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W River Rd Tempo

September 15, 2010 (Afternoon)

Exercise Type: Run

Comments:
It was wet out, I was in a hurry, legs felt heavy, I had to deuce. I wasn't looking forward to this tempo, I had already pushed it back one day because my legs didn't feel good yesterday.

Did the usual, ran out to Minnehaha, strides, lined up on river road and went at it. I think part of my problem with workouts lately is that I have been paying way too much attention on what times to hit. I've been running workouts for years, I know what each pace should 'feel' like. So this run I decided to just run tempo pace and see what the times were. The first <2 miles are unmarked, so I was going by feel anyways. Felt pretty easy with 2 to go, saw my first 800M split at 2:40 and I'm pretty sure I LOL'd with disbelief. How can 5:20 feel this easy?!?! Sure enough came through the mile in 5:24 (uphill second 800M). Next 800M was 2:32, whoops, and I ended up finishing in a tough, but still relaxed, 5:10 last mile. I was excited with the workout, felt pretty good, but I was certain that my first two miles must have been 5:40 pace or so. I have a tendency to cut down on tempos anyways.

I got home and mapmyrun'd the route to find out it was 3.75 miles. About what I expected. So took the first 9:19 for the first bit, and what pace is that for 1.75 miles? 5:19 pace. WHAT?!?!? So even IF google maps was incorrect, I was still running AT LEAST 5:25 pace. It all felt effortless. I KEEP getting surprised by my fitness. Averaging less than 5:20 pace for ~4 miles as a tempo just seems absurd to me. While I was in moon boots and essentially 'not trying.'

Can't wait until Griak.