Running Is Fun-Conference

Well this is the last week of the track season. It is bittersweet, also after this week I will be taking a two week break where I will also be taking a two week break from blogging. So if you do not hear from me it is not because I lost motivation but I am resting after a full year of training. So as most of you who read this blog I have been trying to break 16 minutes so I can get a haircut. Well my teammates Cuyler, Austin, and Mason gave me a way out. All I have to do is beat my training partner Paul Zemba in the 10k on Friday. That is all I am going to say about that. But this week is a week to make memories with the Seniors on the team one last time. MK, Lily, Sandra, Libby, Blake, Cole, Husani, and Kat, y’all have made a huge impact on my life and thank you all for being great leaders in my first season as a Ram! MK, Lily, and Sandra you guys have been my teammates since August and all hold special places in my heart! I love you guys and thanks for welcoming me on campus despite my weirdness. You guys are going to do amazing things and I can not wait to hear all about them. Training this week will be light so I will not be talking about the running as much this week. I will try to write about the seniors as I can. And recap the race on Friday and hopefully say I can cut my hair, sorry Paul!

MONDAY

3:48 P.M. 6 Miles in 44:18+ 8x100 Strides

So today was a good run, it was good to recover and run slow with Mason for the first half mile. Rest of the run was at a normal recovery pace and I lagged behind a bit today. Want to preserve my energy and be acclumated to the heat by conference. Strides were nice and smooth, I wanted to see what 20 seconds will feel like because that is what my pace for the 10k will be. 80 second per lap to help me accomplish my goal. I may go out a little slower depending on how the race progresses, but I am glad to get that feeling under my legs! Pumped for the workout tomorrow!

First Senior I want to talk about for the week is MariKate Murphy. My goodness she is awesome. I love her work ethic and how she attacks everything with a humble intensity. Today while we were doing strides I told her I was going to do race pace strides. And on one of them I was going to try and come from behind and beat her. But man can that girl turn it over! Just a testiment to how determined MK is in everything that she does. MK if you are reading this you inpsire me and thanks for one great year of being an exeptional senior leader for me!

TUESDAY

3:43 P.M. 2 Miles in 15:29

3x1600 (5:36, 5:38, 5:36)

4x200 (34, 33, 33, 32)

1 Mile in 7:42

Going to write a little bit before the workout today. I do not know the specifics of the workout. But I know that my goal is to get some race pace running in and continue to get used to the heat. Workout days are awesome, and another one of the seniors who has inspired me this year is Lily Niswonger. Lil is one of my best friends here. She was one of the first people that actually made me feel like a member of the team. Lily, you rock, sometimes I know I am a little annoying, but it comes from a place of admiration. I am amazed by your work ethic and I am going to truly miss you. Lily, if you read these I know that you are going to go into the world with confidence! Thanks for all the support and kind words over this year. You are an exeptional human being! :)

So today was about as hot as last Tuesday and that was a concern for me. I know that last week I could have prepared slightly better for the workout. Today I was not about to let my performance suffer due to a lack of preperation on my end. Today I drank enough water and was body wise great throughout the whole thing. The workout itself could not have gone any better. The three cruise miles felt like an easy run. I could have done those all day long. The 200s were smooth and fast and I am super happy with where I am and how I feel. Now the next 48 hours is going to be recovery and maximizing my fitness! I am going to run a good race this Friday!

WEDNESDAY

3:49 P.M.

6 Miles in 43:43

Today was a good recovery run with the boys. I thought today would have been slower than Monday by my effort but it was about 30 seconds faster. This is a great sign, for one it means I recovered after the extremely easy workout from yesterday. And two I know that I am going to be fresh going into friday. I know that tomorrow we will go four miles, I may double tomorrow just to shake out the legs more but that is doubtful. I love our team and runs like today where we goof around and go on different add ons that we have never been on provides a dynamic. Gosh I love our team and can’t wait to put on the purple and black one last time this year!

THURSDAY

9:17 A.M. 4 Miles in 31:10+4x100 Meter Strides

So today was a normal Pre Meet day. Town Loop and 4x100 meter strides. Today was a good day just to relax and take it easy. I ran the whole run with Mason. We were both going pretty slow and coach was with us for a while. But about two miles in coach dropped us and we started going a bit slower. I like Pre Meet days because I do not have any interest in running fast just getting active recovery in! Strides felt smooth after the run and I feel fresh for tomorrow. We also had a team meeting for returning cross counry runners and I am even pumped for cross country now. Heet sheets are out and I think all three of us in the 10k can score. And I think that Caleb win. Paul and I are going to have to do work but we can get big points for our team if we stay smart and controlled. About twenty-two hours to race time. Time to recover and relax.

FRIDAY

1:11 P.M. 2 Miles in 15:25

2:00 P.M. 10k in 35:10

Great way to end the season. It was hot, I knew that my time would not be as good as I wanted it to be. But I got a huge pr and I am super happy with that. I did not beat Paul but I will probably be getting a haircut anyway. I am happy with how this season went. I am not satisfied but will have motivation to do well next year!

SATURDAY

Today I was a spectator and boy was it fun! Both the mens and womens teams finished in 3rd in the team standings! I am so proud of us. I can not wait to be part of this team next year :)

Taking a two week break from running so you will not be hearing from me in blog form for a couple weeks! See y’all in a bit :)

Love you all

-Gabe