SUMMER CHALLENGE III: FASTEST 5K OR...

Mercury sculpture "after Giovanni Bologna" at the West building of the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Taken by PKSenagore April 29, 2017. All rights reserved.

CONSIDER MAKING YOUR SUMMER CHALLENGE all about being FAST. Spend these next few months trying to turn in a personal best finish time or pace in a 5K race near summer’s end.  A personal record (PR), or at least one in "modern history", if you have become eligible for the master’s division.
 
Why? Because it’s difficult to perform better than a previous best in so many other areas of life, that being able to do so in running would be monumentally uplifting and encouraging. Well, maybe at least a confidence booster.
 
And success in this challenge is predictable if you have not previously incorporated speed work, hill repeats, tempo runs, or long runs into your training plan for this distance race.  Come to think of it, if you have never specifically trained for a 5k you have the potential to be faster.  Adding workout sessions to build strength and improve balance, mobility, and flexibility will likely contribute to a speedier you also.
 
Last year this challenge was MOST important to me. It paid off, as I did record a personal best. This summer the race I will be preparing for is earlier in the season, July 30. Not sure I have enough time to improve last summer’s goal race pace, but will aim again to be fast AND STRONG, and come out of it without an injury.
 
My Plan A

• Establish a baseline pace on which to improve: run an Earned Runs personal 5k or organized 5K race on Memorial Day weekend
• Train: find a plan specifically designed to increase the speed of an advanced runner*
• Use my runs for the  RUN STREAK Challenge to build speed
• “Test” before the race: run a 5K on or near the July 4 holiday below my intended goal race effort, either with an Earned Runs bib or in an organized event, to check progress
• Taper: will not truly taper; will back off mileage a bit and maintain intensity 1 week prior
• July 31: Day of Race: adequately warm-up

 
My Plan B
(If circumstances change and I cannot complete training or won’t make the July 31 race)

• Establish a baseline pace on which to improve: run an Earned Runs personal 5k or organized 5K race on Memorial Day weekend
• Register for or personally design a series of 5k races in unique locations.  Not exotic, but places I’ve not thought to race in, before this summer. TBA
• End the summer at home: run an Earned Runs personal 5k or local organized race on Labor Day weekend.

Earned Runs will post items that offer direction and training advice to runners who wish to be faster.  Check the RESOURCES page in the next week, in the SUMMER CHALLEGES 2017 section.

RUN HAPPY!

*Hal Higdon offers this option http://www.halhigdon.com/training/
 
http://www.earned-runs.com/resources.html