Scootin'By
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2023
Me too!Love this!
I'm also curious how you train for a 5k and a longer race at the same time.
To Infinity and Beyond - Becoming a Better DopeyBadger (Comments Welcome)
- Thread starter DopeyBadger
- Start date
I'm also curious how you train for a 5k and a longer race at the same time.
Naomeri
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2019
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
A 5k race is about 85% aerobic in nature. So you can be in good position on endurance training alone. But you won’t be in peak 5k shape on endurance training. There is some specificity needed. So you have to keep in mind you can run a good 5k but not your best. It’s about realistic goal setting.
You can run a good 5k off HM training. You’d likely run a sub optimal HM off 5k training.
nancipants
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2013
It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's @DopeyBadger!
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
24 Weeks to go until 2024 Non-Cancelled M - Week 11/35
The 24th best performance was the 2019 Haunted Hustle HM (link). I completed the race in 1:36:12 and had a VDOT of 47.2. Of my 24 HMs, this was my 7th fastest performance. This was not a PR at the time, it was actually one of my very few supported training runs. I finished in 20th place out of 303 runners, and 5th in my AG. This race was the free entry I got from my top 10 finish at BratFest 2019. It came in the midst of training for the 2020 Disney Marathon, and my focus was moreso on the HMs that proceeded and came after. So I decided to use this race as a supported training run. Long time readers know that me and supported training runs in races don't mix. I inevitably take the training run too fast and end up racing it. This however was the first successful supported training run. I stuck to a good training pace through the first 11 miles, and then kicked it into gear in the last 2 with a fast finish.
11/6/23-11/12/23
Tues (11/7): 6 x 0.5 mile @ 5k *Blind*
Wed (11/8): 5 miles @ 70% M Tempo (9:14 min/mile, 124 bpm)
Thurs (11/9): 4 x 1 mile Uphill @ HM Tempo
Fri (11/10): 7 miles @ Easy (Treadmill)
Sat (11/11): 8 miles @ 85% M Tempo (8:31 min/mile, 126 bpm)
Sun (11/12): 14.4 miles @ 87.5% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (8:15 min/mile, 131 bpm)
Total Run Miles - 50.7 miles
Total Run Time - 7:03 hours
Total Strength Time - 0:00 hours
Total Training Time - 7:03 hours
Tuesday
Conditions -
Overcast clouds, Wind 10mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 44°F + 36°F; FL - 39°F
End: Temp+Dew = 42°F + 35°F; FL - 39°F
With the change in plans from the Madison HM this weekend, to thinking about doing the Thanksgiving 5k, I figured I should at least do a little 5k pace work to see what feels right. So I went with a 6 x 0.5 mile workout with a 0.25 mile resting interval. So not a really challenging workout, but good enough to get an idea of what it feels like to run fast. My marathon tempo pace is estimated around 7:20 so that puts 5k pace around 6:28 or so (about 20 min).
The WU felt easy. It was cold, but not too cold. But because it was cold and dark, it wasn't easy to keep an eye on the pace during the run. So I just ran each interval blind. I tried to make sure I stayed relaxed, ran like it was lava, forced the rhythmic breathing from the start, and try to stay in control the whole time. While the goal was 6:28 pace, I ended up running the intervals in 6:08, 6:12, 6:08, 6:08, 6:14, and 6:16. I would say maybe the 5th, but definitely the 6th is where I could tell I was doing a workout. But other than that, things felt relatively smooth throughout. No issues with any body parts during the run, and I was able to get my hip back into placement pre-run with the move the PT showed me a few years back. All in all, I averaged 6:11 pace. Realistically, I doubt that's 5k pace. But based on how this workout went, I plan to run a 3 x 1 mile at 5k pace workout which will be more indicative of what I can maintain in about 2 weeks from this workout.
Wednesday
Conditions - Overcast clouds, Wind 6mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 45°F + 43°F; FL - 41°F
End: Temp+Dew = 44°F + 43°F; FL - 41°F
Just a nice and easy 5 miler at a recovery pace. No issues.
Thursday
Conditions -
Clear sky, Wind 5mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 45°F + 28°F; FL - 43°F
End: Temp+Dew = 43°F + 29°F; FL - 43°F
The plan was to do 5 x 1 mile at HMT uphill, but I was running low on time and it was the season finale of Loki. So I had people wanting me to get home in a timely manner. So I ended up having to cut the extra 5th interval off the workout.
WU was easy peasy. The goal grade adjusted pace was 7:02. I did well with the first interval sticking to pace. The interval was not a challenge in the least. The second interval was a bit too quick coming in at 6:50 pace, but didn't feel that challenging. At this point I was thinking I might try and squeeze that 5th interval into the workout. Then came the third interval and it was a bit more challenging. Stuck with 6:54 pace though. Looked at the clock and realized I really can't squeeze in a 5th. So I decided to give it a good go on the last one. Certainly not a ramp up to 10k pace, but definitely putting some effort into it. Came in at 6:47 pace. I was tired at the end, but pleased with the results. Averaged 6:50 for the four reps. Had a moment where I thought maybe I should try and make the Madison HM on Sunday work, but then decided I'm not ready yet. In a good place, but not there yet.
Friday
Steph had to work late, so it was the treadmill for me.
Stayed up watching the Badgers lose a disappointing basketball game.
Saturday
Conditions - Few clouds, Wind 1mph to 2mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 26°F + 23°F; FL - 26°F
End: Temp+Dew = 29°F + 27°F; FL - 26°F
Steph had to leave for work at 7:30am. I got up at 5:00am to get my 9 mile run in. Lost some time somewhere in there and didn't get out the door until 6:20am. So I knew I wouldn't get the whole 9 miles in. Instead I just kept my eye on the time and ran until 7:30, which put me at 8 miles. Never really all that challenging. Did 8:31 pace at 126 bpm which is about 20 bpm less than half marathon pace.
G had a Safe Kids 101 class where she learned how to be home alone. I told her she could just ask Macaulay Culkin how it's done. Then after that she had singing lessons. So there wasn't any time for strength work.
Sunday
Conditions -
Broken clouds, Wind 14mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 41°F + 32°F; FL - 33°F
End: Temp+Dew = 46°F + 34°F; FL - 33°F
Steph had to work at 9:30am, so I was up at 5:30am to make sure I had enough time to get the workout in. But alas, time got away from me again (gotta get that figured out) and I wasn't out the door until 7:30. So I knew I wasn't going to make my originally planned 15 miles. But I just watched the clock to see when I needed to come home.
When I started the run, I had some regrets that I didn't sign up for the Madison HM. The weather was reasonably cool, not too cold, and it just seemed like a pleasant morning. But as the morning persisted, around 8:20 (or 50 min into my run) was when the southern wind really picked up. And suddenly I was glad I hadn't signed up. Happy to just be doing some laps around the neighborhood instead. Did the run on the Jack/Jill course. Had reasonably good splits throughout. Never really felt challenged until maybe the last 2 miles or so. I had no nutrition during the run. Never really felt like I needed it either.
An interesting thing I noted on the runalyze platform when looking at some of my recent runs, is that it thinks I'm a more efficient uphill runner than I am a downhill runner. It uses power/pace, HR, and grade to make these assessments. A value of 1.00 is even efficiency compared to flat. My uphill is usually like 1.10 and my downhill is like 0.96. My personal beliefs align with this data. I strongly believe I'm better at uphill and have better form in doing so. I can outrun the GAP adjustment when going uphill, but always feel beat up trying to match the GAP downhill. Not sure I'll do anything with this at the moment, but maybe consider being more aggressive uphill in racing than downhill.
Next week is already jumbled up. Tuesday we're going to The Marvels. So I planned on running on Monday. But then G had a taped audition that was sprung on us a few hours ago, so we did that instead. Maybe I'll run Tuesday morning. Then Wednesday G has volleyball and Steph has a theater group meeting. So I'll take G to volleyball and then run while she's at practice. Then I'll do the 3x1 5k on Thursday, and Steph works this weekend again. So we'll see what I get in.
The 24th best performance was the 2019 Haunted Hustle HM (link). I completed the race in 1:36:12 and had a VDOT of 47.2. Of my 24 HMs, this was my 7th fastest performance. This was not a PR at the time, it was actually one of my very few supported training runs. I finished in 20th place out of 303 runners, and 5th in my AG. This race was the free entry I got from my top 10 finish at BratFest 2019. It came in the midst of training for the 2020 Disney Marathon, and my focus was moreso on the HMs that proceeded and came after. So I decided to use this race as a supported training run. Long time readers know that me and supported training runs in races don't mix. I inevitably take the training run too fast and end up racing it. This however was the first successful supported training run. I stuck to a good training pace through the first 11 miles, and then kicked it into gear in the last 2 with a fast finish.
11/6/23-11/12/23
Tues (11/7): 6 x 0.5 mile @ 5k *Blind*
Wed (11/8): 5 miles @ 70% M Tempo (9:14 min/mile, 124 bpm)
Thurs (11/9): 4 x 1 mile Uphill @ HM Tempo
Fri (11/10): 7 miles @ Easy (Treadmill)
Sat (11/11): 8 miles @ 85% M Tempo (8:31 min/mile, 126 bpm)
Sun (11/12): 14.4 miles @ 87.5% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (8:15 min/mile, 131 bpm)
Total Run Miles - 50.7 miles
Total Run Time - 7:03 hours
Total Strength Time - 0:00 hours
Total Training Time - 7:03 hours
Tuesday
Conditions -
Overcast clouds, Wind 10mph to ?Start: Temp+Dew = 44°F + 36°F; FL - 39°F
End: Temp+Dew = 42°F + 35°F; FL - 39°F
With the change in plans from the Madison HM this weekend, to thinking about doing the Thanksgiving 5k, I figured I should at least do a little 5k pace work to see what feels right. So I went with a 6 x 0.5 mile workout with a 0.25 mile resting interval. So not a really challenging workout, but good enough to get an idea of what it feels like to run fast. My marathon tempo pace is estimated around 7:20 so that puts 5k pace around 6:28 or so (about 20 min).
The WU felt easy. It was cold, but not too cold. But because it was cold and dark, it wasn't easy to keep an eye on the pace during the run. So I just ran each interval blind. I tried to make sure I stayed relaxed, ran like it was lava, forced the rhythmic breathing from the start, and try to stay in control the whole time. While the goal was 6:28 pace, I ended up running the intervals in 6:08, 6:12, 6:08, 6:08, 6:14, and 6:16. I would say maybe the 5th, but definitely the 6th is where I could tell I was doing a workout. But other than that, things felt relatively smooth throughout. No issues with any body parts during the run, and I was able to get my hip back into placement pre-run with the move the PT showed me a few years back. All in all, I averaged 6:11 pace. Realistically, I doubt that's 5k pace. But based on how this workout went, I plan to run a 3 x 1 mile at 5k pace workout which will be more indicative of what I can maintain in about 2 weeks from this workout.
Wednesday
Conditions -
Overcast clouds, Wind 6mph to ?Start: Temp+Dew = 45°F + 43°F; FL - 41°F
End: Temp+Dew = 44°F + 43°F; FL - 41°F
Just a nice and easy 5 miler at a recovery pace. No issues.
Thursday
Conditions -
Clear sky, Wind 5mph to ?Start: Temp+Dew = 45°F + 28°F; FL - 43°F
End: Temp+Dew = 43°F + 29°F; FL - 43°F
The plan was to do 5 x 1 mile at HMT uphill, but I was running low on time and it was the season finale of Loki. So I had people wanting me to get home in a timely manner. So I ended up having to cut the extra 5th interval off the workout.
WU was easy peasy. The goal grade adjusted pace was 7:02. I did well with the first interval sticking to pace. The interval was not a challenge in the least. The second interval was a bit too quick coming in at 6:50 pace, but didn't feel that challenging. At this point I was thinking I might try and squeeze that 5th interval into the workout. Then came the third interval and it was a bit more challenging. Stuck with 6:54 pace though. Looked at the clock and realized I really can't squeeze in a 5th. So I decided to give it a good go on the last one. Certainly not a ramp up to 10k pace, but definitely putting some effort into it. Came in at 6:47 pace. I was tired at the end, but pleased with the results. Averaged 6:50 for the four reps. Had a moment where I thought maybe I should try and make the Madison HM on Sunday work, but then decided I'm not ready yet. In a good place, but not there yet.
Friday
Steph had to work late, so it was the treadmill for me.
Stayed up watching the Badgers lose a disappointing basketball game.
Saturday
Conditions -
Few clouds, Wind 1mph to 2mphStart: Temp+Dew = 26°F + 23°F; FL - 26°F
End: Temp+Dew = 29°F + 27°F; FL - 26°F
Steph had to leave for work at 7:30am. I got up at 5:00am to get my 9 mile run in. Lost some time somewhere in there and didn't get out the door until 6:20am. So I knew I wouldn't get the whole 9 miles in. Instead I just kept my eye on the time and ran until 7:30, which put me at 8 miles. Never really all that challenging. Did 8:31 pace at 126 bpm which is about 20 bpm less than half marathon pace.
G had a Safe Kids 101 class where she learned how to be home alone. I told her she could just ask Macaulay Culkin how it's done. Then after that she had singing lessons. So there wasn't any time for strength work.
Sunday
Conditions -
Broken clouds, Wind 14mph to ?Start: Temp+Dew = 41°F + 32°F; FL - 33°F
End: Temp+Dew = 46°F + 34°F; FL - 33°F
Steph had to work at 9:30am, so I was up at 5:30am to make sure I had enough time to get the workout in. But alas, time got away from me again (gotta get that figured out) and I wasn't out the door until 7:30. So I knew I wasn't going to make my originally planned 15 miles. But I just watched the clock to see when I needed to come home.
When I started the run, I had some regrets that I didn't sign up for the Madison HM. The weather was reasonably cool, not too cold, and it just seemed like a pleasant morning. But as the morning persisted, around 8:20 (or 50 min into my run) was when the southern wind really picked up. And suddenly I was glad I hadn't signed up. Happy to just be doing some laps around the neighborhood instead. Did the run on the Jack/Jill course. Had reasonably good splits throughout. Never really felt challenged until maybe the last 2 miles or so. I had no nutrition during the run. Never really felt like I needed it either.
An interesting thing I noted on the runalyze platform when looking at some of my recent runs, is that it thinks I'm a more efficient uphill runner than I am a downhill runner. It uses power/pace, HR, and grade to make these assessments. A value of 1.00 is even efficiency compared to flat. My uphill is usually like 1.10 and my downhill is like 0.96. My personal beliefs align with this data. I strongly believe I'm better at uphill and have better form in doing so. I can outrun the GAP adjustment when going uphill, but always feel beat up trying to match the GAP downhill. Not sure I'll do anything with this at the moment, but maybe consider being more aggressive uphill in racing than downhill.
Next week is already jumbled up. Tuesday we're going to The Marvels. So I planned on running on Monday. But then G had a taped audition that was sprung on us a few hours ago, so we did that instead. Maybe I'll run Tuesday morning. Then Wednesday G has volleyball and Steph has a theater group meeting. So I'll take G to volleyball and then run while she's at practice. Then I'll do the 3x1 5k on Thursday, and Steph works this weekend again. So we'll see what I get in.
GollyGadget
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2017
Mornings have a way of getting away from me as well. I always think I have plenty of time and then all of a sudden I’m running late. Actually, this always happens regardless of the time of day 
. I habitually underestimate how long tasks will take.
. I habitually underestimate how long tasks will take.
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
Mornings have a way of getting away from me as well. I always think I have plenty of time and then all of a sudden I’m running late. Actually, this always happens regardless of the time of day
I'm usually pretty good about time. But I've just been a little slow on these mornings lately.
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
23 Weeks to go until 2024 Non-Cancelled M - Week 12/35
The 23rd best performance was the 2017 Disney 10k. I completed the race in 43:25 and had a VDOT of 47.2. Of my 12 10ks, this was my 6th fastest performance. This was a PR at the time, coming off the 5k the day prior made it even more impressive. I beat out the 2017 Hot2Trot 10k by about 1 minute. I finished in 104th place out of 11292 runners, and 16th in my AG. Another Dopey run, and another PR. I had PR'd the 5k the day prior as well. I PR'd the marathon on Sunday as well. Sadly, this was the cancelled HM Dopey year and I never got the chance to pull of the Sextuple PR Challenge.
11/13/23-11/19/23
Tues (11/14): OFF
Wed (11/15): 3 x 1 mile @ 5k *Blind*
Thurs (11/16): 5.6 miles @ 75% M Tempo (9:01 min/mile, 128 bpm)
Fri (11/17): 7 miles @ Easy (Treadmill)
Sat (11/18): 8.29 miles @ 85% M Tempo + Strides (8:29 min/mile, 132 bpm)
Sun (11/19): 18 miles @ 85% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (8:26 min/mile, 132 bpm)
Total Run Miles - 45.8 miles
Total Run Time - 6:27 hours
Total Strength Time - 0:00 hours
Total Training Time - 6:27 hours
Tuesday
We had movie tickets to The Marvels Tuesday night as that was our first opportunity to see the movie. I had considered running Monday night, and then considered running Tuesday night, but I ended up being comfortable with not trying to squeeze it in.
We've seen WandaVision and Ms. Marvel Disney+ tv shows going into the movie. So for us, the start wasn't so abrupt because we knew those characters well. But I could imagine someone coming in cold being really confused about who these characters were (Ms. Marvel and Monica). For us, we really liked the movie. It felt light and not like they were trying too hard. Ms Marvel's family felt like TV actors in a movie, but I was fine with that. All in all we thought it was one of the better post-Endgame movies.
Wednesday
Conditions - Few clouds, Wind 0mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 50°F + 39°F; FL - 50°F
End: Temp+Dew = 48°F + 38°F; FL - 50°F
G had Volleyball and Steph had to go to the board meeting for the theater group. So I was taking G to practice. I had planned on doing the hard run on Thursday, but then I saw that the weather on Wednesday was far better than Thursday (high winds). So I felt like to get in a good 5k testing workout it would be best to do it on Wednesday. Which meant I was pressed for time after dropping her off and being there to pick her back up. But I thought there was enough time to pull it off. The goal was a 3 x 1 mile at 5k pace with 400m resting intervals. I planned on doing it blind. Additionally I pulled out the race day shows (Next% 3) to give them a test run. I've only run 1-2 times prior in these shoes. Lastly, my left ankle was really not having it pre-run. It didn't want to crack and I wasn't sure if it would collapse on me. I was curious to see how two days off prior to this run would feel.
I did a short WU, and then I was off. I ran the first mile with purpose but felt very controlled. I didn't feel pressed on my breathing because I forced the rhythm early. The interval ended and I didn't feel all that bad. I was happy to see a 6:14 rep despite the goal being 6:30 (based on current estimates of fitness). But a 3 x 1 mile workout with 400m RI can sneak up on you if you overrun it, so I was interested to see if I could hold on. As I was running the RI, I felt a twinge on the lower part of my hamstring on my left leg just above the knee. Not something new to me, but been a while. It just has a feeling of "catching". Was hopeful it wouldn't hold me back. When I started the 2nd rep, I knew I was going good. I felt strong and controlled. The legs were moving well and I felt really smooth. I didn't feel overly challenged. So I was quite shocked when I got pinged at a 6:03 mile. That's a 3rd fastest mile ever (training or racing). So yea..., that went well. I knew I might have overdone it. No issues with hamstring during the 2nd rep. The third rep started and it was a challenge from the outset. I worked really hard for that one, and felt like I was really dragging in the second half of that mile. But I made it through and finished in 6:13. A 6:13 is good too. Only the 9th fastest mile I've ever run. Oh and BTW, that 6:14 that started me off was tied for 10th fastest ever. So this training run was the 3rd, 9th, and 10th fastest individual miles. I was pleased. I carried my smile with me all the way back to Volleyball practice and made it in time to pick G up.
Thursday
Conditions - Broken clouds, Wind 16mph to 25mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 57°F + 44°F; FL - 56°F
End: Temp+Dew = 57°F + 47°F; FL - 56°F
I forgot that Steph had a comedy show until that morning. So it was really good news that I did the hard run on Wednesday night. I had to cut the run short to get home in time for Steph to leave. Hamstring was fine, no real issues. Just an easy run.
Friday
Steph had to work late, so I was on the treadmill for an hour of easy running.
Saturday
Conditions - Clear sky, Wind 5mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 30°F + 21°F; FL - 25°F
End: Temp+Dew = 30°F + 21°F; FL - 25°F
Steph had to leave for work at 7:15am. So I was up at 5:00am and out the door at 5:53am, which is great for me. The goal was 75ish min with some strides at the end. But I needed to make sure I got home by 7:15am.
I ended up running 8.29 miles in 8:29 pace. The strides were slow because I was kind of stiff and didn't want to force it. In all I was a little over 9 miles and 76ish min. In all a good run.
Sunday
Conditions - Clear sky, Wind 1mph to 3mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 32°F + 27°F; FL - 32°F
End: Temp+Dew = 39°F + 31°F; FL - 32°F
Steph had to work again, so I needed to finish the run by 9:30am. I wanted to try and run 18 miles at 8:48 pace (80% M Tempo) which should take close to 2:40 hrs. I had Liquid IV and a PB Biscuit before the run. I also brought with me 3 concentrated servings of Tailwind (75g carbs) and 1 Caff Maurten gel (25g carbs).
All in all a good run. Just up and down the hill over and over and over. I was never really challenged and it felt relatively easy the whole time. Problem was I ended up overdoing it a little and ran at 8:26 instead of 8:48. But I stayed consistent and was never really working that hard to hit that. So I'll chalk it up as a win.
In all, a good week. A little under on mileage because I only ran 5 times this week. But that 3x1 mile workout was spectacular, and the 18 miler went well. So no complaints here. The weather forecast for the Thanksgiving 5k has improved. So instead of windy and 6F, now it's looking like mild wind and high 20s. I'll take that. I decided to run on Monday and take Wednesday off. I want to see how I perform in a low expectation race by taking the day off before the race instead of having a tune-up run the evening prior. I did really well in Dopey 2018 and that was with a few days off leading into the weekend. So we'll see.
The 23rd best performance was the 2017 Disney 10k. I completed the race in 43:25 and had a VDOT of 47.2. Of my 12 10ks, this was my 6th fastest performance. This was a PR at the time, coming off the 5k the day prior made it even more impressive. I beat out the 2017 Hot2Trot 10k by about 1 minute. I finished in 104th place out of 11292 runners, and 16th in my AG. Another Dopey run, and another PR. I had PR'd the 5k the day prior as well. I PR'd the marathon on Sunday as well. Sadly, this was the cancelled HM Dopey year and I never got the chance to pull of the Sextuple PR Challenge.
11/13/23-11/19/23
Tues (11/14): OFF
Wed (11/15): 3 x 1 mile @ 5k *Blind*
Thurs (11/16): 5.6 miles @ 75% M Tempo (9:01 min/mile, 128 bpm)
Fri (11/17): 7 miles @ Easy (Treadmill)
Sat (11/18): 8.29 miles @ 85% M Tempo + Strides (8:29 min/mile, 132 bpm)
Sun (11/19): 18 miles @ 85% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (8:26 min/mile, 132 bpm)
Total Run Miles - 45.8 miles
Total Run Time - 6:27 hours
Total Strength Time - 0:00 hours
Total Training Time - 6:27 hours
Tuesday
We had movie tickets to The Marvels Tuesday night as that was our first opportunity to see the movie. I had considered running Monday night, and then considered running Tuesday night, but I ended up being comfortable with not trying to squeeze it in.
We've seen WandaVision and Ms. Marvel Disney+ tv shows going into the movie. So for us, the start wasn't so abrupt because we knew those characters well. But I could imagine someone coming in cold being really confused about who these characters were (Ms. Marvel and Monica). For us, we really liked the movie. It felt light and not like they were trying too hard. Ms Marvel's family felt like TV actors in a movie, but I was fine with that. All in all we thought it was one of the better post-Endgame movies.
Wednesday
Conditions -
Few clouds, Wind 0mph to ?Start: Temp+Dew = 50°F + 39°F; FL - 50°F
End: Temp+Dew = 48°F + 38°F; FL - 50°F
G had Volleyball and Steph had to go to the board meeting for the theater group. So I was taking G to practice. I had planned on doing the hard run on Thursday, but then I saw that the weather on Wednesday was far better than Thursday (high winds). So I felt like to get in a good 5k testing workout it would be best to do it on Wednesday. Which meant I was pressed for time after dropping her off and being there to pick her back up. But I thought there was enough time to pull it off. The goal was a 3 x 1 mile at 5k pace with 400m resting intervals. I planned on doing it blind. Additionally I pulled out the race day shows (Next% 3) to give them a test run. I've only run 1-2 times prior in these shoes. Lastly, my left ankle was really not having it pre-run. It didn't want to crack and I wasn't sure if it would collapse on me. I was curious to see how two days off prior to this run would feel.
I did a short WU, and then I was off. I ran the first mile with purpose but felt very controlled. I didn't feel pressed on my breathing because I forced the rhythm early. The interval ended and I didn't feel all that bad. I was happy to see a 6:14 rep despite the goal being 6:30 (based on current estimates of fitness). But a 3 x 1 mile workout with 400m RI can sneak up on you if you overrun it, so I was interested to see if I could hold on. As I was running the RI, I felt a twinge on the lower part of my hamstring on my left leg just above the knee. Not something new to me, but been a while. It just has a feeling of "catching". Was hopeful it wouldn't hold me back. When I started the 2nd rep, I knew I was going good. I felt strong and controlled. The legs were moving well and I felt really smooth. I didn't feel overly challenged. So I was quite shocked when I got pinged at a 6:03 mile. That's a 3rd fastest mile ever (training or racing). So yea..., that went well. I knew I might have overdone it. No issues with hamstring during the 2nd rep. The third rep started and it was a challenge from the outset. I worked really hard for that one, and felt like I was really dragging in the second half of that mile. But I made it through and finished in 6:13. A 6:13 is good too. Only the 9th fastest mile I've ever run. Oh and BTW, that 6:14 that started me off was tied for 10th fastest ever. So this training run was the 3rd, 9th, and 10th fastest individual miles. I was pleased. I carried my smile with me all the way back to Volleyball practice and made it in time to pick G up.
Thursday
Conditions -
Broken clouds, Wind 16mph to 25mphStart: Temp+Dew = 57°F + 44°F; FL - 56°F
End: Temp+Dew = 57°F + 47°F; FL - 56°F
I forgot that Steph had a comedy show until that morning. So it was really good news that I did the hard run on Wednesday night. I had to cut the run short to get home in time for Steph to leave. Hamstring was fine, no real issues. Just an easy run.
Friday
Steph had to work late, so I was on the treadmill for an hour of easy running.
Saturday
Conditions -
Clear sky, Wind 5mph to ?Start: Temp+Dew = 30°F + 21°F; FL - 25°F
End: Temp+Dew = 30°F + 21°F; FL - 25°F
Steph had to leave for work at 7:15am. So I was up at 5:00am and out the door at 5:53am, which is great for me. The goal was 75ish min with some strides at the end. But I needed to make sure I got home by 7:15am.
I ended up running 8.29 miles in 8:29 pace. The strides were slow because I was kind of stiff and didn't want to force it. In all I was a little over 9 miles and 76ish min. In all a good run.
Sunday
Conditions -
Clear sky, Wind 1mph to 3mphStart: Temp+Dew = 32°F + 27°F; FL - 32°F
End: Temp+Dew = 39°F + 31°F; FL - 32°F
Steph had to work again, so I needed to finish the run by 9:30am. I wanted to try and run 18 miles at 8:48 pace (80% M Tempo) which should take close to 2:40 hrs. I had Liquid IV and a PB Biscuit before the run. I also brought with me 3 concentrated servings of Tailwind (75g carbs) and 1 Caff Maurten gel (25g carbs).
All in all a good run. Just up and down the hill over and over and over. I was never really challenged and it felt relatively easy the whole time. Problem was I ended up overdoing it a little and ran at 8:26 instead of 8:48. But I stayed consistent and was never really working that hard to hit that. So I'll chalk it up as a win.
In all, a good week. A little under on mileage because I only ran 5 times this week. But that 3x1 mile workout was spectacular, and the 18 miler went well. So no complaints here. The weather forecast for the Thanksgiving 5k has improved. So instead of windy and 6F, now it's looking like mild wind and high 20s. I'll take that. I decided to run on Monday and take Wednesday off. I want to see how I perform in a low expectation race by taking the day off before the race instead of having a tune-up run the evening prior. I did really well in Dopey 2018 and that was with a few days off leading into the weekend. So we'll see.
GollyGadget
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2017
Good luck with your race! Sounds like your training is going well.
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
Gobbler 5k Pre-Race Thoughts
I plan to run the neighborhood Gobbler 5k tomorrow. It's untimed and unofficial, but I'm taking it as a race. If the distance is short via GPS, then I'm committing to running 3.11 GPS miles. The weather looks decent. About 25F windchill and a slight north wind at 9mph. So not too bad. Definitely will be in shorts, tank top, light gloves, and headband. I'll take a small 5oz Hammer bottle with me with some water in it as there's unlikely to be any aid stations.
This is the first race with Runalyze data, so I'm curious to see how it stacks up against reality. Since I'm not running tonight, the data is solid going into tomorrow. Runalyze predicts a 20:47 (6:41 min/mile), my Garmin 245 predicts a 19:11 (6:10 min/mile), and my most recent best performance (2023 Non-Cancelled HM in 1:32:25) predicts a 20:08 (6:29 min/mile). Let's see which one wins as that's quite the spread. The most I've outperformed the Runalyze recently was 2022 Princess which was +2.3, so with Runalyze saying 47.6 current that would be a peak of 49.9 (around a 20:00).
I plan to run the neighborhood Gobbler 5k tomorrow. It's untimed and unofficial, but I'm taking it as a race. If the distance is short via GPS, then I'm committing to running 3.11 GPS miles. The weather looks decent. About 25F windchill and a slight north wind at 9mph. So not too bad. Definitely will be in shorts, tank top, light gloves, and headband. I'll take a small 5oz Hammer bottle with me with some water in it as there's unlikely to be any aid stations.
This is the first race with Runalyze data, so I'm curious to see how it stacks up against reality. Since I'm not running tonight, the data is solid going into tomorrow. Runalyze predicts a 20:47 (6:41 min/mile), my Garmin 245 predicts a 19:11 (6:10 min/mile), and my most recent best performance (2023 Non-Cancelled HM in 1:32:25) predicts a 20:08 (6:29 min/mile). Let's see which one wins as that's quite the spread. The most I've outperformed the Runalyze recently was 2022 Princess which was +2.3, so with Runalyze saying 47.6 current that would be a peak of 49.9 (around a 20:00).
azrivest
Chasing the rDream
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2020
No race prediction for your loyal readers this time around? 
What is your pre-race strategy? How early in advance to you plan to be there/Is there somewhere to wait prior to the race start? For my Half at the end of October, temps were in the low 30s and I was freezing waiting for the race to start, despite having a throwaway light coat on. And I'm pretty tolerant to the cold usually.
What is your pre-race strategy? How early in advance to you plan to be there/Is there somewhere to wait prior to the race start? For my Half at the end of October, temps were in the low 30s and I was freezing waiting for the race to start, despite having a throwaway light coat on. And I'm pretty tolerant to the cold usually.
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
No race prediction for your loyal readers this time around?
Feel free to make a guess if you'd like, but no game this time around.
Race starts at 8:30am. I'd like to be done with my WU around 8:15am at the latest. The race is about a 0.5 mile from my house. I'd like to get in a 3-4 mile WU before the race, so maybe starting around 7:35am or so. If for some reason I need to use the bathroom, then my SIL's house is only 0.25 miles from start. As for staying warm, that's still up in the air at the moment. I could either go to SIL's house, or maybe Steph/G drive to the race area and I get in the car. Definitely have options given the proximity of the race.
Scootin'By
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2023
Your definition of nice weather and my definition differ wildly
I am very interested in the data and seeing which prediction is closest to correct. Have fun and happy Thanksgiving!
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
Your definition of nice weather and my definition differ wildly
I am very interested in the data and seeing which prediction is closest to correct. Have fun and happy Thanksgiving!
Lol, yea. Which is funny because I also have Raynaud’s. So I race well in cold but my body reacts poorly to being in cold. A very fine balance. But for me, my peak races occur between 30-40F.
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
Thanks! I'm pleased with where I'm at with 23 weeks until race day.
Thanks!
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
I forgot to wish you a good race in my previous message. Hope it goes well for you
No worries! Thanks!
DopeyBadger
Imagathoner
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2015
Gobbler 5k (unofficial neighborhood race)
Alright, I owe everyone a race recap for the Gobbler 5k.
The race took place on Thanksgiving morning and is run about 50% on my normal training route in my neighborhood. So I wasn't really surprised by anything. The race started at 8:30am, so the goal was to be out on the route around 7:30am for a warmup run. I got up around 5:30am. I had a PB biscuit, and some Liquid IV when I got up. Out the door for the WU at 7:30am on the dot. For the WU, I wore a medium long sleeve, medium gloves, medium hat, and shorts. I wore my singlet underneath the medium long sleeve. I also I took with me a bottle of water and my headband to change into at my SIL's house which was only 0.25 miles from the start line. Lastly, I wore my Next%3 shoes.
Conditions - Scattered clouds, Wind 11mph to ?
Start: Temp+Dew = 32°F + 25°F; FL - 24°F
End: Temp+Dew = 33°F + 25°F; FL - 24°F
I wanted to run about 3.5 miles or so for the WU. I just went at an easy pace that felt comfortable, but I just didn't feel great coming out the gate. I think I was just nervous about the race. As I made my way towards the course, I was hopeful the signs were out for road directions so I could memorize the course. It wasn't long before I found one and I found two women also running the course. They happened to be the race organizers and they were running the course to find the GPS 3.11 mile finish line. So we mirrored each other's route, but it was apparent to me that they weren't following the tangents of the road despite it not being marked that we weren't suppose to follow the tangents. So I anticipated the course might measure a tad short. I had already committed to running 3.11 GPS miles no matter what. I wrapped up the course run and then made my way back to my SIL's house by around 8:05am or so. In all I did 3.6 miles at 8:56 min/mile pace, but my HR was 132 bpm which is about 30 sec/mile slower for the same HR as earlier in the week. Likely nerves.
Once at my SIL's I had some water, used the bathroom, took the medium long sleeve off, and then by 8:15am I was back outside and headed to the start line. I took the nice 0.25 mile stroll to the start. I was aiming to arrive around 8:25am or so and have little downtime before the race started. The crowd was gathering and I saw some familiar faces from around the neighborhood. Seemed like there weren't many wearing singlets and shorts in the 24F windchill. Odd...
. The race was a fundraiser for the local food pantry, so some speeches were made and then we headed over to the start line. I did get a little chilly because we didn't get started until 8:36am. I looked around at the other runners and along the start line was mostly under 8 year olds, then two high school boys, a few high school girls were hanging back a bit (the local girls with PRs of sub18) were present, I didn't see the college boy runner who graduated a few years ago (their family moved recently), and then some dads around my age or a little older/younger. For me, the goal was to run within myself, run hard, and give it a really hard effort.
Conditions - Broken clouds, Wind 15mph to 21mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 34°F + 26°F; FL - 24°F
End: Temp+Dew = 35°F + 27°F; FL - 24°F
Mile 1 - 6:36 - GAP 6:35
The kids were flying out the gate, and the two high school boys were running smooth. We were being led by a kid using roller blades, which was fun. The race started flat for a touch, but then we went uphill for the first 0.25 mile. I felt in control during this initial part. I was trying to keep the high school boys within eye shot. The kids started to thin out as we crested the hill. There were the two high school boys, and maybe three 10-13 year olds with me at the front. I wasn't paying attention to pace during the race and just running blind like I had done in the two 5k paced training runs. Per Strava, I was doing 5:20-5:40 pace out the gate, and then settled into 6:01 GAP up the hill. So maybe a little aggressive, but not too bad based on the recent training runs.
After we crested the hill we ran down a similarly graded hill. The high school boys started to open a gap on me, and it was me and two other pre-teens. I was still feeling good and focusing on keeping my form good and relaxed.
Around 0.75 miles I had dropped the other pre-teen and I was now running in 4th place. It was around this time that someone came up behind my shoulder and blazed past me. I was like, whoa, where did this guy come from. He made me look like I was running in molasses. He was sooo much faster than I was. He looked smooth and strong. I would find out post-race that this was the collegiate runner. More on his situation later. I didn't see him for long as he dropped me really quick.
Not too long after we hit the mile mark. I was at 6:36 which is far slower than I wanted to be, but I didn't know it in the moment. But that wasn't for a lack of trying. I was pushing pretty hard.
Mile 2 - 6:56 - GAP 6:49
The start of mile 2 was flat for a little bit, and then a short steep hill. Saw some neighbors as I ran by, and was thinking to myself, yes this is what I train for. Made it up the hill and was keeping close to the pre-teen. I couldn't see anyone behind me at this point, so we were alone in 4th/5th. I kept the pedal down and was pushing hard by this point. I remember weaving around the neighborhood at a good clip. Around the 1.5 mile turn is when I caught up to the kid on the roller blades. He was having a time of it with the hills, but then he could rest on the downhills. But the stretch from 1.5-2.0 was a pitted road so he was doing a bit of dodging to make sure he didn't hit a divot. It was right around the 2.0 mile mark when I had finally pulled even with the pre-teen.
Mile 3 - 6:45 - GAP 6:45
Winning time. This is when I tried to extend the gap between me and the other guy. I was alone in 4th now, and I could tell he was really struggling as I opened a sizeable gap pretty quick and I think he lost some motivation. We rounded the corner to a medium hill and I heard the roller blade let out an audible "ugh". He wasn't looking forward to it, and I powered up it. Now we were finally coming back on the course (it was like a lollipop in a way) so I was running by people who were still making their way out. I took that energy in and just went total tunnel vision. My breathing was erratic at this point as I was really struggling to get a full breath. Hit the last downhill and was doing 6:00 GAP (6:20 real). Hit the final stretch and then when I hit 3.0 miles I saw the total time of 20:18 and was like, oh darn it.
Mile 3.11 - 6:30 pace - GAP 6:31 pace
I finished hard. I hit their finish line at 3.07 miles and 20:47. I kept running until I hit 3.11 miles and then stopped my watch (which registered 3.12 miles) at 21:03.
Final Time - 21:03
Overall Finish - 4th out of ? (maybe a little over a hundred people?)
So my initial reaction was disappointment. I was hoping for better. But there was no mincing words. I was just crazy out of breath and really left it all out there. It was post-run that I had a better appreciation for my race performance. First off, I finished in 4th, which is nothing to scoff at. I finished behind two high schoolers and a collegiate runner. So not bad at all. 1st in the dad division. When I checked on Strava post-run I learned what the deal with the collegiate runner was. One of the high schoolers is his younger brother. He beat his younger brother at last year's Gobbler 5k by 2.5 minutes. So he gave him a 2:42 min head start and then chased him down. Based on the college runner's data, he ran it in 16:20 pace (was hard to decipher because he included his WU/CD in the activity). His PR is a 14:02 on a track. So he's in off season training mode, but being 2:20 off his PR is a reasonably good sign for me being 1.5-ish min off my goal pace. So maybe the conditions just weren't that easy to run in. Not overly hilly, but I think the cold got to my lungs.
After the run, and for the remainder of the next 48 hrs, I had a pretty tricky cough. I could tell my lungs were mad at me for running so hard in the cold and without wearing anymore than a singlet and shorts. So I definitely felt like I had given my all after a few days of reflection.
So lesson learned, even I have a limit in terms of temps and if I attempt a race in the mid 20s again I should probably wear something more than a singlet.
ETA - Runalyze was the winner of the prediction models with a guess of 20:47 and I ran 3.11 in 21:03 and 3.07 in 20:47 on the dot.
ETAA - Forgot to add that it was much windier than I had originally planned for. It was suppose to be like 7-10 mph and instead it was like 15-24 mph.
Alright, I owe everyone a race recap for the Gobbler 5k.
The race took place on Thanksgiving morning and is run about 50% on my normal training route in my neighborhood. So I wasn't really surprised by anything. The race started at 8:30am, so the goal was to be out on the route around 7:30am for a warmup run. I got up around 5:30am. I had a PB biscuit, and some Liquid IV when I got up. Out the door for the WU at 7:30am on the dot. For the WU, I wore a medium long sleeve, medium gloves, medium hat, and shorts. I wore my singlet underneath the medium long sleeve. I also I took with me a bottle of water and my headband to change into at my SIL's house which was only 0.25 miles from the start line. Lastly, I wore my Next%3 shoes.
Conditions -
Scattered clouds, Wind 11mph to ?Start: Temp+Dew = 32°F + 25°F; FL - 24°F
End: Temp+Dew = 33°F + 25°F; FL - 24°F
I wanted to run about 3.5 miles or so for the WU. I just went at an easy pace that felt comfortable, but I just didn't feel great coming out the gate. I think I was just nervous about the race. As I made my way towards the course, I was hopeful the signs were out for road directions so I could memorize the course. It wasn't long before I found one and I found two women also running the course. They happened to be the race organizers and they were running the course to find the GPS 3.11 mile finish line. So we mirrored each other's route, but it was apparent to me that they weren't following the tangents of the road despite it not being marked that we weren't suppose to follow the tangents. So I anticipated the course might measure a tad short. I had already committed to running 3.11 GPS miles no matter what. I wrapped up the course run and then made my way back to my SIL's house by around 8:05am or so. In all I did 3.6 miles at 8:56 min/mile pace, but my HR was 132 bpm which is about 30 sec/mile slower for the same HR as earlier in the week. Likely nerves.
Once at my SIL's I had some water, used the bathroom, took the medium long sleeve off, and then by 8:15am I was back outside and headed to the start line. I took the nice 0.25 mile stroll to the start. I was aiming to arrive around 8:25am or so and have little downtime before the race started. The crowd was gathering and I saw some familiar faces from around the neighborhood. Seemed like there weren't many wearing singlets and shorts in the 24F windchill. Odd...
. The race was a fundraiser for the local food pantry, so some speeches were made and then we headed over to the start line. I did get a little chilly because we didn't get started until 8:36am. I looked around at the other runners and along the start line was mostly under 8 year olds, then two high school boys, a few high school girls were hanging back a bit (the local girls with PRs of sub18) were present, I didn't see the college boy runner who graduated a few years ago (their family moved recently), and then some dads around my age or a little older/younger. For me, the goal was to run within myself, run hard, and give it a really hard effort.Conditions -
Broken clouds, Wind 15mph to 21mphStart: Temp+Dew = 34°F + 26°F; FL - 24°F
End: Temp+Dew = 35°F + 27°F; FL - 24°F
Mile 1 - 6:36 - GAP 6:35
The kids were flying out the gate, and the two high school boys were running smooth. We were being led by a kid using roller blades, which was fun. The race started flat for a touch, but then we went uphill for the first 0.25 mile. I felt in control during this initial part. I was trying to keep the high school boys within eye shot. The kids started to thin out as we crested the hill. There were the two high school boys, and maybe three 10-13 year olds with me at the front. I wasn't paying attention to pace during the race and just running blind like I had done in the two 5k paced training runs. Per Strava, I was doing 5:20-5:40 pace out the gate, and then settled into 6:01 GAP up the hill. So maybe a little aggressive, but not too bad based on the recent training runs.
After we crested the hill we ran down a similarly graded hill. The high school boys started to open a gap on me, and it was me and two other pre-teens. I was still feeling good and focusing on keeping my form good and relaxed.
Around 0.75 miles I had dropped the other pre-teen and I was now running in 4th place. It was around this time that someone came up behind my shoulder and blazed past me. I was like, whoa, where did this guy come from. He made me look like I was running in molasses. He was sooo much faster than I was. He looked smooth and strong. I would find out post-race that this was the collegiate runner. More on his situation later. I didn't see him for long as he dropped me really quick.
Not too long after we hit the mile mark. I was at 6:36 which is far slower than I wanted to be, but I didn't know it in the moment. But that wasn't for a lack of trying. I was pushing pretty hard.
Mile 2 - 6:56 - GAP 6:49
The start of mile 2 was flat for a little bit, and then a short steep hill. Saw some neighbors as I ran by, and was thinking to myself, yes this is what I train for. Made it up the hill and was keeping close to the pre-teen. I couldn't see anyone behind me at this point, so we were alone in 4th/5th. I kept the pedal down and was pushing hard by this point. I remember weaving around the neighborhood at a good clip. Around the 1.5 mile turn is when I caught up to the kid on the roller blades. He was having a time of it with the hills, but then he could rest on the downhills. But the stretch from 1.5-2.0 was a pitted road so he was doing a bit of dodging to make sure he didn't hit a divot. It was right around the 2.0 mile mark when I had finally pulled even with the pre-teen.
Mile 3 - 6:45 - GAP 6:45
Winning time. This is when I tried to extend the gap between me and the other guy. I was alone in 4th now, and I could tell he was really struggling as I opened a sizeable gap pretty quick and I think he lost some motivation. We rounded the corner to a medium hill and I heard the roller blade let out an audible "ugh". He wasn't looking forward to it, and I powered up it. Now we were finally coming back on the course (it was like a lollipop in a way) so I was running by people who were still making their way out. I took that energy in and just went total tunnel vision. My breathing was erratic at this point as I was really struggling to get a full breath. Hit the last downhill and was doing 6:00 GAP (6:20 real). Hit the final stretch and then when I hit 3.0 miles I saw the total time of 20:18 and was like, oh darn it.
Mile 3.11 - 6:30 pace - GAP 6:31 pace
I finished hard. I hit their finish line at 3.07 miles and 20:47. I kept running until I hit 3.11 miles and then stopped my watch (which registered 3.12 miles) at 21:03.
Final Time - 21:03
Overall Finish - 4th out of ? (maybe a little over a hundred people?)
So my initial reaction was disappointment. I was hoping for better. But there was no mincing words. I was just crazy out of breath and really left it all out there. It was post-run that I had a better appreciation for my race performance. First off, I finished in 4th, which is nothing to scoff at. I finished behind two high schoolers and a collegiate runner. So not bad at all. 1st in the dad division. When I checked on Strava post-run I learned what the deal with the collegiate runner was. One of the high schoolers is his younger brother. He beat his younger brother at last year's Gobbler 5k by 2.5 minutes. So he gave him a 2:42 min head start and then chased him down. Based on the college runner's data, he ran it in 16:20 pace (was hard to decipher because he included his WU/CD in the activity). His PR is a 14:02 on a track. So he's in off season training mode, but being 2:20 off his PR is a reasonably good sign for me being 1.5-ish min off my goal pace. So maybe the conditions just weren't that easy to run in. Not overly hilly, but I think the cold got to my lungs.
After the run, and for the remainder of the next 48 hrs, I had a pretty tricky cough. I could tell my lungs were mad at me for running so hard in the cold and without wearing anymore than a singlet and shorts. So I definitely felt like I had given my all after a few days of reflection.
So lesson learned, even I have a limit in terms of temps and if I attempt a race in the mid 20s again I should probably wear something more than a singlet.
ETA - Runalyze was the winner of the prediction models with a guess of 20:47 and I ran 3.11 in 21:03 and 3.07 in 20:47 on the dot.
ETAA - Forgot to add that it was much windier than I had originally planned for. It was suppose to be like 7-10 mph and instead it was like 15-24 mph.
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