As I mentioned in Monday’s weekly recap, I’ll be running two races this weekend: the Jaguar 5k on Saturday and the Manassas Runway 10k on Sunday.
This will be my fourth year running the Jaguar 5k. Its an annual sports fundraiser for the school I taught at my first five years of teaching. Its one of those races that is more about the people you’re with and where you’re running than anything else. My current 5k PR is from this race from last year, and while I’d love to see myself get a new 5k PR, I also need to be realistic since I have a 10k the next day.
After last year’s Jaguar 5k
My one and only goal for Saturday’s race is to take it easy. My pace has gotten significantly faster over the past year, and if that means that I get a PR on Saturday, then great. But if I don’t, then I won’t be upset either.
As for Sunday’s 10k, the main reason I signed up for this race was in hopes of PRing. After less than stellar weather conditions at the St. Patrick’s Day Double last month, I knew I wanted to give myself at least one more opportunity to try for a better 10k time, as I need to submit a 10k finish time as my proof of time for Wine and Dine in November. I chose this race for a couple of reasons: the course is flat since its on an airport runway and the weather hasn’t gotten too warm yet. With that said, I have three goals for Sunday’s race:
Goal A – Finish the race in under 1:04:13 (10:20 pace)
Goal B – Finish the race in under 1:04:44 (10:25 pace)
Goal C – PR and finish the race in under 1:05:52 (10:36 pace)
Here’s to a fun weekend of running!
QOTD: How many sets of back-to-back races have you run?
You have really been improving in your times lately Kathryn, I would see no reason why you wouldn’t be able to come in under an hour for your 10K. You can do it! I would push more for the 10K then the half because the 10K time you can use for corral placements. Have fun! I’ll be here cheering you on from home!
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Meranda.
Guess you need to pick one of the races for your goal race, and just have fun at the other! Enjoy!
Exactly!
Good luck! I’m doing my first set of back to back races this weekend too and plan to take the 5k easy and try to PR the 10k.
Great minds think alike!
Good luck with the 10k! I love how more 10k’s are popping up with demand. A few years ago I struggled to find 10k’s to do.
Me too.
I LOVE back to back races! SO much fun! Good luck this weekend girl! I see TWO PR’s in your future! 😉
Thanks Mindy!
I’m considering back to back races again for next weekend in Pittsburgh. They don’t bother me too much but not when I’m going for a goal time. Those both look like fun events! Good luck this weekend 🙂
Thanks Mar!
Great goals! My 10k plan is always to stick around the 1:00:00 mark. If I can squeak below it I’m super happy!
I can’t wait til the day that I can run a sub 1 hour 10k!
I’m not going to answer that question because we all know I’m some kind of crazy. Good luck at the races this weekend!
Haha!
I always set A, B, C goals for races as well. I’ve been known to run back-to-back races, or even a race and a training run back-to-back. Runners can be super crazy.
We definitely can be!
I love back to back races, they are fun and also have such good energy! I have done 6 for disney (3 Dumbos, 2 Glass Slipper, Dopey and Rebel challenge) with 4 more coming up (Pixie Dust, Dumbo, 5k+half at wine and dine and infinity gauntlet). Last thanksgiving I ran a 5k and 10k back to back and PRed the 10k by 3 minutes so it definitely can happen! I even got more crazy and signed up to run a 10k and half on the same day
I enjoy running back to back so much, I have added in a 2 mile shake out run the day before every race and it really does seem to help!
You have been rocking your races and training and I can definitely see you getting a PR this weekend!
Thanks Juliana! Disney races are definitely the best.
Great training and great goals. I hope you have fun 😊 I have ran any back to back races I give myself time in between.
Thanks!
Hope you have a great race on Saturday 🙂 See you on Sunday! We’ll look out for you on the course/finish 🙂
Can’t wait to see you on Sunday!
Oh I hope you get that PR girl!!! Love that you are going to take it easy Saturday, I hope you enjoy that race!!
Thanks Sam!
I think it’s great to have multiple goals for a race. Definitely a good plan to race the 5km conservatively if you want to PR the 10km. Good luck!
Thanks!
You have made such huge improvements this year! Proud of you!! Have a great race weekend!
Thanks Sue!
The only time I did that was in our Ragnar relay race 3 times in 36 hours. Lots of fun! Good luck this weekend
Thanks Deborah!
Have a great race weekend. It is always good to have a couple goals. I have done a couple hat tricks, loved it.
Back to back races are fun, aren’t they?
Yey!! How fun!! You can reach your goals, I know it! I’ve never done back-to-back races, but I’m totally up for the challenge!
You should give it a try someday.
Good luck on your races! I’ve never done back to back races before.
Thanks Kate!
I’ve had a few back to back weekend races and some of those were back to back on the same day. It’s the challenge that makes me do it 🙂 You’re going to rock your goals!
Yes, its definitely the thrill of the challenge.
Awesome goals. Have a great weekend and I hope you do well.
Thanks Gina!
Those sound like great goals to me – best of luck at both races!
I’ve only done back-to-back races once. It was two 5k races – one on Saturday evening and one Sunday morning. My legs felt so tired on Sunday but it ended up being the faster of the two races!
That’s awesome!
Great goals! Good luck with both races!!!
Thanks Jen!
Good luck on both of your races! Based on what you’ve been doing this year, I feel like you’ll PR at both races.
I’ve actually never done back-to-back races before, but I imagine that setting goals for them would be challenging!
Thanks Amy! You should definitely give the challenge a try sometime.
Hope your races went well! I’m running a 10k may 30th and hope to PR as well. I’m shooting for 1:03ish…but we’ll see! IT’s in central park which means it will be a pretty hilly course.