New 5K Training Course

I finally got out and tested the legs with 30 minutes of something more than a jog.  I kept it close to home, just in case I pulled up lame or started to feel the strain coming on.

I chose to run the perimeter loop around the community park.  It's a tad over half a mile, so it makes for a good measured lap in lieu of a 1/4 mile track oval.  It's also convenient.

I measure it at .56 mile each lap.  Today, I ran more at my usual pace just to get a gauge on my calves.  I didn't intend to set any benchmarks, but I did record my splits and figured out what the conversion factor would be if I was on a track.

Lap
1. 4:25 (7.87 pace)
2. 4:21 (7.74 pace)
3. 4:29 (7.97 pace)
4. 4:13 (7.51 pace)
5. 3:55 (6.98 pace)
6. 4:04 (7.24 pace)

Total: 25:27 (7.57 average pace)
Equivalent 5K time: 23:23

So, that's without going hard.  And the calves both felt fine. In fact, I forgot what the primary objective was during the run.  I'm keeping tabs on them post-run to see if they stiffen up or complain.

For future reference, though; if I'm going to use this 6xloop as a 5K test course, and want to measure equivalence to a 21:00 5K, I'd have to run each lap at an average of 3:48, which is faster than I ran any of the individual laps today.  Total time for 6 laps (3.36 miles) would be 22:48.  That would be the same as a 21-minute 3.1 mile run.

Something to shoot for.