You must be swift as the coursing river (as long as it's the Lazy River) - comments welcome
- Thread starter WillRunForPizza
- Start date
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,511
April 21 - 27, 2025
5K training week 5 | 20 days until Hero Dogs 5K9
In which I feel optimistic about my training! Briefly...
With a parkrun since I did threshold hills last week.
Monday
Easy/hill strides: 5.1 miles (10:17), avg. HR 150, max 186, 88% Z1-2
Core
My legs felt quite heavy for the first mile. But after that, it felt like things were trending more towards normal. Not actually normal, mind you, but I did see a lot more 140s HR than I have in a while, and my HR only got to the top of Z2 when I was running easy uphill instead of drifting into Z3. At this point I will take any positive signs.
When I got back, it was time for the Boston Marathon! I love watching that race, even when the coverage leaves something to be desired. Someday I will run it.
Tuesday
Workout: 7 x 3 min @ 5KP/2 min RI + 5 min RI + 1.2 miles @ MP
Total: 10.7 miles, avg. HR 159, max 192
Lower body strength
Considering how my training has been going, I was a little nervous about this workout. It was my first attempt at 5K pace, and I was really tired of being 30-60s slow on everything. Plus, it was warmer than it's been in a while, and I wasn't quite sure how that would go either. (T+D~130, which in a few months will feel pleasantly cool but for now is pretty hot.)
I decided to head for a relatively flat stretch of (paved) trail to give myself the best chance of success. All the 5Ks I'm running are flat, so I thought it made the most sense too. This entailed a longer-than-usual warm-up so I could get to the trail, but I tried to keep it super-easy, other than a few strides. (Pre-workout strides mean I can be ready to go on the first interval instead of taking the first interval for my body to remember how to run fast.)
Once I got to the mostly-flat trail, I took off way too fast (which I'm sure is a huge surprise to everyone). I was supposed to be running 6:29 pace, but the first rep was at 6:12 (6:08 GAP), which is basically 3K pace. Oops!
But I actually managed to dial it in better after that, and ended up running 6:31 pace on average (which might be the only useful thing Strava AI has ever told me).
I had originally written 60s recoveries, but I double-checked my workout guidelines and they said 50-100% rest for 5K pace, so I changed it to 2 minutes. I'm glad I did that because if I hadn't, I probably would have been dead after about 3 reps. The reps still got progressively harder as it was. I almost stopped after 6 because I felt like I was dying, but I convinced myself that #7 would be easier because I had a tailwind that way. (I don't know about easier; I felt like I might puke by the end. But I did it.
) The goal was 6-8, so I was pretty happy with that.
I gave myself the full rep #8 + most of the rest interval to recover before jumping into M pace, which might be kind of cheating but I needed it. And for once, M pace actually felt pretty comfortable. I thought about keeping it up for longer because I still had a couple more miles before I got home, but then I came to a hill and I was like, "Nah."
So that went about as well as I could have hoped. Maybe my running really is starting to get back to normal!
I didn't feel quite ready for squats yet, but I managed to add back single leg deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats (which despite their name are really more like lunges). Progress.
Wednesday
Recovery: 5 miles (10:23), avg. HR 144, max 157, 100% Z1-2
Upper body strength
Actually felt okay. Then in the afternoon I was exhausted. Maybe just leftover tiredness from Tuesday.
Thursday
Medium-long/hill strides: 10.7 miles (9:47), avg. HR 150, max 183, 92% Z1-2*
Pilates
*I am a little skeptical of this HR data. I think the battery on my armband was dying.
It occurred to me that perhaps the road to not-terrible 5K racing did not include a medium-long run the day before, so I switched Thursday and Friday. I actually felt good, so instead of doing 9 miles like I planned, I turned around at 5 miles so I could do 10 total. (I forgot to include running up and down a hill at the end into my running math, which is how I then ended up with 10.7 miles.) I wasn't trying to do a progression one, but it kind of ended up as a baby progression by accident.
I decided to change it up with the strength training too and focus mostly on the lower body. With the resistance band, my hips were crying by the end.
I threw in a few bicep curls and tricep extension too just for fun, because my routine on Wednesday didn't include them.
Friday
Easy/strides: 6.9 miles (9:53), avg. HR 145, max 177, 96 % Z1-2
Core
My legs did feel kind of tired, but I charged my armband, so this HR data should be legit! Hopefully I really am getting closer to normal.
Saturday
Long: 3.8 mile WU + parkrun + 4.3 mile CD
Or not.
Look, I was not thinking I would be running at 6:31 pace for this 5K, even though I averaged that pace through ~5.5K of intervals on Tuesday. But going into the parkrun, I thought somewhere in the 6:45-6:55 was plausible. I would have been satisfied with a 21:30 under the conditions, which were similar to Tuesday's. (Of course the warmest, most humid days of the week were the ones when I wanted to run fast.)
As I was jogging to Fletcher's Cove where the parkrun takes place, my legs felt pretty tired again. That's not so unusual for a warm-up, though, so I didn't worry too much about it.
It was also rather muddy, having rained overnight and drizzled on and off throughout the morning, so that was fun. At least the crushed gravel on the towpath tends not to get too slippery. Because of the mud, rather than my Metaspeed Edge Paris, I had decided to wear my older Novablasts that have 400 miles on them. Not the best choice for speed, but I didn't want to get my $250 shoes all messy.
Anyway, I had read about a pre-race strategy called priming a while back, and I wanted to give it a try. Once you're warmed up, you run for 4-6 minutes at race pace to get your legs ready to run at that pace. To give yourself time to recover, you want to do this well before the race starts. So on the way to the start line around 8:15, I did 3 minutes (4 seemed like a lot) at an average 6:47 pace. It felt kind of hard, but I thought maybe it was supposed to? Kind of like the first rep is sometimes a shock to the system and then the rest are okay.
I got to Fletcher's Cove around 8:30, which was way too early. There really wasn't anything to do except wait around. The volunteers with the banners and things finally showed up around 8:50, and the briefing didn't even start until after 9. I really just wanted to get on with it, but parkruns are free so I can't complain too much.
I lined up near the front to try to avoid some of the chaos at the beginning, and we were sent off by a couple of kids with cowbells, which was not a bad way to start a race. After the first rush, I settled in right around 7 min/mile, which seemed okay. I was slowed a bit trying to dodge the worst of the puddles, at which I was only moderately successful. I was briefly the first female, but another woman passed me early on. I could still see her not too far ahead of me, though. The first mile came it at 6:59, and I was not excited about the pace but not too unhappy. There was still plenty of time left, and I still felt reasonably good.
That did not last long.
By the time we hit the turnaround, I was hurting. At that point, the woman in first was maybe 20 meters ahead of me, but she started to slip away as I faded. Mile 2 came in at 7:06. I just did not have enough left in the tank. By the middle of mile 3 I was struggling running 7:30-8 min/mile. I ended up running mile 3 in 7:36 before picking it up a tiny bit in the last 0.1 miles (7:22). I ended up running a 22:33, at least a minute slower than I'd thought I could.
So that was a disappointment, to say the least. You would think I would be able to run what is supposed to be my 60-minute race pace for 21-ish minutes, even training through it. But instead I averaged 8 seconds/mile slower than HM pace, which...sucks. Maybe you can attribute some of that to the puddles, the heat/humidity, the less-than-speedy surface, the worn-out daily trainers...but not that much. I just didn't have it. That was my worst performance in quite a while.
In hindsight, sure, I obviously went out too fast - you don't plan for your third mile to be >30 seconds slower than your first mile. But I really don't think I would have done it differently knowing what I knew at the start. Why would I have thought I would run slower in a 5K than in a half marathon? So I don't even know that I really learned anything from the experience other than that my running is a mess right now. I thought that this week showed signs of improvement, but I guess not so much.
I don't think there's really anything else to say about it. I slogged home and felt sad. The end.
Sunday
Yoga
I was mostly over my pity party by morning. And when I was doing yoga, I could actually go all the way down into a full squat, which I haven't been able to do in weeks, so that was something.
Totals
Running: 8h 5m, 49.7 miles
Strength/mobility: 2h 21m
Total: 10h 26m
I did do significantly more this week than previous weeks, so maybe I am getting better but then my body got tripped up a bit by the higher workload. Who knows.
NSAID protocol update
You might remember that last week, I decided to try taking ibuprofen for a week to see if it would help my knee/ankle. I think it actually worked? My ankle is not quite 100% but definitely better, and my knee seems to have pretty much recovered. So I guess if you have persistent - or acute - minor issues, it's worth a try.
Coming up
Probably. We'll see how it all feels.
5K training week 5 | 20 days until Hero Dogs 5K9
In which I feel optimistic about my training! Briefly...
With a parkrun since I did threshold hills last week.
Monday
Easy/hill strides: 5.1 miles (10:17), avg. HR 150, max 186, 88% Z1-2
Core
My legs felt quite heavy for the first mile. But after that, it felt like things were trending more towards normal. Not actually normal, mind you, but I did see a lot more 140s HR than I have in a while, and my HR only got to the top of Z2 when I was running easy uphill instead of drifting into Z3. At this point I will take any positive signs.
When I got back, it was time for the Boston Marathon! I love watching that race, even when the coverage leaves something to be desired. Someday I will run it.
Tuesday
Workout: 7 x 3 min @ 5KP/2 min RI + 5 min RI + 1.2 miles @ MP
Total: 10.7 miles, avg. HR 159, max 192
Lower body strength
Considering how my training has been going, I was a little nervous about this workout. It was my first attempt at 5K pace, and I was really tired of being 30-60s slow on everything. Plus, it was warmer than it's been in a while, and I wasn't quite sure how that would go either. (T+D~130, which in a few months will feel pleasantly cool but for now is pretty hot.)
I decided to head for a relatively flat stretch of (paved) trail to give myself the best chance of success. All the 5Ks I'm running are flat, so I thought it made the most sense too. This entailed a longer-than-usual warm-up so I could get to the trail, but I tried to keep it super-easy, other than a few strides. (Pre-workout strides mean I can be ready to go on the first interval instead of taking the first interval for my body to remember how to run fast.)
Once I got to the mostly-flat trail, I took off way too fast (which I'm sure is a huge surprise to everyone). I was supposed to be running 6:29 pace, but the first rep was at 6:12 (6:08 GAP), which is basically 3K pace. Oops!
But I actually managed to dial it in better after that, and ended up running 6:31 pace on average (which might be the only useful thing Strava AI has ever told me).I had originally written 60s recoveries, but I double-checked my workout guidelines and they said 50-100% rest for 5K pace, so I changed it to 2 minutes. I'm glad I did that because if I hadn't, I probably would have been dead after about 3 reps. The reps still got progressively harder as it was. I almost stopped after 6 because I felt like I was dying, but I convinced myself that #7 would be easier because I had a tailwind that way. (I don't know about easier; I felt like I might puke by the end. But I did it.
) The goal was 6-8, so I was pretty happy with that.I gave myself the full rep #8 + most of the rest interval to recover before jumping into M pace, which might be kind of cheating but I needed it. And for once, M pace actually felt pretty comfortable. I thought about keeping it up for longer because I still had a couple more miles before I got home, but then I came to a hill and I was like, "Nah."
So that went about as well as I could have hoped. Maybe my running really is starting to get back to normal!
I didn't feel quite ready for squats yet, but I managed to add back single leg deadlifts and Bulgarian split squats (which despite their name are really more like lunges). Progress.
Wednesday
Recovery: 5 miles (10:23), avg. HR 144, max 157, 100% Z1-2
Upper body strength
Actually felt okay. Then in the afternoon I was exhausted. Maybe just leftover tiredness from Tuesday.
Thursday
Medium-long/hill strides: 10.7 miles (9:47), avg. HR 150, max 183, 92% Z1-2*
Pilates
*I am a little skeptical of this HR data. I think the battery on my armband was dying.
It occurred to me that perhaps the road to not-terrible 5K racing did not include a medium-long run the day before, so I switched Thursday and Friday. I actually felt good, so instead of doing 9 miles like I planned, I turned around at 5 miles so I could do 10 total. (I forgot to include running up and down a hill at the end into my running math, which is how I then ended up with 10.7 miles.) I wasn't trying to do a progression one, but it kind of ended up as a baby progression by accident.
I decided to change it up with the strength training too and focus mostly on the lower body. With the resistance band, my hips were crying by the end.
I threw in a few bicep curls and tricep extension too just for fun, because my routine on Wednesday didn't include them.Friday
Easy/strides: 6.9 miles (9:53), avg. HR 145, max 177, 96 % Z1-2
Core
My legs did feel kind of tired, but I charged my armband, so this HR data should be legit! Hopefully I really am getting closer to normal.
Saturday
Long: 3.8 mile WU + parkrun + 4.3 mile CD
Or not.
Look, I was not thinking I would be running at 6:31 pace for this 5K, even though I averaged that pace through ~5.5K of intervals on Tuesday. But going into the parkrun, I thought somewhere in the 6:45-6:55 was plausible. I would have been satisfied with a 21:30 under the conditions, which were similar to Tuesday's. (Of course the warmest, most humid days of the week were the ones when I wanted to run fast.)
As I was jogging to Fletcher's Cove where the parkrun takes place, my legs felt pretty tired again. That's not so unusual for a warm-up, though, so I didn't worry too much about it.
It was also rather muddy, having rained overnight and drizzled on and off throughout the morning, so that was fun. At least the crushed gravel on the towpath tends not to get too slippery. Because of the mud, rather than my Metaspeed Edge Paris, I had decided to wear my older Novablasts that have 400 miles on them. Not the best choice for speed, but I didn't want to get my $250 shoes all messy.
Anyway, I had read about a pre-race strategy called priming a while back, and I wanted to give it a try. Once you're warmed up, you run for 4-6 minutes at race pace to get your legs ready to run at that pace. To give yourself time to recover, you want to do this well before the race starts. So on the way to the start line around 8:15, I did 3 minutes (4 seemed like a lot) at an average 6:47 pace. It felt kind of hard, but I thought maybe it was supposed to? Kind of like the first rep is sometimes a shock to the system and then the rest are okay.
I got to Fletcher's Cove around 8:30, which was way too early. There really wasn't anything to do except wait around. The volunteers with the banners and things finally showed up around 8:50, and the briefing didn't even start until after 9. I really just wanted to get on with it, but parkruns are free so I can't complain too much.
I lined up near the front to try to avoid some of the chaos at the beginning, and we were sent off by a couple of kids with cowbells, which was not a bad way to start a race. After the first rush, I settled in right around 7 min/mile, which seemed okay. I was slowed a bit trying to dodge the worst of the puddles, at which I was only moderately successful. I was briefly the first female, but another woman passed me early on. I could still see her not too far ahead of me, though. The first mile came it at 6:59, and I was not excited about the pace but not too unhappy. There was still plenty of time left, and I still felt reasonably good.
That did not last long.
By the time we hit the turnaround, I was hurting. At that point, the woman in first was maybe 20 meters ahead of me, but she started to slip away as I faded. Mile 2 came in at 7:06. I just did not have enough left in the tank. By the middle of mile 3 I was struggling running 7:30-8 min/mile. I ended up running mile 3 in 7:36 before picking it up a tiny bit in the last 0.1 miles (7:22). I ended up running a 22:33, at least a minute slower than I'd thought I could.
So that was a disappointment, to say the least. You would think I would be able to run what is supposed to be my 60-minute race pace for 21-ish minutes, even training through it. But instead I averaged 8 seconds/mile slower than HM pace, which...sucks. Maybe you can attribute some of that to the puddles, the heat/humidity, the less-than-speedy surface, the worn-out daily trainers...but not that much. I just didn't have it. That was my worst performance in quite a while.
In hindsight, sure, I obviously went out too fast - you don't plan for your third mile to be >30 seconds slower than your first mile. But I really don't think I would have done it differently knowing what I knew at the start. Why would I have thought I would run slower in a 5K than in a half marathon? So I don't even know that I really learned anything from the experience other than that my running is a mess right now. I thought that this week showed signs of improvement, but I guess not so much.
I don't think there's really anything else to say about it. I slogged home and felt sad. The end.
Sunday
Yoga
I was mostly over my pity party by morning. And when I was doing yoga, I could actually go all the way down into a full squat, which I haven't been able to do in weeks, so that was something.
Totals
Running: 8h 5m, 49.7 miles
Strength/mobility: 2h 21m
Total: 10h 26m
I did do significantly more this week than previous weeks, so maybe I am getting better but then my body got tripped up a bit by the higher workload. Who knows.
NSAID protocol update
You might remember that last week, I decided to try taking ibuprofen for a week to see if it would help my knee/ankle. I think it actually worked? My ankle is not quite 100% but definitely better, and my knee seems to have pretty much recovered. So I guess if you have persistent - or acute - minor issues, it's worth a try.
Coming up
Probably. We'll see how it all feels.
Attachments
avondale
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2017
- Messages
- 2,016
Someday soon!
Or the time over the week just healed it with the help of a dose of placebo effect? Count me skeptical with an experiment of one.
Sorry to hear about your 5k. Seems like a bad day following a not-so-great week.
Are you thinking about another try? Although you would probably do it soon. I'm thinking of doing a local 5k the weekend of Aug 2/3. Haven't picked a race yet. This is a lot of time to train for it, but I'm going to do a bit of base-building and then I have some vacation in the middle there. It's mostly something to keep me moving this summer when I can't handle the T+D for much more, plus I really should work on some speed.
GollyGadget
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2017
- Messages
- 2,140
Bad runs are the worst. At least you've got plenty of room for improvement for the "real" thing!
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,511
Also possible. However, both issues had been lingering for quite some time, and both improved significantly with the ibuprofen, so I think it's plausible there's something there.
I'm doing a road 5K in the middle of May (Hero Dogs 5K9) and a track 5K at the end of May (Tracksmith Twilight 5000). Hoping I will be better at those.
Doing a local race in early August sounds...rough. 
RuntheMouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2022
- Messages
- 1,394
Sorry your park run didn’t go as you hoped 
but happy to read your running overall is heading towards normal for you!
I have no doubt you’ll run Boston someday!
but happy to read your running overall is heading towards normal for you!I have no doubt you’ll run Boston someday!
jmasgat
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 5,250
So I'm not the only one who has this thought go through my head during training (sometimes on repeat)? Good to know. Sorry the run didn't go as planned. Good to hear that your knees/ankles are improving though.
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,511
April 28 - May 4, 2025
5K training week 6 | 13 days until Hero Dogs 5K9
In which two and a half hours is a long time
Monday
Easy/hill strides: 5.9 miles (9:56), avg. HR 150, max 185, 89% Z1-2
Core
I felt fine. The weather wasn't bad, just a little windy.
Tuesday
Workout: 4 x 1 km @ LTP/1 min RI + 8 min RI + 1 mile AFAP + 5 min RI + 3 x 1 km @ LTP/1 min RI
Total: 11.7 miles, avg. HR 162, max 190
Lower body strength
My warmup was...unusually eventful. First an inattentive driver almost ran me over in a crosswalk because he didn't bother to check for pedestrians at the stop sign, which was fun. Then some guy on a skateboard actually ran me over in a crosswalk after completely ignoring a red light, which was even more fun. (Though given that he went flying and I did not, he probably had less fun than I did. Maybe next time he comes to a red light, he will actually stop.
) So all of that was more drama than I was expecting. In comparison, the actual workout was pretty mundane.
I did a similar workout leading up to Princess and crushed it with a 20-second mile PR. So when I was writing this plan, part of me was definitely hoping for another PR this time around - maybe even sneaking in under 6 minutes. However, six weeks later, given how my running has been going, I was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen. And hey, I was right: Despite running a slightly downhill mile, I was at least 3 seconds slower than last time. (Although somehow the GAP is faster? Which makes no sense, because again, downhill.)
On the bright (?) side, I have now sufficiently lowered my expectations that I thought this workout went reasonably well. "Oh, my pace (GAP) was only 15-20s slower than it was supposed to be? Not bad!"
As with last time, threshold Ks actually felt pretty easy after running a mile flat-out, so I think shifting one to after the time trial was a good move. I did have one km less overall, but I think I'm liking this version of the workout better. It's hard but not completely devastating. It may not have gone perfectly this time, but this might be my favorite workout I've invented.
I did almost the same strength routine as last week because I didn't feel like picking new exercises.
Wednesday
Recovery: 4.9 miles (9:53), avg. HR 146, max 173, 93% Z1-2 (and 7% near-death experiences)
Upper body strength
Another day, another disturbing number of people trying to murder me with their vehicles...
Thursday
Easy/hill strides: 5.9 miles (9:58), avg. HR 152, max 185, 87% Z1-2
Core
I am slowly doing better with the hills.
Friday
Easy/small pickup: 11 miles, avg. HR 159, max 179
Total body strength
It was hottttt. I did a little pickup from mile 7-9. Then I felt tired and slowed down a bit, but my HR barely dropped. It feels like it was just cold like a week ago? Can we have a little more nice weather before we get summer in the swamp again?
My knee maybe did not love the extra-heavy weights in the squats and lunges. It was a good new routine though.
Saturday
Long: 15.2 miles (9:53), avg. HR 152, max 162, 95% Z1-2
Whew! That was my longest run in a while. My legs and feet were kind of dead by the end (though not, happily, in an injury sort of way). But it's good that I can still do the really long runs (2.5+ hours).
It was hot again, but at least I had some cloud cover for most of the run.
Sunday
Off
I did some extra stretching because my body was tired. And took a nap.
Totals
Running: 8h 43m, 54.66 miles
Strength/mobility: 1h 47m
Total: 10h 31m
My biggest week in terms of volume and the only week over 50 miles in this training block. (I was supposed to have another one in week 2, but instead I decided to crunch my knee.
)
Coming up
I originally had a different workout planned, but I decided I didn't like it and went back to one that I missed when I was waiting for my knee to be fixed.
5K training week 6 | 13 days until Hero Dogs 5K9
In which two and a half hours is a long time
Monday
Easy/hill strides: 5.9 miles (9:56), avg. HR 150, max 185, 89% Z1-2
Core
I felt fine. The weather wasn't bad, just a little windy.
Tuesday
Workout: 4 x 1 km @ LTP/1 min RI + 8 min RI + 1 mile AFAP + 5 min RI + 3 x 1 km @ LTP/1 min RI
Total: 11.7 miles, avg. HR 162, max 190
Lower body strength
My warmup was...unusually eventful. First an inattentive driver almost ran me over in a crosswalk because he didn't bother to check for pedestrians at the stop sign, which was fun. Then some guy on a skateboard actually ran me over in a crosswalk after completely ignoring a red light, which was even more fun. (Though given that he went flying and I did not, he probably had less fun than I did. Maybe next time he comes to a red light, he will actually stop.
) So all of that was more drama than I was expecting. In comparison, the actual workout was pretty mundane.I did a similar workout leading up to Princess and crushed it with a 20-second mile PR. So when I was writing this plan, part of me was definitely hoping for another PR this time around - maybe even sneaking in under 6 minutes. However, six weeks later, given how my running has been going, I was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen. And hey, I was right: Despite running a slightly downhill mile, I was at least 3 seconds slower than last time. (Although somehow the GAP is faster? Which makes no sense, because again, downhill.)
On the bright (?) side, I have now sufficiently lowered my expectations that I thought this workout went reasonably well. "Oh, my pace (GAP) was only 15-20s slower than it was supposed to be? Not bad!"
As with last time, threshold Ks actually felt pretty easy after running a mile flat-out, so I think shifting one to after the time trial was a good move. I did have one km less overall, but I think I'm liking this version of the workout better. It's hard but not completely devastating. It may not have gone perfectly this time, but this might be my favorite workout I've invented.
I did almost the same strength routine as last week because I didn't feel like picking new exercises.
Wednesday
Recovery: 4.9 miles (9:53), avg. HR 146, max 173, 93% Z1-2 (and 7% near-death experiences)
Upper body strength
Another day, another disturbing number of people trying to murder me with their vehicles...
Thursday
Easy/hill strides: 5.9 miles (9:58), avg. HR 152, max 185, 87% Z1-2
Core
I am slowly doing better with the hills.
Friday
Easy/small pickup: 11 miles, avg. HR 159, max 179
Total body strength
It was hottttt. I did a little pickup from mile 7-9. Then I felt tired and slowed down a bit, but my HR barely dropped. It feels like it was just cold like a week ago? Can we have a little more nice weather before we get summer in the swamp again?
My knee maybe did not love the extra-heavy weights in the squats and lunges. It was a good new routine though.
Saturday
Long: 15.2 miles (9:53), avg. HR 152, max 162, 95% Z1-2
Whew! That was my longest run in a while. My legs and feet were kind of dead by the end (though not, happily, in an injury sort of way). But it's good that I can still do the really long runs (2.5+ hours).
It was hot again, but at least I had some cloud cover for most of the run.
Sunday
Off
I did some extra stretching because my body was tired. And took a nap.
Totals
Running: 8h 43m, 54.66 miles
Strength/mobility: 1h 47m
Total: 10h 31m
My biggest week in terms of volume and the only week over 50 miles in this training block. (I was supposed to have another one in week 2, but instead I decided to crunch my knee.
)Coming up
I originally had a different workout planned, but I decided I didn't like it and went back to one that I missed when I was waiting for my knee to be fixed.
col1
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2010
- Messages
- 373
Wow….. this type of thing is happening more and more, it’s getting dangerous outMy warmup was...unusually eventful. First an inattentive driver almost ran me over in a crosswalk because he didn't bother to check for pedestrians at the stop sign, which was fun. Then some guy on a skateboard actually ran me over in a crosswalk after completely ignoring a red light, which was even more fun. (Though given that he went flying and I did not, he probably had less fun than I did. Maybe next time he comes to a red light, he will actually stop.
there !! Glad you came out of it safely.
avondale
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2017
- Messages
- 2,016
Sorry about all the close traffic encounters. Was the skateboard one of the electric-powered ones (rather than the old-fashioned foot powered ones)? The electric scooters and skateboards and other devices are a huge hazard on campus now.
No kidding. It seems like we always by-pass the 60s and 70s F days in spring and go right to 80+ F.
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,511
I think it was just a regular skateboard, though it was not at the forefront of my attention at the time.
I agree with you about the ebike/scooter epidemic, though!
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,511
May 5 - 11, 2025
5K training week 7 | 6 days until Hero Dogs 5K9
In which allergy season is upon us
Monday
Easy/strides: 6.9 miles (9:02), avg. HR 152, max 183, 83% Z1-2
Core
Late Sunday afternoon, my knee started to get cranky again, and it depressed me. I didn't even run on Sunday! I didn't do anything to it! Why do you have to hurt me this way, body??
Anyway, it was still a little off in the morning, but I put some heat on it and that seemed to help. Happily, when I went out I didn't feel it at all.
Actually, I felt pretty good. I tried to cultivate a slight forward lean, and it apparently made me quite a bit faster. I did also feel like I was working harder, which I think is typical for any time you're thinking about your form, but my speed increased more than my effort, so still a win. I will keep working on it - hopefully the effort will drop while the speed sticks around!
Tuesday
Workout: 4 x 3 min @ 3KP/3 min RI + 6 x 30s @ 1MP/1 min RI + 1.5 mile @ MP
8.3 miles, avg. HR 162, max 189
Lower body strength
All of my paces are just vibes at this point. However, 3 minutes of 3K vibes is still really hard. In comparison, the 30s intervals seemed super easy - those are basically just strides with a shorter recovery. Maybe next time I should bump those up a bit.
It rained a bit on Monday, so I had to tiptoe around some leftover muddy patches so I wouldn't die (see 3K interval #2 and 1M interval #3). Otherwise, conditions were decent, although I was still drenched by the time I got home. Speed work is sweaty work.
Sadly, my headphones died while I was out there. I meant to charge them in the morning before I left, but I forgot. They did last me through almost the whole workout part, though, so it wasn't that bad.
Afterwards, I only had time for a short strength workout, so just a handful of exercises. Plus the very top of my left calf was feeling some kind of way, which was a little limiting. I am longing for a moment in the future where none of my body parts are complaining at me. (Downside, at this point I think that might just mean I'm dead.)
Wednesday
Recovery: 5.2 miles (10:26), avg. HR 145, max 159, 99% Z1-2
Upper body strength
Usually I have established routes that I follow, but for this one I just sort of meandered with the traffic signals, which was kind of fun. It was a bit hillier than I was expecting, though. My calf felt okay but still a little sore.
While I was pretty much fine in the morning, later I felt super tired. I kind of half-a$$ed my strength training and then just sat on the couch for a while.
Thursday
Easy/hill strides: 6 miles (9:29), avg. HR 154, max 183, 80% Z1-2
Core
I was still kind of tired, and my calf was still kind of sore. I didn't really want to run, but I managed to get out the door before I had time to think about it too much. I felt fine while I was running - I think I was working a little harder than I probably should have, but I wanted to be done faster. Which is silly since I wasn't running a particular distance, but there it is.
Friday
Easy/strides: 7.3 miles (9:06), avg. HR 151, max 177, 92% Z1-2
Once again, I felt tired and didn't really want to run. I put it off for a while but eventually managed to get my butt out the door. It went fine; I'm just feeling a bit run-down this week. My calf felt mostly better, though it did ache more after the run.
I did push off my strength training to Saturday, which I figured was fine since 9 or 10 miles is like, barely a long run.
Also, this run is missing ~0.1 miles because my watch didn't start on the first try.
Saturday
Long-ish: 9.3 miles (9:34), avg. HR 152, max 170
Total body strength
I didn't necessarily want to do an actual workout in my "long" run, but I kind of wanted to do something a little more than easy. So I went on a hilly route and did a run which one of my podcasts calls "no uphill left behind." Basically it's just an easy run, except when you're going uphill, you press a little. It's definitely not hill sprints, and not even threshold hills. Just not slowing down as much as you'd normally have to to stay "easy."
So that felt pretty good, and my calf didn't hurt at all. But never fear: after the run, my knee and my right soleus were both weirdly achy. Because I couldn't possibly have a day when everything is just fine.
I still did some strength training, but cautiously.
Sunday
Yoga
I have finally finished with Flow, so now I have to actually choose videos rather than just doing the next one in the series. This looks like:
scroll...scroll...nope, too much work...not doing strength...scroll...ha, gentle restorative yoga! I'll take it.
Totals
Running: 6h 42m, 43.2 miles
Strength/mobility: 1h 45m
Total: 8h 28m
Coming up
Well, ready or not, it's race week. I might take Thursday off. Depends how I feel. Either way, I'm pretty sure I can do better than the 22:33 I ran a few weeks ago, but that's not saying much. At the other end, the 20:08 that my HM theoretically predicted also seems unlikely. Strava's new performance predictor thinks I can run a 20:30, which I would not be mad about. As it's new, though, I have no concept of how accurate it is, so I'm not putting too much stock in it.
The course is reasonably flat, though it appears to have numerous sharp turns. Here is the...interesting...official map:
It looks like conditions will be on the warm side (68-73º is the current forecast at race start, depending where you look), so I don't necessarily have super high expectations. Really I would just like to (a) run faster than I did in the half and (b) not completely blow up. Is that too much to ask??
5K training week 7 | 6 days until Hero Dogs 5K9
In which allergy season is upon us
Monday
Easy/strides: 6.9 miles (9:02), avg. HR 152, max 183, 83% Z1-2
Core
Late Sunday afternoon, my knee started to get cranky again, and it depressed me. I didn't even run on Sunday! I didn't do anything to it! Why do you have to hurt me this way, body??
Anyway, it was still a little off in the morning, but I put some heat on it and that seemed to help. Happily, when I went out I didn't feel it at all.
Actually, I felt pretty good. I tried to cultivate a slight forward lean, and it apparently made me quite a bit faster. I did also feel like I was working harder, which I think is typical for any time you're thinking about your form, but my speed increased more than my effort, so still a win. I will keep working on it - hopefully the effort will drop while the speed sticks around!
Tuesday
Workout: 4 x 3 min @ 3KP/3 min RI + 6 x 30s @ 1MP/1 min RI + 1.5 mile @ MP
8.3 miles, avg. HR 162, max 189
Lower body strength
All of my paces are just vibes at this point. However, 3 minutes of 3K vibes is still really hard. In comparison, the 30s intervals seemed super easy - those are basically just strides with a shorter recovery. Maybe next time I should bump those up a bit.
It rained a bit on Monday, so I had to tiptoe around some leftover muddy patches so I wouldn't die (see 3K interval #2 and 1M interval #3). Otherwise, conditions were decent, although I was still drenched by the time I got home. Speed work is sweaty work.
Sadly, my headphones died while I was out there. I meant to charge them in the morning before I left, but I forgot. They did last me through almost the whole workout part, though, so it wasn't that bad.
Afterwards, I only had time for a short strength workout, so just a handful of exercises. Plus the very top of my left calf was feeling some kind of way, which was a little limiting. I am longing for a moment in the future where none of my body parts are complaining at me. (Downside, at this point I think that might just mean I'm dead.
)Wednesday
Recovery: 5.2 miles (10:26), avg. HR 145, max 159, 99% Z1-2
Upper body strength
Usually I have established routes that I follow, but for this one I just sort of meandered with the traffic signals, which was kind of fun. It was a bit hillier than I was expecting, though. My calf felt okay but still a little sore.
While I was pretty much fine in the morning, later I felt super tired. I kind of half-a$$ed my strength training and then just sat on the couch for a while.
Thursday
Easy/hill strides: 6 miles (9:29), avg. HR 154, max 183, 80% Z1-2
Core
I was still kind of tired, and my calf was still kind of sore. I didn't really want to run, but I managed to get out the door before I had time to think about it too much. I felt fine while I was running - I think I was working a little harder than I probably should have, but I wanted to be done faster. Which is silly since I wasn't running a particular distance, but there it is.
Friday
Easy/strides: 7.3 miles (9:06), avg. HR 151, max 177, 92% Z1-2
Once again, I felt tired and didn't really want to run. I put it off for a while but eventually managed to get my butt out the door. It went fine; I'm just feeling a bit run-down this week. My calf felt mostly better, though it did ache more after the run.
I did push off my strength training to Saturday, which I figured was fine since 9 or 10 miles is like, barely a long run.
Also, this run is missing ~0.1 miles because my watch didn't start on the first try.
Saturday
Long-ish: 9.3 miles (9:34), avg. HR 152, max 170
Total body strength
I didn't necessarily want to do an actual workout in my "long" run, but I kind of wanted to do something a little more than easy. So I went on a hilly route and did a run which one of my podcasts calls "no uphill left behind." Basically it's just an easy run, except when you're going uphill, you press a little. It's definitely not hill sprints, and not even threshold hills. Just not slowing down as much as you'd normally have to to stay "easy."
So that felt pretty good, and my calf didn't hurt at all. But never fear: after the run, my knee and my right soleus were both weirdly achy. Because I couldn't possibly have a day when everything is just fine.
I still did some strength training, but cautiously.Sunday
Yoga
I have finally finished with Flow, so now I have to actually choose videos rather than just doing the next one in the series. This looks like:
scroll...scroll...nope, too much work...not doing strength...scroll...ha, gentle restorative yoga! I'll take it.
Totals
Running: 6h 42m, 43.2 miles
Strength/mobility: 1h 45m
Total: 8h 28m
Coming up
Well, ready or not, it's race week. I might take Thursday off. Depends how I feel. Either way, I'm pretty sure I can do better than the 22:33 I ran a few weeks ago, but that's not saying much. At the other end, the 20:08 that my HM theoretically predicted also seems unlikely. Strava's new performance predictor thinks I can run a 20:30, which I would not be mad about. As it's new, though, I have no concept of how accurate it is, so I'm not putting too much stock in it.
The course is reasonably flat, though it appears to have numerous sharp turns. Here is the...interesting...official map:
It looks like conditions will be on the warm side (68-73º is the current forecast at race start, depending where you look), so I don't necessarily have super high expectations. Really I would just like to (a) run faster than I did in the half and (b) not completely blow up. Is that too much to ask??
col1
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2010
- Messages
- 373
Sorry to hear about the ongoing pain issues hope the clear up soonMay 5 - 11, 2025
5K training week 7 | 6 days until Hero Dogs 5K9
In which allergy season is upon us
View attachment 964365
Monday
Easy/strides: 6.9 miles (9:02), avg. HR 152, max 183, 83% Z1-2
Core
Late Sunday afternoon, my knee started to get cranky again, and it depressed me. I didn't even run on Sunday! I didn't do anything to it! Why do you have to hurt me this way, body??
Anyway, it was still a little off in the morning, but I put some heat on it and that seemed to help. Happily, when I went out I didn't feel it at all.
Actually, I felt pretty good. I tried to cultivate a slight forward lean, and it apparently made me quite a bit faster. I did also feel like I was working harder, which I think is typical for any time you're thinking about your form, but my speed increased more than my effort, so still a win. I will keep working on it - hopefully the effort will drop while the speed sticks around!
Tuesday
Workout: 4 x 3 min @ 3KP/3 min RI + 6 x 30s @ 1MP/1 min RI + 1.5 mile @ MP
8.3 miles, avg. HR 162, max 189
Lower body strength
View attachment 964367
View attachment 964368
All of my paces are just vibes at this point. However, 3 minutes of 3K vibes is still really hard. In comparison, the 30s intervals seemed super easy - those are basically just strides with a shorter recovery. Maybe next time I should bump those up a bit.
It rained a bit on Monday, so I had to tiptoe around some leftover muddy patches so I wouldn't die (see 3K interval #2 and 1M interval #3). Otherwise, conditions were decent, although I was still drenched by the time I got home. Speed work is sweaty work.
Sadly, my headphones died while I was out there. I meant to charge them in the morning before I left, but I forgot. They did last me through almost the whole workout part, though, so it wasn't that bad.
Afterwards, I only had time for a short strength workout, so just a handful of exercises. Plus the very top of my left calf was feeling some kind of way, which was a little limiting. I am longing for a moment in the future where none of my body parts are complaining at me. (Downside, at this point I think that might just mean I'm dead.
View attachment 964370
Wednesday
Recovery: 5.2 miles (10:26), avg. HR 145, max 159, 99% Z1-2
Upper body strength
Usually I have established routes that I follow, but for this one I just sort of meandered with the traffic signals, which was kind of fun. It was a bit hillier than I was expecting, though. My calf felt okay but still a little sore.
While I was pretty much fine in the morning, later I felt super tired. I kind of half-a$$ed my strength training and then just sat on the couch for a while.
Thursday
Easy/hill strides: 6 miles (9:29), avg. HR 154, max 183, 80% Z1-2
Core
I was still kind of tired, and my calf was still kind of sore. I didn't really want to run, but I managed to get out the door before I had time to think about it too much. I felt fine while I was running - I think I was working a little harder than I probably should have, but I wanted to be done faster. Which is silly since I wasn't running a particular distance, but there it is.
Friday
Easy/strides: 7.3 miles (9:06), avg. HR 151, max 177, 92% Z1-2
Once again, I felt tired and didn't really want to run. I put it off for a while but eventually managed to get my butt out the door. It went fine; I'm just feeling a bit run-down this week. My calf felt mostly better, though it did ache more after the run.
I did push off my strength training to Saturday, which I figured was fine since 9 or 10 miles is like, barely a long run.
Also, this run is missing ~0.1 miles because my watch didn't start on the first try.
Saturday
Long-ish: 9.3 miles (9:34), avg. HR 152, max 170
Total body strength
I didn't necessarily want to do an actual workout in my "long" run, but I kind of wanted to do something a little more than easy. So I went on a hilly route and did a run which one of my podcasts calls "no uphill left behind." Basically it's just an easy run, except when you're going uphill, you press a little. It's definitely not hill sprints, and not even threshold hills. Just not slowing down as much as you'd normally have to to stay "easy."
So that felt pretty good, and my calf didn't hurt at all. But never fear: after the run, my knee and my right soleus were both weirdly achy. Because I couldn't possibly have a day when everything is just fine.
Sunday
Yoga
I have finally finished with Flow, so now I have to actually choose videos rather than just doing the next one in the series. This looks like:
scroll...scroll...nope, too much work...not doing strength...scroll...ha, gentle restorative yoga! I'll take it.
Totals
Running: 6h 42m, 43.2 miles
Strength/mobility: 1h 45m
Total: 8h 28m
View attachment 964464
Coming up
View attachment 964375
Well, ready or not, it's race week. I might take Thursday off. Depends how I feel. Either way, I'm pretty sure I can do better than the 22:33 I ran a few weeks ago, but that's not saying much. At the other end, the 20:08 that my HM theoretically predicted also seems unlikely. Strava's new performance predictor thinks I can run a 20:30, which I would not be mad about. As it's new, though, I have no concept of how accurate it is, so I'm not putting too much stock in it.
The course is reasonably flat, though it appears to have numerous sharp turns. Here is the...interesting...official map:
View attachment 964380
It looks like conditions will be on the warm side (68-73º is the current forecast at race start, depending where you look), so I don't necessarily have super high expectations. Really I would just like to (a) run faster than I did in the half and (b) not completely blow up. Is that too much to ask??
I think that hand drawn race map is awesome
For what it’s worth I think your expectations are entirely reasonable good luck with the race.
jmasgat
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 5,250
I am longing for a moment in the future where none of my body parts are complaining at me. (Downside, at this point I think that might just mean I'm dead.
Yeah, it may be a long longing! Seriously, hope things settle down soon. The most head-shaking annoying aches and pains are the ones that come out of nowhere for no apparent reason. I don't think I've ever had the same running "injury" or injury (for real) twice.
And the course map....I've seen other USATF maps that look very similar. Makes you wonder what exactly you have to submit. But for jollies....here's a link to Boston (which of course does not fit on one page!) God forbid Hopkinton ever decides to move "WWI statue with concrete base"!
https://certifiedroadraces.com/certificate/?type=m&id=1100
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,511
That's definitely not what I would have expected!
WillRunForPizza
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 20, 2022
- Messages
- 1,511
Race recap: Hero Dogs 5K9
May 17, 2025 | Washington, DC
In which sometimes winning is the consolation prize
How is it that every time I want to race a 5K, it's the warmest day of at least the week? This does not seem like a fair system. At least it was cloudy. Though if having to deal with warm and humid 5Ks got me nicer weather for longer races, I would take that.
I signed up for this race because the timing seemed good for after Princess and because it was dog-themed.
The organization that runs it provides service dogs for veterans and first responders with disabilities locally. The race was open to service dogs and service dogs-in-training also, so there were lots of adorable pups there!
Some very good dogs!
The race started at 8 a.m. in the Congressional Cemetery. (Is that kind of weird? Yup! But it's actually a pretty regular 5K route around here.) The first Metro train doesn't come to my station until ~7:30, so I opted to bike there. I tried to bike slowly, but there's one big hill on the way that made my legs burn. I got there around 7:15 and met my friends to pick up our bibs in the chapel. (Yes, I had friends this time! That never happens.) Then I said goodbye to my friends so I could go warm up.
Since I had just spent half an hour biking over, I only did about a 10-minute jog with a couple of strides. My muscles were already warm; I just needed my legs to remember what running felt like. I also had a Precision caff gel for maximum speed capacity. I stopped back at the chapel afterwards to change into my race shoes.
After that, we headed for the start line. I think there were about a hundred people there, and for once, nobody wanted to be right at the front. I found a spot near the starting line, and my friends headed for the back as some of them were walking and the others hadn't really trained much. First, they sent off the 1K fun runners - just a handful of people. Then, we were off!
It looks like I'm in first overall! (I am not.) It also looks like I'm a forefoot striker! (Maybe?) And like I have arm muscles! (That one is true.)
The course started with a loop around the cemetery before heading over to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. It was all paved except for a little bit of mulch transitioning between the cemetery and the trail. The leaders sorted themselves out pretty quickly. Early on, I was the second female, but as the first female appeared to be about 10, I figured this would not be an issue. I passed her before we got to the first mile marker (though I saw her finish in a decent time, so she didn't completely lose it! 
5K pacing is hard.) There were a couple of men not too far ahead of me, Nats Fan and Tiny Backpack. I selected them as my next targets.
After a fairly quick first mile (mine came in at 6:56), Nats Fan looked like he was flagging, and I smelled blood in the water.
I passed him and kept on going. Tiny Backpack was still ahead.
I slowly gained ground on Tiny Backpack. I was keeping an eye on my watch as well, and things were looking decent. My pace was getting just a little bit faster, and my HR and effort still seemed pretty good for a 5K. We passed the one small water station and I grabbed a cup and dumped it over my head. It was hot out. Shortly after that, I caught up with Tiny Backpack and went right by him.
We reached the turnaround a little after mile 2 (6:47), with a volunteer reminding us that we should NOT keep going. The race organizers did an excellent job in this regard: every time we came to a spot where we had to turn or it wasn't clear where we were supposed to go, there was a volunteer telling us what to do. 10/10, no notes.
There were only a couple of men left ahead of me, but by the time I turned around, they were well out of sight, so I had to just keep pushing as hard as I could on my own. I was pretty sure I was safely in first, but I really wanted to run faster than I did in the Princess Half and also not fall apart in the last mile, so I had to keep working.
I started checking my watch more often to try to make the fractions of a mile go by faster (did not work). Finally with about 0.3 miles to go, I made a right back into the cemetery. A short run to the corner, and then I turned left and I could see the finish! So close, and yet so far. (Mile 3! 6:37) Everything hurt, but I tried to push my head forward so I wouldn't be leaning back, pumped my arms, and ran as fast as I could. I finally crossed the line in 21:23.
At the finish line, I got a medal, a granola bar, and a bottle of water. Nats Fan and Tiny Backpack both came over to congratulate me once they finished.
After I caught my breath, I headed back to the chapel to change shoes and do a quick cool-down. My knee was a bit cranky, but otherwise I felt okay (if tired).
My friends finished in about 55 minutes, which is a pretty solid walking pace. The race didn't really have an awards ceremony, but they did announce the winners. My friends cheered obnoxiously, which is really what friends are for. I supposedly won a gift card (haven't actually received it yet), which is not nothing! Then we went out for bagels.
Finished!
Some random post-race thoughts:
See? I am sure I was not slowest in the last 0.1 miles (even though it was slightly uphill). Also, check out that HR increase!
The only issue I had with this race is that somehow the results disappeared for a while afterwards, which was weird. They're back up now, at least. Regardless, I would definitely consider doing this race again. The course was pretty good, and the organizers did a great job besides the glitch with the results page. And there are dogs.
Speaking of which, would the race recap be complete without post-race dog photos?
Me: Let's take a post-race photo together! Look, you can wear my medal, 'cause it has a dog on it!
Dog: WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME??
It's okay, I made it up to him by giving him half of my banana.
May 17, 2025 | Washington, DC
In which sometimes winning is the consolation prize
How is it that every time I want to race a 5K, it's the warmest day of at least the week? This does not seem like a fair system. At least it was cloudy. Though if having to deal with warm and humid 5Ks got me nicer weather for longer races, I would take that.
I signed up for this race because the timing seemed good for after Princess and because it was dog-themed.
The organization that runs it provides service dogs for veterans and first responders with disabilities locally. The race was open to service dogs and service dogs-in-training also, so there were lots of adorable pups there!Some very good dogs!
The race started at 8 a.m. in the Congressional Cemetery. (Is that kind of weird? Yup! But it's actually a pretty regular 5K route around here.
) The first Metro train doesn't come to my station until ~7:30, so I opted to bike there. I tried to bike slowly, but there's one big hill on the way that made my legs burn. I got there around 7:15 and met my friends to pick up our bibs in the chapel. (Yes, I had friends this time! That never happens.) Then I said goodbye to my friends so I could go warm up. Since I had just spent half an hour biking over, I only did about a 10-minute jog with a couple of strides. My muscles were already warm; I just needed my legs to remember what running felt like. I also had a Precision caff gel for maximum speed capacity. I stopped back at the chapel afterwards to change into my race shoes.
After that, we headed for the start line. I think there were about a hundred people there, and for once, nobody wanted to be right at the front.
I found a spot near the starting line, and my friends headed for the back as some of them were walking and the others hadn't really trained much. First, they sent off the 1K fun runners - just a handful of people. Then, we were off!It looks like I'm in first overall! (I am not.) It also looks like I'm a forefoot striker! (Maybe?) And like I have arm muscles! (That one is true.
)The course started with a loop around the cemetery before heading over to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. It was all paved except for a little bit of mulch transitioning between the cemetery and the trail. The leaders sorted themselves out pretty quickly. Early on, I was the second female, but as the first female appeared to be about 10, I figured this would not be an issue.
I passed her before we got to the first mile marker (though I saw her finish in a decent time, so she didn't completely lose it! 5K pacing is hard.) There were a couple of men not too far ahead of me, Nats Fan and Tiny Backpack. I selected them as my next targets.After a fairly quick first mile (mine came in at 6:56), Nats Fan looked like he was flagging, and I smelled blood in the water.
I passed him and kept on going. Tiny Backpack was still ahead.I slowly gained ground on Tiny Backpack. I was keeping an eye on my watch as well, and things were looking decent. My pace was getting just a little bit faster, and my HR and effort still seemed pretty good for a 5K. We passed the one small water station and I grabbed a cup and dumped it over my head. It was hot out. Shortly after that, I caught up with Tiny Backpack and went right by him.
We reached the turnaround a little after mile 2 (6:47), with a volunteer reminding us that we should NOT keep going.
The race organizers did an excellent job in this regard: every time we came to a spot where we had to turn or it wasn't clear where we were supposed to go, there was a volunteer telling us what to do. 10/10, no notes.There were only a couple of men left ahead of me, but by the time I turned around, they were well out of sight, so I had to just keep pushing as hard as I could on my own. I was pretty sure I was safely in first, but I really wanted to run faster than I did in the Princess Half and also not fall apart in the last mile, so I had to keep working.
I started checking my watch more often to try to make the fractions of a mile go by faster (did not work). Finally with about 0.3 miles to go, I made a right back into the cemetery. A short run to the corner, and then I turned left and I could see the finish! So close, and yet so far. (Mile 3! 6:37) Everything hurt, but I tried to push my head forward so I wouldn't be leaning back, pumped my arms, and ran as fast as I could. I finally crossed the line in 21:23.
At the finish line, I got a medal, a granola bar, and a bottle of water. Nats Fan and Tiny Backpack both came over to congratulate me once they finished.
After I caught my breath, I headed back to the chapel to change shoes and do a quick cool-down. My knee was a bit cranky, but otherwise I felt okay (if tired).My friends finished in about 55 minutes, which is a pretty solid walking pace. The race didn't really have an awards ceremony, but they did announce the winners. My friends cheered obnoxiously, which is really what friends are for.
I supposedly won a gift card (haven't actually received it yet), which is not nothing! Then we went out for bagels.Finished!
Some random post-race thoughts:
- I feel like I still kind of underperformed, which was a little disappointing, but also I won, so
- However, I'm gonna say this is the equivalent of like a 20:55 because it was warm.
- Maybe you just need to blow up in a 5K once a season to run a decent 5K later?
- I have now fully achieved 2025 goal #2 with an official average pace of 6:52.
- Negative splitting a race is, as always, a much more pleasant experience than positive splitting.
- But! 5Ks are still so, so painful.
- I figured out why my last 0.X miles always looks slow! It takes me a few seconds to stop my watch, and then that gets counted in the time and messes up my average pace.
See? I am sure I was not slowest in the last 0.1 miles (even though it was slightly uphill). Also, check out that HR increase!
The only issue I had with this race is that somehow the results disappeared for a while afterwards, which was weird. They're back up now, at least. Regardless, I would definitely consider doing this race again. The course was pretty good, and the organizers did a great job besides the glitch with the results page. And there are dogs.
Speaking of which, would the race recap be complete without post-race dog photos?
Me: Let's take a post-race photo together! Look, you can wear my medal, 'cause it has a dog on it!
Dog: WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME??
It's okay, I made it up to him by giving him half of my banana.
Last edited:
jmasgat
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 14, 2006
- Messages
- 5,250
Fantastic result! You definitely need new goals for the rest of the year---because, ya know, ya can't just slack off! 
Hope your gift card is good. I got one once for AG win at my local running shoe store (Hanson's--it was their race) and that was definitely useful.
Hope your gift card is good. I got one once for AG win at my local running shoe store (Hanson's--it was their race) and that was definitely useful.
RuntheMouse
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2022
- Messages
- 1,394
Congratulations on a great race and winning! How amazing to have friends there to celebrate with you!
-
See the Disneyland 70th Highlights With planDisney Panelists
-
New Monsters, Inc. Land Concept Art Now at Disney's Hollywood Studios
-
Plaza de la Familia, Halloween Dining, & Fall Festivities Return to Disneyland in 2025
-
FIRST LOOK: Mickey & Minnie's Halloween Time Costumes Revealed for Disneyland
-
Dates & Ticket Prices Revealed for 2025 Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland Resort
-
Disney Summer Series: Best Disney World Attractions in the Height of Heat
-
Does EPCOT's World Showcase Need More Rides?
Save Up to 30% on Rooms at Walt Disney World!
Save up to 30% on rooms at select Disney Resorts Collection hotels when you stay 5 consecutive nights or longer in late summer and early fall. Plus, enjoy other savings for shorter stays.This offer is valid for stays most nights from August 1 to October 11, 2025.
CLICK HERE
