My first 5K of the year is this Saturday at the Wando Hearts & Soles 5K. I'm running this one to gauge where I'm at from the end of Charleston Half training and to see how much I improve during Skidaway Half training. I'll run another 5K at the end of training to check in again.

For this race, I'd really like to see a regular old PR on the clock. No more of this post-baby PR nonsense. It's time to hit some real PRs. Hey, I did it during the Charleston Half, so it should be coming at shorter distances soon. Even though my previous half PR was set when I wasn't quite at the fitness level of my current 5K and 10K PRs, I'm creeping up on them, slowly but surely. Their days are numbered.

So here's how my goals are shaking out:

"A" goal: 22:55 (7:22 pace) - maybe I should call this the "Hahaha!" goal, because I really think it's a stretch, but I'm still calling it
"B" goal: 23:30 (7:33 pace) - this would be a PR
"C" goal: 23:55 (7:43 pace) - not a PR, but more closely in line with the improvements I saw in the fall (i.e., realistic, boring, blah)

During the fall, my last three 5K times dropped by 15 seconds each time, going from 24:57 to 24:45 to 24:30 in just a few weeks' time. Since then, I've logged a lot more long runs (and run a half marathon) and done a lot more (and faster) speed work. I've also increased my pace for regular easy runs. And this isn't because I'm pushing harder. I'm just getting faster. I think it's entirely possible for me to drop more than 15 seconds from my last 5K time.

D will be walk/running this 5K with little B in the stroller. Hopefully this time, he'll have his timing chip on (unlike at the Turkey Day Gobble Wobble where it fell off in our front yard before we left for the race) and we'll be able to get an official record of B's Valentine's Day race. And PR or no PR, I'm looking forward to this fun morning as a family!

Race goals: Hearts & Soles 5K