Eve - good luck in your 5k!

Good luck, Eve!! you'll do great...racing is so much fun!

Eve - GOOD LUCK with your Turkey Day 5K! I'll be thinking of you while I'm running my 5K tomorrow morning. I know you are going to do GREAT!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Have a great day tomorrow!!

Its turkey day!! Good Luck Eve and CR!!! Hope the weather is nice for you guys!!! HAve a blast and earn that stuffing!! !!

I think i have figured out the problem with my running...i am burnt out on these speeds ive set for myself... . . Im starting to dread my runs more and more, becuz every one of them is starting to turn into more and more of a suckfest!! Take last week, for example: For my "long tempo" run i was to do 9 miles at a 7:45 pace! I was able to accompolish it (only by taking a couple walk breaks and stopping my garmin) but it was like pulling teeth, and it was serious work. The tuesday, for my "short tempo" run i was supposed to do 1 mi warm up, 4 miles at short tempo pace, which is a 7:12 for me, and then 1 mi cool down. Again, a COMPLETE suckfest, and i *shouldnt* have MUCH of a problem running 4 miles, even that fast!! I was able to complete it, once agin taking walk breaks..... IF i cant eek out 4 miles at a 7:12 than i def cant do 6.2 miles at a sub 7, which is my goal.... Now TODAY i have a 10 mile "long tempo" run at a 7:45 pace.......ya right. Im backing off the pace today. In fact, im backing off the paces on ALL my runs for the next week. Im just not recovering between these intense runs and its seriously starting to effect my running and my motivation, which of course effects my CONFIDENCE, which viciously circles back to performance... So toady i will shoot for approx an 8 minute mile, see how that goes ( still want the runs to be hard.....but DOABLE)

Were going SKIING TODAY!! Wahoos!! Soon as i get back from my run we will take off for a couple of hours!! My BF and i both Telemark, and my daughter alpine skis...... I already went up on tuesday with just myself and my daughter for a couple of runs!

Good luck crk!

I was able to run the ENTIRE TIME! WAHOOOOO! It took me 40:11 but I achieved my goal of being able to go the whole time without walking. YES! I'm absolutely hooked!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Congrats EveLHaelf such a great feeling isn't it!?

Hey everyone, happy thanksgiving! Just went to the track, although I was only there 30 min. I didn't run the entirety...but I'm planning a nice long run for tomorrow.

CongratsEve! And mkroyer, it will happen. Maybe you're pushing yourself too hard... and maybe getting rid of pacing is what you need. Have fun skiing!

Hi everyone! I hope you had a FABULOUS Thanksgiving!

My Turkey Trot was amazing. There were 5000 people there, and there was so much positive energy in the air...I just fed right off of it! I was very happy with how the race went. I did the first 2-2.25 miles at a nice easy run, about a 10:45 min/mile pace, which is lightning fast for me. But then in the last little bit, I encountered this HUGE uphill grade that I didn't expect and the cold wind started blowing straight in my face. I was slowing and slowing to a point that I realized I could probably WALK the hill as fast as/maybe faster than I was trying to run it. So I walked to the top of the hill, and then when I got to the top, picked up jogging again. I was tired, but I could spot the finish line in the distance, so just went for it as fast as my little legs would let me!! My chip time was 33:41. My goal was to finish in 36 minutes, so I DID IT! I'm so happy! I'm already signed up for my next 5K, the final race of 2009, which is a Jingle Bells Run for Arthritis on 12/12. I can't wait!

Oh, and at the race, I got a flier for a half marathon in my race packet. It's on August 21, 2010. I'm thinkin' about it...

Eve - congrats on your wonderful 5K! You got to run the whole thing! YAY!

Happy running everyone!

crk, CONGRATS! So glad your race went well! I was lucky there was no wind because I'm a baby when the wind is blowing in my face! You should totally go for the half marathon! You have plenty of time to train, you will do great!

loquacious, hope your run goes well tomorrow!

I got fitted and bought me a new pair of running shoes today. I'm excited to try them out!

Hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving!

Good Monday everyone, I hope y'all had a great holiday weekend!! I ran a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning and achieved a new PR: 25:11! I was very happy, that blew away my previous 5K PR by a whole minute! It's cool to think that even though I turned 50 this year, maybe I haven't peaked yet? Since I started running later in life (over 40), it's hard to know what my potential really is.

The cooler temps are helping my speed a LOT. Also, my running group kept our base mileage up all summer long (stayed at 12 mile long runs instead of dropping back to 6-9) and I think that's another reason we all are doing so well this year. All of us are running strong and either setting PRs or close to them. I also hit an all-time monthly mileage high; 140 miles for the month of November.

Eve, Christina - congratulations on your 5Ks!!! Races are SO much fun, aren't they? It's the races that keep me hooked and keep me training. By the way, my first 5K's were in the 35 minute range and breaking 30 minutes seemed like an unattainable goal. So -- keep training and who knows what you'll be able to achieve!

MK - sounds like overtraining to me. Backing off is wise, give yourself a little break and you'll get your running mojo back! After all, running is supposed to be fun. If we put too much pressure on ourselves, it sucks the fun right out of it all. I dare you to go out for a run and NOT TIME YOURSELF at all. No watch, don't check the clock. Just .... run easy, feel the breeze in your face, enjoy your surroundings, and rediscover the joy in movement. Every run doesn't have to be goal-oriented (other than burning calories which is always my goal!). Life is too short!!

Congratulations on all the fabulous turkey trots, everyone! Makes me wish I had another race this year.

Ran four days last week (helped me survive Thanksgiving!) and I'm happy to be back into a routine this week, although vacation was NICE! I also second MBN's suggestion of not timing yourself. I stopped doing this, even with my races. I just run... it's freeing and like she mentioned, helps me rediscover the joy of running. Because it IS an absolutely joyful journey.

Let's kick off December with some great runs!!!

I had a great time over the Holidays with family and totally eating things that are usually a "no no" but without stuffing myself. Plus I kept up my exercise througout. I did a Turkey Trot and I totally beat my goal time and finished in 32:41. I was so stoked. Then I ran back for my big sisters and pushed them the rest of the way. It was awesome!

BTW I tried to post like 3 times but it wouldn't let me.....so weird. Congrats on everyones races really. You ladies are truly an inspiration. We never give up!!!

Hey all!!
MBN- I second the notion that i am seriously overtrained and that is why my performance is suffering.... HAd some long chats with my trainer.....im not going to train for this 10K anymore. I never took a day off after my marathon--LITERALLY--- i ran the day after. I need to let my body recover for a few weeks, becuz on December 21 i begin training for my next marathon!!! Its been decided...... Salt Lake City, April 17th. I will qualify for Boston..... ANyway, im still racing in the 10K, im just done training for it now, and whatever happens will happen......

Congrats to EVERYONE on their Turkey Trots!!!

Well done everyone! I am having a hard time keeping up with everyone's posts and races but would like to send congratulations to you all!

As a very new runner, I find inspiration in you all. So much so that...

I just registered for my first event THIS Saturday!! It is a 5K event called the Santa Shuffle and I am SO nervous but I really want to try it.

I am going in with no expectations of time of anything...just running it for the sake of running my first ever event. And, to be honest, running "in public" for the first time in daytime!!

Wish me luck

MOMOF5k - Awesome! It is a wonderful experience. You will totally enjoy yourself! I am doing a Santa Shuffle as well although it is not for two more weeks.

MK - Yay you are going to take a break. YOU NEED IT! Also congrats for signing up for the next marathon....and yes you will qualify! WTG