You must be swift as the coursing river (as long as it's the Lazy River) - comments welcome

[WillRunForPizza]

April 15 - 21, 2024
5K training week 4
In which I have no idea what day it is


This week's schedule

Monday
Easy/strides: 6.09 miles (10:07), avg. HR 151, max 173, 90% Z1-2
Lower body strength/HIIT

My Achilles was making me a little nervous, so I started out super duper easy. Fortunately I didn't have any problems with it, so I got back to normal kind of out of habit. Pretty good run overall.

The strength/HIIT was one of those routines I've done many times over the years but not in a while, so it was cool to see gains. I was lifting heavier on the strength sets and feeling less tired on the HIIT. While I wasn't too tired, I was feeling kind of fatigued by the time I finished (don't ask me to explain the difference but there is one). I think it's a combination of still recovering from the long run/race on Saturday and probably not getting enough protein afterwards. Nutrition is too complicated

Tuesday
Easy/strides: 7.29 miles (9:32), avg. HR 155, max 178, 86% Z1-2
Core

It was a fairly pleasant morning and a fairly pleasant run. I do keep having this issue where I start doing strides and my HR goes up and just doesn't go back down again (especially when I'm already running uphill). I have just kind of given up on trying to fix this.

Wednesday
off

I finally hung my medal racks! I am still slightly afraid of the drill. (Am I the only one who looks at power tools and just sees easy ways to maim yourself by accident? )


Two racks with medals hanging from them with bibs from my PR races in between, because by the time I realized the racks were weirdly far apart, I had already made a bunch of holes in the wall

Thursday
Workout: 1.54 mile WU/strides + 4 x 45s @ 1MP/90s RI + 10 min @ LTP + 2 min RI + 4 x 45s @ 1MP/90s RI + 1.75 mile CD
Split paces: 6:13, 6:39, 6:55, 5:57; 7:25; 6:39, 6:11, 5:43, 6:18
GAP splits: 6:07, 6:10, 5:38, 5:59; 7:24; 6:09, 6:02, 5:59, 6:13
Total: 6.97 miles, 1:04:00, avg. HR 159, max 193
Total body strength


Workout analysis (GAP) chart

That was hard.

I mostly mean it was hard work, but pacing is also hard. I have to get used to the GAP on the trail again (though Strava's calculations always seem a little questionable to me). Regardless, though, I was probably going too fast on most of the mile pace intervals - paces with a "5" in front are definitely beyond my current fitness I wasn't too bad on the LT portion of the sandwich, especially for not being used to these paces. It was a struggle to keep that up in the second half of the interval, though. And I was walking the first half of the recovery intervals in the second set

It did not help that I had technical difficulties with my water bottle which resulted in only having water for the first mile or so. The little plastic piece that keeps the water from spilling out when you're not drinking from it stopped keeping the water from spilling out, and that clearly wasn't working for a speed workout. I tucked it behind a log and picked it up on my way back. Does anyone else have a problem with Nathan water bottles constantly breaking? I've had like six different models since I started running regularly two years ago and they've all died an extremely inconvenient death

Anyway, even though I'm still working on the pacing, I feel like it was a success just to get through that workout without dying, so overall it's a win

I didn't have time to do my strength workout right when I got back from my run, and by the time I got to it, I was feeling really tired and wasn't sure how it would go. But I actually felt better when I was moving. I definitely didn't get as many rounds in as Nicole, but I was just happy it didn't suck as much as I thought it might. (That seems to be a theme for the day.)

Friday
Easy: 6.3 miles (9:56), avg. HR 151, max 169 (?)
Core

I was feeling tired after Thursday's workout, so I was a bit sluggish starting out. It was cooler than it had been for the past few days, which wasn't the worst thing but I did kind of wish I had long sleeves. After a few stiff, chilly minutes, though, I felt okay for the most part.

I did the core workout as kind of a warmup, and it was...more difficult than I was expecting. My legs kept twitching on the reverse crunches

Saturday
Long: 13.21 miles (9:39), ???
Yoga

I enjoyed some quite pleasant running weather this morning. It was about mid-50s and cloudy when I went out, which is pretty much my ideal. Since my handheld was broken, I took my hydration vest with half a liter of Skratch and half a liter of plain water (and finished about half of the water and most of the Skratch). First time I've used that in a while!

All in all, a pretty good run. I think I was going a teensy bit harder than I maybe should have, but it was hard to tell, at least from my HR, because my watch was cadence-locked for like 8 miles. Le sigh.

In addition to the water and Skratch, I had two GUs and a UCAN gel. Also my abs were sore from Friday

I did the yoga in the afternoon, and mostly I did the easier version of everything because I was tired. BUT I did feel the most balanced I ever have trying Dancer! So that was exciting. Also the dog wanted to help


My dog "helping" me with yoga by laying his head in my lap

Sunday
Easy/strides: 6.14 miles (10:20), avg. HR 154, max 167, 98% Z1-2
Upper body strength

Why is it cold again?? It was in the 40s when I got up, and I didn't like it I saved my run for the afternoon when it was at least above 50. My legs felt kind of heavy, but otherwise it was okay.

Totals
Running: 7h 28m, 46 miles
Strength/mobility: 2h 16m
Total: 9h 45m


Weekly training log

So I successfully kept my long run on Saturday, but then I was really confused about what day it was. Like, yesterday afternoon I was trying to see when people I know finished London, and I was so confused about why the results weren't up yet. And then I realized the race wasn't until the next day Moral of the story: you can change when you do your runs, but changing when you think you do your runs takes longer!

Coming up

Next week's schedule

Well, I decided it wouldn't hurt to add some speedwork to my long runs, so I'm doing a classic 5K workout with at least 4 extra miles added on We'll see how it goes!

I'll also probably keep the schedule shifted back a day, but it's too much work to update the spreadsheet

 

[nancipants]

I love your two medal racks for DC and Disney!

I have a Nathan speed draw water bottle and the top broke on mine, same issue as you had. Thankfully I found you can buy replacement tops on Amazon!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

I have a Nathan speed draw water bottle and the top broke on mine, same issue as you had. Thankfully I found you can buy replacement tops on Amazon!

Ohhh good to know! I looked on their website but they didn't have them - I'll have to try Amazon now!

 

[superchime]

The medal racks with bibs in the middle look perfect! And I'm with you on the power tools. I got my hair caught in the friggin' electric whisk/milk frother thing the other day! I should not touch a drill.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

April 22 - 28, 2024
5K training week 5
In which I crash and burn


This week's schedule

Monday
Easy/strides: 6.21 miles (9:35), avg. HR 157, max 173, 77% Z1-2?
Lower body strength

Started out too fast. Mostly because I was cold and I wanted to be warmer. It sort of worked, but then I ended up working harder than I should have in the last couple of miles. I used to be good at keeping my easy runs easy...

Random vignette: While I was running along the Potomac, I looked out and saw a mama duck with a little fleet of ducklings! I really wished I had brought my phone so I could take a picture.

Also my Saucony Endorphin Speed 3s now have 450+ miles on them but still feel the same as the new pair I wore at the Princess Half (because they matched my outfit). I usually get 300-400 miles out of my shoes, so that's pretty impressive.

The strength workout was new to me. It took a second to get the hang of some of the exercises (especially because I was using a dumbbell instead of a kettlebell), but I liked it. However, for some reason as I was finishing the workout/doing my heel drops afterwards, I was STARVING. I ended up stuffing candied pecans in my face while I was stretching

Tuesday
Easy/strides: 6.25 miles (9:57), avg. HR 149?
Core

I was really trying to take it easy, and I did fairly well. I did order a new cap for my handheld thanks to @nancipants, but it hadn't arrived yet, so I decided to run around the Mall because most of the water fountains there actually work. It was mostly fine; I just wish groups would realize that other people are also using public spaces and not take up the entire sidewalk

My throat started aching at some point on Monday, even though I was JUST sick last month. I woke up with it feeling extra scratchy, but otherwise I was okay, and it wasn't really noticeable while I was running. But no more illnesses!

Wednesday
off (yoga)

Maybe it's just allergies.

Thursday
Workout: 2.5 miles easy/strides + 15 min steady + 6 min @ LTP + 4 min @ CV + 2 min RI + 4 x 30s @ 1MP/1 min RI + 1 mile CD
Total: 7.63 miles, avg. HR 166, max 186 (?)
Total body strength



Strava workout analysis chart and lap splits

I think it's just allergies. I felt fine during my workout other than all the sniffling. (I mean, it was hard, but it's a workout. It's supposed to be hard.)

I was freezing for whole warmup, but once I started working harder it was fine. Sometimes I sort of envy people who drive to their starting point and can do their warmup and then drop a jacket back at the car. But it's much easier to run from my house, and I can use the mile or two to the trail to warm up without worrying about traffic lights messing up my workout.

My pacing was pretty good for the most part. I didn't look at my watch during the mile-pace intervals, but also Apple and Strava disagree about the paces on those. I think they were too short to get good data. I definitely could have run faster, so I'm not worried about it.

I was pretty tired for the rest of the day, but not too tired to get stuff done so it's fine.

Friday
Easy: 6.15 miles (10:29), avg. HR 150, max 162, 100% Z1-2
Core

My main goal with this run was to take it easy so I could recover between Thursday and Saturday's hard days. It was fairly successful.

Saturday
Long/workout: 4.5 miles easy/strides + 6 4.75 x 800m @ 5KP/1 min RI + 5 miles easy
Interval split paces: 7:01, 7:01, 6:50, 7:03, 7:03 (620m)
GAP: 6:55, 7:10, 6:50, 6:56, 6:58 (620m)
Total: 12.29 miles, 2:03:00


Strava pace analysis chart

Well. That did not go as planned.

I was generally fine for the easy portion. Annoyingly I did have to pee about 15 minutes in, but luckily I was still coming up to the real bathrooms on the Mall so I didn't have to use the Gravelly Point port-a-potties, which are gross. There were more people out than I was expecting on a fairly cool and cloudy morning, but I guess everyone is ready for spring. I did a few strides coming up on the workout part, which required some extra strategizing because of all the people on the trail, and then I was ready to go.

Interval #1: Hard but doable. A little fast, especially at the beginning, oops.

Interval #2: Similarly hard but doable and starting too fast. Also I remembered I was supposed to have had a gel at 4 miles and did not. I walked the rest interval so I could belatedly take the gel.

Interval #3: Getting harder. Walked most of the recovery again, this time because I was tired.

Interval #4: Really hard. Breathing is no longer matched with cadence. Walked the rest period again.

Interval #5: Actively in the process of dying. Pace started to drop off and ended the interval around 600m.

Interval #6: Skipped

After partial interval #5, I walked for a couple of minutes before getting back to a jog. The rest of the run was okay except for a mile or so later where I had to walk again, this time because of a side stitch. It went away after a few minutes, though, and then I went back to running.

So that's not exactly what I was aiming for.

I have some takeaways:

1. Probably not running a 7 flat pace in a 5K in the near future (especially if I start out at 6:30-6:40). I was actually supposed to be doing a 7:05 pace, and I don't know if the extra few seconds would have made a difference, but that seems pretty ambitious right now too

2. Maybe don't have your first real work at race pace be a really hard workout in the middle of a long run. This wouldn't have been an easy workout on its own, but on fairly tired legs and starting 5 miles into a long run was maybe not the wisest plan.

3. Whatever happened to running by feel? I'm actually not terrible at that when I think about it, but I was thinking pace instead and kept starting too aggressively, which certainly didn't help.

Anyway, that was a bit disappointing, but I learned some things

Sunday
Easy: 6.3 miles (10:30), avg. HR 152, max 163, 100% Z1-2
Upper body strength

It was a pleasant morning for an easy run. These days on Sundays I usually run up Massachusetts Ave and back, which makes for lots of hills. This time I paid a quick visit to my grad school alma mater so I could pee and grab a drink of water, and circling back I got to run up a VERY steep hill

Totals
Running: 7h 24m, 44.86 miles
Strength/mobility: 2h 3m
Total: 9h 27m


Weekly training log

Um, Strava...what the heck happened with the color scheme?? Ick.

Coming up

Next week's schedule

More hills and another long run workout, though hopefully this one will go a little better.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

April 29 - May 5, 2024
5K training week 6
In which the weather is all over the place


This week's schedule

Monday
Easy/strides: 7.3 miles (10:10), avg. HR 152, max 177, 95% Z1-2
Lower body strength

Um, is it summer now?? It was in the mid-70s by the time I finished my run. It didn't feel too bad, though, so I must have done okay slowing down.

I can't remember why I didn't include HIIT with my lower body strength workout. I thought about doing a short video, but I didn't feel like it

Tuesday
Easy/strides: 6.07 miles (10:13), avg. HR 153, max 179, 91% Z1-2
Core

It was another warm morning, but there was a bit more of a breeze this time. I mostly felt good except that my left glute started aching about halfway through. Probably left over from Monday's strength. I stopped on the way back and got my free doughnuts from Krispy Kreme

Wednesday
off (yoga)

I think I like doing yoga on my rest day better than doing it after my long run.

Thursday
Workout: 2.24 mile WU/strides + 4 x 60/45/30s uphill/jog down (walk after each set) + 2.35 mile CD
Total: 7.23 miles, avg. HR 158, max 191
Total body strength



Workout analysis (GAP) and splits

HILLS. Hills are hard. Especially when it is warm and sunny.

This workout came to me courtesy of Phily Bowden on YouTube (love her), and I thought, sure, that sounds like a fun way to die.
I wrote down the basics but didn't remember much about the video it came from. However, since it's Phily, I was pretty sure that each rep in a set was supposed to get faster, so I did that. The first set was way too fast all around; I already felt like I was dying and I was only a quarter of the way through the workout. So I dialed it back a little for the next set. Every rep felt just slightly too long, like I really wanted to stop 5 seconds ago, but here I am, still running up the hill. Which is probably actually kind of what's supposed to happen, but oy

Strava says my GAP didn't necessarily get faster as the reps got shorter, but I can assure you that in real life my effort certainly did. Splits are above but I'm always kind of skeptical of the GAP, especially when it disagrees with my actual experience.

By the end my jog downhill wasn't much faster than walking, but I somehow survived. (Let's be honest, I saved Des and Kara for this workout and they got me through it )

Friday
Easy: 6.26 miles (10:00), avg. HR 151, max 164, 100% Z1-2
Core

I expected this to be more of a recovery run, but I actually felt pretty good. It was a little cooler than the last few days, which was nice. I did catch myself speeding up a little in the last couple of miles because I wanted my average pace to be under 10 flat, but then I realized I was being dumb

Saturday
Long: 9 miles easy + 10 min @ MP + 6 min @ HMP + 4 min @ 10KP + 3 min @ 5KP + 1 min @ 1MP + 1.4 mile CD
Interval split paces: 8:17, 7:45, 7:35, 7:22, 6:39
GAP: 8:13, 7:48, 7:24, 7:21, 6:41
Total: 13.47 miles, avg. HR 158, max 182

This weather is giving me whiplash. From 70 and sunny to 50 and gloomy is a real transition. Doing this workout in 70 and sunny conditions would have sucked, but after the rest of the week I was surprised when it cooled off again. The drizzle did make the trees look extra-green, though.


Rock Creek Trail surrounded by a lot of spring green

Anyway, I felt a little stiff during the "warmup" (a.k.a. the 9 miles I was running before I had to go faster). Also perhaps unsurprisingly, I had to stop at the bathroom at about 4.5 miles. This is also where I tucked my arm sleeves into my vest (which I then slightly regretted as it started drizzling again and my arms were cold). Other than that, the first segment was pretty uneventful.

Because my legs were still feeling kind of stiff, I wasn't sure how faster paces would go. I tried to focus on running by feel - I was still checking my watch, but it worked surprisingly well and my pacing was surprisingly decent. I was also pleased that I was feeling okay for the most part. After last weekend's blowup, I was a little worried about this one, but I only really felt like I was working after I got to a steep hill in the middle of the 10K segment.

Then things went a little off course (metaphorically, at least for me). You might notice that the paces on the last two segments are significantly slower than they should be. Well, that wasn't actually a running problem. A little bit into the 5K segment, I came upon a pretty serious looking car accident next to the trail I was using. I didn't actually stop - I felt kind of bad going by but there were a couple dozen people already hovering around and there was nothing I could do except get in the way - but I did slow down going through that. I felt like it would have been callous to sprint through. I hope everyone was okay

So yeah, hence the slower 5KP segment. There was no such issue with the mile pace segment, but I glanced down early on and saw 5-something, so I slowed down, and then I got distracted and ended up going too slow. It's fine.

From a running perspective, I feel like that went reasonably well. But drive carefully out there, folks!

Sunday
Easy: 6.3 miles (10:47), avg. HR <149, max 159, 100% Z1-2
Upper body strength

My legs were tired. But I managed to find the one hour of the morning where it wasn't really raining, so all in all it was a pretty good run.

By early afternoon I was feeling pretty fatigued, and I thought about skipping my strength training. But skipping things makes me sad, so I traded in my planned routine for a quick one so I could at least do something.

Totals
Running: 7h 53m, 46.64 miles
Strength/mobility: 2h 10m
Total: 10h 4m


Weekly training log. It is still ugly.

It was a big week, so I'm not really surprised to be especially tired.

Coming up

Next week's schedule

Some nice threshold intervals, and then a shorter long run leading into race week the following week!

 

[avondale]

Strava says my GAP didn't necessarily get faster as the reps got shorter, but I can assure you that in real life my effort certainly did. Splits are above but I'm always kind of skeptical of the GAP, especially when it disagrees with my actual experience.

I get my GAP from my Garmin Epix, not Strava, but my experiences is that GAPs for short segments are often not at all correct or even logical. I suppose that in order to calculate a GAP, the calculator needs an established grade for a certain distance/time, otherwise, how can it tell if the grade is changing? I think that for short segments, there just isn't sufficient data on this for the calculation to be correct.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

May 6 - 12, 2024
5K training week 7
In which the flow happens


This week's schedule

Monday
Easy/strides: 7.25 miles (9:45), avg. HR 150, max 176, 93% Z1-2
Lower body strength/HIIT

It was warm. It was humid. (It was overcast, at least.) I was still tired. All indications said I should have been slower than usual. But I was not.

I still don't get it

Also, that HIIT segment was tough. My average HR was higher for the strength/HIIT workout than it was for my 7-mile run

Tuesday
Easy/strides: 6.19 miles (9:47), avg. HR 155, max 176, 82% Z1-2
Core

Another warm and humid day mitigated by a breeze and some cloud cover. I was still a little tired, but I got some good sleep so it wasn't too bad. I ended up doing like 11 strides, which is why my HR was a bit high.

Sometimes my watch makes me throw up my hands.

Me: *runs 6.19 miles*
My watch: Congrats on running a 5K!
Me: ...

Wednesday
yoga

Good rest day routine. Nice and relaxing.

Thursday
Workout: 2.27 mile WU/strides + 5 x 5 min @ LTP/1 min RI + 1.66 mile CD
Interval split paces: 7:33, 7:27, 7:24, 7:26, 7:33
GAP: 7:32, 7:24, 7:22, 7:26, 7:29
Total: 7.66 miles, avg. HR 156, max 189
Total body strength


Workout analysis (GAP)

I feel like this went...okay? I was up and down on the paces, partly because of hills and partly because I'm still bad at pacing. But the only issue I had was a side stitch at the end of rep #4. I walked the rest interval while I tried to make that go away. It seemed like it worked, but the side stitch came back with a vengeance halfway through rep #5. I pushed through it, but I definitely slowed down in the second half because (a) it hurt, and (b) I felt like I couldn't breathe. So that was fun

I walked a bit again after that until the side stitch receded, and then I headed back home at a slow jog, which fortunately didn't bring it back. Really hoping that doesn't happen when I'm trying to race

Although the side stitch didn't come back in my cooldown, I did have a weird pain in my right foot, from the pinkie toe down to that side of the ball of my foot. Never had that before. Didn't like it. Maybe the Endorphin Speed 3s are finally reaching their limit. We'll see if the problem makes an appearance in other shoes.

Friday
Easy: 6.27 miles (10:14), ???
Core

It was one of those gray mornings where I didn't really feel like going out. Snuggling with my dog on the couch was much more appealing. Eventually I dragged myself out the door. I didn't wear a hat because it was cloudy and all of my hats were smelly, and that was a bad choice. Despite a total lack of precipitation on the radar, it rained basically the whole time. It was hard to see

I guess on the positive side, no issues with my foot or side.

Plus, the return of Kenyan core (via Ben Is Running)! It was still hard. But when I last did this routine in December, I was sore for like three days. Did the extra core work over the past few months make my muscles more resilient? Stay tuned...

Saturday
Easy/strides: 8.67 miles (9:23), avg. HR 156, max 175, 88% Z1-2

Whee! Somehow I always do the last long (or "long") run before a race too fast. I felt really good, though.

I ended up swinging through the other parkrun route near me on Teddy Roosevelt Island. It's actually slightly closer, but the route is a little more precarious, with some slippery patches of mud and a long stretch of boardwalk. However, it is pretty shaded, so if it's hot and sunny for my June parkrun, I might head there instead of Fletcher's Cove (which has pretty much zero shade). Fortunately next Saturday doesn't look bad, so Fletcher's Cove is still the plan for that.

When I was figuring out my water bottle situation, I ordered a Naked running belt and a soft flask to see if that would work better than a handheld, and this was the first good opportunity to try it out. It took some experimentation to find the right arrangement (flask in the front left pocket, phone in the back), but I think it could be good for the marathon. The flask does bounce a bit when it's full, but once the water level goes down, it's more comfortable.

And the verdict: not sore! Yay, core strength! Maybe I should do the 45-minute version next time...

Sunday
Easy/strides: 5.1 miles (9:39), avg. HR 156, max 170, 90% Z1-2
Upper body strength

I looked back to see when the last time I ran less than 6 miles was, and it was like a month ago. No wonder this felt short. Fun taper times!

Totals
Running: 41.16 miles, 6h 36m
Strength/mobility: 2h 21m
Total: 8h 58m


Weekly training log (still icky)

I don't know that I necessarily needed to start tapering a week out for a 5K...but it probably won't hurt. Especially since I've been doing pretty high mileage for average-runner 5K training.

Anyway, other than the side stitch issue, these last few runs have felt pretty good! I feel like week 6/7/8 is around when things really start clicking (And hey, I've done enough training cycles that I have a sense of when things should start clicking now! )

Coming up

Next week's schedule

Parkrun #2! Obviously I already did Monday's stuff today since I shifted the schedule, and now I have to decide whether I want to do the workout tomorrow or keep it on Tuesday

Weather looks a bit on the warm side, but not too bad. It keeps shifting, though, and there's a decent chance of rain, so who knows what the not-a-race will look like... fingers crossed for decent weather.

Last but not least, happy mothers' day to the moms in the group! Here's me and my mom in front of the X-wing fighter in GE:

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Not-a-race recap: Fletcher's Cove parkrun #372
May 18, 2024 | Washington, DC
In which I somehow end up with mud on my elbow

This was parkrun #2 of 3 in my spring 5K training plan. Leading up to Saturday, the weather was looking pretty iffy. Definitely-rain-but-also-chances-of-thunderstorms iffy. But I decided to prepare as if the parkrun were going to happen, so I did my normal pre-race stretching/yoga/Pilates video and painted my nails before bed. (You know, all the stuff everyone does before a race.)

Then, race day! The lightning never materialized, happily, and the parkrun's socials didn't say anything about canceling, so I headed out around 7:45. I decided to try @avondale's suggestion of walking partway to the start to save a bit of energy. Unfortunately it was still raining, but it was early enough that I could save a little bit of time cutting through Georgetown without wanting to bang my head against a wall because of the crowds. (Georgetown is a horrible place.)

Having survived Georgetown, I made it to the canal towpath and started running. The C&O Canal Towpath has a tendency to get muddy the moment the sky even has a little daydream about rain, and today was no exception. There were a lot of mud puddles. Like, ankle-deep mud puddles. My socks were soaked almost immediately as I headed over to Fletcher's Cove. But...at least it had mostly stopped actually raining?

Giant mud puddles did not bode particularly well for a fast 5K. However, I had considered this, and I decided that I would run the best I could, but I wouldn't worry too much about it and I would try to enjoy splashing through the mud. Or at least appreciate the ridiculousness of the situation

I made it to Fletcher's Cove with about 15 minutes to spare, which was the perfect amount of time to pee, grab some water, and do some drills and strides (which I didn't record *gasp*). I was a little hungry, so I had the just-in-case gel I'd shoved in my pocket.


Participants circled up for the pre-parkrun briefing

There were quite a few kids there - apparently it was a local middle school's track club day at the parkrun - and according to the results, 98 participants in total. They lined the kids up at the front because...reasons? Probably because kids usually go out too fast. These kids actually did pretty well, though.

Anyway, because I was a little further back, it took slightly longer to work my way to a comfortable spot this time. Still less than a minute, though. I love parkrun.

The puddles were INTENSE. Like, ankle-deep all the way across the trail. But on the bright side, the mud wasn't super slippery, so I still felt like I could race reasonably well. And I got to make a lot of big splashes

I missed my first mile split, but I was feeling pretty decent hovering just above 7 flat pace when I was checking. (Mile 1 ended up being 7:05.) This was surprising to me after I fully blew up during my long run/5K workout a few weeks ago, but I was not complaining. I was passing the kids steadily, and by the time I hit the turnaround, there were only a handful of adults ahead of me - and no other women, though there was a woman fairly close behind me. I had a guy in a red shirt about 10 seconds ahead of me in my sights. I fumbled with my music, which I hadn't had on for the first half of the race, until I got something playing to keep me going for the more painful part.

Last time I was already dying at the halfway point, but this time I still felt okay-ish. However, by the time we got through mile 2, the dying was definitely happening. I am a fan of The Running Channel, and I just watched their video where Jess sets a new 10K PB. At this point in the race, I sounded just like her in the second half of her race (She's quite a bit faster, though!) Mile 2 came in at 7:00 exactly.

I feel like the last mile of a 5K is just pure willpower. Your legs are burning, your lungs are burning, and you would like nothing more than to stop trying so hard. Unfortunately, the finish line is still a mile away.

Even though I had missed my first split, I was pretty sure I was on track for a PR despite the mud, so I persevered. Red shirt guy was still just a bit ahead of me - I'd closed maybe a little of the gap, but there were still a few seconds between us. (I never did catch him.) Mile 3: 7:01.

Finally, I saw the bridge where we finish come into view. I pushed as hard as I could, but I couldn't go much faster. I crossed the finish line (literally a line drawn in the dirt), and I was done! (Strava says the last 0.1 miles was actually 7:07 pace, but it took a few seconds to stop my watch so that's off.) One of the volunteers handed me my bar code and told me I finished first female

After I got my codes scanned, I did the whole remember-to-breathe, walk-in-tiny-circles thing. But despite running significantly faster through ankle-deep mud, I actually felt better than last time. Training! Who knew I stopped to get some more water from the fountain (and take some pictures to demonstrate just how muddy I was) before heading home.


Me squatting next to the Fletcher's Cove sign with mud all over my leg

I actually felt pretty good during most of my cooldown/commute as well. I started to get very achy about three-quarters of a mile from home, so I just went ahead and walked that last bit. I was covered in mud from the waist down, so I'm sure I was an interesting sight


Photos of the very muddy front (left) and back (right) of my legs (well, ish; it turns out it's hard to take a picture of your own butt )

Overall, ran faster, felt better, good stuff! Other than the mud. And my official time came in later that morning: 21:56!! I hadn't thought sub-22 was in the cards, especially in these conditions, so I was really pleased with that. That is 47 seconds faster than my official PR and 29 seconds faster than my unofficial PR And I beat all the middle schoolers this time!

I celebrated in the evening with Shake Shack and Tasmanian bubbles. (I highly recommend pairing sparkling wine with your burger and fries; they actually go pretty well together, and you get the bonus of being able to giggle about drinking Champagne* with your fast food.) I even got to have cheesy fries because I remembered that I still had some plastic cheese left from runDisney. And I watched the USATF LA Grand Prix. How is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone so good at everything?? Anyway, wins all around

*yes, yes, not technically Champagne


A very intense-looking Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone beating out Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas in the 200, because why not

Some post-race thoughts:

- My splits were once again very even - only 5 seconds' difference between my fastest and slowest miles. I've been running these parkruns, and a few races before this, without trying to hit a particular pace. I have an idea of how fast I might be able to run, of course, and I'm checking my pace throughout, but I'm mostly running by feel. And it's been working out really well.

- Parkrun is awesome. Highly recommend. It would be perfect for someone who's a little intimidated by racing or just wants a lot of race opportunities without the additional cost. It's free and it happens every week, so there's no pressure; if it doesn't go well, just try again next week or next month.

- I am crossing all my digits for good conditions for my June parkrun, because I really want to see what this fitness looks like when I'm not trying to run through a lake


Strava race analysis graph which is pretty flat considering I was, again, running through giant mud puddles the whole time

 

[col1]

Congratulations on the PR

 

[WillRunForPizza]

May 13 - 19, 2024
5K training week 8
In which I make splash-splash zoom-zooms


This week's schedule

Monday
Easy/hill sprints: 5.08 miles (9:27), ??
Core

Obviously I decided to do my pre-race workout on Tuesday, partly because the forecast for Saturday was suddenly showing thunderstorms and I thought I might need to do a time trial on Sunday instead if the parkrun got canceled.

Felt great, threw in some hill sprints, ended up running faster than I maybe should have - it's hard to slow down when you're tapering!

Tuesday
Workout: 2.45 mile WU/strides + 5 x 3 min @ 5KP/90s RI + 1 mile CD
Interval split paces: 7:00, 7:08, 6:56, 7:13, 6:50
GAP: 7:01, 7:06, 6:52, 6:58, 6:46
Total: 6.36 miles, avg. HR 160, max 190
Lower body strength (bodyweight)


Workout analysis (GAP) chart

This workout wasn't really supposed to build fitness. 15 minutes total at 5K pace for me is a little more than two miles, which gets you through 2/3 of a 5K. The idea was more to practice 5K pace going into the parkrun on Saturday.

But...it was hard. I did speed up, more or less (if you look at the GAP, which in this case you probably should), and I'm not necessarily too mad about that for this workout. But could I have done 2.5 more reps? Questionable. I'm pretty sure I could have managed one; more than that might have been a stretch. So that left me feeling less optimistic about the race than I was over the weekend. (Obviously it was fine, but I didn't know that yet.)

Wednesday
Easy: 5 miles (9:46), ???

A damp morning. I was a little stiff for the first few minutes, but it all worked itself out.

Thursday
yoga

The perfect degree of challenge (i.e. very little but not none)

Friday
Easy/strides: 4 miles (9:29), avg. HR 152, max 177 (?)

Nice little shakeout run. Too bad we couldn't have had this weather on Saturday...

Saturday
Race: 2.48 mile WU + strides + 3.1 miles @ 5KP + 3.75 mile CD
Total: 9.34 miles

Recap above

For some reason I scheduled myself a core workout for after the race. I thought about doing it, but I didn't feel like it

Sunday
Easy: 6.24 miles (10:43), avg. HR 148, max 157, 100% Z1-2
Upper body strength

My legs were tired. Go figure. Otherwise it was fine. Apparently I did forget how far I was supposed to run, though

Totals
Running: 5h 44m, 36.05 miles
Strength/mobility: 1h 18m
Total: 7h 2m


Weekly training log, this time with different weird colors

Coming up

Next week's schedule

Back to work! This is the last big week of the plan because I dropped what was previously week 10 and moved the final 5K up a week. (My parents are going to be visiting the week I had originally planned for it.) So now parkrun #3 is on June 8, and I have normal training next week, normal training the following week but a shorter long run, and then race week again!

 

[avondale]

Not-a-race recap: Fletcher's Cove parkrun #372
May 18, 2024 | Washington, DC
In which I somehow end up with mud on my elbow

This was parkrun #2 of 3 in my spring 5K training plan. Leading up to Saturday, the weather was looking pretty iffy. Definitely-rain-but-also-chances-of-thunderstorms iffy. But I decided to prepare as if the parkrun were going to happen, so I did my normal pre-race stretching/yoga/Pilates video and painted my nails before bed. (You know, all the stuff everyone does before a race.)

Then, race day! The lightning never materialized, happily, and the parkrun's socials didn't say anything about canceling, so I headed out around 7:45. I decided to try @avondale's suggestion of walking partway to the start to save a bit of energy. Unfortunately it was still raining, but it was early enough that I could save a little bit of time cutting through Georgetown without wanting to bang my head against a wall because of the crowds. (Georgetown is a horrible place.)

Having survived Georgetown, I made it to the canal towpath and started running. The C&O Canal Towpath has a tendency to get muddy the moment the sky even has a little daydream about rain, and today was no exception. There were a lot of mud puddles. Like, ankle-deep mud puddles. My socks were soaked almost immediately as I headed over to Fletcher's Cove. But...at least it had mostly stopped actually raining?

Giant mud puddles did not bode particularly well for a fast 5K. However, I had considered this, and I decided that I would run the best I could, but I wouldn't worry too much about it and I would try to enjoy splashing through the mud. Or at least appreciate the ridiculousness of the situation

I made it to Fletcher's Cove with about 15 minutes to spare, which was the perfect amount of time to pee, grab some water, and do some drills and strides (which I didn't record *gasp*). I was a little hungry, so I had the just-in-case gel I'd shoved in my pocket.

View attachment 861080
Participants circled up for the pre-parkrun briefing

There were quite a few kids there - apparently it was a local middle school's track club day at the parkrun - and according to the results, 98 participants in total. They lined the kids up at the front because...reasons? Probably because kids usually go out too fast. These kids actually did pretty well, though.

Anyway, because I was a little further back, it took slightly longer to work my way to a comfortable spot this time. Still less than a minute, though. I love parkrun.

The puddles were INTENSE. Like, ankle-deep all the way across the trail. But on the bright side, the mud wasn't super slippery, so I still felt like I could race reasonably well. And I got to make a lot of big splashes

I missed my first mile split, but I was feeling pretty decent hovering just above 7 flat pace when I was checking. (Mile 1 ended up being 7:05.) This was surprising to me after I fully blew up during my long run/5K workout a few weeks ago, but I was not complaining. I was passing the kids steadily, and by the time I hit the turnaround, there were only a handful of adults ahead of me - and no other women, though there was a woman fairly close behind me. I had a guy in a red shirt about 10 seconds ahead of me in my sights. I fumbled with my music, which I hadn't had on for the first half of the race, until I got something playing to keep me going for the more painful part.

Last time I was already dying at the halfway point, but this time I still felt okay-ish. However, by the time we got through mile 2, the dying was definitely happening. I am a fan of The Running Channel, and I just watched their video where Jess sets a new 10K PB. At this point in the race, I sounded just like her in the second half of her race (She's quite a bit faster, though!) Mile 2 came in at 7:00 exactly.

I feel like the last mile of a 5K is just pure willpower. Your legs are burning, your lungs are burning, and you would like nothing more than to stop trying so hard. Unfortunately, the finish line is still a mile away.

Even though I had missed my first split, I was pretty sure I was on track for a PR despite the mud, so I persevered. Red shirt guy was still just a bit ahead of me - I'd closed maybe a little of the gap, but there were still a few seconds between us. (I never did catch him.) Mile 3: 7:01.

Finally, I saw the bridge where we finish come into view. I pushed as hard as I could, but I couldn't go much faster. I crossed the finish line (literally a line drawn in the dirt), and I was done! (Strava says the last 0.1 miles was actually 7:07 pace, but it took a few seconds to stop my watch so that's off.) One of the volunteers handed me my bar code and told me I finished first female

After I got my codes scanned, I did the whole remember-to-breathe, walk-in-tiny-circles thing. But despite running significantly faster through ankle-deep mud, I actually felt better than last time. Training! Who knew I stopped to get some more water from the fountain (and take some pictures to demonstrate just how muddy I was) before heading home.

View attachment 861149
Me squatting next to the Fletcher's Cove sign with mud all over my leg

I actually felt pretty good during most of my cooldown/commute as well. I started to get very achy about three-quarters of a mile from home, so I just went ahead and walked that last bit. I was covered in mud from the waist down, so I'm sure I was an interesting sight

View attachment 861151View attachment 861152
Photos of the very muddy front (left) and back (right) of my legs (well, ish; it turns out it's hard to take a picture of your own butt )

Overall, ran faster, felt better, good stuff! Other than the mud. And my official time came in later that morning: 21:56!! I hadn't thought sub-22 was in the cards, especially in these conditions, so I was really pleased with that. That is 47 seconds faster than my official PR and 29 seconds faster than my unofficial PR And I beat all the middle schoolers this time!

I celebrated in the evening with Shake Shack and Tasmanian bubbles. (I highly recommend pairing sparkling wine with your burger and fries; they actually go pretty well together, and you get the bonus of being able to giggle about drinking Champagne* with your fast food.) I even got to have cheesy fries because I remembered that I still had some plastic cheese left from runDisney. And I watched the USATF LA Grand Prix. How is Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone so good at everything?? Anyway, wins all around

*yes, yes, not technically Champagne

View attachment 861148
A very intense-looking Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone beating out Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas in the 200, because why not

Some post-race thoughts:

- My splits were once again very even - only 5 seconds' difference between my fastest and slowest miles. I've been running these parkruns, and a few races before this, without trying to hit a particular pace. I have an idea of how fast I might be able to run, of course, and I'm checking my pace throughout, but I'm mostly running by feel. And it's been working out really well.

- Parkrun is awesome. Highly recommend. It would be perfect for someone who's a little intimidated by racing or just wants a lot of race opportunities without the additional cost. It's free and it happens every week, so there's no pressure; if it doesn't go well, just try again next week or next month.

- I am crossing all my digits for good conditions for my June parkrun, because I really want to see what this fitness looks like when I'm not trying to run through a lake

View attachment 861153
Strava race analysis graph which is pretty flat considering I was, again, running through giant mud puddles the whole time

Congratulations on a fantastic 5k PR!!!

 

[azrivest]

21:56 is inspiring

 

[RuntheMouse]

That is a fantastic PR!!!

 

[WillRunForPizza]

May 20 - 26, 2024
5K training week 9
In which it is HOT


This week's schedule

Monday
Easy/strides: 6 miles (9:57), avg. HR <150, max 165?
Core

I was feeling pretty much recovered from the 5K and enjoying the pleasant running weather. I did want to give my legs an extra day before making them do anything hard, though, so I swapped my core and lower body workouts.

Tuesday
Easy/strides: 7.35 miles (9:25), avg. HR 152, max 177, 88% Z1-2
Lower body strength/HIIT

It was warmer and more humid than it's been in a while, but I still felt like I was recovering well from the race on Saturday. I ran around the Mall, even though that's not my favorite route, so I could use the fountains instead of carrying water with me.

Then in the afternoon I did the strength/HIIT and my legs were jelly

Wednesday
Yoga

My legs were sore.

Thursday
Workout: 1.57 mile WU/strides + 4 x 45s @ 1MP (6:21)/90s RI + 1 mile @ LTP (7:31) + 90s RI + 2 x 1K @ 5KP (7:06)/90s RI + 2.04 mile CD
Interval split paces: 6:04, 6:28, 6:25, 5:31; 7:33; 6:56, 7:11
GAP: 6:02, 5:56, 6:18, 5:53; 7:28; 7:00, 7:02
Total: 7.27 miles, avg. HR 164, max 195
Total body strength



Workout analysis (GAP) chart

It got hot! The T+D was in the high 130s, which I know is practically cool to the Floridians and Texans at this point but is probably the highest it's been in DC this year. I looked at the pace adjustments and then apparently just ignored them

This workout is similar to the R/T/R sandwich from Jack Daniels I've done a couple of times, but I swapped out the second R for a couple of Ks at 5K pace. I wasn't quite sure how that would go, but I feel like it worked out pretty well; I didn't feel like I was working tooooo hard until the last rep, which not so coincidentally was also the hilliest.

I also learned that the Naked belt does not work particularly well at mile pace - too much bouncing. I ended up just carrying the soft flask in my hand for reps 2-4, which kind of defeats the purpose of the belt. It was okay at threshold/5K pace, though, so I don't foresee any issues for the marathon.

I did have a minor headache for much of the rest of the day, so that was not ideal. I ordered a few salt thingies to try, and I'm hoping that will help with the post-hot-day-workout headaches.

I had planned to do the strength video twice because it was only 10 minutes, but I was tired and my head still didn't feel great. I decided to stop after one. With my four sets of heel drops per leg, it ended up being almost 20 minutes anyway

Friday
Easy: 6.76 miles (9:57), avg. HR 150, max 165, 99% Z1-2
Core

My legs were pretty tired still (and so was I), but I felt okay after five minutes or so. I wouldn't have run quite so much farther than I planned, but I had to detour around the entire South Lawn thanks to a motorcade getting ready to leave the White House. File that under Things That Only Happen In DC...

I used to hate Pilates, but I think that's just because my core was weak. Now it seems pretty easy. Still not my favorite kind of workout, but not awful.

Saturday
Long: 13.39 miles (10:29), avg. HR 152, max 172, 97% Z1-2

Blech. I feel like I spent this whole run waiting for it to be over, which is neither usual nor ideal. It was hot and humid again, without even the cloud cover of the last couple of days, so that didn't help.

But I was just generally sort of miserable. My legs felt dead for no discernible reason. I was grumpy because after a series of runs in the mid-to-high 9-minute miles, I thought I should be faster, especially on a day when I just wanted to get it done because I had other things going on. Unfortunately my body had other plans, and you can't make your easy pace be faster. I mean, you can run your easy runs faster, but that doesn't mean your easy pace is faster; it just means you're running your easy runs too hard. Which I try not to do.

So that's where I was. Sweaty and grumpy. I finished and it was mostly easy.

I had two UCAN gels and one GU, plus half a liter of Skratch and half a liter of water - I finished all of it.

In the afternoon I went kayaking with a couple of friends and then we got ice cream, so overall it was a good day. Just not a good run

Sunday
Easy: 6.11 miles (10:42), avg. HR 141, max 155
Upper body strength

After Saturday's crap long run, I just took this super easy. It was, if anything, even hotter and sunnier and humid-er than it was Saturday, so also not super fun. But at least my legs weren't dead this time.

Totals
Running: 7h 49m, 46.91 miles
Strength/mobility: 2h 3m
Total: 9h 52m


Weekly training log. I am never going to get used to this color scheme.

I feel like I started the week feeling good and finished it feeling bad. Which is less than ideal. Hopefully it's just one of those things.

Coming up

Next week's schedule

One more week of regular training...

 

[WillRunForPizza]

May 27 - June 2, 2024
5K training week 10
In which it probably is just one of those things


This week's schedule

Monday
Easy/strides: 6.13 miles (10:31), avg. HR 144, max 169, 97% Z1-2
Core

I felt pretty blah to start this run too. But it got better as the run went on, and even though the temperature and humidity were the same, the cloud cover made it feel much cooler than the past couple of days.

I had plans later on so I swapped my core and lower body strength workouts again.

Tuesday
Easy/strides: 7.43 miles (9:33), avg. HR 147, max 174, 96% Z1-2
Lower body strength/HIIT

It was warm and sunny again, but the dew point was about 10º lower so I felt good. I forgot to get more coffee from the farmers market on Sunday, so I stopped by the coffee shop and picked some up on my way back. I've run with a handheld bottle many times, and I've run with a bag of coffee beans a couple of times, but this was the first time I've done both. It was definitely a special new challenge

Wednesday
Yoga

The weather was really nice Wednesday morning, and I kind of regretted not having a run on the schedule. Alas, instead I had to go get an eye exam, and then I couldn't look at a screen all morning because my eyes were dilated

Thursday
Workout: 1.5 mile WU/strides + 3 x 5 min @ LTP (7:31)/1 min RI + 2 min RI + 3 x 3 min @ CV (7:13)/1 min @ 1MP (6:21)/2 min RI + 1.25 mile CD
Interval split paces: 7:34, 7:34, 7:24; 7:06, 6:32; 7:25, 6:31; 6:59, 6:27
GAP: 7:29, 7:30, 7:20; 7:00, 6:27; 7:11, 6:30; 7:00, 6:17
Total: 7.57 miles, avg. HR 165, max 189
Total body strength


Workout analysis (GAP) chart

Happily, it was another lovely morning in DC. I decided to wear my Endorphin Pro 3s, which I don't normally do for workouts, but I think it's good to practice every once in a while. So I was extra bouncy

This is another workout that I made up, and then modified at the last minute - I decided it needed a bit more threshold work. I thought it worked out pretty well. I did kind of forget to check what I was supposed to be running for CV, and I ended up rather faster measured by effort, but that's okay. I'm also not sure about the mile pace intervals - Strava and my watch have significant differences in the paces they calculate. But whatever

Side note: I ran by the back entrance of the zoo, and they already had banners up saying "Pandas are coming!" after they just announced it yesterday

Friday
Easy: 6.27 miles (10:04), avg. HR 146, max 160, 100% Z1-2
Core

Another pleasant morning. No complaints.

Saturday
Easy/strides: 8.07 miles (9:22), avg. HR 155, max 177, 87% Z1-2

Here we are again, a week out from race day and running my last long(-ish) run a little fast I actually thought about doing a couple of miles at M pace at the end, but I decided to throw in some strides/hill sprints instead.

It was a pretty nice morning again - a little warmer than the last couple of days, but part of that is because I dragged my feet getting out because my dog was using my lap as a pillow. I had a pretty good amount of shade, though. The trail was busy - no surprise on a nice Saturday morning.

I just carried my handheld for this one - only took about 1:15 so no need for anything more.

I'm going to miss these paces when summer really sets in

Sunday
Easy/strides: 6.23 miles (9:44), avg. HR 150, max 175, 98% Z1-2

I meant to run 5 miles this morning, but then, as happens all too frequently on my runs, I had to pee So I ran a little farther to get to a bathroom. It was a nice run, though!

I was supposed to do some upper body strength, but...I didn't. There is no real reason. It's okay, I can do it tomorrow.

Totals
Running: 6h 38m, 41.73 miles
Strength/mobility: 2h 6m
Total: 8h 45m


Weekly summary, still with icky colors

Coming up

Next week's schedule

Race week! I decided to do the same workout as last time (because if it ain't broke, don't fix it), but I did give myself a little extra rest between intervals so it would hopefully feel a bit easier. So far the weather looks decent for Saturday, though it's been bouncing around a lot so who knows. Fingers crossed!

 

[avondale]

Alas, instead I had to go get an eye exam, and then I couldn't look at a screen all morning because my eyes were dilated

Funny thing is that I had an eye exam this week, too. If your eyes stay too dilated to be able to read, etc., for more than a couple hours you may be extra sensitive to the dilation drops. You can ask them to give you a smaller dose. I get "half drops" because otherwise I am dilated beyond usefulness for many hours and get a ripping headache. But you'll have to decide if it's bad enough to ask about that.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Funny thing is that I had an eye exam this week, too. If your eyes stay too dilated to be able to read, etc., for more than a couple hours you may be extra sensitive to the dilation drops. You can ask them to give you a smaller dose. I get "half drops" because otherwise I am dilated beyond usefulness for many hours and get a ripping headache. But you'll have to decide if it's bad enough to ask about that.

Huh, didn't know that was a thing! I could read on paper, but I found it really hard to focus on screens for a couple of hours afterwards It was not a very productive morning lol

 

[avondale]

Huh, didn't know that was a thing! I could read on paper, but I found it really hard to focus on screens for a couple of hours afterwards It was not a very productive morning lol

Also why I get afternoon appointments...and then go for a run. But not play tennis, LOL.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

Race recap: Fletcher's Cover parkrun #275
June 8, 2024 | Washington, DC
In which all good things must come to an end

Here we are, parkrun 3/3 of my spring speed training. I was of course checking the weather, and in good news, the humidity was looking pretty negligible. In less good news, it was still going to be warm and very sunny. I was hoping the low dew point would sort of cancel out the sun and the temperature

At 5:30 when I was walking my dog, the weather felt really nice. But as the sun got above the buildings, it started to heat up. By the time I left a little before 8, it felt noticeably warmer. As I did last time, I walked to the C&O Canal Towpath and then used the rest of the way there as my warmup jog, with a few strides thrown in as I got closer.

It was pretty busy at the parkrun, with lots of people and dogs around. One of the dogs was barking like mad at everything, especially the other dogs. In some ways I sympathized - my dog would also be a nutcase at a parkrun, but that's why I would never bring him to a parkrun. You have to know your dog's limits, people. I soaked my shirt and hat at the water fountain, hoping they would keep me a little cooler, and had a gel because that worked last time.

The start was a bit more chaotic this time, and I spent a minute or two getting through the mess. I've seen other people mention in their race reports that people seem shy about lining up at the front, but that was not the case here However, it's never been unmanageably crowded, so I was fine after that initial chaos.

At first I settled in behind someone who seemed to be running around a 7-minute mile. "Great!" I thought to myself. "I can let this guy do all the work!" Alas, the next time I checked, my pace had slowed to 7:30, and that wasn't what I wanted, so I passed him and a couple more people. The first mile came in at 7:02. This was on track for a PR, but it also felt harder than last time...

Early in mile 2, I passed a couple more people, but the heat was starting to get to me. It wasn't all that hot - probably in the low 70s - but the bright sunlight was making it feel warmer. My shirt had already dried, so it was not helping me at all. I was not feeling very comfortable when I hit the turnaround.

At this point, I was maybe 20 or 30 feet back from a guy in a green shirt, but I did not feel like I could try to catch him. I kept checking my watch, still hoping for a PR. But it was getting harder to maintain my pace. Mile 2: 7:06. Still salvageable if I could run just a little faster.

Unfortunately, I definitely could not. About halfway through mile 3, I just couldn't even anymore. I think this was part physical and part mental. It felt really hard and I obviously wasn't going to PR, and at that point part of me wanted to say, "Why bother?" My pace dropped significantly. But I pulled it together enough to pick things back up a bit in the last 600 meters or so. Mile 3: 7:20

Finally, the finish line was in sight. I hadn't gotten any closer to the guy in the green shirt, although interestingly I hadn't gotten much farther away either, so he must have been feeling the heat too. I crossed the line feeling like total crap. Mile 3.1: 6:50 pace.


Instantaneous pace chart. You can see a bit of mess at the beginning, and then mostly pretty steady, and then boom, collapse right around mile 2.5

So that was a little disappointing. I ended up running a 22:22 officially, which is not bad at all. But after I managed a 21:56 in the mud a few weeks ago, I was kind of hoping for a little more. I think I have been spoiled by PRing essentially everything I really raced for...probably a year and a half? Running all out and just not having it in me was a new and unwelcome feeling.

I certainly wasn't the only one having a rough day - nobody that I passed in mile 2 caught up with me in mile 3, even when I slowed way down. And looking at the results, I saw hardly any PRs. (Parkrun gives you all sorts of fun information!) While I obviously didn't run the race well from a strategy standpoint, it's equally clear that that's not why I didn't PR - I ran first two miles, before my pace fell off a cliff, a hair slower than I did a few weeks ago. A PR was just not going to happen on that day.

I headed home after trying a couple of salt chews and grabbing sips from the water fountain. My body didn't feel terrible after having a little time to recover, just kind of worn out. Emotionally, I was a little disappointed but not in mourning or anything. Overall I had a good season, and there were plenty of things to take away from this even if a PR wasn't one of them. I stopped on the way home to pick up an almond croissant from the really good French bakery and ate it while I walked the rest of the way. Post-race fuel

Okay, so what did we learn?

1. It's easy to run by feel if the pace you see matches up with or exceeds what you're expecting. It's harder to let go of what you're expecting even if it doesn't feel right. That's where I ran into trouble - I could tell the effort was too hard much earlier than I actually slowed down, but I really wanted to be running faster and I kept trying until I couldn't anymore. Again, a PR was not happening, but if I had run a better race, I could maybe have run a 22:10 instead of a 22:22 and not felt terrible in the last mile. I don't really know what the best way is to let go of those expectations and be happy with whatever it is you're running on that day, though.

2. I feel like I'm really proving my theory that the sun is a huge missing factor in standard heat adjustments. The T+D was actually only maybe 120 or a little above that, but the sun was brutal. There's some shade on the course but not a lot, and on the way back we were running more or less into the sun, which made it even worse. I think the sun made more of a difference than the temperature or humidity here. And on a related note...

3. Maybe it's just not a great idea to race in the summer. The smaller the gap between your fitness and your previous PR, the harder it is to set a new one - and after my May parkrun, the gap was pretty small. I think could have PRed a 10-miler in these conditions (which is probably where I have the biggest gap right now), but not a 5K. Something to consider when I'm planning future races. You can't guarantee good racing weather in the spring or fall, but you can pretty much guarantee not having it in the summer.

4. One small upside of this race was that I kept going even once it really sucked. There was a moment (or several moments) when I seriously considered giving up and just jogging it in. I was clearly not going to be able to PR either way. And I did slow down quite a bit. But I kept pushing and eventually got back close to where I had been running. So that's something.

Thus concludes my spring of speed training. I'll post some reflections on my plan and how it all went sometime soon, before I forget everything that happened. In the meantime, I'll be taking a bit of a break - still running, but no set plan for the next month. Ah, the free time...