Week 5 complete!

This week completed week 5 of "The Plan" and I have not been this consistent with my running for this many weeks for probably 15 years! This week included tapering down on my long run since I have the race next week. Not that you really have to "taper" for a 5K, but I really just wanted to avoid any chance of getting injured this close to the run. With some of the soreness I've been feeling this week, it was probably a good decision! Here are the numbers for the week:

Total Miles: 20.5 miles

Avg. Pace: 8:50 min/mi

Long Run: 5.50 miles (9:13 pace)

Speed Work: Speed Intervals (5 miles total)

1/2 mile warm-up (8:49 pace)
2 X (1/2 mile SI (8:00)) 1/2 breaks (8:56)
4 X (1/4 mile SI (7:47)) 1/4 breaks (8:56)
4 X (.10 mile SI (7:30)) .10 mi. breaks (8:56)

Hills: skipped! (Did a neighborhood 5-miler instead)

I was pretty sore on Friday and almost skipped running entirely but decided on a 2-miler on the dreadmill. I had been feeling soreness primarily in my lower calves and lower shins. Saturday was more of the same as far as soreness and I decided to cut the long run short. After about 3 1/2 miles, I had to sprint across four lanes of traffic and noticed I was limping. I wasn't really sure why I was limping because I didn't feel any significant pain, but it unnerved me nevertheless. It took only seeing a big dog running loose further down the road to cut my run a mile and a half short and end at 5.5 miles!

Even though I was a little short on the miles this week, I have some things to be really excited about:

1. After next week's running, I will have run 100 miles for the month of March! This marks the first time EVER I have run 100 miles in a single month!
2. I have now run five straight weeks of over 20 miles! I have never accomplished this as well; but, the streak will end this week with only about 14 miles planned.
3. I completed two runs of over ten miles as well! These were the first times I had ever run in double digits!

The Trail and Treads 5K Run is now less than a week away. I am still sticking to my goal time of 26 minutes but I know I will have to run a REALLY good race to achieve it. I will be happy with a 26:30 time but I am not conceding anything just yet!

Tommorrow I will recap some of my most funny 5K race highlights from the past and review some of the past races. Congrats to Terry who completed the Knoxville marathon this weekend! Hopefully he didn't have to pas through a Mickey Dee's for a bathroom break! I am still waiting for him to post his time. I read on the Knoxnews website that it is a pretty hilly one! I might have to try and complete the half next year! I hope everyone had a great week of running!!!!