Team RunnersConnect had an extraordinary weekend with 7 PRs leading the way

Barbara Powell ran the Suncoast Half Marathon and finished with a time of 1:30:55. This was a personal record by 2 minutes!

I was pretty happy to see where my fitness was and to test the waters with racing as I continue training for Boston. I set out from the start, chasing the #1 woman the entire way. However, I just missed catching her by about a minute, also losing out on my chance to break 1:30, which was my ultimate goal for this race.

The course was super flat, set out on a lavish golf course in Florida. I set out in 7:03, 7:03, 7:08 before finally dropping it down and running incredibly consistent 6:54’s up through the last few miles. There, I was able to drop down to high 6:45 pace. At the end of it all, I am happy with my time but I am also hyper aware of where I need to improve. Although I was able to speed up a bit at the end few miles, I have a pretty poor knee drive and felt as though I was really dragging my legs along and depending too much on my upper body to pull through. I honestly felt as though I could have held that just-shy-of-7 pace for a bit longer, maybe another 4 miles realistically, if I hadn’t sped up to complete the race with a full effort!

My 1:30 got me 14th place overall, #2 woman and 1st in my age group. SO READY to tackle the next stage in my training!!

Anup Sharma ran the VIRA Cobble Hill 10K and finished this distance in the time of 0:54:33.

While it was not a personal best (this course can never be as it is very hilly), it was definitely my personal course best. Looking forward to my next tune up race (HM) in a few weeks and hoping to have done much better on fitness. This year I have already ran two tune up races and both have been course bests, many thanks to RC and my Coaches, Coach Sarah, Coach Michael and Coach Jamie plus the RC community for the feedback and encouragement 🙂

Kelly Walling ran the Palm Desert Half Marathon and finished in 1:45:52, which was a 21 seconds PR!

Not a big improvement, but I haven’t raced this distance in 2 years and I am really happy with how the run went. Wasn’t really expecting to PR, but I followed the plan and everything fell into place. I also PRd in the 10K on miles 4-10, that also was unexpected. It was a great day, beautiful weather for running.

Jaron Brown ran the Atlanta Hot Chocolate 15k and finished in a time of 1:15:21.

My goal for this race was to finish with an average pace of 8:00/mile or faster. This was a fairly aggressive “stretch” goal given my arthritic hip and torn labrum in the same hip. The temperature at the beginning of the race was 25 F, 13 F with wind chill. Nonetheless, I established a decent pace at the beginning and warmed up around mile 3. The first six miles were pretty uneventful. At mile 7, I started to feel the hip fatiguing and getting stiff, but I pushed on. A long hill starting at the beginning of mile 8, which zapped me pretty good. I bounced back after that hill, but started to get a small cramp in my right hamstring near the end of mile 8, which was likely due to poor hydration. I hung on for miles 8 and 9, and pushed through hip tightness and pain. However, I fell slightly short of my pace goal, ending up averaging 8:06. All-in-all, I’m happy with my performance. I don’t think I could have done much better given my physical condition.

Karen Scobie ran the Polar Bear Trail 14k with a finishing time of 1:55:12, which was a PR!

A fun day, lots of mud, lots of single track and learning how to get around people, lots of hills. Ran this without a watch (only because I forgot it at work). It was weird not knowing how far we’d gone, or how long until the end, but it was a nice surprise to realize the finsh line was just up ahead, when I was thinking at least another 2k! And any race with chocolate and chips at the aide station and the end is awesome in my books!! I’d do it again 🙂

Thanasis Kypraios ran the Saint George Path 15k and finished this race event in the time of 1:46:02.

I have decided 2016 to be a year full of fun races and without high and difficult-to-reach goals. On the other hand, 2017 is gonna be full of race goals! With these in mind, I went to a 15K trail race on mountain Parnitha, which was covered with snow. I had done this race 3 years ago, then it was really hard (despite the lack of snow). This time, I really enjoyed it, took it really easy and improved my time for almost 15 minutes! I certainly love trail running, but it is hard to combine it all… So, I try to focus on improving my times at road running (from 5K to the marathon) and attend some trail races just for the beautiful and adventurous scenery.

GS Lim ran the Dubai Marathon and finished with a time of 4:10:32.

I am very happy. Boston is now within sight. I am just 32 seconds off the BQ time for 65 year-old. My first 36 km were well on target, but I had leg cramps after that and it slowed me down severely. But somehow I pressed on to the finish line. I had followed the RC program faithfully as in running slow in order to run fast. I felt my fitness has improved. Thank you very much coach Jamie & Jeff.

Noorulla Khan ran the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon and finished with a time of 4:07:19. This was a massive PR by 31 minutes!

I ran last year marathon at 4:38:21, but it was just a run without any proper insight in to marathon. Then I joined runnersconnect. With the help of coaches and their plan I improved my PR by 31 minutes and finished the race at 4:07:19 inspite of not feeling well day before the race. Thank you so much Team Runners Connect.

Diane Souza ran the Frosty 10.5 miler, finishing this distance in the time of 1:52:06.

Not my fastest wasn’t feeling well during this race but I finished!!! Great experience beautiful course.

Dave Rosenbaum ran the Miami Marathon and Half Marathon in 2:03:40, which was a PR by 3 minutes!

Two months after blowing my pacing at the Santa Clarita Marathon, I was hoping to make up for that, somewhat, with a solidly paced half-marathon and a PR (2:06:40 or better). I felt as if I had a solid training block and entered the race with a lot of confidence. Then the forecast–unusually cold for Miami, feels-like of 39 at the start–had me feeling more confident.

I’ve never felt so strong and in charge from the start. I paced it smartly, held back until mile 10.5, then turned it loose for the last 2.6, maintaining my best 5K pace to the finish. I couldn’t believe how strong I felt the last two miles–I wasn’t tired at the end–and beat my PR by three minutes, one second. Lots of credit to Runners Connect for this; a lot of the workouts, plus a 5K a few months ago, helped me through this race. With 2.5 miles to go, I was down to 5K pace and realized that I felt stronger than I had in a 5K on Thanksgiving.

This was my fourth time running Miami and the most enjoyable. Ran it with my step-daughter, who stayed with me most of the way before passing me with a half mile to go. She really helped me stay on the proper pace. Also, I love this race. The course is beautiful with views of the cruise ships going out, running along Ocean Drive as the sun rises then back toward glittering Miami before a nice run through the gritty downtown area.

Mike Kimble ran the The Hearnish 10k (ish) Freezeroo #3 and finished in a time of 00:49:00, which was a PR!

Barbara Kirkwood ran the Rainbow Falls 5k and finished this race event in the time of 26:07.

This was my first race in a very long time (about 2 years). I found my old mental strategies coming out to help me along the way – tucking in behind a clearly serious, seasoned runner for the first half to keep my form, pace and cadence steady, talking my way up and over the killer hill in mile 2, keeping my shoulders relaxed and controlling my breathing, and willing myself to go for a fast finish despite being ready to stop. Overall a good run.

Karen Hulbert ran the F3 Lake Half Marathon and finished with a time of 2:02:25.

Fun race on Chicago Lakefront trail out and back. The temp was about 25 but the sun was out. My goal was to come in under 2:02 but missed that by seconds. Probably spend one minute at water stop filling up water bottle. I need to work on finishing up the last 4 miles stronger and will do this before my next half in 8 weeks. I did come in 4th in AG.

Carol Gross ran the Steilacoom Resolution 10K and finished this race in the time of 56:08.

POURING rain and 43 degrees. In the Northwest one learns to love hearing “sloshing” shoes and feeling the cool rain soak your clothes and hair. Went out faster than planned, but pleased with my time this early in the season. First place in F(70-79) age group.

Diana Cano ran the Houston Aramco Half Marathon and finished with a time of 2:06:15. This was a PR by 20 minutes!

The course, the people and the organization. I did not even imagine that I was going to achieve this PR I’m so happy and so proud. The course was so flat but the neighborhoods which I passed along the way were beautiful and the people cheering you up was tremendously encouraging to have a great performance!

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