked at Liberty Park and I did two laps for 3 miles. I really love the woodchip trail they have around the perimeter, the canal trail in logan needs to be like that. Didn't feel too bad and there was a lot of shade. Negative split for a 6:51 average.

Really looking forward to this race because if I feel anything like I did a the Turkey Trot than I will obliterate my PR because I am alot fitter than I was in November, it'll be 75 degrees vs. 29 degrees, and the course is downhill vs. very hilly. My goal is sub-35 (5:37 pace) so hopefully I can do it.Based on the Freedom Run if I did a 10K down BSF canyon then I would run sub-35 so I should be good. I'm just bummed I don't get to race Eugene. We would have duked it out like crazy! Maybe some other time. 

Not exactly what I wanted but for the most part, a good race! Woke up at 4:30 and I was up at the starting line a 5:25, much better than the Freedom Run. Warmed up a mile, shedded my gear, and then waited around and did few strides. Talked to a couple people I know. The run went off and I found myself trailing off the lead pack. I had no idea how fast we were going until I looked at my watch. First mile was 4:55, inconcievable that I would ever open a road race that fast, but it did drop about 160 feet. A little after the mile mark, I heard really quick footsteps behind me (I was pretty sure it was a girl), and after the turn onto thirteenth she passed me and it was a person that took like 10th at the Olympic Trials Steeplechase final. Well then I was like dang I'm gonna get chicked I guess, but at least she's really fast. After the hill where you turn on South Temple I was breathing hard but felt okay. I caught up to an LP guy (Craik?) and we went back and forth on that road, then I sort of dropped him when we turned, but then just like the 15K my heart started giving me problems with 2 miles to go and I started to blow up. On this road I got passed by a ton of people which sucked. I thought maybe if I held on I good still get my goal, but whenever I would try and speed up it hurt so bad. Then I checked my watch and I was already over 35. Thought could get under 36 still but it didn't happen. I did try to sprint adn give it my all the last 100 which really hurt but I had to look like I was trying. Splits were 4:55, 5:15, 5:35, 5:32, 5:59, 7:05, and 6:36 pace for the last .3. Some other cool stats, strava says I ran a 16:18 5K in there. My officiall pr is still 17:38 lol so looks like I've gotta find a flat true 5K race in August  to break 17 on. (to find a serious 5K thats not 2.9 miles is very difficult so if you no of one tell me) Great race, I think I'll be back here someday.

Ran Mueller Park trail this AM. Great place. My legsg were trashed from yesterday and I was feeling pretty tight on the way up and was going to turn around at 3 because the uphill was killing me, but then it sort of levelled out so I went another half mile. Turned around and my legs loosened up more on the downhill and I felt pretty good. Would;ve chosen a more easy run to recover but I wanted to run this trail while I was here. 7:39 ap.

Also, I already found the next race to do. First Dam Pancake Run on the 13th. It's a 5K and me and Johnny Perez and maybe Isaac are gonna duke it out like crazy!

Was going to run with the team but I was too exhausted to get up :/ I headed out at about 3 for a heat run at Green Canyon. Before that I needed to get gas, but I ended up having some real problems with the pump, so I ended up starting after 4. Took my hydration pack  this time and I'm glad I did. I've never run with one before, and benefits outweigh the costs a lot. I didn't really feel much of a difference with it on except that I could hear it sloshing. Turned around 4 miles up. I had the thought that I shoulder have headed up the Preston Valley trail but it was too late. Didn't feel that bad (calves were feeling it a bit from Monday though) despite the heat but it sure was nice to have water. Kept it pretty easy on both the ascent and descent (on the downhill I wasn't feeling bad but I didn't have a lot of energy either) 7:57 ap. Decided to get a slurpee after. That's how you know it was somewhat of a challenge I guess. 

Ran Prov with Hayden today which was a great time. We went all the way up to quarry (it's been about a year since I last was up there) which is about 4 miles from the lower parking lot. The climb was tough but not as tough as I had planned in my head. When we got up there I decided we should follow "trail"/creekbed further up but that was alot longer than I remembered so we turned around after goin around a quarter mile up. We then checked out the waterfall and then headed back down. The road going up to the quarry is insanely steep and going downhill you can only go really slow or insanely fast, we chose the first one. We went a steady pace the rest of the way down. Pace was somewhere in between 9 and 10 minute pace but we agreed to take it easy both ways.

8 miles with the xc team in the morning, to trappers park and back. Felt pretty easy compared to all my other runs this week seeing that I wasn't racing a 10k or running up a steepish trail for 4 or more miles. Theres a burning in your legs that you dont experience on a flat run at 7:13 pace. Still didn't feel completley relaxed, but pretty easy. Much needed recovery. There's some freshmen that have been looking really good apparently so I'm excited for the future of the team. When I got home I plopped on top of my bed and took a killer nap without changeing or showering. Gross but I guess I was really tire for some reason. (btw the way I do my sleep time is I put down the sleep that was or or contributing to the runs in the entry, so since I didn't double today, that nap time is going on tomorrow's entry.

The XC team did a run up Birch Canyon which I've never run before so I joined. Todd's brother Carson (who coaches at Preston) came so that was sick.  When we were starting out the arch in my left foot was really tight and and a bit painful (probably had something to do with playing ultimate frisbee barefoot last night) but a couple miles in it had faded away. We were on a dirt road for a few miles then we got onto a sweet single track, which I almost like more than Green Canyon. The pace felt easy the whole way up and when they let me lead I dropped everyone lol. Turned around at like 4.5 and on our way down I was running and the next thing I knew I was on the ground on my side, my foot had clipped a rock. Got up real quick and was fine tho. Picked it up to about 6 flat pace the last mile which felt good. That's 6,000 feet of vert for this week so I'm okay with being a mile short of 50. Went to Todds house and we had pancakes with awesome caramel syrup.