5k, schmive-kay

Most days when I run I don't try to push myself too hard. I don't need to break a personal record each time, and pushing yourself too hard, too fast, and too often is a great way to get injured. But every now and then I wake up and ask myself "I wonder if I am any faster?"

About a year ago I ran my first non-stop 5k (3.1 miles) in 34:40 with roughly a 11:20 per mile average pace. I was proud, I had reached my first goal of training to run that length. My next goal was to run in less than 30 minutes. About 2 months later I ran a 28:40. I then wanted to run in less than 27 minutes, which I did this past Spring (I took a break from running in the winter to when Elliot was born, and because it rained every frakkin day in Cali). My new goal was to run in less than 26 minutes...

Today I ran the 5k in 25:27 (8:10 pace) and still had energy to go farther and faster. My new goal is to run a sub 25 minute 5k with an average mile pace of below 8:00, or roughly 10 minutes faster than I ran a year ago. A year ago, such speeds sounded like a dream, but now I don't think its going to be too hard. Hopefully my next running post in the following month(s) will have my creating an every more ambitious goal after finishing this one with ease...