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

AM: My Great Dane slept in the bed with me last night, so it was particularly warm and comfy with another 150 lbs of heat sleeping with me. I had to pry myself out of bed over to my window to see if it was still snowing. It wasn't, in fact the sun was even out, but it was still nearly freezing. So after almost two hours of trying to talk myself out of it, I ripped off the covers, scared my dog awake, put on some cold gear, and went out for my run. Once I was outside, I could feel the wind. Fantastic. To sum up this run, I just got out there and got it done. By the end the wind had died down and it had gotten warmer, so now it was just really cold, at least not freezing :)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/242502006

PM: I went for another four miles right before work. I went and got some new shoes earlier, so I ran in them. The outlet didn't have an Pegasus' anymore, which happen to be my favorite, but they had another shoe that looks almost exactly the same called Nike Icarus. So I got those and they felt almost exactly like Pegasus', just like they had a little less support. I prefer Nike Pegasus. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/242600614

AM: It was 19 degrees this morning! Time to break out all the winter clothes. Easy four on my own.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/242892604

PM: Today we ran down to Liberty Park from the teacher parking lot and met at the fountain. After we regrouped we jogged over to the mile marker to start our workout. We were doing 2X2 mile tempos and mine were supposed to be in 11:00. My first one was in 10:43 and I had almost even splits. We jogged back to the mile marker from the three mile marker as recovery to start our next one. Right after I finished I had to go to the bathroom, but the park bathrooms are shut for the winter, and Park Cafe was closed. So I just decided to hold it and go after this next rep. Shortly after starting it I realized it was a bad idea. I managed to finish it still under my pace, in 10:47, and then rushed off to the 7-Eleven to use the bathroom. Man, was that a close call. I need to quit being lazy and go to the bathroom during school. Afterwards Ryan, Chris, and I jogged around the park and back up to the teacher lot where we added about a mile and a half to be at 10.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/242892601

AM: Went on an easy six this morning. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/244701021

PM: Today we went out to the Oval later than usual because I had my Sterling Scholar interview. Once we were all at the Oval, we did 8 laps warm up and 4 laps speed changes, then a lap extra. We changed shoes and started the workout. It was 5X1000 and I was to hit them in 2:55 to 3:00. We had the majority of the lap recovery form the finish to the start. I was feeling weird today, kinda sluggish. Plus my knee has been bugging me a little. I hit 3:00, 3:00, 2:59, 2:58, and 2:57. My first two were just barely under 3:01, and the rest weren't really that fast. I feel like on another day I would have done a lot better in this workout. By the end of the reps my knee was really bugging me and after we did like 7 laps cool down, it was hurting. I hope this is just some inflammation.

AM: Easy four on my own. My knee was really aggravated and I considered just turning back from my run, but I finished it. My knee is pissed at me....

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/244701004

PM: We just went on an easy recovery run today. I ran with Bill and the further back group to go easier on my knee. It was a slow pace to the four mile turn around past the fire station and back, but at least we got in some good conversations!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/244700996

My knee was really aggravated from the run yesterday and speed the day before, so I took a day off. I hate doing so, but better safe than sorry right? Just a lot of icing and massaging....

PM: We made the long drive down to Phoenix today, so I didn't run until the afternoon when we were at the course picking up packets and getting to know the course. I got 3.5 miles running around the course and with 5 strides at the line.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/244700979

AM: I got up and my knee was feeling good enough. We went over to the race early since we were all scattered into different races. I saw Megan, Ethan, and Ryan all do really well and set new PR's. I did a shakeout with Ryan while he warmed up for his race, and ran around during races and kept warming up. Finally I put on my spikes and went over to the line. I ended up in the third row of guys in my box >:( After some intros and the National Anthem, they started us.

     The race went out pretty fast, but I was still stuck in the back half of runners for a good 400 meters. Finally once the race started settling a bit, I started moving up. I don't know my exact splits, but I was in the low 4:50's for mile one. Somewhere in mile two some kid face planted, and I believe is was Mock... My two mile split was 9:53. At this point, there was still an enormous group of guys in the lead pack. At least 30 I'd say. I was right in the middle of the chaos. But after the two mile is where people began to surge and where movement began. The front guys began to pull away and I was managing to go with the pack. With 1k left, I was probably like 25th or so. I could tell everyone around me was going a little faster, and I was trying to just relax and go with them, but I just couldn't get myself to go as fast as was needed. A lot of people passed me in the last 400 meters and I ended up 36th. I ended with a good time and overall I did okay, but that last 1000 is what really hurt me.

Afterwards I did some cool down watching girls races and just talking with the team, and then we made the long drive back up to Salt Lake!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/244700970