week 15: snatch it up

(Monday, 21 April)
The chickens hatched today! Oh my gosh - we could hear them peeping all night long. They are so cute. Pictures will follow! Thank goodness school isn't wearing me down anymore... these suckers are going to need some attention!

I also cut my hair real short today; I look slightly boyish but I'm loving it! It's going to feel great over the summer, and it's also going to look great orange! Whoo!

Ran to practice, did some lapolas on the grass barefoot with Matt. Taking things easy. Basketball class went well (I'm definitely getting better) and then I ran back. Very nice day.

(Tuesday, 22 April)
Last workout before Friday. Did 3 400s on 2 minute intervals (81, 81, 82) and then rest and then 3 200s with a bunch of rest (walking) in between (37, 36, 37). The 400s felt way faster than I thought I would run them. (I was aiming for 85s). So, it was a good race simulation. I felt like I slowed way down on the last one but it was only 82, so that was good! Not a whole heckuvalotta rest (but more than I'll get in the 1500~)

I'm feeling pretty good about Friday now and just am planning on resting until then. I'm looking forward to seeing the heat sheets so I can devise my plan to make the finals.

(Wednesday, 23 April)
Took it easy, basketball class and a bit of running but that's about it.

(Thursday, 24 April)
Prerace. Discovered a set that I had forgotten to turn in, so I had to do that. Getting pumped.

(Friday, 25 April) Day 1 of SCIAC Champs: 1500 prelim.
I really did not feel like running today. I was hot and sleepy. I was glad I qualified because otherwise it would have been a total waste. I did bare minimum warmup and cool down. During the race, I ran real slow - but then busted a quick move in the last lap to pass one more person just in case (she qualified too though, so I wasn't too close). Nervous.

(Saturday, 26 April) Day 2 of SCIAC Champs: 1500 final (maybe?) and 5k final.
I woke up today so pumped. I slept well, which was good. On to the race commentary.

1500: What a weird race! Mind games in the front - it went out really slow - but things picked up after the first lap. 87/81/77/57. I think I PRed my 800 in the last 800 (~2.34). Just tried to get myself a good position on the inside, although I did have to put hands on one gal trying to cut me off. This was probably the most crowded I've ever been on a track - four folks wide and not even into lane 3.

After things picked up all I thought about was staying up with folks. It's amazing how much easier things are when there are people around. It doesn't really seem fair that now that I'm faster, not only do I get to be faster, but it gets easier to run fast because there are people around.

Anyways, coming into the last lap, I saw two groups of 3 in front of me and all I could think about was getting all-conference. My reasoning was that I had to pass at least 2 people, because one of them could probably pass me back. I made contact with the next up group of 3 with about 300 to go, and then tried to break them apart coming down the back straightaway.

With 200 to go I was already feeling the "extreme danger zone" lactic acid feeling in my shoulder blades and quads that I remember getting with about 50 to go when I ran my first sub-20 5k. So I remember thinking, "uh-oh... this is going to be bad!". By about 40 to go I was so incredibly dead, and I didn't really know what to do about it because I never feel that way, so I pretty much shut down. But it was really cool to see the clock click to 5.00 when I was so close to the finish. Afterwards I just stood there trying not to fall over and when I regained my bearings the first thing I saw was Julie standing there with a video camera. I hope never to see that footage.

5k: I was mentally tired for this, so I just tried to stay relaxed and not do anything too outrageous. I was not very bold. But I am content. It's funny that a 20.16 is relaxed and chill now.

Afterwards there was some gorging on cheesesteak and real (!) coke, and some beverages later at Blacker but I was pretty tired.

(Sunday, 27 April)
Off, took it easy. Drove down to Costa Mesa to visit the Simmons family. Very pleasant trip followed by shmoozing it up at Parkwood.