pace run: success!

before I begin my running-ramblings, let me take this opportunity to congratulate the second sexiest man in cycling and the world's best sprinter on his newly-held green jersey. A stage win means we'll be seeing more of him. I was worried for a spell. NORGE!

The new plan has only pace runs as speed work- runs where you go at race pace. Since my next race is the CDC, a half marathon, that means half marathon pace. Today served up a 7 mile pace run.

I've never run that far at pace, and when I tried it on the 10K I failed pretty miserably. I set the gizmo with the "training partner" - a little dude who runs with me and tells me how far ahead or behind I am. Started out strong and in three miles had a full minute gap on the gizmoman, but then it started to hurt. Started losing ground and was behind the man with one to go. Kicked out a mile :30 faster than pace, and beat pace on that 7 miler by just 10 seconds. My gizmo beeped and told me, "you win!" Finally. My fastest long run ever. I'm starting to think I can hold this pace for 13.1.

5:00

you know how sometimes you ask people a question, then ignore their answers and keep asking other people the same question, then realize it's all because you know what you WANT the answer to be? that you were looking for support and reinforcement instead of honest answers all along?

yeah, well, I WANT to go off with the 5:00 pace group. It was my goal when I set out to do this whole thing last fall. I let all that "just get to the finish" crap get to my head and make me train slower that I should or could have, and now it's sort of a stretch. But I don't care.

My pace has me timing at anywhere from 4:50 to 5:37, but the slower times include stop lights and Molly poop breaks and elevator waits. The 4:50 prediction is the only one where it was a real point-to-point without anything in the way. Beside, what's the worst that can happen? I hit 20 and crawl in from there? I think that would still be slower than 5:37!

so, it's decided. no more worries, no more asking people in hopes of getting an answer that I'm not seeming to get. 5:00 is what I want (4:59 actually) and it's what I'm going for. if I regret it at mile 22, whatever. It's not like my leg is going to fall off.