Chug-along-chica!

You should be able to go under 50:00 in a 10 K right now. 1:50 half is a good goal, and you will crack 23:00 in a 5 K as a natural consequence of the half marathon training.

You know I hate 10Ks, so I would say go for the half marathon! Sasha is right about the sub-23 5K: every PR I have ever set was either during marathon training or soon after a marathon. So, go for the longer distance, and the the shorter-distance PRs will come! There are plenty of 5Ks in Phoenix this summer too...

Hey Sasha,

Do you think I have it in me for those same expectations? I didn't run in high school, (which means ALL of my times are better than my high school times!), and only started seriously running last September. Thanks for any input. Kim

I dont like that term "boltushkas" either, nobody should be "titled" with name just because they dont run below a certain pace, just my thoughts.

Dont be afraid of the distance, a 10k is not that much further. I know you may not be ready for a marathon right now but I dont understand why you "have" to run a 1:50 to be able to run a marathon.

Training can get ver boring sometimes, and like it or not we are not elite runners. So I think you should try for the half marathon and I feel like you will be ready after that for a marathon.

The main reason I run Lybi is to deal with stress in my life, the races are secondary. Although they do motivate me to get out the door, even if I didn't run another race I would still run every day just to help deal with the stress.

So the trick is to find out the real reason why you run, and then let that be your focus...

I don't know, that's just my two cents worth.

Hi Libi, I'm new to the blog, but have been enjoying reading about your recent accomplishments. It's been inspiring to read the blogs of the real FASTRUNNERs (of which you are!). I have been running for 30 years. First as my father dragged me out of bed at 5:30 a.m. everyday between 6th - 8th grade (first half marathon at 13), then as a 23:XX high school XC 5K'er, to my current 'semi-Boltushka' 40+ status (marathon at 3:58)(please don't vomit). You are not one of us chatty old lady runners! (It takes one to know one). My vote may not count for much....but I vote for #3. (You can totally cut 13 minutes from your half)! I know I'm a purist, but in my opinion, nothing beats doing a marathon(s). Thanks for your blogging! It's been fun to read your running piano teacher 'confessions'.

Sorry Lybi! I have another friend named Libi!

Marcie - Americans are way too politically correct :-) If you had a feel for the meaning of besperspektivnaya you would love to be called boltushka. boltushka (which incidentally is not normally used by Russians in reference to athletes, but rather a term that Sarah invented to describe less serious recreational female runners that like to talk too much while they run sometimes to the determent of the training effect) will get faster if she takes things more seriously (although she can still talk just as much, she just needs to be more focused on the training). besperspektivnaya means the coaches have given up any hope due to the perceived lack of natural ability in the athlete and refuse to work with her from now on.

Kim - get into a 10 K, in fact there is one tomorrow in the Provo Canyon:

http://www.trailrun.com/trun/showdetails.cfm?event=174&state=UT

and just run 8:00 pace until you can't. Then do the best you can (if the breakdown ever happens) to the finish. This is a slow course, so if you can run 52:00 on it, you'll run 50:00 on a flat course, and probably 48:30 on the DesNews course. Jeff and I will be there, and will run the course as well, so if there is anything odd like a huge headwind, our times can be used to calibrate the conditions.

If the above race does not work out, e can find others, or just do an uneventful 10 K to see where you are at.

Thanks Sasha,

Not going to work to run the 10K tomorrow, but I will try that at least in an uneventful as soon as Coach Tom can fit it in for me and see what happens.

Kim one of these days we can run the out-and-back 10K route starting/ending at bishop's storehouse like I did back in December. OR we could also do the speedy spaniard 10K route.

Interesting that you brought this up, dear - I was just thinking that it may be in my best interests to try to do something like either the Provo River 10-miler (again) or the Provo River 1/2 (which is right around the same time as the TOU 1/2). However, since Provo is a couple hours closer, we should be able to just drive up there. What do you think? Sasha, does the Provo River 1/2 just go a bit further than the 10-miler?

Thanks Sasha for explaining what it really means!

Input! Thanks everyone. So it seems that most everyone is voting for the half marathon goal. That is acceptable. I didn't really want to run a 10K anyway, and I'm sure I will run a 5K sometime in the near future, but the half will be the goal that I can start dreaming about and salivating after.

And BTW Clay, I like running, but only when it is pleasant weather, and I have a fun running buddy, and I have had enough sleep etc. Races motivate me to get out there the other 75% of the time. I like racing. Well, I hate racing because it hurts, but it is SO DANG satisfying to see improvement that it is worth it.

Kim, if you want input from Sasha about your running ability, you should arrange to go on a run with him sometime. Most of the stuff he says to me is based on one 2 mile run where he told me to run a little faster at the end. You guys live close. Sasha just needs to do a nice easy run with you a few miles to start getting his psychic running vibes about you. ;)

And MarcieJ, I always welcome advice from Sasha about running. When I say he "commanded" me not to run a full, it is more like he suggested it, but I always (usually!) try to do what he says. When I started running again, there were so many conflicting theories about how to train (days off, intensity etc.) that I just kind of decided that I would listen to Sasha and see if I got good results. So he is kind of unofficially my coach, (which kind of sucks for him because the pay is terrible). But so far, so good. I'm happy with the progress I've seen so far.

I think that is a good plan for you. I think thats smart actually! There are alot of conflicting theories and if you try to listen to them all it could be very straining. You have had awesome results so far. Keep it up and Go Coach Sasha!

James - Provo River Half adds a detour on the old highway (with about a mile of uphill, then back) + a scenic loop around Riverwoods. This would be a good qualifying half for Lybi. I need to talk to the boss to double check, but I think she would be OK with you guys staying with us.

Whoa- where have I been. Missed the meat of it, but my vote is 1/2 Marathon! Come run Bryce 1/2 with me July 19th! Its a beautiful, downhill course, bound to give you the pat on the back you deserve!

Ooh! I like how close Bryce is to Arizona. Which is faster, Bryce or Provo River half? James and I may do different halfs--he gets the harder one. (It's fair, trust me! His legs are a foot longer than mine at least!)

Brice Canyon is about 2-3 minutes faster.

There you have it- Bryce is faster! Well, I gotta run, leaving in am to FL. I guess I'll have to be suprised in 11 days when I read what you decide to do for your next race. I hope you come do Bryce. I think Marcie is doing it too? I'm bringing hubby & kids & making a weekend out of it. The more the merrier!

Bryce is out - that is the day we are flying back from Florida, and we don't get in until about 9 PM. However, maybe we could go with my original plan and have one of us do Provo River, and another do TOU. I think they are on separate days . . .

Lybi, my take, Bryce is a minute or two slower than Provo Half. Why, maybe just me, I run much smoother on a gradual down hill, rather than falling off a cliff at Bryce, I ran Provo Half 3 minutes faster than Bryce last year. I think it depends on your running strengths. Bryce can really hammer your legs, could be done at mile 6. I would vote for Provo Half as your attempt at 1:50. Less risk of injury and crashing.

Stay Kool, Run and Run Again, B of BS Rools out

Run what you want to Lybi as long as you put in the training to safely complete it. And.. without any undue stress on the body and soul. If your not prepared for the marathon however, a first attempt can ruin your experience and attitude toward it for quite a while.

Has enough been said...I just had to put in my two cents. Sasha really does use the word boltushka as an affectionate term since he mostly really likes sweet talkative girls(one in particular)