Roxymama's 5k to Marathon, Time to Collect Another Castle

[roxymama]

Hi All,

I did the thing.


The goal was 4 miles at 11:24 and I got pretty close on my first try.

Thoughts:

That was a very pleasant run and the nice weather sure makes nights like these very enjoyable. 75 and somehow not too humid...I'll take it.
Felt like I had a good easy rhythm going. Fast forward to early next summer and first day it's 75 and I'll be complaining of heat...so just remind me of this.

I'm working on running long straight stretches, so that I don't dislike them or get discouraged by them during races. So the first almost two miles were a long stretch and the final two were a bit zig zaggy but still long stretches home. And it actually helped me stay in a good zone-out place.

It was kinda dark though so although I was depending on my watch a lot (it's a new pace after all!) the last two miles I couldn't really read the watch that well unless under a streetlight. I need to figure out if it has an illuminated setting. So mile 3 was a tad too fast but look how close I got during my darkest mile (also my new emo band name) during mile 4!

Funny/dorky moment...they have one of those radar speed boxes set up for cars to check their speed and when I ran past it was showing 16mph...so that thing is definitely accurate, hahaha! I'm so fast now

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I hope you guys are right. I've always had the internal struggle of both wanting to go further and faster but at the same time worried I am going to fast and too far/questioning my ability. If that makes any sense. Being competitive and risk-adverse all wrapped up into a shiny confusing package.
So at least I know there is some science and math backing up that I can do this. Gonna try my best And if it sucks, then I will be honest about it.

Now, I just have to do my reverse rain-dance so I can run outside tonight instead of on the treadmill.

I think that's one of the challenges of running. For a variety of good and valid reasons, we want to be faster. However, if we are not careful we overdo it at the beginning. My first 1/2 involved me starting much faster than I had trained for. My nerves and adrenaline got the best of me and less than 1/2 a mile in I had what felt like terrible shin splints. It was then either slow down and hope for the best or quit because what I was doing was going to end disastrously.

So my thought as a slow runner is to listen to your body and trust your training. The speed will come if you build to it appropriately.

 

[Ariel484]

Awesome job! I LOL'd* at "my darkest mile" and the 16MPH. DANG girl!

*So I didn't actually LOL since I am in my cube...I "mentally" laughed though.

 

[roxymama]

I finally figured out how to change the title of this journal. Needed a lil refreshing. Same great thread & same management.

 

[ZellyB]

Let me know when My Darkest Mile goes on tour!!!

Great job on the run.

 

[roxymama]

Let me know when My Darkest Mile goes on tour!!!

Great job on the run.

Sure thing, our opening act is "There will be Chafing"

 

[SarahDisney]

Funny/dorky moment...they have one of those radar speed boxes set up for cars to check their speed and when I ran past it was showing 16mph...so that thing is definitely accurate, hahaha! I'm so fast now

Yep, the speed box thingy for cars is definitely more accurate than the watch. 16MPH is awesome!!

 

[roxymama]

So here's my big choice for the day.

A) Run my tempo run tonight on the treadmill or outside IF I can get out the door before the skies open up again/gets too dark out.
OR
B) I HAVE THE DAY OFF TOMORROW!! and I could go run in the morning because the high is only 73!

I think I have my answer. Is it weird that I am so excited to go running on a day when most people would be excited about sleeping in instead?

This would mean I should do my long run on Sunday morning or Saturday evening which either is not a big issue. It's looking more and more like the Monday 5k is gonna be a no-go anyways.

I guess if I have the urge to go tonight I'll just go and get it over with...but the fun idea of getting to run when everyone else is working just sounds so much nicer.

 

[roxymama]

Holy guacamole! (Can I say that on disboards?)
Had my new pace temp run and a day off work and it's 73 out...sunny, not too shady...but 73! Yay

Warmup was normal. I had a conundrum since it was 1.5 miles...how would I do my splits? So I just turned off my run at like .25 and kept going then started a new run once my tempo kicked in. Any tips on a better way to do that? Was that the best way? I have a forerunner 229.

So I had to do 3! Miles at 9:42.
Aaaaand


This is good right? Not too far off from my Feb 5k (which is the last time I really raced one..,and this felt better than that)
Yes I realize I ran 3.1 because I wanted too. Sorry training plan.

And then I recorded my last 1.5 CD


A touch slower than the 12:58 but nothing too far off.


I'm kinda excited!
I don't think I could recreate this is 91 heat though. But gives me great feelings for fall/winter.

Also...Avengers soundtracks for the tempo.

 

[DopeyBadger]

The lower right button on the Garmin 220 is a "lap" button. Press that when you're at 0.5 miles (after 1.5 miles) and you're good to go. It will reset the splits to miles from there as well. Congrats on the pacing! Touch too fast on the last interval though. Keep up the good work.

 

[roxymama]

The lower right button on the Garmin 220 is a "lap" button. Press that when you're at 0.5 miles (after 1.5 miles) and you're good to go. It will reset the splits to miles from there as well. Congrats on the pacing! Touch too fast on the last interval though. Keep up the good work.

Aha!!!! That makes sense. I really should just be an adult human and read my garmin manual more in depth.

That last interval was totally my fault and I knew it. I was right where I was supposed to be and about .4ish away from the end of that mile I got the grand idea to run 3.1 and I may have sped up (ok, I did.). I knew that was wrong....oops. Really gonna not do that next time...scouts honor!

Now I apologize to everyone who doesn't like toes....but I'm freaking out right now. I know this is post run but I've had my drinks and lunch. But still.....


My weight hasn't started with a 14 since before my baby way back in 2012. I've been yo-yo Between 155 and 165 for a long while. I full well know I could be 15something a week from now but today's just the BEST DAY!

Maybe I won't wear sleeves this weekend to my family party (odds are I will laugh at this sentence in two days as I'm putting on my sleeved outfit)

 

[ZellyB]

Great run! Aren't these cooler temps just the BEST!?

Congrats on the below 150!!! It doesn't matter what the next day or two brings at that precise moment that was your weight. You should celebrate with cake and ice cream!

 

[DopeyBadger]

Now I apologize to everyone who doesn't like toes....but I'm freaking out right now. I know this is post run but I've had my drinks and lunch. But still.....

My weight hasn't started with a 14 since before my baby way back in 2012. I've been yo-yo Between 155 and 165 for a long while. I full well know I could be 15something a week from now but today's just the BEST DAY!

That's awesome! Congrats! Such a nice feeling regardless of how many days it does or doesn't last. It happened.

 

[SarahDisney]

Congrats on making it below 150, that's awesome!! Keep up the great work!

 

[roxymama]

I did not do my Benton Park 5k in St. Louis yesterday. My first race I just didn't bother going to. I don't feel too bad about it.
A) only cost $20
B) would have made my families life difficult (it was 30 min away from our hotel, I was with my kiddo who would not have appreciated the heat or waking up early or leaving the fun hotel and we were checking out and driving 5 hours home that morning.)
C) it was HOT and I was TIRED from family partying day before...just setting myself up for not having any fun with it
I did miss out on a free soft pretzel (they put them on a ribbon as your medal) but just walking around that morning in what felt like 100 degrees was enough for me. BLECH.

I think I learned this weekend that sometimes it is ok not to do ALL THE RACES. But I also felt a tad guilty for some weird reason. I think next time I do an out-of-town race it will be when I'm travelling solo for other reasons or when it's not during a big family event. Or not on an arrival or departure day, DUH!

So training this week should be pretty good. I'm liking my new easy and long run paces...the tempos are still not the easiest thing on earth because they are tempos and they never have been easy. I'm desperately hoping the weather is better soon because tbh it is way too hot and humid still. 88 to 91 again today. Come on!

Monday: Over...no 5k...so that doesn't mess with my weekly mileage at least (bright side)
Tuesday: 3 miles at EA (yay...glad it's this workout today in this heat instead of anything else)
Wednesday: REST...but I think I want to be stricter about doing my "core" 7 minute little workouts...lots of talk on the running thread about having a strong core. And although mines not horrible...it's not great.
Thursday: 1.5mi WU, 3 mi TEMPO, 1.5mi CD - BLIND RUN! again???? Okay, okay, I'll do it. This should be interesting. Pray for the weather to cooperate.
Friday: REST
Weekend: 4 miles @ LR.

Goals for the week:
A) to be as close to my prescribed paces as possible.
B) to not melt
C) to psych myself up for next week which has a new milestone...7 miles! dun dun dun
D) eat/drink like I'm not on vacation anymore

 

[SarahDisney]

B) to not melt

That's basically my goal every week. Summer running is fun, am I right??

 

[roxymama]

That's basically my goal every week. Summer running is fun, am I right??

Your definition of fun is suspect

I remember Sept of last year in Chicago being the best weather we've had in a long time and so I'm just praying that starts up soon. It's 93 degrees right now. Ooof.

 

[roxymama]

Last night was hot and gross out but I soldiered on for my EA run. I was glad it was just the easy workout; it was basically hot-soup-air.
Mile 1 was 12:14
Mile 2 was ??? because my watch battery died (d'oh...forgot to plug it after vacation)
But I was hitting the pace really well between 12:10 and 12:20 anytime I looked down so I feel comfortable that it was fine the rest of the way.

And then I go to take my shower and COLD WATER!. Our water heater was leaking and thank the lord our plumber is going to come look at it today and we will get it fixed. Not the best thing to happen post-vacation. Spending $$ on a water heater is not ideal right now.

It's going to be in the 90's (feels like triple digits) again today. Thursday looks like 83 and likely 77-ish for my blind run. I'll pray it drops a bit more.

 

[roxymama]

The running last night was a no-go due to a work dinner. Too dark and too late to run at 10pm. So tonight is the rain-check on the blind run. The forecast is calling for rain, but it is Chicago and it could literally be any weather by the time I get home.
If for some reason I am "stormed out" I will go and do the run at the gym, but I was hoping to not have to do that.
Since my long run may have to be Sat. evening or Sunday morning, I'd rather not put my tempo off any later than tonight.

There's colds floating around people in my house and at my work, so all day long I will be drinking water and tea and doing voo-doo and praying and casting spells to ward off any germs. No thank you!!!

We have a new water heater now for anyone who was worried about my ability to shower post-run without being freezing cold! It cost approximately three challenge registrations before fees...I'll let you all do the math. Bah humbag.

 

[ZellyB]

Boo on having to spend racing dollars to fix a water heater!

I'm also seeing quite a few colds floating around here lately, so hoping I can avoid catching anything as well.