Treadmill 5K PR!

2022 has ended on a high note.

I did a regular speed workout on Friday. The 3 days before that, I was with my boys in Whitewater State Park, and I was able to do an easy outdoor run during our trip. But there wasn't as much melting back in the Cities once we got home, so I stayed on the treadmill for my speed workout.

Four weeks ago, I did a treadmill 5K in 17:26. The great thing about treadmill workouts is you can pretty much plan your finish time... as long as your legs can keep up with the mph. So the plan was to keep my speed about 0.2 mph faster throughout which would take about 0:20 off my finish time and would actually be UNDER my 17:11 5K PR from nearly 13 years ago. (YES, it's easier to run on a treadmill with no hills and no wind, but this was still a fun goal to think about!) Could my legs keep up? It was sort of a "do or die" workout - succeed or "crash and burn" before getting there.

Four weeks ago when I ran a 17:26, I noted that I "started at 10.3 mph for just 0.2 miles or so before bumping it up to 10.5 mph until about 0.8 miles into the workout. Then I bumped it up to 10.6 mph through all of mile 2" before going up to 10.8, 10.9, and finishing the last few tenths at 11.1 mph. So THIS TIME I was planning to start at 10.5 mph, get it up to 10.7 quickly, and then hold it at 10.8 mph through mile 2 before seeing what more I could do for the last 1.1 miles.

I doubted if I'd be able to finish near the middle, but I held on! I did the first 2 miles as planned, and then bumped it up to 11.0 mph around mile 2, 11.1 mph after another tenth or two, and then 11.3 mph around mile 2.5. I bumped it up to 11.4 mph for the last 2 tenths and hit my goal!!

17:07.8 officially!


My splits. The splits show the "Garmin distance" but I took
my splits when the treadmill said I had gone a half mile.


Pace looks funky because it thinks I slow down when I wipe sweat
from my face (as the "Garmin distance/pace" is just by arm swing).
And strides were better early on before getting pooped!


That's about right. :)

I never thought I'd be in my 40s and thinking about a 16:xx 5K, but maybe I have to give that a shot in a few weeks! I'll be doing some different speed workouts first, but it's just fun to be THINKING about that... We'll see if I attempt it before the winter is out.

Happy 2023!!