Monday
Did: 30 mins strength
Didn't feel like doing much, but got a little core & strength done anyway.
Tuesday
Did: 6.56 mi @ 8:27/mi
Great run on a new route downtown this morning with Matt & Julia. It went through the outskirts of Nicholtown which is a bit of a sketchy neighborhood, but it was at last something new and different! Great run to start things off.
I also realized today that this week will start the #RWRunStreak on Thanksgiving! It's only 35 days this year, as opposed to I think 42 from last year? Thanksgiving is late, so several days were cut off. Anyway, will try to do it for the 3rd year in a row!
Wednesday
Did: nada, drove to the OBX
Thursday
Planned: OBX Gobbler 5k
Did: 1.37 mi warm-up + 3.11 mi run
We started looking for a Turkey Day run as soon as we decided to spend the Thanksgiving holiday in the OBX with Scott's family. Found a small local run club that hosted a 5k, so we signed up as soon as registration opened. We were 8th & 9th to register out of several hundred. I went into this knowing I was in pretty good running shape, but unsure of speed since most of my running is long (LONG) distances. I've tried to keep up some kind of speedwork throughout ultra training but not the kind that you need for optimal 5k times. Even so, I knew this course was FLAT as a pancake, so I decided to give it all I had and see where I landed.
We arrived in plenty of time for an easy warm-up along the course... realized that the out-and-back course was going to be awesome in ONE direction (the first half) and then would have crazy beach headwind on the way back. Oof. Regardless, I decided to go for it. Without much fanfare, we were off (a couple minutes early, actually) and I made my way to a comfortable space in close proximity to a (fast) dad pushing a stroller and his friend who was running in flip-flops. I felt good at the start and settled into what felt like a quick but comfortable clip. I knew I could put everything into it quite yet, because the headwinds were coming.
Mile 1: 6:46
Turnaround point was about 1.3 miles in (the finish had an extra loop at the end) and it wasn't long after that I felt the efforts of running against the wind. I slowed a little, and laughed when I saw my heart rate graph after the race.
 |
| That uptick is right about the turning point |
Even with a 7 minute second mile, I knew a PR was still possible (PR pace is just shy of 6:55-ish) so I couldn't give up yet. The third mile was tough and I slowed down substantially compared to the rest of the race. Scott had pulled ahead of me around 1.5, along with Stoller Dad and Flip-Flops Guy. We made the turn so that finally the wind was behind us again, and I knew it would be a close one. I didn't look at my watch and just kept going with what I had left.
Mile 3: 7:06
Final 0.1: 6:22/mi pace
Final time: 21:37 (current PR is 21:32)
I was pretty excited to come so close and was not at all disappointed - I didn't think I'd even get that close!
Friday
Did: 4.51 mi @ 8:36/mi
Went for a quick morning run down to the bridge to Roanoke Island and back. Nice flat running path along the main road, quiet and tree-lined.
Saturday
Did: 1.16 mi w/ stroller
#RWRunStreak day 3, had to settle for a night run in the neighborhood after our 8+ hour drive home from OBX. Boy was I glad to be out of the car!
Sunday
Did: 9.44 mi @ 8:53/mi
Got a couple of the early downtown group to join me for a later morning run through Green Valley! The rain stopped (mostly) just in time for us to head out from Furman and enjoyed the rolling hills and good conversation. #RWRunStreak Day 4 complete!
Week ending thoughts:
I'M RUNNING AN ULTRA IN 6 DAYS.
We drive (4 hrs) on Friday morning and we're staying in a Yurt. I'm excited. I'm ready. Let's do this. 😁
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