Today's assignment was to run a 10k. There were no local races that I knew of, so I decided to run a 10k course that I have raced once before, that I had set my PR. But that was almost 3 years ago. It is the Layton "Classic" 10k course. The Course is relatively flat for the first mile, then climbs about 300 feet over the next 2 miles. Not horrible, but still a climb and that would average between 3-4% grade over that distance. The part I love is that after you get to the half-way point, it is basically all downhill from there.
I set another PR today. My time was 43:43. I was really happy about this for several reasons. First, just setting a PR after a really strenuous workout week is fabulous. Second, I was really trying to focus on not going out too fast. My goal for the first mile was to run it in 7:15. With the long gradual uphill starting after that mile, it is important to feel strong on that climb. I did a warm-up first, just like I would for a race. I was really glad I did that as my legs did not feel very fresh when I first started running. I did go out faster then it felt I was running, which was a 6:45 min/mile pace. I slowed down and hit the one mile mark at 7:12. I did the next mile in 7:31, which I felt really good about. That second mile usually takes me 8:30 to do. The third mile I did in 7:42. Again, I felt quite good as that third mile usually takes me 9:00 to do. I hit the half-way point at 22:49. Now it was basically all downhill, and that first mile of the downhill felt particularly sweet. I finished the second half in 20:54, which means I averaged a 6:48 mile. I looked at my GPS watch more than usual, and I kept seeing that I was running under 6:30. If that had been in the first half I would have been nervous, wondering if I was going to have enough left in the tank, but since it was the second half I just kept on going. A very good day! : )
If you are new to running or you are what is referred to as a "recreational runner", this may all seem a bit obsessive to you. Well, it is : ) To be competitive you have to have some obsessiveness about you. It really won't work any other way. A guy I work with, who is 14 years my junior and normally is very laid back, is quite a runner. And the thing which motivates him is that I am older than him and he doesn't want me to catch him (in speed). He is just a little ahead of me, but his sense of competition keeps him going. Additionally, you have to know your times to understand where you need to improve. I hate hills, but now smaller hills are tolerable. The two mile climb today was not horrendous, though I was very glad when it was over. Last, you need to know your split times (what specifically one refers to as a "split time" varies - could be laps among other things, but a common split time is the first half of the distance vs. the second half). Research shows that people who set PRs usually have a negative split, meaning the second half is faster than the first. Some people do set split times with a positive split time (meaning the second half was slower than the first), but they are in the minority.
Why is this important? The SLC half-marathon is downhill almost the first 6.5 miles. Then it levels out for the next 4.5-ish miles, and then about mile 11 it starts a gradual uphill for nearly a mile, with the last ~300 meters a good climb. After that it is a gradual descent. That is where I got a cramp last year, and I never get cramps when I run. That made it so I could not run that last mile like I wanted to. So I have to PR with a positive split time. Of all courses to do it on, this is the one. I will have to hit the half way point at least at 42:15 (a 6:30 min mile) if I am to have any hope of breaking 1:30, and that doesn't give me much room to spare. I cannot exceed a 7:13 pace the second part of the half if I hope to get below that 1:30 mark. Let's just hope the weather cooperates.
Total miles for week = 44.99 (with the warm-up today I ran 6.49 miles)
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