Striving for a sub-20-minute 5K

Two months ago, I got the Women's Running issue with a 5K training plan ("Break 30, 25, or 20 Minutes").  I looked at the plan and realized my times fall right in between the 25 and 20 minute plans--25 minutes involves intervals at a 7:45 pace (my easy runs are at 8-8:15), but intervals in the 20 minute plan are 6:16.

I had never run anything that fast before, even for short intervals, so I put the plan aside to focus on half marathon training and the relay I did last weekend.

Then one morning, I tried out a fast interval.  I did repeats at a 6:16 pace, and even though I was holding on to my treadmill for dear life, I was hooked.  I started following the plan around three weeks ago, and today I had a breakthrough speedwork session: 5 miles, with 6 quarter mile repeats and 1 full mile at a 6:11 pace, with a mile recovery.

Definitely the fastest running I've ever done.

I know the treadmill doesn't have wind resistance or hills (I use a 1.0 incline to adjust for some of that), so I'm guessing a mile at that pace on the track would be much harder for me, but it was still a very positive experience.

But now I'm nervous!  I signed up a few weeks ago for a Halloween 5K on Saturday morning. I wanted to do it for fun--my daughter is coming with me, I'm wearing a tutu, it's a super hilly course, and I just started this plan.  However, I'm also hoping I can feel like the speedwork has made a difference.  I decided to have two goals for the race:

1. Keep my pace under 7-minute-miles throughout the race.
2. Feel like I am pushing myself for me--not to stay in the position that seems right for me.

Every time I try to run fast, I get a little scared and pull back. I guess I don't want to feel like I run out of steam, so I keep myself in a safe, comfortable spot--and I often decide on where that spot is based on who is around me rather than how I feel.  Once the fastest women are well ahead of me and the slower women are behind me, I stay in my position instead of pushing myself.

I'm already more nervous about Saturday than I have been about my longer (half marathon) races!