Last year's edition of the
Run for the Animals 10k was a huge PR for me. With a 36:49, I knocked off over a minute and 25 seconds from my previous best. In the 20 weeks prior to that race, I was averaging over 60 miles per week. Leading up to this year's edition of the race my training has been a little different - only 41 miles per week.
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| Finishing the 2016 Run for the Animals |
However, one thing I've done differently in training this year is to mix in three swims per week in addition to those 41 miles. At the very least, swimming has kept my legs looser as floating and kicking is therapeutic - allowing my joints to heal while at the same time increasing my aerobic base. I'm hoping that 3x per week swimming is worth five miles per week of running. Another thing working in my favor is that I've been dialing in my LCHF diet and have lost about five pounds over the last month. This puts me only two pounds over my ideal "
racing weight". I'm probably a pound or two lighter than I was for last year's race. Maybe that's worth another handful of seconds?
Goal:
Ideally, I'd like to run a sub 38:00 and snag a 2nd best PR, but that is no easy feat since it means running two 18:59 5ks back-to back. But is this goal realistic given my current fitness? In order to figure that out, I assumed that my fitness is the same as it was for
my last 5k race, which I finished with an 18:16. I then plugged that time into the
McMillan Calculator. The result that popped up said that I should be able to run a 37:56 10k - almost to the second of my goal!
So, if it's not too windy (and not too hot) on Saturday and I pace myself correctly, I may just be able to eke out a 37:59! In any event, it will be a fun time with my family as my dad is planning on running the 5k and my niece is planning on running the kids' race.
Also, the last edition of the
Grim Mile will be held the following day. I may be a late entrant to that race, depending on how my legs feel.
Sounds like you are well prepared! Good luck on Saturday! I'm looking forward to the recap.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hope so! :)
DeleteSounds like you've got a good plan under your belt! I think the swimming will give you a good fitness boost as well, but not necessarily to the bodily detriment that running (even running easy) might. Excited for you! Enjoy the family time, too! Hope the weather is great!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'm curious about where my fitness level is currently given the lower miles and the swimming. I guess I'll see on Saturday where I'm at. My muscles and joints always seem to feel refreshed after a swim, so I'm sure it's doing some good. Fingers crossed for decent weather! :)
DeleteOoo, I hope you have the right weather to go for that sub 38! What do you like to do during your swims? (what stroke or drills?) I feel so good after my swims too!
ReplyDeleteFor the first 5 minutes I do some slow swimming mostly free style or breast stroke to warmup. Then a couple of laps with the kickboard face down then face up. The bulk of the rest is freestyle. I recently came up with an interval drill on my own that I like a lot. I do an all-out free style "sprint" from one end of the pool to the other, only coming up for air maybe once during the length of the pool. I love how I am riding high on the water and I feel like I'm really moving. Takes me about 15 to 20 seconds. I'm usually gasping for air once I hit the other side, so on the way back I do the "elementary backstroke" to recover. On normal laps, one thing I'm working on is I'm trying to alternate my breathing on both sides. I'm not very good at that yet, but am trying. Anyway, I'm usually in and out of the pool in about 20 to 30 minutes, as I don't want to over-do things. However, it's enough for getting good and loose! I've been thinking about taking lessons since I'm just winging it now and am probably not a very efficient swimmer. Do you have any drills that you like?
DeleteYour sprint sounds really challenging! Is your pool 25m? That is great you are working on alternating breathing on both sides. I really need to work on that - I CANNOT breathe on my left! My neck won't move that way!
DeleteI haven't found drills or intervals I like yet. I just go in and do freestyle. I've tried the kickboard and the foam thing that goes between your quads. I think I should take lessons too :)
I read on yelp that the pool is 25 yards. It's kind of crammed in a building under the Brown Line (actually across the street from the main gym) so it's probably a little shorter than regulation. I don't know why breathing on the other side is so difficult. I guess I just got so used to doing it one way and it has become second nature. Forcing myself to breathe the other way is unnatural and I've swallowed water and water gets in my ear for some reason. I've never used that foam thing, but I've seen pretty much everyone else using it. Maybe I should give it a try? :)
DeleteMy pool is 25 yards too! I feel like it's a good size for a beginner like me!
DeleteIt's weird that the bilateral breathing is so hard, right? And it's hard to want to work on it, when it already works on one side.
I like the foam thing! I like building my arm strength! Let me know if you give it a try!
25 yards is also a perfect for me right now given my skill level! I'll give it a try tomorrow! :)
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