Hills for breakfast, hold the gnats

November 16, 2024

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Location:

Snoqualmie,WA,

Member Since:

Jan 31, 2008

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Boston Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Marathon PR: 4:17 at Portland Marathon, Oct. 2007

5K PR 24:37 2009

10K PR 52:58 2010

Have run 22 marathons to date.

No injuries, ever. :)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for Boston (4:05 for my age/gender) - or, perhaps, to use my desire for a BQ as a way to get in the hated speed work so I don't just get slower and slower over the years. This goal is "under (re)construction" right now, until I figure out whether it is truly what I want. :)

Long-Term Running Goals:

To continue learning about myself and about running, and to enjoy being a fit, happy runner for life. To always know why I am running and the best way to get the most (both mentally and physically) out of my runs. To keep a sense of humor and remain optimistic about myself as a runner. To enjoy running more and more with every passing year.

Personal:

Baby boomer generation. Jogged a little in my 20's and 30's. Started running seriously in 2002. Low-carb runner since January 2010.

I love long runs and cold, cloudy weather. I don't believe in "junk miles." I am an optimist. I adore dark chocolate, fog, my family, and knitting -- not necessarily in that order.

"As every runner knows, running is about more than just putting one foot in front of the other; it is about our lifestyle and who we are." -- Joan Benoit Samuelson

Favorite Blogs:

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Miles:	This week:	0.00	Month:	0.00	Year:	0.00
Brooks ST3 Lifetime Miles:						891.35
Vibram Five Fingers KSO Lifetime Miles:						23.77
Brooks ST3 II Lifetime Miles:						965.17
Lunaracers II Lifetime Miles:						198.23
Mizuno Wave Universe 3 Lifetime Miles:						104.14
Asics Piranha Lifetime Miles:						536.83
RunAmocs (Softstar) Lifetime Miles:						16.23
Piranha II Lifetime Miles:						219.53

Thu, Mar 12, 2009

Easy Miles	Marathon Pace Miles	Threshold Miles	VO2 Max Miles	Total Distance
7.38	0.00	0.00	1.00	8.38

Objective: easy, with 1 mi @ 5K pace

5:05 AM: 29F, clear, wind 10-15 mph, lots of moonlight

15 min. strength work

In preparation for Saturday's race, I took Bonnie's advice from yesterday's comments, and threw in a mile of race pace running after mile 5. I'm not completely convinced that I have a 5K pace. Sometimes it seems like I just have 3 speeds: slow (11:00), medium (10-10:15) and fast (8:50-9:10). Well, fast relative to the other two. "5K pace" implies that you could maintain it for 3 miles, over varying terrain. Hm, doubtful. Does everyone really have all those different paces that McMillan suggests? I think someone told me on the RT forums once that Ryan Hall's 10K pace is just a few seconds faster than his marathon pace. I wish I understood this better.

I'm also not convinced that it is inevitable for me to get a PR over my 29 min 5K from five years ago. It's true that I'm running twice as much weekly mileage, have improved my marathon time by over 30 minutes, and have mostly likely become a much more efficient runner. But I am also 5 years older, at an age when 5 years can make a big difference. (There's a reason the BQ standard falls every 5 years!) And I do not have a lot of talent, training, or enjoyment at this distance.

Moreover, Saturday's course is very hilly. My one mile today at 8:30 pace had me on the edge of my aerobic zone and if I had encountered a hill at any time, it would have knocked me down quick. Earlier in my run I covered one of the hills that will be on the course; approaching it well within my aerobic zone (10:15), and I still managed to slow to 11:00 by the top. So what hope is there of me hitting 8:30 miles, or 9:30 miles for that matter, throughout the course? I don't mean to be pessimistic, I just want to be clear about what I can or cannot hope for. Any thoughts on this would be welcome.

Today's tidbit... There are a couple of interesting videos on technique you might enjoy. Part 1 & Part 2

Saucony Progrid Ride Miles: 8.38

Comments

From Carolyn in Colorado on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 11:00:13 from 71.229.164.25

Dare I say, maybe you're overthinking this 5K. You haven't run a 5K in a long time, it's not your specialty, you haven't done 5K-specific training. I think you should take some of the pressure off your self and just go out and have fun time and don't worry about a PR. (Easy for me to say, might be harder for me to do.)

From snoqualmie on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 11:16:24 from 67.171.56.164

Well, I originally said I don't know how this is going to come out, but today I was commenting on Bonnie's prediction that I would surprise myself and that a PR is inevitable. I do want to push myself a little and try to run fast, rather than totally fun-run it. But my expectations are not high.

Hope your hand is ok!

From Metcalf Running on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 11:39:56 from 207.225.192.66

Sno, 5K's are rough...but I'm sure you will be fine! Run hard but without expectation of time, I'm sure you will do good.

From luzylew on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 12:16:42 from 208.187.197.42

It's so exhausing to predict and second guess what's possible before a race. It's always such a gamble anyway--how well did you sleep? Eat? How's the weather? the course.?....such a degree of variables. I can never wrap my brain around all of it. Just go out and run as fast as you can for as long as you can (Especially on the downhill parts). How's that? I always do better when I just don't care all that much. A 5K is a nice one to go all out because you know it will end sort of soon. Good luck. You are very serious in your training, I bet you'll have a great race.

From Bonnie on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 14:59:15 from 128.196.228.134

Sno -- I agree with Carolyn, don't over think this, on any given day the only thing you can do is go out and run the best you can. Although there are hills you are underestimating the power of adrenaline - the mind is a strange thing. 5K pace (even for a mile) always feels like that -- actually it can feel much worse, even in training. You are just not really very well trained at this uncomfortable pace -- however, you have an incredible amount of stamina which will help you up the hills and maintain a pace much faster than you realize.

I have been able to hit Greg's predicted race times pretty much on the money -- but only when I was training specifically for the distances. My first race before I worked with Greg was a 1/2 marathon, over the next two years I raced 5 - 10K's (and a couple 4 and 5 mile races) and while training specifically for those distances I hit his prediction within 2-3 seconds.

My advice to you for Saturday is to run hard. Don't charge up the hills, rather keep a constant effort - that way you will be more effictive in using the downhills to recover. Don't look at your watch except for the first mile marker -- here make sure you aren't running faster than 8:30 pace -- after the first mile run as hard as you can, while maintaining the same "feel" as you did the first mile. At mile 3 pump your arms and run as hard as you possibly can.

We will love you no matter what you run. You are a marathoner and are just using this race as a workout -- BUT -- I stand by my prediction: you will do much better than you think you can. JUST RELAX and "enjoy" the experience!!

From JD on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 15:15:27 from 64.65.159.206

I'll be running a 5k on saturday as well, my first road race in almost 6 years. No expectations for me. Just going to go enjoy the experience, run as hard as I can (we train for endurance, so it shouldn't be a problem covering the distance, even at a faster pace), and embrace the pain. When my lungs are burning, and I can't see straight as I near the finish line, I'll take comfort in the fact that you are going through the same thing! Have fun!

From Bonnie on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 15:24:42 from 128.196.228.134

Good luck on your race JD.

I am brain-dead Sno, I just realize your blog was asking about paces from Greg's calculator, not race times. For the most part those are the target ranges that I train in ... I do have trouble with some of the "speed" paces - mainly because I have not been training for speed for so long -- when I do "speed" workouts (not cruise or tempo intervals which are more stamina based and easier for me) I don't always hit the specified range the first few workouts.

From Snoqualmie on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 18:41:52 from 67.171.56.164

Thank you, everyone, for the great advice, opinions, and encouragement! Bonnie, you are gold - you might as well send me a bill for your personal trainer services. Everything you said made sense, and I really appreciate your point of view, knowing how experienced you are. JD- good luck, and I'll be thinking the same thing. lol I do feel better, and clearer about the "plan" now. Thank you!

From april27 on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 22:25:56 from 99.188.251.180

Oh man! You make me not want to run a 5k...never have--I want to sign up for my first for May 30th...with my brother incidently...he will be in town...Well I expect a full report as to how it went. I think you should have fun with it since marathons are your obvious specialty!

From nicole on Fri, Mar 13, 2009 at 01:00:21 from 24.17.114.112

I think a PR is definitely inevitable! I will be rooting for you! Are you doing the Snoqualmie 5k or the Seattle 3.75er? I'm assuming Sno?

I've been wondering these same things you are - how much faster is it appropriate for you to go in a race than you go in your normal long runs? I am almost always SO nauseous following races and while I'm sure its good that I left it all out there, I think it means I'm going too much faster in the race than I'm trained for. So I'm wondering how much you're trained for. 0:30 seconds faster per mile than race pace?

GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND! You will dominate, I'm sure of it.

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