5k: Week Eight

One more week till the race! Very Excited. These are my first and last weekday training runs over race distance. Just after the 5k last year is the place where I fell out of training but, I feel much better this year physically and mentally. I don't have five months filled by a stressful 80hour work week job that doesn't let me live with my husband ahead of me. The year is off to a great start!

Mon 3.25mi- It got too dark after work so instead of running outside I went to the gym and did my 25min bike. No weights in the gym since we were going to try to make it to the rock climbing gym. Because I was in a bit of a hurry (not that I can speed up time by pedaling faster) I don't think the biking was as quality as last week. I don't feel like I used quite the right muscles. Hamstrings tight after.

Tue 25min bike+strength- Ran 3.25mi after work to the local park and back. Found myself getting frustrated with Wayne. The purpose of our runs is different. I'm trying to run this weekly plan and build form and go easy when i'm supposed to vs. he runs once or twice a week whenever he "can" and each run is a speed challenge. When I go slower than he wants he starts jumping over bushes and weaving back and forth through trees like football or military drills. Makes me feel inadequate because i'm not ready to go that fast. I have to take a deep breath and remind myself not to push the pace too much so early into my year of training so that I won't get injured. Some days i'm better at running my own pace than others.

Wed 2mi- Small loop around Mt Holly's main streets with Wayne. I think the shorter distance allowed me to not mind the faster pace but I also tried to keep my own pace more.

Fri 3.25mi- Ran to Tuckaseegee Park on my own again. The run has made my quads more sore than I'd expect both times. there's a half mile of steady downhill on the way there and then steady uphill on the way back. I think that's what affects my legs most on this rout. I'm ready to run on softer surfaces. I'm a little tired of having mud and puddles in the grass everywhere.

Sat 60min- Ran a nice long stretch of the Carolina Thread Trail. It was quite muddy in spots which is why the USNWC's trails are still closed due to all the rain and snow we've had over the last few weeks. The race next week is on wooded trails and I decided I should run trails today to prepare for race conditions. My form in my new shoes is, I believe, better but my body is adjusting. My knees are a little sore after the run. need to do more core and stabilizer exercises.

I stayed up pretty late the last three nights this week and don't think my body's recovering as well. I do need to be better about getting sleep and hydration especially in the days leading up to the race.

I'm also rather frustrated with having a second week in a row where I'm changing up the plan. Maybe not quite as much of a change since I'm still doing all the planned mileage but I don't know how it will affect me one week before the race.