5K in < 30:00
I have been training for a 5K run our church is doing on 6/5/2010. So far, it’s been on the treadmill only, although I need to hit the pavement soon. I met my first 5K training goal this morning, which was to be able to do a sustained jog (no break) for the duration, and complete the 5K distance in under 30:00. I managed it today in 29:55. If it’s a little warmer tomorrow morning at 4:30a when I usually roll out of bed, I’m going to try the run on pavement and see how it goes. I’ve got a 3.3 mile route already mapped out; a 5K is 3.10 (and change) miles.
It’s taken me several weeks of running to get this far. During the first few weeks, I had issues with achy knees, shin splints, and pain in the balls of my feet that held me back, never minding simply not having the cardiovascular wherewithal to sustain the pace. I still get a predictable stitch in my side, but it’s much less pronounced that it used to be, and it fades away now instead of persisting. The side stitch is just under my ribcage on my right side, shows up around 10:00, and fades into irrelevance around 14:00. My heart rate climbs unto the upper 160s and 170s the longer I run, but it’s better than it was. I’m not pushing 180 and gasping for air before having to just give it up like before.
I also bought a cheap, but new, pair of running shoes. There wasn’t much spring left in the soles of the shoes I’d bought last fall, which I think contributed to my foot problems. New shoes have made a big difference – and I only spent $30 this round. We’ll see how long they last and serious this running thing gets. Maybe then I can make sense of spending real money on a pair of running shoes.
The next goal is to take the experience gained on the treadmill and translate it to running on the road, which is a pretty different thing as I’ve been told by people who run.
