I signed up to participate in Run To The Finish’s Resolution {Virtual} Run. The rules were simple:

Run at least 1 mile sometime on January 1
Then leave a comment about your run… yup it is just that easy.

I have been training to run a faster 5k {or 3.1 miles}. I am half way through my training plan and I wanted to see were I was. I have been feeling discouraged because treadmill workouts have been so difficult as of late. {I’ve been on the mill because it’s so dang cold here in Utah, no snow but super cold. I also don’t like to run in the dark because I’m a afraidy cat. And the lovely inversion does a number on my lungs.} Anyway the treadmill and I are not really friends. Every run is a challenge to finish on the beast. So, I wanted to see if I sucked as much as I feared.

So my GOAL for a 5K PR {personal record} at the end of January is

*to run a 5k in under 30 minutes.*

My Goal for today’s run was to try for a 10:00 min/mile pace which would put me around 31 minutes for the 5K.

For reference, I ran two 5Ks last year:

• Lehi Round Up – June 25, 2011 – 37:34.8
• Highland Fling – August 6,2011 – 35:03.3

Resolution Race Recap

• Today is a beautiful day, cool, crisp, and super sunny. 32 degrees.
• I started out with a 1 mile warm up. I feel great. My legs feel light and I am starting to think that I will be able to get close to my goal.
• After 1 mile I stop Runkeeper, take off my jacket, take a quick drink, and get ready to run.
  

  Pre-PR picture. I'm apprehensive and excited at the same time.

• I start up a new activity in Runkeeper and take off. I started off too slow, no I’m going too fast, I don’t know I still haven’t figured out how to pace myself. Runkeeper is set to give me an update every 2 minutes. 2 minutes roll around and dang the gps picked me up at the bottom of the gully instead of at the top where I really was. Argh, my distance and average pace are already messed up but it doesn’t seem to be by a whole lot. I am going much faster that I think. It said my current pace was around 9:30 m/m. I better slow down or I won’t be able to finish strong.
• Mile 1 feels great. I tried to run by feel, trying to run at the same effort the whole time.
• Mile 2 feeling pretty good at the start starting to feel the pace at the end of the mile.
• Mile 3 I decide that if I am going to pass out I should aim for the strip of grass next to the road. I’m feeling the effort is getting harder but I know I can finish out the mile strong.
• .1 – I’m not sure how far I have to go to make it to a full 5K because I’m not sure how far off my start was, so I try and make it a strong finish and push a little harder to the end.
• Of course when I get home I immediately jump on Runkeeper to see how wonky my run was. It turns out it wasn’t too bad. I smoothed out the beginning of my run, the gps had me running up and down the side of the gully {which I didn’t do}. So I smoothed the path out and……..

distance = 3.17 miles
time = 30:50! Hello virtual PR!
average pace = 9:43!
Woot! I am so close to my goal. I know I can nail it by the end of January. Take that stupid treadmill!

What an awesome way to start out 2012! I am on a serious runner high right now. Thanks Run to the Finish for hosting this virtual run. I had a great time.

I forgot to print out and wear my race bib. Opps. Here’s what my resolution is: