Patience, the NEW Endurance Sport!

I don't know how many miles you feel like you have in you, but I am always the slowest for the first mile or two. It sounds like you might be in the same boat since you're talking about starting slow. But if you feel like you can handle it, you might want to run a mile really slowly right before the race rather than having the slow mile be part of your race. I suggest doing that if you feel like you can knock out three faster miles after a really slow easy mile warm-up. Just my two cents. Good luck with your race in any case.

You go for it girl! It's always better to run negative splits (which I know you don't have a problem with NS Queen!). Plus it will be awesome to be speeding up at the end when everyone else is slowing down! Go get 'em!

A 5k is so fast (relative to 1/2 marathon). Expect it to be fast and painful. If you're not at least uncomfortable, if not in pain, by the first mile marker, I'd say you are not racing a 5k. I wouldn't purposely go out much slower than your goal pace. Make sure you do some strides before the race to help warm up. Some also advocate small tempos within a warm up. Maybe you are a runner who needs that. So perhaps warm up 1 mile slow, then .5 mile at 5k goal pace, then .5 mile easy, then stretch and strides, starting all of this 1 hour before race time so you have at least 10-15 minutes between the tempo in the warm up and the actual race. I have never tried it, but I have read about it and it may work for you.

Ok Michelle. I am going to try that. Now please define the strides, remember I am a couch potato in transition to runner amazon goddess and am not too hip on runner lingo. ( I did get the tempo in the warm up and I know the stretches ;) Are strides just slower sprints?

strides - 20-30 seconds or so at 1 mile pace. Not sprinting because it is controlled and sustainable. In a stride, logistically, you are increasing speed the first part (10 sec), then maintaining (10-20 sec). You should do them in your training within an easy run at least once a week. Start with 4 and work up the number you do over time. I would do 4 within a run this week to try them out.

That is what I thought they were. I am not as illiterate as I thought :) I have done them and like them a lot. I have done 100 steps at a time. It was doing them that I learned I can't run and count past 50. I also count with my eyes closed. It was pretty funny. I am an official running dork!

So maybe I will do strides on Wed or thurs and then on my long runs I will do the 10 mm to failure thing. That will constitute my "speed" work for until the 1/2 in may? What do you think??

I think strides don't really count as a hard workout, so there's room for another hard workout in your schedule (just what you wanted to hear!!!). You could also do 2 mile repeats (start with 2x2 miles, with .5 mile in between, @ 9:50 pace or so). Doing just one type of speed work is not really ideal. That's why doing this 5k this weekend will be a great thing. You have to mix it up.

You will do great! That is all I have to say!

Kelli- Thanks for the AWESOME party last night. I hope we didn't keep you guys up too late. We had a really good time! Your home is so beautiful!

Michelle- Keep the coaching coming on! I need all I can get and you are so nice to help me. Do you take payment in cheesecake?? So the 2x2's are 2 miles at 9:50, .5 mile recovery then 2 more miles at 9:50? (with 1 mile warm up and one cool down?) Now for this Sat, I need 10 miles. So I do 1 mile + change for warm up. 3.1 for the race and then 6 mile after the race, poky like?

I think of a 5k like this:

Adrenaline gets me through the first mile

Guts and pain gets me through the second mile(I think to myself "this is not as bad as labor and over much sooner")

The prospect of getting it over with as soon as possible gets me through the third mile

Okay keep in mind I have only run one official 5k!

You will do great!

Funny you mention labor. My last labor was shorter than my first and second 5k :)

you will so be able to do it marion you rock.

i didn't labor at all for my last three :)

Well, if you do a little mini tempo in your warm up, then your warm up would be more like 2 miles, which I think is a minimum for a race shorter than a 1/2 marathon, so I'd say 2, then 3.1, then 4.9 after the race.

Thanks Marion! You sure are a fun and social person! I enjoyed reading all the comments for this day!

It is all about perspective I guess! Labor with my daughter was 27 back-breaking hours and they still ended up cutting her out!

Marion - I think you should do a good warmup and then stick with me as long as you can. I thought I was pushing hard the first mile on my 5K PR, but actually found I could go faster as I settled in.

We could run pokey together afterwards on the Provo River Trail if you want ;)

You guys are making me want to give this a real try! All this fast talk is getting to me.

April- That labor sounds HORRID! Dang it! Perspective, I will try to get some :)

Leslie- You know you want to come!!! :)

Maurine- I'd love to run with you! Can you come early for the warm up? I think it will be great for me to try to keep up with you :D

Corrine- You should come and do it. Make Mandy come too :)

Mary Ann- Thanks :) You are a sweetie!

Michelle- THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your great coaching. I am going to follow your advice :) Those 5 after are going to be lousy ;)

Yes, I will come early to run with you.

Give yourself a slap aside the head and do an attitude adjustment - the 5 after are going to be great because you will have a new PR, win your age group, and I will run ahead of you with chocolate at certain intervals.

Just don't expect me to wear pink!

Awe common Maurine- you'd be SO cute in pink!!! YOu are right, we are going to have a GREAT 5 miler :) I am going to be at the race start at 10- isn't the race at 11? Does that work for you?

Marion, you are going to do great. I love reading Michelle's coaching. I've only done one 5K race, the Art City Days in Springville in June last year. It was raining. I didn't know what kinda warm up to do. Luckily a friend was there and we ran some strides together for less than 0.5 mile opposite of and behind the start line. When the gun went off I just took off like I stole something. Around mile 2 I wanted to quit or slow down so bad. I didn't like all that heavy breathing and the "stampede". But I told myself to get out of my marathon mode; just hang on with dear life, it'd be over before you know it. Let me tell ya, the pain was great but SHORT. I'd wet my shorts if I had to run another lap. I ended up taking 1st place in my AG. Your body is ready, Marion, for the 5K. At around mile 2 when you feel like heck, tell yourself you're tough, it's gonna be over before you know it and keep pushing. YOU ARE GOING TO DO GREAT!!!

Thanks Smooth! I had no idea when I started to run 3 years ago that it was so darn complicated :) This is the BEST hobby ever! I am SO happy I started to run :D xoxoxoxo