Thursday has become the day that I update you on Heather’s running progress. She completed another 5k race on Sunday and was able to run the whole race! I am so very proud, I told you she was ready to do it!
She actually called me after the 2 mile mark during the race to see if she should speed up for the last mile. Do you love that I spoke to her on the phone while she was running a race?!
I told her that her main goal was to run without stopping. I didn’t think it was necessary to push it, risk burn out and then feel like she needed to walk.
The only thing I recommended, if she felt like she needed a mental distraction, was to start random intervals of speeding up and slowing down to make the last mile more engaging.
Known as fartleks, this is actually something I do during races, not just random workouts. Fartleks come in handy for me during races when I feel myself getting tired, burned out or mentally lost. I will pick a random landmark and tell myself to speed up to that point and then ease up again.
Fartleks are known as “speed play” however, I think for beginner runners especially, they actually benefit you by teaching you to also find your ability to run easy.
It’s like this – If you speed up and then slow down, you realize you can slow yourself to a pace that feels comfortable enough to recover, rather than always think you need to walk to find that zone. Make sense?
Laura has a fun 30 minute fartlek workout that I may run today actually! I’m still loving the 30 minute workouts and even found a local 5k race I may run next weekend.
I find it really funny that I’m interested in running a 5k race right now. If you would have told me that I would ever choose to run a 5k race a year ago, or even 3 months ago, I would have laughed in your face! I never liked the short race distances but hey, things change. Never say never. About ANYTHING.
And because this post clearly needs an image, here’s my cup of Red Mango yogurt from last night. It was a LONG day in front of the computer screen so this yogurt mixed with dark chocolate chips and pumpkin flax granola made me really happy. As did a big Yankees win! My son may be the Mets fan in this house but I am the Yankees fan. 🙂
On This Day:
10/19/16: The Bar Mitzvah – I remember taking a few days off from the blog to recover before posting this brief Bar Mitzvah recap. I still can’t believe it’s a year ago now!
10/19/15: My Meatless Diet –I’m still a meatless eater so this post holds true and answers a lot of questions about my diet and how I went the meatless route.
10/19/14: Weekly Workout Recap – Oh wow! I remember getting this post up right before running the Runner’s World Half Marathon! I was in Bethlehem, PA for the Runner’s World weekend of races! This was the last weekend actually that I ran a 5k race too. I still can’t believe I ran 3 races in one weekend.
We know how I feel about selfies where you see your phone but hey, it’s a flashback photo and I didn’t know any better yet.
Anyone running the Runner’s World races this coming weekend?!
When is the next race on your calendar?
Favorite yogurt toppings?
Never say never really is a good life motto! Hope you enjoy the 5K and it is pretty awesome that you talked to her during the race!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt recently posted…Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
Yay for meatless eating – I’m right there with you 🙂
Hope your 5K goes well!
Your yogurt looks yummo! I have such a love/hate relationship with the 5k. It definitely makes me perform better at other races, but it’s so hard because I’m going ALL out the entire time, I don’t ever feel like I find my groove like I do with a 1/2 or even a 10k.
My next race is in December at CIM.
My absolute fav yogurt is salted caramel pretzel with Reece’s on top.
Marissa @ Run Riss Run recently posted…Race Recap
I’m running CIM also! It’s a great race! Good luck on the rest of your training!
Laura @ This Runner’s Recipes recently posted…Quick and Effective Strength Workout for Marathon Training
Never saying never about any race is so true; I think I almost said ‘never’ about a marathon a couple years ago, and I’m thankful to have run 2 now. It’s been about 3 years since I ran the last one, but I’m so thankful I did it. Now I’m more on the shorter distances, but I won’t soon forget that experience of running the marathon.
Emily recently posted…Comment on When Recovery Takes a Hard Turn (WIAW) by beautyinchrist
The word “fartleks” will always make me giggle. Because I’m 12. LOL!
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table recently posted…Vanilla-Cinnamon Spirulina Chia Pudding