Steps for Courage 5k/High School Track

Steps for Courage is alittle local 5k that has around 100-200 runners/walkers that helps the local hospitals cancer center in Owosso, Michigan.

I haven't raced at all this year and I was sick of just training every day and not racing... so, I wanted to see what kind of shape I was in. The last few weeks of training hasn't been the best, ever sense I rolled my ankle and got sick. I haven't been able to get long runs in and only a few tempo runs, no speed workouts.
So today I decided to get the Brooks Jersey out with the Brooks half tights and the Brooks racing flats, sense it was pretty nice out although it was pretty windy at 15-20 mph SW so I knew unless someone showed up to help push the pace I wasn't going to go under 16 min. I got out in the race pretty slow at 5:16 (I wanted to get out at least 5:10) but it was dead into the wind. I was already alone with next guy 50 meters behind me, so then I got to the 2nd mile and hit that at 5:16 (10:32 -2mile) and the guy behind me was still 50 meters or so. The course goes through a little sub-division after the 2 mile and we turn and head back to the start/finish line with the wind at are back. I wanted to try to get under 16 min still so I thought I was picking it up but I hit the 3 mile at 5:10 (15:42) and finished at 16:14. I won by 30-40 seconds and I felt like I had just ran a tempo run. I think I need to start getting in tempo run with my long runs to help with fighting through the latic pain you feel in the middle to tale end of the race. I know I slowed down/settled on the 3rd mile when I should have been pushing through the lactic pain on the last hill.

Overall I wasn't happy with the time but I won and I came out feeling like it was easy and I learned what I need to work on in the next few week. Hopefully the weather will allow me to get in good training runs without all the wind, rain and snow.

OWOSSO HIGH SCHOOL TRACK SEASON RECAP SO FAR:
-Overall the distance team has been doing pretty good with improving each meet. We started out at CMU with a win in the girls 3200 and should have had a win in the 1 mile but somehow are top girl was put into the slower heat and the first heat girl ran 2 sec faster.
-MSU was the next meet where we got some good runs in the 3200 with 12:00 and 12:16 then are girls miler ran well with some good runners from the lansing area.
-Jackson NW. Both boy's and girls won this meet...pretty windy and chilly out
-Corunna Relay: Girls got 4th place best placing in a few years.
-Mason/lakeville- Boys and girls went (1-1 )losing to mason which is the top team in the CAAC Red division, The Mason boys has 3 in the 3200 sub 10:00... Highlights for Owosso was we had 2 boys go sub 5 min in the mile (4;47 and 4:57 -first time going sub 5min) and another that was 5:03.
*School Record in the girls mile with a 5:25...4 sec faster then the previous record of 5:29
then she came back and ran a 2:29 (800) and a 1:03 in the 4x4 relay*
Next week we have a double duel vs. Lumen Christi/Lansing Waverly then friday we have a fun Invite we look to win at Webberville...

Update: Track and running

So far my first year coaching distance with Owosso High School Track team has gone great. The distance runners have been giving me 100% every practice and after the first two meets everyone has improved or stayed pretty much the same. As a coach all I can ask for is everyone giving me their best, and so far it has been paying off already. I don't have to many girl distance runners but what I have is pretty good. I've had two individual wins and another one that should have been a win if she would have been placed in the right heat. I won't have to many at practice this next week due to Spring Break which sucks because the Tuesday we come back we have are first CAAC meet vs. Jackson Northwest. One of my top runners won't get back till wednesday so I hope the rest of the team is ready after spring break!!! My running has been up and down the last 3 weeks.... I was going really well building up my mileage for over 12 week then we got a bunch of snow and I sprain my ankle (rolling it on a piece of ice). Then the past week I was doing well again, building up my mileage back to 70 miles and I get sick/allergies and was forced to stay home and not run the Martian elite 10k. I was forced to back down again and only get 40 miles which sucks. Now I'm starting to feel back to normal and got a 10 miler in under 6 min pace. I hope this week goes well and get in 70-75 miles. Then the week after possibly find a good road race to test my fitness. Run Happy !!!!