3rd and 4th Weeks of Training, Sub-6 minute Mile

I’ve never been much of a speed demon, which is probably why I spent my pre-baby running career focusing on longer distances.  Only recently did I wake up one day and discovered that I could run a sub-6 pace.  The only time I have ran a sub-6 pace prior to this was perhaps during some random 400s, and the first  minute of a 5K.

I’ve been doing some haphazard speedwork since then (aka: What-I-Want-to-Do, When-I-Want-to-Do-It) with hesitant plans to do a 5K on February 11th.
Workout 1: 800 (2:54), 1 Mile x 2 (6:12 / 6:09), 800 (2:55)
Workout 2: 1 min “fast” (5:37 pace avg), 45 sec brisk RI x 5
                    2 min “almost fast” (5:53 avg), 90 sec brisk R1 x 3
                    3 min “less fast” (6:05)
                    2 min “5k Pace" (6:10) x 3
Workout 3: 1K x 3 @ 5K Pace, .15 RI (had to cut this short for hot yoga)
Workout 4: 1 Mile (5:54), 2 min RI
                     800 (2:58)…..and I am feeling like a stud at this point.  I recover .25, turn around to do it again in the opposite direction and BAM….headwind!  I am not talking about a crazy headwind but I clearly did my first 1.5 miles too fast, and poor little me could not handle a breeze (and yes, I realize that means I had a slight tailwind before). So instead I did 400 x 4, keeping steady at 1:32, which is my goal 5K pace.
I think, if properly trained, I could run that pace (6:10).  But because I have focused on seeing new numbers on my Garmin, really all I have done is trained myself to run 1 mile too fast – not 3.1 miles consistently and realistically "fast".  On one hand, I am happy about my first sub-6 mile. It’s worth a photo:


On the other hand, I can predict how that 5K next weekend will pan out.  I will start off too fast, run a 6:08….manage to weasle out a 6:15 for Mile 2 and then shuffle in a 6:55 minute mile for Mile 3.  That will bring me close to 20 minutes, give or take a few seconds in either direction.

I know…I know…I should simply avoid this situation by not going out too fast.  For some reason, this logic always escapes me on race day!  On race day, I often forget my limitations…until Mile 2.  Then I get a sobering reminder of who I am.

I always decide after every 5K that this distance is too short and too fast for my liking and that I will not do another one…but ah, how quickly I forget!

The babies have also had a quick turnover from their race.  After a day of recovering, they are past it and back to running.


We have also added cross-training to our repituare. Brenna has a fondness for the jump rope. She gives it a valiant effort, although it's quite a tricky sport.



Meanwhile, Hayden is discovering an inner-gymnast.


But even he has the ability to get up, he still lacks the confidence to get down:




We will work on that.