This weekend I didn't have any running buddies to run with so I had to go on my own. I constantly tell people that if I wasn't meeting them, I wouldn't go at all. Saturday was a specific example of that. This 10 mile run should have been on Saturday but I just couldn't bring myself to get out of bed and get moving.
Since I didn't get my run in on Saturday, I knew I had to today. Then I figured I'd go today and only do 1 loop instead of 2 because nobody was there to push me along.
Today I made sure I got up and left but I did leave later than I wanted to. Then I got there and sat in the car for a few minutes just thinking about how I should start running but how I'm not meeting anyone so I can just sit there and waste time.
Right before I started running, I decided that my goal time was 47 minutes (just like it was last time). I arrived at that time by 9:00 mile 1 and 9:30 for each additional mile. The first .25 was the same as last time (2:11). I thought that was crazy and I needed to pick up my pace earlier because last time I was killing myself to make up time at the end to try to hit my goal time. The second split was 2:06 which was 6 seconds faster than last time so I had some seconds banked. The entire time, I would note how far ahead or behind I was and add it up. Like I had 4 seconds then 9 seconds so that was 13 and I added it up. But I didn't want to push my goals since I know rounding is involved and sometimes the splits are different at home than what I thought so after mile 1 I made my goal 2:21 instead of 2:22 or 2:23. I was banking seconds that way or coming out even.
About a mile in, I saw a guy in a bright yellow shirt up ahead. He was about 50 yards ahead and I wanted to change him or catch up to him. He gave me a run for my money. I couldn't catch him. The distance between us was growing! I was running faster than I thought I would because of him. I enjoyed it. Then he goes over to the rest room and I can't chase him anymore. I was sad and ended up running 2:31. I guess I needed him for motivating. Also I was pretty tired from running so hard earlier. Well he caught up to me again. I told him good job running and how I kept trying to catch and he motivated me. He looked at me like I was nuts and said OK and ran off. He was going even faster after his bathroom break that the distance was widening. Then all of a sudden after I rounded a bend, I didn't see him anymore. I guess his run was over. I was on my own now. At least what was left was all downhill and level (about 1.5 miles)
I decided to push at the end a little more like Kelly pushed me. Now I didn't go crazy like that time. It was just 2:08. Also I didn't go crazy because I wasn't done after this. I planned to drink water and run more. I didn't want to get dehydrated so I was forcing myself to drink half the water in my water bottle. Now normally I hate breaking. If I break after a loop, it feels like cheating. I had enough of a break to catch my breath and not die again. Between loops I also ate some energy chews. I only had about half a package. I have yet to eat an entire package.
Loop 2 I decided to give the ol' run/walk a try. I decided instead of running until I'm dead and having to take walk breaks that I would run 3 minutes and walk 1. It was my first 10 total miles since my 30k over 4 months ago. It has been a long time. Recently I have been dying at 5 and 6 mile runs. I ran 3 minutes and a few seconds. I used the timer on my iPhone for 3 minutes. Then I looked at my Garmin to know when 1 minute was up. I chose to run 6 or 7 extra seconds a lot. Only once did I walk extra and that was because a water fountain was off the trail by 15 feet and I decided to walk to it instead of run for 15 feet then drink water. The run/walk thing seemed so easy. I actually had no idea what to set as my goal times. I also didn't know what pace I'd be going. After running about .2 I started calculating what I would finish at. I thought I would do 11-12 min miles. I based that off running speed but also my 2nd loop time previous times at North Park. My second loop on my first 15 mile run ever was 51:50. My first 10 mile run ever had a 2nd loop time of 54:23. I also have had very few runs of 10 or more. Today my mile times were pretty consistent. I'm surprised. The last mile I ran the entire thing instead of run/walking it so I had an improved time. I ran for 12 minutes straight at the end. I actually ran a little bit past the corner just to get it to an even number. I guess I did a pretty good job picking run 3 walk 1 but my pace was slower than what it said. I was also more tired since I already ran 5 first. (See Jeff Galloway's method for specific suggestions.) Have you ever used a specific run walk method? How long are you runs before you get tired and take a walk break if you don't specifically use a run/walk method?
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| My Sunglasses matched my shirt. My face was redder after the 2nd set of 5 miles |
Do you carry a water bottle when you run? How do you stay hydrated?
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| Intervals |
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| Intervals |
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