Yep, today is the day I run my first race of 2008. I really have no business racing as I am certainly not in shape. BUT, I did start training this week. So the Shamrock Shuffle 5K will be my baseline race and undoubtedly a real motivator to get back into the swing of things. It is a little ridiculous as originally an early January race was supposed to be that baseline....I have definitely been a slackin' on the running front. My year of running started out very slow due to a new job, horrendous running conditions (worst winter on record), and my personal inability to "train" on a treadmill. I let my running mojo fall by the wayside. But now, I am starting to get excited again. I did speed workouts last week and this week. They were WAY hard, but boy did it feel good to be doing it again. I have a detailed schedule in place that I think I can honestly stick to. No, the 60-70 mile weeks are gone with my new work schedule, but I think 40-50 is going to be "doable." I have gotten accustomed to rising at 5:00 am to run and the snow is finally beginning to melt. Yay!
SO what about this morning? Well, I am going to run the 5K. My goal is around 22:30. I say this because I am no where close to PR shape, I am up 5 lbs and it is a hilly course. Oh yeah, and I still have the dregs of a damn head cold. So maybe 23:30. Not great, but I am being very realistic. The good news is that it is supposed to be around 30 degrees, which is welcomely warm as of late. I am super happy to get out there too. Racing has introduced me to a whole fun network of people that I haven't seen in months! If anything, it will be a very socially uplifting experience. Wish me luck!
UPDATED TO ADD:
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My week:
Mon: rest
Tue: 6 miles (2 w/u, 5x800 at 5K (started at 6:58, down to 6:39); 400 rec; c/d) - treadmill
Wed: 5.27 miles easy - treadmill
Thurs: 5.5 easy - outside!
Fri: 5.25 miles (18 min w/u; 7x2mins at 10K (7:08); 1 min rec; c/d) - treadmill
Sat: 8 easy - outside
Sun: w/u 2.6 miles; 5K race: 22:12 (Stats: Overall: 34/740; Females: 3/462; Age Group: 3/147)
Total: 35.8 miles
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The race wasn't too darn shabby! I am very happy with it. It was extremely hilly (+165, -110 over about 6 good hills)- I think if it was even a reasonably flat course I would have been almost 45 secs faster. SO it was good. I was thrilled to come in 3rd female, and actually took that spot in the remaining 400 meters - I found that next level and cranked it. So it was fun. Far from a PR, but a good time. Now if I can follow my schedule and lose those 5 lbs . . . .
Oh yeah, and this was the first race I wore my HRM in. I was very skeptical of the whole thing b/c of course during my warm-up at close to a 10:00 m/m my HR was in the 160s. But I did it anyway and just told myself not to look. Which I didn't the entire race - a first for me! I can admittedly be a slave to the Garmin during races. Today, I ignored it altogether. AHR was 188; Max: 199. I hit 188 pretty early and held it there until the end. It was an interesting experiment as I always wondered what my HR levels would be at in racing. The experiment shall continue through the spring and summer.
10 comments:
Hey Mindi--great race!
Congrats Mindi! Nice to get back at it, eh?
you really surpassed your expectations! Good going!
Thanks all. But doggoneit, I just looked at the results and now I am no.4. Sheesh, doncha hate it when those phantom runners show up late in the results?! The lady that came in 3rd was ONE SECOND faster than me!
Seriously, my biggest pride was that I was able to scale back my goals and be realistic. I am notoriously driven and unreasonably optimistic. Yeah, I was the one going into the Boston Nor'Easter without revising my goals b/c I was too stubborn. Um, Twin Cities heat fest too. This time, I recognized my limitations (probably easier b/c I knew I was not in great shape rather than outside forces like weather), I said what the hell, it will be fun and off I went. And it turned out well. If anything, it gave me the "fire" I have been missing the last 5 months. And viewing the slow times for the race, it is clear the tough course and the tough winter got its hold on the most of us.
nice, nice, nice...you have a lot to look forward to this spring!
Great job! Nice to have you back in the game.
nice race Mindi!
Great job! You're in better shape then you think! And I hear you on scaling back expectations. It's so hard, yet so necessary to stay sane :)
Really terrific job Mindi! And it is only going to keep getting better.
Congrats on a good race... too bad they 'stole' your AG placing :-)
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