PR

The first time I read/heard the term “PR” was when I purchased my first copy of Runner’s World Magazine.  I kept seeing phrases like these:

“How to run a PR”

“Get a PR on your next 5K“

“Why you did not hit a PR in your last race”

I had no idea what a “PR” was.  I thought it must be important.  Typing “PR” into Google did not help.  I was pretty sure it had nothing to do with public relations or Puerto Rico.  So I had to swallow my pride and ask a “rookie” question to some running veterans.  It turns out that “PR” stands for personal record.  Apparently when you are a runner you have to be obsessed with doing better in a race than you did the last time.  I knew there was a reason I took up running!  

My first 5K was in January of 2011.  My time was a little slow for me even though it was my first time to run a race in a very long time.  In that particular race they changed the route from the previous year so all the runners who ran the year before turned right when they should have gone straight.  Like a well-trained lemming I did the same.  That added several minutes to my time.  I ran my next 5K a month later.  My first “PR”!  I have to admit it did feel pretty good and it did add motivation for that race and the next.  Three months later I ran my next 5K and ran it even quicker.  Wow, another “PR”.  I am an awesome runner!  Then reality set in.  The next 5K a month later my time was higher than my previous race.  How could this happen?  A temporary bout of runner’s depression set in for me.  I got over it.   It was a great motivational tool for me to work harder and I did.

My first and second years of running I had a lot of “PR”s.   I was pretty proud of my time improvements.  However, I have found that the longer you are a runner the harder it becomes to “PR”.  Heading into my third year of running I have noticed a disturbing trend where my times are several minutes higher from the previous time I ran that race.  I attributed this to changing my running strategy from speed to endurance.  The last year I was training for a marathon and primarily focused on endurance.  I am refocused on speed training.  My next race is one I ran last year.  I am very interested to see if I can better my time from last year. 

For me “PR”s can be a great motivator.  However I can no longer use this as my only motivator.   I have to understand that some races are not going to be “PR” races.   For 5K’s it will be a long time before I “PR” again.  I ran a 5K last year that was basically downhill the entire way.   I have not come close to the time I had in that race for a 5K.   When I run 5K’s now I know that the downhill race I ran is not a good benchmark for a “PR”.  I still have some races where there is room for a “PR”.   Specifically half-marathons, I have a time goal in mind for these races and I hope to hit the goal by the end of the year.