I can't believe I remembered to stop my watch. Should've run faster.

Sep 12, 2007

Week 3: Trying to speed things up

(Monday, 10 September)
Mom delivered my scooter yesterday so I've been living the high life with her around. Met with Angela Wood at the career center.

AM: Patrician. 1.23. The first 4 miles felt rough, but once I hit the hills I felt like a pig in shit. Had a gu at San Rafael and felt great the last few miles back home. I guess I was just warming up for the first half hour or so. HR was 198 at the water hose near the top, but I felt fine. It was good to push it. It's like these are the runs I'm thriving on right now, and the slow fast stuff is like "WTF mate?".

PM: Plyos, pretty tough. Wheelbarrowing is hard!

(Tuesday, 11 September)
I'm going to graduate! (Met with the registrar today). Also, Matt and I now have a fridge. HELLS YES!

AM: Oak Groves. 4.58, 5.01, 4.52, 4.49, 4.49. Times about the same as last year. It's not like me for it to take that many intervals for me to get down to an appropriate pace. It really threw me off to have so many people in front of me! Which is absurd. It was just wonderful when me and Perrin and Tom started working together; then I could get a rhythm down and not get caught up in my own mind games and doubts. I am hatching plans for underground speed work with pacers once double days end. Also today my legs were tired from Patrician (I ran it pretty damn hard) so I shouldn't be too mad at myself.

PM: ran easy 3 miles. My legs very sore and tired at the beginning, so I thought the run was going to take a lifetime, but then they loosened up and I felt good again. Did abs with the guys, which was tough but not tougher than the women's workout I'd say. I'll have to see what Garrett thinks; he traded with me. The holding-a-crunch (men) versus doing a lot of crunches (women) debate rages on.


(Wednesday, 12 September)
AM: Easy warmup followed by 5.25 in 44 or so. These faster tempo runs mid week really help my confidence; I think being outside my comfort zone is really important right now. Legs feel okay, especially after a good night's sleep.

PM: 30 min aquajog; everyone's legs are pretty beat. I was concentrating on picking up my knees as if in plyos, but we didn't do plyos. Legs felt better afterwards.

(Thursday, 13 September)
AM: 4 on 2 off times 5. We started at Garfield, but then there were some crazy tree trimmers and shit and so we went to Lacy. The intervals were pretty good, didn't feel long at all, and 2 minutes seemed like enough recovery. We were aiming for 20 seconds slower than race pace, but I'm not really sure how fast we were going. I tried to "bound" and get my knees high, and also to relax (especially the upper body). The last few felt pretty good.

PM: 3 miles easy, picked it up a bit at the end because I was hanging with Matty. Core and some lifting, which was tough. Abs must be getting stronger by now. Tried to incorporate some of the stuff that the guys do.

(Friday, 14 September)
AM: Prerace down Hillcrest/El Molino/California. 6 strides. Not feeling super snappy, but we'll see how tomorrow goes. Eager to review the course tonight.

PM: Course review. This course is great! It's better than I remember, and the hills aren't so bad, except for the downhill which is scary (going under the bridge).

(Saturday, 15 September)
Aztec invite. 34/80 (21.43). Tried to concentrate a lot on higher knees, quicker feet, and pushing the second mile. The second mile didn't go as well as I would have liked, I just felt flat. But the hills (the switchbacks) went okay, and I tried to pick it up on the last part. Form was definitely on my mind. I ran it almost as fast as Ekua and Andrea! (6.42, 7.38, 7.21). I like this course now. The freshlings also did AWESOME.

(Sunday, 16 September)
Rode Wilson with I, J, B, and two guys from PAA (Matt and Julian?). Took it real easy. It was good to see those guys again. Legs a little tired at the end, the middle section was longer than it usually feels, but the way back was awesome. Horrible accident at the top, though, which was sobering. I guess the tons and tons of motorcycles don't just bother the cyclists, they bother each other, too. Really tired afterwards.

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