February 20th

Biggest Surprise

My biggest surprise actually just happened. It was definitely a combination of Tuesdays and Wednesdays workouts. After being injured for a little over a month, doing the circuit in the morning felt like heaven to me. I never could have imagined actually enjoying the burning of my lungs and my shaky legs, but that workout proved me wrong! I was so glad to be back, and to be back without pain! The whole workout on Tuesday I told myself to enjoy every minute because I knew that most likely I wouldn't make it through the whole thing. I was blessed to enjoy all 25 minutes of the workout, plus a great cool down! Wednesday was also a huge surprise. Before the run, I realized how ironic it was that I still couldn't run my hardest. If it wasn't a foot injury, it had to be an annoying heart rate monitor. But again, I was blessed and made it through the whole workout without any issues (aka, a harmful electrical shock!) It just feels so good to be back, to feel really like part of the team again. I couldn't have asked for a better last 2 days!Marly

It all started on a bitter day where the snow was beginning to disappear into slates of ice across the fields and sidewalks. We had a group of six and we set off, with the facemasks hiding our identities, onto our most intense workout of the week...the hills workout. We proceeded through the first two sets of hills in a nice little pack, everyone pushing and helping each other out. Then, it was onto the last set...dun dun dun..HUFFMAN! So, we began our route back towards Columbia St. when Jenn and I decided to take our little group on the secret passage that many have dreamed of seeing. We tempoed up and over the railroad tracks; ducking down when sensing signs of movement from railroad security. Sliding all over the icy rocks, we were scared of getting hurt...but then this fear of injury soon turned into fear of getting caught as a man started chasing us, yelling at us to get off the railroad tracks. We began sprinting at this point, trying the slide down the rock-covered hill as fast as we could, but then Jamie went down getting caught on a branch. Trying to free her from the clasping branch we soon realized it was going to be virtually impossible. Emily with wide eyes filled with terror told us we had to continue on with the workout becuase that was the most important thing number one...and it was too late to save Jamie, we were going to have to escape the man before getting caught. So, of course we all took a vote and sided with Emily. We finished up the third part of the workout as we soon arrived at Huffman, out of breath and still slightly worried about Jamie who we left near the tracks. As we began running Huffman hills, nearing the top of the hill we saw a man running towards us...we culdn't believe our eyes IT WAS THE MAN!!! "oh no!" we thought...so we finished up the workout with an incredibly fast last part of the workout, but amazingly we all seemed under control for the circumstances....Jamie made it home and was enjoying some hot chocolate by the time we got a hold of her. Overall, it was a great run!

......ok ok, so this didn't really happen, but the hill workout is the basis of my real story..

One morning the temperature was -5 degrees with a windchill bringing it down to a blistering -25 degrees. What better to do on a morning like this, but attack a grueling hill workout for the ages. While many were still asleep, snuggling in their warm blankets, in their heated houses, three brave souls took to the roads. Jenn and I joined you promptly at 5:30 am (maybe even earlier) to meet for the workout. It was Jenn's first time (I think) doing the workout and was dressed cautiously...wearing reflective wear, many many layers, and a blinking light..yes that's right a blinking light! When we started off on the run, we decided to deceive Jenn by sprinting in the beginning, trying to scare the first-timer a little bit. The prank worked, but then we really got into the run and we were enjoying the fresh snow on the ground. We reached Arrowhead to find inches upon inches of snow on the hill that we would be expected to do high knees and bounding up. After five minutes of pretty funny-looking attempts at bounding up Arrowhead through the snow, we left to head to Seger. It was this point when challenging the newcomer, Jenn, was put into action again. For a large stretch of Columbia we had Jenn try to hold us off as we added in surges along the stretch. Jenn excelled with flying colors as she successfully completed her mission. Then, we reached Seger Park where we would be working on downhills. At this point, amazingly we were getting WARM!! yes, warm even though there's blistering cold around us. At Seger, we discovered that Jenn plus downhill equals stay out of the way! Can you say beast? I don't think I have ever seen someone master a downhill like Jenn did, she was like a gazalle just gliding on down. It was after Seger, that sadly Jenn had to part from us due to a meeting, but the workout we had completed before she left surely was one of the best workouts I have ever personally experienced. The rush the cold air gave us and getting to be able to see Jenn challenge herself by pioneering the workout with us was such a great time. So, basically this run stood out for the reason of the weather conditions being soo intense and it was such a lucky opportunity to get to have fun with Jenn as she did so well and put up with our evil tricks. At the end of the run we took pictures in the "frozen tundra" and took a picture of an icicle hanging from your ear. This is a workout that I will never forget and I hope Jenn doesn't either...I guess thanks to you we do have pictures to help with this. Michelle

"It could have happened my second week of practice, or after my third day of working out with the team. But It didn't. My first day of practice in a new sport, and as we run strides, someone says, "Good job, Hannah." At first I was a bit shocked. But then another girl ran past with words of encouragement. All I could think was: Geez, I must really look like I'm dying. And then I noticed it. All the girls seemed to be cheering each other on, exchanging verbal 'high-fives' as they passed one another. And it wasn't just the girls that were already friends. Upperclassmen, underclassmen; state-level runners and just-for-fun runners; captains and newbies seemed to share words of encouragement throughout the practice. I was amazed by the support and upbeat atmosphere. It was a team comraderie like I have never experienced. And it is a privilege to be able to step onto this team, and be accepted as though I had always been a part of it."
That was my biggest surprise -- how nice the girls on the team are. Track is largely an individual sport, but if I didn't know that, I would never have thought so. Hannah Janvrin '09

Running the mile at Hinsdale Central. I started at the back of the pack and moved my way up to fifth place. Erin

My biggest suprise this season was the double practices that I did. I had done doubles before, but only biking after a run or something. Nothing as intense as those morning runs could get sometimes. Maybe it wasn't much but to me it was! Taylor

My biggest surprise this season was running this past monday when it was really cold and icy and running really hard! I finally felt fast and relaxed even though I fell 4 times and took Jenn down with me! We did an extra 10 minutes too because we kept falling and almost got run over (on the sidewalk) by a cart/truck thing. =) Jenny Harris

Michelle, Mr. Hoff and I ran a 85 minute hard hill workout at 5:30 on a thursday morning in -25 degree weather. By the end of the run, my hands were ghostly white from lack of circulation. While the rest of my body was red, wind-scorn and numb, my colorless hands burned in pain. I stuck my hands in my pants, rubbed my hands together like two sticks starting a fire. I put them under a air drier and even a burning hot shower but nothing seemed to work. Then as I remember I had a big timed writing for AP Language 1st period, I began to freak out. Michelle and I were even considering getting a pass from Hoff so I wouldn't have to do it because I couldn't even move my fingers. My fingers soon defrosted though and all was good, GREAT actually. That morning became one of my best running memories because I had accomplished so much, helping to boost my confidence in my running abilities. When I stand on the starting line of a race now, I can always think back to this workout and know that I have the potental to run amazing races... and as that gun goes off, I just let myself fly! Jen

This season my biggest surprise was at our first meet. Ever since last year when I had my stress fracture I had not felt fast. After watching Kayla run an AMAZING mile I was inspired and with the help of Elle and Michelle I felt fast for the very first time since I have been back running.
Well, since I remembered to e-mail you with my story, I decided to pick a funny one. Emily

Michelle, Elle, Kayla, Kate, and I were doing a long run by the river walk on a very slippery and icy day. Michelle was leading the pack and called out that there was a large ice patch up ahead. We were all being very cautious until Michelle totally wiped out, causing me to trip over her. Kayla then dove onto the grass to avoid the ice, while Elle and Kate came sliding towards us. To add to this hilarious event, a car drove by at the same time as we all fell and beeped few times. So once we stopped laughing, we got up and ran down the block a little more. When we came to the riverwalk sidewalk, a man was standing there against the fence and said, "Did you guys fall too?" It was a very eventful run. Jamie

The workout at Four Lakes last week was fun, especially because it was dark, very cold, and there was a big hill to run up. What more could a person want? And I'm not being sarcastic. The last hill was the best when everyone chased me up. I haven't run that hard in so long. I'll probably never forget the feeling in my legs and my lungs at that moment coming up toward the top. Kate Lueders

My biggest oh wow moment this season was when I learned the power ofmusic during a workout after school one day. Emily Grissom had lent meher ipod with a great variety of music, and the music was just likehearing my teammates around me and cheering me on as if I were runningwith all of you. I absolutely loved the feeling of strength andmotivation it gave me and totally remembered why I love the team evenmore. Manda Phadke