Latrobe Banana 5k, August Miles & HOW IS IT SEPTEMBER TOMORROW?

Wow my life is just going by too quickly!! I feel like I have been soaking up every minute, which is the only solace I have when I think about how fast it is going. On the plus side, fall is awesome and the temps and humidity is dropping, and I have a lot of races to look forward to!

I had my highest mileage month (78 running miles, 15 hiking miles, 11 strength training sessions) since LAST MARCH--you know, when I ran my first 50k and was training for the Pittsburgh marathon. I'm happy that I'm finally getting back up there in miles! I have been eating so well, too, and my macros are nearly perfect (I don't track 2 days a week--whatever days I want!) and I have been adding in a lot of strength training and recently--yoga. It feels like a dream. Why don't I do it more?!

Also this past weekend I dusted off my speedy gears (speaking of that--post for tomorrow will be about some speed workouts I have been incorporating--I want to make note of them for my records) and raced a local 5k! I ran the Banana Run in Latrobe and enjoyed running a new route! It was only 25 mins away, followed by a thrift store and coffee shop morning, and I would totally go back there and run again. I got there early and I could tell it was going to be a hot one! I ran a warm up (was already sweating), changed my garmin to a different view, and realized on the starting line that I forgot to put on my chip! Such a newbie mistake--or maybe not, since if I were new to running I would have been more diligent and checked the bag! I knew this was going to be a fast race and wasn't going to run or place so I wasn't worried.

I started off strong at a 7:50 pace (note to self--do mile repeats at this pace! Totally doable and worth improving upon) and then hit some hills. I walked for a minute at about 1.4 in and finished the second mile in 9:20 something. Mi 3 was 8:15 and then the last .1 I tried SO hard to kick into a high gear but was so worried about having an asthma attack that I finished at 6:50 pace but couldn't go any faster. Finish time was 26:16 and is my fastest time since September 2014! This course was not too hilly, was interesting enough to not get boring (even though it was an out and back and no 5k course should be boring anyway!) and was just challenging enough for me to feel great about my time! I ran some cool down miles and finished with 5 miles for the day.

It is kind of bittersweet running so many local races this year and knowing that it will be my last fall/summer in Western PA! I am enjoying them to the fullest and am prepping myself for the 3 upcoming 10k's I have and 2 upcoming 5k's!

Some upcoming races!

I'm pretty excited to be feeling good about my training and about fall being on the horizon! Fall has always been my favorite for so many reasons (which--do I even need to list them?!) but since I started running it became my favorite time to run and RACE!

I have several upcoming races which I'm so excited about! I know this is going to be a strong racing season for me because I have been crushing my summer workouts and working on my mental strength/attitude.

August 27th (this Saturday!)--Banana 5k in Latrobe

September 10th--Greensburg 10k! Debating still doing the half--we will see how I feel when it's time to register/the day of!

Sept 17th--Scottdale 10k! I have won my age group the past two years so I'm  looking forward to defending my title! :-p

Sept 25th--Great Race 10k! By far my favorite Pittsburgh Race.

Sept 30th--Pitt Greensburg 5k! Haven't been able to run this race since 2014 but it's race is where I set my yet-to-be-broken PR!

Oct 9th--Dan Villi Memorial 5k! Looking forward to this--it's a new one for me and in my town so I don't have to travel far!

Oct 16th--Penguins 6.6k.. will be an automatic PR at a new distance! Looking forward to this famous Pittsburgh race.

Training update overview for the past two months coming soon. Also... some changes in my personal life coming very soon as well :) Happy running!