The most exciting highlight of the weekend? My daughter, Maya. She had her very first cross country meet of the year on Saturday and absolutely crushed it. She ran 2.06 miles in 14:09, finishing 24th out of 138 runners. Her team placed 2nd overall.
What’s even more impressive is that the top 7 girls on the team are already hitting times equivalent to their performances at last year’s state meet—and it’s only the beginning of the season. They’ve been logging solid mileage with some workouts sprinkled in, so based on where they’re starting, there’s a real chance for some big breakthroughs by the end of the year.
To follow up Saturday’s great performance, Maya ran her first-ever 5+ miler today—5.24 miles at a 7:37 pace. She’s off to a fantastic start.
My Own Training: Steady Progress (with a Few Bumps)
As for me, my training isn’t quite as headline-worthy, but there are still some small wins. I’ve been nursing a very mild Achilles tweak—not serious, and so far it hasn’t affected my training, but I’m keeping an eye on it. I ran about 4.5 miles both yesterday and today, cruising around an 8:30 pace, which has become my comfortable easy pace lately.
Garmin has been limiting my workouts due to low sleep scores, which, fair enough—I’ve been struggling to stay asleep through the night. I’m managing okay, but I agree: an extra hour of sleep (or even just uninterrupted sleep) would probably make a big difference.
On a more positive note, my VO₂ max climbed another point this week—now at 51. It was at 49 at the beginning of August, so that’s a 2-point gain in a month, which feels solid. I started the year at 41 and have been consistently gaining about a point a month—except in April and now again in August, when I jumped two points each time.
If this trend continues, I could hit 55 by the end of the year.
For context, I peaked at 61 back in 2021 and maintained mid-to-upper 50s from 2020 through early 2023. I dipped to 53 in April 2023 and had been trending downward since, so this is the first real momentum I’ve seen in a while. It’s encouraging to be building back up again and also to know that I've been there before and am able to hold that level of fitness.
Looking Ahead: Long-Term Goals
With my fitness improving, motivation holding steady, and training staying consistent, I’m starting to think more seriously about longer-term goals. Here’s what I’m aiming for:
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Reach a VO₂ max of 55 by April 2026.
I may dip a bit in the winter when treadmill season starts, since Garmin doesn’t seem to track VO₂ max as accurately on the treadmill. That said, I’ve had good luck building a strong base indoors, and usually see the number jump once I return to outdoor running. -
Push to 58 by August 2026.
If I can get there, I’d love to test my limits with a truly dialed-in 5K and see what I can throw down when fully trained... hopefully that means a sub 20 5K by later this fall and then sub-19 next year.
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