Friday, May 9, 2008

7 miles in 1:00:25

I left the house with one goal in mind, to run 6 miles at 10-k pace (8:30 m/mile). During my warm up mile I wasn't feeling the freshest. Perhaps it was the 10 mile bike on the stationary bike yesterday or the ab work the day before. I wasn't .3 miles into my run when I got a freakin side stitch. Which I don't get often. Fortunately I've just decided to run through them since I know that as you run they tend to go away.

But I just relaxed and got the vision for the run. It was a practice in visualization; in making the run happen in my mind. I don't have to do this on my long runs. On long run day I can just get into the groove of my run and it normally happens quickly and naturally. But on tempo run days it's a lesson in mental and physical discipline and endurance.

But as I hit the mile point I was ready to run. I did 6 miles in 50:25 which is 8:25 m/mile, 5 seconds under my goal per mile. I noticed today that holding the pace was easier this week than my tempo run two weeks ago. I've got one more tempo run and then the race on the 24th.

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