We're all out there chasing our better selves (FredtheDuck chases on)

Congrats on the PR, and I'm sure your sub-30 is right around the corner.

Just FYI, there's no shame in cherry-picking 5Ks based on favorable courses. Not that I'd ever do such a thing, of course! I've annually targeted the 5K at a local airport because I like airplanes, not because the course is on the pancake-flat runways! :D
 
Congrats on the PR, and I'm sure your sub-30 is right around the corner.

Just FYI, there's no shame in cherry-picking 5Ks based on favorable courses. Not that I'd ever do such a thing, of course! I've annually targeted the 5K at a local airport because I like airplanes, not because the course is on the pancake-flat runways! :D

Ooooh, do tell... you’re in my neck of the woods so I might just want to check it out... Dulles 5k?
 
Ugh. 30:19. I missed my 5k goal by 20 seconds. And I know exactly where I went wrong. Hill I had to stop at the top of to avoid hurling. So close. Still a PR, so trying to look on the bright side. But dang those 20 seconds. I had it. I know I did.

Congrats on the PR and another step in the right direction. What was the T+D because that would probably swallow that 30 seconds right up under better conditions?
 


Congrats on the PR and another step in the right direction. What was the T+D because that would probably swallow that 30 seconds right up under better conditions?

Thanks! T+D was 163. I’ll post a recap soon, but basically the race had a few small hills that would have been no big deal at lower speeds and in cooler weather. I got to the top of a longer incline and felt so nauseous that I had to stop (literally stop) and dart behind a parked car because I thought I might upchuck. Once the feeling passed, I continued, but that was the moment my goal slipped away. You can see it really clearly in the Garmin data. I think if I had been a little smarter about how to approach those hills (they weren’t steep, just longer stretches of incline), I might have had a chance, even in the heat.
 
I should also say that the fact that my official pace was 9:46/mi according to the race results is something I AM very proud of. I never would have believed I could do that even a year ago. A sub-10 mile seemed out of reach. So even though the goal was missed, this was a big display of progress, so I’m happy in that sense.
 
Thanks! T+D was 163. I’ll post a recap soon, but basically the race had a few small hills that would have been no big deal at lower speeds and in cooler weather. I got to the top of a longer incline and felt so nauseous that I had to stop (literally stop) and dart behind a parked car because I thought I might upchuck. Once the feeling passed, I continued, but that was the moment my goal slipped away. You can see it really clearly in the Garmin data. I think if I had been a little smarter about how to approach those hills (they weren’t steep, just longer stretches of incline), I might have had a chance, even in the heat.

So if the T+D were 100, then that's like running a 28:15. That sub-30 is coming. No doubt about it. T+D of 163 is no joke!
 


Ooooh, do tell... you’re in my neck of the woods so I might just want to check it out... Dulles 5k?

Haven't done the Dulles 5K, but my sister-in-law has, and confirms it's flat. It's usually in September, though, so it can be warm. I was thinking of the Manassas Airport Runway 5K, which is usually in April, so the temps are better, and there's usually a smaller crowd than Dulles. I've always gone sub-20 on that course. Flat as a pancake, and usually great temps! I'm in Woodbridge, so the Manassas Airport is just down the road from me. My 5K PR was set at the Prince William Turkey Trot a few years back. It's held Thanksgiving morning at the Freedom Fitness Center. The course has a few more turns than the airport course, but it's also very flat, it's definitely cool (November!) and they actually open up the gym so you can warm up indoors on the indoor track, which is a great perk.

If I'm remembering correctly, you're in Maryland, so PWC races might be a bit of a drive, but the great thing about living in the DMV metro area is the huge number of races we've got. I definitely check out course profiles if I'm racing for time and look for something flat. If the pros can race 5K on a track, then I'm not embarrassed about picking a flat course either! :D
 
Congrats on that PR! I have absolutely no doubt that in better conditions you would have easily had that sub-30!
 
Thanks for all the words of wisdom and congrats on my 5k (and for your course suggestions, @BikeFan!).

I’m sorry I’ve been so absent. I mentioned a while ago that I took a new job. I absolutely love it. But it’s keeping me really busy. And I’m traveling a lot. I’m on a train home from a two-city trip up the seaboard now and am back on the road on Sunday. Since I’m on the road a lot, I’m trying to be really diligent about using my free time for family and for getting runs in. Funny, I thought I’d have copious amounts of time for stuff now that I work from home. Decidedly not.

I’m not sure what my family would say about the former (though we have had tons of pool time), but I’m feeling ok about the latter. I DID miss a run last week because i have a chest wall infection (no idea how). Doc advised a day of rest and then easy running, so I skipped a hard, did my next easy on my TM just in case I passed out (I didn’t), and then was back outdoors for my long run las Saturday. Felt fine. Did my speed workout Tuesday outside too. A little tender still but no real issues.

I did miss today’s run. I packed everything to get the run in in NYC this morning and then could not wrap my head around routing 4.5 miles through midtown and decided that sleep after yesterday’s long travel day and before tonight’s long trip was smart. So that won. I regret it a little. But I’m still exhausted. I’ll get back at it tomorrow.

On the road again next week but I have a route in that city, and then the following week I’m in my favorite place to run: California. Yisssssss.
 
New jobs are always super busy, and when you add in the travel ... wow. Focusing on your family definitely makes the most sense, but I hope things die down a bit soon and you have more time to stop by here!
 
Just a quick update to say that I did get both runs in while I was (back) on the road this week, so I’m proud of that. Had to adapt today’s run because my kiddo was home with a suspected (now confirmed) ear infection and I wanted to get something in before I had to take her to her doctor. So instead of going 4, I did 3. In fairness tho, I did those three pushing her in her jogging stroller. Been a while and that combo is HEAVY now! We had fun though.
 
Just a quick update to say that I did get both runs in while I was (back) on the road this week, so I’m proud of that. Had to adapt today’s run because my kiddo was home with a suspected (now confirmed) ear infection and I wanted to get something in before I had to take her to her doctor. So instead of going 4, I did 3. In fairness tho, I did those three pushing her in her jogging stroller. Been a while and that combo is HEAVY now! We had fun though.

I am always so impressed by people running while pushing jogging strollers! I struggle to get myself up a hill, and I cannot even imagine pushing another human along with me! Hope your kiddo feels better soon!
 
I am always so impressed by people running while pushing jogging strollers! I struggle to get myself up a hill, and I cannot even imagine pushing another human along with me! Hope your kiddo feels better soon!

Ha, I struggle with hills, too. The stroller just gives me an actual excuse to be as winded as I am when I get up the one by my house : ). She's 32 lbs now and I think the stroller is around 25 lbs. Rolling resistance is great, but that only goes so far on hills and around turns. I used to really love running with her in the stroller, especially as she was learning to talk and look around ("bunny babbit!! doggy!"), but I haven't done that much of it since lately, since I run in the mornings before she's up most days. Yesterday was a good reminder that maybe I can take her out parts of my Saturday LRs. I think I'd either have to make a looped route or have @MoanasPapa join for his shorter Saturday run and bring her home when his miles are done... She enjoyed going until she got bored, and then made it very known that she was ready to be done.

And thanks for sending well wishes her way! She said she's feeling better today, and she slept like a rock last night, so I'm hoping that the ear will clear before her plane ride next week.
 
I'm still here! And still chugging away at this looooong training plan that Coach wrote. I had to ask for some adjustments last week because I missed my LR and the recovery run that came after it because I was in a wedding and then traveling. I did some trail running while I was in California, though, which was super fun and super tiring. Anyways, back on track now. August is shaping up to be an interesting month because @MoanasPapa and I are both traveling several times for our jobs, so we're just trying to fit everything in and be supportive of each other's running goals and priorities, and also (and more importantly), trying to get as much time with our kiddo in as we can.

So that last point brings me to my funny (read: dumb running mistake) story for this week: I got up at my usual time to do my Tuesday speed workout. But as I was getting ready, my kiddo woke up. Normally she wakes up while I'm out on the run, so she was up early. I felt like since she was awake and I've got some travel coming up, it would be smarter to get some one-on-one time in with her, and that I'd just do my run later. Since I work from home now, I have a lot more flexibility in that sense. I had intended to go to the track to do the workout because I have a lot of treadmill time coming up while I'm on the road, so I'm trying to get out and keep my legs honest when I can.

So I hang out with kiddo and she gets off to daycare. But then I get pinged for an early touch-point ahead of a meeting. And then I have the scheduled meeting, followed by another meeting that ran long. Soon, it's 11:00 and I haven't gotten out yet. The entire time, I'm checking the temp, and it's hovering in the mid-70s. Then 77. Stayed at 77 forever. Then I finish my meeting and have a break where I can get out, glance down at the watch to check the weather, and its 84. I'm an early AM runner so I'm a priss about the weather, but I really want to do this run at the track because it's my speed workout. So I push on instead of going down to the treadmill in my nice, cool basement. It's 86 with a dew point of 74 (so T+D=160). Ok. Fine. Gross. I'll moderate. The run is less than five miles and 2 of those miles are warm up and cool down. Get to the track. Holy eff. I forgot. There is NO SHADE at the track AND the track surface is BLACK (for some reason I thought it was red. it is not.). It. Was. AWFUL. The speedwork went ok for the first half but the last bit I ended up having to walk my resting intervals (I've been trying really hard not to do that) to get the heat-related nausea to settle before I picked up the next interval.

And to boot: I got sunburn while I was at it... rockin' a great outline of a tank and racerback sports bra right now. SO great.

In other running-related news, the medals for my fall half were announced today. They're based on the Maryland flag. But... I'm not a big fan of our flag (**ducks** i know that's a very unpopular opinion for Marylanders and I'm sorry... just chalk it up to me not being from here). So I'm kinda underwhelmed by the medal. I liked last year's much more. Oh well. I'm not racing that HM, it's a supported training run, so whatevs.

The only other running-related thing I've got right now: At the outset of this training plan, I set a goal of sub-1 for MCM10k. I'm really doubtful I'm going to hit it. I missed my time goal at my spring half and my summer 5k. My summer 5k was a 30:15 and that was an all-out effort over half the distance. I just don't feel fast enough to hit a sub-1 10k. Maybe I'll surprise myself. But I'm trying to figure out if I should have a more moderated goal, too.
 
Well, even though the run sounds pretty miserable, still nice to have the added time with kiddo, I'm sure. :love:

We've been lucky with the late summer weather here, so we delayed a start on our 11 miler last weekend and regretted it, so I feel you!

And, given I just threw out a BHAG on my journal, I'm not going to try and talk you into moderating your goal necessarily, but do you have another goal in mind that creates a win-win scenario for you?
 
Time with your kiddo definitely beats a track workout! Way to get it done though!

I seem to have a permanent runner's tan. So I feel your pain! I even wear sunscreen but then I sweat it right off.
 
Hold up ... how do you not like the Maryland flag? I'm from NY and I love the Maryland flag! I just don't understand people...
Sorry that you don't love the medals ... oh well, you'll just have to do this race again in the future and hope for a better medal :)

I'd say hold off on deciding whether to change your goal for MCM10K. You still have a little time before the race, and maybe when it gets closer you'll feel a little better about the fast pace. Or maybe you won't, and then you can set a different goal. But give yourself a little time ... you never know when you're going to surprise yourself and start feeling like maybe you can hit that pace.

Also ... boo sunburn. This is why I wear long-sleeves year-round (meanwhile, the sunburn/tan I've had for 3 weeks that I got from sitting in the car on the way to a baseball game is finally starting to fade) ... although I have been running in short sleeves a lot lately because heat.
 
I’m sitting in the airport (again) and had a few minutes to update. I ran my third half marathon yesterday! It wasn’t a PR (I finished in 2:32:22), but it wasn’t supposed to be. My big goal race is next month, so this was just a supported training run.

I was glad to have my only goal be “don’t blow your paces.” It was POURING rain and there were ankle deep puddles across much of the back half of the course. Most people walked the puddles because they were so deep. So, 2/2 of this year’s half marathons featured rain and deep puddles. Neat.

Anyways, it was nice to be able to take this one easy. Wanna walk through a puddle? Fine! Walk a water stop so you don’t choke on water! Walk this way, sister. Need to use the porta? No need to stress about the line! I’ve talked in the past about whether I have the mentality to truly “race” distances longer than a 10K. Maybe I don’t. I enjoyed this one much more than the other two I’ve run, puddles and al. I should say, though, that a part of that is also confidence that I was going to finish comfortably, even at easier pace on a course with a time limit. My first half was on the same course a year ago and I spent the entire time TERRIFIED that I’d be swept. I spent a little time during yesterday’s run being grateful for how far I’ve come.

Also huge props to @MoanasPapa who not only PRd in tough conditions, but matched @dopeybadger’s time prediction TO THE SECOND: 2:04:37. Rock star.
 

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