Training to Win!

I’ve now completed three races (can I hear a woot woot?)… one 10K and two 5Ks. I didn’t do any special training for any of the races… I basically just continued to run my regular 30 minute daily run (usually 5K plus cooldown) and then showed up on race day ready to go.

Why haven’t I ‘trained’ for these races? Well… to be honest because I wasn’t doing the races to try to win… I was just impressed with myself for registering for a race… the thought of even trying to place first was furthest thing from my mind. Well all of that is about to change. I’m going to do the Bluenose Race in the spring and also racing my co-worker Jon in a 5K on May 1, 2010.

I want to win both of these races, so in order to have a chance I need to take my game up a notch (or two… or three… or four).

The manager at the Halifax Running Room (Bruce) was kind enough to lend me a book on increasing my speed (Runner’s World Best – Run Faster written by the Editors of Runner’s World Magazine). Bruce has offered helpful training advice and calculated the pace and speed training required to get my 5K run time down to 23 minutes.

Why is Bruce helping me? Well first off because he’s a nice guy but secondly because deep down he’d enjoy seeing me crush Jon in our race on May 1, 2010. Really doesn’t everyone? If for nothing else then to prove to Jon he runs slower than a girl and give us all something to laugh about for years to come… I wonder if it will put his running ego in check? I doubt it! Believe me when I win – which I will – Jon will NEVER hear the end of it!

A year ago I couldn’t imagine I’d ever run 5K, a of couple months ago I was happy to run 5K in 28 minutes, I’m now at the point if I run 5K any slower than 26 minutes I’m disappointed in myself. By spring I really want to drop another 2-3 minutes off my time. Is it possible? I can’t see why not! I’ve only been running 1.5 years and I never thought I’d be where I am today in my training… so really what is stopping me from becoming the stealth running machine I dream to be? Nothing really… so I’m going for it!