Running Goals and Achievements

I've been trying new ideas lately, trying to run in ways I never have before. Maybe call it my "ultra" training or substitute (because I am not planning on any ultras any time soon). But I have been increasing my mileage and you have to have interesting ways to make 40 miles in one week, and might as well throw in some fun challenges in there.

For instance, two weeks ago I did a half marathon race in the morning and then came home and ran 10 more miles. It was my first double (2 runs in one day). I really wanted to do another half marathon distance but didn't quite make it that far! So that remains on my bucket list.

Then the next weekend I did 10 on Friday and 20 on Saturday - my first time doing 30 miles in an appx 24 hour window. So there's potential there to increase that distance. Maybe one day doing 20 milers two days in a row.

My next goal I have set to accomplish by the end of the year is running 3 half marathons, 3 days in a row. I was scheduled to do it this past week but Taylor got sick! So I wasn't able to leave him to do much running until Saturday so I just did a regular long run of 18.5 miles. Even that is pretty cool since I have never done 4 weekends in a row of long runs.

My week-day runs are usually one hour and I have been doing this without walk breaks usually. Another goal of mine is to get to 10 miles without walking this year. and hopefully next spring I will be ready for a half marathon even with no walking. (Wow! that sounds really amazing right now)

Once I get up to (and max out at) 50 miles per week, another cool "ultra" idea for me is to run 10 miles, 5 days in a row.

So those are my distance goals. My speed goals are to improve times in 5K, 10K and half marathon. I need to be more dilligent about doing speedwork every week. There are so many ways to approach that, and I just want to try them all! This will keep me busy for a while. I can run 5K anaerobically the whole way, and I think I am about ready to do that on the 10K (meaning, going fast and breathing hard). The half marathon I need to learn to do without a slow 2 mile warm-up as is my routine on all my longer runs. 

I think I can do a mile in 7 minutes but haven't done so yet. 

I have been sprinting 1/2 miles on the treadmill though, and my record is 3 minutes, 25 seconds which includes the ten seconds of slow jogging as the treadmill starts from zero (that's the only way I have thought to time it... I guess I could run with a stopwatch).

My 5K record is 23:09 which I will aim to beat next time I am in a measured race. My 10K measured race was 50:30 but I have done it on my own at 49 minutes. My half marathon PR on a measured course was 1:52 but that was a more difficult course and it was the only half I did all year, so I am waiting for a good flat road race to try for a sub-1:50 time.

Anyhow - December 15 Hoover Dam marathon is coming up!! It's a course with long gradual hills and switchbacks! I have been training for this, even to an exact mile-by-mile simulation. Looks like I can do it in 4 hrs, 10 minutes depending on how hard those switchbacks actually turn out to be. I am hoping with all my long runs, the distance won't be an issue. My endurance is great but my stamina is what I am working on, meaning running at a higher threshold. There is a big psychological component in there, and I think the way for me to beat it is to do what I am doing here, measuring all my progress and gaining confidence that I am capable of it. Doing gradual goals so I know I can run anerobically for longer periods, etc.