Building Endurance, One Mile at a Time: My 15K Training Journey — A Story from Coach Hannah

15K RECAP

Running is something that's never come easy to me, and I think that's why I enjoy it so much. Back at the beginning of July this past summer, I signed up for a 15K. I had already had success with training for the Gasparilla 8K, so I wanted to see if I had more in me for the next bump up in mileage. In running, I’ve always had the mental power to push on even when it really sucks. Something that I’ve always struggled with is nagging injuries that will flare up occasionally. One thing I did completely different in this training prep, was really focus and dial in on strength training. Running and Strength training go hand-in-hand with one another, and I’m convinced that it made all the difference in keeping me healthy through the three months I was training. 

15K Training Plan:

To be honest, I didn't really go into my training block with a full plan. I started at the beginning of July and was continuing to the end of the upcoming September. For the first two weeks I focused solely on acclimating my body to running consistently again. Starting slow with running and getting your body adjusted was the best thing I did. Normally, I don't have a whole lot of patience with this and like to just dive in full go. Building gradually in the next couple weeks kept my body healthy. Around the one-month mark of my training regimen, I knew the rest was going to be a little bit of a battle. This was the first time ever I had actually worked on increasing my endurance. The only thing I sort of had planned in the beginning was that I wanted to hit four trial runs of a 15K in that three-month span. My First trial, to my surprise, went very well. I didn't push too hard or go too fast. I just wanted to see what time frame I would finish around. The second trial was probably when I hit my peak training form. I felt great after hitting the first initial 8 miles that I decided to hit 10 miles. By my third trial I had shaved off a couple minutes, which doesn't sound like a lot, but that was proof of progress. I aimed to hit my last fourth trial about 2 weeks before race day. The fourth attempt went great, and I felt strong the whole way through. When you go commit and go through a training regimen, it's the best feeling knowing that your endurance has been built and the only thing left to do is just race. 

Race Morning: 

I had slightly tapered all week, and had taken a complete day off the Saturday before my race. The 15K was slated to start at 7:00AM on the dot. I woke up that morning around 4:00AM. The only thing I wanted to make sure going into this race, was that I fueled properly before and during. My breakfast consisted of three toasted English muffins with peanut butter, and a cup of coffee, while also loading up on electrolytes. I planned to arrive early so I could find parking with ease and also hit a light warm up. Everyone around me was upbeat and ready to race. When the race began, I definitely took off a little faster than I was anticipating but didn't notice probably until mile two. It gets easy to pace and fall in line with other runners around you, so it’s pretty normal to go out a little faster than usual. Around mile 3 I completely stopped looking at my watch. I decided to take it all in. This particular race was in Ft. De Soto so the scenery was stunning. I stopped to take some pictures and cheer on others. Competition can be fun, and I think sometimes we forget about that. At mile seven I was feeling the strain of the pace I was maintaining at that point. I had forgotten that I also needed to fuel my body, especially if I was going to push for another couple miles. Thankfully I had a gel with me, which is just an instant option for a simple carb and sugar source. That gel actually saved my life. My glycogen levels were low and my body was letting me know. For the last couple miles, I hauled ass. When I got closer to the finish line, I felt another burst of energy that runners always talk about. It's always expelling whatever you have left in the tank. I cruised across the line with barely any effort and finished with a five-minute PR. 

Post-Race: 
When the race was over, I obviously had no idea what my results were yet, so I just ended up grabbing some Gatorade and a banana for the ride home. I felt proud of what I had accomplished and that I had pushed through the whole training regimen, even when I didn't want to. The commitment definitely paid off in the end. About a week after the race, I received an email from the race directors letting me know I had won an award. I had placed 2nd in my age group! All the long runs and planned trials paid off. What I took from this whole endeavor is the whole process is long in getting to that start line. If you prepare and give it your absolute best, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. As long as you show up and you work hard, you will be grateful for it. I already have another race on the books, and it’s looking like a half marathon this time around. I’m very excited to push myself to the next level and see what the next training block holds.