8 mi in 1:01:17
Great tempo run this morning! BAM! And that's why you get up and run 'em anyway. You just never know. Strikes against the 5 miles of tempo pace this morning: 1. Haven't been feeling great the day after hard workouts probably indicating I'm not recovering quickly, 2. no surprise on the recovery since this is the 3rd week in a row of building volume and intensity, 3. I was a little intimidated by the planned route - the Webb Gin and Holly Brook hills, 4. it was supposed to be sub 20°F and blustery winds today, 5. I went to bed a little stuffy and woke up hard this morning. HOWEVER ... as I was dressing for the artic, it seemed that the temp wasn't as bad. It turned out to be perfect weather, abt 40°F and no wind. (I changed gear.) Stepped out into the street and already could tell that my body was responding. Warmed well in 1.5 miles. Hit the gas. Tempo pace target was 7 or under mpm. Splits: 7:05, 7:03, 6:48, 6:58, 7:07 for an average of (drum roll please) 7:00 minute per mile! Consider that the last time I did this WO 2 weeks ago, I did 4 tempo miles on Moon Place (gently rolling hills with max elevation change of at most 15 ft), I avg'd 7:02 and about died on the last mile to mile and a half. Today's run had max elevation changes of - I'm guessing - 50 to 100 ft. Granted I benefitted from the down hills of that size, but I usually don't run well down hill. And, I didn't really even flinch until a 1/3 of the way through the 5th tempo mile most of which was that long uphill from the low spot between Bridgewater and Havenstone all the way up (with emphasis on the UP) onto Rocky Road. Felt really great today too, in contrast to the last 4 runs. NO PAINS. Both hip flexors were sore during the final mile. But, that just means it was a great WO and that weakness was fleeing my body. Thanking God for the ability to run today and all of the previous ones (and next ones) that did hurt.
|