Running Goals Check In and Halloween Workout Playlist

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This is part three in a series where I'm documenting my running goals that I've shifted thanks to COVID towards increasing my time! You can check out part 1 and part 2 if you'd like, but not totally necessary to understand what I'll be sharing today. 

So, I have good news and bad news (well, for myself, really). The bad news: my mile time was longer than I thought. The good news: now I can accurately gauge my pace! 

So, I had done pretty exclusively treadmill runs thus far. I made the mistake of not calibrating myApple Watch before getting right into it once I switched from my Garmin and my times were not accurate, to say the least (my Garmin was old and in need of some replacing, haha).

This was discovered after calibrating and running on pavement with Anthony for the Crowned Athletics free Together in Paris run (P.S. you get 10% off their products with the coupon MagicallyFit) and a local free virtual 5K that we did (thanks, Healthy West Orange!), and found out that my pace wasn't between 9 and 10 minutes per mile, but was closer to 13-13:30. Oops! 
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Neon tiara filter is from Crowned Athletics!

​But! The good news is now I have a more accurate gauge for how much faster I actually have to go and can train accordingly... especially since I signed up for the runDisney Princess 5K in all its virtual glory. I figure if I'm gonna attempt a 30 minute 5K, I might as well have something to show for it, and whenever I get there at least I'll have a medal I can engrave with the date and time, right?

Since the race is in February, so I figure beyond just having a medal to show for my accomplishment, it'll be a good way to see how far I've come (even though my goal isn't necessarily to get a 30 minute 5K for February, but just to gauge my progress - I'm not rushing this so I don't hurt myself!). 
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I got the Rincon by Hoka One One a few months ago (when I decided to start this challenge for myself) and I absolutely love the shoe. It's super lightweight but still really supportive, which has been really important with me because one of the main reasons I would run/walk/run would be to avoid flaring up sciatic nerve damage. With these shoes (and proper stretching, but trust me from experience - the shoes do make a difference) it hasn't been a problem, so I'm super happy about that. 

Balega is the only brand of running sock I've truly not had blisters in (and my husband swears by them as well, not just for running but day-to-day life) and I love the AfterShokz bone conducting headphones for when I'm running outdoors since it allows me to be super aware of my surroundings but still getting to listen to music or chat with my husband. Best of both worlds!
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Halloween Workout Playlist

I love Halloween. I love Halloween music. I love the spooky season, you guys. So, with that being said, I had to create a Halloween workout playlist for when I'm running or hitting the weights. It's been super fun and is reminding me to not always take myself so seriously when training (because it's supposed to be fun!) and makes for a really good time, especially when I'm looking for something different to work out to. It's fun to mix things up and to be festive!

Check out the playlist on Spotify.

So, my goal for the rest of the month is to shift that 13 minute mile closer to a 12:30... and then in November, I'm hoping to get it closer to 12. If I can shave at least 30 seconds off my mile each month, that should put me at an 11 minute mile in February, which is pretty close to my goal. We'll see if that actually pans out, though - again, I'm not going to force it.
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You May Also Like

• Weight Watchers Halloween Candy Guide
• Virtual 5K Training Tips 
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