90% Goal: 23:59
50% Goal: 23:30
10% Goal: 22:30
Result: 22:18 (PR!)
Training:
I'm currently on week 7 of a 12-week 5K training plan culminating at the Publix 5K on March 1. I put the plan together myself, combining pieces and parts of various other plans I had available. Generally, I'm running 5 days a week for around 30mpw:
Mon rest
Tuesday 10K with hills, strides, or a tempo component
Wednesday XT/rest
Thursday speedwork (repeats at the track)
Friday easy 3-4mi on treadmill
Saturday long run, with a tempo component
Sunday easy 4-5 with stroller
Long runs have varied from 8-12mi, with a 3-4mi "tempo" component for the past couple of weeks that's been around an 8min/mi. Speedwork has been 200m to mile repeats, usually summing up to around a 5K of distance.
Today's race wasn't actually the goal race for the training cycle, but something new (for me): a time trial. I got this idea from my friends' Hansons training philosophy. A few weeks before your goal race, do another race and see where you're at. So, I did.
Pre-Race:
My husband and I drove down together, and then I ran an easy 2mi with my training partner, checking out the new course, which had a LOT of switchbacks. I'm glad I took the time to survey the course; it really helped during the race.
Race:
I wasn't sure whether I should start in the front of Wave B or the back of Wave A. I wasn't certain I'd go the requisite 7:30/mi for Wave A. Spoiler Alert: that was an absolutely unfounded concern. My husband rolled his eyes and told me I definitely wanted to be in Wave A, and not the back. "You'll stuck behind people on the switchbacks otherwise. Wave A."
Alright. So, I made my way into A, and tried to think about what sort of race strategy to employ.
Nope. Not happening. Guess I'll just run fast?
I saw a friend's professional Ironman friend ahead of me, and tried to mimic her stride a bit. Watching her leg swing and kick distracted me for a bit. The first half mile felt easy. I was sure I was probably running a high 8. Nope. 6:50/mi.
This feels EASY? WUT.
I held the sub-7 pace easily, until the first of many switchbacks/u-turns. We ran down a big hill, around a little parking lot, and then had to climb a big hill followed by a smaller one leading up to the Mile 1 marker. I focused on my arms and breathing, but still felt like my 7:07 split was easy.
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| not a bad elevation profile |
Mental math. If I run 7:07 for the rest of the course, which is probably unlikely because I had a niiiiiiiiiice downhill for the first bit, that's 7x3 = 21 + 3x7s = 21:21, plus a little less than a minute for the last <200m. 22:21. That's a PR. OMG, I could actually PR today.
Mile 2 was nice-ish. We had a big downhill that I tried to take advantage of, and then a long stretch of flat road, until we'd turn left onto the greenway path that would take us back to the start. It was at this point that I started looking for the softball field as a landmark, which would mark that turn off. I wasn't hurting, but I was definitely looking forward to being at least halfway through. I saw one of my favorite running friends as a course monitor as we turned onto the greenway, which made me smile.
My second mile was a 7:17. I was starting to tire a little, but not too bad. I focused on enjoying the greenway, using my arms, and maintaining the push. One more mile.
It got a little hard around the 19min mark, and I found myself mentally struggling with whether or not I should push harder and risk burning out before the end, or if it was okay to maintain this pace and kick a little later. I held the pace, and started counting down "track laps".
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| mid-race dip = the hill latter dip = mental blergh |
Breaking the last mile+ into "no more than 5 laps" was really helpful. I'm so glad I've got a regular day of training at the track each week to help me wrap my mind around how fast I can run a given distance.
I continued the mental math, realizing I had lost some ground, but was still more than capable of a PR... if I didn't let up.
Not only did I not let up, but I kept telling myself "you've come this far, now capitalize on it-- get the PR you can get. Every second faster that you can run is one less second on your net time."
When I got off the greenway, there was a small hill into the parking lot, and then a series of three switchbacks through the aisles I had to make until I could get across the line. SO glad I knew that was coming. I focused on my arms, my lean, and my legs, and went for it.
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| Professional triathlete Haley Chura, and the Running Mamas |
Reflections:
- So proud!!! I'm 6mo post-partum, and just ran a 5K PR. This is a victory on SO many levels.
- Also kind of scared because now that I've run a 22:18, that means I'll have to run faster the next time I want to PR... which is actually in four weeks at my goal race :/
- It's amazing to think that I was barely over a minute slower than my speedster husband, and less than a minute slower than what I might need for a Peachtree A Wave bib. I believe I'm capable of that sub-22 time.
- Still can't figure out if I ran hard enough, because while I had some mental "ugh, I don't want to be pushing right now" moments during the race, I never felt like I really pushed myself to my limit....
- I also had seriously positive splits, though (7:08, 7:16, 7:21), so maybe?
- Life is good. Life is happy. :D I have a ton to think about, though, on how I want to use this experience to best prepare me for my actual goal race.
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| Grateful for my husband who supports me at events, but also by getting the kids up and ready 70% solo on the mornings I run before the sun |
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