Non-PR racing: hold/smack my hand please

sarahz5

Backstory: I'm such a newbie runner (only serious for about three years) that in pretty much every race I have done, I have expected a PR or at least to hit my existing PR. Now, I am just coming off an injury and I am really trying hard not to push too much. I will probably be at around 10 miles this first week, and 12 next week, working up in increments of 2 miles back to my typical 20-30 miles a week.

I am signed up for my tri club's annual 5k next weekend, and I would like to participate safely. I tried to run a half in March "for fun" given my injury and failed miserably - failed at forcing myself to run it slowly, at not exacerbating my injury, and at hitting a time that made me happy. I need to hear about adjusting to not always racing for a PR, because I'm probably coming close to maxing out if I don't seriously increase my typical mileage anyway. How do you handle it mentally? Just think of them as A/B/C races, or do you have any other tips?

I have offered myself as a pacer to the newbies in the club for this race, but I don't know if anyone will take me up on it, and this will likely be an ongoing battle in my head.

Bonus: Any war stories about failing to hold back on increasing mileage after an injury would also be appreciated.

DavidMartinez2

Just treat it like a supported run.

lporter229

Find somebody that's slower than you and help them PR. It's the next best thing to PRing yourself and it keeps you in check.

glevinso

lporter229 wrote: »

Find somebody that's slower than you and help them PR. It's the next best thing to PRing yourself and it keeps you in check.

This is my strategy when I am purposely not aiming for a PR.

lishie_rebooted

Oh I know the struggles of returning to running from injury and not PRing and all of that jazz.
It's seriously tough.

I repeat this now:
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do" - John Wooden.

I can't PR but I can run. (not currently but still lol)

I forced myself to take my return to running slow so I wouldn't end up injured again. And it worked.
Because it's either return to running quick and get hurt again and repeating the cycle or the mental fight of taking it slow.
When I'm cleared to run again, I'll be taking it slow. It'll suck, especially since I was able to PR two distances prior to my injury and was on the way to PRing other distances. but I don't want to be perpetually injured.

vcphil

I think this just comes with self control. I would just place yourself way way way further back than you would if you were "racing it". Heck, be the last person to cross over the starting line if you need to. This way the people you go out with will be going a slower pace (hopefully). Try listening to slower music. Wear your garmin, and if you see yourself get about "x" pace then slow down- you are in control.

That being said; racing the 5k distance with your current shape would cause much less damange than racing a half marathon if you were not in shape for one. Just saying

sarahz5

Thanks for the commiseration and advice. Going out last is really smart - I'm going to do that. I may go without music at all - that usually slows me down.

I really hope someone will take me up on the offer to pace them - I need purpose. But also, I can run! And that's a big improvement over the past month or so. Good mantra.

Curtruns

DavidMartinez2 wrote: »

Just treat it like a supported run.

this is what I do....I will only push myself really hard on a few races a year that I believe I can PR on. Outside of that it is a run for training and camaraderie.

lcyama

I don't run every race to PR anymore, either. I like to sign up for small local charity races and enjoy the camaraderie of people of various running and walking abilities raising money for something they are passionate about.

sarahz5

Tonight's the 5k - I found a woman who has been running for awhile but hasn't been able to break 40:00, and I'm going to pace her to a PR. She has never run with a watch or an app! I'm excited. I think she should be able to do this with a partner, no problem.

lishie_rebooted

sarahz5 wrote: »

Tonight's the 5k - I found a woman who has been running for awhile but hasn't been able to break 40:00, and I'm going to pace her to a PR. She has never run with a watch or an app! I'm excited. I think she should be able to do this with a partner, no problem.

Awesome!
Good luck to you both!

brandiuntz

sarahz5 wrote: »

Tonight's the 5k - I found a woman who has been running for awhile but hasn't been able to break 40:00, and I'm going to pace her to a PR. She has never run with a watch or an app! I'm excited. I think she should be able to do this with a partner, no problem.

Tell us how it goes! Sounds great for both of you.

SKME2013

sarahz5 wrote: »

Tonight's the 5k - I found a woman who has been running for awhile but hasn't been able to break 40:00, and I'm going to pace her to a PR. She has never run with a watch or an app! I'm excited. I think she should be able to do this with a partner, no problem.

Great! Have fun!
Stef.

sarahz5

Well, unfortunately we didn't make her goal - she really seemed like she was struggling and I didn't want to push her too hard. She was definitely lagging behind me when I was trying to get her up to pace. But she really liked my pacing and said she felt better during the race than she ever has. For me that means she probably didn't push hard enough but if she's happy, I'm happy. She had been working on intervals with her trainer so I had her do 5/1 run/walk, modified a bit when I saw hills coming so she walked up and ran down. I think if we had talked more up front and had a ... safe word or something, I would have felt better getting her there. I told her I want to do it again!