How to return to running after a HOT summer?
Let’s start with the positive. I am practically giddy, because I am finally writing a blog post about running (woohoo!!). Running is one of my favorite things, so to finally write about it and share some pics and goals feels awesome. Now to the yucky stuff. Argghhh – I lost so much fitness over the summer!! But, it is time to put the running shoes back on, look forward to fall running weather and move on. If you didn’t get out in the summer heat to run as often as you would have liked, well stop beating yourself up and let’s come up with a plan to get the fitness back.
This is about the past, present and future of our running.
PAST – Sigh, for me I was probably in the best shape of my life pre-summer, so let me get out the Kleenex, while I figure out those numbers. Now just because I say I was in the best shape of my life pre-summer, don’t think that I am record breaking fast or a hardcore runner. I was fast for me, I love to run and I love to train for races and try to get better.
PRESENT – Time to hit the pavement and see where we are now.
FUTURE – And now we will figure out where an achievable goal is, since we have to make up for 3 months of summer heat that might not have had the most positive effect on our running. And remember I am not hardcore, so don’t worry, I am not going to tell you to run 7 days a week or wake up at the crack of dawn, unless you want to, then I say go for it!
Here is how I filled out my chart. I picked my favorite running workouts that I repeat on a regular basis and I ran them this past week to have present data and then I went back and looked at my times for the same workouts pre-summer. If you don’t have a record of your workouts, then you could use past 5ks and you can either run 3.1 miles as fast you can now or you can run 1 or 2 miles as fast as you can and input those times in McMillan Running Calculator and it will give you an estimates 5k time. (and it you aren’t using McMillan running calculator, you should go play around with it today, because it is awesome!).
Now one last step. One last look into the past. How long did it take me to get from 7:50’s for a quarter mile, 8:50’s for two-miles and 9:40’s for a comfy 3 miles to 7:20’s, 8:20’s and 9:10’s respectively my first time around?
I increased my speed by approximately 0:30 seconds/mile the first time around in 10 weeks, 8 weeks and 6 weeks.
And what does this all mean? This means I realistically think I can get back to where I was before summer in about 8 weeks AND I think I have a good chance of breaking my last 5k time, if I plan a race about 8 weeks from now. Where does that put me? Oct. 10. Well, I will be darned. Any races on Oct. 10 in Charleston, SC? Just one of my favorites. The Avondale 5k (<– sign up). 3.1 miles around the neighborhoods that I call home and we end with a nice frosty beverage at Triangle Char & Bar. Sign me up!
And what else does this mean? I am a huge geek!! Look at those tables and numbers above. I can believe I shared my love of running, but I wasn’t expecting to share my love of numbers and math 😉
Are you trying to get back in shape after this hot summer? Let’s knock this out together! I will be posting some training schedules for 5ks next week and starting my official Avondale 5k training program then. I will be checking in weekly to share my training and would love to have you join! Don’t forget to subscribe to wiggles & whimsy bloggity blog, so you don’t miss any 5k training and running goodies along the way.