I ran my fastest 5k at age 49 and d I did suspect I might not ever run faster. (I did run a 5K faster two weeks later but it was a noncertified course so I couldn't count it)
I ran my fastest 5k at age 49 and d I did suspect I might not ever run faster. (I did run a 5K faster two weeks later but it was a noncertified course so I couldn't count it)
We should change this to personal bests in general. It seems like most people expect that they will continue to keep improving after hitting a big PR but often it is the fastest they will ever go. Did any of you guys know that when you ran your PR that you would never again beat it or did you think it was just the start of big things?
No. Mine was split in a 10,000 (in which I blew up, but still). I never ever thought that was the best I'd ever do. Even now, nearing 50, I still think: "Just gotta lose a few pounds, get on the track a little, and find the right race and..."
I think I knew my best race had been run when I did it - in HS I would run 10:20 (two miles) in regular dual meets, 10:10 in really good races.
Then at an invitational I went nuts, went out sub 5 and ran 9:52. I couldn't feel my legs the last 400 - I was in a dream state.
I never again ran close to that time and knew that was a serious day in my running life.
The psychology for most should certainly be that they didn't foresee it being their fastest. Coming off a PR you're in the shape of your life and looking forward to improving more.
Yes. in 2012 I had a 10k pr and then two months later a 5k pr. I was so pumped that I was running so fast, and then later that summer I got pf really bad. Haven't been able to get back to that same level yet.
Yeah, I knew it would be tough to run faster, it hurt more than any race I had run prior. And I never touched that time again.
Years later and much much slower, I don't have much trouble continuing to run just to stay in shape, but racing is very frustrating. It feels stupid to pay money to go out and run what would have been easy pace runs when I set my PR.
Now that you mention it, all of my breakthrough PR's have come when I expected to run like crap.
I kind of expected to run faster because I let a guy outkick me and felt that I had a few more seconds but just didn't put in that extra effort that day. Thing is, it was a fast course. I ran to within a few seconds of that a year later on another fast course. I was 27-28 at the time. And actually ran faster at 25, but likewise it wasn't certified and somewhat suspect (a good 15 sec faster than what I consider my PR).
I kept at it for another few years but never got all that close after turning 30.
Yes. My 5K PR was set on an indoor track at altitude, my freshman year of college. Then it was injuries and way downhill from there.
txRUNNERgirl wrote:
Yes. My 5K PR was set on an indoor track at altitude, my freshman year of college. Then it was injuries and way downhill from there.
I meant to say "no." I did not think it was going to be my fastest.
Conundrum wrote:
I ran my fastest 5k at age 49 and d I did suspect I might not ever run faster. (I did run a 5K faster two weeks later but it was a noncertified course so I couldn't count it)
.
You probably started racing rather late? If you pr after your best period of training, probably most might think they can still improve. It's never obvious when you're at your peak.
Definitely no, ran it at a big last chance invite in indoor my senior year of college. Thought for sure I could do better outdoors, injuries got in the way. Have not ran a serious 5000 on the track since.
I thought I could drop another 10-20 seconds, but never got around to it.
flaneur wrote:
Yeah, I knew it would be tough to run faster, it hurt more than any race I had run prior. And I never touched that time again.
Years later and much much slower, I don't have much trouble continuing to run just to stay in shape, but racing is very frustrating. It feels stupid to pay money to go out and run what would have been easy pace runs when I set my PR.
This is true. I think its tough to get passed by people who for years you were faster than. On one level, I take some pride in that it often means much to them, that they beat you in a race. (Seriously on some level I'm happy for them) But on another level, I still have competitive drives and getting passed by those you have thought of as slow sucks.
Started racing at 43. I didn't think it would be easy to beat but knee surgery at 50 made my pr's impossible to match. But still thankfully even with surgery at 50 I bounced back to some (relatively) good times. I am late 50's and still feel pride and competitive in my performances.
Subfive wrote:
You probably started racing rather late? If you pr after your best period of training, probably most might think they can still improve. It's never obvious when you're at your peak.
I gave the idea a little thought, but I assumed it wouldn't be...I still hope it won't be but it was almost two years ago now.
I broke 15 for the first time but was really burned out from my track season and didn't feel I'd ever be motivated to train hard for another 5k on the track again. So yeah I figured it might be. 8 years later I'm still young enough to get back in that shape but it would take a lot of motivation.
No. At the time I thought I might take it down by another 20 seconds or so, but injuries took over.
A big no. My 5k PR was set in Pullman in lousy spring weather. I was 15-20 seconds off the track record held by Henry Rono or some other WSU Kenyan. At the time thought I could run 20 seconds faster with better weather and at sea level. Never got the opportunity that season and had career ending injury the following winter.