I run for...experience.

After marathon day this year, it was time for me to set a new goal. Technically the end of marathon training signifies "off" season for me. However, I've found it most helpful to sprinkle short races throughout the "off" season to keep me running and in shape for when training starts back up again at the end of January. This year I signed up for a local 5K race - the UMCH Turkey Trot - with a very specific goal in mind - to get a sub-30 minute time. In 2012 when I ran this same race I finished in 32:16 and ended up getting 2nd in my age group. I wanted to get a PR but I REALLY wanted that sub-30. And….I did it!

The training for a 5K, specifically to meet a time goal, and the training for a marathon are so vastly different that it was really hard for me to switch gears. Usually in marathon training I don't do a lot of speedwork. I might do hill intervals or short pick-ups here and there but it's typically all about endurance. For my 5K training, it was all about the speedwork. I had 4 weeks of training available once my recovery period from the marathon was over. My weeks consisted of a mid-long run on Wednesday (45-60minutes), speedwork on Saturday (tempo runs), and long runs on Sunday (60-90 minutes). Tempo runs were the key to my sub-30 5K. I knew that to run a sub-30 5K I would need to run at a 9:39min/mi pace. So my first tempo run went like this: a short warm-up (10-15 min), then 3 minutes of running at a perceived exertion rate between 6 and 7. I repeated the 3 minutes of running five times with about 60-90 seconds of jogging in between intervals. The idea behind tempo runs is that you are forcing yourself to run at a faster pace for longer periods of time each subsequent tempo run. So my second tempo run involved 5 x 4 minute intervals and then lastly, 5 x 5 minute intervals. I also managed to get in a hill workout (also considered speedwork).

Me and Emerson before the race

My reminder to run a sub-30

So despite a 24-hour stomach bug about 2 weeks before the race that knocked out 2 maintenance runs for me, I was able to meet my goal! Even though it was about 20 degrees on race day, I felt great! I warmed up by running to the starting location - only about 1 mile away from our house. I did short bursts of running back and forth to stay warmed up while there. I had an ammmmazing playlist. I kept my sights on certain people ahead of me and focused on passing this person and then the next. Once I got to the end of the race, I saw my husband and my son standing at the top of the hill cheering me on. I kept telling myself "sub-30!" and then I saw the clock and realized I was within a minute of that 30 minute mark. I sprinted as fast as I could to the finish and ended with a time of 29:22. Success! I did not get top 2 in my age group but I wasn't far behind. I placed 4th in my age group and I was 12th overall for the women's division. Pretty proud of that!

Emerson ran in the Kids Fun Run!

So this blog post comes to you today from a 3-peat marathoner and a sub-30 5K runner. Furthermore, November 5th of this year marked the 3 year anniversary of my running journey. I feel like I can finally call myself an "experienced" runner. And in fact, I have had conversations with friends and family, received Facebook messages and texts about my "expertise" at least weekly. It feels good to be able to mentor and guide others to change their lives. That's the main reason why I started this blog. I recently came across my running journal from year one of marathon training. Here are a few excerpts:

01/31/12 - "First run since my injury. It was HARD. Stopped to walk a few times mostly because of my breathing."

02/09/12 - "This was a slow run, more of a jog really but I didn't stop to walk once! And I was just proud of myself for going out and doing it. This week wasn't about getting in long runs anyway. I just need to get myself in the habit of running more."

02/15/12 - "First run of the week! Better late than never right? I knew I wanted to do a long one, mainly to boost my confidence and jump start my motivation for the rest of the week. It worked!"

02/17/12 - "I'm writing this two weeks after the fact. What I remember is that it (my foot) hurt. Probably shouldn't have even ran because it started hurting from the beginning. But I pushed through and further injured myself."

02/28/12 (first official day of marathon training) - "I was so excited to run tonight but also scared about my foot. I ended up resting it for over a week. It felt pretty good but I wasn't sure about running on it. It was a success! - as far as my foot goes. But I ran into an obstacle elsewhere. About halfway through my run I started cramping really bad. Had to stop to walk a few times but it eventually subsided. "

03/17/12 - "First 5 mile run since my injury! It was long and hard at times but absolutely empowering. And no pain!"

Let this be an inspiration to you beginner runners out there. I struggled…really struggled…when I first started. I had to run through injury and illness and push myself to run on a daily basis. I stopped to walk. I was sore. It hurt to breathe. I had muscle cramps. Nevertheless I made a commitment to myself and to my running. I made a goal, albeit a lofty one, to run a marathon. This kept me running. So keep going!! With perseverance any beginning runner can become an experienced one.

Lastly, it is that time of year to share my 2015 goals with you! I just can't wait any longer! These are not so much set in stone yet but this is my general idea for next year. I will make more of a final decision as the new year begins.

Spring 2015 - Half-marathon like usual. This year I plan to run the RussVegas 1/2 marathon in Russellville, Arkansas. This is a definite race, already set in stone.

Summer 2015 - A couple of new developments. This year I would like to do my first triathlon. I still haven't decided between the Olympic distance or the Half-Ironman. Since I'm a runner, I think of these triathlons in terms of how much you run at the end. In an Olympic triathlon, you run 6.2 miles at the end. In a Half-Ironman, you run a half marathon. I'm also looking to find a 24 hour race somewhere close by to get my feet wet with ultra-running (any distance over a marathon distance).

Fall 2015 - Marathon! I'm undecided as to which marathon I'm going to run. I've got several options - Chicago (again), Twin Cities Marathon in Minnesota, Pensacola Marathon in Florida, Marine Corps Marathon, or the Philadelphia Marathon. Anybody have any suggestions??

So more to come as the new year starts. Next month I have another race on the books - the Hot Chocolate 15K/5K in St. Louis. Looking forward to running + eating and drinking chocolate. :)

Happy running!

Amanda