Tempo Run

After an easy 7.5 mile recovery run yesterday, which I ran without a watch to ensure an easy pace (a problem for me), I set out today with the goal of running ten miles, including 4 miles at 6:29 pace. This is my half marathon goal pace, and I am hoping to build up to at least 8 miles at this pace before this training period is over. If I end up running a half marathon in October, these will be good pacing experience. If I somehow get selected to run for the Navy at the Marine Corps Marathon, I'll call them tempo runs, which is what I'm calling them now. With these workouts, mile repeats, the monthly three-mile fun runs at work, and the monthly races that I plan to start entering this month, I'm confident that I'm getting in enough speed work.

I was less than a half mile into today's tempo run when I realized that only a few weeks ago I ran three miles at 6:11 pace, so maybe four miles at 6:29 wasn't enough of a challenge. As a result, I added another mile to the tempo run, ending with 10 miles total, including 5 tempo miles at 6:29, 6:26, 6:21, 6:20, and 6:28. I also limited myself to only checking my pace every half mile. Not relying on the watch was helpful in forcing me to get into a rhythm and learning the pace. The 6:21 mile was with the wind at my back, and the 6:20 mile was half into the wind and half with the wind at my back. I kept the pace pretty well with the wind at my back, but overcompensated when I ran into the wind.