The ShamRock N' Roll Run will actually be my first 10k I'll get to run on fresh legs (the only other 10k I've done was the second half of the Iron Turkey run near Ann Arbor in the fall - after a PR 5k). I am looking forward to it, but am not certain how to run it. By that, I mean at what pace should I try to maintain.
I've decided that there will be no "holding back" for the half-marathon the following week. As I haven't developed a "10k pace" I'm thinking that I will run like a 5k and hold the pace for as long as I am able. I feel that my training over the past few weeks has put me in better running shape than I was at the Super 5k in early February and I think I can maintain the pace from that race.
Bronze: Set a new PR (Below 57:30)
Silver: Below 52:00
Gold: Below 50:00
My winter "payoff" race will be the Rock CF (Cystic Fibrosis) Half Marathon race on March 25th. The race will be run on Grosse Ile, an island at the end of the Detroit River leading into Lake Erie and across the way from Canada. The course looks to be pretty flat and, if the weather is good, it should be pretty fast. As of this moment, my goals for the race are as follows:
Bronze: PR Below 2:04:47
Silver: Below 2:00:00
Gold: Below 1:58:00 (9 min/mi pace)
Besides the races themselves, I'm looking forward to meeting Megan and Ryan from watchmegorun.com and Jeff from DetroitRunner.com. Hopefully, I can meet a few other fellow running bloggers and other Michigan runners who read and comment on those blogs.
As for my recent running activities, I had a very good Saturday 10 mile run. It was just about at half marathon pace, even with the hills and the wind. Those kind of runs are confidence building.
I followed that run up with a 2.5 mile "recovery" run on Sunday and a 4 mile run today. The recovery run wasn't really what a recovery run should be. It was "slow", but the terrain was pretty challenging.
Maybe I should have skipped running today, as I wasn't feeling it at all. I planned to do a 10k trial run at about 90% race speed, but it became clear after about a quarter mile that wouldn't happen. About then I made a deal with my legs that I wouldn't work them too hard if they would give me about 4 miles and not become injured or too sore. Apparently, it was a deal so I ran 4 fairly slow miles. I have learned not to worry about a "sub-par" outing or two, especially if they can be easily explained. This was an easy one to explain - tired legs, tired body, full belly, overdressed (should have not worn long sleeves and long pants - winter running habits are hard to shake), etc.
With warmer weather and more daylight (I don't care what the haters say - I friggin' love daylight savings time!), I'm looking forward to a couple evening runs this week (maybe a faster one on Wednesday and a lighter one Friday) to prepare. Then it's time to SHAM Rock N' Roll!
Do you have any upcoming races?
Do you set specific goals, general ranges, or just wing it?
Will you be running either of these races?
Those are awesome goals! I'll be hanging around for a while in plymouth after the race on sunday, so we'll have to find each other for sure! I set goals of roughly want to do, but most of the time it's just to PR. I'll see you at both of these races. Can't wait! Will you be dressed festive on sunday?
ReplyDeleteThe way I do it, my "bronze" goal is the probably the "slowest" I can run and be satisfied. Silver is my "real" goal and Gold is my "if everything goes exactly right" goal. I worry about this stuff too much, but the goals help me function.
DeleteWill definitely want to meet up with you guys (gals) at some point. I'll have my phone so we could tweet or something. I will probably recognize you long before you see me. After all, you have 100 times the pictures on your site than I do on mine. :P
I don't know about dressing festive. My family won't be there, so I think I'd feel like (more of) a goofball walking around by myself with a big hat or anything like that. :) I did see a funny shirt at Wally World that I thought about getting, but I won't run in it 'cause it isn't wicking (I've become a running shirt snob).
I'll be at the Shamrock & Roll 10K. Have you seen the calculator at mcmillanrunning.com? (http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/site/calculator) You put in a recent race time and it predicts your performance at other distances, as well as what paces you should run your workouts (easy vs. long. vs. tempo vs. intervals, etc). I put in your Super 5K time and it said 49:53 for a 10K. So if you do it, you'll win your "gold"!!
ReplyDeleteKayty,
DeleteThanks for the info. I've used that calculator before, but not recently. I try to use the training times on there as a general guideline. If I run 49:53, I'd be thrilled. It will be tough. I've been training longer distances as of late, so I hope that minimizes my fade later in the race.
If you recognize me there, please say hello! or hey you! or something. :) I'm the goofy lookin' guy in glasses (in the picture on the side bar, I'm the goofy on the left, not in the middle). :P
We're developing a pretty nice SE Michigan running blog community. I now know of 6 or 7 and there's probably more of us that like to type about our stuff. :)
I will keep an eye out!
Delete