February 10, 11

Friday - February 10th, 2006 --- Monte Gordo PORTUGAL TRAINING CAMP DAY 3

Training: AM: 4 times 2,000 meters with 4 minute standing recovery in between
avg. splits: 7:05, 6:53, 6:53, 6:59
5 times 200 meters, with 200 meter jog recovery at 34-35 pace for turnover
PM: 50 mins easy

Day mileage: 4k warm up, 2.5 miles --- 9k workout, 5.6 miles workout --- 2k cool down, 1.2 miles cool down
PM: about 9k, 5.6 miles
TOTAL:24km, 15 miles

Week Mileage accumulated: 56km since Wed., 35 miles since Wed.

Where: AM: Red dirt/clay trails for 2k loops, then to the gorgeous stadium for 200s
PM: Trails through the woods

Weather: 18 degrees C, 64 degrees F

Quotes: "What is wrong with you, you've never heard this song!!!!!!!!!!!" Me to Astrid after she told me that she's never heard IMAGINE by John Lennon (When we watched the Olympics opening ceremonies)

Training Details: The 2k loop was a perfect workout surface. It wasn't too hard, and not too soft. It had a little bit of everything; hills, sharp turns, nice curves, trees and was just all around a nice course. Asi and I both felt decent. We were impressed that we were able to run the 200s as fast as we did because of the 2000s and because we had head wind for a straightaway.


JOSI
Today's workout went pretty well. I had a hard time with breathing because of all the pollen, but I fought through it anyway. Today was also a good mental workout because after the first 2k, I didn't think I would last through the whole workout. I feel like I've lost some mental toughness because my confidence in myself and running has been running low because of my recent racing disappointments. But with better workouts, my confidence also grows...and in weather like this, good workouts come naturally since we are already strong. The all around attitude here is also very good for our mentality because everyone is so positive and that is really catching to us all. We are tired today and are looking forward to sleep and then getting ready for another workout tomorrow. 400s....ah yes, good old 400s, I have actually come to love them, although I hated them at the beginning of college. I have now come to hate 300s, hahahhahaha! I am a little nervous about 2 workouts in a row, but I think it is more important for our heads!!!


"Asi's" Corner
The workout went well for me, I felt good. I really liked the 2k course where we were running. It had everything. The ground wasn't too hard or too soft. Also, it was hilly and curvy. It was a very good cross country workout. Then the 200 meter sprints went very well and my legs felt really good. I like it to do hard workouts on different surfaces, not only on the track. The track is important in training because it is good training for your head. We can say we finally had a good workout today.


Saturday - February 11th, 2006 --- Monte Gordo PORTUGAL TRAINING CAMP DAY 4

Training: AM: 20 min warm up, 10 times 400 meters with 200 meter jog recovery at 1:05 1:10 pace (Fritz said about 75 seconds rest)
PM: 30 mins shake out run, 20 mins exercise

Day mileage: AM: warm up and cool down was 5.5km, workout with recovery 5.8km = about 11 miles
PM: 6km about 4 miles
TOTAL: 17KM, 11 MILES

Week Mileage accumulated: 73km since Weds, 46 miles since Wednesday

Where: am on the track, pm on trails

Weather: 66 degrees, ridiculously warm

Quotes: "What doesn't injure us only makes us stronger." Josi who equated death with an injury.hahahahahah

Training Details:
AM: Pace for the 400s were to be easy since we just had a hard workout yesterday. we ran them anywhere between 75-79. We were pretty dead from yesterday's workout so it was a struggle, but we made it through all 10 of them, which was more important for our heads.
PM: easy jog so we could get some good stretching in.


JOSI-Pushing Through...
My workout went pretty well today. Not necesssarily because of the times I ran, but because of my mentality. It was really a struggle to get through today because of yesterday's workout, but I kept my head on straight. Warm up was even a struggle, but I just forced myself to stay positive and made myself believe that I could get through it today. Sometimes we have to know where the line is between giving up and being stupid by continuing the workout...What I mean by that is knowing when you are mentally wussing out, or if physically, you just shouldn't continue on with the workout because of too much physical stress. I feel like that is for a coach to tell you whether you should keep going or stop because he or she can see if you are just physically exausted and that continuing the workout would only dig the hole you are in deeper, or if you are more struggling with your mentality. I remember in college I was running a 10 by 1000m workout and after the 8th one, I looked up at coach Geiger and Laurie and was like praying he or she would tell me to stop.....then my 60 second rest was up and both didn't say anything, so I just continued on and ended up hitting the times I was supposed to. They could see that I COULD still do it, I just didn't really feel like it. It's those times where I am so thankful that I had such awesome coaches (both HS and college), showing me that my limits were a lot farther away than I thought they were. As runners, we should not determine or even think about what our limits are, because what we think we can do is so far off what we can actually do!!! Our bodies can really handle a lot more than our heads think we can and no matter how many times I prove this to myself or a workout proves it to me, I still try to determine what my limits are...Like on Friday when I thought I could only do 3 of those 2ks, but then ran the last one just as fast as the others.

"Asi's" Corner
Oh man, another hard workout today. After a crappy night of sleep because of the moon, I didn't feel as good as yesterday. I had a headache, my nose was a bit stuffy, and I had a sore throat. I was afraid I was getting sick. But, after breakfast, my throat felt better and I was looking forward to the hard workout. Warm up felt okay. I was happy that Josi pushed me along today because it seemed that she felt better than I did. I got through it and that was important for me. It was really a hard workout for head. It was so hot today and that made the workout a bit easier to get through. I am happy to run in shorts and a top! It is really cool here. I am looking forward to the next workouts with Josi-Bosi! It is good that we can push each other in workouts.

NEXT: February 12, 13 – Coach, I hear you...

PREVIOUS: February 9 – Giving Josi a microphone is like... well, find out for yourself...

INDEX: Unfinished Business -- Former PA XC state champion Josi Lauber's post-collegiate adventure – PART TWO, JAN 1, 2006...