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as you may recall, one of my goals this year was to break 30 minutes in the 5k. i had planned on only running one 5k this year, where i obviously hoped to do just that.
however, after signing up for kristina's race for paws virtual 5k and doing some speed work last week, i decided to try for a sub 30 this week. i spent some time over the weekend looking at treadmill speed conversions charts, trying to come up with a plan on how i was going to tackle the necessary pace. i also made up a playlist of the songs that are best at distracting me. and then, after taking a rest day yesterday, i figured tonight was the night to go for it.
i went to the gym with a weird feeling in my stomach and a slight headache from having caffeine too late in the day, but i wasn't going to let that deter me. i wanted this to happen tonight! so i put in my headphones, took a deep breath, and pressed "go."
ready to go at the virtual starting line.
my plan was to negative split, something i never really do. i figured it was the best way to not burn out. i was paying close attention to my breathing and my legs, but everything was going splendidly that first mile. i clocked in at 9:43 for mile one, just where i wanted to be. i pushed the pace just slightly in the second mile, and thought i felt an inkling of a side stitch right around the halfway point of the 5k, but i breathed through it. my second mile beeped in at 9:38. i was ecstatic. i was tired, of course, but knew i had enough energy to keep pushing my pace in that last mile. i got really excited, which made my heart rate increase, so i kept having to calm myself down hahah. but when i hit 2.6 miles, i knew i had it in the bag (unless some random, awful cramp happened or something, of course). i kept upping the speed until finally, during the climactic part of "let it go", i hit 3.1 miles.
"29:46!!!" i screamed in my head, and as i reached for my phone to get a picture of the treadmill screen...it erased and went back to the home screen.
some people think i'm being ridiculous...
"you've got to be kidding me..." i audibly said, though nobody was around me. i tried hitting every button, hoping one of them would display the last run completed. no such luck. i had finally accomplished a goal i had only dreamed of a year ago and worked so hard for in the last few months, and now i had no proof. don't get me wrong, i was (and am!) happy, but also bummed. i also have no time proof to send for the virtual 5k either, which sucks. so, as of now, one part of me is incredibly stoked that i finally got under 30 minutes for a 5k, another part is upset i don't have proof of this happening, and yet another part is saying "welp, guess you have to do it again friday if you want to submit it for the virtual 5k" which i mean, of course i'm hoping to break 30 again, but man, i wasn't hoping to have to do it so soon. womp womp.
