Thatcher's Running Blog

I went about 9.75 miles today. I didn't have my garmin, so it is an approximation.

I went out on the trail by University Parkway and saw a guy who tried out for the xc team named Jeremy and his friend running. I ran with them for a while, and eventually hooked up with the provo river trail heading north. I went out for a little bit longer and turned back.

I had a sideache for part of the run, but I felt really strong today. It was also really warm today. I wore shorts and a t-shirt with gloves. I saw a sign that said 50 degrees!

I did a track workout with Neal and Pete today. Neal and I are running the mile at ISU on Saturday, so we wanted to get ready for that.

We did 800, 400, 400, 400, 400, 200, 200, 200, 200. We wanted to hit at or around our goal race pace. The eight hundred was at 2:11. I'm not sure on the splits, but I was at either 64 or 65 on the first four hundred and 66-67 on the second four hundred. I got a little anxious and took it out too fast.

The four hundreds were at 64, 64, 64, 65. They were a little harder because I went out so fast in the 800, but they weren't too bad. I then did four 200's at 30.

So my splits were:

800-2:11 (64-67)

400- 64

        64

        64

        65

200- 30

        30

        30

        30

This was a pretty good workout, and I think I'm ready to pr in the mile, and maybe even do something in the low 4:20's. I cooled down 4.5 miles after.

I did seven miles with Neal and Pete this morning. It was a little bit faster, but not too fast. 

I was feeling tired today and wanted to be fresh for my race, so I only did five miles pretty easy.

I ran easy with Pete in the morning. I felt good.

This weekend I went to Pocatello, Idaho for a track meet. I went with my dad and Neal. We were both running the mile and were shooting for low 4:20's. We got there Friday at 5:30 and got to the track in time to watch the 5000. It was pretty impressive to see Nate Jewkes run a 14:42 (I think) and finish with a 30 second last lap.

We got plenty of sleep Friday night and headed over to the track after picking up some spikes that worked better with the wooden track. We got there at 10 and learned our race had been moved up, so I went out on my warm-up. Neal didn't want to go as far, so I went a little earlier. I got in a good warmup, and was ready.

We got down to the track and got ready. Neal was seeded second, and I was seeded fourth. The gun went off, and they called us back after shooting it again. (I heard them say someone was slipping or something.) We went again, and I got in a pretty good position, sixth or seventh place. I stayed there and went through the first two hundred in 33. It felt smooth, and not nearly as fast as I expected. I stayed in fifth for the next lap and came through in 66. I was still suprised at the slower pace. The next two laps I stayed in fifth, and came through the 800 in 2:13. At this point, I should have moved up into at least second. This was my slowest lap, and looking back, I felt far too comfortable. It didn't hurt as much as it should have, and I know I should have taken a few seconds off those two laps.

At the 1200 mark, I made a move and passed the fourth place guy. This was a good place to make a move, and I was feeling pretty good. I stayed here until the last lap on the backstretch, where I made another move. I really pushed it on the last lap, and I moved up into second, right behind Neal. At this point into the race, the floodgates opened. Two or three guys flew by us, and I pulled right alongside Neal. Another guy passed us, and Ben Felix pulled right alonside. Neal, Ben and I kicked it to the finish, and they both beat me. I finished at 4:30.99, with me last lap in 32. The winner did a 4:27, and the next six guys were 4:29-4:30. It was a really close race.

I'm not thrilled about this race, but it's a good opener. I haven't raced in nearly two months, and I think I had a faster race in me, I just was a bit rusty. This is a pr, because it's the first full mile I've run. I figure I was about a second off my 1600 outdoor pr (when converted), which is pretty good. I realized how much I missed racing, and It was really fun.

I ran six miles with Neal and Pete this morning. We averaged a little under 7:00. I felt pretty good, and wasn't really sore. I wanted to do a few more, but I was sick to my stomach.

 I went and lifted weights later in the afternoon. I did 2 sets of 3 reps at 265. It felt pretty good. I was going to do four or five miles after, but it started snowing really hard. I wasn't prepared for it, so I only got in 2.5 miles.

Today the workout was mile, 1200m, 800m, 800m, 400m. I warmed up 3.25 miles to start. My goal on the mile was 4:48. Neal led it, and we started out WAY too fast. We came through the first lap at 53, which is 4:25 pace. The first four hundred was 67. After that, Pete took the lead and pushed the pace! I decided to back off there. Pete and Neal went through the 800 in 2:15, and I was at 2:17-2:18. I knew that was still way too fast, so I coasted in from there and hit 4:48. Neal was around 4:40, and Pete was around 4:43. 

After that I was pretty tired. I came through the 1200 at 3:32, just behind Neal. The first 800 was 2:18 right behind Neal. The second 800 was 2:19 right behind Neal. I was really tired after that, and I just wanted to finish the 400. Neal started out in front, but after 150 I was feeling good and I pushed it all out. Pete passed me, and Neal passed me down the last straightaway. Neal and Pete finished in 62, and I was in 63. 

 I cooled down 3.5 miles easy.

I didn't run today because I'm sick again.

Still sick.

I tried running on the treadmill, but I was still sick and coughing. I decided to stop at two miles.

I ran with Ben and Isaac today. We didn't go far because it was really cold and snowing like crazy. It was really slushy and we went really slow. We went three miles.

I ran with Morgan today. We went thirty minutes pretty hard. I think we went around 4.75 miles. I didn't go really hard, but I didn't feel good after. I was planning on adding four more, but I felt pretty sick.

I ran ten miles today. I felt pretty good after about ten minutes, and I enjoyed it. I pushed it a little but, but not hard. It wasn't too cold when I started, but it started snowing pretty hard near the end of my run.

I did ten miles again today. I went the opposite way on the trail as yesterday. It felt good, but my hip and shins are sore. I picked it up on the way back to finish at 66:45.

I hurt my back today lifting. 

I ran with Ben and Isaac today. We kept it pretty easy. Average pace was about 7:15. We went down to 2300, and up 4500, back to Skyline. My last half mile was 2:50, it felt good.

I ran in Salt Lake today. I had a physical this morning for my mission, so I ran before going back to Provo. I did eight miles. My average pace was 6:52. I went down to 2300, up 4500, along Wasatch, and back home. All of my miles were under 6:50 except the one going up 4500, it was 7:54. I forgot how steep the last half mile of 4500 was, it was hard. It felt pretty easy averaging in the 6:40's for the other miles though. It was also very nice, and I wore shorts and a t-shirt.

I did ten miles today. Even though I ran a little bit later today, it was still really warm. I went a little bit faster today and even threw in five or six thirty second sprints in the middle. I felt pretty good.

I went out south on the Provo River Trail for ten miles today. I felt pretty good today and went at a moderate pace. I picked up the pace on my sixth mile and did it in 5:55. I averaged 6:40.

I ran with Neal, Pete, and Taylor Gardner. We did a fartlek today. I wasn't feeling great, and it was my first hard workout in a while. The plan was 10 hard, 10 easy, 5, 3, 2, 1. I started out on the ten and didn't feel very good. I stayed with Taylor and we caught Pete. We all three ended up about 15-20 seconds behind Neal. On the five minute push I stayed with Pete and Neal for a minute and a half, then they pulled away. I caught Pete three minutes in and Taylor and I almost caught Neal in the last minute. He was really pushing me and we were going really fast at the end. Taylor's ankle was hurting and I wasn't feeling very good, so I jut went easy back with him the rest of the way. It was a pretty good workout though. 

I ran by myself today. I did six miles at a moderate pace.

I got in a good long run with Neal today. We went after the BYU basketball game, so it was dark the last 25 minutes, but it was still nice. We averaged around 6:40 pace. It felt really smooth and relaxed, and it went by really fast. I like running with someone a lot more, it goes by quicker. We pushed it a little bit harder the last fifteen minutes, and sprinted the last 100 meters. This was a pretty good week, and I'm planning on increasing to 60 next week with a couple hard workouts.