Tuesday, May 20, 2008

5 weeks, 10k

$20 says I'm going to be running a 10k in 5 weeks. I was only going to sign up for the 5k. But then I glanced up at my training schedule (because everyone has it posted on the wall of their office, right?) and realized that race day will be my 3rd long run in a row 6 miles or more (6,6,7). So click, confirm, send and Amy's going to be dragging her tookus 6.2 miles. woowoo!!!

I also think that having shorter goals is going to make this summer go more smoothly, and help me from losing my focus again, like I did last week. These next 5 weeks are going to be going right along with the 30 week plan, but its an easier bite.

Does anyone else find that smaller goals that still point them towards the big goal make for an easier journey? What is your next small goal?



This horse farm's stretch of fences and pasture is my favorite part of my regular route

Oh, I just remembered, I wanted to mention my new place to run. There is a park about a mile and a half from our house that we just checked out last night. I know, I know, we've lived here for two months, and we just now dragged ourselves over to it. In my slight defense, its down the hilly section of the path, so I usually just try to tack on a few hills to the flat part, and not make a day of it. I haven't actually made it as far as the park. Anyway.....we loaded up the kids bikes (they're little, they can't do 3 miles to get there and back, and still have a good time on the park path) and headed out. And it is so cool! Part of the land was donated a couple three years ago, and the rest the township bought from a beef plant with money from a grant. The Grand River actually wraps around the east and north sides of the park. They left two silos, and turned one into some sort of observation deck. There is a great loop of bike path and I just went on mapmyrun.com to see if I could figure it out. The loop is a perfect mile! How great is that for timing stuff when I want to see where my pace is at? ok, ok....its 1.01 miles, but I may have been too generous on some bits of the path, so its close enough as far as I'm concerned. And seriously, I'm nowhere near any point where 5 seconds is going to make any kind of difference.

9 comments:

Jillian said...

10K woohoo!!! : ) Nice job! (Oh and btw...I have the training schedule posted on the wall in my office too...we're both dorks) I am going to look for a 10k around here too - I definitely think smaller goals along the way make things easier and keep you on track. It can be overwhelming and easy to slip off the track when your main goal seems so huge and far off. You rock - keep it up!

Jillian said...

Want me to join you for your Tuesday or Wednesday run next week??? Can't wait to be home!! Yipee!

Amy said...

Either day is fine, you pick it. I keep forgetting that you are coming home next week. Email me tomorrow and we'll figure something out. I'm not sure when you get in, but Simon's softball game is from 6-7 on Tuesday, we can always head out after that if it works.

julie said...

yay! racing before my marathon really helped me- strange things you gotta figure out like packet pick-up and bag check are better to figure out some time other than the morning before 26.2! i think this will be great for ya.

swimbikerunnap said...

i second the racing before your race- always good to work out the kinks before the Big Day! 10 K is a great distance too!

*jen* said...

You rock! I think it's great you signed up for that. I just found a 5k near me in early June that I might sign up for. Your new running route sounds fantastic!

Jenn said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one with my training schedule posted in my office. I think my coworkers think I'm a little nutty.

Good luck with your training!

Greg On the Run said...

Found you via the Complete Running Network. Welcome to the Running Blog Family.

Go for the 10K if you're up for it.

Aaron Cunningham said...

Good on ya for signing up for the 10K! I really think that setting shorter manageable goals helps you stay focused This marathon training thing is a long process, and it helps to break up that long list of runs on the schedule with some highlighter. :)

I did a 5Kish race in March when I finished Couch To 5K, a 10K when I finished Hal Higdons 10K program, and a 8K the next weekend, because it looked fun. I've got a 10K in the end of June and on the 4th of July, and then a half on Labor Day planned. The marathon is Nov 30.

I think the races help you see how much you've improved, maybe pump up your performance during training runs because you realize how much more you can do, and as someone pointed out, let you get a handle on packet pickup, bib numbers, and routine.

No, you're not the only person with your schedule posted. :) I've got it as an excel spreadsheet too where I annotate it everytime I run.