I <3 RUNNING

I don't know where to start with this track season. I have learned so many lessons from it. It has been one of the most discouraging season I have gone through. At the beginning of the season coach told us we had two options. Option one: To just do the workouts. Option two: Try hard! I thought it if tried hard enough I might be okay at track. I really feel like I tried hard but it was not hard enough. I will just need to train harder then the average bear.

Going into region I knew I missed my first goal. I thought at the beginning of the season if I just practiced hard enough and ran fast enough I might of had a shot at varsity. I knew I wouldn't make it though and running JV at region was okay! 

Somewhere in the middle of the season I got this idea that I tried so much harder and cared a lot more about it then some of the other girls. I was frustrated with them and that they were faster then me. I feel horrible for ever thinking that. We are a team. We all tried hard. It was hard and we all pushed it together. We are friends and we support each other and push each other to do our personal best. I don't know where I got the idea but I feel horrible about it and about feeling that way. It really has been somthing I have learned from.

I am okay that the other girls are so much faster then me. It gives me something to work towards. I'm not mad I did not run varsity.  In fact I loved cheering them on and I loved watching them do amazing in all their races. Hopefully on of these days I can be as good as them.

 My first race was the 1600 and I was aiming for a 6:20. Sadly I didn't make. I tried SO hard. I was mad at myself. I was so discouraged after this race. I wanted it so bad and I did all I could  this season to get there and it was just not there.

I just gave up on the 3200 my favorite race. It does not help with how discouraged I am now. I hit and all time mental low this race. I did not care anymore. I just wanted to be done. I was done, done, done, done!!!! 

I went home really upset. Upset with myself. I set so many goals this season and it just was not a good season.  I was upset because I wanted to do good and I just did not have it in me. I guess I did not train hard enough? I don't know. I talked to my dad. He reminded me of some things:

It's not my senior year and I have a few more years of track to go. Even after High school track is over it's not the end of my running. This has been a discouraging season for me but it's a small hill in a long road ahead of me. I need to keep training hard. I need to do all I can. I will shoot for my goals and if I miss it will not be because I did not try. I have learned so many lessons from running and some have been painful to learn. I will keep learning and growing and trying. When times get hard and I feel like quiting I will get up and try again and again and again. 

The heat nearly killed me today. I haven't been out running in over a week. . . so everything got to me! I don't know if everybody else feels like they get out of shape fast but I do.  My arms and legs were not running together and my breathing had a mind of its own. When I pictured coming back it, I pictured it like heaven no pain just floating. Reality hit me today!

Ran up to Hearts and back with Chandis. I think she took advatage of me being out a week ;) just kidding! Fun and can't wait to get back in running long. 

Called a bunch of girls last night but its the end of the school year and everybody is busy. I understand. The important part is I got one out so I got to go running this morning (how selfish!!!) We just ran three, both of us feel (or at least I feel) out of shape!!! I'll get back in the swing of things soon! Good run, was not really cool out but enough to where I can get back in shape without battling the heat. 

Got up and went running this morning again! We only went 2 today because Rachel's legs were hurting. It's probably better if she gets her legs all healed up before we get to far. Fun run up into Green Springs. I don't know why but my legs are dead and sore! I'm so lame! I should not be sore, I've not ran jack crap this week. . . . ugh! How do you slide down hill this fast. . . . . .  

Slow and steady wins the race =)

I have got to figure out how this summer is going to work. I can not get out in the mornings unless I have a buddy to run with or the evenings and the afternoons are hot. So maybe I need to get used to the heat? Anyway could not get out this morning and then had graduation stuff all mid morning through late evening. I really need to be running now to get back into it for the Wasatch Back!!!

Today was the best day of my life! I got a Job!!!! I'm also going to be going on some dog shows this summer!!!! =) And to top all of this good news off I had a good run. The temps outside were so nice. It made for a great run. Legs are still dead and dragging but my breathing was not too bad. Just kind of relaxed! I know I need to start pick it up but. . . ;) just couldn't resist to take advantage of today. Avg pace 8:36

I have been talking to a lot of friends who are way experienced when it comes to running and here is what they said. . . . . Monday -Wednesday 5-7 miles and Thursday doing a different kind of exercising using different muscles (spin class, dance swimming ect.) Some said it was not good to run everyday and some said it was. Like I know! One thing they all agreed on was that I need to be doing something along with or in substitute of running. Running kind of strengthens the same muscles day after day and when you start to use those different muscles in your body then it will make you stronger and faster it even helps to prevent injury. I don't know what I will do with Thursday or maybe I  will through a couple classes in a week? Friday depending how hard or easy I want to make the long run run either between 3-4 or 7-8 with a long run on saturday? We will see how that goes. I also need to be lifting a lot of weights so either Monday, Wednesday, Friday or Tuesday, Thursday. The core is VERY important more so then I realized! I got a whole bunch of things to do to strengthen that. I really do need to work on it too because mine is SO weak! They gave me a few ideas to increase my speed. . . . getting on a treadmill and setting it to the speed I want to be at and running on that for a good .25 or .5 mile to get it in my head. Also the last really important thing I learned from them was EATING! Its so important to eat healthy and drink lots of water. I'm not a big fan of meat. . . So they told me all their favorite ways to get complete proteins. With all the things I have learned I really hope it will give me the drive to get back with it this summer and pick myself back up. Running used to be enough for me but now I want to run fast! I want to be good! And if I'm not it's not because I didn't try! 

Ha! This week. . . . . wow! Mileage. . . .wow! Ah!!! Anyway bumped it up today a bit. I need to bump it up a lot more next week!! Today was fun though! Ran down along the outlet malls and then down to the new post office and jumped onto the trail. Weather was nice, but I think it was humid? The last two days have been way nice! Avg pace 8:36

Played soccer! Yeah I'm not doing that again my right shin hurts. . . . I have never had shin splints and I'm not going to get them now. 

I texted a lot of girls to see if they wanted to go running this morning but so many are out of town. I managed to get Chandis, Rachel, and Kali! Tomorrow hopefully a lot more will be back and we can have a bigger group which would be loads of fun!!! It was a good group today though, the only part that stinks is the STILL feeling out of shape! It's not coming back that easily to me. Started off and shin was a little sore and everything felt a tad off. 8:46 first mile. We were going to try and stay as a group 9:09 me and Rachel just let it go on the way back with 8:00 and an 8:05. Avg Pac. 8:36. So not a bad little run.

Today I really wanted to hit a 5 or at least a 4 but that was not going to happen. My shin is hurting way bad! I can't even move it up and down to play the pedal on the piano. Owch! Everybody was hurting today so we toned it down a little. We will for sure pick it back up to at least  4 tomorrow (for me anyway). We split a little today. Chandis was the only one that wanted to go to chuck, so she went. I feel way bad about that. I didn't want her to run alone but nobody else wanted to go out that way and neither did I. The rest of us decided to head down into Washington and then we kind of invented a run from there! It was way fun! The sand and the little sand hills were not too fun though. The best part is 3 is starting to become comfortable!

This morning nobody decided to show up =( way bummed out. I know some don't want to come run with me because they think I'm too fast. . . ?! Anyway I didn't really care that much. I called home and begged my parents to run alone, they said yes as long as I was on busy streets. I saw lots of runners out and it was so cool. I ran into the Murdocks (he bikes next to her as she runs) and Sadi Tanners older sister who I thought was sadi. . . oops but she was really friendly! Just overall a really good morning. Legs are feeling great and breathing and just wonderful!!!!  

Holy Hannah! I am back!!!! My legs felt so good today, nothing hurt. My breathing was off at first but when I got going it was perfect. Overall just the best run I have had since that break. I felt like I could of even just kept going and going, oh I just love days like today. I could of even picked up the pace . . . that will come soon enough. Today me and Rachel just ran down into Washington then back tracked and went down to this pond type thing where "no trespassing" is written everywhere. I love running down there for some reason. Ran around the pond and back to the school. Before today I was so worried about the Wasatch Back.  I didn't think I would be able to pick up enough miles fast enough but I think I will!