;
Mar20

Last week’s workouts: Winning a 10K + Running Slower to Run Faster

post featured image
The following content may contain affiliate links. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission.

A recap of last week’s training, including a tune up race before the Boston Marathon!

Hey guys! I am WIPED! I ran a tune up race on Saturday (more on that below) and then did 17 miles on Sunday, and the combination destroyed me. I’m sure part of it is also the cumulation of training and multiple 50+ mile weeks. So, I am very grateful to only have one more week before my taper begins!! I have a three week taper leading up to the Boston and I’m very ready to start decreasing mileage.

Last week’s workouts + Racing a 10K

M – REST

T- 8.2 miles, including 5×600 @5K pace (6:20-6:30 min mile) – V02 Max  workout

The 15mph wind was brutal… when it was a headwind. I liked the tailwind part. 😉 I don’t think I’ve ever had a training cycle with so many windy days! (My first and my second 20 miler were extremely windy. Bad luck!) Thankfully it wasn’t as cold as I was expecting, even though there was still snow on the ground.

W- 12 miles, 8:33 pace

I had to get up extra early for this run since I had to drive to Charlotte for work. It took me over two hours to get down there with traffic, then I sat in meetings for 4 straight hours, and then I had to drive back that evening. It was rough sitting so much after a long run.

Th – REST

I got needled and scraped this evening, which I think counts as a workout! I bruised like crazy!

F – 4.8 miles, 9:05 pace, finishing with 6 strides.

I was feeling really beat up, so I skipped the roads and headed to Hanes Park again for my recovery miles. I also shared this reminder on Instagram since I often get asked how to run faster (read my tips here), but it’s often overlooked that you need to run slower on recovery day to go faster when it counts (i.e. hard workouts and race day).

 

Sa – St. Leo’s 10K, 6:56 pace – 1st overall female! 43:26 (gun time)

st-leo-10k

My marathon training plan includes multiple tune-up races, and while I don’t think I can do all 3-4 that it calls for, the timing for the St. Leo 10K worked out perfectly. I ran the the St. Leo’s 10K five years ago and took first in my age group, and it was so fun to be the female winner this year! (I was 9th overall, for men and women.) This was also a 10K PR I think! I’ve run so many races over the years that I lose track!)

I ran to the race start and then ran home since my plan called for 9-13 total miles. This race was a great confidence booster in how my training is paying off because while I definitely pushed myself, I wasn’t going 100% all out and had more in the tank. I really like that this course loops back on itself so I was able to see some friends and blog readers out on the course too. And it was seriously SO cool to have people cheer for me and tell me I was the first overall female! The cheers definitely helped me keep pushing, especially on the hills.

Su- 17.2 miles; 8:54 pace

This run was BRUTAL. My legs were dead and mentally, I really struggled. Plus, it was super windy again, which I wasn’t expecting. I ran the first 8 miles without music or a podcast, so I looped back to my car to get my earbuds. I think there is something to be said for training through boredom but I really needed the distraction!

But hey, at least the sunrise was gorgeous!!

Total Miles: 52.7 miles

How I’m Feeling:

Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I am still really wiped out after last week’s training. The combo of the race + the long run the next day was rough for me, but it was good for my mental game. I was chatting with my friend Christian while running this morning about how small races are great for confidence boosters. Many people only ever run really big races and it’s easy to feel like you aren’t that fast compared to 30,000 other people. But, when you run a small race (this one had about 200 people I think?), you’ll place higher, which gives you confidence to keep going. So, it may seem counterintuitive, but if you’re struggling with confidence and want to run faster (which is something I hear about a LOT in Instagram direct messages), I encourage you to sign up for a small race! Big races often get all the glory, but I find small races more meaningful and they’re a great way to connect with your community.

 

My  Running Gear

terilyn signatureterilyn signature

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    5 responses to “Last week’s workouts: Winning a 10K + Running Slower to Run Faster”

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.