Tomorrow I will be running race number 2 in my 14 in 2014 challenge. In a way, I guess I am actually doing race number 2 and race number 3. This is because I am for the first time ever running two races at one event. Last spring I did 2 races during one weekend, completing the Saturday 5k and the Sunday Half Marathon at Ottawa Race Weekend. But tomorrow I have two runs to complete over the course of one morning.
I registered a little while back for the 5k race, deciding that since it had been a year and a half since I had seriously raced my least favourite distance, I should probably get out there and try one again. I am really not a 5k runner, in fact I usually only enjoy running sometime after I pass the 5k marker. But last year’s marathon training slowed my running down so much that I figured a little race pressure wouldn’t hurt my attempt to pick up a bit of speed again, relatively speaking of course.
After registering, a friend contacted me to see if I wanted to take her place in the 8 Person Marathon Relay. Once I figured out that the logistics could work I thought why not? So tomorrow at 8:30 I will run my 5k, then take a break for a while before running another 5.3km as part of a team. I doubt if I will match, much less beat my time in my previous, and only, Winterman run. Two years ago I did the 5k distance at this race in 27:11. It was my third time running in a race, ignoring the times I had run with my kids and the times I entered races as a Nordic Walker. At the time it was my personal best for the distance, though one more attempt gave me a time of 26:12. Any subsequent races at this distance have been done with my kids, so it has been a year and a half since I have put in an honest attempt to run the 5k. Realistically my time will probably start with a 28 tomorrow; a 27 would definitely surprise me. Ultimately I know this distance is really not my thing, but I definitely see the value in working on it after not bothering for such a long time.
What does strike me right now is how far I have come. I am, and will always be an average runner. But two years ago on this weekend I was heading into my third race. I think if I count only the races I have run for me (no kids in tow), tomorrow will be number 23, or I guess 23 and 24.
Two years ago I was only beginning to contemplate running a 10k race. A quick check shows that I have now done one 8k, five 10k’s, one 18k, 8 half marathons and a full marathon.
Two years ago I really did not yet have a sense of how just much running was going to take over my life. I am quite sure at that time I did not even consider myself to be a runner. I just knew I was kind of enjoying a new challenge, but I was also quite sure I wouldn’t be one of those crazy people who liked hitting distances in double digits beyond the 10k mark. My, times have changed 🙂
You’ve been in more races than I have! And I’ve been at this for a little over THREE years now!!!
You’ve also inspired me to race a 5 km. Maybe. Just like you I am not a 5 km runner. The distance scares the beegeebees out of me.
Good luck tomorrow!
Do you think I qualify as a race addict?
There is something about the 5k distance that scares me too. Perhaps the fact that it is the distance most likely to make me feel like I want to throw up?
Congratulations on all you’ve accomplished Kristi! Way to go!!!! 🙂
Good luck today – wish I was racing today. I haven’t been able to do this race in years/since Max.
You have pretty good times for a 5K for someone who doesn’t really enjoy the race 🙂 . I love the 5K but half and full marathon training means (like you) I will be slowing it down this year – especially for the marathon. I bet you get in the 27 minute range today 🙂
I was amazed how much slower I became training for the marathon. I opted not to do any speedwork in that time, just wanted to be able to go there and run it comfortably without injury. Now I am paying for it, trying to get my pace to be a little faster. At the moment I can’t even imagine running a half marathon at a 5:45 pace, which is what I did in NY last spring. But it is coming, and you were right, I managed to get in under the 28 minute mark today 🙂
For me it will be an experiment playing around with the training schedules that Running Room and the one coach that has made a training plan have created. The only time I ran a half (Army Run 2012) I didn’t train as much as I needed to – only getting to about 17 KM in long runs. Although I finished the race in under 2:30 – at exactly 17K, I felt my body just starting to shut down. I started creeping up to the 7:00+ KM’s and stayed there for KM 17-21. Looking at my Running Room plan – I only get up to 20KM once and at 6:34 (at the most) pace. I really struggled the other day taking it easy for a long run – only KM 1 was over 6:30 – the rest all under. I think if I keep going I will have the ability to hold on to the 5:41ish time needed to go sub-2:00, but I don’t know….But like you – I don’t want to get injured.
Funny enough speed work in one thing I have no problem getting done thanks to coaching. I had to yell at my coach-friend who joked around saying “that’s your 1000m pace?” by telling him I had to take it easy 😉
WOO Sub-28!!!
You are much better than me with the speed training.
I do actually kind of like hill training and I have found one heck of a hill to train on out in this end, so maybe working on that will indirectly help with my speed.