This weekend is my first 5k. I picked a route for today's run to try to mimic some of the 5k route as best I could. The 5k has about 100 feet of climbing between 1.25 miles and 2.25 miles. My normal route doesn't have that much elevation change, so I decided to run a 1.14 mile loop through the neighborhood next to mine. That climbs almost 100 feet in the span of 1k. Figured if I could do that, I'd be fine on Saturday. I will start by saying that I did run it. I will continue by saying boy did it ever suck. I think my legs just weren't warmed up enough to do the hill yet. I think that walking that area will be my off day exercise, at least until I develop the climbing muscles a little bit more.
Once I got through the first km, the route is a pretty nice downhill for half a mile then back up for half a mile. That particular climb is very gradual and is part of my normal route. I vaguely remember hearing the voice telling me I was at the 15 minute mark, but my brain was already off on hiatus, which was nice. I don't really remember the next mile and change. Was brought back to reality by a garbage truck running a stop sign and bouncing over the curb about 10 feet in front of me. Glad my subconscious mind was paying attention because I'm pretty sure the driver didn't see me and was not going to give me enough space. So I was conscious again for about the last km, but I was running easy and could have kept going. I even contemplated pushing up my speed and adding some distance, but I decided not to last minute. Last thing I need is to push it too much and risk injury, or even just soreness, two days before my first race. I was already planning to run 2-3 minutes past the Week 8 time as it was. That 2-3 minutes became 4 or 5.
I'm planning to count Week 9 of C25K as week one of One Hour Runner since they're identical. I was contemplating going straight into Week 4 of OHR, but since I'm planning to change my run schedule to every other day instead of 3 days a week, it seemed like a good idea to do the 30 minute runs while I get used to the new schedule.
I should probably post on our reg C25K board but since I'm here, I'll just stay here. I feel your pain about inclines. We all know we can't get over that we can run steadily for this given amount of time but when you add aditional inclines in...whoa! it makes a huge difference. (almost feels like going back in our progress) I think reading back over previous blog enteries helps remind us just where we came from. Especially when you look at at those first "killer weeks." You'll do GREAT this weekend! (my first 5K is next Saturday. We just came back from Riviera Maya in Mexico and I've run since we've been back but I feel like I am so out of my grove) Not wishing you luck for your 5K...you don't need it. Go out and do what we know you can!!!
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