For the first time yesterday in several weeks, I was able to run outside. Granted, it was race day for the St. Patrick’s Day Double, but during the races it was either snowing, sleeting, or raining. At least I was able to run on cleared roads as opposed to the sidewalks and trails near our house which are still completely covered in snow and ice.
Later this week I’ll recap the races in full. Saturday evening there was some uncertainty as to whether or not the races would still be held because of the Winter Weather Advisory that we were under. Fortunately, the freezing rain held off and ice didn’t start accumulating until early afternoon. Although the course was a bit slippery, especially during the second half of the 10k, I’m so glad that the races weren’t canceled altogether.
Jenny from Run Jenny Run and I ran the entire 5k together, and we also started the 10k together. In case you missed it on Social Media yesterday, I PRed the 10k by 10 seconds!
Jenny and I in between the 5k and the 10k
A couple of us joked around on Twitter yesterday that Jenny and I were completely crazy to still run yesterday’s races. A number of other DC area bloggers had planned to run it, but decided to stay home given the weather. However, yesterday’s PR has me wondering how much faster I could have been had the weather been better. I’m now in search of more 10ks in the coming weeks and months so that I can see just how much faster I’ve become.
As for the rest of the week, I kept up with most of my planned workouts. This coming week is my last major week of Shamrock training. I have my last set of back to back runs planned for next weekend, when I’ll be running 5 miles on Saturday and then completing my longest run ever on Sunday – 14 miles! Hopefully the weather will become a little nicer so that I don’t have to set a new PDR on the treadmill.
Mon 2/23 – Rest day
Tues 2/24 – 3.15 mile run on the treadmill, 0.40 mile cool down walk, kettlebell squat swings, abs, glutes
Wed 2/25 – Rest day
Thurs 2/26 – 4.00 mile run on the treadmill, 0.49 mile cool down walk, glutes, legs, abs, arms, chest
Fri 2/27 – Rest day
Sat 2/28 – 1.30 mile walk around the neighborhood with Riley
Sun 3/1 – St. Patrick’s Day Doube (5k followed by 10k)
Total Weekly Mileage – 18.64 miles (8.49 miles less than week 14)
Total Shamrock Training Mileage – 214.48 miles
QOTD: Have you ever been crazy enough to run a race in less than ideal weather conditions?
The weather conditions play a huge part on how runners perform on race day. I would say you had a stellar day getting a PR with that mess outside in DC yesterday. How fun that you were able to run the 5k with Jenny. Sometimes, I wish we lived in a bigger place that offered more races and chances to meet up with other bloggers….and then I think about my group and the traffic!
Yes, there is the traffic factor. Especially on the weekends, traffic is a bit unpredictable.
The only real non-ideal race weather I have had has been very hot and humid or rainy… nothing too much worse than that, but I’ve ran in rain, snow, freezing windchill… everything!
After yesterday, I’d take hot and humid over having sleet pelt me in the face. Man did that hurt!
there’s a 10k this sunday – fort hunt. it’s a dc road runners race! i’ll be there 🙂
Thanks for the suggestion Courtney. I have 14 miles planned for Sunday, which will be a new PDR for me. I’m thinking I want to focus on getting those miles in and then aim for another 10k PR in the Spring.
I ran a 15k (then added 2.7 miles to get my 12) in about 10 degree weather and snow recently. I was miserable and if I had passed my car at any point on the race route, I probably would have just gotten in and gone home. Luckily, I did finish…. finally, but it felt like it was taking forever!
Way to go for getting those 12 miles done! Its hard to stay motivated when its so cold, but I’m sure it feels great to know that you got it done!
Congrats on the PR! Way to go with all the bad conditions, part of me can’t believe you ran in that weather. Ft. Worth had races yesterday and just from running errands I know the weather was cold and wet.
Thanks Lesley! If it hadn’t been race day, I would have definitely headed straight for the treadmill.
Congrats on the 10k PR and being hard core enough to get out there in that weather 🙂 I would have been ok with snow but the hail and freezing rain scared me off. I hear Pike’s Peak in April is a great 10k with a net downhill. And I really liked the Lawyers Have Heart 10k in June.
Thanks for the suggestion for Pike’s Peak. I’ll definitely look into that. And I have Lawyers Have Heart tentatively penciled in on my calendar.
Nice job on the race yesterday in not so great conditions. I know you were really looking forward to it. So glad you are feeling so positive about it!
Thanks Deborah! I’m trying to remain positive since I have zero control over the weather.
Good for you for getting it done with great results, too. I hated running on ice in the Winter… and in slush in the Spring… sometimes a treadmill is a necessary evil!
It definitely is necessary sometimes.
10Ks are my favorite distance. Way to brave the weather! I would absolutely have not run outside yesterday… but I’m a total wimp in winter weather. Not a fan.
I’m usually a wimp. I have no idea what made me so brave yesterday!
Well, I am one of those crazies too 🙂 I wish I had just gone after the 5k. The 10k was really a mess!
It really was. The snow during the 5k was so pretty, but conditions just got bad during the 10k.
Great job on the PR and your training for the week. I have done races before in conditions where I wished I had stayed home. I have also left a race before because it there was lighting and flooding and instead of calling it they just kept postponing the start. I had already completed the 30 minute drive by the time they started the race nearly 2 hours late. I was so glad I skipped that one.
Lightning is nothing to mess with. It sounds like you made the right choice.
Congrats on getting out there despite the weather and on the PR! That’s a great accomplishment given the temps!
Thanks Nicole!
Congrats on that PR girl!!!
Thanks Mindy!
Congratulations on a new 10k PR! It’s always nice to have a buddy to run with, even if it was only a 5k.
Absolutely!
Congrats on the PR! Can’t wait to hear all about the double. My daughter is in DC with her 8th grade class and I heard all about the freezing rain yesterday. It’s been a treacherous year everywhere! I have DNS’d a couple of races (they were snow-packed trail races during freezing rain). The one race I probably should have DNS’d was the Chicago Marathon in 2007 when it was 85 degrees at the start with 90% humidity. That was bad.
I would much rather take hot and humid over what I ran in yesterday!
Very cool about the PR, Congrats!!!
Running in crazy weather conditions can be both fun and miserable. I ran a marathon once in full on freezing rain, snow and hail the entire time. Oh I took a beating from it, and it was horribly miserable at the time. But when I look back at it, that I got through it before they pulled the course or before I dropped from hypothermia I find it was one of my most awesome race experiences. Of course I’d be okay if only had to deal with conditions like that once in a race, LOL
Exactly, I’d be okay with never running a race in the weather we had yesterday.
Looks like you had a great week. And congrats on the PR!
Thanks Heather!
The worst weather I’ve ever run in is steady rain at last years Wine and Dine half. I don’t think I could do freezing rain and ice! But good for you for still getting out there and getting that PR!
I’m really hoping that this year’s Wine and Dine isn’t a repeat of last year’s!
It is officially the coldest winter here since the Great Depression. Today it is sunny and in the 40s so I am enjoying it while I can.
It was so nice to enjoy the 40s outside today. It almost felt like Spring given how cold and dreary its been lately.
I am truly a weather wimp. I don’t like cold and definitely don’t like cold and wet and snowy and icy… I am a warm weather runner. Congratulations on your PR!
I’m definitely a warm weather runner. I’ll take hot and humid anytime now!
I think the ice would be a problem for me, but I am also not a big fan of the cold. I am on the Oregon Coast and we get pretty wet weather, but in the winter it’s cold and humid which makes it feel even more cold. I have never run a race before (I am trying to get into running, but it’s been hard on my body), but have definitely hiked in ridiculous weather conditions. There’s nothing like hiking down the slope of a mountain during a thunderstorm.
Cold and humid just sounds like a nasty combination.
YEAH for running outside. I got to do it too and it was soo nice (and wet and snowy). Congrats on the 10K PR!
Thanks Katie!
It was fun running with you yesterday! Wish we had better conditions, but looking forward to the many races ahead. Maybe I’ll see you on the runway 🙂
Maybe, but I’ll definitely see you before then at Shamrock! And at Cherry Blossom! 🙂
Yay, congrats on the PR–that is awesome!!! I have run in a lot of crazy conditions, snow, sleet, thunder and lightning (total accident and I got picked up by some friends who knew I was out doing my long run) and more negative degree temp runs than I want to recall, although I prefer 50 degrees–that is my ideal running temp!
Looks like a great week of work! I like the idea of adding kettle bell swings at the end of a run for a little extra cardio and glute strength. I know that as I start half marathon training I’ll be lifting less because I’m bad at balancing haha. Thanks for the idea!
If I am signed up for a race..I will run it regardless of weather. So far I have been lucky and have only encountered cold weather for races- I know my day is coming though and I will eventually get a truly bad weather race day!
You east coast runners really amaze me-I have done the rain (wine and dine 2014), the wind (avengers 2014) and 2 very cold-for me-wdw 5k and frozen 5k with wind chills in the 20s and i was fine while running but so cold after. i can’t imagine running in sleet and with ice! and good luck on your 14 miles on Sunday-you’re going to rock it !
Congrats on the PR! I hate running i the cold so kudos to you for running the both in les than ideal weather conditons.
Congrats on the 10K PR!! I find that is the hardest distance for me to PR at. I’m not sure why but it took me 3 years to PR it and even then it was by one whole second.
Congrats on the 10k PR!! To PR this early in the season means great times are ahead this year 🙂
I’m usually a wimp when it comes to bad weather conditions. When the temps go negative or if there is a lot of ice on the ground, I usually take a DNS. Winter running is not my friend!
Congrats on a great race and your new PR, that’s awesome!! The worst weather I ever raced in was a half marathon last year, it was -20C that day. Yuck!