NYE Workout

AM: 10 mins. core3 mile w/u + stretchingTarget: 3xmile @6:00, 5:50, 5:40Actual: 5:57, 5:45, 5:323 mile c/dTotal: 9 milesI woke up this morning excited to don some flats and attempt a baby workout. Originally we'd planned to get out the door in the afternoon, then revised our plans to 11, then bumped it down to 10 once we found out the OU-Stanford game would be starting at 11 our time. It was fine by me, as I was anxious to get out the door. With temps in the low 60s and a sky full of sunshine, the conditions were shaping up nicely at go time.Since...

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Balboa Double

AM: 58 mins. (8 miles)PM: 29 mins. (~4 miles)After today, I'm actually starting to feel like a real runner again. Not only did I turn out a legit double, but I'm even contemplating a baby workout for tomorrow. Crazy, right?The good news is that on both runs, once the leg had 5-10 minutes to warm up it felt just as good as yesterday. I will definitely keep this in mind if said workout occurs and make sure to take ample warmup time. The other good news about today is that I actually ran up the Upas hill without stopping for the second day in a row!...

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Balboa Park with Graddy

67 mins.9 milesThat's right, folks, I ran 9 miles. And, more importantly, my leg felt pretty darn good once it got warmed up. I haven't run this far in quite some time, so I consider this to be a rather significant development. Perhaps most importantly, I had a lot of fun. Jordan's former Brown teammate Ryan Graddy drove down from his parents' place in Torrey Pines to meet us for a jaunt before he flies out tomorrow. We ran with Graddy last year...

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On the Road Again

AM: 45 mins. ellip.PM: 27 mins. (~3.5 miles)10 mins. stretchingMy parents' brief time in Palm Springs is drawing to a close, which meant that Jordan, Gary and I piled into the car with them today to deliver them back to Ontario airport. Then we thought, hey, we're already halfway to San Diego. Let's just go there. Coincidentally we already had all of our stuff packed so the plan worked out splendidly, and within several hours we had bid my parents farewell and were en route to the Hillcrest neighborhood. I was disappointed that my dad wasn't able...

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Tram!

AM: 15 mins. ellip.43 mins. (6 miles)The long-awaited visit to the top of the tram has finally arrived. Jordan and I rose early and were out the door by 7am to fit in our run before the day's festivities began. JSK cooked up a delicious breakfast for everyone, thus ensuring that our energy stores would be topped off and at peak operating levels so we could fully enjoy the aerial experience to come. At 10am on the dot our party of four (me, Jordy...

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Post-Christmas Double

AM: 15 mins. ellip.43 mins. (6 miles)PM: 26 mins. (~3.5 miles)2x20 water pump extensions=8010 mins. stretchingAlthough I'm writing this only two days after the fact, I can't remember much about this day. I know it included lots of family time (insert shout-out to my dad here) and some post-Christmas shopping at the Cabazon outlets. Oh, and Jordy and I enjoyed a nice evening run at our favorite golf course. Tomorrow promises to be an even grander time, as we've planned a trip to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. I've been bugging Jordan to take me...

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Happy Birthday, Jesus

AM: 20 mins. ellip.45 mins. (6 miles)PM: Christmas dinnerMerry Christmas, everyone! On a day when we celebrate the arrival of Santa Claus and the birth of Jesus (not necessarily in that order), we also celebrate my parents' plane finally arriving after a 3-hour weather delay from DFW. They arrived just after noon Pacific time feeling as though they'd already suffered through an entire day of setbacks. Luckily Jordan and I were on hand to greet them...

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Picture Perfect Christmas Eve

AM: 15 mins. ellip.15 mins. core45 mins. (6 miles)Late AM: ~2.5 mile hikeJordan and I kicked off this warm and sunny Christmas Eve with a jaunt through the streets of Palm Springs. We took a spin past Ruth Hardy Park before venturing back toward the Biltmore, where Jordan dropped me off at 6 miles. I would like to have continued on but I'm still babying my leg, so I reluctantly headed back home while he set off for a short loop.Later in the morning...

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Fairway Running

AM: 45 mins. ellip.PM: 35 mins. (5 miles)This afternoon I wanted to test out my leg on some soft surfaces, so Jordan and I ventured over to the golf course we discovered last time we were here. The sun was just dipping behind the mountains, leaving us with enough light to navigate our path and simultaneously providing us with an absolutely gorgeous sunset. Unlike the windstorm that raged yesterday, the air tonight was absolutely clear and still....

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Wind, Rain and Cookies

AM: 50 mins. ellip.PM: 20 mins. ellip.A rare cloudy view from the pool/hot tub areaIn an unprecedented turn of events, it rained this morning. I've spent probably a total of 20 days in Palm Springs over the past few years and this is the first time I can recall it raining. Later this afternoon the winds would pick up and turn the rainstorm into a sandstorm, but fortunately we were safely tucked away indoors and did not bear the brunt of it.Sandstorm!...

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Palm Springs Living

AM: 45 mins. (6 miles)15 mins. ellip.PM: 20 mins. ellip.A gorgeous sunrise in the desertIsn't it strange how you can be gone from a place for so long, and yet it feels so familiar when you return? It's been almost an entire year since Jordan and I have set foot on the streets of Palm Springs, yet all the sights and sounds seemed to be just as we'd left them last December. I was excited to get out the door for our first desert run, but unfortunately...

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Travel Musings

AM: TravelPM: TravelFirst and most importantly, we made it! Hello, 70-degree temperatures! Hello, sunshine! Hello, mountains and palm trees and happiness!That said, traveling from coast to coast pretty much sucks. Since Gary and Roger had oh so benevolently given us a few free tickets to use for our travels, we were at the mercy of the often convoluted airline schedules. Throw in the usual holiday travel traffic and add a dash of east coast weather delays, and you've got a recipe for complication. As a result, our trip would involve not one but...

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Peace Out, Charlotte

Saturday, 12/19AM: 45 mins. yogaPM: 5 milesFriday, 12/18AM: 50 mins. ellip.15 mins. coreThursday, 12/17AM: 50 mins. ellip.PM: ?In an effort to get all caught up, I'm lumping these days together. Don't judge me. It's been pretty crazy around here trying to finish up the semester and get all packed up for California. I would be lying if I said I wasn't absolutely thrilled to be leaving the cold, wet, dreary North Carolina weather behind and spending the next few weeks with friends and family in gorgeous southern California. Tomorrow promises to be...

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Itty Bitty Teeny Weeny Baby Workout

AM: 30 mins. ellip.PM: 2.5 mile w/u2xmile w/3 min. rest (6:00, 5:44)2 mile c/dTotal: 6.5 milesI figured today was as good a day as any to attempt a super easy, teeny tiny baby workout. Almost everyone is gone for the holidays already except me and Jess, so we agreed to meet up in the early afternoon for this effort. We decided the best course of action was to run to Myers Park High. The overwhelming pro for this is that the track is a very easy two-mile jog away. However, the con is that more often than not Queens runners have been kicked off before...

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Riding the Snake

AM: 40 mins. ellip.ChiroPM: 5.5 milesI can finally see the light at the end of this semester's tunnel. Today I turned in two of the three final papers I have to complete, plus worked on my project for the fourth class. The past few weeks have been busy and stressful, but now that it's nearing the end I'm able to look back and think euphemistically that it wasn't so bad.One thing I remain frustrated about is my left leg. What Jordan professionally diagnosed as my soleus turns out to be, in the actual professional opinion of the good folks at Greenapple,...

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You Know You Spend Too Much Time at the Gym...

AM: 45 mins. ellip.PM: 5.5 miles...when you walk in at 7:45 instead of 7:30 and the guy behind the front desk says, "You're lat...

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I Prefer the Term "Band-Aid"

PM: 60 mins. ellip.20 mins. poolWell, it's happened once again. Jordan is now the local celebrity and I am his groupie. Honestly, I had to endure enough of this after Oklahoma City...looks like I'm in for another few months of stardom-by-association. Remember the waiter who said it was a "pleasure serving him today?" Or how about the guy who was supposed to be buying ME a drink at the wedding reception we crashed, but got distracted when he spotted Jordan across the room and whispered in awe, "Is that...Jordan Kinley?!" I mean really, a girl can...

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Sorrrry

Saturday, 12/12AM: 50 mins. ellip.~1 mile jogFriday, 12/11AM: 50 mins. (7 miles)10 mins. coreThursday, 12/10AM: 50 mins.ellip. incl. 3x3 mins. on, 2 mins. offWednesday, 12/9AM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 3x3 mins. on, 2 mins. off, 3x30 sec. sprintPM: 55 mins. (7 miles)Tuesday, 12/8AM: 45 mins. ellip.PM: 30 mins. yogaMonday, 12/7AM: 45 mins. ellip.PM: 40 mins. (5.5 miles)Okay okay, I apologize for being so incredibly lacking on updates for the week. In my defense, it's been crazy. The Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon was this weekend (more on that later),...

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Sunday From Old Bell

AM: 58 mins. (8 miles)PM: 20 mins. poolFor the first time in what seems like forever, I met up with the rest of the team for a Sunday run at McAlpine. I covered most of these miles with Jess, Jenna and Tanya, keeping the pace relaxed but upbeat. The first few miles were painfully cold and windy, but once the sun crested the trees the conditions grew much more bearable and I actually began to enjoy the run.I have to admit, however, that this whole lower leg/soleus thing is still not completely gone. I wouldn't say that it's painful, but I do experience...

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Girls' Morning Out

AM: 49 mins. (6.5-7 miles)PM: Fried picklesAfter laying off for several days, I was eager to get out and run this morning...until I woke up and discovered that it was 40 degrees and raining. Yuck. Fortunately/unfortunately, last night when Tanya and Jenna were over we'd made plans to rendezvous at my place at 7:30am for a jaunt. (In hindsight we should've just had a slumber party. Perhaps next time).Once we finally got out the door, the run was fantastic. My legs felt light and bouncy, and though my left soleus area was a tad bit tight it was much...

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Gym Rat

Friday, 12/4AM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 5x1 min. on, 1 min. off; 5x2 mins. on, 1 min. off; 3x30 sec. sprintsPM: 30 mins. yogaThursday, 12/3AM: same as aboveWednesday, 12/2AM: 45 mins. ellip.PM: 30 mins. yogaTuesday, 12/1AM: 50 mins. ellip. incl. 6x3 mins. on, 2 mins. offPM: 30 mins. ellip.Monday, 11/30AM: 42 mins. (5.5 miles)PM: Chiro45 mins. ellip.Well, as you can see, I decided to take a few days off from running. My left lower leg (soleus?) still isn't feeling 100%, and it just seems silly to run through something in the beginning of December...

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Week in Review

25 miles3 hours 45 mins. yoga7 days in Ohio2 rental cars1 fried turkeyWell, all things considered, this was a successful week. It's hard to expect much considering all the travel, sickness, post-race fatigue and family gatherings that took place. Ohio was good times, Jordan's near-death experience notwithstanding, and it was great to relax and spend time with Jordan's family. I return to Charlotte with several weeks of final papers and projects ahead of me, so now seems like a good time to focus on resting my body and healing up this nagging lower...

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Wrapping Up the Weekend

Sunday, 11/29AM: 15 mins. ping-pong35 mins. (4.5-5 miles)30 mins. yogaSaturday, 11/2844 mins. (6 miles)30-45 mins. ping-pongOnce it was affirmed that all members of our party were alive and well, the remainder of our time in Mason was passed with leisurely relaxation. We spent copious amounts of time lounging on the couch, watching football, eating leftover pie and celebrating Madison's 9th birthday. I finally managed to drag Jordan out for a run...

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Afternoon Yoga

90 mins. P90X yogaThere was no shopping and no running for this girl on Black Friday. My leg was bothering me a bit and I just felt like taking it easy...until I got bored midway through the afternoon. My solution was popping in the yoga DVD and watching it on the giant projection screen downstairs. Like I said before, the first 30 minutes moved a bit more slowly than I would like, but by now I'm familiar enough with the format that I can sort of ad lib my own killer moves when it gets stuck in a lull. This also provided entertainment for the various...

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Mini-Jordan Hits the Streets

Part 1: 24 mins. (~2-2.5 miles)Part 2: 30 mins. (4 miles)Total: 6-6.5 milesThanksgiving morning dawned cold and crisp in Mason, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit sad about missing out on the downtown race festivities. However, Jordan's survival was slightly more important, and I was immensely relieved to see that his temperature had dropped back down to normal levels over the course of the night. Still, he was in no condition to run and I wanted to put in a few miles, so the next best course of action was to enlist a (miniature) replacement....

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Too Sick For Thanksgiving?!?!

AM: 60 mins. yogaMy leg wasn't feeling that great today, but the reason I skipped the run was because I am positively, definitely sick. I'm afraid Jordan has incurred the worst of it, however, and we're almost 100% sure he has the swine flu. He spent literally all day in bed, refusing to participate in life's basic activities such as bathing and eating. Definitely not a good sign. I'm a bit apprehensive that I'll feel the same tomorrow as he feels today, which would pretty much be a catastrophic way to spend Thanksgiving. Needless to say, our plans...

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Back in Mason

AM: 4-4.5 milesPM: 45 mins. P90X yogaFor our first morning in Ohio, Jordan and I decided to enjoy an easy run through the neighborhood park. Unfortunately my left leg was hurting and Jordan yelled at me for being slow so it didn't end up being as much fun as we'd envisioned. Nonetheless, I was glad to get outside and shake the legs out after the previous day's travel.In the afternoon, I popped the P90X yoga DVD into the living room TV and went to work. The DVD came courtesy of Jilane, who slipped it into a care package of clothes I left in DC last...

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Update Soon

Yeah yeah, I know I need to update. It's been a crazy weekend and I just haven't had time. But today will be the day, my friends! I will get things caught up AS...

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Big Kids' Nationals

~3-4 milesLots of running aroundOur long day started bright and early with an 8am departure from Jennifer's house. We'd almost made a disastrous error in planning, forgetting that Terre Haute was in Eastern time instead of Central, and had we not realized this late Sunday night we would've ended up leaving too late to catch the D1 meet. Instead, we made it with just minutes to spare before the start of the men's race at noon.From the gun, we were sprinting around the course as fast as we could, weaving around people and dodging potholes in the...

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Angel Mounds Recovery

40 mins.5 milesI woke up this morning surprisingly un-sore. (That would change later, but I made sure to appreciate it for a limited time.) Coach Simmons had offered to drive everyone who was so inclined for a run (and a few people who weren't, but that's a different story for a different day). He'd tried to scope out a place ahead of time and found something that sounded promising: Angel Mounds, a park/levee system that was supposedly near our hotel. After a 15-minute drive we had reached the desired destination, and it did indeed look promising....

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NCAA DII National Championships

Early AM: 5 min. shakeoutNoon: 2.5 mile w/u + strides6k race in 22:57~1.5 mile c/dTotal: 8-8.5 milesMy littlest fan, my cousin Jennifer's daughter Jade. They live in Evansvilleand came out to watch me run.It's hard to believe that today is actually the National meet. Even harder to believe that I actually have the opportunity to run it, what with everything I've gone through this season. It hasn't been easy, but dammit, I'm here.The girls loaded...

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Nationals Course Preview

AM: 3 miles15 mins. corePM: 4-5 miles + stridesOkay I know this entry should be longer, but as you already know I'm behind on posts and have a lot to catch up on the next few days. So allow me instead to just share a few brief takeaways before moving on to tomorrow's big race:1. This was my first double since pre-injury. Granted, the two runs together add up to no more than a marginally respectable single, but don't think for a second I'm not counting it.2. The. Course. Is. HARD. There are several hills, but one in particular that is just as steep...

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Are We There Yet?

Thursday, 11/19AM: 5.5 miles2x20 water pump extensions=80PM: TravelWednesday, 11/18AM: 6.5 miles2x20 water pump extensions=80PM: 30 mins. ellip.The countdown to Nationals is growing shorter and shorter, and by Thursday afternoon we were on our way to Indiana. The trip included a flight to Atlanta, a 3-hour layover, an hour-long flight to Evansville, and a 30 minute drive to our hotel. All in all it was close to a 12-hour adventure, considering we left school at 2:30pm and didn't make it to our hotel until 11:30 Central. Needless to say, we were...

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McAlpine Mile Repeats

AM: 30 mins. ellip.15 mins. corePM: ~3.5 mile w/u + strides3x mile w/full recovery (6:02, 5:55, 5:55)~1.5 mile c/dTotal: 8 milesChiroThough I wanted to join the team for their pre-race workout, I had to get this taken care of in time to make it to Greenapple by 5:30. So I set off for the main parking lot by myself just after 3pm to get 'er done. The workout on tap was a modification on the girls' pre-race workout, adding a few more miles but keeping the rest the same. Though Simmons suggested I take 5+ minutes of rest, I figured 3-3:30 would be...

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Busy Monday

AM: 4 milesPM: 45 mins. ellip.I took today nice and easy as recovery from last week's crazy mileage. Plus, I had to take Jordan to the airport rather early (didn't he just get back here??) so four miles was all I had time for.Three days until we leave for Nationa...

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Week in Review

45 miles2 hours 30 mins. ellip.55 mins. pool1 day off6 days til NationalsOnward and upward this week. Despite running 6 days instead of last week's 7, I still managed to log a few more miles. More importantly, three of these days were quality workout or long run efforts, which is what I need to nudge me back into respectable shape. I'm not expecting any miracles come Saturday, but it sure would be nice to finish the race feeling like I'd accomplished something despite this season's setbac...

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The Miles Just Keep On Coming

AM: 9 miles2x20 water pump extensions=80PM: 30 mins. poolThat's right, people, you read it correctly. Guess who has two thumbs and just ran NINE miles today??>>>this guy<<<So anyhow, Jordan and I met the Queens team at Old Bell for their last long-ish run before Nationals next week. (Incidentally, let me pause at this moment to acknowledge that Jordan got a job while he was in Austin this week. Though video game manufacturers around the country are no doubt cursing this development, I'm pretty darn excited. Especially since I...

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If It's Not One Thing, It's Something Else

AM: 2+ mile w/u + strides~3 miles uptempo2 mile c/d2x20 water pump extensions=80Total: 7 milesI had to get this workout taken care of before work this morning, and fortunately Jenna was game for accompanying me to McAlpine before the team's scheduled morning practice. (She would then turn around and drive the team back out there as soon as she and I got back--what a trooper.) The air was crisp and cool and the sun was shining brightly, which made for the first truly beautiful morning we've had around here in quite some time. I'll take it.The goal...

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Jogging With Jenna

AM: 15 mins. core7 miles2x20 water pump extensions=80PM: 25 mins. ellip.With the day off from work and only a small amount of homework on the docket, I was looking forward to a relaxing Friday. Meeting Jenna for an easy run seemed like the best way to start it off, so we headed out to McAlpine just after 8 to get our wog on. Though still sore, I felt markedly better than yesterday, so hopefully I didn't hold her back too much with my pedestrian pace. The air was still damp and windy but we actually detected a few rays of sunshine for the first...

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Waterworld

AM: 6-6.5 milesPM: Chiro25 mins. poolWell. I'm in a world of hurt today. My calves, my adductors, my quads, even my abs for heaven's sake--all of these areas and more are sufficiently rocked from yesterday's workout. I suppose I had it coming. As a result, I decided to ditch the watch this morning and embark on 6 of the slowest miles Freedom Park has ever seen. I simply didn't want to feel pressured to run faster than my feeble body would allow....

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12x400? Really??

AM: 30 mins. ellip.PM: 2.5 mile w/u + strides12x4002 mile c/dTotal: 7.5 milesOh, workout, how do I loathe thee? Let me count the ways. For starters, it's hard to get motivated to rip off some hard intervals when it's been pouring rain and gusting 30 mph winds for the past 36 hours. Damn you, Hurricane Ida! Throughout the day as I stared dubiously at the tropical storm-esque conditions outside, I maintained hope that Coach Simmons would come to his senses and postpone the workout until tomorrow. I was wrong.Come 4:20pm (thanks for being late, Edgar),...

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Taking a Break

AM: 45 mins. ellip.PM: 20 mins. ellip.15 mins. core2x20 water pump extensions=80After 9 (!!!) consecutive days of running, I decided to make an executive decision and take the day off. I've got a 400 workout on tap for tomorrow and I want to be as recovered as possible before I destroy myself again. The good news is the hip is still being cooperative and seems to be gaining strength every day. Things are most certainly looking ...

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Jordan is an Idiot

AM: 30 mins. ellip.PM: 55 mins. (7.5 miles)2x20 water pump extensions=80Wow. My legs were absolutely, positively trashed on today's run. I can only assume this is some cruel punishment for attempting to run somewhat fast on Saturday. Despite the gorgeous weather and scintillating compay from Jordan and Jenna, I found myself completely unable to fall into a rhythm despite my best efforts. The last few miles I was all the way in the hurt tank, to the point where despite my compulsive tendencies I was uninterested in tacking on a few minutes at the...

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Week in Review

41 miles2 hours 50 mins. ellip.20 mins. pool2 teams bound for Nationals5 AFDsAlmost a real runner aga...

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Enjoying the Sunshine

AM: 6.5 miles2x20 water pump extensions=8020 mins. poolI slept amazingly last night and woke up eager to see how my body felt after yesterday's shenanigans. To my surprise, the hip felt fine and the rest of me only exhibited a little bit of soreness. With the green light from Simmons to attempt an easy run, I hit Tanya up to meet me and Jordan at McAlpine.By the time we all arrived it was late morning and the park was packed. For good reason too, as the weather was absolutely spectacular. The three of us set off from Old Bell together, each with...

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Southeast Regional Championships

Early AM: 1/2 mile shakeoutAM: 2.5 mile w/u + strides6k race1+ mile c/dTotal: 8 milesThe morning of my first and possibly last XC meet started bright and early--literally. It started early because the entire team woke up for a 7:15 am shakeout prior to getting the day started. This consisted of me waking up just in time to throw on a pair of shoes and walk out the door. I was immediately greeted by the 31-degree chill that permeated the air, and...

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