One day at a time

How do you improve your time for running a 5K? Well, you just…

Actually, I apparently have no idea how you improve your time! I’m incredibly frustrated with my running these days. I’ve practically abandoned both my training schedule of 10-and 1s (not to mention practically giving up spinning) in favour of running 5Ks straight through.

My best time on a 5K was 29:39, and that was my first (and so far, last) race in March. These days, I’m lucky if I run the 5K in 32:39. Most of the time, I’m falling somewhere in the late 32, or 33 minute mark. No matter how hard I seem to run, I can’t seem to break that time. (I’m hardly even hearing from my good buddy Lance Armstrong on my iPod anymore!)

I don’t know if it’s the heat these days, or if my energy levels are a bit lower, but I seem to be struggling a bit with these runs. I’m still huffing and puffing, particularly at the beginning of the run. I’d say I’m running at least three times a week (5K each time), and according to my Running Room training log, I’ve already run more than 32 K in the past two weeks. I’m still keeping up with the muscle workouts and doing the odd spin class – I really should be in better shape, right?

The ends of my runs tend to be much easier than the beginnings. When I hit the 3 or 4K mark, I could probably keep going for longer than 5K (albeit at my now-normal snail’s pace.) But the first few! I must look a fright running around my neighbourhood. I wonder if it means my endurance is better than my power/strength.

My 5K race is now a week and a half away. I’ve started to resign myself to the fact that I won’t be beating my best time for this race. I’m still running it, so that alone is a small accomplishment. And I’m going to sign up soon for the 10K clinic, which starts at the beginning of October.

This week I will have to work very hard to keep up with my training. We’re on our way to Montreal to visit family, and I know it will be tough, but I’m planning to run both Thursday and Friday morning. I won’t want to… I’ll want to sit around drinking coffee and chatting. But what’s a half an hour out of my day? With the race so close, it’s not the time to start slacking off, is it?

Once the trip is over next week, there are only a few weeks left in the summer and then things start to get really busy. I think when I get back, I’ll focus on training for both my upcoming race and the 31K Walk for Grace at the beginning of September. Once those two are done, I can re-evaluate my training and focus on the next goal. It’s just like running – one step at a time!

Happy trails…