5Ks

One of my resolutions this year was that this would be the year I would decrease my 5K time. The local running store had a race package of  4 races and a pair of shoes (up to $130) for $200. I figured that was a pretty good deal and signed up in January. The beginning of the year between my travel and Jym's travel I couldn't find a good race so the mother's day 4 miler was the first one. Probably not my smartest move to run a 4 mile race when I hadn't run since December and put on about 10 pounds since. But I figured if nothing else it would at least be the motivator to get me moving.

Between when I signed up for the race and the actual day of the race (approximately 2.5 weeks) it rained 3/4 of the time. I managed to get out for 2 runs in that time. The race I ran in December I averaged about a 13:30 minute. I was hoping to do the same for the Mother's day race. What I didn't account for was the hills and the extra pounds and the fact that I wasn't really prepared. So I ran the race in just under 60 minutes (57:48) which my time was slower by almost a minute a mile.

Fast forward a few weeks and I managed to get a few more runs in. I've also managed to lose a few pounds (literally like 3) but I've been more active. So onto the Herndon Festival 5K where I surprised myself and actually ran the entire first mile (at a 12 minute mile). I ran/walked the rest of the 5K. It's still slower than the December 5K by about 2 minutes but it's over 30 seconds per minute faster than the 4 miler. My goal is by the end of the year to be able to run the whole 5K without stopping. I have work from home Friday's where i can run and I'm hoping to get in 2 other days. I've started the couch to 5K program and I'm on week 2.

I've also signed up for a few more 5Ks and I'm hoping to do a few more in the fall. Right now I have 4th of July, end of September and then we'll see from there. My goal is to be in the high 30s for the 5k by the end of the year. I'm in the low 40s now so I'm pretty sure I can do it. Plus it's a pretty manageable goal. At the pace that I actually run (approximately an 11/12 minute mile if i ran the whole thing I'd be at 36-38 minutes).

Time will tell but for now I'm going to keep at it and get out there as often as I can.

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