Tempo

Speed work day I have to psych myself up for. I can go out for a few miles and push the pace, even hit my tempo pace but speed work days I have to get mentally prepared to get there. Today on the schedule was 6 miles, 4 @ 7:49 between a warm up and a cool down.

I decided to run at the gym, out of the rain and on the treadmill I can control my pace a little bit better. I knew from the start it was going to be a good run. I felt comfortable after my warm up mile and even comfortable after the first mile at 7:49, my heart rate confirmed that I wasn't really working that hard. I decided that after the second mile at 7:49 I would increase the pace. Finished the run at 7:30 for the next mile and then 7:00ish for the final mile.

I WORKED hard and that's probably why I like tempo runs so much. I love seeing the progress, the burn in the legs but the knowledge that this pace is faster than I've ever run before.