Melody on the Lam

New Blog to read

2010-07-15T11:11:00.004-04:00

Hey everyone! Here is the link to the upcoming blog about Mt.Blue XC by Addie Cullenberg and Mali Obomsawin. Everyone should read it. Okay!

BLOG

Maine Class A State Championship 2010

2010-06-07T19:42:00.009-04:00

Our 4x8 relay team regained Gwen Beacham, where we didn't have her at KVAC's because she was sick. We knew that with Gwen we could potentially cut our time by 10 seconds, but we ended up cutting off almost 30! We were seeded to get 8th place ove

rall.

First leg was Gwen Beacham, who led for a lot of the race giving us a really nice starting position to the relay. She ran about 2:30. She handed off to Louisa Stancioff who split a 2:36 and then passed off to Addie.

Addie split 2:29 and when she handed off to me I think we were in second, but Hannah Pierce of Massabesic was really close to me in the hand off and I knew she was going to sprint passed me, and she did. She stuck in front of me for most of the race, and I just kept telling myself to stay right behind her so when it came to the kick I would have something left to go with. Coming around the 3rd corner she started to look behind her and I still wasn't sure if I'd be able to speed up for the last 200m. When we came around the last corner I just got this burst of energy and I knew that if I wanted 2nd place then I'd have to have a good kick. I passed her then, and tried to open up a gap. I ended up splitting 2:25 which was my goal! It's also my best 800 time ever.

After I finished they came over to me and Addie told me about breaking our school record!! The school record was 10:01.69... we ran 10:01.25!! It was from 2001. I'm so excited about it!! I never thought we would do that! It was just a great race and we all pushed ourselves so hard, and I'm so happy!

After this I had the mile. I was seeded 2nd in the slow heat. I hadn't run the mile much this season and my previous run time was 5:40 so that's what I was ranked with. I've never liked the mile, but my coach put me in it because I had to leave the meet early to go to Massachusetts, and these were the events that I had time to do.

I didn't know how the race would go where the fastest seed was 5:38. I really wish that Meaghan and I could have been in the fast heat. I think that if you meet the automatic standard for the state meet then you deserve to be in the faster heat, especially where the heats were divided up in weird amounts. This also happened in boys' races. My coach tried to get it changed for everyone, but nothing was done about it.

We had so much trouble with the start. First people kept jogging up to the line before it was time, then we were on the line ready to go, and his gun didn't work. So finally we got it all set and the race took off. I think I started out in 4th or 5th, and I really didn't know how to run the race. I wanted to kind of keep a steady pace but every so often, girls would sprint past me to move up, and I didn't want to do that! Coming into the last lap Michelle took the lead, and I didn't know what I had left for the finish. I tried to stick where I was and again wait until the 200 to go mark to see what I had left. When we turned the corner I just tried to sprint in, and Meaghan passed me to take 2nd. I was neck in neck with a Mt.Ararat girl but passed her at the very last second, to get 3rd in the slow heat with 5:34, which placed me 9th overall I believe.

I left immediately after that, and sat in a car for a few hours which really hurt my legs. The next day I called my coach to talk to her about how the rest of the meet went, and she told me that no school in class B ran faster in the 4x8 than we did... which means we are the 2nd team in the state overall!

In accordance, we qualified for New Englands. As soon as she told me that I was excited but a little uneasy. New Englands is the same day as our graduation. I didn't say anything the first time I called, but I called her back later to ask when the deadline was, because I was considering missing graduation to go to NE's. I told her I'd think about it some more and call her back within an hour or so. I thought about it a lot. I considered this worst case scenario: we make the trip to CT, and I miss my graduation.. we all run our worst times, and place dead last, hypothetically resulting in me feeling like I should have gone to graduation.

Then I realized that even if we did badly, I would still want to be there. I've never qualified for NE's in outdoor track, and we just set the SCHOOL RECORD!! On top of that I love traveling, and hotels! I realized that I am going to be happier in CT, running and watching the sport I love. I just feel like I belong there with my team and my coach, giving us another chance to run faster and the opportunity to race at NE's. I'm sad about missing graduation, but when I think about what graduation means to me, it's not the event that matters. I might miss graduation, but I'm still going to celebrate with my friends and I'm still going to get my diploma! I just won't be sitting there that day, that's all. Kelton is also going to NE's, so we are definitely going to celebrate somehow while we're in CT.

So our 4x8 team will be in CT this weekend - me, Addie, Gwen, and Louisa. I'll hope for the best, but even if we don't have the best, it will still be.....THE BEST!

Congrats everyone who is advancing to NE's this Saturday!

KVAC's 2010

2010-05-29T21:20:00.007-04:00

What a long day! I woke up at 5:07 and was at the high school by 6:15 to leave. Everyone ended up falling asleep on the bus and it's never been so quiet! I was laying down with my legs off the seat and I have never gotten such a great nap while on a bus. I did not want to wake up!
We had a slight change of plans when we found out that Gwen Beacham was sick. We didn't think she was coming at all, but she did! We switched her out of the 4x8 so she could just run her open events where she wasn't feeling well. We put Eliza Richard in her place, and she ended up doing really well running a new best time. I think that we all did well in the 4x8 actually - and we ran around 10:29, which is our best time this year I believe, which is great because we didn't even have Gwen. I split 2:27 which I was happy with. It felt a lot slower because going into it I was so sleepy and out of it. We placed third which was nice because we were seeded 4th.
Gwen(above) ended up running the mile, ranked 6th with Addie ranked 7th. It was such an amazing race. Even though Gwen is sick she still ran a new best of 5:31 and place 2nd!! Addie ran 5:45ish and later ended up having a great race in the 800 running 2:32 to place 5th!
It was really cool to see the guys mile with Will breaking the record and Kelton coming in second. I always feel like anything can happen when they all race each other, but today was a good day. Will ran 4:14 I believe, and Kelton ran 4:16.

When the hurdles finally came around, I was getting really nervous. I knew that today was my last day running them, and therefore my last chance to break our school record. Now I'm still not sure if I broke the record, because we forgot to write down what it was. Unfortunately, I think that it's something like 48.2, and I ran 48.6. My first time breaking 49!!!! Allison ended up winning class B in a new record of 44.x !! It was so insane.

I'm so happy about that, but after I finished I just wanted to cry because I can't even explain how many things went wrong in the race. To sum it up, I basically messed up every hurdle with my footing and form, and had to sprint for my life in between to make sure I was still on pace. I can only go over the hurdles (correctly) with my left leg, even though I'm supposed to be able to go over with both. So I ended up going over one of the hurdles with my right leg, and it was disastrous. I thought I was going to face plant... that, and I jumped a couple extra feet in the air to clear whatever large wall I thought I was trying to get over.

So I've got mixed feelings about that. I placed 2nd which I didn't know until they called podium. I guess I'm just really frustrated because I wanted my last hurdles race to be something good to remember, and even though the time is good for me, I just keep thinking about how badly the actual race went.

My next event was the two mile, which ..I don't even know what to say about it. I was feeling bad by time this came around. A couple minutes before the start of the race I realized I had to pee really, really badly. It wasn't a nervous-pee-feeling, I really just had to go. At the start of the race, I was in last for a bit. I didn't know what to do - I felt like I was going to pee myself, and I'm not really okay with doing that in front of tons of people! I had a slow start, and eventually I started passing people on the corners when I could. I was seeded 6th, and I got 6th with a less than satisfactory 12:20. Coach and I had talked about me aiming for sub 12. It just didn't happen. As soon as I finished I ran to the bathroom and peed for a long time. So my last 2 mile of my high school running career - not so hot. I'm not upset. I am happy though, that I did not pee myself.

The 4x4 usually comes shortly after the two mile, but since there were so many races we had awhile before it started. I thought I would like having time between but it ended up being worse. Even though it feels like it sucks running a 400 right after a two mile, it always works for me because my legs are still in 'go' mode and I'm just ready to sprint and be done. I don't have time to think about it, I just have to go. This time was harder, and I had too much time to think about the race. I don't know what my split was, but I am certain it was not my best. We placed 5th, and ran about 4:29 I believe.

All in all the meet was kind of long and dragged on. I definitely should have gotten more sleep last night. I'm still pretty happy about going under 49 in the hurdles, and I wish I could do them at states. Speaking of states; I will be doing the 4x8 and the mile. After that I will be heading to Massachusetts.

Congrats everyone on a great day - and for new records and PRs!

Meet @ Leavitt 5/21 =)

2010-05-24T08:25:00.005-04:00

Addie thought I should put in here somewhere that on the way to the meet, we were being one with the bus. So you know, just moving with the bus, not stopping ourselves from hitting our heads on the seat, falling over, the whole sha-bang. I wonder if shabang is actually a word. I'll use it anyway. SHABANG.

This was a great meet in a lot of ways. Our team was really strong in most events. I did the 4x8, 300 hurdles, 2mile and 4x4.

Our 4x8 was sweet! We cut our total time down from a 10:50 something to 10:30 something. I don't even know how that happened, but it was nice. I was last leg after Gwen, Louisa, and Addie and I ran a 2:33 which is my best 800 this year so far, so that was nice. We won the event with a pretty solid lead and it really set a good positive note for the day.
Gwen and Addie ran the mile pretty alone, and mostly stride for stride! Gwen finished a couple seconds ahead of Addie and it was a really great race.

The hurdles made me pretty nervous. I've been trying to break our school record all season, and I got really psyched up for it on Friday. To break the record I'd have to run a pretty low 48, which to the best hurdlers in the state is a bad day. Maybe I can borrow Allison Fereshetian's 45.xx that she ran at the meet. I don't know if I should insert 'lol' or a little 'haha,' but you get the idea. She had an amazing race! I ended up running 49.03 which is a lifetime best for me! My previous best was 49.3x. It seems like such an insignificant difference, but to me it means a lot to me. Up ahead Ally was owning me by four seconds (again, lol) but I was really just doing my own thing, and my hurdles have never been as smooth as they were at this meet! Usually I start out so nervous that I stutter step and pony hop the first few, or the corner hurdles but I only had maybe one that got messed up. Again, most hurdlers have their form aced and they look so cool when they just glide over them really quickly.. but that hasn't happened for me (yet)! My form has improved by maybe 1% since last year, but... I'm working on it! So, new lifetime best - and I owe a lot of that to Ally. If she wasn't there I wouldn't have tried as hard.

Next came the lovely two mile. WOOOOOOOO! I'm just kidding, I hate this event more than I hate milk. It's alright though because.. well no never mind it's not alright MY GOSH THIS EVENT SUCKS!!!!!!! I have one more run of it though - KVAC's. Me and two of my teammates were seeded 1-2-3. I was seeded with 12:19 and then Abby Lochala and Emily Reed (our lovely racewalkers!) were 2 and 3. I didn't know how I was going to get through it mentally because for one thing it's usually hard to get through it anyway! Then there was no one for me to run with. I didn't know how I was going to get myself to go faster if there was no one there for me to catch. I figured I would settle into the slowest pace I could.

I went through the mile in 5:58, and after that first mile I was ready to fall over like I do after every 4x4. That grass was looking pretty comfortable to me! I just kept considering ways I could break my ankle or smash my face off the track. I know it's only two miles, and I know I'm not out there running any Abbey Leonardi pace, but it doesn't matter what pace you're running - it hurts! Somehow I ran faster at this meet, completely alone, than I did at our last meet where I had Morgan Beede to catch. I ended up running 12:14, which isn't my best, and I'm confident that I could run much faster, but I just don't, I can't! Cross country is different.. it's FUN! Track is track. I can't explain why I'm better at cross country other than saying that cross country is adventurous, track is not.

I was anchor of our 4x4 as always! We ended up winning, but I don't remember what our time was. I split my best time this season in 1:03! I was so happy because I was so dead after the two mile. I was so glad when the meet was over!! It's such a good feeling.

I did one of my cool downs in the woods on the cross country course, and I got really sad thinking about how high school cross country is over, and how track is about to be over. I have one more full track meet left - KVAC's. I'm only going to be running two events at states if that.. I have to leave early. I'm ashamed to say why, but I guess I'll just say I have one last big thing planned with my senior friends, that I've already paid a non refundable $155 for (had I not already paid it might be different, but I'm a cheap skate. I'm going to be leaving for MA early on in the day. I know how stupid it makes me seem, but for me the big thing about it is that it's track, not cross. If it were cross I wouldn't even think of doing it.

Oh, prom was on Saturday! It was really fun. My legs are dead from dancing like a crazy person on crack. It was a really nice last prom.

I need to break the hurdles record at KVAC's. See you there!

Meet @ Skowhegan 5/13!

2010-05-13T22:08:00.006-04:00

I'M HAPPY!!

Today was such a nice day! Beautiful, beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I did the 4x8, 300H, 3200, and 4x4. Our 4x8 was a good team: Gwen Beacham, Louisa Stancioff, Addie, and me. We were trying to shed some time and I think we shaved a lot from last meet.. over 10 seconds. YAYY!!
After that we painted our legs with some car-window paint that I had in my bag, you know.. to gain some extra speed and luck and all that. I feel like I'm such a fool for superstition that it may have actually helped me mentally somehow. I like weird random team things like this.

Then I had some time until the hurdles and I was getting pumped and ready. We were all very dead after the 4x8 probably because Addie, Gwen and I didn't drink anything all day which was DUMB of us! Lesson learned. I was in the third lane heat one. I've been trying to get under sub 50 before championship meets and today I did 49.5 and placed first which makes me veryyyy happy!!! It's not crazy good but I still get really excited and happy when I go under 50, just because I remember how long it took me last year and how excited I was then. That, and the fact that I'm not really a hurdler.
Kelton ended up winning and getting our school record today in the 800 with 1:58, with Luke Fontaine taking 2nd.

The two mile was deathly.. you know? Just.. ouch.. never ending..etc. It was combined guys and girls which I liked. Girls were started on the higher pole. My goal was to try and stick with Morgan Beede throughout the race. I ended up running right behind her for most of it but she pulled ahead and ended up 10 seconds ahead of me in the finish. She ran 12:09 and I ran 12:19 (unofficially). I'm alright with that time, since my best time from last year was 12:10, and when I did it in indoor I ran 12:40 something. I'm thinking that I like the mile better. I mean don't get me wrong I hate them both a lot, but I'm saying mile over two mile for sure.

Gwen took first in the 800 with a 2:36 I believe. She also won the mile in 5:47 both races being run quite alone.

The 4x4 came super quickly after the two mile. It was like... catch my breath, walk to my stuff and get a drink, 4x4 on the line. I was the anchor, with Gwen, Eliza, and Addie. When Addie handed off to me we were a significant amount behind Cony, but I tried to close the gap as much as I could. I ended up running 1:05.xx which I'm happy with because that's around what I usually run, and because the two mile was very tiring.

Next meet is under the lights!

Meet #3 @ Lewiston 5/4

2010-05-05T09:12:00.007-04:00

Events: 1600, 300H, 200m, 4x4

I wanted to switch it up a little and I opted out of the 4x8 this meet so I could be fresh for the mile. I'm really glad I did because in the past meets, the 4x8 really has tired me out before the mile. Our 4x8 was Addie, Gwen, Ruth Leopold, and Eliza Richard. They ended up in second behind Cony which was really good.

They told us there were two heats for the mile, but then they called us all to the line and said they had combined it. I was seeded third behind Abby Mace and Taylor Burr. The start was polled and we were in the first pole. It wasn't annoying this time and I stuck in third for most of it. I went to try and pass Taylor a couple times but I didn't feel like I had the energy, and Abby didn't pull away until later on in the race. I ended up passing Taylor on maybe the third lap and just tried to stick it out. My goal was 5:40 and that's what I ran, so I'm pleased with that. Abby ran 5:27. Taylor was in third, then Gwen and Addie came in 4th and 5th with 5:54 and 5:59!

The hurdles also went pretty well. Ally Sue didn't run them because she ran the 400 (in 60.xx!). So I was seeded in second behind a girl from Maranacook but I ended up getting first in 50.xx. I think I could have gone sub 50 but as soon as I got onto the stretch I kept looking at the clock.

Next was the 200, which was really strange for me. I've done it once but that was at UTL last year. I was lane 1 in the 5th heat next to Ally Sue. I didn't know what to expect but it ended up being alright. I got 4th place with 29.17 behind Ally Sue and two cony girls. My legs felt so tiny by time I got to the finish. I was just thinking.. what was I doing in that race?!?!? I'm the little person second from the right in the picture.

I was pumped for the 4x4 because it's fun and it means the meet is almost over! Me, Gwen ( pic. left), Addie, and Eliza ran it. I was anchor and got handed the baton in 3rd place. I passed a girl from Leavitt and then a Cony girl was quite a bit ahead so I just tried to stick there. I ended up splitting a 64.xx which made me really happy. I was a sprinter for this meet, minus the mile.

Addie took first in the 800! We were screaming so loud for her and she got into first place with about 90m left. It was really exciting!

Kelton took 2nd in the mile to Luke. The race started with Briar Beede from Cony leading the first couple laps, and no one wanted to push the pace. They were going through the half in nearly 2:30. They finally picked up the pace after someone from Lewiston tried to take the lead. Luke won at the end of the kick.

Abby Mace took the two mile in 11:51 with Morgan Beede taking 2nd in 12:29.

Everyone had a really good day. We were all pretty cheery and optimistic which worked really well for everyone as opposed to how "blah" we were last meet. I have turf toe on my left foot and it's really bothering me. I went hiking with Shelby on Sunday at Tumbledown and I think that might be how I got it. It's from being on your toe or putting too much pressure on it and it makes your tow knuckle(?) hurt. Yesterday didn't help, but right now I'm in physics icing it so hopefully it gets better soon.

I just heard that Abbey Leonardi ran 10:37 in the two mile and I am freaking out. That's CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hiking pics:

Meet #2 @ Maranacook 4/29

2010-04-30T09:11:00.003-04:00

Due to our rescheduling of the Cony meet that was on Monday, we had two meets this week. It was rough for all of us having a meet Monday and then having a meet yesterday as well. But you know... C'est la vie. :)

My events were: 4x8, mile, 800, and 4x4.

(**Gwen Beacham was unable to attend this meet**)
Going into the 4x8 I didn't want to take it as hard as I did last meet, because it took a toll on me when the mile came around. I was anchor again and I think my split was around 2:40, but I really have no idea. We had a lead when I got the baton and ended up in first. Addie was our first leg and she got us on a good pace.

By time the mile came around the wind was out of control. Pole vault was actually canceled because of that. Running my cool down/ warm up I was being blown all over the place. I was seeded third behind Abby Mace and Taylor Burr. There was a double pole start and being in the first pole ended up being difficult for me. When it came time for the second pole to cut in, they were all going so fast that they easily cut in, putting Taylor Burr and I pretty far back in place. We waited until they slowed down a bit to go around them and that was maybe mid second lap, but I didn't get into the third position until nearly the end of the third lap. When we got onto the backstretch the wind was just horrid. I don't really have an ideal body mass to be running in strong winds. It felt like my time was faster than on Monday but it was actually two seconds slower; 5:54 I think.

I was pretty frustrated after that. I know that it's the beginning of the season, but I can't imagine why I felt so terrible after running a 5:54. I wasn't breathing that hard when I finished, but I just felt dead. We did have a meet Monday, but it still doesn't make sense to me. I was just not there.

The 800 took awhile to get started because of some re-runs of the 100m. We had quite a few girls in it. There were two heats of the 800, with 16 in the first heat.. and since I didn't have a seed time I was given number 16. The double poles were 1-10 on the first and 11-16 on the second. I was told I could cut into the line of the third lane (or fourth?) so I knew I would have to do that if I wanted to get into a good position. As soon as the gun went off I took a couple strides and cut in. Coming up to the cone where we could cut in, I saw Abby and there was a small gap between her and the next runner so I wanted to get in there. I slowed down a little because I didn't want to cut in, into first place. I don't know if I could have but I wanted to tuck into second, especially to draft on the backstretch. I stuck with Abby for longer than I thought I would be able to. It seemed like she was saving a lot for the end, because I was dying and she seemed pretty conserved. Going into the second lap I started to lose her when we turned onto the backstretch. She was still somewhat close but she finished three seconds ahead of me. Her time was 2:33, and mine was 2:36.

Addie ended up being put in the second heat (with about 5-6 people) because she had no time. She led the entire race by quite a large margin, and finished with about 2:41. It kind of sucked that she had to run it alone but she still ran a good time despite that.

After the 800 we were all dreading the 4x4. It was a bad day in terms of our optimism. I feel like we got better though as the meet went on. I got pumped for it when it was almost my leg. I was anchor again, and EL had three or four girls' teams running in the race. When I got the baton we were in 5th place behind the EL teams. I wasn't far from the girl ahead of me so I really sprinted to catch her as soon as I could. Ahead of her was another EL girl, and I didn't know if I could catch her, but I came up quick and ended up passing her. Ahead of that girl was another EL girl who kept looking behind her so I felt like I could catch her. Coming around to the finishing stretch I passed her and placed our team second. It felt so good. I was like.... in the zoneeee. My split was around 65 I believe.

Next meet is Tuesday at Lewiston. Good luck everyone!

First meet of the season @ Cony HS

2010-04-27T09:38:00.017-04:00

Hey everyone! Welcome to another season of outdoor. Yesterday was our first meet against Cony, Skowhegan, and Nokomis. The weather was pretty nice for a meet. It was actually really sunny most of the time. I entered into the 4x8, the mile, the 300 hurdles, and the 4x4). I generally dislike the mile but I figure that it didn't really matter because it's just the first meet.

This was Addie's first track meet, since she had been injured in past years. It was so exciting!! She did the mile, the 2mile, and the 4x4. I'm so glad she's running this year!

I was anchor of our 4x8 with the first three legs being Gwen Beacham (at left), Caitlin Douglass, and Lindsey Keenan. Since it was such a small meet I wanted to race it moderately so I'd have something left for the mile, etc. By time I got the baton we had a significant lead but for some reason I went really hard.. well, not REALLY hard.. but harder than I had planned. Gwen split a 2:36 and I split a 2:32 so I was pretty happy with those times. I think come states we'll have a pretty decent 4x8. We are missing Shelby Aseltine this year but we've got Addie now so hopefully that keeps things even.
Gwen and I were dreading the mile because after the 4x8 we felt really dead. My cool down in between consisted of starting to jog around the track, getting about halfway, and walking because I was so tired. The race actually went by a lot faster than I had expected. Addie took the lead right from the beginning and held it for the first couple laps. Behind her was me, Morgan Beede, and Gwen. I stuck right behind her but every time we came around the third corner Addie would pick up the pace a little! That was tough because there was a fairly strong headwind to go against. Going into the third lap I started to try and pass, and Gwen was right next to me with Morgan there too. The last lap was a kick between me and Morgan but I had no idea where she was so I just tried to sprint from the 200 to the finish. The time was a rather slow 5:52, but I'm not too worried about it. Second was Morgan, with Gwen and Addie coming in a very close 3rd and 4th. I don't think I'll be doing it again for awhile, if at all.

After the mile I had to go get a splinter taken out of my heel that I found right before the mile. The trainer had to take a tiny pair of scissors and open the area a little to get it out. It took a little while but she got most of it out and then wrapped it up.

Next I had the 300 hurdles. I was nervous because we hadn't been able to practice them and I thought I was going to fall on my face. That didn't happen, but I did have some pretty weird stepping. When I got to about the 3rd or 4th hurdle my steps were way off, and I had to kind of pony hop over some of them. I came in first with 51.xx (I think) which was pretty disappointing. My PR is 49.3 so I thought I'd be able to kind of start out at a 50 or under. I definitely need to practice them.
Addie (above) ran the 2mile for the first time and I believe she won (it was guys and girls) with a time of 13:05. Then she had to be the third leg of our 4x4. Here's our 4x4 wave for the boys.

First leg was Gwen, then Eliza Richard, then Addie, and me. When it was passed off to me we were about a second behind Cony and I hate it when it's so close!! I was also about to go against a girl who I knew to be a pretty good sprinter. Basically I was just looking forward to finishing and laying on the ground.. it's such a good feeling. I stayed a good distance behind the girl, and we finished pretty close together with her winning. After I finished I layed down and rolled around on the ground while coach Kelley yelled: "GET UP!" So I walked over to her and asked for my split (64.xx) and she said "okay now you guys have a small speed workout.." and I threatened to beat her with the baton that was in my hand. :)

So the first meet - not too shabby! We've got another meet on Thursday I think... at Maranacook maybe. Oh and also I have committed to UMass Amherst, so I will be there next year running as a UMass Minutewoman! I'm very excited. I start training in July for cross country.

Good luck everyone with the start of your track season!

2010 OUTDOOR SCHEDULE

2010-03-15T22:28:00.004-04:00

Apr. 15 @ Cony w/Nakomis & Skowhegan
Apr. 29 @ Maranacook w/E.L & Rockland
May 4 @ Lewiston w/Cony, Mess., and Maranacook
May 13 @ Skowhegan w/Cony & MCI
May 18 WTVL Freshman Invitational
May 18 MTA non-qualifier
May 21 @ Leavitt w/MCI & Nakomis
May 29 KVAC's @ Morse
June 5 STATES

KVAC's

2010-02-07T11:34:00.002-05:00

TRAINING January 31st - February 5th

Saturday - there was a meet but I couldn’t run because I was sick/on meds, I jogged for 20 minutes around the track

Sunday - 20+ minutes super easy

Monday - off

Tuesday - practice at Colby (did half of the workout) 400’s/200’s @ goal 800m pace

Wednesday - off

Thursday - off

Friday - off

Saturday - KVAC’s a bit ago (I’m on the way home now)

I’ve been really sick lately and it hasn’t been too fun. I was on azithromycin (antibiotic) last week for a bacterial infection (sounds gross, but really basically I just had a bad flu) and I wasn’t able to really run at all. I ended up taking the meet off because I wasn’t supposed to be doing anything really. That was kind of a downer, but I still went to the meet and just jogged around for a bit which felt alright.

This morning when I woke up I felt pretty crappy, and my glands have been really swollen since yesterday. I was supposed to do the 800m and the two mile, but after the 800m Coach Stanton (Lawrence) and I figured that it’s not smart to kill myself in a two mile (and run terribly) when I’m sick like this.

The upside of all of this is that I can always seem to at least stick out an 800m. I was seeded 2nd behind Katrina Gelwick of MT.A, then Kyia (Bruns.) was seeded 3rd. Katrina and I were tied at 2:27.88. She did the 400/800 double which is super impressive because she probably had about 10 minutes between those two, and the 400 takes a lot out of you.

Before the race I was so dead. I decided to test out that theory that 1/2 a cup of coffee a half hour to fourty-five minutes before a race is good for you. I just needed energy!! Also I love coffee. So I had some starbucks in hand and sipped away at it. I don’t know if it worked but it didn’t do anything bad.

I didn’t want to run strategically - I guess you could say this was my strategy - but I figured I would be leading, and that’s what I wanted to do. I do best when I just try and get out fast and stick with it. It seemed like anyone in the top 4 could have the win if they ran it right, and that was my best try at running my race right. I went through the 400 in 70, which is usually what I go through, and I could hear everyone telling me where the other runners were.

By the 600m mark I knew that Kyia was right behind me and I could hear her coming. At that point I just wanted to give it my all for the last 200. It’s easier to say you’re going to have a good kick, than to actually have a good kick. I was feeling so dead. My legs were weak and my arms were on fire. That usually tells me I’m on a good pace. With about 50-60m (I think?) to go Kyia passed me and it didn’t really discourage me or anything because we were so close to the finish and I knew I was really going as hard as I physically could have at that point. Kyia crossed in 2:27.xx and then I crossed at 2:28.xx; a little over a second from my best time. Considering everything in general, I am pleased with that. Yeah it would have been nice to win, but I’m happy because I started how I wanted to, and I just ran how I usually run. I’m also happy that Kyia won because she was 2nd last year and she definitely deserved to be #1.

States should be a great day. Coach Kelley (Cullenberg) is coming with Addie to watch which I am super excited for!

Great job today everyone, and good luck at states!

Meet @ Bowdoin on 1/16

2010-01-17T15:16:00.003-05:00

Might want to scroll down and pause/stop the music player

Meet @ Colby on 1/8 Vs. Law.,Win.,M.V.,Mess.,MCI,Rockland, Camden, Skow.

2010-01-09T16:03:00.002-05:00

I just got back from a nice easy (freezing) run and then ate some ice cream! The results from our meet got posted sometime in during that time so now I can blog.

The meet was at Colby which was kind of a bummer for me because I just don't really enjoy running on that track. The good thing was that it was a night meet, which is better for us because we practice at night.

My events were: HJ (decided last minute), 400m, and two mile.

I had nothing to do for the beginning of the meet so I just randomly added on the high jump. A couple girls from Lawrence do it so it was pretty fun. I used to high jump and sprint/hurdle in middle school. I ended up clearing 4-4 which is semi-comical, but I got third which made me happy. I have terrible form in jumping, but it's okay!

There were only about 5 girls in the senior 400, and I ended up being in a heat with two other girls - one I didn't know, and one the other was my friend from Lawrence who won the HJ. We were getting really nervous because we thought that it would be between us for the win, and we had no idea how to pace it. I wasn't sure if my legs were up for that kind of speed. I was in lane 2, and got into first at about 100m into the race. I ended up winning in 65.42 which was my goal, and qualifies me for states (I will not be running it at states).

After the 400m my butt really, really hurt. That happens when I run the 400.. my butt just kills! I warmed up for the two mile and did some drills to try and stretch my butt. I was entered into the race without a time for some reason, and so the first six girls started on the line and I was number 9, so I started in the second row. That made for a slow and difficult start for me. I had to maneuver my way through people and run in the 2nd lane for quite a bit of the race either trying to get around people or hanging on someone's shoulder. I ended up in 2nd behind Meaghan Collier from Messalonskee. She ran 12:29 and I ran 12:33. I was ready to go to bed after that.

Next meet is at Bowdoin with some really solid competition so there should be some pretty quick times coming out of there. Good luck everyone.

KVAC meet @ Bowdoin 12/28 VS. Law., EA, Lew., Mess.,Skow., Mt.V.,

2009-12-30T11:06:00.002-05:00

I dislike morning meets !

Events: (non-scoring) 4x8 / mile

I ran the first leg of our non-scoring 4x8 and was aiming for 2:45ish so I would still have something left for the mile. A freshman - Paige Grady - from Erskine took it out pretty quickly, and behind her was Meaghan Collier, then me. I didn't really feel like pushing myself (since it didn't matter, it was a non-scoring relay just for fun) so I kind of just waited until the last lap to see if they were going to keep pace or if I could just kick for 200m and be fine. Coming into the last lap I felt pretty good so I passed them and ran around 2:37 which is fine with me.

After that I was feeling pretty dead, but I still had the mile and I really wanted to qualify which seemed doable. I led it out and stuck there for the rest of the race. Meaghan and I planned to go together and she ended up just missing the qualifying standard which was too bad, but I'm certain she'll get there next meet if she runs it/wants to. I really hate the mile!

 1 Lam, Melody               SR Mt. Blue             5:40.00    5:42.47   10  
 2 Collier, Meaghan          JR Messalonskee         5:45.00    6:03.30    8  
 3 Luce, Rebecca             SO Messalonskee                    6:19.41    6  
 4 Grady, Paige              FR Erskine              6:00.00    6:20.50    4  
 5 Heald, Sarah              SO Lawrence             6:15.00    6:22.86    2

My college planning is going pretty well. I've heard back from 3/8 schools so far, those 3 being USM, UMO, and UMass!! UMass is tied for my first choice with a couple others so I'm still going to wait until I hear back from: Champlain, Mass. College of Pharmacy and Health Science, Brandeis, Quinnipiac, and Colby. I think either way I'll be happy because USM, UMO and UMass are all schools where I can see myself going, and running. It was really exciting getting my acceptance letters.

Congrats to everyone who's been accepted to their colleges, and good luck at meets!

USATF JO NATS and FIRST INDOOR MEET

2009-12-21T12:11:00.004-05:00

Melissa(Scarborough), Brenda(TA), Erica(TA), Addie(Mt.B), e, Lauren(McAuley)

USATF

Nationals was really intense. I clearly didn't have the race I wanted - running 21:15 - but the experience was definitely worth it. When we ran the course pre-race day it was all loose snow and it felt similar to running in sand, but slightly worse. The officials said they were not allowed to plow it because it was a park, but they could pack it down. So the day of the race, the snow was pretty packed down so that it was runnable. Unfortunately it had been snowing every day, and snowed the day of the races as well. I have never run a race in anything like that in my life! I ended up running with toe warmers in my spikes. During the race when we were running into the snow it covered your eyelashes and it was hard to see. I kept having to wipe mine, and it irritated my contacts which was not fun!

The start of the race was a very long uphill, which none of us were really sure how to tackle. There's the chance that you take it too hard and die (especially with the 5,000ft altitude in Reno) , or take it too slow and not be able to catch up. After Addie's race she told me that I just needed to get out fast because the course did narrow and that would pose a challenge when getting into position. So I listened, and I think I started out in the top 10. Then what I thought might happen, did happen. When I got to the top I was gasping for air, and that feeling is bad period, let alone in the first 600m of a 5,000m race! After that I was pretty much just telling myself to try to finish and not fall. I went throught the two mile unbelievably slowly, and I was just dying the entire time. Lauren Fecteau and I ran pretty close to each other for most of the race, and finished seconds apart. After that we were all so happy that the race was over for us, and we went back to the hotel and got in the hot tub. Melissa ended up placing 18th which makes her an all-american xc runner (top 25) so that was pretty crazy, especially with all of the factors working against you in that race (altitude, temp., snow, etc.).

We stayed awake for the rest of the night until our 4a.m or so flight back to San Francisco. The whole trip was amazing, and even though I didn't race well I'm still really glad I went. It was officially my last H.S XC race which is weird to say, but I think it was a good thing to end with. I got to hang out with some Maine runners that I don't see very often, which was nice. I was just ready to get to indoor track after that.

DECEMBER 18TH @ UMO

I decided to run the 800m and the two mile. My plan is to qualify early in the season for any event that I might end up wanting to do at states. I know I'm in better shape than I was last season at this time because of my prolonged XC training. I've taken days off here and there to make sure I don't tire myself out too soon in this indoor season.

Having the first meet at UMO made me really happy, because despite the amount of athletes that absolutely hate it there, I love it! I guess it's mostly because I don't care about specific pacing (I can't do it anywhere anyway, so the laps there don't mess me up,) and I just really love running on the banked corners.

My 800m was fun. I got really anxious for it and I had no idea what I'd be able to do for the first meet, but I was shooting for around 2:35. I didn't really recognize anyone in the race so I was just wondering if there would be someone new who I'd never seen before that takes it out hard, etc. but when the gun went off I had so much adrenaline that I just went and didn't hear anyone behind me. I love the 800 indoors. I guess maybe I like the small laps and the fact that you can see the crowds all around the track as opposed to outdoor when it's silent on the far away side. The cheering really gets me pumped. I didn't even notice the other runners when I was going. I was focusing every so often on pulling down my shorts that refused to stay down (deja vu). When I crossed the line I was happy because I was really just dead and hurting, so I knew I gave it my all. The Lawrence coach said I ran about 2:28 which is [I think] the best I've run in an open 800 so I'm pretty pleased. I only focus on the 800 in indoor, because outdoor I have different main events.

After that I had the 3200 which I came close to scratching, because I was having trouble breathing after the 800 (because of the air in the field house). My throat was killing me. Most of you know what I'm talking about. It feels like there are shards of glass in your throat or something (if you wanted a description). I ended up talking to the Lawrence Coach who told me to just try and go for the qualifying standard of 13:00. It seemed like I could do at least that, so I just went for it. Meaghan Collier and Brianne Dunn were also in that race, and I had been planning a strategy with Meaghan (we practice together with Lawrence) and we just decided to try to stick together and go for the standard time. They decided to run guys and girls together, which I was happy about. I would try to stick with some guys that I practiced with from Lawrence.

Unfortunately, I didn't go out fast enough and Meaghan was ahead of me by a pretty large margin. It took me maybe 600m to catch her and then we were running together. I was in the 2nd lane, and the coach yelled that I either had to get behind her or ahead of her, and we kind of just looked at each other. I pulled ahead of her and told her to stick with me and she said alright. After that I didn't notice her fall back slightly but I was working on catching this kid named Jesse from Lawrence who was going at a good pace. I finished in 12:43 I think, which is a relief because now I don't have to worry about qualifying in that. Meaghan also qualified with a similar time which is great. I actually had FUN running the 3200m *WOAH*.

I think next meet I'll probably go for the mile, even though it's one of my least favorite events. I guess I'll just see what happens. Hope everyone's first meet/s went well!

WINTER DASH 5K !

2009-11-22T18:36:00.006-05:00

HEY EVERYONE! As you may know, Addie Cullenberg and I are on USATF XC teams this year (she is intermediate, I am young women) and since we qualified for nationals today we will be traveling to Reno, Nevada on Dec. 12th! In order to help fund for our trip(s) we have created a road race here in Farmington on Dec. 5th. It would be amazing if you guys could come and run (or walk!) and we would greatly appreciate it! So here are the details, and we hope you can come!

2009 WINTER DASH 5K
DECEMBER 5TH, 2009
THE WHISTLE STOP TRAIL IN FARMINGTON, ME
this trail is mostly flat, packed down dirt - you can run very fast on it !

REGISTRATION STARTS @ 11:30 THE DAY OF

1 MILE (18 and under = no excuses for not participating!): 12:30pm - $5
5K: 1:00pm - $10
BOTH (woah!): $12

awards/prizes to top finishers
&
snacks and hot beverages after

HOPE YOU CAN MAKE IT !

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO PURCHASE A SHIRT ($8) NEEDS TO CONTACT US WITH AMOUNT AND SIZES BY NOVEMBER 30TH!!!

e-mail: runlikeanasian@hotmail.com
send message w/ subj. : "WINTER DASH 5K"

*remember to include name/quantity/ and size/s*

-Addie/Melody

NEW ENGLANDS!!

2009-11-15T21:51:00.007-05:00

THE MOST AMAZING DAY EVER !!

We woke up at 7:57AM and rolled around for a bit to try and wake up, and then headed down to breakfast at our Holiday Inn. I had some yogurt, and then my team sat around and cheered me on to eat seven bites of mini-wheats! I don't think I'm ever going to have an appetite that soon after waking up, especially not at 8:00 in the morning!

We packed up and then made that video you see down there on my last entry. Then it was off to the course which was about 10 minutes away from our hotel. We had walked it the day before so we didn't have that to worry about. It was mostly just try to stay dry and warm until the race.

By time our race came around it was heavily down-pouring which was absolutely freezing! We were dancing around in box 31 and trying to huddle together for heat, and our spankies weren't helping. The race was turned over to the starter and I didn't hear him but I could see him so I figured I'd better get ready to go. The start was crazy! I didn't go out very fast, and it was hard for me to go faster after that because when you're surrounded by tons of people it's not easy to increase speed too much unless you want to trip on the person in front of you and fall on your face. I just tried to stick with my pace and when we got into the more open areas I'd take the far outside just to try and get around groups of people. I went through the mile in about 6:30, which is very slow for me. I think after that I just started having fun.

I wasn't sure where the two mile marker was but at one point I looked down at my watch and saw 12:45 (where I'd normally be at the 2mile area) and didn't see anything that made it seem like I was even close to the two mile! So I was worried for a little bit, and then I realized that I didn't have a care in the world. I didn't stop trying but I just stopped stressing about beating certain people, running a lifetime best (in that weather!), and anything else. It was the most fun I have ever had in a cross country meet. If my face and muscles weren't so tired I would have been smiling, 'cause I was on the inside.
I had built up some stress about this being my last high school cross country race and everything, but halfway through the race when I actually looked around me and realized where I was placed and how I was doing, I just decided that the best I could do was stick with Rachel Wilkinson and try not to fall! Coming into the last 800m - well... I didn't know we were in the last 800m for a bit - when I realized where we were I started picking it up, and encouraged Rachel to come with me and pass some people. When I first caught a glimpse of the clock it read something along the lines of 20:30 and my first thought was probably something like, "oh ****!" but then I crossed the line and all I could think about was how I achieved my big goal of staying on my feet! Then I saw my coach and I was smiling and laughing and exchanging congrats with everyone, and it was really nice. I didn't care that I got 77th and ran over a minute slower than I wanted to! All that mattered to me really was that I was there - running in Connecticut - with my team. That was our goal. Getting to that point is what we wanted since summer, and after I crossed the line it didn't matter what my time was, or where I finished in the race. I could not have been happier than I was just being there with my girls, seeing them smile as they came through the chute. It was one of those days you wouldn't trade for the world.After the race was through Addie grabbed me and we started running toward a muddy hill, and we were smiling and laughing! We took off our spikes and sprinted down the hill into the watery mess of mud and grass, then stood up laughing with pieces of the ground covering our bodies almost completely (and fixed our spankies that were riding up very badly)! After a little bit other girls started to join in, and we all just kept running and jumping in it, and it was SO MUCH FUN! Even our girls that didn't run, came and jumped in with us! I honestly had one of the best times of my life that day.
Running truly is a one of a kind sport where your "enemies" are your friends, and you can all just jump into a giant mud puddle together regardless of what took place 15 minutes ago. I love the atmosphere so much, and I couldn't ask for a better one than a crowd of hundreds of runners.

I love my team so much and I wouldn't redo anything from this season if I had the chance, because it IS true that "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," and once you succeed and reach your goals you realize that EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!
CONGRATULATIONS TO EMILY FOR THE BIG WIN, AND FOR THE REST OF MAINE FOR REPRESENTING AND SHOWING N.E WHAT WE CAN DO! <3

Love,
Melody

Race morning at the hotel in CT !!

2009-11-14T09:34:00.003-05:00

GOOD LUCK MAINE!!
LOVE, MBXC GIRLS

2009 MAINE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS !

2009-11-07T22:04:00.017-05:00

Kila Kitu Ni Wezekana. Everything is possible. It's hard to believe it because a lot of the time we, as human beings, instinctively believe otherwise. We spend so much time dwelling on our mistakes, and giving into defeat. The ability to get back up after you've fallen is something to be proud of, and that is what my girls did today at States.

(Louisa Stancioff, Gwen Beacham and Addie Cullenberg, Shelby Aseltine, me)

Throughout this season our girls' had several times where we were upset and disappointed because we maybe fell short on one of our goals. Then there are the days like today that make all of those times we go through completely worthwhile. All of our training, our little 'motivational activities', and our sacrifices payed off today. We are the first Mt.Blue girls' cross country team to qualify for New Englands!
We got to the course with plenty of time to spare. During the course walk we ran down the hills and pretended it was a roller coaster. Basically we just tried to keep things fun and non-stressful. We were thinking about NE's but we honestly thought that was a long shot, based on where we were seeded. One of our big goals was to try to beat Mt.Ararat, since we've had an ongoing [friendly!] rivalry with them. Our #4 and #5 - Shelby Aseltine and Louisa Stancioff - seemed ready to go for it and challenge their #4 and #5. We also had our #2 Addie Cullenberg and #3 Gwen Beacham (above) ready to place themselves accordingly. We've developed into more of a pack in our 2-5 which really helps, especially in big meets. I really wanted to place 8th, and I figured that running anything under 20 minutes on Twin Brook would satisfy me.
The start wasn't as quick as I thought it would be. My first mile was a little over 6 minutes, and I was expecting to possibly go out as fast as regionals in the 5:45 range just so I could get positioned. That was kind of something I had to base off my competition. In the first mile I was running mostly with Kate Spies (Mt.A), and Katie McMahon(Bruns.) was ahead by that point I believe. Grace Glynn (Thor.) and Mia Rapolla from Gorham passed Katie Spies and I, and I really surged to try to go with Mia when she passed, but fell short and she lost me going up the hills. I did surge enough to pass Kate though, and tried to stay close to people ahead.

My two mile was around 12:46 I believe, which was right on for my goal of the 19:50's range. After that the last 800 meters came out of nowhere, and I realized where I was and started to pick up the pace a little. Once I came up over the last little hill (going into the downhill and corner) I could see everyone finishing, and there were about four girls that I wasn't far from. I heard Kelton yelling "come on, you're 9th, you can get those girls right now," and I tried to pick it up and ended up kicking near Fiona Hendry of Cheverus, who passed me by a bit in the last 50 meters.After the finish I had pre-planned for one of my teammates to get me out of the chute and just take me out of the area to lay down. I told her that if the officials thought something was wrong with me to just tell them "No, nothing is wrong with her, she just wants to lay down!" So I actually walked all the way through the chute, and she came and got me and said "where do you wanna go, maybe over on that nice fluffy grass?!" and I was like "ahh my gosh yes!" So I did that, and kinda just layed there for a few minutes making weird noises and flaling because it felt so nice to just lay down and close my eyes! I had quite the runner's high, and I was actually laughing and felt pretty well. Then I got up and walked towards the finish and Addie hugged me and the rest of my team met up.After that we were all pretty much holding our breaths to find out if we made NE's. Kelton, Addie and I were running all around watching which Class B teams had girls in what places, checking out the two mile times in comparison to our own, and watching the finish to get a rough estimate. I didn't know that we had gotten third place in class A until a reporter started off the interview with: "So how does it feel to be able to get third in the Class A race?" and I kind of looked at him for a second and I was like.. "wait, we got third?!" So that was a little embarrasing but I was happy! After the class B race we believed that we were unnofficially in the 5th slot for qualifying (based on automatically taking one team from A, B, and C, and getting 3rd to Massabesic). So we were kind of getting excited but didn't want to go crazy because there could have easily been some error, etc.
So we hadn't seen it on paper (or online), until a couple hours ago which showed us as the 4th team overall, with the class C winner and 24th team overall - Waynflete - being automatically taken. So that is REALLY exciting!! I'm really excited for NE's because it's so fun to feel like a team with all of Maine, VS. the rest of NE!

After the meet, we went to T.G.I. Friday's and that was wonderful. Now we're just looking forward to going to Connecticut and getting out of school early on Friday!!

CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE, AND GOOD LUCK TO MAINE RUNNERS AT NEW ENGLANDS ! GO TEAM!

MERGED RESULTS

CLASS A EASTERN MAINE REGIONAL !

2009-11-01T00:51:00.009-04:00

I'M SO HAPPY !!!!!!!!!!!!

After my let-down at KVAC's, I planned on making myself eat breakfast in the morning before regionals. So the night before, I laid out everything I would need in the morning, on my kitchen table. Everything was there... a banana, some granola, a cup, my water bottles, tea, etc. I had everything very planned out. And I wrote a list of things to have in the morning. It went something like: eat a banana, drink some chocolate soy milk, then some orange juice, then a cup of water, and take my "women's one daily" vitamin (those pills are monstrous). I figured that this was generally the reason that I did not succeed at KVAC's, so I wanted to eliminate the risk of failing because I simply was too stupid to eat something for breakfast. So I set my alarm and woke up at 5:47 (because 7 is my lucky number, I always set my alarm for a time ending in 7) and did what I told myself to do, and what I needed to do to feel alright to race.

When we got on the bus it was still quite dark outside, but it was kind of cool. It made it really hard to fully wake up though. I was pretty tired. The ride to Belfast was long and all in all boring. We ended up being the first team there so we would have time to spare before racing, which worked out well. I felt really prepared and I was not rushed while getting ready for the race. That was really important to me. I hate rushing, because rushing makes you stress, and we all know how much that sucks.

We warmed up well, and got over to our box (#5). All of us were in our spankies, so naturally we felt invincible. After calling out all of the teams we were turned over to the starter. He gave the commands, but apparently we were moving too much and he had to start over again.

The gun went off and I don't remember thinking anything really. I normally don't start out in such a sprint, but this race I nearly did. I'm not sure where I took the lead or opened the gap, but I went through the first mile in 5:48 which is absolutely ridiculous for me, seeing as how my best time for a mile on a TRACK is 5:32. Either I took the first mile out too quickly, or I should be running faster in track. I'm gonna go with a little bit of both. My coach probably knew I was freaking out when she said 5:48 so she just kept yelling "just go with it!"

I slowed down after that and came through the two mile in about 12:21 (I believe). I had the lead the whole race but I didn't know where the other runners were behind me. My main competition was Kate Spies of Mt.A and Katie McMahon of Brunswick. They were behind me the whole race and I was pretty nervous most of the time not knowing if they were close behind or about to catch me or close the gap. I ended up coming through the finish in 19:37.72 which ties my lifetime best [from states on the same course last year] to every exact number. I find that really strange. Either way I am still incredibly happy with the day. My team got second place overall [to Mt.Ararat] by FOUR points!! At KVAC's we got second to them by 9 points. That makes me so ridiculously happy because I know that we have improved, and that we still have room for improvement. The great thing is we have more races left to improve in! It's just really exciting seeing progress like that. I'm so proud of all of them. We had four girls in the top 20, with 3 in the top 10 which was really awesome! Our guys' team qualified for states as well which is very exciting.

(this is the top 10 - me hugging my teammate Gwen Beacham)

All in all the day was pretty amazing. After the race I hurt very badly. My arms and legs felt like they were on fire, and when I finshed I just wanted to lay down but [obviously] no one would let me. A couple people kinda propped me up got me off to the side. I was fine but I was just really ridiculously tired mentally, physically, yada yada all of that. I also had to pee quite badly, and I was really hoping that I wouldn't pee myself (I did not)! According to a couple of my friends I was saying some weird things at the finish, but I really have no idea what I was saying! After my team finished we found each other and tried to find out how we did. I went over to my coach and we hugged and were both really excited about the race! I did tear up as usual but this time no tears actually ran down my face, they just made my eyes all watery!

So CONGRATS to everyone that raced today and thanks to everyone who made the trip there to scream their heads off for us!!! It was an awesome day. States next week at Twin Brook!

KVAC's ft. a recap with Liam Cassidy

2009-10-18T02:09:00.007-04:00

"Running is a mental sport, and we're all insane."

Generally before the gun goes off you hear someone say "runners set," and by then you should be in that awkward bent over position ready to go. At KVAC's it was: "we'll say runners set and - -" *BANG* ...."Okay, the gun just went off and I'm still picking my wedgie under my unnecessary amount of clothing. Everyone's going, I should probably go. Okay....Go." Twas quite the start.

It was Katie McMahon, Kate Spies, and then myself the entire race. Well, I mean.. Abby Mace was far ahead but for class A it was that right there. I can confidently say that this was the most boring race I have ever...raced, in my life. I didn't surge or catch up and close the gap, and I didn't kick at all. I didn't even really use the up and downhills to my advantage because I didn't have the energy in me. I didn't eat breakfast and I was feeling sick, so my low blood sugar was even lower than usual. By time I got to the half mile I was rather dead, and I think the only reason I didn't drop out is because I didn't want my team as a whole to do badly because one person didn't finish. We wanted to win and even though we didn't, if I hadn't of finished then my team's hard work would have been for nothing, and they didn't deserve that. They worked so hard. I ended up dying in 3rd and when I finished in 20:42(?) I fell over and had absolutely no energy left. A bunch of people were saying : "stand up Mt.Blue, keep walking." And they had to drag me through the chute because I couldn't get up. It took me a long time to open my eyes, they were so heavy. Awhile after that my girls team had fed me and taken care of me so I felt a little better after a bit. It was really nice and I couldn't ask for a better team. It's amazing to have even one person that will stick by you through anything, and I have practically a whole team that did that for me on Saturday. I have friends that would (and did) feed me and carry me to a bus. So I think that's about all I have to say about my race. This is brief because my race seemed so brief, and I'd rather not reflect on it. We got 2nd to MT.A by 9 points which I am alright with because that means we could still pull through. I am looking towards regionals and a better day. I still believe in my team and nothing about that has changed. I still want us to win so badly, and I'm going to prepare myself better next time so I can have the race I want to have.

TOP TEN CLASS A FINISHERS- MT.BLUE - 3(me), 8(Gwen), AND 9(Addie).

RACE RECAP WITH LIAM CASSIDY

Liam Cassidy - a senior at Brunswick High School - ran to an overall 7th place in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference at the University of Maine at Augusta, finishing 6th for Class A individuals. His time of 16 minutes 50.3 seconds was over a minute faster than last year, yet Cassidy still feels he could have gone much faster.

"I went out a little behind the leaders and by the mile I was still close. By the two mile I was with Saddam [Abdi] and Luke [Fontaine]."

Liam coasted off to a smooth start with pacing, but found himself in a bit of a confidence struggle. "When Saddam [Abdi] passed me I started to get mental doubts."

Coming through the two mile marker around 10 minutes 29 seconds, Cassidy knew he would have to finish hard to get the time and place he desired. Coming into the last mile it was a close battle between Cassidy, Luke Fontaine of Cony, and Saddam Abdi of EL.

"Saddam tore off and kicked my *** and Luke and I battled it out," said Liam of the finish. "Coming down the stright Luke was close... too close, and in the last 5-10 meters I saw his shadow and knew it was over."

Saddam Abdi ended up pacing his team to victory, with a time of sixteen minutes 40 seconds, to outrun Fontaine and Cassidy. "The EL boys had a sick day," added Cassidy of the meet.

Next weekend is the Eastern Maine Regional Championship meet at Belfast, where Cassidy hopes to outshine his personal best time of 16 minutes 17 seconds.

MT.BLUE RELAYS 2009

2009-10-10T16:21:00.001-04:00

IT WAS AWESOME!!

Let's see ahhhh I got there at 2 and a few of us girls went and decorated the course with signs and streamers.. which by the way, got ripped up by some bad bad cross country children - you should be ashamed of yourselves. NOT COOL; karma will get cha, just wait.

ANYWAY! The order of our 'A' team was: Myself, Addie Cullenberg, Gwen Beacham, Shelby Aseltine, and Louisa Stancioff. Twas a pretty solid lineup in the end. I was pleased with my race cause I ran last year 13:31, and this year I ran 13:07.

I was expecting Abby Mace to run first leg for Maranacook but she wasn't there so I looked around and noticed that I had Sara Chavarie of Brewer, Kate Spies of Mt.Ararat, and I believe Meghan Collier of Mess. was first leg as well. I knew I wanted to pace my team off with as large of a lead as I could. We went off, and I tried to stick with some guys to keep my pace quick. I was in second for a bit with Meghan Collier (I assume it was her) leading, and Kate Spies right next to me in a matter of seconds. I didn't know how I would feel but I threw in a massive surge for quite awhile and ended up catching up to two guys I knew, and tried to stick with them for awhile. I passed them, and then stuck with another kid for the rest of the race. The only thing I wanted to do after getting into position is surge up the massive hill, which I really tried to do. It went pretty well. I sprinted into the finish and tagged Addie with a lead on Mt.Ararat.

In the second leg Addie was passed by Emma Wood of Mt.Ararat by a small margin. One thing that really stands out to me from this race is the fact that Addie would have probably run faster- she was feeling a little icky (BUT WE DON'T CARE, YOU ARE STILL AMAZING!) and we still managed to edge Mt.A in the end. (I don't intend for that to sound offensive- Mt.A is absolutely incredible.) I'm just really hopeful in light of this, thinking about what could come in the near future.

Addie passed off to our third leg, Gwen Beacham. She was behind Ariel McNett of Mt.A but not by much, and I really felt that Gwen had the strength to catch her. We were all cheering like crazy, and just after the mile Gwen made her move and pulled ahead of her, continuing to open up the gap. Coming out of the woods to the finish Gwen looked like she was just about on her death bed, but she kept on going! When she handed off to our fourth leg - Shelby Aseltine - we were ahead and increasing the lead. We were all so nervous because Mt.A could still catch us, and we wanted more than anything to win. Our fifth leg Louisa Stancioff had a lead when Shelby passed off, but Mt.A's Chloe Emerson was picking up the pace and closing the gap. Coming out of the woods for the last stretch to the finish, they were basically neck and neck. At this point we were so unsure of what was going to happen, it was crazy. Chloe Emerson ended up taking the finishing turn too hard and slipped, and that was when Louisa sprinted in for the win, a mere 3 seconds ahead of Mt.A.

It was the most amazing moment so far for me. We all hugged, and I was crying uncontrollably because I was so happy. I know the considerations of this race were many, i.e the fact that it was a two mile race, that Chloe Emerson fell, and that it was only three seconds, but it is still an amazing accomplishment for us, having been victorious over one of the best teams in the state. So rather than focusing on what could have happened I'm just thinking of what did happen, and how happy and proud it makes me. This is what I get to remember about Mt.Blue Relays and my girls when I leave next year, and it means a lot to me.

Now we're looking towards KVAC's next weekend. It should be a really good race to see.

Good job everyone!

MAINE XC FESTIVAL OF CHAMPIONS

2009-10-04T14:43:00.015-04:00

Once upon a time on a cold rainy day in October, one thousand five runners raced a total of nearly 3,115.5 miles on a lovely course called Belfast. Throughout the day; race after race, the course conditions continued to worsen, and here is my recollection of the 5th of 6 races.

SEEDED GIRLS
Toeing the line in our box - 13 - was Shelby Aseltine, Gwen Beacham, myself, and Addie Cullenberg with the rest tucked in behind us. As they turned the race over to the starter we muttered a last "good luck, let's go guys" around to each other. We placed our fingers on the start buttons of our watches and breathed in deep. I'm most nervous when the starter says: "runners set." It's just in that small amount of time you're waiting, anticipating the gun, sometimes even scared of what's about to occur. It's the feeling of uncertainty that always gets me. I don't like not knowing how the race is going to fall into place.

The start was chaotic; basically what you expect from a race that size. I was far, far back. Ahead I saw 25 people that I should not have seen ahead. Behind me were girls that belonged ahead as well. One by one I watched several of the top runners sprint and maneuver through small gaps that were open for mere seconds to get to where they needed to be. I was looking for a place to go for so long. I looked to my left and saw my teammate Shelby, then caught up to Maranacook's Taylor Burr who sent her usual "let's go Mel!" my way. Shortly after that I saw a small opening to move up. I sprinted and jumped to the right and passed several people going around a turn towards the beginning.

After this my race mostly consisted of playing catch-up and throwing in as many surges as I could to pass people. My first mile was a 6:01 and I heard my coach yell that I was in 13th. I don't remember passing that many people but what I remember is I caught up to Sara Chavarie of Brewer (above, left) and passed her in one of the fields, and she said "hi Melody." I meant to say hi back but I think all that really came out was "uhhh." After that I tried to keep on catching people, and I don't know when but I caught up to Mia Rapolla of Gorham, and I believe Alecia Palmer from Presque Isle was just behind me. I stayed right on Mia and passed her in the last 800m.

At this point I could see Katie McMahon of Brunswick up ahead and wanted to catch her in the little amount of the race that was left. I tried to keep pace and throw in a surge here and there, and by time we were cresting the hill to the finish my kick was in full swing determined to catch her. I was inching closer and closer and before I knew it I glanced at the clock and we had crossed the line, her in 7th and myself in 8th just 2 seconds apart at 19:52 and 19:54. It was so amazing to see her go sub 20 as we are both from East A, and that's huge. I was happy to get under 20 finally this season. I was just happy in general!

I exchanged congrats with a few girls and turned around to see my teammates Addie Cullenberg and Gwen Beacham coming in (pictured left is Addie and back a little is Gwen, pictured right is Gwen). They were finished before I had time to really catch my breath, and just seeing them come in was amazing. They both ran in the 20:30's, achieving a new lifetime bests! Soon after that we found out that we were all three in the top 20. We found Shelby and all hugged and cried a little out of joy. Before the race I made them promise that they not be negative after their races no matter what, and that didn't even come into play as [I feel that] none of them had anything to be negative about! I can't even explain how proud I was/am- I believe Gwen was seeded in the 50's place-wise, and neither her or Addie imagined they would be in the top 20. It's just absolutely amazing to me. Addie was 17th and Gwen was 20th. Shelby came in at 21:42 for a season best! Our #5 was Louisa Stancioff in at 22:30, who unfortunately ran the soaked muddy course without spikes. (left: Shelby Aseltine, right: Louisa Stancioff)

We were seeded 6th and ended up getting 5th, placing as the first team from Eastern class A. Although MT.A was not there for us to compare to, it still made/makes us incredibly happy. We're just going to try to keep it up and go for the gold at KVAC's and regionals.

Today I went to the Dempsey challenge with coach and Addie (and saw Patrick Dempsey). We met up with others from the team, as well as Shelby and her family. We dressed up in support of one of our team members moms and surprised her. We did the 5k race in 31 minutes and all stayed together the whole time which was probably the most fun I've ever had in a road race. After that we went out to get breakfast at Denny's. It was so much fun. I wish every Sunday could be like this. It was really amazing, and incredibly inspirational.

Next Friday is MB Relays and I'm so excited! Awesome job everyone who ran at FOC and participated in any of the races today.

BRUNSWICK 9/24/09

2009-09-24T21:18:00.010-04:00

YAY! I really needed this race, and it's final results. It wasn't incredibly good for our [girls] team, because we were running without our #4(sometimes she is our #3) runner - Louisa Stancioff. I really needed to have a race on a good course, where I would run faster than 21:00. I've been mentally down in the dumps, and feeling unlike myself. I was number 187! That made me happy.

I actually had a legit race strategy this time. I mean I always plan a strategy, but this time I really did it. I'm probably more excited about that than anything. I followed my plan, and I feel that it was successful. SO... it's inevitable that the top runners will have a quick start to take the race out, and I'm always kind of impatient about getting into the spot where I want to be. Usually in our regular season meets I want to be positioned in second, behind Abby Mace. I can never make myself "hold-back" at the start, and pace myself. I always just want to get right into position and sometimes it does work, but most of the time I'm dead before I know it. At the last meet at Leavitt my first mile was a 6:04, as I was trying to keep Abby in sight. Even based on my best 5k time, I should be averaging 6:30's or a little slower. That killed me.

I wanted to go out in a 6:27, and hit the two mile at 12:52. My time goal was 20 minutes (I had never run this course, as I was late to school last year and was prohibited from participating). I knew that I would have to make myself start out a little behind where I usually am, and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do that. During the first 400m I was back in 8th or 9th, and that was really strange for me. I was running with two girls from Mt.Ararat, who I passed going down a first hill. Ahead I could see Abby Mace, followed by Kate Spies of MTA, and Katie McMahon of Brunswick. I eventually ended up about 5 feet back from them throughout the woods, and tried not to fall back from that pace.

I went through the mile mark in a 6:10. It was faster than I had wanted, but I wasn't dwelling on it because I knew it was the adrenaline, and I didn't feel like it was that fast. I tried to keep pace, and ended up coming through the two mile in a 12:51 (wanted a 12:52). I was pretty pleased at that point because I was in 4th, and by not killing myself at the beginning I was able to reach my goal for two miles and still felt like I had something left for the last mile and a kicker.

Katie McMahon (Bruns) and I passed Kate Spies (MTA) simultaneously and I was just behind Katie (in 3rd) after that. I tried to stick with her, and coming into the last 400m I passed her, hoping that I could hold my kick until the finish. I didn't know where she was behind me, but I just went all out up the gradual hill and down to the finish, when I read the clock that said 19:50. I was so RIDICULOUSLY happy, but I went over to my coach and she said: "Awesome job, but the clock was wrong.. I had 20:00.6 for you Melody." She ended up being right, and I ran a 20:00.6, fortunately but unfortunately.

I wore my spankies, and they are a gift from God. I absolutely love them. So comfy.

The guys had an outstanding day, and won the meet overall. Our girls were 3rd (again we were without Louisa Stancioff). Mt.Ararat girls won, and Brunswick was second.

CAN'T WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEKEND !

"Let's go Melody, I want to read about this in your blog." -George Mills

Leavitt - Don't Loveitt.

2009-09-18T21:54:00.004-04:00

Why don't I start this post out with something very positive (in my eyes)... I ran Leavitt for the last time today. Isn't that wonderful?! Unfortunately, my time was a 21:10, where I ran a 20:52 last season. Let me run(no pun intended) you through this race day step by step.. or the steps as I see them now.

Step 1: School is evacuated after 2nd period. I have senior privileges and was at a friends house watching YouTube videos. Meanwhile, students get transported to different schools until 1:30. We are scheduled to get get out at 1:15 and leave BY 1:30. Not good. I call coach, find out from her that a bus wasn't even scheduled to take us, get a 'panic-text' from Shelby saying "How do we get our stuff?!"

Step 2: Go back to school at 1:30 to get my stuff and get on the bus. The soccer team has 2 big water jugs... wonderful, but where are ours?

Step 3: Arrive at Leavitt, and feel pretty good during the course walk. Create non-existent "potion" and pass around to girls team to make them feel invincible.

(no idea why one eye is closed in this. stretching.)

Step 4: Warm up, head over to the line. I'm number 47.. so it should be a good race. Feeling ready, coming to terms with the Leavitt course and trying to forget all of my bad memories and negative feelings involving said course.

(...hahah I love my team)

Step 5: Runners to your mark, gun. Abby Mace, with Morgan Beede in second. Addie and Shelby yell: "go up with Morgan, Mel." I go up with Morgan, get behind Abby, and stay close up until the mile mark : 6:04.

Step 6: Ask myself what the hell I'm doing running a 6:04.

Step 7: 12:50 something at the 2mile. Feeling like lunch is about to come up.

Step 8: Dry heaving. Attempts to pull off to the side GENTLY, and throw up in order to move on with the race. Falls on rock, instead of gently kneeling. Continues to dry heave for 20-30 seconds. Taylor Burr runs by and says: "come on, get up Mel." I get up, continue to cough a lot and dry heave while running. Taylor pulls off up the hill and I fall back a little. Feeling like death.

Step 9: Cross the line in third, barely kicking in 20:10 (I later found out). Duck off to the right under the flags and fall on my knees continuing to dry heave and spit up. Stay there for awhile, trying to catch my breath and not throw up. A girl gives me her water (thank you whoever you were) and I go over to see coach. I took off my spikes and realized that I had a huge 4 inch piece of thick tree/wood stuck on my spike. Look down, see my knee bleeding. *cringeee*

Step 10: Get my knee taken care of by the trainer... it's a deep gash, and she has to rip back the skin a little in order to scrape out the dirt.. yes, ouch. Sit there for a few minutes while she does this, biting my knuckle. Bandaged up. Good to go.

Step 11: Sad.Step 12: The guys race starts. Go over near the track to cheer. Kelton and Luke go by, looking strong. Kelton ends up opening the gap, going through the 2mile at 10:09 and holding on ftw in 16:09, 22 seconds ahead of Luke Fontaine. Scream my head off for Kelton to "kick all the way to the finish." Kelton kicks all the way to the finish. Course record. Go over to congratulate Kelton. Really ridiculously amazing. The guys team pulls together for an absolutely outstanding race to win overall. (Girls win overall too, which I am pleasantly surprised by.)

Step 13: Happy. Overwhelmed. Uncontrollably crying tears of joy.

Step 14: Cooldown with Kelton through part of the course backwards. Speed workout with Justin Tracy through finish area fields. Feeling okay by this point. Talk a little, head to the bus.

Its hard to decide how the day went overall because on one hand, I had a bad day, but on the other... both teams just won. We really needed this. Guys, and girls. I guess if I had to decide I'd say It was really an amazing day. I'm realizing that even though I did badly, we came together as a team to win. The guys team was probably the most amazing thing though. It's always being stressed how they need to focus and work together and really push themselves if they want to make it to states, and today they really gave it their all, and they were successful. I feel really proud of everyone. I'm really exhausted, and my knee is mostly a small annoyance now.

Everyone was so nice today - my teammates and Taylor Burr cheering for me during the race, someone giving me their water, and Addie making me go see the trainer to get my knee cleaned up. I love cross country. I love cross country runners. Thanks everyone.

Brunswick on Thursday. Still waiting for better days to come around.

HOME MEET 9/8/09 VS. Mess., Law., Skow.

2009-09-09T17:58:00.005-04:00

TRAINING before the meet
Sunday I was sick so I took the day off
Monday was a nice easy day and I only did a few miles
Tuesday was my last 5k home meet as a H.S athlete. Sad? Yes. Glad? Yes!
TODAY IS WEDNESDAY AND I HAD THE BEST 8 MILE RUN EVAH (with Gwen)!

Now about the meet...

The first mile was a 6:58, and Meaghan Collier from Messalonskee was staying in the same place - right on my right shoulder. I could tell that she wasn't going to fall behind, and she wasn't going to pass me. She seemed very controlled and relaxed, and very set on staying there. I don't know why but I just wanted her to just pass me if she could have in the first mile, but it was purely strategic. I think she's going to be someone to watch come regionals/states. BUT ANYWAY!

Sorry I'm very hyper right now. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND MILE - we run by, alright, hear our split, alright, and then... her coach yells: "NOW, GO, NOW!" and she SPRINTS 10 feet ahead of me ! Meanwhile I'm just going along at my pace and I'm like, "oh God come on, this girl's got TONS of energy! I'm not gonna win on my own course?! Not gonna set a course record?! Not gonna.. ugh I must suck!" So she pulls ahead of me, and I'm all worried because this girl, she came out of nowhere, and she's amazing. She was really good. The race plan did have quite the affect on me because after she passed me I had a million thoughts going through my head, most of them self-doubt related. So looking at the mental aspect of things I was pretty dead, but I knew if I was going to pass her back I had to do it on a downhill - my strength - and I waited, and I passed her by a pretty large margin. It did tire me out, but I just kept going.

By time we got to the two mile I was, I believe, 36 seconds ahead of her. I have a cold, and my nose was all stuffy and when I breathed in I sounded like I had like half a lung, or... like I had previously smoked or something (I did not, just in case anyone takes this literally). I'm just saying, I felt 90 years old throughout the whole race. Anyway, going off on tangents is one of my strengths.

I tried to keep strong through the second and third mile, and the whole time my head and lungs were screaming for me to just fall over and die but - how do I say it - my heart told me to keep going! Isn't that lovely! Actually though, what kept me going was: wanting to win as a team + individual, trying to break my CR from last year of 22:39, and those pretty little spankies that we all displayed. Those were magnificent (the spankies) ! Just like I thought: NO WEDGIES !! Not one! It's devastating that I waited until senior year to be introduced to my true love, aka not our shorts with built in underwear that I have to readjust every five steps.

Tangent. Anyway! I finished in 21:46, placing first and setting a new CR which I am very thankful for. Meghan Collier was 2nd with 22:52 - a very solid time for our difficult course. Addie was 3rd in 23:15. Our girls and guys won overall. Kelton won in a course record of 17:17, beating Eric Marceau's record from 2007 of 17:58 (Kelton didn't run the meet last year; appendix). Seabass Peters of Lawrence was 2nd. Spectacular effort put forth by all ! WOO !

Saturday we are going to the Great Glen Invite. in NH, and my friend Ryan Widzgowski [Wiz-gow-ski] from Camden is coming with us. I am very excitedddddd. Except we have to be at the H.S at 6:15 which is not going to be very fun. Other than that, YAY! Bye!

Meet at EL 9/4/09

2009-09-05T01:36:00.009-04:00

I haven't talked much about my training in detail so far, so I'll start with that.

Monday was our dualathon; teams of three with the first person running two miles, the next biking 8(?) miles, and the last person running two miles. I was on a team with Addie Cullenberg and Ellie Buckland was our biker. I decided to go first, and I can't even explain how hyper I was that day. I was seemingly on crack, but it was just because lots of exciting things had happened already in that day. By time we were about to start running I was going crazy. I was so anxious I just wanted to get out and run. It's out-and-back, with the way there being uphill, and obviously the way back was downhill to the finish. I ended up running a 12:29 which beats my time from last year by quite a bit, and ties the 3rd fastest record time - the first two are from 1999, and the one I tied is from 2000, so that was pretty exciting for me.

Tuesday was an easy run with a bunch of people - we stopped at Hannaford and got cookies about 1.5 miles into it. I felt pretty tired on that day; just plain overtired and trying to get through the miles.

Wednesday was a really solid day for me, and I felt great during the workout. We did quarter miles and then had water relays which my team ended up winning. We get into groups (which are made to be somewhat equal, and run with two cups to buckets of water, fill the cups up, and run to our team's bucket and dump the water into it, and whichever team fills it up to the line first, wins. It was pretty fun, and intense.

Thursday was honestly pretty miserable for me. My eye had been hurting all day (I don't follow the rules for my contacts) and by time practice came around my right eye was swollen and bright red, and kept tearing up. So I went to the nurse, washed it out, and took my contact out. That didn't really help, and I couldn't see anything so I ended up sitting in the cafeteria with the lights out (they hurt my eyes) during practice. I accidentally fell asleep and Addie came in and woke me up when practice was over. My sleep this week was dreadful, and I got on average maybe 6 hours a night, with my lowest amount being an unfortunate 3 hours. I don't know what it is, but I just can't fall asleep when I need to. I lay, and think about the dumbest things, like what I should eat for breakfast in the morning.

Friday I was really pumped for the meet thinking about the flat course, and getting our team back in spirit after Laliberte. My goal was to win, and to run sub 20. As you can see by the results, that did not happen! I won, but the time goal was basically just shut down entirely. The second we started walking/jogging the course I realized that Abby Mace wasn't going to be there for me to follow, and I had a flashback of me asking some random kid which way to go in the field. That had me so worried, because I usually have someone to follow, but this time I had to try to remember the course exactly, and I have possibly the worst directional memory of any runner. I couldn't direct you through our home course if I wanted to.

I was so nervous at the start (out of fear of going the wrong way and/or losing) and Addie grabbed me and smiled and said: "hey, you can do this, you're gonna do this!" which was really comforting actually, because she knew I was just zoning out and freaking out and I really needed to hear that.

The start was weird - I was in 7th place in the start. Addie was up in the front and Katie McMahon(Brunswick) was to the right of me, with a few EL girls taking the lead out quickly. I jumped out of the tight squeeze when Katie McMahon started to go, and we caught up to leader Hannah Hart of EL shortly after. By time we got to the half mile I had the lead, and Katie was close behind. My coach and I talked about trying to get me to the half mile in 3:15, but I went through in a 2:50. The pace of the start had me very messed up. I felt like I was slow because other people started out so quickly, but now I see that I should have just gone at my own pace and waited. Usually I'm good with that but for some reason I just got scared and needed to be in front right away. I knew Katie was going to be really close to me - if not ahead of me - and I wanted to set a good pace and hold onto it. My first mile was a 6:30, and I just died from then until the finish of the 100 mile race.

The goal was an ultimate failure for multiple reasons: I started out too quickly, went the wrong way twice, and my kick was nonexistent (because of the fast start killing me early on).

Yes, I went the wrong way. Katie and I were leading and went to the right of this ditch/ strip of tall grass and we were supposed to go to the left, then someone yelled that we were going the wrong way and we both halted to a walk/jog and once we realized where to go- did some nice hurdling over the tall grass ditch to get on the right path. Before that I had a small lead on her, but that brought us right next to each other and I did everything I could to try and gain on her. She dropped out sometime after that, and at that point I was so dead that I was thinking to myself that I just need to finish and get it over with so I can lay down on the ground and die. The second time I went around the wrong flags and had to turn around. I honestly do not believe I have ever felt that badly in a race, both mentally and physically. The heat, and going wrong way(s) really got to me. On top of that, my mileage was godawful this week and my sleep was not nearly enough. I guess it's a lesson. I won the race in 21:26, a very disappointing time for myself. Addie snatched second and Abby Hart was third. I was so happy with how well Addie did, especially because she was cheering for me during the race; saying motivational phrases even! I kept thinking 'wait a minute, why is she cheering, isn't she IN this race?!,' and yes, she was. It was very cute though. I love my team so much. We ended up winning overall, which I think we really needed to do just to get our heads back into it.

We're dealing with some injuries and illness right now, but I'm not worried about it because it's so early in the season and we're going to make everyone take care of themselves. I'm not sure what was up with me today; just a slew of things I suppose.. but I don't want to be feeling like that in my future races so I need to sleep more and run more. Home meet on Tuesday!

LALIBERTE 8/28/09

2009-08-29T11:48:00.005-04:00

My goals for this meet were to: place 2nd, run a low 20, and win as a team. Coming into the race I felt these were all very possible, and somewhere along the way most of it slipped out of sight.

I did get 2nd, which I even doubted for most of the race. I ran a 20:44, and our team was announced as 5th. The results had numerous significant mistakes, in which we believe we actually finished around 2nd. This does sound really negative, but since yesterday I know our girls have recovered from any negativity. We've accepted that we're not going to exceed expectations every race. We gave it a shot yesterday, and we were far from our best performances. This is something that most runners have to face. We're not going to be excellent every time we race. Addie had a good point - that it was easier for us to be the underdogs because we had less pressure on us, but now that we have something to live up to there's the mental stress, and everything that comes along with trying to be great.

Our first instinct was to feel disappointment, and you could see it on our faces. When the team scores were announced I had my fingers crossed, and I truly believed we had won. We had built the moment up so much, that anything less than what we were aiming for seemed insignificant and wasteful. That is what we got - less than what we aimed for. When Addie and I got on the bus we looked like our families had just died. In a sense that's what it did feel like - our team; our family; had died. Our spirits were broken. It is inevitable that when someone is feeling down, it spreads to the team. We had that and then some.

When I got home I sent some of the girls a message, because I wanted to turn things around. Instead of spreading the disappointment and the negativity, I wanted to tell them how proud of them I was. When Shelby Aseltine crossed the finish line her heels were bleeding, and it had soaked through her socks and new spikes but all she kept saying was how mad she was about the race, and how she could have done so much better. Since yesterday our team has been messaging back and forth apologizing for the negative attitudes, and inspiring each of us to use this as incentive to work harder. That is what we're going to do. None of our goals have been affected by this first race. We know what we are capable of, and we're just going to keep reaching for our goals. It is much easier to accept defeat and tell yourself that you messed up, than to recover from it and push forward. I can't even describe how proud of my team I am because after expecting so much and not reaching our goals, we're not giving up.

This same morale should exist with everyone. You can't always win, and you can't always reach 100%, but that's what makes the moments where you do succeed, so meaningful.

We believe - Kila Kitu Ni Wezekana - anything is possible.

Congrats to everyone yesterday for making it through meet #1; and good luck for many more to come.

Back from Acadia - the team

2009-08-26T20:41:00.012-04:00

Our team just got back from our annual Acadia trip where we ran twice a day and made it through hurricane Bill! Since then I've been so pumped for the season to get started. We'll be at Laliberte this Friday and I think we are all a mix of nervous and anxious. I'm definitely excited to see where we're at as a team. I know our girls are ready to step it up, and there's nothing better than watching your teammates work hard and improve both physically and mentally. It's hard to say where our guys are at, but I believe they can be strong this year.

For the girls team, our goals are basically to do better in every meet than we did last year. We're all shooting for pretty specific times, and right now I see nothing standing in our way. No one is injured, and we are all on the same page. One of the most important attributes that I see in our team is our ability to truly believe in ourselves. We know what it's like to be the underdogs, and we've been waiting for this year to come - where we can push ourselves to all reach a vast common goal. We're working so hard, and I really do feel like we're a family. When one of us is down we're always there for each other, and I know that sounds so corny but it's true. My team gives me something to look forward to, and something to be inspired by. It's going to be so hard for me to leave them, because we've grown to rely on each other. It's not like I can run around at college belting out the Black Eyed Peas, unless I want to be shunned. They really do complete me (my team, not the Black Eyed Peas).

Anyway, Acadia was amazing. The areas where we run are absolutely beautiful. Running in the morning was my favorite because it wasn't hot out yet, and the workouts were never too strenuous so we were able to enjoy the views of the ocean. We were unable to run at our usual spot the first day, due to the hurricane. It had been knocking people off the cliffs and forcing them into the ocean. This happened to several people and I've heard of a young girl dying, and a few injuries. It's scary to think that we might have gone there had we arrived a few hours earlier. That night it poured and everything was drenched. That made things difficult for us but we had a good time nonetheless. On the second day we met with MDI and did LSD with them for a max of 60 minutes. After that we all went to Eagle Lake and had dinner and hung out.

On the last day, we did a 2 mile time trial, and then spent the afternoon in Bar Harbor. This year the trial went by so quickly for me (as opposed to last year), and I ran over 30 seconds faster. Also many of the people who ran the trial last year showed significant improvement, while others got very close. Our top 5 going into the meet on Friday are:

Myself
Shelby Aseltine (JR)
Addie Cullenberg (SO)
Gwen Beacham (JR)
and newcomer
Louisa Stancioff (SO)

I really saw improvement in the gaps between finishers. I see so much potential in the team, and I'm so excited for all of the new runners to start the season so they can get those feelings; the ones that most of us know - running a PR, the exhilaration of meets, the team atmosphere of runners, and pushing yourself to your extreme limits. It's just so amazing to watch someone realize what they are capable of.

We also tried on spankies today that we found in the XC cabinet. I believe we'll be wearing them for a couple meets early in the season to try them out, but they made me feel so free! Can you imagine no more weggies - or rather - no more pictures of me picking my weggies during races?! This is huge for me! We all put them on with our jerseys, and did a good luck lap around the track which we actually ended up walking halfway through, because we were laughing too hard. Anyway! I am so excited for this season to begin, and good luck to everyone at their first meet!

Road race / team outlook

2009-08-18T17:39:00.003-04:00

There was a road race that I did last Friday, on a flat carriage trail in the woods. I started out too quickly, I think. I went out in a 6:07, and my miles just kept getting slower. I ended up running 20:17, finishing as the first female and 12th overall (out of 66 people). Everyone was saying it seemed longer, so my coach's husband measured it with a wheel and it ended up being about 20-30 seconds over a 5k. That makes me feel better about my time, but I wish it had just been measured correctly in the first place. We practice there sometimes, it's a nice trail. I won some movie tickets, which was cool I guess.

Anyway here is an overview of our varsity girls this year. We are not sure who will fill the 5th spot, which sounds bad, but it's actually good because the only issue is that there are several potential athletes that could end up filling it. Varsity is decided after our 2mile time trial at Acadia (we leave on Sunday I believe).

Our varsity team [for now] is made up of myself, Addie Cullenberg (20:38), Gwen Beacham(21:16.83), and Shelby Aseltine(21:16.87). We return 6 of our top 7 from last year, and we are more ambitious this year than ever. Our most memorable results from 2008 were our 3rd place finish at the Festival of Champions, 2nd place finish at regionals, and 4th place for class A at the state meet. We begin racing at the Laliberte Invite on the 28th of this month, where we placed 2nd last year as a team to the Brunswick dragons. After placing 2nd a number of times to Brunswick and Brewer last year, we are aiming to improve our position in the larger meets.

Addie Cullenberg and I recently attended Green Mountain Running Camp in Vermont (which we highly recommend to other runners) and we've come back with much information to share with the team. We're all anxious to start the season up, and this seems to be a very important year for us with high goals and big expectations.

Our captains this year are myself, Gwen, and Shelby. I'm so excited for the season to begin, and we're all looking forward to seeing how things end up. We've been training hard over the summer keeping in mind the things we want out of the season.

Good luck to everyone this season; can't wait.

Green Mountain Running Camp 2009

2009-08-11T11:18:00.005-04:00

From August 2nd-8th, I spent the days waking up in beautiful Vermont and running at around 7, eating, and running some more in the afternoon basically. The morning runs were generally short; around 20-25 minutes or sometimes a little less. The afternoon runs [for my group] were usually anywhere from 4 to 6 miles depending on if we decided to do extra at the end to run to a stream or something.

We were divided into running groups based on our 5000m and mile times. I ended up being in group 9(above) out of 16 (or more?) groups. It worked out well because one of the girls that was in my hall was in that group also.

I didn't get exact mileage down, but I did write down minutes. Here is what my week looked like, roughly:

Sunday - afternoon: 17 minutes easy

Monday - morning: 20 minutes easy
afternoon: 34 minutes picked up pace during second half

Tuesday - morning: 20+ minutes easy
afternoon: 39 minutes easy (slightly over-paced, but not difficult)

Wednesday - morning: 20+ minutes easy
afternoon: 31 minutes hard / 11 minute cool down to beach area

Thursday - morning: 20+ minutes / practiced pacing
afternoon: 54 minutes including extra to water

Friday - morning: mile pacing contest (goal:8:26/time:8:02)
afternoon: graduation run - 34 minutes plus 4 minute cool down

Saturday - morning: 18+ minutes easy

The week went by too quickly. We were complaining about waking up early to run, then we woke up and it was Saturday and we were packing to leave. It was a 3 hour drive from here, and I went with Alex Luchini and Richie Brooks. This was the Maine group of kids:

I'm so glad I went to camp. I got to meet so many people from everywhere, and the running really got me ready for the season. Along with those highlights, we also got to meet some very important people such as Marcus O'Sullivan- a world champion 1500m runner from Ireland, and some not so important people.. like this motivational speaker that had people eat fire to convince them that they were invincible. Yes, that happened.

During the day we took classes on 2 chosen subjects. The 'breakout sessions' that Addie (Cullenberg) and I chose were: nutrition, team building, peaking, yoga, hill running, and race prep. I really liked yoga, because by time that class rolled around my muscles were sore, and it really helped. All of the people there were so dedicated to having you get the most out of camp. The coaches and counselors really knew what they were doing, and it was nice to look around and know that everyone was there for running, and you were all working towards improving.

The first day at camp we did video analysis, and then it was later reviewed by one of the coaches and we were told what we need to fix in our form. For me it was using my arms more.

I would strongly recommend that anyone who is dedicated to improving in their running should attend GMRC, not only for the running but also for all of the new experiences you get out of it. I learned so much from camp, and it's definitely going to help me in my senior year of running.

Almost over; almost beginning !

2009-08-01T03:27:00.000-04:00

This is the first blog for the [soon to be] season; and my last year here! Summer is almost over and as much as that bums me out there is an amazing thing that comes with this - CROSS COUNTRY !! I can't even begin to explain how excited I am. Not only did our girls varsity team (pictured above) not lose anyone, but everyone has improved so much! We have also gained several new faces this season! I still don't feel like a senior, but I am definitely feeling ready to run like one!

This has been an amazing summer, and in all of the things I've done thus far, my favorites were: running and climbing mountains with my teammate Shelby Aseltine, going to Brunswick, getting back into running, and the Strawberry Festival race. I think I am about to have a new favorite summer memory after next/this week when I go to Green Mountain Running Camp in Vermont! I leave this Sunday, and come back on the 8th. I'll be rooming with my teammate Addie Cullenberg which I am so excited about. I hope it really helps us improve. It's my first year and I'm looking forward to it.

The Strawberry Festival 5k in Farmington (our fund raiser) was on the 24th, and I ended up getting 17th (I think), first for my age group 13-18, and the 2nd female overall. There was a 27 year old woman that finished one spot ahead of me. Anyway it was so much fun. I ended up running the race with Gwen Beacham who stuck with me the entire race, sometimes even pushing the pace and taking the lead as we did this back and forth a few times. We finished 2 seconds apart running 20:34 and 20:36! I am so amazed because: first of all, that course is somewhat hilly, it was July, and last year the class A - KVAC was won with a 20:37! It's making me so excited thinking of what we are capable of this year. Everytime I run with the girls I know that we're all wanting the same thing, and that we're all determined. It's such a great feeling to know that everyone wants to succeed and try as hard as they possibly can. It's part of the reason why we're so close with each other during XC, and just in general.

I'm just so ready to get the season going, even though I'm going to be absolutely heartbroken when it's over. It's my last high school cross country season, and I have got to make the best of it!

MBXC Fundraiser

2009-07-18T15:42:00.003-04:00

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL 5K AND 1MILE RUN
JULY 24TH DOWNTOWN FARMINGTON, ME

APPLICATION

Supports the Mt.Blue Cross Country team!
Prizes, raffles, and much more.

1 mile (15&under) @ 5:30pm
5k @ 6:15pm

registration at 4:30pm

STATES - TRACK IS OVER!!!

2009-06-07T12:42:00.005-04:00

2009 CLASS A STATE MEET COVERAGE ON FLOTRACK

Yes I am very excited that track is over, because in a couple weeks or so I get to begin training for cross country: the greatest sport known to man. That could be a stretch, but it is the greatest sport know to me!

Yesterday it was pretty nice weather for a meet. I started out by anchoring our 4x8 team, in which we got a new best of 10:12.81! I also ran a LPR of 2:27 for my leg! I was so excited. Also the 3 other legs on the relay consisted of 2 sophomores and one freshman, so I was incredibly happy with the team! We were seeded first in our heat, and that's what we got. I am really proud of them.

I had a four hour break in between the relay and the 300 hurdles so I kind of just walked around and talked to people while I waited. I was seeded first in my heat for the hurdles, but ended up getting second to Peyton Dostie from BE. My steps were messed up when I got to the 4th hurdle, and I know I'm supposed to be able to go over with both legs if I need to, but I absolutely cannot. I always go over with my left. This time I had to go over with my right, because I didn't want to stutter step. I can't bend my left leg to go over the hurdle with my right, so when I went over I looked like.. I don't know.. a prancing pony. That doesn't even make sense but that is what I felt like. I ended up running a new best of 49.3, and placing 8th overall... VERY FRUSTRATING! That was kind of my only chance to place in an event all day and I did not, so I was rather disappointed. I love this picture (up there) because we look happy. We were really just saying how glad we were that it was over.

Next was the 2mile. I was seeded 13th, and ended up getting 12th with a new best of 12:11. By time we got to the second lap I had to pee so badly that I was about to cry. I considered running off the track and straight to the bathroom but then I remembered that I was at states, and would probably be shunned for that. Not to mention uhh, disqualified. Yeah anyway I wasn't really into that race.. I was just kind of thinking of the bathroom the whole time. When I was on my 2nd to last lap coming around the 2nd corner I heard the bell go off for Emily Durgin... I was just thinking, "DEAR GOD PLEASE DON'T LAP ME." That may or may not have caused me to feel like I suck at life. She didn't though, yay!

After the 2mile I (along with many other 2miler girls) had to anchor the 4x4. I peed, and when I came out we were heading over to the start. I was so scared I would suck. I was dead. I ended up running a best of 1:03 which I am SO happy about! Our team also got 13th (i think) and we were seeded 19th! We bettered our time by 10+ seconds. I was so happy. When I got the baton I was behind Vicky Hewey of Sanford, and on the 3rd corner, a girl passed me, and I somehow went around her and we won our heat- I think it was because I leaned at the finish. So winning our heat was the most amazing feeling. I was so relieved that I could run it without letting the team down. I had a lot of fun.

Seeing Leonardi run 4:56 and 2:16 was amaaaaazinggggggggggggggg !!!! Fun day. Can't wait for XC!

Good luck to Maine at NE's and thanks TOM LETOURNEAU for reading my blog.

KVAC's

2009-06-01T19:59:00.006-04:00

We worked a lot with pacing the week before KVAC's, and I needed to really get a feel for my goal pace in the 2 mile, which I am about 20+ seconds from. KVAC's ended up being quite disappointing for me.

I was supposed to be in the 4x8, 300H, mile, and 2mile. I only ended up doing the first three events.

My team was off to an amazing start in the 4x8. Gwen Beacham led us as first leg, running an awesome PR of 2:33. After that everyone was doing great, we were on pace for a massive PR. I wanted to really get it done. I didn't want to anchor, but I was ready to. When I got the baton we were in 4th place, just ahead of Cony. I cheered Shelby Aseltine in, and grabbed the baton. Coming around the 2nd corner I went to switch the baton from left to right hand, and it somehow managed to ricache off my leg, and it landed on the infield nearly on the track. I don't know how long it was from the second I dropped it, to when I stopped, backtracked, and picked up the baton then continued running. I felt absolutely horrible. I didn't know what to do. I didn't even know if I should keep going; would we be DQ'd? I really had no idea, but I was absolutely miserable. I felt like a failure, and all I was wondering is how and why that happened to me. After I picked it up I sprinted for a little while to catch back up to the Mt.Ararat girl. I caught up but I was dead. Soon after that Courtney Dufour from Cony passed me and I came into the finish in 5th. I felt absolutely ridiculous. I stood at the finish for awhile just bent over wondering what to do. Then I walked over to the relay team and they hugged me and just started saying "you did amazing!" I was like.. " I'm so sorry you guys I can't believe I dropped it," and started crying. Apparently they had no idea I had dropped it. We ended up running almost a 20 second PR, and did not get DQ'd, I assume it was because it did not interfere with anyone else, and I did not step off the track to pick it up. Either way it was one of the worst feelings I have ever had, and it kind of broke me mentally for the rest of the meet. I ran a 2:34 split, and wanted to run sub 2:30. My coach didn't see me drop it either, but she said when I came into the stretch I didn't look like I had a kick or anything.. and I had the worst look on my face when I finished...
Next was the mile. I don't remember much of that race because I hate the mile, but I got 5th, and ran a 5:34 which is my season best. I am done doing the mile - I will not be running it at states. It's just not my event. It was four laps of dreadful hell, and I was ready for it to be over after the first 100m.

The hurdles went alright. I was seeded 4th I believe, and I ended up getting 5th. I am happy that I broke 50 again! I just wish I could have broken my PR of 49.5, instead of running the 49.9 that I did. When I got to the 3rd hurdle my footing was off, and I had to studder a little over it, but then got back into it by time we got to the straight. My technique was to run fast in between the hurdles, and it usually works for me.

Before I even got on the bus that morning my hip/groin area on my right side was hurting. I tried to stretch and stuff but it didn't really help. After the hurdles is when it hurt the most, so my coach told me to go see the trainer. He stretched me out and told me that was the best it was going to get, but once I began to jog it felt terrible. It hurt most when I lifted my leg. By time the 2mile was coming around I was so worried, because I knew I would not be running well. It was both mental and physical, but no matter how much I tried to tell myself it would be fine, I knew it wouldn't because the pain was there every time I lifted my leg up to step. I ended up scratching the 2 mile, and feeling awful in every way possible. Overall it was a really disappointing day, and I felt like it just kept getting worse after the 4x8.

I did watch some amazing performances at KVAC's though, which is something I always love.

This week I am taking it easy until things start to look up. I won't let it interfere with states.

Good luck Maine.

UTL at MTA 5/19

2009-05-20T08:57:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I ran the 100m hurdles and the 2mile.

My legs are still hurting from prom - dancing barefoot. Every time I step it feels like my legs are getting tighter. I had to test it out yesterday to see if running would cause it to get worse or get better. It was kind of bearable but it still hurt pretty badly.

When I was practicing the hurdles I felt like I really got it down. I was 3 stepping in between and I felt like I could do really well in the event. I was pumped. I was heat one, lane one, and when the gun went off I lost my train of thought. I got so nervous that I forgot what the heck I was doing, and took a ton of steps in between and appeared to be hurdling giant walls. By time I got to the last one I was kind of laughing and making a bunch of "eek" noises. My leg got caught on #10 and I knocked the hurdle over, yelled "I'M SORRY!" and crossed the finish line. I think I got 2nd in my heat and I ran a 21 second 100m hurdle time. It was humiliating! I used to do them in middle school so I didn't think it would seem as strange to me doing them now. I guess I realize what 3+ years of distance running has done to me!

I hung out with my friends for awhile since a lot of them were there. I got ready for the 2mile and planned my splits. I had written on my hand the exact splits I wanted, because I wanted to run 12:00 minutes or under. I knew I wasn't feeling it though. My legs hurt so badly, and still do now. There were a few girls that were seeded to do around 13:00, and I had a feeling I might be right with them. I ended up taking out in first, as I was seeded 14 I had to cut in quickly in a sprint and make my pace. I went through the first 400 a few seconds fast, and told myself to slow down. I think from then on I saw it getting off pace by seconds every time I went around. I knew I had to speed up, and I tried to, but the thing is when you're tired and your mind tells you that you're speeding up, you're sometimes just barely keeping pace but it feels like you're working harder because you're exhausted. That's what happened to me. I was so alone, and I wanted someone to be there ahead of me. It felt good to win, but it hurt to. I tried to give a good kick, and coming around with 200m to go I picked it up and sprinted to the finish in 12:23. It was disappointing, but at that point I just wanted to stop, and stretch my legs out. They hurt so badly. It didn't hurt when I walked really strangely, but when I walked normally they killed. I'm just hoping it's nothing too bad, and maybe my legs will be stronger once they feel better. I auto-qualified for states, but I'm still not sure what events I will do there. I may be looking at mile, 300 hurdles, and 2mile. I really have no idea though. I'm not auto'd in the 800, but I'm not so sure I should even attempt to do that event. My 4x8 splits have been solid for me, but nothing amazing that would ambition me to pursue the open event. I guess I'll wait and see.

I found my new race routine as of last meet. I've got to drink a lot of V-8 juice and some purple gatorade, then eat half a cucumber before the meet, and the rest in between events. I don't know why it makes me feel better than usual, but it does. I'm sure it's mostly mental, but it makes me feel healthy and it's not heavy. I don't even like cucumbers that much really, but it makes me feel better having something cool in my stomach. I think I want to bring watermelon to the next meet to keep me hydrated when it's hot.

Meet on Friday at Oxford Hills.
Events: 4x8, 300H, 2mile.

5/15 @ Lewiston

2009-05-17T16:53:00.005-04:00

Events: 4x8/1600/300H/long jump

------> 2:31/5:38/50.1/I'm not telling you

My split in the 4x8 was 2:31 which really made me happy. My butt hurt the entire meet but for some reason I ran my best times yet.

We didn't have school that day (juniors) so I got to sleep in. I woke up and drank some V8 and then ate half of a cucumber on the bus. It seemed to make my stomach feel better than usual. I was dreading the mile but it went better than I thought it would. Danielle Paul took the lead early on and opened a very large gap between me and two other girls. I was in second, and then got passed by two girls, who I ended up passing in the last 200m. I haven't kicked like that in a long time, and I don't know where it came from. My time was 5:38, which qualifies me for states(?). That's a relief. At my last meet I ran a 5:51 which really made me feel terrible. I'm still not in the right mind set, but I feel like I am getting there.

The hurdles went so well. It may not seem amazing to you, but I am incredibly happy to have a new best in them. My previous best was 50.68. If I had gone sub 50, I might have cried. I want to get there so badly. Coming around the 2nd corner it evened out and I was nearly in last, but I managed to get in some good speed between the last few hurdles, to place third.

Long jump went almost as bad as it could have. Let's not talk about that one.

Prom was Saturday night, and my legs have hurt since. It feels like my calves are cramped up and it's quite hard to walk. I walk like an old war veteran who has been badly injured but refuses to use crutches. Anyway, it hurts.

The other night I got a voice mail from a reporter in Miami, FL. I called her back and she said that she was doing an article on the budgeting issues affecting sports. She told me that she heard from my coach (?) about the struggles Maine encountered this past winter regarding the same thing. She asked me a bunch of questions about the protests we all had, and the things we all took part in to save the sports. I thought it was pretty cool that we could possibly help out people that far away by setting examples such as the actions we took to stand up for ourselves and Maine sports. Hopefully things will work out for everyone down there.

The next meet is ... oh.. I think it's tomorrow. Oh god. Under the lights at MTA. Dear God.

I really need to focus on track. Things don't seem to be going very well with it.

Good luck everyone.

Since 4/30 basically

2009-05-12T09:49:00.001-04:00

I've just moved really recently, and our phone and internet connections are still not hooked up! It's taking forever, and I haven't been able do to anything. I thought I would take a little while to blog about the last meet on the 5th at Leavitt against Leavitt, Lewiston, and Maranacook.

Events: 4x8, 400, 800, 4x4
Times/splits: 2:36, 64.xx, 2:33, 65.xx

I was pretty pumped for this meet because I didn't have to run the mile (or anything longer). I'm not really feelin' that event this year. I suppose I'll do it anyway. Coach usually gives us somewhat of a say in our events, but usually I just do what she puts me in. She said that this meet's events were to get my legs back up to speed.

My split in the 4x8 was decent - not to good, not too bad. I felt like I was going faster than that but I think it's just because my strides have been so tiny lately. I was fine with the 2:36. The team ran 10:44 and we got first! I was really excited about that.

I got to my lane in the 400, and I looked to my right to see Toby Crispin from Lewiston running the same event. That was kind of cool - battle of the distance runners in the 400m. Coming around the 3rd corner the race kind of evened out finally, and I was right with her for a little bit, but going into the finishing stretch is where I lost it. My legs just decided that they were tired, you know? I finished in 64.9 and she had 64.4. It wasn't bad. The next finisher was in at 70. I like the 400 quite a bit. I mean there's no way I'm going to excell in that but it's fun to do now and then. I enjoyed racing against a fellow distance runner in that race.

Abby Mace was in the 800, so I figured I might have a pretty solid race with her leading me. The good thing is that the distance isn't long enough for her to end up a minute ahead of me like in cross country. It was a pretty good race. I tried to stay near her and I think I did, 3 seconds behind her at the finish. At the beginning we got put in the back behind people I had never seen before. At the start line I was all the way inside, then Abby was next to me. When we started, the people from the end of the line started quickly and got ahead of us which kind of messed us up, but hey you're gonna race how you're gonna race I suppose. We just got ahead of them by time the 2nd corner was there, and picked up the pace to run 2:30 and 2:33. I was happy that I stayed close to her, but I wish I had run a better time. I was aiming for sub 2:30. Hopefully I will get there. Abby tripled and did the mile before our 800, then went on to do the 2mile in sub 12. That was really impressive, and she seemed really layed back about it.

The 4x4 was interesting. I was first leg and there was Allison Fereshetian in the lane next to me finishing in 62, with myself doing a 65. Again, I'm not complaining. It was the last event of the day, my legs were tired, and I did the best I could do. Allison is ridiculous! Her strides are beastly. Earlier she had raced to a 46.xx in the 300 hurdles which I thankfully did not run that day! It was absolutely amazing, and she made it look so effortless. Anyway we had a lovely run in the relay and finished first with 4:36. I was really happy with the team, and how everyone ran. We may not be the best in the state or anything like that, but it's the little things that make you proud of your team when they come together and do the best they can. I felt pretty good about the meet in general.

This past weekend I went running on our XC course with a friend of mine. I can't believe how much I miss cross country. I thought it was just that I had no ambition to run, but it's really just that I want CROSS COUNTRY! I miss the trails very badly. I wore my spikes because it was raining and there was mud everywhere. I just want cross country. I felt like I was back to normal again. I wish I could feel like that in track.

Yesterday was maybe my most intense workout of the season yet. We did 800's, in preparation for pacing in whatever event we are focusing on. I was going for the mile/2mile pacing, since I am going to do the 2mile at our next meet at Oxford Hills (not this week's meet, but the next one). I ran with Kris Nadeau, and our goal pace was to just go sub 3:00 for each 800. The first one was right on, but for absolutely no reason at all we did a 2:44 for the 2nd one. That goes to show that you should not give me the watch during workouts. Towards the end that 2nd one killed us, but we stayed on pace. It was really strange because towards the 5th one by time we got to the 2nd lap I was thinking in my head, "I don't care if I'm on pace, I give up, this hurts, screw it.." but despite what I was thinking it was like my legs had a brain of their own. I was thinking negatively, but I continued to keep pace or speed up. It was probably a self-pity thing, because that workout sucked so much. It hurt.

There's something about track and cross country that outsiders don't get to fully understand, and that is: during practices and races we as runners, feel a kind of pain that not many people can say they go through very much. I mean sure people obviously have the knowledge that "yes, it's a pain to run fast or workout hard," but take someone that says "cross country and track are easy," or "running isn't really a sport," and get them to go on a track or a course and do something like 800, or mile repeats.. then ask them what they think of it. I figure that's why runners all feel so similarly tied to each other - because we all know what that feeling's like, and we all share the same passion and pain that every single runner does.

The next meet is this Friday at Lewiston. I have no idea what events I will be in.

Happy running.

Meet on 4/30 @ Oxford Hills/ tomorrow @ Leavitt

2009-05-04T09:57:00.004-04:00

Training keeps getting better! It's a relief to feel like I'm taking steps in getting back into shape. They are pretty small steps, but nonetheless I feel I will get there soon. My biggest struggle this year is the mental aspect of things. My races as apparent by my times aren't run with my full focus. I'm not sure what's going on with me right now. So much stuff has been stressing me out: S.A.T's/school, moving, work, lack of sleep, racing..

S.A.T's weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be. I found a majority of the English to be incredibly simple, but the math is mostly where I found difficulties; I hate math. We just moved down the road a ways (don't ask me why) and I was the last person in my family to pack everything up. When I got back from practice the other day I had to spend a good few hours packing everything, and ripping everything off my covered walls. I saved a few of my favorite pictures but most everything was thrown away.

MEET AT OXFORD HILLS: 4x8/2:32 split - 1600/5:51 - 300H/54.xx - 4x4/1:08.xx

The 4x8 went pretty well. I wanted to see what I could run. We switched up the order of the legs to see if it made a difference (usually I anchor). I went 3rd I think. I started out feeling like I was stutter stepping the whole race, but it turned out to be okay because I ran a 2:32, my PR is 2:29 so I can't be upset with that.

I was trying to stay calm for the mile. I was incredibly nervous, though, from the first mile I ran this season (the 5:59). I was so scared, I tried to get out of running it because I felt like I was about to puke up the pesto tortellini I had eaten for lunch. My competition was Courtney Dufour from Cony. She's a sophomore, and she's dropped some pretty fast times thus far. I knew I didn't want to lead, because she's a kicker. I knew she would get me if I led it out. We jogged quite a bit but it was mainly noticeable on the 3rd lap on the back stretch. I was getting somewhat flustered because when we ran by her teammates they yelled things like: "GO BY HER MT.BLUE GIRL, COME ON JUST GO BY, LET HER GO BY COURTNEY." It's one thing to cheer for your teammates, but I got so annoyed at this, especially because I was NOT going to pass her. I felt like yelling vulgar things at them. Also.. "Mt.Blue girl?" what is that? Come on. I already knew how I was going to run this race (like a panzy), and I stuck to it. I passed her on the last lap and I just tried to have a 400m kick. It worked for the most part but I think she was close behind. I finished in a 5:51 - better than my 5:59 but worse than acceptable. After the race I felt like such a jerk. I hate it when people race me like that, so why would I race someone like that - with no guts, and finishing with no respect from my competitors? I shook her hand and said good job, and I added an apology for "the way I ran that." She's a nice girl and a respectable runner; I didn't want her to have that image of me next time we race.

The hurdles went terribly as you can see. It was me and 2 other girls from my team racing with a couple other girls I did not know. I was in lane 6, and I tried to get the lead early and hold it. I was so embarrassed because I had to nearly come to a halt in front of two of the hurdles just to get over with my left leg- the one I use. I made some "ahh" noises that I'm pretty sure the people standing on the side heard. Me and my teammates all said we had bad races, and we just kind of laughed it off. Allison Fereshetian didn't do the 300's at that meet. Apparently she alternates. She had a killer 100H race, and split 1:01 for her 4x4 anchor.

The 4x4, I just wont say anything about that except I was tired. Gwen Beacham had to run the 4x4 right after her 2mile which she went 12:59 in. This was her goal (to break 13:00), and where she didn't finish the race last meet (for NON-medical reasons) it was really inspiring to have her overcome that time barrier. I can only see her dropping that time more and more.

At the meet tomorrow I am switching it up. I will be in the 4x8, 800, 400, and the 4x4. My coach said I need to work on my leg speed. I think it will be fun. She told me I could either do those events, or do the mile and 2mile. You can probably guess what my immediate response was: "FOUR BY FOUR!!" She said "you know, you're GOING to run the 2mile sometime this season. I want to see what you can do." That sentence, it haunts me. I said: "I already know what I can do - I ran a 12:46 indoor, there you go!" Yeah, it didn't persuade her at all.

This past weekend I went to Poland to see Dylan. We went for a nice easy run Sunday which I definitely needed. It was around 4.5 +/- . I've got to start making myself put more miles in. I need to get that mental thing down. I feel like I have no drive to do well. I've got to get that back. I haven't wanted to run fast yet. I can't get myself to think like that.

GOALS FOR TOMORROW: 4x8/2:35 - 800/2:30 - 400/1:06 - 4x4/will base off my open 4

OUTDOOR: April 20th - 26th

2009-04-27T10:07:00.008-04:00

Training
Monday: ladder workout / hard day
Tuesday: speed workout around 30 min
Wednesday: a lot of 200's
Thursday: easy
Friday: 400's / pacing
Saturday: easy
Sunday: core work / off

This week was a big step in getting my legs back into shape. With the speed work I've been feeling a lot of pain in my calves, but I can distinguish this good kind of pain from an injury sort of pain. The good kind of pain is what's getting me back into shape. My legs are able to take more and more each week, and I've been trying to stretch a lot. We don't want a repeat of my mile at EL last last week! Gotta get faster, real soon. I've got to focus more on training and getting miles in. Hopefully either this Saturday or Sunday I can get in a good length run, nothing crazy just something more than 5 miles maybe. I like running 7 miles, a little superstition maybe.

Brunswick friends came over this week and stayed Thursday - Sunday/last night. They ended up coming to practice on Friday and 2 of them started out doing the 400's with me but only one of them stuck around to finish up all 8 of them. I was running with two guys from the team: Nick Hart, and Kris Nadeau. They are somewhat close to my mile pace so it's just enough to push me and allow me to stay with them. I like running with guys sometimes because I know it'll push me basically no matter what, 'cause I really don't like losing, and I tend to incorporate that into practice a lot.

I definitely have to mention how the weather has been absolutely gorgeous, and the past couple days have gotten up to around 85 here. During the winter I want summer so I can run outside, but now that it's getting warmer I am reminded of the temperature of last year's outdoor state meet, and would prefer if it were fall or something less deadly than the sun.

This morning I got a couple letters from USM and Lipscomb University. I have never heard of Lipscomb but I've filled out the questionnaires to send back. I have no idea why I enjoy filling them out so much.

Our next meet is on the 30th at Oxford Hills. I'm not sure what events I'll do yet but I know I'm in the 300 hurdles. I need to run faster than last time. My form is better than last year already but it is still so terrible and awkward. (picture from states last year...)

We're doing the dualathon today - 3 person teams, 1 person runs 2miles, then the next bikes 8 miles,and the last person runs 2 miles. I am on a team with Shelby Aseltine and Emily Ramsey is our ghost biker since we don't have one. I'm hoping to run faster than last year which was a 12:55. It's on the same road we do our warm-up and cool-downs on. It's mostly flat but the way there is somewhat of a gradual uphill, so the way back is nice. I guess I'll see what kind of shape I'm in.

GOALS:
800m: 2:25 or under [PR: 2:29 indoor]
1600m: 5:25 or under [PR: 5:32 outdoor]
3200m: 12:15 or under if I do it at all [PR: 12:46 indoor]
300m Hurdles: SUB :50.00 [PR: 50.68]
success in our 4x4 and 4x8 teams

***I ended up doing a 12:52 in the 2mile dualathon today, during XC I think it was a 12:55 so I suppose I will take the 3 seconds! My legs killed for some reason.

Gwen Beacham ended up running I believe nearly a minute faster than the last time we did the dualathon, which is definitely impressive and I'm positive she can go so much faster. She is a state returner in the 2mile and last year she wasn't feeling well at all for her 2 mile, so this year it will be exciting to see what she can do.

First meet of the season @ EL

2009-04-18T01:04:00.005-04:00

TRAINING- - -

This week's training was pretty rough for me. I've been missing a lot of practice because I've had doctor's appointments and stuff. My favorite run was on Thursday when me and some of the guys decided to run to Wal Mart for LSD, and pick up some food to bring back to the dinner we decided to have in the cafeteria at school. Jaron ran with his backpack, and we all got food and just put it in there for him to carry back. There was a rotisserie chicken and we could smell it when we were running behind him. That was lovely. ANYWAY! Still getting back in shape.

EVENTS: 4x8, 1600, 300H, 4x4

GOALS:1600: 5:42.8 / 300m hurdles: around :50.00

However; the mile ended up like this:

  1 Paul, Danielle               El-G                            5:40.90     6

2 Mace, Abby                   MCS                             5:42.50     4

3 Burr, Taylor                 MCS                             5:44.50     3

4 Masters, Jaclyn              El-G                            5:45.90     2

5 Lam, Melody                  MTBL                            5:59.40     1

AHHHH - I don't know what I was thinking! I was feeling alright for the first 2 laps. Well I mean, I quite obviously wasn't feeling alright enough , but you know what I mean. I was taking it easy, and I was in the back cause I didn't get out fast enough. On the end of the first lap I cut into the second lane and tried to pass a few, which was successful I suppose. After that I got nervous because I knew I was running ridiculously slow, and I had trouble breathing. I'm really smart, and didn't use my inhaler 20 minutes prior to physical activity. With that aside, I still don't know if I would have gone faster. Honestly, I was just thinking that I should just try to finish the damn race. I felt a mixture of bored, out of shape, exhausted, and just mentally dead. I ended up missing indoor because the laps go by quickly in there. They take a million and a half hours on an outdoor track. I just wanted my lunchable. I'll make sure the next meet (on the 30^th) doesn't go as horribly as this first one.

The 300 HURDLES lifted my spirit a little. I was in lane 4 / heat 1 of 2. I had to pee quite badly right when the orange man was going to blow the gun, so I was just hoping that maybe I wouldn't pee myself when I was ju

mping over the hurdles. Yeah I didn't, it was fine. I started out at a good pace, and a girl from my team was in lane 6. People were catching up and I didn't know if I was going to die before I got to the finish, or have something left to try to have a little bit of form for jumping which I am god awful at. My technique is: get over the hurdles any way possible, and sprint like crazy in between. I ended up starting out tired, and finishing with an adrenaline rush. To be honest, I just wanted to win something for good luck, it being the first meet and all. It ended up being the 300 hurdles, which I didn't see coming. My form was absolutely embarrassing, but towards the end I tried to straighten that out, and spring the last little bit. My time was rounded to be 51.50, which qualifies me for states I think/hope? It wasn't my best, but I am fine with that because I tried hard.

Relays were alright, I think we're all still getting back into the hang of things but we'll be back into it soon. Addie Cullenberg is out with a bad hamstring right now, and possibly for awhile. She was originally on our 4x8. I hope she's back soon.

My main goal for the next meet is to do better than this meet, obviously. I'm still not sure about the 3200. It is a dreadful race to run; fun to watch though. I have no interest in it, but might do it a couple times if I am pressured into it. I just want to switch events up a little here and there. I'll start getting more pumped and positive once the season begins to look better/when I'm faster [than today]..which, dear God I hope that's soon! Alrighty well that's about it !

Good luck everyone with the start of the season.

INDOOR STATES 2009

2009-02-17T17:15:00.007-05:00

I was looking forward to states because it marked the end of my indoor season. I have been under-training and I can feel it when I race. It is not pleasant. I'm looking forward to outdoor track when I will practice every single day and be whipped back into the shape I should be in.

I only ran the mile and 800 at states. I had qualified in the 2 mile when I ran it at an earlier meet but after I ran it that time, I decided that I still hated it (since outdoor last year) and that it would be better for me to stick to my 2 normal events.

I was seeded 11th in the mile out of... however many girls did it, and I ended up getting 11th. However; I ran 8+ seconds slower than my seed time. Not good! The start was chaotic and uncomfortable. I was getting shoved, and I could see people ahead of me getting shoved. Everyone was trying to get into the first lane and it was not working. I ended up running a lot of the race in the 2nd lane; I didn't mind that much. I ran most of the race on Krislyn Hyatt's (MTA) shoulder, and Katie McMahon (Bruns) was right behind us. In the last couple laps Katie passed me and Krislyn and I tried to stick with Katie and did so and then I passed her in the last bit- she finished just behind me/basically right with me I think. The race was over awhile before I finished but I'm fine with that because I just wanted to finish the race and call it good, then get ready for the 800. Fiona Hendry is super fast. She finished about 36 seconds ahead of me. My time was 5:46.xx which is very bad for me. I mean I could tell I was going fairly slow but I didn't realize it was that slow.. eek. I'm very relieved it's over.

After the mile I always know that the 800 will be happening sooner than I know it, so I usually just grab something to drink and sit near the start/finish for awhile and recuperate until I have to get ready for the 8 (this means sitting and staring into space until I acquire enough energy to do anything else). I checked in and I was seeded 9th, running in the 3rd and final heat. I started next to Vicky Hewey (Sanford) and I don't remember who was to the left of me. The starter was getting ready to blow the gun and we were all standing on the straight line, when we were supposed to be doing a waterfall start, so he had to stop and tell us to go "up there". We were unsure of where to start but all of our feet were over the straight line anyway when he first said runners to your mark because we were confused. It was pretty embarrassing.
Anyway I don't remember very much about the race other than after the mile I knew I would probably want to run the 800 in the second lane to avoid the shoving of people trying to get into the first lane. When Vicky Hewey passed me I tried to stay with her but that did not happen, and I ended up 8th with 2:29.47 being my best 800 time ever run indoor or out. Overall I think it was a good race for me personally, and I was just thinking that it was my last indoor race so I just went all out, but then when I was finishing I was looking at the clock and it made me slow down a little. I believe that's the only regret I have from the race. When I went around the corners I could see Whitney Chamerlain from Scarborough running ahead of everyone. First I thought that it was someone having an off race, in last or something but then I realized - nope, it's the first place runner.. haha. Wayyyyyyyy up there. So from what I could see it was a very intense race. A few of the top seeds got boxed in at the start and that was really too bad to see.

The most intense race of the day (that I saw) had to be either the guys 400, or the guys mile. Everyone was going crazy during them, cheering and standing up. Basically all of the girls sprinting events were also very intense and fun to watch.

My mom just got a job in Westbrook, so I do not believe I will be attending Mt.Blue next year which is pretty upsetting (but also has it's ups). I'm not sure where we're moving, but it will be after this school year is over. I know we are not moving to Westbrook though. I'm just going to wait and see.

GOOD LUCK AT NEW ENGLANDS MAINE!

2009-02-13T08:54:00.000-05:00

KVACs +

2009-02-09T10:09:00.003-05:00

M I L E
I was seeded 4th, but I ended up getting 5th (which was actually 7th, before they took Taylor Burr and put her in class B results, and before the MTA girl got DQ'd). It was absolutely the worst race. I started out getting shoved around at the beginning, and someone behind me was trying to eat my legs with their shoes. It was not the most fun I have ever had. After the first lap I was dead already. I'm pretty sure I gave up mentally, and I felt like I could not physically do it. I don't actually remember much about the race other than it hurt, and after I felt like I was going to throw up what I had previously eaten. My time was 5:40. I am glad it's over. My training is non existent and I could definitely feel it as soon as I took the first few steps of the race.

8 0 0
After the mile I was SO happy to still have the 800 left, because I just love that feeling of nausia and death I felt after the 8 lap race, and I was so very excited to have another race that I could embarrass myself in. What a wonderful day! Anyway, I was seeded 4th in the 8 too, and I was honestly crossing my fingers to just get top 7. The only thing I was looking forward to about the 800 is that it was my last event and after it my face could become friends with the ground. I was really looking forward to falling down after.

The gun went off and once again people's shoes were trying to kill me, and I got to meet a lot of elbows which was lovely. Let's kill the tiny Asian. I'm just kidding, I know (hope) nobody did it on purpose. Haha. So anyway I started out in what seemed like 50th place but since there were not that amount of people in the race let's just call it 8th or something. I was stuck right in the middle of a group and I could not find a way out. I wasn't going to shove anyone. On the first lap I saw a gap between places 3-4 so on the 3rd corner I ran into the 3rd lane and got into the gap placing myself in 4th. I was semi-alone- the 3 leaders were about 7 seconds ahead of me so I just wanted to finish and fall over. My time was 2:34 with my PR being 2:29. I can live with that time I guess.

I can't even imagine what states is going to be like if I can't even manage to get myself out of box-ins at KVACs. I guess I will just start out faster because I don't want to be in the back.

After the meet me, Kayla Welzel, Farren Welzel, Kyia Jensen, and Morgan Beede went to this dessert buffet thing at Bowdoin with our friend Kaitlin that goes there. It was like heaven! Then I went back to the Welzel's and stayed there for the night. Yesterday we went to dinner there with Kaitlin, and now I have food poisoning. I'M SICK OF BEING SICK! I just want to get states over with, so I can have a break from track, and then start track again.

Leading up to KVACs & other things

2009-02-04T13:26:00.006-05:00

There is hardly anything to say about my training, since it has ultimately been non-existent for the past week. Last week I missed Monday because I went to Brunswick and then to the MPA meeting. Tuesday I missed school because I was sick from standing outside at the meeting Monday, and Wednesday we had a snow day. Basically I felt terrible last week and I didn't run. I'm feeling a little bit better, but not really.

Last night we had Colby practice at 6:30 and we just did 2 sets of 4x200's; I was supposed to hit 36 for each one. I ended up doing them a little faster because a girl from Lawrence was running with me and it pushed me a little, but I felt terrible. I knew that I wasn't going to feel great, but I just really was in a bad mood and feeling 'blah'. I just wanted to finish the workout and lay on the ground. Coach told me I looked like death.

After we finished I just kind of sat down for a few minutes and felt really sick to my stomach, then I got up and stood for a long time and just zoned out. I started doing my cool down but halfway through my calves cramped up and I felt so ridiculous. I was running alone; I had to stop in the middle of the track (luckily I wasn't in anyone's way) and take my shoes off because I couldn't step; it hurt so much. After that I was really just kind of pissed off that my training isn't going well, and that I felt as bad as I did. I'm hoping that I don't feel sick on Saturday, but either way I'm just going to suck it up. I guess it's better to be sick at KVAC's than states.

I'm running the 800 and the mile this weekend, and I'm ranked 4th in both of them. I also do not feel well about that. I just hope everything goes well, and I'm hoping that [like normally] having fast competition will get me to run faster times. I honestly have already started wanting indoor to come to an end. I miss not having the team, and I really miss coach. I know outdoor will be better for me. I just want to get through with indoor (now).
Kelton and I got letters from Lehigh University [in PA] this week. I've never heard of it but they're D1 for cross country and track so that's kind of cool. I'm still not really decided on any college stuff yet, but I've been looking at a lot of places. I've talked to the Middlebury coach on the phone (they're D3, yes I can) and he wants me to come visit soon and then go back in the fall for an overnight visit, and to meet some of the team. It definitely sounds really cool but I'm skeptical about it since they are so academically intense.

Yesterday my mom picked me up from school and she was telling me about how she got contacted about a job at a bank in Portland, and I guess if she gets it my parents both want to move there. I'm not really sure what's going to happen yet. I told my mom that if it was what she thought was best then I wouldn't throw a fit about leaving. I guess we'll see. It would be better for my education, but honestly the first thing I thought was: "oh my gosh.. the cross country team," and I can't picture myself in another school's uniform.

MPA meeting: proposal rejected!

2009-01-26T18:18:00.006-05:00

On Sunday I was with some Brunswick kids and ended up going back with them so that I could go to the meeting today. We (Farren Welzel, Kayla Welzel, Kyia Jensen and I) woke up at 6:07 and we were out the door by 7 or so on our way to Augusta. When we got there we only saw a few cars, and MPA members began to arrive around 8:30 or so. Then we were sitting in the car watching a movie and waiting for more people to arrive and this guy came over to our car and said to Mrs.Welzel: "You know this meeting isn't open to the public, right?" and she just nodded and was like "Yes I'm aware of that."

We waited around a little and more people showed up including kids from Cheverus, Brunswick, and Lewiston (I don't know if I'm leaving people out, sorry). We waited around a little and then we planned on going into the lobby at 8:55 as the meeting started at 9. So we all got in there and a member came out and told us that we could not be in there, and that they were being nice allowing us to stay in the parking lot.

From then on we went back and forth between lining the entrance, and sitting in cars as it was probably -15 out. Some news stations started showing up and interviewed Patrick Horan, Tim Woods, and me. Good thing I'm such a great public speaker? Oh wait.. haha...Well anyway I was nervous because I didn't want to sound like an idiot and have it broadcasted for people to see.

WLBZ2 MPA votes on HS sports changes

Randy Whitehouse from the newspaper showed up and asked to talk to me, which I thought was very random. I think he just drove there, then he walked over and was like: "Is Melody Lam here?" I had talked to him recently about the protests and what not but that was over the phone. I get really nervous around reporters and stuff, so the whole videocamera/news stations thing kind of freaked me out a little.

After awhile they told us that it would probably be another hour (one of the news crews was inside and came out to give us some info. a couple times) so we all went back to our cars and tried to warm up. It was nice for us to all come together and take a stand. Then someone came over to us and said that the proposal had been rejected, and I think we would have been more excited about it but we were all so freezing cold. So we lined the door and clapped as the members came out. A lot of them seemed pretty nice, and said 'congratulations' and stuff as they walked by.

Afterwards Farren, Kayla, Kyia and I went to Tim Horton's and got hot chocolate, and my mom came and picked me up in Augusta. Now I'm very sick, probably from standing outside as much as we did. I'm so relieved that the proposal was rejected.

Thanks everyone that did anything at all to fight the proposal. There was an article in the paper about how the MPA members have printed out tons of e-mails and stuff from Maine athletes. It also says something about the running community having the biggest involvement in the issue, which is really amazing. Congratulations.

KVAC meet #6: January 17th

2009-01-18T16:16:00.006-05:00

I want to post about the meet and try to not over-post about the MPA issue, but just a few things you should check out (recent articles and coverage of the subject):

Sub5 website - coverage by Glendon Rand (Brewer coach)
Maine Morning Sentinal: Indoor Track teams plan protests
Sun Journal: Funding Feud- by Randy Whitehouse

We kicked the meet off with a protest lap, holding a banner in front that read: "LET US RUN!" It was pretty successful and we didn't think that many people would get involved, but the amount of people that walked was impressive considering it was a fairly small meet. People were clapping and it was really great to see (almost) everyone come together on the issue.

Okay now back to the actual meet....

Teams attended: Erskine, Lewiston, Cony, Lawrence/Mt.Blue, Gardiner, Waterville

My events: mile, 2mile

This week coach talked me into trying the 2 mile out, which I can now say I regret doing 89%. The mile was not bad, but it was nothing special time wise. I've been doing the same times every meet so far, and just like I waited in XC to break 20, I am waiting to break 5:37 in the mile indoors. I know it won't come easy though, I need to get more mileage in than the 5 I did this past week.

It's been taking a toll on me come race day, as I am probably more out of shape than I have been in a very, very long time. Shorter things such as the 800 have not been too difficult for me to get decent times in without intense training, but I definitely learned a lesson when I ran the 2mile at the meet.

Anyway, back to the mile: I was seeded 2nd behind Toby from Lewiston, and I was glad that I had competition to push me. We started out incredibly slow, but I still just stuck behind Toby knowing that the pace would eventually pick up. Something I did not expect was the girl from Waterville (- - Walker?) that passed me in the last 400 and almost got Toby. Fortunately my kick was working so in the last little stretch I passed her and finished a couple seconds behind Toby with a 5:37, which I believe matches my current indoor PR.

After I finished I was trying to find out my time so me and coach went over to look at the finish lynx and we ended up finding out that all of the mile times recorded were listed as about 13 seconds slower than the actual time (I was almost positive I did not run a 5:51!). We saw it and my coach was like, "woah... I didn't know you meant you guys took it out that slow!". I ran over to Coach Putnam and I was like, "Umm coach, what did you have for Toby's mile, because they have her at 5:49." NO WAY! Haha.... thank god! But I have been running 5:37-38 and I'm stuck at those cursed times. I need to get out of that range.

I don't really have much to say about the 2mile other than: I died, and got 4th. Coach seeded me with a 12:30, which gave me #1 for a hip number, and I was so nervous partly because of that. I had never done the 2mile indoors, and with the training I've been doing, I honestly almost did not see myself breaking 13:00.

Well, I guess the good news is that I did break 13:00, with a 12:46. I started out feeling alright. I was behind Toby, and ended up running the first half of the race back and forth in the first and second lane sometimes behind Toby, then sometimes next to Morgan Beede. The Waterville girl from the mile was in this race, which was intimidating. I was scared.

So I think when we reached the mile I was in 2nd-3rd (Toby, then Morgan or myself). After that, my god I couldn't even tell you what happened to me. I guess the dumbed down simple explanation of it would be: I completely died. It ended up that Toby, Morgan, and Waterville girl were the leaders and they opened about a 10 second gap on me, and I ran alone because there was gap between me and the runners behind me. The Waterville girl ended up winning in 12:19 ahead of Morgan Beede by .xx of a second I believe. Morgan ran an incredible race, and before the race she was talking about how she was "seeded so low for states with a 12:40 something", so she needed to run faster. She definitely followed that idea, 12:19 is amazing! She ran a hell of a race (yep, I could kinda see it, I just wasn't involved in it haha).

It was not pretty. I got really dizzy for some reason, and I kept closing my eyes while I was running. Maybe I was expecting to open them and find out it was a bad dream. Either way it was a bad experience and I do not believe I want to give it another shot (until outdoor, perhaps), as I would rather focus on the 800 and the mile more.

Thanks everyone that participated in the protest, your voices will be heard.

Dear MPA, let us run.

2009-01-14T18:57:00.004-05:00

DICK DUROST

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MAINE PRINCIPALS ASSOCIATION

50 INDUSTRIAL DRIVE

AUGUSTA, ME 04338

write until he runs out of places to put the letters.

(no those are not all to Dick Durost, just the front one)

I.M.O

2009-01-09T10:33:00.003-05:00

A Runner’s Point of View

Feelings on the recent MPA’s proposal to exclude Maine athletes from NE’s
By Melody Lam

For every cross country runner there is a kind of closure to their season. For some, it is the regional qualifying race where the top 20 advance to the state meet. If qualified, it is a reward and accomplishment that only a certain amount of people will ever experience in their running career. Following this- many great, deserving athletes take it a step further, advancing to an extremely rare opportunity that many others are envious of. The name of this dream is called New England’s.

New England’s are the grand finale of the fireworks that are most runners’ high school cross country seasons. Each runner most likely aspires to someday reach this ultimate goal of being one of the best runners in the state, worthy enough to compete on a higher level. Competing in Maine is one thing, but once one steps outside the lines and experiences the thrill and the excitement of New England’s, it’s a different story. It’s a strange new kind of adrenaline rushing through veins. It is looking down the starting line minutes before the race observing others that are unfamiliar. It’s a mark on hundreds of calendars, awaiting the big day.

To come so far, is truly a rare opportunity for many. The 2008 New England Championship held at Manchester, New Hampshire, experienced something similarly rare on it’s diverse terrain, and climbing hills. Maine has been gifted with the most talented group of freshman girls in New England. It’s not a boast, but a fact. This season at the championships, Maine finished four freshman in the top 10. Not only is this fact alone impressive to everyone, but it also happens that two of the girls finished first and second, a mere 3 seconds apart at that. Abbey Leonardi and Emily Durgin are a delight to Maine cross country. They take Maine running to a new level, and (along with everyone else that competed from Maine) make everyone proud.

Would you consider putting this to a halt for Maine, and robbing runners of their success?

“Budgeting issues” have since been troubling Maine High Schools, causing the MPA to make a decision that will in some of their opinions: “help” the problem. On January 26th, 2009, 15 members from all across Maine will be voting for, or against the question of whether to withdraw Maine athletics from participation at the New England Championships.

Could Maine high schoolers’ get the same education received now, without their $1,000 dollar lap tops? Would it make a difference in the minds of the educators to use the already acquired, fully functional TV’s to show videos, rather than displaying it on a $350 screen projector? Must we have $180 automatic-flush toilettes, when the simple solution is just using a little soap and washing the germs off?

The fact is, the MPA is about to fire the gun in the wrong direction. If a budget cut-back is needed, do not take it from somewhere that will hardly aid in the issue. The small number of athletes that participate in New Englands from Maine, have for years been paying for a portion, if not all of their costs for the event. A vast majority of runners pay for their own meals, transportation, and other unfixed costs that come up along the way. If anything, Maine high schools should give more to runners. There is nothing to be solved by proposing this absurd cut-back upon the talented runners of Maine.

Things that can be done to stop this from happening are: contacting your school’s A.D and principal, letting the MPA members know how you feel, and simply spreading the word. The vote takes place on January 26th, do all that is possible before then, or expect great change in the near future.

“We cannot be sure of having something to live for unless we are willing to die for it.”-Che Guevara

First meet of 2009 - Bowdoin 1/2/09

2009-01-02T20:20:00.008-05:00

TRAINING

Monday: meet at UMO - 4x8, mile, 800m

Tuesday: 30 minutes easy

Wednesday: 65 min going hard on the hills

Thursday: off

Friday: is today..

Events: mile, 800m

MILE

For competition in the mile today I had Toby Crispin from Lewiston, which was great because it made things interesting since we both like to kick. Unfortunately my kick didn't work like it did last meet, and hers was unbeatable! I was so dead before the meet started, maybe because it was a morning meet. I didn't want to lead (again) so right from the start I tucked in behind Toby, and we were at a pretty solid pace. I was sticking right with her and things were going well, and every time I passed my coach he would say: "if you need to pass her, go ahead, anytime..." while my eyes are nearly closed and I'm dying. So we got to the last couple and I knew she was a kicker but didn't know when she would kick. She started a little before the last lap and it was really good... and fast.. and I basically just lost it. I was dead, and it was one of those moments where you could maybe try to get into it and force yourself to kick but for me it was more of hmmm yeah I'm dead, I'll just hang back here and grab second, and I did. It was different than how I have been racing but I guess it worked out alright because I ran a new PR of 5:37 a second behind Toby. After that I was basically falling asleep, and I really wanted to.

EIGHT HUNDRED

I think there were like 16 girls in the 800 and the directors decided it would be a wonderful idea to just stick us all in one heat. I was seeded first so the pressure was kind of getting to me, but knowing that Kyia Jensen (Brunswick) was running it I kind of figured that she might take me in it - Class A State Champion in the 800m outdoors is a little intimidating. Anyway, I have no idea what I was thinking, because I started out fast with the lead for the first 3 laps and I could tell I was starting to die and couldn't get my body out of that phase into my kick, so she passed me on the last lap going into the last turn. It sucked, but I ended up running a PR of 2:29, she was in at 2:28. I felt pretty good with the lead at the beginning but I think I was still dead from the mile. I don't know why there was such less time in between the mile and the 800 this meet. I think they did it quickly or something. I was dead!

I was a little 'meh' about the whole getting 2nd in both my events thing, but then again I'm pretty happy with my times. I've got the worst cough from the air, and it won't go away.

After the meet we stayed in Brunswick to hang out with some friends. We hung out at Stephen/Maddie Purcell's for awhile and watched Hot Fuzz, then went to Liam's and brought him with us into town where we did scandalous crazy things. We saw these people standing on the sidewalk holding signs about peace and what not so we decided to join them for the remaining 5-10 minutes they were going to stand there. People honked and we cheered and it was freezing, but lots of fun. I think we're going back next weekend.

Fun day! No meets until the 17th.

UMO meet 12/29

2008-12-30T00:24:00.003-05:00

So it's 12:30 and I just got back from my meet at UMO that started around 4:00. WONDERFUL! It feels like there are tiny shards of glass stuck in my throat, and nothing is curing it.

I ran the same events as last meet: non-scoring 4x8, mile, and 800. I didn't feel as well as last meet, since I ran somewhere around 4-5 miles this week (we went to practice on Friday with Lawrence). I'm also just kind of sick and blah right now, so I was really dreading racing. Like last time I was first leg on the Lawrence 'B' 4x8, and I opened up with a nice solid lead, and finished in around 2:29.

By time the mile came around I was still feeling dizzy and sore from the 4x8, and I didn't want to lead it out because I thought I would end up dying out in the end. Michelle was leading out a slow start but I didn't mind, I tucked right in behind her and tried to stay as close as I could without stepping on her heels. I got boxed in by a few girls, and had to go way around to get back in place, and ended up feeling like a jerk because I let Michelle lead for the longest time, then just sprinted by on the last bit-it made me feel like a panzy. My arms were dead, along with the rest of me, and I kind of just wished that I was done then. I ran a 5:43 I think.

Michelle did the same events as me, so I also had her in the 800. This time I didn't run like a panzy as much. Again, I let Michelle lead for a little, but I was also running side by side with her for awhile. Then a Foxcroft girl got ahead of me and I dropped into 3rd with 1 lap to go. We were on the 2nd to last corner and my coach yells: "this is your race, go get 'em!" and I'm pretty sure my eyes were closed. I felt absolutely terrible, and I don't remember telling my body to pass them but it did. I had to go on the outside lane to do so, and just went to the finish. It was kind of nice, but when I got to the finish I kind of just got on the ground and put my head to the floor because I was so relieved it was over and I didn't have any more events to run. I finished in a 2:32 or something, and that was also slower than last meet, so all in all I didn't have very good times, but I'm happy with place I guess. Then I hugged Michelle, 'cause she's awesome and I missed her from USATF and stuff.

I didn't really like the track, I don't know why.

I have a meet Friday at Bowdoin and I wont be running the 4x8 this time so I will either be doing the 800 and the 2 mile- for the first time, or the 800 and the mile again.

The End.

Approaching 09' ?

2008-12-25T19:52:00.006-05:00

TRAINING (or lack there of)
This week and last week went down the drain a little. Last week, basically the only legit practice I got in was Tuesday's when we go to Colby for practice. That was when we did 800's I think. I don't remember. Anyway, I went into the meet feeling like I had nothing to work from and thought I was going to do terrible, but instead I ended up doing fairly well personally. So after that meet, coach gave me a weekly workout sheet so I could get some miles in on my own. I was ready to start training hard on my own again, and get back into things, but that was sidetracked
when vacation set in and I was out at friends houses for 3 nights straight. Then I was feeling ready to run the next day. Instead I had to work all day, then got a call saying that my sister and niece got in a car accident. That kind of sucked. They're okay but my sister had to get stitches. About an hour before that I got a text about one of my friends going off the road. The roads were a mess and bad things kept happening. For the first time I [almost] had forgotten about working out.

Anyway, needless to say- my training has not been going as planned, but I still feel ready and I want to improve my 800(2:31) and mile(5:38) times from last meet. Tomorrow Lawrence has practice at 8:00A.M, so we are leaving around 6:45 to go there, which means I have to open my eyes around 6:00A.M. IT'S A FRIGGEN SICK JOKE. Hopefully it's worth it, and we can all get a good workout in. We're running outside, so I'm going to be all bundled up. I just need (emphasis right there) to get my miles in and not suck.

Oh Merry Christmas. (I forgot, because it's so boring after you're done opening presents and eating.) I ordered some new track flats with a gift card I got- they're Asics, and it said that they work well for indoor track, so... yay. They wont be here in time for the meet on Monday, but we have a meet on the 2nd and I should have them by then, which makes me happehhh.

my goals for [the beginning of] 2009 [involving running] are:

[very] sub 5:30 in the mile
sub 2:30 in the 800
more mileage

KVAC meet @ Colby 12/19

2008-12-22T14:21:00.003-05:00

Teams attended: Lawrence/Mt.Blue, Erskine, EL, Camden, MV, Winslow, Gardiner, Rockland, MTV

My events: non-scoring 4x8, mile, 800m

All in all I think the meet went pretty well. I almost felt like it was my first meet cause for once I actually did the events I should be doing.

Coach asked me and one of my teammates if we were interested in doing a non-scoring 4x8 with 2 girls from Lawrence, so they could have a chance to run. We ended up doing it, and it was a lot of fun. I wasn't planning on going all out, but I ended up going faster than I had planned just because I got stuck behind a girl and I kept stepping on her heels and I felt bad, so I was like.. okay whatever I need to go around her before I cause her to face-plant. So I went around her, and I was feeling really good at that point- I was in the lead, but I didn't feel like I was running a fast time. So I finished and handed off to Lindsey Keenan, and Amanda Asaro (graduate from MCI/indoor beast last year) was timing me and she said that I had ran a 2:35-ish. I was like, ARE YOU SERIOUS??? It was really weird to me because that's almost breaking my indoor PR from last year which was a 2:34. After that I was stressing a little because I was afraid that when I did the open 800 I would run a slower time and be pissed at myself!

I had the mile next though, and I was dreading that. Last year the coach asked me to run it when I was doing maybe 1 practice a week, and I ran a 6:11! It was so embarrassing! I felt so scared going into this meet because- what if I start out great, then I die, and end up making an idiot of myself?! "Melody Lam, Eastern Maine Class A XC girls Champion, also runner of a 6:30 mile...." It would be humiliating for me! That was what I worried about most. Okay but instead of all this negative talk it turned out to be not bad at all! I started out at a nice steady pace and just tried to keep it like that. Amanda was yelling splits and I told her I wanted to do sub 6:00, that was all I wanted. I ended up finishing in 5:38.24, which made me really happy, and relieved. It did go by a lot faster than I had expected it to. I was just glad it was over, but after that I realized I still had the 800 left to do.

There was a group of girls waiting to do the 800 and it was kind of fun because we were all just waiting and talking and stuff, and I love meeting new people. One of the girls said she recognized me from cross country: "Oh yeah, I remember you, you're the fast girl." It made me feel a little awkward, just because I didn't know her so I couldn't be like: "ohhh yeah I recognize you too!" I had never seen this girl in my life, but she was nice. Anyway I was in the 2nd heat, and I just wanted to get it over with. All of my splits were nearly dead even, and I finished in a 2:31, which is a new indoor PR for me! I was/am so happy!! I'm glad that I could start the season off well, and that I know right now that I have something to do at states.

I missed indoor a lot, and I love the general atmosphere. Our next meet is the 29th and I think it's at UMO, which I hear is a weird track.. but I also hear that it's fast, so hopefully that will stay true for me! I'm not sure if I want to do the 2 mile but I think I might try it at least once sometime this season. Congrats to everyone on a nice first meet!

Indoor + College things

2008-12-17T11:45:00.002-05:00

Last night we had practice at Colby, and I felt like I could have fallen asleep right then and there. I've been exhausted since the trip to Nationals. Coach broke the distance runners up into groups of 3 and told us similar workouts to do. I was in group 2 and I ended up running the whole workout with Alex Luchini. We were supposed to do 6x800m at 3:05 pace with 3 minutes rest in between. Well when he said that me and Alex looked at each other and we were like.. ehhh.. ? We ended up averaging something around a 2:55 so that's a little better. We both were thinking the same thing: "if Kelley (coach Cullenberg) was here we would probably be going a little faster." But either way I think it was a pretty solid workout. My legs were dying, and have been since the rave all of us had in Virginia Saturday night. After that we did some core work and push-ups, which absolutely killed me because the rotator cuffs in my shoulders are really messed up and moving my arms feels the opposite of awesome. OUCH.

My first meet is on Friday! Unfortunately it's at Colby, and I dislike meets there. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do but coach asked me and another girl from our team if we wanted to do a non-scoring 4x8 with 2 girls from Lawrence and we agreed to it just because. Other than that I will be doing the 800 and the mile, and I'm going to have to say that I'm scared as hell. As far as I can tell I'm not in excellent shape right now. I just don't want to embarrass myself. I just get so bored running the same oval over and over again, how will I do it 8 times if I get impatient doing it just twice sometimes?

Another thing I'm not sure about is the competition I'll have: Erskine, EL, Gardiner, Leavitt, MTV, Rockland, LA, MV, Camden, and Winslow. I thought that Danielle Paul graduated, but I just looked at the results from last year and it would seem that she is a senior this year. I guess this meet can be more of a test drive for me, and it's strange in the sense that I almost feel like this is my first ever indoor meet, when I've been doing it all of high school. This is the first year I am going to train for it, and try to be my normal distance runner-self. Now the 2-mile, I don't know if that will happen. I might end up making myself do it at least once just to see if I can get through the dreadful 16 lap torture.

Right now it would appear that my main event is the 800 just because that is the only thing I went to states for last year, and it is also very pathetic due to the fact that I was/am not very good at it. I guess we'll see!

C O L L E G E
I've been looking at a lot of college stuff lately trying to consider my options, and here are the colleges I have gotten letters from about running, and their division:

UMASS @ Amherst - D1
University of Southern Mississippi - D1
Merrimack College, MA- D2
Hawaii Pacific Universtity - D2
Haverford College, PA - D3
Connecticut College -D3
Ithica College, NY- D3
Goucher College, MD - D3

Other schools I've been looking at are:

Keene State College, NH - D2 (currently my #1)
University of New Hampshire - D1

Anyway I'm excited for the meet, I hope it's fun.

Nats. @ Pole Green

2008-12-14T20:35:00.006-05:00

On Thursday we spent the night at Will's house which was fun 'cause some other people came over and we all ate dinner together. Then Liam rapped and we had a saltine eating contest. It was pretty festive if you ask me. After dins we hung out then went to bed early so we could wake up at THREE IN THE MORNING to get ready for the airport. So that was FUN, a lot.

Blah de blah, we went to the airport: electricity, no electricity, electricity, no electricity. Your flight is cancelled until 11? 12? 999? We flew to Laguardia, NY and from there we had another delay about an hour or so and finally got to Virginia at 6 or something? Actually I have no idea what time we got there... beats me. We ended up having over 6 hours of delays or something. We didn't get to see the course though which was almost as great as no sleep and delayed flights. When we got there we had to go to the spaghetti dinner at Hanover H.S in VA because we didn't have much time left. After that we went back to the hotel and I think we proceeded to the pool and what not. Yeah, we did.. okay I remember now. We went to the pool and hot tub and then went to bed later on at like 10:30. (I might be absolutely wrong but I think that's what we did.)Our race was at 1:00(?) and when we got there the weather was very nice for running. I hate Maine's weather. They had us go into this big tent thing where we were fenced in and running around like farm animals. Anyway, we warmed up and what not and started on this nice flat section which I loved. I went through the mile in 5:57, AH. I have no idea what my 2 mile was, but I finished with a 20:02. It was so frustrating because I could see the clock coming into the long straight away and it was like, "19:47, 48, 49, 50.. " and I didn't really start kicking until I saw that I wasn't having a terrible race (which I thought I was). I would have been happy with a 19:59, honestly, come on... damnit!! I think I was 33rd, which I guess is okay because I started out way furthur back and I was like ahhh where the hell am I place wise mehhhhh. I'm actually quite surprised that could do sub 21:00. I'm guessing I ran quite a bit less than 10 miles this week and I was lazy.

Our team didn't do as well as I thought we would, but we all had ok races considering lots of things. It was a good experience and we promised the night before we wouldn't stress about it, and that we would just go for it and get it done with. THANK GOD, after it was over I was so relieved that I don't have another 5k to do for awhile. Now I can just run my little indoor meet on Friday.

Kelton got second which was AMAZING! It's so sweet, and a few of the other guys were all-American. Kelton also got the school record. Liam Cassidy had an absolute ridiculous race being the #2 Mainer after Kelton. It was really cool that "some Maine team" could win. The guys were awesome.

Yeah.. Pole Green Park; wicked sweet place. The course was awesome. If I had to describe it I'd say... oh jesus what would I say, uhh Belfast mixed with the woods of UMA a tad bit perhaps, plus all the bridges. I don't know, I liked it.

After the meet we (girls) ate a real meal finally and then Will's mom rented a conference room at the Holiday Inn directly next to our hotel so we could have a rave in it, and that was SO SWEET. We had a strobe and a black light and some sweet music, then people played musical chairs and it was trippy and hilarious.

After that we..............anyway we had to go to the airport around 4:45 I think and the guys flights got cancelled/delayed/whatever/something'ed and they are mostly just getting home now.

I can't wait for the meet Friday, it's going to be exciting and I want to do fun stuff. That's all. I miss Virginia.

Meets, glorious meets....

2008-12-09T08:19:00.002-05:00

USATF comes to and end this Saturday when we all run nationals, and I'm sad that I will run my last cross country race for a long time, but also excited.. fricken 5k's, I've had enough. I'm ready for some indoor meets. My first one is on the 19th at Colby with: Erskine, EL, LA, MV, MTV, Gardiner, Leavitt, Rockland, Winslow, and Camden.

I've been sick this week with a really bad cold, and I just want it to go away so it doesn't effect my race this weekend. Yesterday I went to the gym with a couple people from the indoor track team (2 out of 4), and I did 2 miles with Jaron on the track, then biked for 20 minutes, then did another mile semi-hard, and an 800m cool down. My nose was tweaking out, it was like.. "BLAGHHHHH".

After that I walked to work and froze my ass off doing so. Fortunately, I'm leaving Thursday so I'm done working for the week (I only assume so because when my boss left he said "see ya next week, have fun on your trip!").... well, okay Tom, I mean I was going to come in Wednesday but if you've got this idea in your head that I'm not then.. well, okay I will take advantage of that. Super.

I'm very excited to leave Maine.. I've never been to Virginia.

Tonight we have practice at Colby again, and I'm excited to be in a team atmosphere again. I'm still having issues dealing with that thing on my wrist though, I feel like it's itchy and gets sweaty, and I want to kill it. Anyway....gotta go get an "education" in the wonderful "school" of Mountain Blue.

First day of indoor !

2008-12-02T21:34:00.003-05:00

Well we only really have 1 day a week of indoor, that's when Lawrence H.S goes to Colby for their weekly practice and we tag along. We now have a solid 5 (possibly 6) person indoor team. It's me, Ashley Sampson, Lindsey Keenan, Alex Luchini, Jaron Jones, and maybe one other kid but he might decide not to do it. Either way, I had fun!

We got there about 30 minutes early so we got changed and a few of us did a little running before the teams got there. Then once Lawrence got there the distance people did 10-12 minutes for a warm up. After that we were broken into groups (I was in Alex's but he is the only person I really knew in my group besides one kid I recognized from last year) We were told to start with a 7 minute mile, and then start right into something like a sub 3:00 800m from that. Okay so it wasn't a hard practice, but it was an enjoyable first one, and me and Alex ran our times well under the given times. After we finished those coach said we were done and I kind of felt like I should do more because I don't really get a chance to have a legit practice on any other day than Tuesday with them, and I wanted to get more out of traveling the distance to use the facilities. I thought people were going to think I was annoying or something but I guess a lot of kids felt that way because Alex and Jaron, and a whole slew of guys ended up doing 2 more 800's with me and one of their coaches. It was really nice of them, and prevented me from feeling like some annoying person that's like, "Meh, gotta run more than everyone else, gotta over-achieve." Anyway we finished with another 10-12 minutes for a cool down and I was feeling great.

Before we started running, me, Alex, and Lindsey got candy out of the vending machines because I missed eating sour patch kids just before indoor- so I have a yummy taste in my mouth when I'm doing a workout. Well they gave me a little cramp but my mouth tasted like sugar and awesomeness, so it was basically fine.

Coach was asking me what I want to do this year, and joked around a little about how I didn't train much last year and did the 55m (no joke) at some of the meets last year. It was an off year, what can I say? I did the 800m at states and that wasn't too bad I guess, but we definitely think things will be much better this year! I told him how I'm still training for USATF nats. so I am kind of in shape right now, which gives me a base to work with for indoor. I'm thinking 800m and up is what I should do, but I just don't know how I'll be able to do that because the double the laps thing really messes with my head. I did tell him that I want to qualify in the 800m a.s.a.p because I feel that I can definitely(hopefully) qualify for states in at least something so I don't end up not running anything at states and feeling like a failure! Not that not doing anything at states makes you a failure, but I feel like I've got standards and expectations for myself.

There were so many people at Colby tonight, I didn't remember that many being there last year. It was really nice to see some friends from Lawrence and a couple from other schools. It's weird not having the kids there that graduated though, because I think they were my closest friends on the team. I liked it either way, and I'm excited for next week's practice.

Running with my watch today was so irritating, I just hate the feeling of something strapped onto my wrist like that. I kept adjusting it and wanting to take it off, but I left it on so I could keep track of my times (obviously).

I'm hoping to have a successful season, and not run terrible times. =]

EXCITED!

2008-11-30T09:15:00.003-05:00

No matter what the paper tells you, I honestly hate hills.

However, I still love running and I've recently decided that I'm VERY excited for indoor track! I didn't think I would be, but lately I've been running at the gym and I've loved running on something other than the xc courses.

The length of my (still not finished) cross country season has made me appreciate other things like, um, things that are not cross country. It's also going to be nice to run inside since I absolutely despise the cold.

Anyway I'm very excited with the fact that I got runner of the year for the S.J and the M.S, but I'm not gonna lie I don't fully agree with the fact that I was chosen for both.

I think it's great that Kelton got it, that was well deserved. However; I'm going to have to say that if I hear another word about his non existent appendix I'm going to go insane, and break stuff. It was a great season, really. He has no appendix. Did you know?

Anyway I hope next year will be even better for the both of us! We shall get faster. Either that or we will burn out from summer training, start the season out running average, and end with terrible times that aren't even good for top 50 finishes at states. Hopefully it is the other scenario though. That would be nice. Next year I aspire to run a sub 19:30 5k.

Anyway, I just realized that I overuse the word 'anyway'. I should probably cut that out.

Anyway, I'm very proud of our girls for getting the girls team of the year! I believe that is well deserved, probably mostly just because I know these girls first hand and know how ambitious and amazing they are. It's quite wonderful though, but they forgot to mention our #2 runner Addie Cullenberg who is amazing at running and is also an excellent movie quoter.

Congrats to all of the Mainers that ran Footlockers.

E is for Effort, 'cause I need to give some...

2008-11-29T00:32:00.003-05:00

Today: work, gym, friend's house

I woke up and it was snowing. I just wanted to close my eyes and sleep until it was all melted away. Unfortunately I had to work. I'm a secretary. I do random things like writing file numbers, ordering office supplies- all of that good stuff. After work I headed to the gym with one of my friends, and I started out by doing a mile easy/medium paced, then I decided to try to do a hard mile just for kicks to see what kind of shape I'm in. I ended up doing the 8 laps in 5:47 give or take a few seconds. I was like, good I hope I'm better at indoor this year. After that I did another mile at easy/medium pace. Then me and my friend went on the exercise bikes for 20 minutes which was painful! I didn't think it would hurt my legs that much but my legs got so tight, and when I was done I got up and I felt like I had just climbed the Leavitt hill about 90 times- how lovely! I stretched and then we did sets of crunches. After that I ran on the treadmill for approximately 5 minutes and I was so bored I couldn't stand it. I just stopped and ran a few more laps as a cool down. I think I got in a pretty good workout and I'm still hoping for a successful race in VA for my personal USATF grand finale.

I feel like I am the definition of someone who is absolutely god awful at indoor track, it's a teensy bit embarrassing. I haven't done much about it in the past, but I think this year I think I'm already off to a good start with my prolonged XC season forcing me to be somewhat physically fit and all. I am having a good workout week so far (or at least better than last week) so I just want to keep this base and build from it and not run terrible indoor times. Last year I practiced usually once a week when Lawrence went to Colby, because I don't like running alone (although I've gotten used to it more recently) so this year I think I just need to make myself run, because I think it will be worth the self reward (of not sucking).

This middle aged man ran by my at the gym and he was like, "getting ready for indoor?". I was like, "actually, yes!" It was really weird.. I'm thinking, who the hell is this guy? Random! The only thing I don't like about running at the gym is how you either pass, or get passed by people so many times and it makes me feel awkward.

My friend told me she "saw me in the newspaper" today, and I didn't know that the article came out yet. I was the one in the Sun Journal. I was glad my mom had already gotten it because I wanted to make sure I didn't come out looking like a complete idiot. The photographer was a tad bit awkward and sketchy, and everything he was trying to direct me to do just made me laugh so I was afraid that the picture would be strange looking. I guess it's not all that bad. I thought the writer did a nice job on the article, and he didn't butcher what I said, so that was much appreciated.

I think I'm going to set an alarm for tomorrow (crazy, I know) for 11:00, and then I'm going to do the loop around the lake and hopefully there wont be any bad ice for me to fall on (I will probably fall). Then mostly my whole day is full, which I'm excited about for some reason. I just need things to do so I don't sit in bordom.

14 days until VA. I need sleep. =]

I'm thankful for.....

2008-11-27T17:59:00.003-05:00

those little umbrellas they put in your drinks at Chinese restaurants.

Today was the first day in a while that I've done an actual workout. I decided to do the 10k loop (the Blueberry Festival one), which ends up being about 7 miles when I do it from and back to my house. My right leg was killing me for some reason but after awhile it went away.. or, went numb? Anyway.. I picked up a random watch yesterday so I would be able to do a workout, since I run alone now and I have never run with a watch. When I started out in the first mile or so there were these 2 middle aged guys ahead of me in bright orange hunting vests and I felt a little awkward because it took me a little while to pass them so I was just running behind them for a little bit and I was like..uhhh.. okkkkayy.. I was bored so I listened to their conversation a little bit. "The wife wants to go on a vacation soon."

After 30 minutes I decided, hey I'm going to do a 5 minute surge thing. It felt really nice because I haven't done anything fast in awhile. After that was over I decided to do 4x1 minute hard 1 minute easy, and then the rest was just easy all the way home. After I got home I went upstairs and did crunches, planks, and stretched a lot because once my leg regained feeling it hurt like a mother. Now that workout probably all went to waste because I just had thanksgiving dinner. We didn't have pecan pie this year, I feel like I could slay a friggen dragon.

Happy Thanksgiving! (wrote this last night, posting it today)

Almost Thanksgiving (and what not)

2008-11-26T21:40:00.004-05:00

I'm really really excited to go to VA and run with my team again. It was soooo fun hanging with them in New York.

My workouts lately have been, well not really workouts at all. It's mostly just 'run some miles'. I'm finding it hard to think that I have another 5k to go. I'm getting so sick of running 5k's! I want to end with a performance that makes me happy. To me that would be sub 20 because I ended my 2008 HSXC season with a sub 20 and now it would only make me happy to end usatf with that. I'm also really hoping that our team can do well. I know we can, it's just a matter of getting it done.

Yesterday was really fun and I was excited because we were supposed to have indoor track practice at Colby, but then obviously that plan was crushed by all of the ridiculous (in a bad way) snow that we got. I HATE snow, and I hate being cold! I absolutely just do not want winter to come. Anyway I ended up going to the gym with Ashley, my friend from the xc team who's also going to do indoor this year. We met up with Eric (Marceau) who's home from college and after the gym we went out for chinese with him and our friend Caitlin. Then we ended up seeing the the guys XC coach ('BK') which was really random. I guess everyone loves Chinese food.

I actually just got back from going to the movies (again) but with different people this time. I saw 'four Christmases' with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. It was kind of funny, but not as funny as I thought it would be. I went to work at 4 something and then I walked to the gym from my work (5 minute walk) and I got there and it was closed because Thanksgiving is tomorrow. It was so lame and ruined my day a little. Then I just ended up going to a friend's house before the movie. I'm going to try to get a good workout in tomorrow. I really need it! I don't want to suck by time I'm at the start line in VA.

Happy Thanksgiving.

USATF @ Van Cortlandt Park, New York

2008-11-24T17:18:00.009-05:00

BRONX! We got to the hotel and then we got some dinner then headed over to check out Van Cortlandt. Once we met up with the other girls we jogged the course and it seemed really nice and smooth except for the wooden barriers ALL OVER the course, like every other step you take there's one. That part really annoyed me.

Yesterday we raced at 1:30 (i think) and it was really ridiculously cold out so we all wore under armor tops and bottoms. We started out at a nice pace, and I'm not sure what place I was in at the mile but I kept passing people and then they would pass me back and so on, so it was really hard for me to tell how I was doing. I knew my pace was a little slow because I got a cramp from the hills and I was dying! Coming out of the woods to the finish there was about 4-500m to go and I started kicking way too early in hopes of catching some girl that was like 20m ahead of me. Anyway that plan failed and I died but finished better than last weekend with a 20:12, which would be my.... 5th or 6th fastest 5k ever I think. I was really hoping to go sub 20 but I just can't race like I did during the season, I'm getting so tired of running 5k's! It was pretty fun though, aside from the racing/dying part.Our girls ended up 2nd overall so we're going to VA, yay! I'm wicked pumped. Taylor hurt her hamstring and she ended up with a 20:5x which is really sweet. I'm really glad that we still did well even without Lauren. That would have helped but we managed and kicked ass so it's all good!
The hotel was so sick, and it was so much fun hanging out with everyone. We were going to have a dance party but that idea was smashed by some chaperones but it was fun anyway. I didn't get very much sleep Saturday night but I felt fine the next morning.
The guys intermediate team won and got a perfect score which was awesome. Will won for the intermediate boys and Jason won for young mens so that was really good. Now we're all going to nationals and I'm uber psyched.. I think we might rent a tour bus and all go down together and I really hope we do because it would be the sweetest thing ever.

Also tomorrow I'm starting indoor practice so I get to go run at Colby which I'm looking forward to. I hope I can make it through one more 5k and hopefully end this long season with a sub 20. That would be great.

There was this really sketchy old man at the race that kept talking to all of us and he was telling us that he ran a 4:58 mile in his timberlands and stuff.. it was so creepy. He was like: "there are 3 parts to a race: a beginning, a middle, and an end." And it was like.. um hi you're on crack.

It was really fun and I can't wait for VA!

USATF/Indoor soon!

2008-11-21T10:08:00.003-05:00

After school today we're going out to do a few miles, then we're heading out and staying at the Cullenberg's cousin's house I guess. That means we'll be in NY hopefully before noon on Saturday. I'm so excited! The hotel looks so sweet!
Anyway, I'm excited for indoor as well. I believe Lawrence High School starts going to Colby on Tuesdays for practice, next week. Hopefully we will be going to those (I think we are). I like practicing at Colby, but meets there are hell. The air quality is horrible and you basically feel like you're suffocating after you finish a race. I guess this year I'll do what Eric did last year and bring little throat drops or something so I can breath when I'm done.

I haven't really thought about what events I will do for indoor. I know what I should do but I hate: the 800, 1600, and the 3200. I think those are the events I should be thinking about but ahhh they just suck so much! If I can't stand the 3200 in outdoor (I did it once and then never again), how am I going to deal with 16 laps indoors? I get bored just watching, let alone attempting to run it. I guess maybe I will stick with the 800 because I did that last year. The mile will also be terrible but I may end up trying to do it. Last year I kind of just did whatever. I think I started out doing the 800, and I ended up doing throughout the season: HJ, 55m, 400m, 1600m(one time, sucky), and I think that's it. I didn't really take it seriously because I may be alright at XC but when it comes to track I'm just.... not, haha. I don't really mind it, I mean I practice and try hard and everything but I don't find the same success in anything that I find in XC. I look at it as , I had my season and my races and now it's every one else's turn to dominate (indoor and outdoor). I like indoor because it's really laid back and fun, and I like a lot of the people that do it. Most of my friends from Lawrence are off to college now but I still think it will be fun. Now that we have 3 girls and 2 guys the long car rides will be fun, and we can all hang out and stuff at the meets. I'm looking forward to wrapping up my last XC races and starting with a new season - indoor. My XC season was quite long, and I'm just kind of getting over it and I'm pleased with how it went for the most part and now I just want to move on to the next fun thing.

Outdoor is a whole different story. I strongly dislike most events in outdoor. My sophomore year I did a lot of different events though: 100, 200, 300 hurdles, 400, 800, 1600, 3200(once), HJ, Jav., 4x4, and 4x8. Like I said, I don't like to make it boring by doing the same events all the time. I did the weird events (for me) on that list mostly at the under the lights meet at MTA, and did the 300 hurdles for the first time and actually realized that I loved them, and qualified for states with like a 50.68. It's not that great of a time but I really think they're fun, and I also like the diversity of my possible events.

I need some coffee. I'll post when I get back from the trip!

I don't know what to call this post

2008-11-19T09:27:00.003-05:00

I found out today that Lauren Fecteau can't come to NY with us to run this weekend, which really sucks because she was our best runner. Thank god we had a back up plan in store by having originally a 6 person team so if something like this happened we could still have a team. I hope that I can run fast this weekend, and that our team will still do well.

Yesterday I went home and did really random things like crunches and all of the weird exercises we did during XC, and then it was so cold out that I was kind of a wuss and just went out and did a couple miles comfortably hard. It's been a little difficult for me training mentally since XC ended, just because it's harder to make yourself get out there and do the workout when there's no one (coach, team, etc.) there telling you to do it or whatever. If you know that no one is there making you do the workouts then you don't exactly have all the ambition in the world to get out and inflict pain upon yourself. At least that's the way I've been feeling.

Yesterday I had an appointment with my guidance councilor about colleges. I've gotten a few letters from colleges and it's making me want to get a jump start this (junior) year so that I am prepared to make the choices I need to next year. So far I've gotten letters from: UMass, Haverford, Hawai'i Pacific University (random), Goucher, some women's college that I have no interest in and cannot for the life of me recall the name of, and I've been in contact via e-mail with the UMaine coach. I haven't fully decided which places I'm interested in yet, but I have also been looking at Keene state which my guidance councilor agreed looked very well suited for me. I want to major in journalism. I talked about wanting to go to school in New England, or somewhere relatively close. I think I'm pretty set on that.

I have changed my mind about my major a google times, and last year it was art history. I still wouldn't completely put that one away, since I am interested in it still, but I have narrowed down the different aspects of it and I find that I would be happier if I majored in journalism. I absolutely love art, but honestly I get bored of it very easily.

I'm still really excited about New York this weekend. I hope that I don't get too nervous for the meet, or at least not so nervous that the trip is un-enjoyable. It feels important to me since it's at Van Cortland. I don't know why.

USATF State meet @ Cony HS

2008-11-16T17:10:00.006-05:00

(from left to right: old man, Lauren Fecteau, Taylor Burr, me, Michelle Haluska,
Addie Cullenberg, Morgan Beede, Kaitlin Marks (Cony), 3 Canadians, girl with white shirt, orange cone)

What a terrible race that was! It was pretty fun though (minus the whole race part).

We warmed up a little on the course and it was so slippery we were all over the place. It wasn't that bad during the race though because I had 1/2's in my spikes, thank god! It was pretty windy, but the actual temp. wasn't bad at all for our race. They decided to combine our race (intermediate) with the older girls (young women?) so there were probably around 20 people in our race, if that. There were these random Canadians there, and one of them ended up winning in a 19 or something.

We started the race out kind fast, but it was alright I guess. We weren't being too serious because well, it was a little bit of a joke, but next week we will be ready to go! The guy that was starting our race was really funny, and when he was saying the commands he was like, "Runners.... to.....yourmark (as if it was one word)." It was awkwardly paused in random spots and we all laughed and I almost peed myself. That damn Canadian took the lead, and then Lauren Fecteau was behind her for awhile, then she kept gaining distance on us and I think we kind of just hung back because we knew we didn't have to go all out to qualify. I took the first mile out in a 6:30, which was okay. I could see Lauren for all of the race but I was probably on average about 30 meters back from her until the finish. Once we came out of the woods to do the loop around the pond thing someone was like you've got 500(meters) to go! Well that was the longest 500 meters of my life, I was so dead from the hills! I was going pretty slow, but I'm not upset about it because it was just to qualify and get it over with! Anyway I caught up to her at the finish and they put us down as running the same times just 10ths of seconds difference (her first). Taylor Burr was behind me and then I'm not sure if it was Michelle Haluska or Morgan Beede next, but then it was Addie Cullenberg. So we had a pretty nice race as a team overall. Lauren and I ended up with 20:59... EEK! My previous race (at NE's) was a 19:47, jesus I got slow over the week! Just kidding, except not really. The Cony course is pretty brutal though, honestly. How many times can I stress how much I hate hills though?

I'm so excited for NY next weekend! I've heard and read about Van Cortland a lot and I'm really excited to finally get a chance to run on it. I'm also getting ready for indoor, so it's good that I have this to keep me in shape at least a little. We're leaving extremely early Saturday morning, and then meeting the other girls at the hotel in the Bronx (YEAH!) that day. I hope I can like, pull it together this week and do some training because I don't want to waste my race on that sweet course by being in terrible shape and sucking. All of us (girls and guys) are staying in the same hotel so it will be fun to hang out with everyone.

The guys winner was Jason Kaake in 16:44 or something around that?

That course is painful, bye. :)

Tomorrow, tomorrow...

2008-11-15T12:34:00.002-05:00

You're only a day away.

Tomorrow I get to race! This is good, because I am so bored and it's what I do. I'm wondering if I can win my age group race. I know that certain people (some that are faster than me) aren't doing it just because if I asked them to do to USATF and they said they didn't want to, uhh it was a give away..... that they.....weren't umm going, to? Anyway, I'm quite excited. Obviously my training has been different this week because we've mostly just been doing some long runs and what not. I did a 20 minute tempo one day this week and it was freezing. That wasn't fun, but other than that I'm feeling pretty up for a race. My legs have had some rest, and I kind of just feel like going out and running the race for fun.

I'm hoping my team can have a nice first race together. I think we're going to be pretty fast and since a lot of the people on the team run around the same times our pack time should be pretty decent.

So last night I went to the movies and saw Zack and Miri _____________. It was a little funny, but SO gross. I wouldn't suggest it to ANYONE, EVER. Seriously, don't see it. The best part was near the beginning when this black guy is working in a coffee shop and he thinks everyone around him is being racist because his boss asks him to work on 'Black Tuesday'. So someone comes to the counter and is like, "Hey, can I get a coffee- black?" And he's like, "Can't you see I'm busy, white?".

I hope no one reads this and is offended... eek.

Anyway after the movie me and two of my friends came back to my house and I'm very smart, because I forgot my key and my parents weren't home. After trying all of the windows we were like, AHH what do we do? So we ended up trying to stack the wood pile in front of my house into a ladder so I could climb to my bedroom on the 2nd floor and get in through my window. It was raining, and freezing, and stacking wood was not fun at all. So it worked out well and I jumped right up and climbed into the window.... oooooh wait, no I didn't, FAIL. It sucked, and we ended up going to my friend's house. I wanted to feel like I had accomplished something if that plan had worked, but nope.

Yesterday some of us talked to Mr.Walker our A.D about indoor track and right now we have 4 people that want to do it: me, Ashley Sampson, Jaron Jones, and Lindsey Keenan. It will be sweet. We are part of Lawrence's indoor track team, and even though most of my friends from their team graduated It's still going to be pretty fun. I'm not sure when our first meet or practice is, but I might have to miss something if I'm still doing USATF during it. I'm really pumped though, indoor is B.A. And since I'm absolutely horrible at it, it's really laid back for me and I kind of just hang out and run and then hang out some more and watch the people who are amazing at it, be amazing at it.

Wish us luck for tomorrow!

"How can you run so much?"

2008-11-12T19:07:00.011-05:00

People ask me this more than you can imagine. Actually, I'm sure most runners hear it every now and then. Sometimes when people ask me I don't really have a logical answer for them. I could easily say that I run because I like to get out of the house. I could tell them that I want to stay fit, and healthy. I don't think either of those truly explain why I run. They both kind of tie in a little I guess. I mean, they are pluses of running, but not what I aim for. I think a lot of runners find it as an escape from everything.

I'm going to be completely honest, I don't mind having something to succeed in every now and then to make me feel like I'm not a failure. I'm obviously not an 'Abbey Leonardi' or anything (go Maine!), but I'll be happy if I do well in any meet, no matter the size. That also, is not the main reason I run.

Here are some reasons that might explain my addiction:

-an excuse to move quickly out of the general area of my parents
-not feeling as bad as I normally would mentally after consuming mass amounts of unhealthy things
-traveling to various locations, close and far away
-meeting new people to make life more interesting
-feeling B/A after a run in harsh weather (legit)
-having goals to try and achieve and if achieved feeling accomplished in the long run (no pun)
-new shoes (that you could potentially kill someone with)
-automatically having something in common with a zillion people and thus feeling acceptance in life
-the view of Wilson Lake when you get about half way through the 10k loop
-watching the runners that don't necessarily get the fame push themselves and be happy with their race (even if the newspaper doesn't find it as inspiring)
-a reason to scream at the top of my lungs (cheering, not just randomly)
- it makes showers more fulfilling because I feel so gross after running
-that feeling you get after you cross the finish line where you can just STOP and finally breath-I fit in as a runner, with 'the runners'
-I can look to the sides of me at the start of a race and know that everyone feels what I feel (not the part about my under armour riding up or the on-and-off feeling that I'm about to pee myself)
-Techno. Rave. :)

I'm sure there are plenty more reasons that I can't think of, but these are the ones I notice most. If I didn't run, what the hell else would I do- play soccer? (sorry, no)

Ahh finally a team!

2008-11-10T10:16:00.014-05:00

I finally have a team for USATF! I'm so excited because it's full of fast people and I know we'll be amazing if we all continue to run like we have been all season. I'm excited to be on a team with them rather than running totally against them. Here is my 2008 USATF team:

Addie Cullenberg (Mt.Blue): Freshman
5k PR: 20:38

7th in KVAC's
6th in Eastern Maine Regional
27th at Class A States

Lauren Fecteau (McCauley): Junior
5k PR:19:55

5th at Festival of Champions
8th in Western Maine Regional

Michelle Haluska (Brewer/left): Sophomore
5k PR:20:25

3rd at KVAC's
4th in East Regional
19th at States

Morgan Beede (Cony/right): Junior
5k PR:20:35

6th at KVAC's
5th in East Regional

Taylor Burr (Maranacook): Junior
5k PR: 20:31

2nd in KVAC Class B Championship
9th at Western Maine Regional
18th at Maine state meet

So it should be really incredible. By the way, me= Melody Lam, Mt.Blue, Junior, 5k PR: 19:37. Just in case you were wondering? Haha. I'm so excited, and I'm really glad that I still have more meets because I don't think I'm ready for cross country to be over yet. I need some other kind of closure from the season other than NE's. I want to end it with a big splash.. aka kicking aaaaaaaaa.... lot of people's butts. =]

Today I ran 5 miles on the cement oval and I felt really great. My legs just kept going even though it was -352 degrees and I was practically dripping buckets of nose stuff (?) all over the place. Actually it wasn't that bad I was just freezing and I only had shorts and a tee shirt. Then me, Richie Brooks and Alex Luchini went to Kelton and Addies for a little while and drank hot cocoa and ate dinner and then they brought me home and went to the movies... not because I'm unsocial, just 'cause I've got other plans. So I should probably shower because I imagine I smell like a gross man. Yuck... I'll put on some sweet pictures from NE's sometime soon.

New Englands

2008-11-08T21:01:00.001-05:00

Here's a recap of this week's workouts:

Monday- 800 repeats
Tuesday- 3 miles easy
Wednesday- 16 minute speed workout
Thursday- 3 miles easy
Friday- 2 miles easy on the NE course
Saturday- New Englands @ Derryfield Park, Manchester NH

FRIDAY
We got out of school after 2nd period on Friday to head down to Manchester for the night which was awesome... no chemistry or US History! We drove down and headed straight to the course to do our workout (we ran the 1st mile then walked the 2nd and ran the last). It was supposed to be an easy workout but there were lots of people going by us really fast and I think we kind of got pulled up in their paces and it ended up being pretty tiring. After that we headed over to the Holiday Inn Express where I shared a room with Addie, Gwen, Shelby, and Lindsey. We checked everything out for awhile and then met up with Will Geoghegan and Liam Cassidy from Brunswick and went down to the pool/hot tub for a little while, then got dressed and ready really quickly to go to the mall and T.G.I Friday's for dinner. The thing I was most looking forward to on this trip was eating really yummy food and I definitely got a lot of that this weekend. Once we got back to the hotel everyone came to our room to play apples to apples which was really fun(ny).

Coach Kelley wanted me to go to bed early but instead we ended up going to bed at like 12:30. However; it was not our fault. I saw a piece of paper slipped under our door and it said : "hey, here's my number!_______" So we sent them a text message and we were like who is this?! So at first we pretended to be guys because, well.. I don't know why, but we did, and then we kept passing notes back and forth to these creepers and we were really wired and uncontrollably laughing. We ended up going over there and knocking on their door since their room was literally right next to ours, and this weird looking guy with a tight black wife beater and really shiny braces answered the door and was like, "HEY!" so we all screamed and ran away because he was really weird looking. It was so awkward! And especially since we were all saying that he didn't even look like he would be good at xc running then come to find out he was in the top 20 today.

NE'S
I had such a fun day/weekend! I woke up at 7:57 (because 7 is my lucky number) then showered and went down with the girls to get breakfast (which was amazing). I had some trix yogurt, a cinnamon thing, and some coffee. We left for Derryfield and got there about an hour before Kelton's race. The guys race was really intense, and there was a big Maine pack that finished right after one another after Will G. and Wade D.

I think the girls race was better though! Abbey Leonardi is such a tank. I couldn't see the race since I was in it, far behind her, but Maine was ridiculous today. The amazing freshmen were all in the top 10. I don't think we could have asked for better representation (no one say or think anything sarcastic because there is a madhouse on Dyestat right now). It's really sweet to be a part of Maine because everyone represented so well today.

The Maine individual contingent start box was enormous. It was an un-numbered box in between 15 and 16. I started out on the line next to Olivia Mackenzie from McCauley and Kathleen McMahon from Brunswick. The start is a very long gradual uphill so I didn't want to start out too fast, even though I'm certain I should have started out at least a little bit faster than I did. I was getting shoved all over the place. I mean, I understand someone accidentally shoving you a little if they're trying to get around you and they're stuck or something, but there were people that were behind me, next to me, not even trying to pass me, elbowing and stepping on my heels and stuff. It was stupid, I just wanted to kick them and be like, "NOT OKAY." Anyway I came through the mile at a 6:12 which was faster than my mile at Manchester Invite. in September so I was on a good track time-wise. I was trying to look for Maine people to run with and I ended up finding Kate Spies.... right next to me. She is the 2nd runner in the Eastern Maine Class A region, behind me- so I knew I should be ahead of her, but I would try to gain on her and I would think that I was a ways ahead then I'd look up to my left and she'd be ahead of me again! I was going insane! There were a zillion people passing me, then I'd pass a zillion people back. It got quite tiring and confusing. I found Hannah Pierce from Massabesic and ended up passing her but I'm not sure when. Then I got to the finishing stretch and I felt completely dead, but still wanted to have a strong kick so I poured it on and tried to finish hard. It was weird though because nobody else around me seemed to be kicking so I passed more people in a race than I ever have at a finish. It was ridiculous, I just kept passing and passing and it was really fun! I ended up 51st overall and I was the 9th person from Maine which is better than being 12th at states last weekend! My time was 19:47 which is my 3rd fastest 5k with my other 2 best times being at Belfast, meaning I should have been able to go faster on Belfast. I'm just glad I broke 20 though since I ran a 20:11 at the invite on September. Overall it was a really great day, and I'm so happy that Maine did as well as they did!

On the way home we stopped at Panera and I got a really amazing sandwhich and some soup (and coffee) which was nice after a gross muddy race.

I love you Maine! Also thanks to Abby Mace's mother for the pictures she gave me!

Bloggy McBlog Blog

2008-11-06T10:21:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone, this is my new blog! Doing the blog thing for milesplit.com actually really became something I looked forward to every week, so I want to continue to do it on my own. The blog I ended with was after Maine XC states, where I qualified for New England's which are Saturday.

I ran a new PR at states of 19:37 from my previous week's PR of 19:46 at Eastern regionals. I ended up 8th in class A and 12th overall.

NE's are at Manchester NH, which I ran once this season at the Manchester Invitational with a few other people from my team. I found the course really hard, like.... every step I took was 'ouch'. The start is a long gradual uphill and leads into a loop that you end up doing twice I think. There are some hills in the woods, and some pavement, along with these hugs cement blocks in the middle of the course that you can jump over or squeeze around, whichever you find easiest (neither). This was in September and I ended up running 20:11 to place 12th in the Elite girls race (since we didn't have a full team). The sweet thing about that race was top 50 got medals, and there ended up being only 50 girls in the race, so we all won.

Now I get to run that course again, WONDERFUL! I can't wait to die from the start, and then trip over some pavement. Not really, but anything could happen so I'll knock on wood. Anyway, we're leaving school Friday around 11 or 12, and heading to Manchester where we're staying at the Holiday Inn that night. We're going to the course Friday because I don't think we're allowed to walk through it on Saturday. Then we'll go to dinner, and hopefully meet up with some other Mainers that are running the race Saturday.

I'm trying to be excited for the race, but honestly the thing I think I'm most excited for is the hotel and continental breakfast. Is that bad? We're going to bring Twister and Apples to Apples so we can have something to do in the hotel. Me and Kelton are running Saturday but there are I think 4-5 other people coming along to hang out and cheer and stuff which is going to be really fun.

Workouts this week have been a bit lonely for me. The girls I normally ran with anyway have been coming to practice but it still feels weird not having the whole team there suffering with you through the workout! Monday we did 800 repeats and they were absolute hell, I'm sorry.. how can anyone enjoy those? We did them in a field and I was averaging like 2:58, where my PR for the 800 on a track is 2:28 so that was kind of weird, but I can't complain because at least I made it through the whole workout (then we did some hills).

On Tuesday there were probably 8 people at practice including the coaches Kelley and BK. It was mostly girls but Richie Brooks has been tagging along to give Kelton someone to practice with. Anyway we ended up doing a 3 mile indian-sprint type LSD, and when you got to the front you said a word so we could make a sentence. The best one we got was: "Canadians, suck, hard, lollipops." BK finished that one up after Kelton and I said "suck," and "hard".

Today's an easy practice which I'm looking forward to, but I've got to go because I have lunch now.

Good luck at NE's this weekend Maine!