My First Week in Utah!

Well this week has gone by so quickly. I cant believe it was over a week ago that I had to part with all my friends. What was interesting is how we all handled the seperation. Though it was terribly tough to leave, my encounters of leaving were generally happy at the end. My close teammates and I ended our time together with a final jamba run and a dance with an ihome on my street. Some of my other best friends and I refused to even start the goodbye process standing in a circle talking until around 2 in the morning. But likewise we left with 'see you laters' and high hopes for the future. We all made great memories that night (i.e. trees and tacos...youll know if you were there). When I had to part with my boyfriend Jordan (who continues to be one of my best friends) we were even able to laugh and have fun despite the fact we will be states away from each other. I am just so grateful that the 'see you soon' experience went as well as it did. And it is because of the optimism I felt from my friends about my future that kept pushing me to train hard so they will be proud.
This week has been very hard for me training wise. It is not only my first time doing 2-a-days but I also have the altitude working against me for the first bit of my Utah training. What I've come to find about the changing altitude is that although it really does affect you, it will only affect you as much as you let it. On the runs in which I am stressing about how hard it is to breathe, I feel that adjustment. The secret is to keep pushing through the altitude ajustment, and quite honestly just ignore it. Surprisingly I have not felt the lack of oxygen that much in my breathing, but rather it seems to just cause my legs to tire out faster...so on the hill workouts I've had its killer ;) haha. But anyways with my new mile logging watch I have made it through my first week of training! I have XC camp at a even higher altitude in 2 weeks so I really need to train hard to be ready for that!
Now though I have even more motivation to train hard. My family left today to drive back to California. I have hated saying goodbye to my sisters, my mom and dad, and even Tilly. (as i sit alone in this room i keep 'hearing' her collar jingle and i look around. haha it hasnt even been a day!)I love them so much and I don't know that I would ever be ready to leave them, but I know I am ready for a new life chapter, a new life chapter that will have to involve staying close with my friends and family.
So now officially I am on my own, and as I said before having everyone want me to be successful, from my friends and family in cali, to my support team of extended family here in Utah,I have a new motivation. I will be pushing myself this cross country season for you becasue you believe in me. So now I just have to do my part, and believe in the power of believing...and run fast of course! sure love you all :) thanks for believing!