Race Report: C Mile Test #2

I've been wanting/trying to hit a 6-minute mile for four years. I've failed multiple times, for a variety of reasons, and been delayed by injuries, losses, pregnancy, and conflicting goals along the way. I failed again today.

I love the feeling of accomplishment I get from pushing myself outside my comfort zone. Doing hard things and constantly exercising my ability to prove I've got more in me than I ever imagined I did is so empowering. No matter what's happening in life, running always makes me feel like I'm in control of something. 

Every day I run, I've accomplished something. I'm training for something. I'm making progress on something. The point isn't to hurry up and arrive at a destination or hit a goal (though that can be nice sometimes). It's about enjoying the journey, the continual pursuit of improvement, and conquering the challenges along the way.

Today, I learned what it felt like to push myself to another level. 

Today was a great day. 

 

Previous PR: 6:06 (4/8/21, 10/25/20, 10/18/20)

90% Goal: 6:10
50% Goal: 6:04
10% Goal: 5:59
Result: 6:01 (PR!!!!)

 

so grateful for these women

training partner + coach <3 

Training:

Two weeks ago, I finished up a six-week plan designed by my friend and coach, which included: 5-6 runs a week (1 day w/hills or strides, 1 beastly track workout, 1 fartlek/tempo, 1 long run day, and 1-2 easy, short run days) with 30-40mpw.

 

On Mile Trial day, I wasn't "in it", mentally, physically, or spiritually... and ran yet another 6:06 (at that point, I had THREE 6:06 mile attempts in a row, with one 6:09 preceding them). 

 

all about that 6:06, evidently...

 

 

While I wasn't disappointed by the work I didn't put in that day (and, honestly, was pretty pleased that a "bad day" yielded such a consistently strong result), I did want another go at it.

 

...so Coach had me repeat the last two weeks of the plan and try again.

 

 

Before:

It's been another kind of rough week at work, and my littlest hasn't been sleeping well. That's actually worked out well, because I haven't had any time to stress about the mile, or overthink it at all. I've done well with my nutrition (thanks to strategically timed grocery trips, meal planning/prepping, and not having any down time to munch mindlessly). I cut out strength training for the past week because it was "one more thing" to think about that I didn't have the bandwidth for. 

 

Similarly, I've let my evenings be a little more chill, choosing to binge The Queen's Gambit with my husband after the kids go to bed (which really just involves me falling asleep on his chest after about 20min, but it works for us) instead of reading code books (for work), trying to catch up on personal communication, fitting in strength workouts, or trying to execute anything for my multitude of other hobbies/organizations like I usually do in that 30-60min timeframe. 

 

I felt good when I woke up (at 3:45, because that's how my body rolls these days), laid in bed for a bit, and then go myself going for our 5am start time (much later than usual so that our coach could join in the fun). 

 

The weather was perfect... well, almost. After several weeks of mornings in the 50s and 60s, today was a rare 33 degrees with 2-3mph winds. It was just a liiiittle on the chilly side, but I was really happy about the cold snap. I run much better in 30s-40s than I do in the warmer weather. 

 

I met my training partner (who literally got up just to run a bit for fun and cheer for me) and my coach (who I don't think I've seen for any significant length of time in well over a year), and took a moment to be grateful to have these two amazing people in my life, who were literally only awake and here because they wanted to support me. 

 

We ran an easy two mile warm-up, talking a little about pacing/goals. My goal today was not to run a 6:00 mile, or even to PR, but rather to run (3) consecutive 90s laps, and then see what was possible on lap 4. 

 

I chose this goal for a few reasons:

1) I've gone out hot and crashed/burned on multiple past mile attempts

2) Why not try something different?

3) Seeing today as an "execution" trial of hitting splits instead of a "RUN A FAST MILE" helped me SO much, mentally

 

Coach was planning on pacing me through the first 800m, and then said she'd see what she could do. All I had to do, she said, was stay with her- let her do the work, but stay with her. 

 

 

Mile:

Lap 1 

This lap felt good, just like I thought it would. I loved not having to think about my watch, or my pace. I remember thinking about glancing down at one point, and, before I could, Coach's voice announced our first 200m split: "45- doesn't get any better than that!"

 

I stayed right on her shoulder through all of it. Around the 300m mark, I saw the back of her singlet: big white letters that said: "YOU GOT THIS", and almost commented aloud. Then I thought better of it, because she'd probably just chastise me (rightfully so) for talking. ;) 

 

We crossed the line just as my teammate said "90, 91". 

 

Lap 2 

This lap was harder, but also still manageable. I was able to stay on Coach's shoulder, and just execute. As we crossed the line again, hearing another "90" from my teammate, I prepared for my Coach to drop off, leaving me to the last half solo... but was so happy to see her continue. I think she knew I needed it.

 

Lap 3 

The third lap of the mile sucks. You're exhausted from the first bit, and it's hard and you don't want to keep doing it. I started falling off of Coach's shoulder around the 100m mark of this lap, and she instantly knew it, and picked up the vocal support with things like:

 

Don't give up.

You look strong. Stay strong.

Dig deep. 

You can do this.

 

I wanted to stop. I wanted to give up. Around the 200m turn, I actually wanted to stop so badly that I started imagining maybe just falling/collapsing on the track. If I fell to the ground, maybe that would be a valid reason to stop? But Coach's "don't give up" was just the message I needed to hear. It might not have mattered if I gave up on myself, but I didn't want to let her down, and that was what got me through the last 200m of that lap.

 

"88," said my teammate as we crossed the line.

 

"OMG, OMG. I'm doing it," I thought.

 

Lap 4

This was the lap I was waiting for. I'd made it through the "hard part" of the race, and now I just had to get around the track one more time. 

 

...and it was HARD. 

 

Coach kept right on with me, and I tried so hard to stay with her, but I was behind, just barely behind, but behind. I knew I wanted to be able to kick, but I couldn't kick yet, because I couldn't hold it for a full lap. 

 

Don't give up.

 

I couldn't make up the distance I'd lost on her (only a about 3-4 strides, but still distance), but I didn't let it grow. With 200m to go, I'd hoped to be able to kick. We were at 5:18. 42s to go. I could do it, but I'd have to GO.

 

I knew I couldn't keep a kick for 200, though, and waited until I'd gotten through the curve to start the kick. Spoiler alert: that might not have been the right call. 

 

I'd hoped to catch Coach on the last straightaway, but it didn't happen. I did, however, kick my little heart out, pushing as hard as I could for that 100m stretch.

 

LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL KICK.

 

...and then, for the first time ever, I laid down on the track, absolutely spent. 

 

 

 

Post-Mile Reflections:

I lapped my watch at 6:01. You might argue that I got my 6:00 mile today. Maybe it took me a second to cross and press "lap"? Our timer (splits below) lapped her watch at 6:02. Maybe she started it early or lapped it late? Or maybe not, and I ran more like a 6:04. Whatever the time is/was, I don't really care. I've used my Garmin for ever mile, relying on my own lapping skills for my "official" times, and I'm calling today a 6:01 based on that. 

 

Whatever the absolute number, though, it's a solid five second PR, and that's huge on a mile. 

 

More importantly, though, I rocked the execution:

 

recall the first lap had the extra 9m too, which means it was a 90s

 

I'd wanted a 3:00-3:01 800m. Nailed it. 

I'd wanted to stick that pace for a third 400m. Nailed it.

 

I'd wanted to give it all I had on the last 400m, whatever that was.

Laying on the track after the mile, I didn't think I could have gone any faster.

 

 

About a minute after I got up, I was already having, "I wanna do that again. I can go faster" thoughts. 

 

 

 

More Reflections:

• Getting to come home, tell my kids what I did, and having the little one say "Mommy fast Mommy fast Mommy fast" while the older one double high-fived me and did a little "YOU DID IT, MOMMY" happy dance/song was literally the best. The older one's been aware of my training enough to know I've "failed" the last few times, but persisted, and was truly proud of me. 
• I am so proud of my execution today, and so grateful for my friends who were able to be there with me (and those who I talked to before/after online, too)
• If I didn't give up today because I was afraid of letting someone else down, imagine what I could do once I'm doing it 100% for myself. 
• I've learned so much through this mile training process over the past four years, and I'm truly grateful to be continuously developing as a runner. There's always something new to learn, another method to see how to I react to (mentally and physically), different styles and executions, and constant new challenges. There's always something to work on, and always something to reach towards, but also always something to celebrate. 
• For me, running, began as a way to lose weight, fight depression, and feel a little less guilty about eating so many Nilla wafers. It's turned into the single biggest source of self-confidence in my life, teaching me about diligence and commitment, introducing me to my best friends, and improving my health and well-being along the way. 
• Yay, running. 

 

6:01, y'all. :D 

 

literally burned a hole in my shoes today

guess it's time to retire this pair...

 

 

What's Next?

Um, idk... Trying not to run tomorrow? lol. 

 

I'm actually looking forward to some long easy miles in the near future. Maybe I'll try another 10x10 challenge? 

 

Race Report: C Mile Test

Previous PR: 6:06 (10/18/20, 10/25/20)

90% Goal: 6:15
50% Goal: 6:10
10% Goal: 5:59
Result: 6:06 (PR-reaffirmation)

Training:

I opted into something different this time. A friend/teammate of mine with a ton of knowledge/experience in the field offered to write a plan for me (and my training partner) based on our specific desires and schedules. We ended up with a flexible plan that offered:

• 5-6 runs a week (1 day w/hills or strides, 1 beastly track workout, 1 fartlek/tempo, 1 long run day, and 1-2 easy, short run days)
• ~30-40mpw

I generally ran 5 days a week, struggled a bit with stroller fartleks (and switched halfway to doing these solo), and did LIIFT4 (lifting + HIIT) workouts on 3-4 days each week. I also struggled with nutrition this time around. For the past couple weeks, I haven't been planning out meals/snacks, and that's meant a lot of not-so-great choices have been made since I'm feeling hungry all the time and over-eating. 

Before:

I had a rough week of the trial, dealing with some form of illness/allergies Saturday through Tuesday. Work was a bit stressful. Food choices weren't the greatest (example: entire box of crackers on Monday). I really wasn't sure I'd even run the mile on Thursday. 

I did zero mental prep for this race. Even the goals on the top of this page were all written after-the-fact, based on what I think I thought I could do. I literally showed up to the track this morning still unsure if I'd run a full mile. My body felt fine enough, but what was "fine enough" when I was trying to run faster than I've ever run before less than 48 hours after feeling so crappy I laid in bed for two hours during the morning napping? 

My legs did not feel ready during the warm-up, but, having two miles did help. I felt better and more ready by the end of it, at least. I'd planned on giving it a whirl and seeing how I was at the two lap mark. If I was close to 3:00, I'd keep going. If I was already dead, I'd cut and plan on making a second attempt this weekend. I think in a lot of ways, I was already planning on a second attempt, and today was just a "see where you're at" trial. 

Mile:

Lap 1 87s

Even with the bonus 9m at the start of this lap (to make it a true mile and not just 1600m), I hit the 100m (109m) line in 20s. Too fast. This lap felt comfortable enough as I settled in, though. I didn't look at my watch again, trusting my teammate for my split. Just gotta get through one more lap and then see how you feel... 

Lap 2 ?

It was on this lap that I felt like "oh, hey, maybe I can do this today". Pace seemed reasonable, though it certainly required effort to maintain. I remember hearing 2:52, 2:53 from my teammate as I crossed the line (whether that's actually what she said or not, I'm not sure, because she told me she'd started accidentally counting aloud in her native language at one point- maybe I mis-heard). I remember thinking "ooh, just hang on" and "nice job banking so much time". 

Lap 3 93s?

Banking time is a terrible, terrible thought to have during a mile. It's too short. There is no "banking time", only "wasting effort". I definitely felt like the first half of this lap was hard. The third lap is always the worst. You're more than halfway,  but you've gotta run a whole lap before you can say "just one more".  My quads started burning on this one, and I started noticing the wind on the back stretch of the track. 

Lap 4 ???

In my head, I could still make it, but I also knew it was going to take a lot to get there. My legs hurt. I wanted to slow down, to recover enough to kick more at the end, but I also knew that wasn't an option. Well, my head did at least. Per my pace graph, it looks like I might've slowed down in anticipation of a final kick for the last 100m. 

Garmin on top, Polar on bottom

I wasn't thinking about time for the last few laps, though. I was just thinking "give this a good, solid effort, and you can be done with it". . 

Post-Mile Reflections:

I'm not excited about my 6:06 finish time, but I'm also not disappointed with today's performance either. The fact that I'm now regularly defaulting to a 6:06 mile is pretty freaking awesome. 

I went into today without focus, without a real goal, and without any sort of pacing plan... and still half-a__ed my way to hitting my PR. That's kind of a win, right? 

Yet again, I feel like my inability to commit to 90s laps for the first 800m is my biggest problem. In my head, I'm so worried of not giving myself any wiggle room on Lap 4, that I tend to go out too fast... which bites me in the end. I learned this lesson several times before, but never commit to executing a 3:00 800m when I go for the mile because I'm worried about being too slow. 

Clearly, I need to re-think that approach, because stubbornly running "whatever comes out" in the first 800m for these past few trials hasn't yielded the results I want to see. :P 

Post-Training Cycle Reflections

(1) workout I found most helpful:

• the confidence I gained from my 2:47 800m TT was incredible, but my body probably got more out of the extended fartlek workout I did on the treadmill:  

2 x [2 min hard (2 min easy), 3 min hard (3 min easy), 4 min hard (4 min easy)] at 5K pace

It felt like I had to keep digging deeper and deeper to execute the next hard interval, and that was really good for me. 

(2) things I learned:

• I can't get the most out of a pace-changing workout if I'm pushing a stroller, especially one with the baby in it.  The only times I had success with stroller workouts were doing longer intervals with my older one. 
• Thinking about fartleks or time-based workouts as track workouts helps me execute them better. Thinking about doing "8x45s @ MP" leads me to underperform, but thinking about 8x200m makes me focus more on pace, imagine visual distance markers, and execute the workout much better... even though they're exactly the same workout for me.

(3) things I'm proud of: 

• becoming a consistent 6:06-on-a-not-so-great-day miler
• making the 7-8mi long workouts happen (at pace!) on Thursdays before work, even if it means a 3:45am alarm
• being able to run a ~95s 400m for my training partner's lap lap of her mile (though this also means that I didn't beat my legs up enough since I did that < 5min after finishing my own mile) 

So, yet again, here we are, six months later, and I'm closing out another mile time trial entry with the same line: 

"My body's capable of a 6min mile. I just need to figure out how to execute it."

Race Report: Miler Method #4, Take 2

Knowing I'm physically capable of my goal time, but being held back by mental strategy/execution is a weird sort of purgatory...

Previous PR: 6:06 (10/17/2020)

90% Goal: 6:10
50% Goal: 6:00
10% Goal: 5:XX
Result: 6:06ish

Training:

This was a second take at a mile time trial following the six-week Miler Method bootcamp, with Coaches Sierra and Nick Willis. 

• 6 runs a week (1 hill or strides, 1 tempo + track intervals, 1 tempo, and 3 "easy" days)
• intermittent core/strength workouts (that I actually did most of this time around)
• ~35-40mpw
• one additional week with some easy running and some pacing drills three days out from the mile

Before:
After a whole lot of distractions going into my original mile trial last week, I made a conscious effort to prioritize myself and my running goals this week. I ate well. I thought about running a little bit every day. I planned my work week out (hour by hour) on Monday so that I could just execute tasks instead of having to expend energy figuring out what to do, how to do it, and prioritizing (note: this didn't actually work because my deadine was shifted again, but I didn't let that knock me off my game the same was I did last week). 

There's no wind forecast for "race day", but the temperatures are a good bit higher than they were last weekend (64 vs 48) and we've got 100% humidity and a chance of drizzle. I'm not too thrilled about this, but I'm also trying to remember that I ran a 6:08 earlier in the year, during July.... in Atlanta. Surely I can handle a little heat. 

I feel confident. I did a couple easy miles on the treadmill this morning (day before the mile) and felt so strong. My core felt engaged. My legs felt energized. I felt like I had all of this energy and enthusiasm inside just waiting to be unleashed. 

I'm also a bit nervous. What if I can't control that energy and I go out too fast. What if I aim for even splits, nail 90s each time, but then totally biff the last lap? What if, what if, what if... 

I want to write "I'm going to break 6 tomorrow" right now. But I'm scared to make a claim that I can't guarantee. I know I'm capable of it. This might be as confident as I've ever been about any race/time goal in my life, but writing it down is cocky, and then, if I don't get it... well, then it's embarrassing. 

Night Before:

Had tacos and a shot of bourbon (for luck), did some yoga, laid out my clothes, and set an alarm... Let's do this. 

Pre-Mile: 

I woke up at 3:45am, sans alarm, again, after a relatively good night of sleep. The warm-up felt... warm. While we didn't have any wind, it was 100% humidity and mid-60s, much warmer than last week. By the end of the 15min WU, I'd taken my singlet off, and was solidly moist. 

After my strides, I still didn't feel "ready", but I never truly do. My teammate lined up at mile start, and I jogged up to punch it at the line... and then, hearing "No" from her, stopped and turned around. 

"I said 'Go'," she said, confused. 

"Oh... I thought you said 'no', and hadn't hit your stopwatch yet.... sorry."

Mile:

Lap 1 a very manufactured 89s split (but probably more like 84-85s)

We had a second start, and this time the start was a bit off on my end since I wasn't sure I'd actually hit my watch at the line. It took me about 20m to verify it was good, and then hit my stride.

I hit the 100m in 19s. It should have been 22.5, if it were truly 100m (but it's a little longer with those extra ~9 for the full mile on a 400m track). In my head, I knew I was too fast, but let myself reason it away, saying that I always kick a little to start, but settle in. Plus, I'd had an 88s start last week, with wind, with a bad attitude, and still had a good time. I should be fine.

200m split: 41 (should have been 45)

I should have stopped here... taken a breath, maybe let my teammate run first, and then tried again... but that wasn't even a thought in my mind. Instead, I just kept running, thinking how easy this felt. 

As I came down the straightaway to close Lap 1, I shouted to my teammate to read the split times louder, since I couldn't hear her.

"81, 82, 83..."

Considering I was going for 90, I really should have stopped then. Instead, I kind of did a weird artificial slow-down to hit my first 400m in a far more reasonable 88-89ish seconds.

Lap 2 92s

I don't know why I didn't process in the moment that I'd completely overrun my time and what, exactly that was going to do to my last couple of laps. On Lap 2, I still felt good. I don't remember what my split was, but I think it was somewhere around 91-92. I also remember feeling vaguely pleased that I was "on pace" (cough, for that lap, cough).

Lap 3 96s

"Ugh, it's hot," I remember thinking on this lap. This is where it started to huuuuuuurt. Unlike last week, I couldn't "lean in" to this lap. It just sucked the whole way through. I felt myself spiraling downward, and knew it was gonna be a bad lap as soon as it started.... 96s. Ouch, there's no coming back from that one. 

Lap 4 ?

Still, I did what I could to try to slowly build that last 400. It was a lost cause, though. I hated every single second of that lap. I thought about cutting the course to make up time... but you can't cut the course on a track. lol. Even if I'd been able to, it wouldn't have done anything. Everything hurt, but I still tried to build effort, if not speed, throughout the last lap. 

My watch had 5:34 with a little under 200m to go. Knowing there was no way I was running a 26s 200m, it was hard to not just throw in the towel and jog it in... but doing that would mean I wouldn't know what that last bit felt like, so I kept going.

"Don't give up. This isn't going to be what you wanted, but you can still get something worthwhile out of it."

I didn't know what my time was when I crossed the line, but remember telling my teammate:

"Don't go out too fast. OMG, don't do it. It's the absolute worst."

If you ask my teammate, she had ~6:07 on her clock. I split my watch at 6:05.9. So, we'll call it 6:06ish. 

^how not to run a mile

Post-Mile Reflections:

I'll admit I was disappointed with how this run shook out. After a stellar performance on way too much bourbon, taco shells, poptarts, and an IDAFG attitude last week with wind, I had a ton of confidence going into this weekend.

...and, again, I proved to myself that I need to find something between those two extremes in terms of mental prep. I wasn't nervous about this "race". Truly, I thought I had it in the bag. Maybe I was so rarin' to go that I didn't let myself have the right sort of calm, collected approach that I end up with on my more carefree days. 

Whatever it was, I was absolutely amazed that I could run the same(ish) time as last week, and have it feel completely different. Last week didn't feel easy, but it felt strong, and hard in all the right aways. This week, it was just horrible. So much horrible, hard, and exhausting... all too soon. 

So, takeaways:

1. There might be something to that comment a friend made that:

 "Maybe that’s the trick, you train so well that you enter the goal race with an “idgaf” attitude and bam, PR. You say you always have your best races when you don’t care 😉"

2. I think I could benefit from having one of my faster friends pace me through the first 400m and the last 200m. I did this for my teammate today, and absolutely loved being able to keep her on pace (or, at the very least, show her how far ahead she was at the 200m and slow her down before it was too late) and then bring out a kick for her in the end. Either way, I could use some practice pacing myself. 

3. It's really satisfying to have the confidence to say "I can run a 6:00 mile" even though I haven't done it yet. It's also really frustrating to know that it isn't physical ability holding me back; it's mental. Physical ability seems like it's "easier" to handle. If you can't run that fast, then you can't run that fast, and there's something concrete that makes the goal unattainable for you right now. There's a reason it can't happen, and reason that can't just "go away" with some positive thinking. 

Knowing that the reason I haven't hit 6 yet is mental is harder for me. It's me holding me back. It kind of feels like I'm 16 again, learning how to drive, and I'm trying over and over again to keep my car on the driveway as I go around and around our little turnaround circle...  My parents are telling me "constant radius" over and over, reminding me that this is "simple", and there's nothing wrong with the car; it's me who has to figure out when to turn the wheel and when to STOP TURNING IT FURTHER. But, instead of finding the direction the wheel needs to go and holding it there, I'm messing with it the whole time, unable to settle in, over-correcting and under-correcting and, as a result, going all over (or off, rather) the path. 

My body's capable of a 6min mile. I just need to figure out how to execute it.

Next Steps:

I really want to try again soon, and get it done, cross this goal off of my list... but I also know that I need a bit of a break from these moving deadlines (man, both this one and work are just killing me right now. I hate not being able to cross anything off as "complete"). 

So, I'll take some time, enjoy getting back to my regularly scheduled long runs, instead of extending the "taper madness" for another week. Maybe I'll give it another go in early November on a day where I'm "feeling cute, might PR". Maybe I'll decide to do another round through the training plan I covered these past six weeks before trying again. I'm not sure yet, but I'll give it another go sometime. I'm capable of it...  I just have to get out of my own way.