Run a 22 minute 5k

23:50 yesterday. new PR. getting there… slowly…

Ran a 24:36. It’s my new PR, yet I still think I can do this faster. I never seem to be in an ideal mindset at the start of these races. Today, it was a little on the warm side, and I have been extremely tired and stressed out lately from school and work. I have also ran 3 miles in 23 minutes before… on a regular non-race day, well-rested, and in 50 degree weather with no wind. Another .1 mile at that pace would give me a sub 24 minute 5K time.

Maybe at my next 5K in 2 weeks I’ll break the 24 minute mark…

Ugh! For the first time, I didn’t run a PR! Every 5K I’ve run has been a little faster than the last… that is, until today. 24:50 on this morning’s Turkey Trot. Again, I can give myself excuses like “it was really windy,” and “I ran 20 miles on Sunday in preparation for January’s marathon, so I was probably still recovering.” While those things DO play a factor, I’m probably better off just letting the 5K rest until after my marathon in January. All my running lately has been focused on gaining distance, not speed. I wish I could make significant gains in both speed AND endurance at the same time! After I run this insanely long race for the first time, it will be time to seriously hit the track for some speed training so I don’t feel like such a slow poke on these shorter races!

Well, I knew I wasn’t going to run a 22:00 yet, but I DID think I was going to break 24 minutes. Unfortunately, I was tired, it was more humid and warm than I expected, and I had female-related cramps. Maybe I’m just making excuses, but I still think I could have run faster. I guess the only way to find out is to find another 5K in the area in the next few weeks (maybe the Baton Rouge Turkey Trot if we’re in town?), and really run it this time!

Great goal time… I wonder how long it’ll take me? I ran a 24:56 in August. Maybe with the cooler weather I’ll do this faster than I think!

I’ll see where I’m at now on November 5- Fall Classic