I won't give in till I reach the end... and then I'll start again (comments welcome)

[azrivest]

Maintenance Mode

Still following my 8-week 10k training plan for my 10k planned on May 14th

(exaggerated gif because I'm not THAT fast. But I'm feeling faster than I have been in a looong time)

This week was the first week in months (ever since Princess 2022 I think) that I've gotten my confidence back. I took on this training plan with a really laid back approach, not caring if I missed a run, I didn't hit my paces or even I skipped the race. Taking the pressure off of my training must have helped.

Lots of good things wrapping up the month of April:
- I managed 10,000 steps every day.
- I finished my band challenge doing it every day except one day during the ice storm.
- My hamstring is getting better but it's not 100% yet.

On Sunday I flew from Vienna to Helsinki to wrap up my tour. I had great running weather and lots of nice running paths to try. But I suck at selfies so I don't have any good pics to show. I apologize in advance for my poor photography skills.

Monday

• Planned: 30-45 minute Easy Run
  • Completed: 41:32
  • Temps were nice, cool and sunny. Perfect. Went running around the South Helsinki Harbour, which explains this crummy pic of the docks. I was aiming for the churches in the background.

(Helsinki docks with Uspenski Cathedral and Helsinki Cathedral in the background)

Tuesday

• Planned: Off, Cross-Train or Easy Run for 30-40 minutes
  • Completed: 36:41
  • Quick run around Katajanokka before work

Thursday

• Planned: 15-25 minute Warm-Up + Goal Pace Intervals: 2 x 2 miles (3 km) @ 5:57/km with 5 minute recovery jog, 5 minute recovery jog, 2 x 1 mile (1.5 km) @ 5:57/km with 3 minutes recovery jog + 15-25 minute Cool-down
  • Completed: 1:16:17
  • Splits were supposed to be 19:09, 19:09, 9:34, 9:34
  • Splits for each interval were 19:09, 19:09, 9:27. YES!
  • Another run cut short because of travel. I had to get back for my transatlantic flight home. But I was super happy because I wasn't feeling fading. I would have been able to finish that last rep for sure.

(Mist over the Gulf of Finland)

Thursday

• Off

Friday

• Planned: Off, Cross-Train or Easy Run for 30-40 minutes
  • Completed: 29:05

Saturday

• Planned: 30-45 minute Easy Run
  • Completed: 43:48
  • Felt great with good temps outside. For an added boost halfway through my run, I listened to "One Way or Another" which brought me right back to Cosmic Rewind. Best ride at WDW, no discussion.

Sunday

• Planned: 15-25 minute Warm-Up + Race or Time Trial: 5km + 15-25 minute Cool-Down
  • Completed: 59:13
  • Today was the real test. I couldn't find a local 5k race today so did the trial on my own.
  • Took inspiration from our favorite running coach after reading his amazing HM race report and went out in a singlet and shorts, with a T+D of 48+43 and my Endorphin Pro 3s
    
  • Finished the 5k in 29:11, for an average pace of 5:50/km. YES! I was tired at the end, but it wasn't an all-out effort either.

So based on that, if the temps are in my favour, there's no reason why I couldn't hit my goal. I just need to focus on not starting off too fast. What do you think Billy?

 

[HangWithMerida]

Glad to see your confidence is returning! You 100% have a sub 1-hr 10k in you.

 

[DopeyBadger]

So based on that, if the temps are in my favour, there's no reason why I couldn't hit my goal. I just need to focus on not starting off too fast. What do you think Billy?

I know you can do it. Just need the pieces to fall the right way and execute a good strategy on the day.

 

[azrivest]

Maintenance Mode

Only 7 days to go until my 10k race.

Worked hard this week on my brain game. I have a tendency to pull back when things get tough. My body has in it me to reach my goal, my brain just has to be on board.

We had terrific running weather this week, hovering in the 40s-50s range (8-13 celsius, which I love) so it was no issue to hit my paces and keep my HR low. Then summer arrived yesterday in Quebec all of a sudden. We'll have had, what, 3 weeks of spring?

Monday
Rest day, but in the spirit of keeping my step streak going, went out for a long walk in the evening.

Tuesday

• Planned: 30-45 minute Easy Run
  • Completed: 37:30
  • Avg HR was 152 which is really great for me.

Wednesday

• Planned: Off, Cross-Train or Easy Run for 30-40 minutes
  • Completed: 31:31
  • Went out early before the kids woke up, with 90:30 intervals. Really nice that the sun is up for 5am runs now.

Thursday

• Planned: 15-25 minute Warm-Up + Goal Pace Intervals: 3 x 2 miles (3 km) at 5:57/km with 3.5 minute slow jog in between + 15-25 minute Cool-down
  • Completed: 1:38:58
  • This was the last real test before my race.
  • Splits were supposed to be 19:09 each
  • Splits for each interval were 18:51, 19:13, 19:07. YES!
  • Had zero motivation for this since I got home from work really late.
  • My confidence was through the roof after finishing the workout. The 2nd interval especially felt tough, but I just concentrated on embracing the suck and getting through it. Coach Notes in FinalSurge say "Your final Goal Pace workout! Finish this workout and you can feel confident you can hit goal pace on race day." And I do.

Friday

• Off. More walking.

Saturday

• Planned: 30-45 minute Easy Run
  • Completed: 40:09
  • Sun was shining. I felt giddy.

Sunday

• Planned: 45-60 minutes with the last 10 minutes at a faster pace
  • Completed: 1:00:01
  • Full sun was out again. Felt great the whole time, even with the heat. Again, concentrated on accepting that it's hard and that I can finish. It's only 60 minutes right?

So my motto for next Sunday will be "Embrace the suck". I don't have a very specific race plan, except to take one Maurten gel 15 minutes before the start and carry my Ultraspire belt with 1 scoop of Skratch for 500 mL of water. I'm going to reuse my Tiana costume from the 2022 Princess 10k, since that's my current 10k PR and I'm superstitious in that way I want to have fun after all, and what better way than by pretending I'm at a rD race? Just don't know if I'll go all in with the Dottie skirt.

Happy running all

 

[WillRunForPizza]

You can do it!!

 

[striker1064]

take one Maurten gel 15 minutes before the start

I see you also laugh in the face of death.

Good luck!!

 

[NYC_MW]

Good luck and have fun!

 

[GollyGadget]

May all your race day wishes come true!

 

[azrivest]

Maintenance Mode

Why am I still calling this maintenance mode? I have a 10k in two days.

Runs this week were very similar to last week's. I could pretty much copy/paste everything (not that I have ever done that in the past of course)

I've had an exhausting week at work, including working 10h+ days into the evenings, so the next two days are going to be in rest mode to be fully prepared for Sunday morning.

My hamstring has been annoying me for the past 36 hours. hasn't hindered my running, but I don't feel it getting globally better. It's been coming and going since January.

Monday

• Off. Walking.

Tuesday

• Planned: 30-45 minute Easy Run
  • Completed: 37:50
  • J wants to start training for his January 5k, so the first 2k was with him doing 30:30 intervals

Wednesday

• Planned: Off, Cross-Train or Easy Run for 30-40 minutes
  • Completed: 40:00
  • Went out early since I had a long day ahead of me. Just went with how I felt like and my pace kept gradually increasing, so yay for that.
  • That evening, I came home from work at 8:00pm and I was in bed by 8:45.

Thursday

• Planned: 10-20 minutes Warm-Up + Fartlek Workout: 6 to 8 times 1 minute at slightly faster than 5K effort with 1 minute recovery jog + 10-20 minutes Cool-down
  • Completed: 45:00
  • DH was out for the evening so I was home alone with the 2 kids. My treadmill hasn't been lubed in a few weeks and was unusable. I ran in circles around the block for 45 minutes so I was never more than 2 minutes away from the house.
    

Friday

• Off. More walking.

The weather forecast for Sunday is in the mid 40s in the morning with a feels like of 39, so weatherwise I should be good.

I'll let you all know on afterwards what my mood is and that'll give you a good indication of how my race went

 

[SheHulk]

You got this!!!!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Smile! Remember, you can do hard things. Stay motivated and stay positive. It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it.

 

[NYC_MW]

Good luck!

 

[azrivest]

Smile! Remember, you can do hard things. Stay motivated and stay positive. It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it.

Thanks Coach I can do hard things

 

[Naomeri]

Great job!

 

[DopeyBadger]

 

[SheHulk]

Way to go! Doesn't that feel great!

 

[GollyGadget]

 

[azrivest]

Great job!

Thanks!

Way to go! Doesn't that feel great!

It does. I'm over the moon

I did!

I'll write a full race report with pictures later today. For now, I'm super proud not just of the result but of the execution. I ran a smart race and worked hard to be consistent the whole time. Didn't go out too fast and kept my energy to maintain my pace until the end. As Billy wrote on Strava, I really feel I nailed it.

 

[striker1064]

Awesome job! So happy for you!

 

[azrivest]

A Girl Running 10k Race Report
I signed up for this race because it was a women's only race which I have never done and because it was at a time where weather is usually in our favour in Quebec. Not yet summer but warm enough to say that winter is over. Plan was to spend the night at my parents' house which is about a 20-minute drive from the start line and leave the kids there for the day, which suited my mom just fine. She lives for her grandkids.

There were three race distances starting at 5 minute intervals: 15k, 10k and 5k. The 10k was supposed to start at 8:20 but it started 10 minutes late at 8:30. DH and I arrived around 7:30 to the race area.

First observation was that I was probably going to be the only one in costume. I thought a women's race on Mother's Day would be more festive. I definitely stood out with my Dottie skirt. About 90% of participants wore the race shirt for the actual race.

Second observation was that it was windy. Temps were around 4C with the windchill, which is about 39-40F. My weather app was telling me that in my area were wind gusts of ~25mph. I was planning to run in shorts and a tank top, but you can see the difference with the spectators:

Most runners were huddled trying to protect themselves from the wind before we started. I was happy that temps were low. And as you can see from the pictures, not a cloud in the sky.

My plan was to stay with the 60-minute pacer and try to ditch her at the end. The start was a bit chaotic with walkers and runners all starting in a bunch in a narrow. I ended up slightly ahead of her. As I wrote previously, my plan was to be smart: not go out too fast, try to take advantage of the slight downhills and maintain a steady pace to the end. I had done plenty of race-pace workouts - now was the time to see if I could sustain that for the whole 10 kilometers.

The course wasn't too difficult. Only thing is they hadn't closed it completely to traffic. We crossed a bridge at one point with a semi-truck turning the corner right in front of us. It wasn't a big race but come on: that's dangerous. Thankfully I didn't have to stop because of any cars of trucks but I did have to maneuver.

There were a few times where I wanted to walk. At km #3, my right foot started going numb and it stayed numb until km #8. And my calves felt wrecked. That's never happened to me before. I assume it's something with my Endorphin Pro 3s, probably because of the carbon-plated shoes. I just concentrated to keep on keeping on. Embrace the suck.

Billy told me to smile, so whenever it got especially difficult, I tried to smile, especially for the volunteers on course.

The 5k started 10 minutes after us. At the 8km marker is where I started to merge with the 5k walkers. I felt right at home at runDisney A lot of walkers walking 5-6 ppl wide and not letting runners through. At that point, if I wasn't going to reach my goal, it was because of the overcrowded course more than because of my running. Race etiquette was practically nonexistent. Embrace the suck, I was almost there.

I was now at the 9k mark and I had not been passed by the 60-minute pacer. I knew it was within reach. I didn't check my watch for the last 3k. I didn't want to get my hopes up or down. Either way, I had run to the best of my ability that day.

When I arrived within 150m of the finish line and I saw the 0:59:xx, I sprinted to the end. I was so happy to know I had achieved my goal. My usual low-key self:


Did I give it my all today? No. I had gas in the tank at the end to go on. Did I run a smart race to achieve my goal? Yes, and that's what was most important. I didn't crash and burn like I've done before.

Sportstats says my chip time is 59:27. My watch says I crossed the 10k mark at 59:00 but still counts my 10k PR as 10.12k/59:31. Either way, I did it. And what's more, I got that POT Not for Dopey I know. Just means I'll have to try to head down to Orlando before my POT expires



We headed back almost immediately after the race. My mom was (not so) patiently waiting for us to come back for the obligatory Mother's Day Brunch.

So of course, me being me... Mimosas, what else?


Thanks friends for your patience with my rollercoaster of emotions, your encouragement and your advice.