Mt. SAC Relays

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to compete in the mile at the Mt SAC relays.  Since I was the only person on my team going, I went with my parents rather than a coach.  We flew in disgustingly early on Thursday morning, and I had to spend most of the day convincing my mom that no, Disneyland would not be a great idea the day before a race.  I did an easy shakeout run Thursday night, and it was honestly amazing.  I love running in California.  It makes my lungs feel so alive.  I feel vaguely like a really, really sweaty goddess every time I run down at sea level.  If goddesses like to wear uncomfortably short shorts and knee-high Slytherin socks.
I'm pretty sure the people working at the hotel I stayed at thought that there was some kind of convention for skinny people with no fashion sense, because it was completely full of athletes there for Mt SAC.  It's a beautiful thing when a group of runners comes together.
I hit Olive Garden before my race, as per the usual, then played a little Pokémon on my GameBoy Color to calm my nerves.  Jim was there, since it's a pretty big meet, and I had a chance to talk to him about race strategy briefly before I warmed up.  The atmosphere was a lot more relaxed in the bull pen than I'm used to.  The girls were all very friendly, and it was definitely nice to be able to talk to my competitors casually before the race.

The race itself didn't go exactly as I'd hoped, but it wasn't bad either.  I came through my first 800m exactly where I wanted to be, in first with a time of 2:25.  The last 400m were a little catastrophic, unfortunately.  I got passed by one girl with 450 to go, and my legs just weren't feeling it anymore.  Another girl passed me with about 100 to go, and I finished with a final time of 4:59 for the full mile and 4:57 for the 1600.  These times would have (and did, since they're the same that I ran here previously) delighted me in the past, but since I was shooting for sub 4:50, I was pretty disappointed.  I spoke with Jim after, and he said we could work on improving my last lap with more short speed intervals between longer endurance ones.  

Jim and me

Considering that was only the second time I've raced this outdoor season, I'm not too worried about my upcoming races.  My next meet will be the Davis Invitational tomorrow, where I'll be tripling up in the 1600, the medley 800, and the 3200.  Since they're all within about 90 minutes of each other, I'll probably aim to run hard in the 1600 and 800, then just do what I can with whatever I have left for the 3200 and qualify it for state.  #prayforlys2k15

Pineview Invitational

Last weekend, as many Utah runners will know, Pineview Invitational was held in St. George.  I hadn't been planning on racing again until Mt. Sac, but my coach texted me and asked how I would feel about running an 800 there, and I had been planning on going to St. George anyway, so I figured running one race wouldn't be too bad.

I drove down with Jacob on Thursday afternoon, and we got to go on several runs together while we were there.  We spent the weekend at his grandmother's house, and it was tons of fun.  It was a little strange going down there and not focusing completely on my race, but it was also very enjoyable.  

We both raced the 800 on Saturday afternoon.  I had some trepidation when I got to the track and it was approximately 500 degrees, and I think that my competitors were somewhat disgusted by how much I was sweating, but the race itself wasn't nearly as bad as I expected.  I accidentally went out in a 32 for my first 200, and ended up with a final time of 2:20, so it's obvious I need to work more on negative splitting and not running my 800s like they're 400s.  

After the race, Jacob and I went to the Desert Hills track and did a workout.  It was 5x600m in 1:50-1:55, and I briefly thought I was going to die.  For some reason, schools in St. George haven't realized that black tracks are not the wisest choice for an area that averages a temperature of about 80 degrees.  It felt good to accomplish, though, and I'm glad that I did it.  

Chandler Rotary Recap

The elite heat of the girls 1600 had one of the most competitive lineups I've ever seen.  Fourteen of the girls had posted times under 5:04 to get in.  Twelve of us went under five minutes for 1600m and hit five flat or under for the full mile.  It was honestly an incredible race.
Leading up to the race, we were given the VIP treatment.  The Chandler Rotary club was generous enough to pay for all of our hotel and travel expenses, and when we arrived, we were given a full tour of the arena, full introductions on the starting line, and any other perks that we could need to be ready for our race.  It was very similar to the Nike Nationals experience.
Courtney and I arrived with her dad in Arizona fairly late Friday night.  There were some delays with our flight, so we touched down around 9 pm.   We were all pretty tired and ready to get some sleep, so we had a quick dinner and checked into our hotel.  There was a slight mix-up with rooms, and a very sleepy older man had to come to the door and inform us that the room we had been issued was already taken as we tried hopelessly to make our key work, but it all got sorted out.
Saturday, I went on a two mile shake-out run first thing after waking up.  Courtney and I found a clearance Nike outlet in Tempe, so naturally we spent quite a bit of time there before our race.  About three hours before we ran, we did the customary Olive Garden lunch, then headed over to the track.  The mile ran at 6:20, so the sun was just going down as we raced.
The race itself was a little frustrating.  I got boxed in during the first 200 meters, so I ran the majority of the race in lanes two and three, and had to drop all the way to the back of the pack and go around to move up in the third lap.  I ended up running a five flat for the full mile, and a 4:58 for the 1600m.  It was definitely not what I wanted, but for the first meet of the season, it was good enough.  I am going to use this meet to keep me motivated for Mt. Sac, and constantly working to improve.

Chandler Rotary Prep

Today, in preparation for Chandler Rotary, I did my last real workout before the race.  And boy did it boost my confidence.  The workout was 400m in 75, 100m jog recovery, 800m in 2:30, 100m jog recovery, 400m in 75.  So basically it was a five flat mile solo effort at altitude.  My first 400m was about 2 seconds fast, and my 800 was about 3 slow, so it was more like a 5:01, but hey, I still think that'll get me where I want to go when it comes time to race with other people when I've actually prepared to race.  Look out Arizona, here I come.

How to Identify a Runner in the Wild

Imagine this scenario.  You are out for a walk, minding your own business, when suddenly you hear a rustling along the side of the trail.  Preparing for the worst, you brace yourself.  Out from the brush leaps...a runner. 
How does one prepare themselves for this?  How do you identify a runner in the wild of the trails around your hometown?  More importantly, how do you recognize one when they are mingling with you in a public area and protect yourself from the spout of splits, trivia, and running information that could burst forth from them at a moment's notice?
Fear not.  Here, I will teach you how to identify a runner when one is in your presence, and how to prevent them from thinking you want to hear every time that they have ever run.
Typical Markers of a Runner:
Sports bra tan lines: (Typically found only on the female runner)  As the serious female runner often sheds layers as temperatures go up, you can spot one using the telltale sports bra tan line peeking out from their tank top.  Depending on how late in the season it is, or how often the runner in question sheds layers during exposure to sunlight, the depth of the lines may be different.  If you ever see one with a clear white outline on someone who is a deep tan everywhere else, you should maintain eye contact and back slowly away while making soothing noises.
Watch tan lines:  These come often to the more serious runners.  As they are used for timing splits for intervals, long runs, and tempos, you will not find one on your less dedicated athletes.  Always keep your eyes peeled for this warning sign.
Sock tan lines:  You can find these on just about any runner.  If sock tan lines start appearing on your close friends or loved ones, it might be best to stage an intervention or confront them before they become a full-fledged runner.
Uncomfortably Small Biceps:  Runners are not at all known for their muscular strength.  As they aim more for muscle endurance and speed, they care very little for bicep size.  Even in males, you will note that the biceps are much smaller than the average size in non-running males.
Ill-Fitting Pants:  Often you will find that the pants of a runner don't fit as well as those of a non-runner.  They tend to be too large in one area and snug in another, especially in middle-distance runners.
Killer abs:  If you are out swimming with friends and you notice that one of them has a perfect six pack without doing core workouts nearly often enough to justify them, I would suggest that you end your friendship as swiftly and gently as possible.  Anything is better than befriending a runner.

Escaping an Interaction With a Runner:
Keep your eyes down.  Whatever you do, don't attempt to run away.  This will only excite them and cause them to chase you down.  Avoid any conversations that could lead back to running.  (Topics include exercise, food, weather, vacation, shoes, apparel, health, etc.)  Call your local authorities if you spot one out in the wild, and get help if you ever find yourself encountering one.

Run For Fun In The Sun

It is currently 52 degrees and sunny out, and I could not possibly be happier.  Spring running is the best kind of running.  It's refreshing to be able to run in shorts and tank tops again, and all of the favorite trails open back up after being buried in snow for the last five months.  And there's just something energizing about having the sun on your skin while you're out and about trying to get a workout in.  And you don't have to resort to treadmill workouts anymore.  And outdoor track season starts.  Cross country is fun, but every meet feels like it's over so quickly.  You look forward to it for weeks and in less than three hours, you have to turn around and go home.  But with outdoor track, you typically get a full day (or even two) to spend time stressing about your races, seeing friends from other teams, meeting new people, and eating dry bagels and pasta.  And you get mad sports bra tan lines.

The workouts also feel more official.  During training for most of cross country season, my team does their intervals on the grass, since that's what races are on.  Running 6x800m repeats on a track seems redundant and pointless on a track during cross country, especially when we have an 800m grass loop available that doesn't abuse our hips nearly so much.  When I'm in cross country season, I love doing my workouts on that loop.  But as soon as track season makes it's appearance, I am eager to get back out on the track.  Running workouts on a treadmill in the dead of winter is so mentally difficult, especially with the tantalizing prospect of spring right around the corner.  Plus I get sweaty on treadmill runs.  Like really sweaty.

And if you're foolish (or adventurous) enough to hit the trails the second the snow starts melting, you come out with stories to tell your friends later and a refreshing mud mask for your legs.  You'll have to sacrifice the purity of your Nikes, though.

But hey, I think a little mud on the shoes and a lot of uphill running is well worth a view like this.  Training in Park City is the best.  And when I'm running here, my work becomes my play as well, which is how I think it should always be.  If you don't enjoy what you're doing, it's just not worth it, regardless of how well you do it.

Also, my first outdoor meet is next Saturday.  I'm probably only doing about four meets this season, unless I qualify for the post-season meets that I'm hoping to.  I'll be starting with the Chandler Rotary Invitational in Arizona, which should be tons of fun.  Several of my NXN Southwest teammates are also going, and it should be a very competitive race and an even better weekend.  After that, I won't race again for about a month, when I'll do the Mt. Sac mile at the relays in California.  That's actually the same race that I ran my mile PR at sophomore year, so I'm really hoping to do well there.  The only two Utah meets I'll be doing are the BYU Invitational and the state meet.  I'm aiming to get my mile time down, as well as place well at some more competitive meets, since my goal is to qualify for the Dream Mile.  (Possibly the Brooks PR invite as well.)  They're some pretty big expectations, but I honestly think that if I can get through this season without injury, death, or some other natural disaster, I can meet them.

Wish me luck!

I Blame Running For My Lack of Interior Decorating Skill

Anyone who has ever been to my house can verify that my room is positively plastered with running paraphernalia.  Things that I've picked up at races, pictures of my team and me running, posters for motivation, you name it, it's there.  There's a reason behind everything on my wall, despite the doubts of my peers and my sister who shares my room.
My flags were the beginning of her woes.  Freshman year at Footlocker Regionals and Bob Firman, I was informed that everyone who knows anything about running takes a flag from every meet they can get one from.  I have souvenirs of this sort from four years of Bob Firman, two years of Footlocker Regionals, three years of Nike Regionals, two years of Nike nationals, and a year of the Mt. Sac Relays.
Next after the flags came the schedules and posters.  I always keep my seasonal schedule right next to my bed so I can overthink every race in advance, and I have a "Go Lyssa!" poster beside it to prove that my younger sister didn't always think I was crazy for running.
My favorite things, though, have to be my State poster, my NXN poster, and my Dream Mile poster.  The state poster always reminds me where I started.  My team and my friends have pushed me to go farther than I ever thought I would.  NXN reminds me what I have accomplished, and what I could be capable of in the future.  And the Dream Mile poster reminds me of my goals every day, and gives me something to strive for.
So, despite Annie's insistence that we look like horders as a result of my wall decor, I refuse to give up any of my eccentric collections.  They're all too meaningful.  (Except maybe the picture of the cat in the cowboy hat.  That one's just funny.)