What's Next: the 10k, and the 5000m

This week I have started to feel good again, and I think I'm finally over the hill of recovering from the Shamrock Half. The Cherry Blossom race, I'm starting to realize, went particularly well for having such little time to recover from the half, and I am pleased with PRing in 2 events within 2 weeks that are worth over 23 miles of grueling racing. But this is where I get stronger and more resilient doing so and I am already feeling it will turnover to the marathon eventually. Yesterday I had a wonderful run. I drove out to Edward's Ferry and did the usual 11 miler I do. The Sun was starting to set as I started and I took it slow the first few miles(I also took Monday off after Cherry Blossom), but as I approached White's Ferry I began to get into the zone and ran effortlessly on the rolling gravel road that led me through the secluded areas of Poolesville that looked a lot like Kansas. I felt great, fit, and happy. With every step I felt like it was meant for my body to be doing this. I am proud of all the hard work I have done to get my running where it is today. I still have many challenging goals, but I have clearly made a jump this year, and I am looking foward to taking a shot at the 5000m again in May. Today I did my first track workout since before the Shamrock Half. It was 4x800m with 1 lap jog rest, nothing crazy, but still a beneficial workout. I averaged 2:22s on all of them(4:45 mile pace), which is a good goal pace for me to aim for in the 5000m at Swarthmore on May 14. I am definitely set on doing this race and I think it is a great opportunity to get in a fast race and see what I can do. I ran 15:26 back in January(INDOORS) and I think with some more work and speed development I can really make a strong statement in the 5000m, 14:59 is definitely possible on the track. Because, yes I am a distance guy, but I DO have speed. And speed needs to be developed for improvement in longer races. The 10K: The Pikes Peek 10K is my next race, and I am very much looking foward to it. I think after today and with another workout this weekend(tempo run perhaps), I will be good to go for the 31's next Sunday. Cherry Blossom was also in a way a really good training run for the 10K. I went through the 10K in a PR(32:25ish) and had to hang on for 20 more minutes. Now all I have to do is race for less than 32 minutes and I'm DONE.