Wow, congrats to the to all the race finishers! I know I was super proud after my first 5k. :D

I made a PB on an 8k race last Saturday, I finished in 48:02, 28 seconds faster. It was raining like crazy, I was probably moving faster in an effort to stay warm! I had a 10 mile training run scheduled for the day, so I chugged it home another 5 miles, I was pretty tired after that. I can't believe the HM is less than 4 weeks away!

Lousy run this morning. I had a bike race Sunday, and pretty much emptied out all the tanks. Today I made it the first mile and then alternated about 3 minutes of running and walking after that. I figure this means I did my race on Sunday right--nothing left.

Thanks everyone for the good wishes on the 5K. This was the first Boston 5K, but I've done about fifty I think. It is good to be back after a long layoff.

Anne

Thanks everyone. I am really working on running a 10K now but I want to move oon gradually. I don't want to push it. My goal is to do one b the summer's end.

Anne - I can'twait to have all those races under my belt.

Shinanagins - What is a MB race?

Cakebatter, I think the 10K is my least favorite distance, and the half marathon is my favorite. I have a goal to do one later this year.

Anne

PS Love your pics. Wish mine had turned out so well.

If you don't mind me asking...what is it about it that makes it your least favorite? My goal is 10K for end of summer and ultimate goal is 1/2 marathon by end of year or in March for the Shamrock event. My BF is great picture -taker (he is not photographer LOL)

I got in 5 miles this week so far....but my goal is like 11-14 so I have a ways to go!

10K's are not my least favorite distance, but I've heard that from other runners. It's sort of an awkward middle-of-the-road kind of race I think -- you can't pace it like a 5K because you'll crash and burn but running it like a half marathon is too slow. There aren't nearly as many 10Ks as 5K event opportunities, so I think people just aren't used to the pacing strategy needed for a 10K. Anyway that's my theory.

My favorite distance is the half marathon. It's all the fun of the "big event", with medals and bands and goodies, with less than half the work/preparation of a full marathon. I'd have to say that the full marathon is my LEAST favorite, it's just too much for me. I did one just so that I knew I could, but the training required is more than I'm willing to do again. My knees started bothering me, I didn't have time for other activities, and it stopped being fun. The Half is just right.

Cake,

I dislike a 10K because it is short enough to push hard, anaerobic most of the way, but long enough so that really really hurts. Anything longer, and I'm at a comfortable (mostly) aerobic pace, and the 5K is short enough that even though it hurts it is over relatively quickly.

I really liked my marathon, but the training is a big time commitment. I'll probably do another in a year or so after my base is rebuilt and the risk of injury is lower. I did get a stress fracture the first time I trained for a marathon (in early 2004) because that was just too much too soon. I started running in mid 2003. The half is just about perfect. Still something I need to prepare for (especially now, LOL), but not overwhelming.

Anne

PS There is no rule that you have to push a 10K hard, and a comfortable run is certainly possible, but my personality won't really let me do that.

I don't know :?: I'm currently training for a half marathon (HM).

I've never done a 10k. I've done three 8k races, I don't think that's a terribly common distance but there's one here every spring and another one in early March in the town my sisters live in up north. That one is sponsored by a brewery and there is free beer at the end, possibly my favorite race to date. ;) I find the 8k distance to be a little trickier to pace than a 5k, but not too bad. I paced about a 9:30 mile which is pretty quick for me. Maybe I'll do a 5k after the HM to see if I can improve on my speed, I haven't done one in over a year and haven't done much speed work in a long time.

I think you mean PB? That stands for "personal best", which is used interchangeably with PR (Personal record).

i have my very first 5K early saturday morning, and i'm feeling pretty anxious about it. i haven't run outside in a few years. the few times i've tried running on the tm at an increased incline of 1 or 2 to try and simulate outside running, i've had to switch back to 0 incline within a mile. also, i seem to be totally unable to run within a couple of hours of having woken up. i don't know why, but the few times i've tried going (and not even early in the morning, you), i've crashed and burned at 1 or 2 miles. even though the 5K on saturday is a fundraiser and not timed, i will be timing myself and i'm worried i'm going to disappoint myself big time.

3.4 miles for me this morning. Two long running segments, plus one walk break and a nice walking warm up and cool down. 2.7 miles of actually running, with better than a 12 min/mile pace. Much better than Tuesday, but I still haven't shaken Sunday's bike race out of my legs completely.

I'm going to lay out my training plan for my triathlon May 25 tonight. Helps to have a plan. :)

Anne

I managed 3M running a 11:38 Pace (I think). That was pretty good considering I also did 60 minutes of crosstraining. I am just totally loving running. I wanted to get you guys opinion on something. I wanted to run 10K by summer's end but I can run 4 miles now. I have a 10K training schedule I got from Runner World and plan on doing one in late June. Also I would like to participate in the Rock and Roll HM in September ( I have a training schedule for that as well). I believe this is slow enough for me. I am not running for time just to finish (maybe next year for time). Do you guys think this is feasible?

Shinanigans - HAHA I think I typed it wrong....sorry. I am doing an 8K in August ....a MUD Run, that is going to be soooo fun!!! How is your HM training coming along

Anne - WOW you are awesome lady! I understand what you mean. I guess I don't know if I like it yet but as I said I am not going for time AT ALL. I simply want to finish!!!!! I don't think I will ever get to the Marathon....it seem overwhelming. Are you doing a sprint or a full triathalon?

SWS - No worries. When I went out there last weekend...I had butterflies all in my stomach the closer I got (seeing people with their numbers). My BF goes, you got your iPod right. I said yeah. He says, then you will be fine. So I put onmy number, turned on my iPOD and off I went. After the first step the buterflies were gone and I felt normal. You are going to do great. No worries really.

MBN - That is a good theory and makes plenty of sense. It does seem wierd. I found this calculator to tell me what my 10k pace should be based off my one-mile time. It was 13:00 whoa...I am never gonna finish...LOL

Oh yea do you ladies strength train?

SWS19 - please try not to put so much pressure on yourself, although I know that facing the unknown is always scary. There's absolutely no shame whatsoever in taking lots of walk breaks, or even walking the entire 5K. LOTS of people do just that. And you know you can walk 3.1 miles, right? So then, no biggie! Just try looking at the event as just another training run, and don't start out too fast. I'm sure you will do better than you think you will, because the excitement of the race tends to kick in and push you along.

Cakebatter - absolutely, yes, I strength train! I consider it essential for a balanced exercise program and for injury prevention. Along with running, I take several classes a week that include strength training, cardio intervals, Pilates and Yoga. And I recently started swimming a couple of times a week, and I kayak for fun whenever I can (a couple of times a month). Although running is my "primary" sport, I like to do a lot of other things too, I'm just limited by the hours in the day ....

Thanks MBN, you are wealth of knowledge.

SWS - MBN is exactly right the excitement of the race does push you along....you are gonna have fun really

Cakebatter, I'm doing a nonstandard race distance that is longer than a sprint, but not as long as an Olympic distance race.

I don't strength train, except some irregular core work. I used to, but with two small children, a job, a husband, and a three sport hobby, something had to give. I also had problems with soreness, to which I seem to be especially prone, wiping out a lot of opportunity to do my run/tri training. I did like the things it did for my body when I did do it, and occasionally make an effort to try again. Perhaps some day it will stick.

Anne