week 12: back to school

(Monday, 31 March)
Pretty easy run from Wilson. Actually quite nice feeling. Good to be rested, even if I didn't run that hard. Just went up Lake for a while and then came back. Left knee a little funny, keeping an eye on it. In the PM did my first basketball class. It was fun!

Also today, I got the chickens started. Whoo! 21 days until peepsville!

(Tuesday, 1 April)
Woke up today to discover that I got an NSF grant for grad school. Now I just have to decide where I want to actually GO to grad school.

Worked out in the afternoon. The team was doing 400s, which I didn't really agree with. So, I did 1600 (Lombardy, approximate)/1200 (track)/800/400. The last 400 was 84, and the first 400 of the 800 was probably about 90. The others I just went on feel.

I could tell I hadn't done speed in a little bit. I was also a tad wheezy, so for Thursday/Saturday I'm probably going to use the inhaler. Felt decent. A nice cooldown with Kangway (3 laps barefoot).

Left knee still a little funny, iced it and took some ibuprofen. I think it may be my IT band.

(Wednesday, 2 April)
Easy run, didn't go very far because of my left knee. Still a little funny, but not too bad. Going to take it easy and ice some more. I think I am already better at basketball, too.

(Thursday, 3 April)
5-4-3-2-1 at Lacy park. The 3 onwards was more at 5k pace than accelerating, but I'll take it. I ran with Nathan a little and that was very nice. I had my first day of yoga, and I am going to be so sore! It's way better strengthening than I thought it would be!

Unrelated note: yes, Megumi, we have chicken eggs going right now. They are due to hatch in a few weeks, at which point we are going to need all the help we can get at cuddling them! Hooray!

(Friday, 4 April)
Yoga (a little sore, as I thought) and then prerace with Masha. I was going to not run since I was feeling a little run down, but then I was having such a nice time with her I ended up doing the whole thing. No strides though, I'm not crazy. Getting nervous for tomorrow. Tomorrow could be the day!

(Saturday, 5 April)
I did it! Finally, the monkey is off my back. To be sure, it was not an optimal execution of the sub-20 plan (last lap in 79? Last 200 probably faster than any 200 I've ever run, including in an 800?). Mark pointed out that my last 200 (37) was probably faster than his last 200. But hey, I'll take a PR any day.

I'll be getting my splits at some point, but suffice to say that the first two miles were significantly slower than pace (6.32, 6.31 is what I heard. FYI, 20 flat is 6.26's). I just like to keep things interesting! I think the best part was that I kept my shit together, and even when it was looking bad, I didn't give up. The thought I most remember having was doing a little math on what the clock said with 5 laps to go and saying to myself, "Time to get going, I do NOT want to have another 20.08 on my conscience. I am freaking tired of thinking this is impossible." So I just went for it. With 2 laps to go, I knew I probably couldn't run an 800 that fast, so I just said, "well, I'd better just run as fast as I freaking can, because then at least I can still PR!" With 1 lap to go, I think the clock said something like 18.34, and I thought, "this might be just barely possible! I do NOT freaking want a 20.03!". With 200 to go, I knew I had to run a 40, and I was like "OOOOOH CRAP! IT'S GONNA BE CLOSE!" and then I was just moving my feet as fast as I possibly could, and my arms were pumping, and Ian was screaming "look at the clock!" but I did NOT want to look at the clock. So I just looked straight ahead, and ran as fast as I could. After I crossed the finish line, I was like "WTF just happened?" and asked around until it was confirmed it was sub-20, and then I was very relieved.

Whoa. I really have no recollection of how I felt, or of anything bothering me (my breathing, etc). I must have been all over the place, so I hope there's no pictures.

(Sunday, 6 April)
NFTC for a little more than a mile, then I went and practiced my shot in Brown gym, and did a little core (but not much). Calves a little sore.