Caretaker/Overlook Hotel
Well, I considered running one of my fav 5k's this weekend to prep for next weekend's 10k but missed out on registration and glad I didn't. I think I would have seriously BLOWN that sucker.
Last weekend ran a beautiful 5 miler at 8:24 pace (10k PR pace for me)
Today ran a suck-hard 5 miler at 9:03 pace.
I'm trying to figure out what differences might have contributed aside from just saying "chalk it up to simply an off day".
Last weekend ate breakfast, had cup of coffee, and chilled til about 11am. (Cooler last weekend)
Today I went out an hour after waking up (up at 7, running at 8) skipping breakfast but did drink some coffee and a full glass of water in the hour before heading out the door.
I should probably just be happy today wasn't race day but I just hate when 2 similar runs are so far off this close to a race.
/rant
Randy
Sometimes there's no explanation. Unless it's a common occurrence, I would just look forward to your next run.
Was the weather worse today? More humid? Hot? That in an of itself could explain the 30sec/mile difference. I cannot run on pace when DP is above 72 and/or weather is above 85F, but everybody is different.
Well, I considered running one of my fav 5k's this weekend to prep for next weekend's 10k but missed out on registration and glad I didn't. I think I would have seriously BLOWN that sucker. Last weekend ran a beautiful 5 miler at 8:24 pace (10k PR pace for me) Today ran a suck-hard 5 miler at 9:03 pace. I'm trying to figure out what differences might have contributed aside from just saying "chalk it up to simply an off day". Last weekend ate breakfast, had cup of coffee, and chilled til about 11am. (Cooler last weekend) Today I went out an hour after waking up (up at 7, running at 8) skipping breakfast but did drink some coffee and a full glass of water in the hour before heading out the door. I should probably just be happy today wasn't race day but I just hate when 2 similar runs are so far off this close to a race. /rant
Damaris
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Breakfast can make a difference. On weekends I like to make sure I've eaten breakfast and had time to digest it before heading out on a run. Seems to help me anyway.
Ya, I think I will make absolutely sure I don't do that again just to eliminate any possibility of that contributing to the misery.
And while I do know that heat is an enemy of my best running, I wish I could tolerate it a little better. Watching those middle distance racers at the Pre today was almost more humbling than their cool weather days when they can casually run 5 minute miles in the heat. (Ugh)
Serenity now!!
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
Based on what you shared, I would say you ate too much. On long run or race days I will have nothing more than half of a banana or Clif bar. That's just me.
Likely just an off day. You'll pick up again no probs.
Same thing happened to me a week before my first half, it was the heat. Shook it off, and was in fine form for race day.
Beer-and-waffle Powered
Probably an off day, but what had you done the 2-3 days leading up to each run? If the second time was fairly soon after a hard effort then that could certainly explain a drop in performance.
In the words of my late-coach : Just hang in there, relax... and at the end of a race anyone you see.....just pass them
And just to clarify, I hadn't eaten anything yesterday. I just had the coffee. It was the week before that I had a full breakfast. A banana would have probably been a great idea, though I have usually gone with some sort of bread and PB or PB and apple butter. (Love that stuff)
And while it was probably some or some total combination of all those thing, I would have expected more of an 8:45 or even 8:50ish pace based on recent runs. 9:03 has been pretty easy for me lately but who knows.
As for the days before, I had done 5 mediocre miles on on Thursday and cross training on Friday. (Calisthenics).
Also, to confound me further was that my daytime runs have been faster than evening runs effort for effort and I have no explanation for it, just that its been the case. (Shrug)
No more marathons
Unfortunately the human body is way to complex to understand these kind of differences.
To quote Scrooge when confronted with the ghost of Marley "You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”
Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey
Lordy, I hope there are tapes.
He's a leaker!
Like a moth to the flame.....
Just had to run it again today just to put it behind me. Cruised to an 8:46 pace over the exact same steps. And didn't so much as put a toe into the pain cave. (Shrug)
Here's hoping I can put it all together for Saturdays' race!