Well I didn't think I'd make it this far....

AM: I'm heading back to Provo earlier than usual, so I got my run in on my own again. I just did an easy 6 miles, I finally didn't feel like total and absolute crap!

PM: We had a team lap and the coaches each said some stuff about the upcoming weeks, then a few guys went for a run. While I was using the bathroom, the majority of the goup started, so it was just Haven, Dylan, and I for the first half Carterville, and we caught them by the drinking fountain and we finished with them. Pace somewhere just under 6:30. My hips felt a little better today!

PM: Met at 3 for the mile/3k workout. Since eveyone is just coming back from break and some guys didn't run, the workout wasn't too tough. The group did 3Xmile, but coach had me do mile, 2X800. After three miles warm up on the track, we changed shoes and started. The miles were supposed to be at 4:48 to 4:50. On the first one I managed to hang off the back of the group and hit 4:50. THen after two laps recovery, I did an 800 with them, which I hit in 2:24. Two laps recovery while they finished their mile, then I did another 800 once everyone had recovered. This time I made more of an effort to get up in the mix, and I finished the 800 right behind the leaders in 2:21. 

I'm glad to have the first workout back over with. The times I hit weren't fast at all, but they were consistent with what the guys were hitting, so I'm happy. After the workout, I cooled down a mile on the track, then went outside with Cade, Gabe, and Trev for another three miles to hit 10. 

The hip pain is still there, although pretty minimal. I have to think about it to really notice it. Hopefully it just keeps getting lesser and lesser!

PM: Today I met Jay Z at noon for a run since later we have the Track Christmas party. We did Carterville at a steady pace. Eventually we caught some girls and talked for a bit with them before passing them. The hips were feeling as good as they have been this whole week. 

The track party was actually a lot more fun than I was expecting. They reserved Provo Beach Resort for 3 hours and let us bowl, use the golf simulator, play mini croque, go on the ropes course, and use the FloRider! To my surprise, I suck at it. I gave everyone watching some pretty great laughs. And to cap it off, they had J-Dawgs catering! I guess BYU track is alright...

PM: Jon and I headed over to the track to start our warm up. We got in 3 miles, then everyone who warmed up outside came inside. We put on our shoes and did some strides and used the bathroom before starting. Once we were gathered Coach told us the workout. 8X400 at mile pace, so we started at about 62-63 and the goal was to work down to 60's. My times went 63, 61, 62, 63, then I sat one, 63, sat one, 64. I struggled a bit with this workout because this is the first time I've run this fast in months, apart from the fact that i'm out of shape. Coach said he was satisfied with how the workout went for me and looking back I am too. The first week or two back are going to be a struggle, but it's all a building process. 

Between each rep we would just walk back to the start. After I went outside to cool down with Cade, Jon, and Gabe. Jon and Cade turned at a mile. but Gabe and I kept going until 2.5 and we ran with Emily for a little bit. We headed back and hit 5 miles cool down at the locker room. 

The hips felt slightly more aggravated today han yesterday, although still a significantly lesser pain than two weeks ago. I will have a follow up with Ron either tomorrow or early next week. 

PM: Went for a run with Jon and Dylan. We did Carterville and a good pace. We have to take University Ave headed north now instead of the trail, which makes the run a little less enjoyable, but it's still a good loop. Running with those two made for some interesting conversation...

AM: Went over to this locker room and caught Dylan and Tommy. They were doing long runs and I'm doing two medium runs today, so I only ran with them for a little. We went up the canyon along University, and I turned at 3.5 and headed back. It started snowing on the way out, but when I turned back the snow was to my back so it wasn't bad. I had to stop a couple times on the way back to clear my nose and throat. I am just getting over my usual seaon-changing/drastic-weather-change sore throat.

PM: After my morning run I went over to Connor's place and a group of guys watched NXN and Footlocker West. There were some fantastic races at NXN! Big upsets on both girls and boys sides. Sarah Baxter lost her first ever Cross Country race and Connor's high school team upset for the win! I went home, ate, took a nap, lounged around, and was going to go to the testing center to take an exam, but I found out it closed at 4 not 6 :( Those plans were soiled, so I went for my second run. I just did short Carterville from my apartment for an even 6.

PM: Slept in a ton, had some lunch, and sat around awhile before going for my run. I went from my place up to the River trail past the intramural fields, then took that down to the place we usually get on it when we run that trail. Then up past Rape Hill towards Kiwanis, and up the street past J-Dawgs, then around camous by New Heritage, then I cut in through there, took the bridges back through the quad, and took the asphalt hill behind the SFH and then back to my apartment.

PM: Today was a workout. We did 3 miles warm up, strides, and then started. The guys were doign 6X800 at a little slower than race pace, and my goal was to keep them under 2:15. I did the first three and hit 2:12, 2:13, 2:14, then I rested one, then ran the next one in 2:15, then did a 400 on the last one and hit 65. So, a little more progress this workout. I was able to hang with the guys for the ones I did, which was good. No I just have to get back to the point where I do all of them!

I went for 4 miles cool down to outside with the guys to get 10 for the day. Barely any hip pain today!

PM: Went for a run with some of the guys. We just did Carterville like usual. Later in the day was the Track Athlete of the Year Award Ceremony, so I went to that. They had food there and were filming the ceremony. BYU is so awesome.

PM: Because of the races tomorrow, there was no workout for my group, so I just did the 6 miles and strides that they were supposed to do. My legs felt good, no hip pain for the first time in months!

PM: Today there was a Cross Country Banquet/Honoring for the men's 4th place finish at Nationals. It's so cool that BYU acknowledges the accomplishments of their athletic programs. The President and Vise President of the university were there, and they honored the guys who went to Nationals. 

After I ran three miles on the treadmill, then went over to the indoor track where the Blue White Invite was going on, and decided to jump in the mile and run it as a workout since I've only done one workout this week. I just stayed in the back of the pack to try and hit even-ish splits. I ran 4:42, which I ran a 4:50 last week with a similar effort, so I'm slowly getting back after 7 weeks off. Right now it's just about focusing on the mileage and getting a base back under me, then I'll focus on workouts and times.

I cooled down 4 miles outside with a couple guys to get 8 for the day. Most importantly, no hip pain!

PM: After watching some of the time trial, I went for a run with Dylan. He was just doing the second part of his run and I did 4 with him. Then once we got back to the SFH I used the bathroom, then walked back over to the annex to see if I could find someone to run with, and Wardy, Fuller, and Briggs were going for a run so I went with them. I stuck with them 3 miles out, then headed back to get 10.

AM: I went over to the locker room and Farnsy and Flint had just arrived when I did, so we ran together. We ran to the Lake Loop a different route, more on the streets than the River Trail, and I turned at 3.5 and headed back so I could make the Egg Nog Challenge in time. Always interesting conversation when you run with Farnsworth...

EGG NOG CHALLENGE 2013!!!!! The track wasn't shoveled and it was freezing outside, but the Nog Run must go on! Once everyone showed up with their nog, we got started. I have never tired Nog, but was getting it from one of the multi runners who was pouring Nog. I tried it, and despite what everyone told me, I thought it was delicious. So I downed that cup, and for the next 5 cups, I was going strong. After my 6th cup however, she ran out. After that I had Easy fill my cup, and the Nog he gave me was disgusting: Nutmeg Nog. I almost puked just downing that. After that lap I made sure to go to someone who had plain Egg Nog, and it was also pretty nasty, and I only made it another two cups before my stomach was hurting and I just couldn't down another disgusting cup of Egg Nog. 9 cups! I was part of the last like 10 people still going. After 9 cups, there were only like 4 guys left. When I finished lap 9, I gagged myself and threw up a ton, then later in the locker room gagged myself again in the shower and threw up the rest of it. I felt much better once I got it all out. I can't wait for next year!

Later in the day I went for my second run and did 7 from my apartment. I just went out on Carterville and back.

PM: Decided to run in the afternoon. I went for my run at 5:30. It's tough to get out for a run when the sun sets at 5, but once I got rolling I felt pretty good. And the best part is I haven't felt any hip pain/fatigue in 3 days now!

AM: This is the first two a day I've done in months! Since it's finals week, I have a ton of extra time, so I slept in, then went over to the SFH and ran 4 miles on the treadmill. 

PM: After dinking around all day, I met up with Farnsy and Nick for a run at 2. We went 4 miles and change up the canyon, then came back the same way. I stretched before and after the run, and did my exercises too. A little bit of fatigue in the tail bone area today, lets hope that goes away by tomorrow.

AM: Since it's finals week, they shut down the track so they can test in the Annex and finals mean that coaches can't have practice. So a bunch of the guys met early in the morning before the track is closed down to get in our workout without coach. The workout was 4XMile, and I ended up doing 2XMile, then 2X800. I'm still feeling out of shape, but my stomach was hurting... maybe I had too big a bowl of Lucky Charms. Despite not doing the whole workout, the times I ran weren't disappointing. The goal was just to keep them in the 4:50-5:00 range, and I ran 4:55,4:55 then on the third mile I pulled out at 800 (2:24), then on the last one I just did an 800 (2:23). We had ~5 minutes recovery in between. This wasn't really as official a workout as we usually have, there were quite a few groups of guys  and some guys doing their own thing, and some guys just choosing not to workout, but it was good to get in some quicker stuff. After 2 miles warm up, I did 3 miles cool down to hit 8. 

PM: After taking my first final, I had lunch then took a good nap, and went for my second run afterward. Once I got to the locker room, I didn't feel like running outside, so I ran on the treadmills in the wieghtroom. I did 4 miles starting at 8.5 mph and ended at 10 mph. My average was just under 6:20 I think. 

A little later we went over to Coach's house for the annual White Elephant Christmas Party. It was such a fun time! I love my team.

AM: Ugh, slept in way too late, missed my morning run, then actually studied for my Biology Final, and it ended up being the most irrelevant test I've ever taken. That test would have been more suited for a Common Sense 101 class. What a waste of time I could have used to run. 

PM: Met Nick at the locker room to run, then we saw Farnsy roll in just as we were going to head out. Monday crew again! We did medium Carterville and when we got back, we added the indoor warm up loop to get the full 10. Afterwards I stretched really well in the training room. 

PM: Showed up to the locker room and Farnsy happened to be there! That's four day this week that we happened to show up at the same time, so we ran together of course. Can't actually remember what run we did, but I'm almost sure it was 10.

PM: Went for a run with.... someone.... I can't remember who. We did long Carterville and didn't add the extra bit for 10, so hit 9.5.

AM: It's my first day back at home, or rather my parents house, for the break, so I just got my run over with in the morning. Did my old ten mile loop, then stretched a bit. Hips were a little flared.

AM: Did an easy 6 miles on my own from house. I was going to do more, but my hips were bugging me a bit.

AM: Can't remember what I did, but It was ten.

AM: Met up with Bill, Dakota, and Chris and the oval this morning to do my workout. We did two miles warm up, then one of sepeed changes, and right as we were finishing those, they blocked off the west end of the track to put up new banners. Ugh. That meant no 800's, so we just decided to do 20X200 at a quick stride pace. I hit all of them in 30-32, with most in the 31 range. It was still a decent workout. After we did however much cool down to hit for the workout.

Lots and lots of family time, then we went over to some relatives house, and before I knew it the day ended. So no running, but that's okay for today I guess. Merry Christmas bloggers!

AM: Met up with Bill to run in Park City. We went to a trail that is groomed, so it was covered in snow, but hard enough to have good footing. I ran with him to the 5 mile turn around, then started my fartlek on the way back. My pace was no where near what I usually hit for this workout, but I think I got down into the high 5:20 low 5:30 range, so at least I got in a little bit of harder effort, plus it was on a groomed trail. Recovery is usually full up to 5 minutes, but since I wasn't going as hard, I didn't need all that recovery. The fartlek was 10-5-3-2-1 and my recoveries were 4-3-2-1. I jogged backwards on the recoveries. Finished and my hips were pretty aggravated.

AM: Did my usual ten mile loop, but cut it short to get 8. The hips were feeling aggravated from the workout yesterday. It sucks not having trainers to work on me :(

AM: Last minute road trip! A friend and I decided last night to drive out to Cali, so we got up early, drove down to St George, were I went for a run, then got back on the road to Cali! From the hosue we were at, I ran South West, and ended up reaching the trail we ran on in high school on our way down to Footlocker! So I went turned when I hit 3.5 and went back the same way.

AM: Ugh. The weather here is so unbelievable beautiful. It's actually pretty hot for this time of year in the OC. I ran at 9 in the morning, with just short shortss on. The house we were staying at was like two miles from the beach, so I ran to the beach, then did a loop around the rich, beach front neighborhoods, then back to the beach, and back to the house for an amazing 8 mile run. Warmth, sea level, and the beach. What more could I ask for?

AM: Did the 'shame thing I did yesterday. Again, the weather is just so perfect. A much needed break from the freezing cold, smoggy murk of Salt Lake.

We had to wake up early in the morning to get some business taken care of in LA, so I didn't run then. After we decided to head back to St George and we went non stop from LA to ST George. By the time we got to St George, I was too tired from traveling all day to run. Sigh.

Although, this break might be good for my hips...