The Sharpshooter Super Sprint Triathlon at Herb Parsons Lake kicks off at 8:30 AM Saturday. This race consists of a 400 yards swim, and 11 mile bike and a 2 mile trail run. So basically it is a "redline event" race, meaning balls to the wall, no holding back, a true sprint to the finish! I have been trying to hit under 1 hour at this race for the past three years. I have gotten 1:06 before, and I have gotten 1:02 before, but I can't seem to get under an hour.
So this year is the year I feel. I know my biking and running are stronger and I think I have finally learned how to race smarter. I have already looked at last years report and numbers and I plan on driving the course on Friday to remind me of any hills. I just need a decent swim, a good bike and a good run, which I have never had on this course.
Sunday morning at 7 AM is the second distance race in the Memphis Runners track Club Road Race Series. A 5 miler. Last year I completed this course in 45:57, so obviously, that is the new goal to beat. I would like to be closer to 43, but we will see. I think it will depend on how hard I go Saturday. Anyways, I think the back to back races will be fun!
TOPIC CHANGE:
I recently out my last 5k time into the McMillan running calculator in preparation for my marathon coming up in December. I have to beat that time as well. Last year, I was happy to just finish my first marathon, but now I want to finish it better. I should not be a 6 hour marathoner in my mind, so I went to the site to see what my pace should be based off my 5K time and running 25 miles a week. According to that calculator, I should run the St Jude Marathon in 4:00. WHHHAAAATTTTTT??? I am suppose to go from 6:08 to 4:00? I know my running has improved, but I can't see it improving that much! Let me be clear, I would love a 4 hour marathon, but I do not see that big a jump happening. I still need to figure out what all the print out is saying to me, so that may be a future post in itself. It is giving me my "Equivalent Race Times" and "Optimal Training Paces" and is a lot of digest and figure out. So let me know if you have ever used this calculator and if it was accurate.
So, McMillan gives you those estimated times, assuming you train for the event listed on the same scale. So, you rocked your 5k on 25mpw, and with maybe 6 months of focused, higher-milage training, you could turn that into a sub 4-hour marathon.
ReplyDeleteBUT - with your training and improvements this year, I wouldn't be surprised to see a 90 minute PR out of you!
The calculator is obviously more accurate for the distance you are measuring from and shorter, as you already have built the fitness to complete the distance.
ReplyDeleteI think as you get further away from your test race, shorter or longer it becomes less accurate. Yet it is a good measure of your POTENTIAL. Meaning it's indicating what you could do with proper training.
When I first used it, my 10K time showed that I should be running faster 5Ks. I used it as a guide to target how fast I should be running 200s, 400s, 800s for track workouts. 6 weeks later, I ran my best 5K ever and it was right in line with the calculator.