Y5K #11

I always hope that I'll manage to get up at least one non-Y5K post in between my Monday updates, but this week I've failed to do that. Oh, well.... Anyway, on with the jogging:

• Monday: I was pretty tired after work today and considered taking a nap first before going on my run. Finally just changed my clothes and made myself go. Did my second 1/4 walk/jog split. 3.02 miles in 36 minutes. For some reason it was a lot rougher than my 1/4 split on Saturday. Maybe because I was tried? I don't know. Lots of sweating. As usual.  But I did it. :) Oh, and I had to put my hand on the hood of a car that was considering running me over. So that was interesting. Someone waiting to turn right, but only looking left for an opening in traffic, found their opening right as I was running across the crosswalk (with the light). I could tell they weren't looking so I was aware that it might happen, but not sure what I would have done if they'd really gunned it. Glad it's a short story. Maybe I should have just waited on the curb? I don't know.

• Wednesday: Stepped up (again!) to 1/4.5.  Did 3.3 miles in 39.5 minutes. Sweat like a mule. Ran the last 4.5 minutes just on pure rhythm. Was worried I'd wander into traffic during my cool-down. Thankfully I didn't. But I felt pleased with my accomplishment. :)

• Saturday morning: Went with pretty much the same route as last Saturday, but this time with the 1/4.5 split (last weekend it was just 1/4), and a result I was able to go a little further, which I always enjoy because I get to explore more (one of my favorite things about going on my runs is getting to know the surrounding neighborhoods better).  I was even in such good spirits by the end that I told myself I could probably run for 5 minutes on my last leg. (granted it was mostly all downhill, but still). So I just didn't look at my watch and told myself I'd just run til I got to a landmark and see where I was. And I ran for just over 5 minutes that leg. So I felt good about that.  All in all, I did 3.47 (almost 3 and a half!) miles in just under 40 minutes (A total of 23 minutes jogging and 17 minutes walking -- don't forget in addition to the 1 minute rests between jogs I walk for 5 minutes of warm-up, and then however long it takes me to get home when I finish the last leg of jogging).

So there you have it.  Running the Ray Barrus 5K in Grantsville a week from today.  Not sure how best to prepare for a race week, but I plan on running today after work and stepping up to the last level on my training schedule -- a 5/1 jogging/walking split.  I'm not sure what I'll do after that, as I assume I'm probably not going to successfully run the entire 3.2 miles at the 4th. Maybe I'll just keep stepping up in 30 second increments until I can do it? I don't know. Definitely not a professional at this point.  I can say that I've been very pleased with the training schedule I've used and that I've so far managed to avoid any serious injuries and have been able to stick to the schedule, which has kept me from getting discouraged.  Anyway, guess I'll let you know how things go with the race whenever I get around to posting after the holiday weekend.