C Mantz Run

First, yet weird, day of summer xc. I just don't feel like a senior, and a bunch of people were gone. A ton of things have changed over the last few years, and I'm not crazy about change, but I'll get used to it. We had a good amount of lowerclassmen, though, which was awesome. Ethan chose the route, cedaridge. We all began walking in a pack towards the course, but nobody was running, lol. I started and everybody followed, haha. It was just different. When we started, I tried to catch the lead group of boys who had sprinted out, whom I could usually keep up with. They were going tempo pace, so I pulled back, letting Clara catch me and we ran together. It wasn't supposed to be hard, but idk if everybody knew that. Clara and I were still pushing the pace a bit which was nice. I was hoping to extend, but my stomach and foot were both hurting, so we just did the normal loop to 4. It may be a little long, but we ran for 33:30, so maybe a little under 8:30 minute miles. There was a mixup with where to finish, so a group of us had to run back to the stop sign. I then led core, which was so weird, but nobody else took over. It was pretty fun and I'm so pumped for this season. Hopefully practice will be the way it used to, because today was a weird day. If I can find time, I will run tonight.

After babysitting and dinner, I wasn't really in the mood to run, so I procrastinated by watching a movie with my little bro. Then it got dark, and I was up for a night run. Just 3 miles at 8:25 pace. I went on downstream upper canal which I hadn't been on in over a year. It's a short trail right below where I normally run, but there's no shade as you run through a field. There was half of a dead water snake which I stopped to look at, lol. The trail then goes behind people's houses and I feel creepy running in people's backyards at night. It was still a blast. Hopefully I can do more similar night runs this summer.

Felt sick early in the morning, but by 10, I was up for a run. I then got distracted by looking at family pics and I found some of Conner's "unseen" sub-4 downhill mile footage, haha. Finally got going before 11. 6 miles up the canyon. It got really hot towards the end. The last uphill mile was death, but I ran through a sprinkler which was great. 8:04 average pace. I was hoping for sub-8, but it seems to take more effort now that the season's over, and that last mile was an 8:50. I was hoping to get some tempo in, but Coach recommended not pushing anything until my foot is 100%. It did hurt a little, but I think it's improving. Really fun run, though.

Really fun day at practice. We went up the canyon which was way nice. Clara and I ran together the whole time. We both thought six was a good amount for today, and on the last mile, a group of guys caught us. On our way down we sped up a bit, but it was way nice to run with people. Our average pace was 7:54.

Another nice run up the canyon. I had to wait for my watch to charge for about 45 minutes, then it took 15 to link, haha. It was a really pretty morning. Went up to the 7 mile turn-around, then cut through birch. Slowed down my average pace, but the trail was worth it. Had to do some extra to round out the half-mileage. 8:06 average pace. I may or may not run tonight.

Yet another run up smithfield canyon. For practice we did sunnyside. Me and Clara stuck together the whole time. It was pretty fun. We started with the guys, but they sped up and I wasn't up for anything too fast. Coach Womack wanted us to go for atleast an hour. Only 4 of us ended up doing that, haha. We extended up the canyon and were both tired, so we didn't speed up much when we turned around. 8:15 average pace.

Wish I coulda gone to the CBC, but I had the act and needed sleep. I was dreading the fact that I'd have to run in the afternoon heat, but it was pouring rain and 65 degress! Today I was up for an adventure run, and it was. Went up Birch. The clay was pretty slick past the first gate, but running was possible. I was hoping to turn onto the trail right before the second gate, but couldn't find it, lol. I attempted to find it by crossing the river (soaking my shoes). Then I tried to just keep going up instead. Because of construction, the clay was too slick and my shoes gained some significant weight. Turned around. Found out the trail was a ways before the gate, I had missed it. Went up the trail which is so pretty, expecially in the rain. When I got to the fields, I followed to another trailhead I didn't know about. It was pretty overgrown, narrow, and slippery. I don't know where it goes to, but I'm down to try hiking it sometime (when it's not rainy and I'm not alone). Went back the way I came to get mileage. Coming down I sped up but soon became covered in mud. It was definitely a fun run. Continued on hillside when I got to the road to get in one more mile to round out to 40. My average pace on the trails was slow, but I was going 7:20 on the road, so it got down to a 9:23. One thing is my foot didn't hurt! Maybe I will be able to do tempo next week.