Spring 2022 Queens 10K Prep

So I’m finally coming down off the high of the NYC Half 3/20; I took the following weeks mostly off and skipped a long run (then scaled the other one back to just 6 miles). But as of early April, I’m now in this place where I’m officially training for a few races BUT I also have a lot of big life events coming up.

Preliminary spring/summer/fall race schedule:

  • Tracksmith Trials of Mile 1 Mile Track Race 5/19
  • Greenwich 5K Memorial Day
  • NYRR Queens 10K June 18
  • NYRR Team Champs 5 Mile July 31
  • NYRR Harlem 5K 8/20
  • NYCRuns Newport (Jersey City) Half September 24
  • Richmond Half or Full November 12
  • Houston Half or Full January 15th 2023

Upcoming Life Events:

  • Wedding 4/23
  • Close on house 4/25 and move 4/26
  • Honeymoon in Greece early to mid May

I’m only registered for the Queens 10K so I want to make sure I stay healthy and injury-free but also motivated to chase after PRs in all these race lengths. I’m trying to maintain then build upon my fitness. According to Stryd, I’m just about where I was spring 2020. Meanwhile my Garmin thinks I’m going to smash anything with many minutes to spare under my PRs (Mile, 5K, and full marathon from 2017, half and 10K PRs from 2018, 5 Miler/8K from 2019). I’d be happy to show up at some of these races in shape to make a serious attempt at a best.

My Stryd has some aggressive PR race time predictions

I’m still on the fence about a fall (or winter) full; last fall just getting to Fun Run status at the NYC Marathon was a slog throughout the summer. Some of it is finding people to run with while other parts is the time management. I also want to have the most fun NYC Marathon weekend and do all the shakeout runs with swag and prizes and famous runners (plus cheering all day the day of). Richmond is 1 week after so at least I’d be tapering. Another option is shooting for Richmond Half then Houston full in January or vice versa.

The Week in Workouts and Food 6/12-6/18 and 6/19-6/25

6/12: Recovery from Miami. I think I went to bed at 9pm.

6/13: 5.4 at MHRC The Distance. I was close but not quite to hitting my distance record for this class. I didn’t want to sacrifice any of the stretching for an extra 0.2, though.

6/14: 5.5 miles loop of the park with a friend at my easy pace.

6/15: 5 miles around Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Promenade, then my first PureBarre class in a couple of months. It didn’t hurt to laugh the next day but I struggled through the push-ups. The instructor called my forearm plank form perfect, so that was a win.


6/16: Rest day.

6/17: 6.2 Queens 10K. I was hoping to do a warmup mile, but was being social then cheering on Wave 1 runners, then it was time to get into my corral for an 8:15am start. My A Goal was to PR which I knew I could do with even splits in the 8:40’s. Humidity was at 99%, so I decided not to be aggressive and push to the 8:30’s. The out-and-back was torturous, but I did see a lot of teammates who cheered for me, which really helped.

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I’m pretty proud of those splits! I got so lucky that it was overcast, which really helped with the high humidity. I would have wilted in full sun, as this course is pretty much out in the open. Finish time of 54:36, which is over a minute down from my UAE 10K.

  
  
6/18: 3 warm recovery run miles around lunch time, which I ended at Bagel Pub for a smoothie and an everything bagel with bacon cheddar cream cheese.

Total: 25.2 miles and a new 10K PR.

6/19: Rest day

6:20: Park loop at an easyish but too-quick pace for 5.5 miles. I really need to slow down my easy runs but it’s hard by myself without conversational pace. I’ve started saying the Pledge of Allegiance as a test.

6/21: I volunteered at the 5K, originally having hoped to do a loop or a few miles. My left calf was hurting a little so I just did course marshal duty at the finish.

6/22: Fly 45 and trying a new-to-me instructor at Flywheel. I thought I had set a new “high score” for myself, but nope, not even close. I did get 2nd female in the one sprint, though.

6/23: Calf still a bit sore, so rest day.

6/24: Cheering at the Pride Run. I was hoping to get more miles in (4 or so) but it was pouring down rain until the race started. My socks and shoes were soaked, then the sun came out at the end of the race and I was hungry, so we high-tailed it to Tal Bagels, then home for a total of 0.44 miles.

At night, I attended the Prospect Park Soiree and ate, drank wine, and danced the night away (ok, there was a 10pm hard stop with the DJ).

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Cowbell crew
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Double cowbelling
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Some of our tablescape and spread
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6/25: Achilles 4 Miler. 2 warm up miles before the start with some teammates.

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I accidentally got in one corral behind mine but decided to stick with it because I was already feeling thirsty and tired. My A goal was even splits in the 8:30s and I just wasn’t feeling it after the first mile, so I backed off. All the way off. I decided not to try to beat my 4 Mile PR from April and just try to get hydrated at each water station. 

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No time for a cool down. 6 miles total but my calf was feeling normal again.

Total: 12 miles. My lowest since a freak 11.9 mile week in April with only 2 runs.