Every year Phidippides Track Club has one night where we do an all out 5K on the track. It's an exact 5K since the track don't lie. Afterwards we get together for a potluck and it's always a fun time. The point for us Practical Coaching folks is to PR in this workout. It's the only one we have for the day, and it's meant to be run hard. I'm so excited to say that almost everyone had a great day and really threw down.

I prepared mentally, and physically most the day, making sure that I took and extra short nap with Annie, and that I ate a good lunch with proper timing. I haven't run a 5K in over 4 months when I ran 20:25 back in April. It's been a goal to break 20 for awhile, but I could just never get it done.

The goal was to go out slow and make up for it on the last two miles. I really struggle with that direction b/c I "think" I'm going out slow, but it always turns out to be faster than I can hold.

The first 0.15 was in 36.01, and then it was onto counting laps. The first mile went 96.46, 95.19, 94.65, 94.91 for a 6:21.21.

I knew I had gone a little fast which meant it was still important to drop it down harder. I tried to quicken it up, but two laps of that and I was dropping into a little lul. The next mile was 94.06, 94.90, 97.10, 97.44 for a 6:23.50.

At this point I looked at my watch and did a little fuzzy math. It read 13:20. My oxygen deprived brain was able to figure out that I had to run under a 6:40 to break 20. I was so excited. I knew if I could just settle into myself and crank out the laps I would be golden. 98.44, 98.13, 98.23, 94.45 for a final mile 6:29.25, and a final time of 19:49.

It hurt, it hurt bad, but it was doable, and I think it's doable in a more consistent and better executed race. I would love to try to complete it backwards, so 6:30, 6:23, 6:20. That would be really fun. This really was a big milestone for me to get through as I have tried unsuccessfully to get it done a few times. It was definitely a deposit in the bank of confidence.

Congrats as well to my other teammates who had a great day, and for those who didn't, I hope you were able to learn more about yourself and your racing.