Two 5k's and extolling the benefits of yoga

This would be my third season of running.  It's been a little over two years since my very first race in April of 2012 at Black Earth.  I've actually raced a lot less this year.  A year ago, by the beginning of August, I had already ran 12 races.  This year, only 3.

It was hard to find local, affordable, yet chipped races in Southern California.  But here in Madison, there are an abundance of them.  Knowing a couple of regular runners and racers in Madison certainly makes a difference in the number of races I enter.  It's the social knowledge of which races are worth entering and which ones are not.

Running of the Swiss 5k
After the LA Marathon in the beginning of March, I've significantly reduced the number of miles.  I've kept running, but rather than running hard and pushing for longer and longer distances, I've just gotten on the treadmill with the goal of enjoying my run.  I hovered at about 3-6 miles maybe twice a week for a couple of months.  When I got back to Madison late May, I had plans to get back into the swing of races, and I thought the Running of the Swiss 5k in New Glarus would be perfect.

I wasn't expecting to set any records, but I wasn't quite expecting how difficult a time I would have with this race.  The lush greenness of Wisconsin was not treating my throat and lungs well.  About a mile in, those floating particles of pollen had found their way into my throat and into a cough that forced me to stop and walk.  About 2 minutes later, I started jogging again, keeping it nice and light so I wouldn't be breathing too hard.

In the end I finished 28:35.  I was ecstatic.  I was hoping for a 28:35 but I had given up any hope of that once I started walking.  I kind of couldn't believe that I managed that even with walking for 2 minutes in the middle there.

Following this race, I signed for a couple of races for the fall.  I thought there would be a few more races I'd run, but the next race was the Movin' Shoes 5k that happened last night.

Movin' Shoes Full Moon 5k
I ran this race last year, and it is definitely my favorite 5k despite the hill at the end.  It's a chipped finish, small field, gorgeous views of Monona Bay and the Capitol on the course, and friendly, friendly people.  There's also a pretty nice prize raffle at the end.

Though my running had still been very spotty throughout June and July (at best 12 miles/week), I started ramping up the miles in the last week or so because of the half marathon next Saturday.  I did 10 miles this past Sunday and it felt good.  Throughout June and July, I had gone on some bike rides and been doing A LOT of yoga.  I knew that the 5k should be under 30 minutes, but nearly all of my running had been on the treadmill and every runner warns about how non-equivalent the two are.  Moreover, I'm currently carrying about 5 lbs more than I was last year.

Last night, I set a PR by over a minute with a 25:18.  That's an 8:09/mile pace which I'm ecstatic about.  I like to measure my running by comparing with what I was capable of doing when I was 15.  At 15, I couldn't go sub-8:00 on one mile for the life of me.  The first mile of my 5k last night was 7:50, 16:02 at mile 2.  So much for trying to not go out too fast.   

This leads me to speculate.  I've ran less all year than I have last year and I'm 5lbs heavier than I was last year.  I shouldn't be setting 5k PRs.  The only thing that I can point to that I've really done differently is more biking and A LOT more yoga.

I started a regular yoga practice last summer, and pretty quickly I noticed the benefits.  Yoga was keeping me strong even if my mileage wasn't quite up to par.  Less miles logged in training, but setting a PR nonetheless at Quad Cities Half Marathon.  What took me a bit longer to notice was that yoga got rid of my hip pain.  My hips had started bothering me after some long runs, especially if I didn't sleep in the exact right way after.  These days, I don't feel it anymore.

It's not yoga specifically that helps with my running, but I believe instead the strength training and the stretching.  I may be carrying more weight, but I'd like to think that the extra weight is due to muscle gain.    

I'm still expecting a 2:10 half marathon next Saturday.  One thing I learned at Quad Cities last year is that while strength training may keep my muscles moving to the end, it doesn't help with the cardiovascular training I need to keep the same pace past mile 10.