Lap 5: Preparing to Race

Happy Fall Everyone!

I hope you have been able to get out and enjoy all the colors and soaking up the crisp mornings and sunny afternoons.

This fall has been a particularly busy time for me as I continue to coach the girls cross country team at Apple Valley High School, coach my online clients through Run4PRS, and my mileage continues to build back into the 80s and now 90s. I have really enjoyed the grind of marathon training and challenging my body in new ways. Last weekend, I had my first long run workout where I ran 20 miles with 14 miles alternating 1 mile at threshold and 1 mile at a “float” pace which is basically a moderate effort. When I first started the workout, I was nervous and excited for the challenge. There have been many moments in my postpartum comeback that I have told myself that Coach Lundstrom would not give me the workout unless he believed I could do it. Most of the time, I have been pleasantly pleased by the results afterwards. Of course, I am still a competitor and an athlete so I am always seeking ways to better myself, but holding onto a sense of gratitude and joy along the way. 

Since my last update, I have raced three times. I ran a 5k at the Tracksmith Twilight Meet August 31st, City of Lakes Half Marathon September 11th, and Twin Cities 10 Mile October 2nd. I have also had my VO2 max and threshold tested twice by Human Powered Health. In the 7 weeks between my two tests, I increased my VO2 max and lowered my threshold by 20-30seconds/mile which is an exciting trajectory as I work towards my next race, the Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon November 5th and marathon debut in December at CIM.

Outside of training and coaching, my daughter Addison is on the move! She is about 8.5 months old and has figured out how to “crawl” which means I have some more baby proofing to do! We recently did a day trip up to Duluth to see some friends and do some hiking. Conner and I are also laying a new walkway from our driveway to our front door. This is a project I’ve been excited to do since we moved in in August of 2020. 

Joyfully,

Breanna