Race Goals: Banquet 10k

Tomorrow is our local Banquet 10k, a benefit for the local homeless shelter in town. It's a donation based race with no official timing, and last year was my first time doing it. It was my last race of 2017, and I really surprised myself with how well I did.

This year's race is 2-ish weeks before the Dallas Half, so I'm hoping it can serve as a confidence boost for a strong half. Last year, I averaged an 8:33 pace, which I was really pleased with. This year, I'd really like to hold a 8:15 pace for the race. I'm unsure what the race course is this year, as the race site has moved and it sounds like the route will be through the fairgrounds, which I'm not sure how that'll work. Regardless, I hope to run a strong 6.2 miles to kick off Thanksgiving!

A goal: Under 8:15 pace.
B goal: Under 8:25 pace
C goal: Faster than last year.

I'm choosing to focus on the overall paces instead of time goals, since a donation-based race like this will typically not be an exact race distance, which is totally fine. But I want to stay focused on my pace and not let a wonky distance mess with my brain. And I get to meet Melissa for extra miles before and after for 10 for the day.

Gobble gobble!

Firecracker 10k Race Goals

I've debated all week about running tomorrow's race. Kyle and I have plans to go to his parents' cabin for the fourth of July weekend, and if I decided to bag the race, we could go up Thursday after work and have almost a whole additional day of fun. So I decided to let the weather decide my fate.

Lo and behold, a cold front pushed through midway through this week. Rumor has it, it was 47 degrees last night (=heaven). And Friday's forecast is mid- to low 60s. Insanely humid, and windy. But 60s! So I guess I'm racing.

Kyle is thrilled.

I solicited advice from running friends much of today to help me form my race goals and they are something as follows:

• PGSPR. Currently my PGSPR (Post-grad school PR) is 55:17.
• Course PR. I ran this race in 2011 (and crashed and burned). I ran a 54:14. I ran a 3 minute positive split, or something ridiculous like that. I just re-read my race report and laughed like a hyena. Enjoy that here.
• Sub 53. This is Kyle's prediction. 

10k from 2011

5k from 2010

Trick or Treat Trail Run 10k Goals

Tomorrow I'm running my 2nd 10k of 2013.  My first one was in June and was my first race of 2013.  Whoa.  For that race, I had hoped to run sub-9 miles, and I ran a 55:40 for a pace of 8:57.  I have run a LOT of miles since June, but very few speedy ones.  With my injury prone body, I can either do lots o' miles or speed, both and my legs fall off.  Since I was super out of shape I focused on miles.

So my goal for tomorrow's 10k will be..... ???

• Sub 53.  This is pretty unlikely unless I have some hidden speed tucked away somewhere.
• Sub 54.  This is probably a better goal time.  8:43 pace sounds decently hard but not impossible.
• Sub 55.  This was actually my A goal for June, dodging the flooding in the middle of the road caused me to suck at running tangents, and probably caused the extra 40 seconds.  Or so I'm telling myself.

I'm still debating wearing a costume for the race.  I've always wanted to dress as a banana for a race.  

Any costume suggestions that are still easy to run in??

Surprise Running Buddy + Inaugural 10k Race Goals

Signs Kyle and I have spent entirely too much time watching LOST:

This morning, Kyle and I were waiting at a stop light.  A truck drives by with a chick with long crazy dark hair. 

KK:  Huh.... there's Rousseau.....
Me:  Well, clearly she gets off the island.  SPOILER ALERT!!!!

::maniacal laughter ensues::

Tuesday I had a shocking surprise when I texted KK to see if he wanted to accompany on my run.  Instead of the usual excuse of nap/softball/washing his hair, he asked how far.  Uh.... as far as you want to go bud.  I headed out for 5 miles on my own, and then met him back at my apartment to go out for another 2 miles.  Keeping in mind that the kid hasn't run since we started dating, he did amazing.  Seriously.  I told him we could take walk breaks/stretch breaks, whatever as long as we did the total 2 miles.  Considering he had played softball for the first time since last fall and was already all kinds of sore, it was lots o' fun.  :)

The second half of mile one was much faster than the first half.  And after our 1/4 of a mile walk break at the halfway point, we hauled some booty to finish up the two miles.  AND his heart didn't beat out of his chest like he was convinced it was going to.  AND he must not have hated it too terribly much, because he had mentioned going out for another couple of miles after work tonight.  Yay KK.... brb currently signing us up for a race together......

This morning I had a 7 mile scheduled.  I was not feeling 7 miles from the moment I crawled out of bed, so I down-sized to 5 miles.  Well those miles felt like the first miles I've ever run in my life, so somehow they got downgraded to 4 miles.  Four heavy, slow, slogging miles.  Ugh.  Luckily those craptastic runs usually mean that a stellar run is just around the corner.

Oh hey speaking of runs just around the corner.....  This weekend I'm running my first ever 10k.  Yes, I also have no idea how I've run so many races without letting a 10k slip in there.  I'm guessing that upon finishing I will again be frightened of the distance and keep it at bay, after the dry-heaving stops, that is.

Since I've never run a 10k, it's an auto PR.  YAYZIES!  However, there are so many tools and calculators out there to tell you what your time could/would/should be, so I'll let you in on some goals.

Based on the McMillan calculator for both my half and 5k time, I should be right around 50 minutes.  It's on my 101 in 1001 list to break 50 minutes, so I might as well shoot for that.  Also, I'd really love to run a sub 8 minute pace for the whole shebang, which would ensure my sub 50, and then a little extra.  And then because I've heard that an accurate 10k estimate is your (5k time x 2) + 1 min, I would maybe possibly like to break 49 minutes.  Barfaroni.  (see above).

Granted, I had all these time goals in mind before my half marathon that tore my poor IT bands apart.  Hopefully the ol' bod will be 100% on Saturday so I can give it my all, because it's pretty clear that it could be awhile before I get tricked in to running another one of these puppies...