First 10K & 5K of 2017 Season

Why is it that people never take t heir own advice?  Every season of coaching Girls on the Run, I tell the girls they cannot compare races to other races.  You can't compare Apples to Oranges.  Every race is different even if they are all 3.1 miles or 140.6 miles - there are hills, flat roads, heat, cold, wind, feeling bad that day, lack of sleep, life stress - every race is different.  Yet for some reason I have trouble taking my own advice...I realize that's very shocking to everyone reading!

The first two races of The Summer Of Speed are under my belt and I'm ready to get faster as the summer goes on.  BUT, big but here, I recently found out I have a bunion which doesn't sound all that terrible but it's actually quite painful.  So much so that I thought I had a hairline fracture or something in my foot.  When my favorite Physical Therapist, Lawrence of Edge Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine (shameless plug for my amazing Non-Lesbian Life Partner's PT office!) told me I had a bunion I told him he was wrong - aren't those for old ladies?  Like really old ladies?  Turns out, not so much.  Since then I've been trying some things are home to get my foot to feel better - it's kind of working but we'll see.  

Two weekends ago I did NYRR Mini 10K - my foot hurt from the first step so I knew it wasn't going to be pretty.  It was also the very first hot day, it's been a pretty cold Spring so far.  I vowed once a long time ago to never complain about the heat - I love the summer, I HATE HATE HATE the winter so I never complain about any temp being too high but it does affect running when you are not used to it.  But the real issue was my foot hurt so it wasn't great but Wendy and I stayed together and got it done.  I figured it was best to start the season off with  my slowest run so I can get faster as the summer goes on....not a real plan but it is now!

June 10, 2017 NYRR Mini 10K Central Park 1:12 Finish time.  These are my split times (avg pace 11:24/mile):

I will admit I was expecting worse so not a terrible start to The Summer of Speed!

That's funny - it doesn't look like you are in any pain? 

I can find GOTR girls anywhere I go!

Yesterday was my first 5K of The Summer of Speed and I got to do this one with my sisters!  It was great fun but again wasn't sure how it was going to turn out.  I decided to run on feel rather than using my watch and it went well until mile 3 - I was able to run pretty fast (for me) and then it blew up but that's fine bc at least I know how far to push things.  Even the last mile, although slower, wasn't terrible.

June 18, 2017 Ray Downey Memorial 5K Deer Park, NY 31:13 Finish Time.  These are my split times 

(Average Pace 9:56/mile):

The Sisterhood is simply the greatest thing ever!

 

Family Support....they're cute sometimes!

Next race:

30th Annual Women's Distance Festival 5K - July 8, 2017

Speed.

Every summer I sign up for my favorite triathlons or ones that I can do with my friends.  This summer I haven't signed up for any mostly because I didn't really train all winter and I was kind of excited to have nothing on the calendar.  Except, for someone like me - a race with a paid registration fee, is usually the only thing that keeps me motivated.  So last week I decided on a new, specific goal for this summer.  SPEED.  And by speed, I mean MY kind of speed which means faster than I've been before.  This speed goal is only about ME and my PRs -not about being faster than anyone other than myself.  I will constantly need to remind myself of that bc I often get caught up in "I'll never be faster than_________ (insert name of anyone I run with)".

This goal has to be about me and only me as......

In order to stay focused on this goals, I need to publicly announce my times that I'm trying to beat - this isn't easy for me so be kind:

5K: 27:38     Pace: 8:53      October 2013

10K: 1:03:09      Pace 10:09          September 20, 2014

I'm looking for a 5K every month and a 10K every other month - my goal is to work on speed all summer and get faster with each race.  The ultimate goal: beat the above PR by the end of 2017.  So far I have a few races that are officially on the calendar:

Saturday, June 10th - NYRR Mini 10K

Sunday, June 18th - Father's Day 5K

Saturday, July 8th - Women's Distance Festival 5K

Working on the rest of the schedule for remaining of the Summer/Fall.  Anyone want to join me?  Links are attached to above races!