Kinda a Cheat Run

While I'm technically on Week 4 of my 6 Week plan, I decided to do a run from a different week. The thing is my options from Week 4 were a 35-minute recovery, a hill workout, a 20-minute recovery, or a 5mi long run. I knew I wasn't going to do the hill workout because honestly, I rarely do those runs plus I have no hills nearby. I didn't want to do the 20-minute run because it felt too short. I definitely wasn't doing my 5mi long run yet because that's a later in the week thing that I need to mentally prepare myself for (it's 1.4mi longer than my most recent long run). I could've done the 35 minutes, however sometimes a timed run is a little annoying.

So, I decided to go back to Week 2 where I had skipped the 5K long run. I have really only done one other distance-based run since training again but sometimes I absolutely love them and sometimes I do not. Today I was in the mood for it because I ran the same distance yesterday, but for a time-based run, so I knew my route and knew I could do it. The biggest upside with a distance run is, the faster you run, the quicker it's done!! I understand why NRC only includes distance-based runs for the long runs, because realistically recovery runs are what will make you a better, more even-keeled runner. However, I love a distance run.

I started off the 5K feeling fantastic. Completely different feeling than yesterday. I usually feel sluggish for at least the first 10-minutes, but I think just knowing that it was distance-based got my legs and body moving a little faster. I could tell I was probably going faster than I was supposed to, but I went with it. It ended up being the same style run as system where Coach Bennett asks you questions, and you're supposed to "finish the line." That's pretty entertaining.

I felt pretty good throughout the run - however, there is a difference for me between feeling good and objectively being a good runner. I technically was still running faster than I should as this was supposed to be a recovery-style run. Also, I did feel like I was going to be sick right around 2.8mi but that was more because I decided to drink a Fresca RIGHT before heading out. Anyway, it was a great run. I listened to a "Pop" mix from Spotify which was perfect because I was trying to run a little faster and liked the energy of the music. When I was finishing up, I realized I kinda bothered my pelvis or hip flexor, unsure which. So, after the run, I did have a little limp going for me unfortunately. But it went away pretty quick, and I'll stretch this week to ensure it doesn't happen it again.

I checked out my stats after and I did run pretty fast. For context, I used to run ALL my training runs around a 10:15 - 11min pace. These runs are very different than a race. Even though I felt like I was running the fastest pace that I could keep for 3 miles, realistically if I were running a 5K race the time would be very different. I think that's something that non-runners or beginning runners don't fully understand at first. When I was training for the marathon about 2 years ago, I was doing the same type of routine with all my recovery and long runs. Very few runs are ever focused on speed, and realistically the only speed runs there are in the NRC plan are not distance-based runs. They are interval training style runs. So, you never really practice speed or experience what your realistic time will be in a race. Anyway, I had been training for the marathon, doing most my runs at around 10:30 pace, and then I had a 5K race and ran it at an 8:30ish pace. The point is these recovery and training runs are not indicative of the actual speed you can run in a race. The same thing goes with longer races. Prior to my first marathon, my 10-mile runs were run at about a 10:15 - 10:30 pace, which would make you think that if I were to run a marathon, my pace would have to increase. However, my marathon time is pretty close to my 10-mile time, right around 10:30-10:45 pace. It seems wrong like maybe I should be running my 10 miles quicker, but to me it signifies that I am training well and it gives me a glimpse of what I'll be able to run when it comes to race day.

The great news for me right now, while still incredibly early, is that my paces are quicker this year. I think it's mostly from strength training, but it'll be incredibly helpful when I start running further distances and start really training for NYC.

First Mile: 9:29, Second and Third Mile: 9:15