SUMMER CHALLENGE III: FASTEST 5K DONE!

AUGUST 6, 2018 WAS THE DATE OF THE 5K for which I started training on Memorial Day. My plan to accomplish this goal challenge was outlined in a BLOG post in May; the intent was to WALK rather than run.  This was to be my first time ever to train to speed walk a race.
 
“Fastest 5K” plan, copied from the original BLOG post and edited in bold :

• Start on this quest by identifying a goal 5k that is later in the summer, on a date that allows completion of an 8-10 week training plan. (DONE: the race date was to be AUGUST 6, 2018, the day of the Midwest Surgical Association Annual Meeting 5K FUN RUN)
• Find a training plan* designed to improved speed that is roughly 9-10 weeks duration.  Remember to allow for vacation days and occasional missed workouts. (DONE: I created my own plan to accommodate other summer challenge work)
• Establish a baseline pace on which to improve by running an easy Earned Runs personal 5K or organized 5K race on Memorial Day weekend without pushing the limits of your performance ability. (I walked a personal 5K on Memorial Day for a base; fastest single mile pace, average pace, and total time for 3.1 miles was recorded)
• Identify a “test” 5k event that can be run to check progress, roughly half way through the training period.  Again, don’t run all out in this race.  (JULY 4 was selected for my personal TEST 5K; my fastest singe mile pace was 5 seconds less than base pace; average pace was 29 seconds faster than base; 3.1-mile finish was faster by 1 minute 21 seconds)
• Make adjustments as needed; most importantly, train safely to avoid injury!
• AUGUST 6 RACE RESULT: my fastest single mile pace was 1 minute, 7 seconds faster than on July 4 and 1 minute, 12 seconds faster than on Memorial Day!  Average pace was 29 seconds faster than on July 4 and 48 seconds faster than on Memorial Day; 3.1-mile finish was not obtained, the distance was slightly less than 3 miles, roughly 2.8 miles)

The 2018 SUMMER CHALLENGE II had been accomplished!!! My legs felt very tired after the effort.  I was amazed at how much my time had improved since training began.  It was not easy to hang back and watch nearly everyone else pound off running at the race start.  I felt a bit embarrassed and sad not to be running initially, but as soon as the last of the main pack was out of sight, I began to concentrate and direct my focus inward. 

By the time the runners had reached the halfway mark turn-around and began to head back to the finish (it was an out and back course), I was mentally eager to cheer the leaders and friends as they ran by me. It was somewhat lonely during the 3rd mile when most runners were no longer on the course.  There were no race participants within view in front, and a few people who walked-ran behind me. 

A secondary purpose of my walking effort, beside challenging myself, was to encourage future broader participation in this yearly event by other walkers of all ages. The conference’s 5k ‘fun run’ had originally drawn many walkers, but it had become more competitive over the past decade. I was hoping to demonstrate that walking could be either competitive or fun, and physically easier for those who weren’t able to run or needed a mental or physical break from hard running. 

Regardless of whether or not the secondary aim was achieved, my primary challenge goal was met.  I showed that my walking pace could improve significantly with training and that a walked-race finish was a personal success I could celebrate.

I earned my 2018 SUMMER CHALLENGE II: “FASTEST 5K” sticker on August 6; “Yay me!”. What about you?

RUN & MOVE HAPPY!