Runner's support and Accountability

I got up again this morning to run at 5:30am. A little warmer today at 70* but the real kicker was the 90% humidity! I don’t know what it is about the humidity that makes me struggle more, but it happened. Last week I crushed it despite running 4 back to back days, and today a second consecutive day of 3 miles was kicking my butt, and I’m blaming the humidity!

Between feeling wet and sticky and being kinda stuffed up from allergies, I was getting out of breath (which I don’t usually) even though I’m pretty sure my pace was the same as it always is. After 2 miles I ended up taking two walk breaks during my last mile of at the most, 30 seconds a piece. I wasn’t timing it or anything but it really wasn’t long. I just needed to catch my breath a little. I tried slowing down first but it didn’t feel like it was working. Thinking I was going to get my worst time in a while, I shocked myself with how well I ended up doing! One of my best run times! I guess with the short walk breaks I was able to pick up the pace a little afterwards, but I need to not do that, despite the improved time. There will be no walking during PT at basic training!

Time: 33:30
Distance: 3.00
Pace: 11’08”

@starbee Great job on getting up early a second day in a row!! YIKES!! That humidity!!! The humidity really does slow the body down by quite a bit. My pace really slows in the humidity! Yes, the walk breaks really can help speed up your time! But I know you don’t want any walk breaks just due to PT and basic training. But look how speedy you were girl!! That’s awesome! No wonder it felt like extra effort! You pulled off that pace in that high of humidity and temps! You are amazing!!! Keep it up!!

So last weekend was our back to back 5K’s, Saturday for the Zoo and Sunday the Pancreatic Cancer in honor of Mom. Since Kathy has been able to have zero training since the Star Wars Dark Side in April due to her toe injury I wasn’t sure how we were going to do. We didn’t really have a goal per se’ but she was hoping for no more than the 16 minutes per mile. We were supposed to be ok with precipitation on Saturday judging by the forecast and radar but we threw the ponchos in just in case. It’s a good thing we did! It started sprinkling on our drive and by the time we were halfway through the zoo to the starting point it had turned to rain. We put the ponchos on and sat on a bench under a tree until close to time to start. Fortunately the rain ended just before start time but it made for very slick pavement so we took a conservative approach.
She did very well for having no training! Our first mile was a very much faster than expected 14:20! Our second was just over 15:00 minutes and the lack of training showed in the last mile. That’s where she struggled and I had to talk her through. Still, we made that one in 16:16 and finished the 5K in 47:19 for an average pace of 15:14. I’ll take that with her being off for over a month! She was pretty worn out for a few minutes afterward but I got her some banana and orange juice and she was much better. What would happen Sunday with another 5K and no rest? We shall see!
Lauren was able to join us for the Pancreatic Cancer walk and I was glad. Through a variety of injuries and other issues the whole rest of the family had bowed out by Sunday. But this would give me someone else to help coach Kathy through and it turned out to be very useful. This route took us along a beautiful path all along the Detroit River with Canada on the other side. It was cloudy, not exactly the prettiest day but thankfully dry. It was a little cool too which was actually quite nice! Didn’t get so warm like on Saturday and made it more pleasant once we got moving. Kathy was just hoping for somewhere in the 16 minute range and I was going to make sure she got it. Our first mile went out at 14:43, very respectable. The second slowed a bit to 15:28, still not a problem for the second of two straight days. By the third she was dying! Lauren and I both coached and talked her through and we we made that one in 15:44. We finished up the 5K at an average pace of 15:17, just 3 seconds per mile slower than Saturday! I’ll take that since she hadn’t been able to do anything since April!
I’d consider that a success, but I still hope next year they aren’t on the same weekend!

@eeyorepoohfan Thank you! yeah the humidity really sucks! Yes I don’t want to plan on walking because I can’t get used to that with BMT coming up, however, if I have to like yesterday I think that’s probably better and going for 3 miles than calling at quits at 2 miles just to say I didn’t walk. At least that was my thought process yesterday. I thought “If I walk I’m done” but then I thought “Maybe I can walk for 30 seconds and finish this last mile” so that’s what I did

@Nascfan Wow! What an achievement! Fantastic times on both races, even more so with back to back races and injury! I’m not sure I’d want to do back to back 5ks like that Great job to you and Lauren for being awesome cheerleaders! That’s a pretty incredible time for your 1 mile! How are you feeling after that?

@10dedfish Aww, what a cute little guy!

@10dedfish nice walk!

@starbee with the humidity. I’ve had 100% humidity runs lately too. They ain’t no fun!

@nascfan wowzers! Nice job on those 5K’s and on your walk/jog !