You betcha I am. I can't remember the last time I ran a sub 9:00 mile. Today's workout was mile repeats x 2 with a required pace of 8:25. Those who have been following this have read about me lamenting for several days - essentially dreading this run as I knew it was going to prove how awfully slow I am and out of shape. I pushed off doing the run this morning - because of that dread. I did not really eat well today - probably should have laid off that entire .25 pound of peanut butter/chocolate covered malted milk balls, but I digress.
I began my run with my usual argument - while stretching and even before that - am I really going to attempt this - am I going to alter the run etc. Well, by the time I started, I had talked myself out of the repeat and was trying to decide between 3 and 4, and if I would do hill repeats. I got going, felt pretty good, so I decided I would do a warmup mile at a 9:30 pace, then just run a hard mile 2 and then go home. That flipped around several times to doing an easy two, then sprint hard home on mile 3. I finally, after going about .75 miles decided by gum, I will just do this warmup, a hard two, an easy 3 and a hard 4. Am I ever glad I did.
Mile 1 ticked away at 9:28. So far so good. I know I don't maintain a constant pace. I'm just not that good. Now for my "repeat". Yeah, it has the overpass in it so I have my built in excuse for not making the target pace - check the Garmin - pace...8:10? Hot dog - I can do this. I keep the hammer down, round the corner at 1.85 miles and get a face full of wind. Not to worry - I had check my pace (often) and knew I was going to make pace - or better . Mile 2 was done and my time? Shoot, I can't tell my lap the way I have this set up - total time passed is now....17:17....quick math...a sub 8:00??? I ran a sub 8:00? Wow- it's been 6 months or more since I've done that! (I got home and checked - it was 7:44)
As you might suspect - I was pretty winded at this time - so my easy (recovery) mile was really going to be slow - and involved walking. And the overpass again. I didn't really walk that much, but I did jog slow and finished that mile in 10:56. I'd hoped for 10:30 or less, but I'll take it.
My watch beeps at the mile markers so I knew I had to speed up. I was running into a headwind at this time and couldn't wait for the turn. I checked my pace a couple times, an 8:12 pace at about .4 and 8:20 at .6. I was becoming concerned. I was slowing down and I really wanted this one under 9:00 - 8:30 if possible. I just wasn't sure what I was capable of doing. The last .3 or so is my sprint home and had a tailwind. I knew I had some left in the tank. It was time for my Prefontaine moment. Ok...I'm not that fast, not by a long shot - but I was able to kick it and finished that lap in 7:59. Two sub 8:00 miles in one workout. Holy moly. I remember how much the tempo run was the pits last week when I couldn't do two sub 9:00's. Heck I couldn't even do one.
To say I am plumb tickled with this run is an understatement. Tomorrow's run is an easy 4 miler which I'll HAVE to do in the a.m. due to an evening meeting. Today's calorie burn is 634 (in a total of 36:29). Compared to Tuesday's 4 mile run in 38:10 and calorie burn of 622)
Happy training everyone.
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