Run like the wind bulls eye!

[Katie Little]

With the goal 10k race so soon, I'd save the effort for that race. I would advise to take this color run 5k easy and enjoy the time out on the course. That extra energy will be helpful come 10k day.

Thanks!!! I think you’re right- going to stick side my OG plan.

 

[Andie16]

Have I “hit the wall?”

So after tonight’s run, my app gave me the “commitment badge.” I immediately felt a sinking pitt in my stomach, because I honestly don’t think I earned the “commitment badge.” Ive been skipping work outs every week recently and haven’t really been able to put a finger on why... I’ve had my reasons in the moment but they read more like apathetic excuses than legitimate reasons not to run.

I’ve heard about “hitting the wall” during a run and I’ve yet to have to have that experience (during a run). Is it possible to “hit the wall” during a training plan? Is this normal? I kind of hope this is the case and I’m going to treat myself as if it is. That may sound counter productive, but if I have in fact “hit the wall,” then I now have a known and solvable problem.

I think it's very normal to have feelings of burnout or low motivation at points during training. I would definitely pay attention to these signals as you want running to be sustainable and want to make sure you aren't overtraining and pushing more than your body is ready for. Do you feel mentally worn out, or physically, or both? How do you feel during and after your runs?

One thing that I find really helpful in my current plan (generously created by coach @DopeyBadger) is that there are a number of cut-back weeks built in where the amount of running is lower than in previous weeks. It is so nice to have weeks that feel easy, and it helps me build up energy and motivation for the longer training weeks. He uses a similar principle during the week, with a balance between harder runs and runs that should feel completely easy.

 

[Katie Little]

Have I “hit the wall?”

So after tonight’s run, my app gave me the “commitment badge.” I immediately felt a sinking pitt in my stomach, because I honestly don’t think I earned the “commitment badge.” Ive been skipping work outs every week recently and haven’t really been able to put a finger on why... I’ve had my reasons in the moment but they read more like apathetic excuses than legitimate reasons not to run.

I’ve heard about “hitting the wall” during a run and I’ve yet to have to have that experience (during a run). Is it possible to “hit the wall” during a training plan? Is this normal? I kind of hope this is the case and I’m going to treat myself as if it is. That may sound counter productive, but if I have in fact “hit the wall,” then I now have a known and solvable problem.

Thanks! I’m mostly mentally and emotionally burnt out. Physically I’m okay and during and after my runs I feel great (although yesterday I felt so run down that I ate a GU just to get me out the door - so that could have had something to do with it)!

I’ve been looking at @DopeyBadger’s plans on his journal. I’m in the market for a good 10 miler or half marathon plan. I didn’t realize that they had easy weeks built in - that’s definitely a plus. If I had 1 complaint about the couch to 10k plan, it would be that every single run increases in difficulty. I’ve done a little bit of research about long runs and increasing your mileage by no more than 10% and this plan definitely didn’t follow that rule.

I’m also tossing around the idea of hiring a running coach for both my 10 miler and half marathon, but financially IDK if it’s feasible right now. I’m running a race every month this year which adds up to most of the running budget, and Idk if I would feel good about spending even more. I think if I hired a coach, I would probably have to give up my race every month goal. So I’m really trying to decide if I actually need a coach or if I can make it on my own (and by on my own, I mean with the advice of any runner, trainer or coach who will answer my questions! Lol. And of course there’s Google.) Idk why, but I really want to accomplish my race every month goal. It’s just a thing I’ve wanted to do for a while and now I’m actually doing it.

 

[Andie16]

I don't have experience with the couch to 5k/10k plans, but my concern is that they may be more focused on the running equivalent of cramming for a test rather than building a solid running foundation. I am impressed by how much tougher your plan gets every week, but I can totally see how you'd feel burnt out! Last year I increased my mileage pretty much every week up to a September half marathon, and in retrospect that was a very bad idea. I ended up with a terrible run down feeling and a cold that would not go away.

 

[DopeyBadger]

My plans mostly follow a 4 week cycle. High, medium, High, and low. Over time your high becomes the low and your new high is higher. It builds progressively but also pulls back to allow recovery and adaptation. I'll be ready when you are.

 

[Katie Little]

I don't have experience with the couch to 5k/10k plans, but my concern is that they may be more focused on the running equivalent of cramming for a test rather than building a solid running foundation. I am impressed by how much tougher your plan gets every week, but I can totally see how you'd feel burnt out! Last year I increased my mileage pretty much every week up to a September half marathon, and in retrospect that was a very bad idea. I ended up with a terrible run down feeling and a cold that would not go away.

Right! I think the couch to 5k is fine because it gets people going and it’s a good place to start; however, the 10K extension has been a bit of a stretch. I think if you’re doing much more than 3.1, you need a plan with a tad more science behind it.

 

[Katie Little]

My plans mostly follow a 4 week cycle. High, medium, High, and low. Over time your high becomes the low and your new high is higher. It builds progressively but also pulls back to allow recovery and adaptation. I'll be ready when you are.

Thank you!! I just need to get through this 10K plan first! I can not believe I’m about to run a 10K in a just few weeks!!

 

[Katie Little]

Mission Possible Color Run Recap.

I only used strava this time so I don’t have my splits by kilometer only by mile.

Total Time - 59:15
Mile 1 - 23:11
Mile 2 - 18:03
Mile 3 15:57
Mile 3.1 - 12:58

I know it looks like I accomplished negative splits but that first mile was actually closer to 16 mins. It was 25 degrees and I was wearing 2 pairs of leggings and my pocket was on the inside pair. So I prematurely started strava and didn’t feel like digging my phone out to correct anything. Then there was a big color toss in the beginning that kinda slowed my start.

Overall it was a good race. It was a tougher coarse than I was expecting (seriously, I have to start doing more course research before I sign up for these things), but it definitely wasn’t as bad as humble creek 5k. I did learn that I don’t like trail runs at all. This course was a hybrid of trail and pavement. I don’t like the way my foot strikes the ground on the trail. When I was running up the first trail hill, I started sliding around. Even when I was running on the flat “field” part I didn’t like the way my foot hit the ground - it wasn’t as “springy” as the pavement. I know that’s the opposite of how most people feel, but it is what it is. I walked the trail part and ran paved part. Unfortunately, the 2 worse hills were paved so I had no excuse to walk them lol. I may have one more trail run in me. As I want to give it a try when there isn’t mud everywhere - I think that may make a difference, but for now I’m going to stick to road races.

I did set a PR for the last 400 meters of the race though. I ran that last quarter mile in 00:02:33. This is one of my favorite strava features. I think it would be really easy for me to be upset that I took almost an hour to run a 5k, but now I get to be excited that I set a new PR. If I had kept that pace up, I’d be running around a 10 min mile! How insane is that?! I think one day soon, I’m going to a trail or something and just go all out for a mile and see what happens. It’ll be a couple weeks before I have a break in this training plan, but I feel like I could use that little confidence boost.

 

[Katie Little]

Training Update Week 12!

Total miles ran – 6.5
Month to date (March) - 22.7
Year to date – 79.35
Fastest pace this week – 15:11

Planned work outs:

Sun - 5m WU - 15R + 2W + 15R +3W + 15R - 5m CD
Tues - 5m WU - 25R + 3W +15R - 5m CD
Thurs - 5m WU - 30R +5W + 15R - 5m CD
Sat - Mission Possible 5k.

Missed workouts - Sunday and Thursday - yea I don’t even know anymore. I just need to struggle through this training plan. Then I’ll have a week off and hopefully a much better training plan thanks to @DopeyBadger, who is just a generous and kind human being.


Things I learned this week –

Not a fan of trail runs.

Days till next race – 14 days till the “Victory at Yorktown 10k”


Plan for week 10! - Seriously, going to do my best to stick to this no matter what.

Tues - 5min WU - 40min R - 5min W - 10min R - 5min CD
Thurs - 5min WU - 40min R - 2min W - 10min R - 5min CD
Saturday - 5min WU - 50min R - 5 min CD.

 

[ZellyB]

Just keep it up. As you get stronger and have more positive experiences, it will get easier to stick to the training plan. Great job on your color run.

 

[Katie Little]

Just keep it up. As you get stronger and have more positive experiences, it will get easier to stick to the training plan. Great job on your color run.

Thank you sooo much!

 

[kski907]

Nice Job on your color run, great recap, Kudos for getting out there in the cold weather too. I hear where you're coming from, I too am not a fan of how it feels to run on trails and grass and much prefer payment. I know you can finish out the training strong and look forward to your 10K recap.

 

[Katie Little]

Nice Job on your color run, great recap, Kudos for getting out there in the cold weather too. I hear where you're coming from, I too am not a fan of how it feels to run on trails and grass and much prefer payment. I know you can finish out the training strong and look forward to your 10K recap.

Thank you! I super appreciate the encouragement! Honestly, I am feeling a lot better about training right now! I think just knowing that I have a better training plan on the way is encouraging me!

 

[Katie Little]

GUYS!! I just downloaded the book "Finish - Give yourself the gift of done"by Jon Acuff. I'm only 17 mins into the audio book and I swear this book was written about me. It's all about starting things and not finishing (which I do A LOT). I'm writing about it here, because he just finished talking about "the day after perfect." Basically it boils down to what you do the day after your first mistake in a goal. EX: Say you are trying to eat healthy. Then, on day 12 you forget to pack lunch and have to go to McDonald's. On day 13 you can't quite seem to get back on track.

I think that's what's happened with my running on a smaller scale (since I'm still running a little). I had a near perfect 5k training plan, only missing 3 workouts the entire 8 weeks. Then Humble Creek happened.. I was soo upset that I didn't get to have a normal 5k experience right after the plan that I squeezed in a virtual 5k. That time should have been training, but instead I pushed myself with a hard race effort. Which burnt me out and caused me to skip a few workouts. I think that since all of this happened at the start of my 10k plan, I've always felt behind on the plan. And that feeling of behind has made me think, "well you're mailing in this 10k any way, it won't hurt if you skip this one work out. You are so far behind there is no point really."

Well you know what! NO! That's not how this is going to go. I'm going to pick up my training tomorrow as planned, finish as strong as I can and run my 10k. I realize that was always the plan on paper; however, trust me, there is a mental/emotional commitment that wasn't there before.

Anyway, can't recommend the book yet, I'm only 17 mins in but so far so good!

 

[Katie Little]

Well, I was walking the dogs before my run today and there was a cat or squirrel or something. Next thing I know I’m tumbling all over the place. I avoided the fall but I stepped crooked and twisted my knee. Thankfully Josh was with me so he was able to handle the dogs, while I focused on just getting home. Icing my knee on and off and took some ibuprofen. Swelling is gone down and it only hurts when there is weight on it. Ibuprofen hasn’t had a chance to kick in yet.

Here’s to hoping I can run tomorrow!!!

 

[Katie Little]

Training Update Week 13!

Total miles ran – 7
Month to date (March) - 29.7
Year to date – 80.15
Fastest pace this week – 15:56

Planned work outs:

Tues - 5min WU - 40min R - 5min W - 10min R - 5min CD
Thurs - 5min WU - 40min R - 2min W - 10min R - 5min CD
Saturday - 5min WU - 50min R - 5 min CD.

Missed workouts - did Thursdays run on Friday due to an extremely small injury (like I don’t even want to call it an injury but for lack of a better word). So Saturday’s run will happen today.


Things I learned this week –

I’ve felt pretty awful about the March as a whole, but today when I was adding up the miles for this post, I realized that I still ran more than I ran in Jan and Feb. I’ve been less consistent in March which is a problem that needs to be solved sooner than later. However, I still have measurable and undeniable improvement to be happy about! I’m choosing to focus on that going into this weekend.

Days till next race – 7 days till the “Victory at Yorktown 10k.” I always get nervous around race day, but just thinking about this 10k makes me want to throw up right now! The good news is that I’m equally excited so there is that. It also doesn’t help that as I’m typing this “Go the Distance” from Hercules started playing on spotify so of course now I’m crying… LOL

Plan for week 14 -

Sunday- 55 min run
Tuesday - 60 min run
Saturday - Victory at Yorktown 10k!!

 

[Katie Little]

Victory at Yorktown 10k plan!

Alright guys! This time your girl did her homework!! There wasn’t any information about the route on the website, but I dug a bit in strava and found the segments saved from the race - here. Looks like there is a pretty steep hill in the very beginning of the race. At the steepest point, there is a 12.3% grade. My usual hill that I’ve been training on has grade of 8.2%. However, compared to 19.8% grade on the Mission Possible 5k and the whopping 39.9% grade at Humble Creek, I think I’m good!

My plan is to jog till I get to the hill, walk the hill and then start running afterwards. After that, I’m hoping to run the rest of the first 5k. Then only if I need too, I will allow myself to do intervals; 10 mins of running with no more than 5 mins of walking between. I very much hope to set the cruise control and go without a whole lot of drama or having to look at my watch and figure out intervals - Just giving myself the option in case I need it. My A, B and C goal is to run more than I walk and to finish in the upright position.

 

[Andie16]

Sounds like a good plan! Remember, it's your first 10K, so it's a guaranteed PR. Enjoy the race and make yourself proud, but try not to stress out too much about the outcome!

 

[Katie Little]

10k done - race re-cap coming soon. It was raining pretty hard and even though it was 49 degrees the wind made everything feel extra frosty. I didn't stick to my plan and I honestly don't know how I feel about this race (seriously been trying to figure it out all day.) I'm not thrilled with my results and I'm not upset by them either. Idk if it's just the very blah weather or what, but that's kinda how I feel about this race.. "bleh."

 

[Andie16]

Ugh, good job sticking it out in the rain - I'm not sure I would have! I can totally understand feeling "bleh" in those circumstances. But you completed a 10k - woot!!