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Lost That Loving Feeling 10k (Read 138 times)


Not dead. Yet.

    I've been struggling to keep motivation up over the last month or more and I have a race coming up this Sunday.  Trying to figure out how I should pace it.

     

    I was running 35-40 miles a week for a few months before my last 10k and I ran a 47:50.  I was ecstatic about the time (I was hoping to beat 50:00).

     

    A week after the race I hurt my foot, and I've been struggling ever since to get back to those 35 mile weeks.  Instead, I've slowly fallen off to several sub 20 mile weeks.  My foot was back to normal again after a week and a half, but I just haven't been able to get my mileage up.  I think it's more of a psychological thing than physical.  On the other hand, I also tried to add weightlifting to my schedule during that time, and at the same time, the heat has begun to break me down.  I'm seeing 80+ degrees during lots of my runs and I'm feeling the heat break me down while I'm out there.

     

    So, two questions:  First, how should I pace my 10k this weekend? (They are predicting 105+ degrees as a high...probably 70+ at race time) Second, what should I do to get that loving feeling back?  I'm currently just trying to hold on to my fitness as best I can, but I feel it slowly slipping away.

     

    Thanks for your advice!

     

    MTA:  Coming up on my 1 year running anniversary at the end of July!

    How can we know our limits if we don't test them?


    an amazing likeness

      In your log you have Easy runs around 8:30 min/mi and tempo runs around 7:40 min/mi.  You're not feeling great. It will be hot. If I've got all that correct, then the signs point to targeting 7:45 or 7:50 pace to start and either fade a bit in the heat, or pick up to your tempo pace.

       

      As to the mojo thing...that's on you. There's a reason we call then workouts and not fun runs.

       

      (mta: fixed typos)

      Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

        When I started running again after a hiatus of a year plus, I tried to run every day, 6 miles a day. That is about all I did and I never cared how slow or fast I ran it. My motto was to make it enjoyable, or at least as enjoyable as possible.  If it was hot or I was sore or sick I would slow down to avoid making it seem too much like work. Sometimes I would just stop if I felt I was working too hard or getting too hot, etc.  3 1/2 years later, i pretty much do it the same way (of course my easy pace is somewhat faster). I have at least two and sometimes 3 hard workouts a week where I am really pushing myself (these are always run with my training group), every other workout (I do about 10 - 12 runs a week)  is as slow or as fast as I feel like running. If I feel like stopping during one of these non-workout runs, for water, because I'm too hot (SWFL it gets real hot), to talk to a dog or a person or look at a view, etc., I stop. I've also started running with others more to help them with their motivation, which helps me collect my miles for the week. Sometimes I run with a local running group.

         

        I guess what I'm trying to say is to keep the majority of your runs from seeming too much like work. At some point, lacing them up and getting out the door will become automatic.

         

        PS. After looking at your log, I think your normal runs are being run too fast. In the latter part of 2011 when my 5k time was about where your current 5k time is, my easy pace was about 9:30-9:45 so that's the pace all my runs were. I would recommend targeting that pace.

         

        As far as the 10k pace part of your question, I'm no expert, but I have a 10k PR from about two months ago where I started about a third of the way back (about 600 runners), took it easy for the first half mile and then settled into a nice comfortably hard pace that I knew I could hold for 6.2. Then I just started targeting runners ahead of me and picking them off passing over 100 of them as they slowed from going out too fast and I kept my pace right on target. Much more fun doing it this way then going out too fast and getting passed. Wound up winning my AG and finishing around 30th (not a real fast field).

        joescott


          As to the mojo thing...that's on you. There's a reason we call then workouts and not fun runs. 

           

          It's true.  We all have to fight those doldrums from time to time and figure out how to light again the fires of love.  For me, racing goals are #1.  Without them (I hate to confess this), I'm not even fully sure I would run at all.

          - Joe

          We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

          LedLincoln


          not bad for mile 25

            I'm with jaybar - we run first for enjoyment, second for racing and PRs.  My 10K PR is similar to yours, yet my daily runs are typically at a 9:15 - 9:45 pace.  Big difference.  It's beautiful out there at 5:30 am before the city wakes up.  Just a few other runners and cyclists, and a lot of birdies.


            Not dead. Yet.

              Thanks for the advice.  I think I'll try to slow down a bit for the summer and then re-evaluate when it cools off.  Really, I already try to slow down, but always end up speeding up again.  I think 9:00 - 9:15 would be pretty comfortable.  Any slower than that and it feels uncomfortably slow.  Maybe that will get me kicked back into gear.  I guess I can try doing my runs an hour later when it's a little cooler too.

               

              I'm also going to sign up for a fall half and start regular training for that.  And then perhaps a spring marathon to follow!

               

              We'll see how this race compares to my last one when I was running a lot more.  I think I'll shoot for the same pace like MilkTruck suggested and then play it by ear.  Not worrying about getting a PR means I can have more fun with it, which is kind of nice.  Or...I could just try running it by feel.  That would be an interesting experiment considering I always run by my watch.

              How can we know our limits if we don't test them?

              LedLincoln


              not bad for mile 25

                We'll see how this race compares to my last one when I was running a lot more.  I think I'll shoot for the same pace like MilkTruck suggested and then play it by ear.  Not worrying about getting a PR means I can have more fun with it, which is kind of nice.  Or...I could just try running it by feel.  That would be an interesting experiment considering I always run by my watch.

                 

                My best races have been when I wasn't really trying to run hard; just comfortably fast and relaxed.  Good luck!

                   

                  My best races have been when I wasn't really trying to run hard; just comfortably fast and relaxed.  Good luck!

                   

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