Awesome 10 miler

I threw on my running clothes this morning to take Katie for our usual walk. I figured if she did well, we'd go for a run. Yeah, no. About a half mile into our walk she started jumping on me. I know that's her way of telling me, "Hey! Let me go run free, lady!" So, I quelled my anger, turned around and took her back home.

Then I told Martin that I was going for a run, and I'd be back in two hours. I actually had a plan for this long run. Usually with long runs I just get out there and try to finish them without dying. My plan for this ten miler was to take it slow and easy for the first seven miles (11:00-12:00/miles), and then run at race pace, or what I'm hoping will be my half-marathon race pace next week (10:30/mile), for the last three miles.

While things didn't go exactly as planned, I did finish feeling super good and happy and pleased as punch with myself. I finished 10.31 miles in 1:54:58, average pace was 11:09/mile. This was almost as fast as my personal record for this route from 08/14/10 - 10.21 miles, 1:52, 11:03/mile. The difference was that today, I actually held myself back for the first seven miles!

Mile - 08/14/10 - 05/28/11

Mile 1 - 10:42 - 10:54 - I forced myself to go slow up the first hill so as not to burn out.
Mile 2 - 10:51 - 11:19
Mile 3 - 10:36 - 10:54 - It sucked holding back, because I was just feeling really good. I thought I was going slow, but then looked at my Garmin and saw 9:XX times. Whoops.
Mile 4 - 11:08 - 11:08 - I would trot along and noticed that my comfortable pace was mainly 11:06.
Mile 5 - 10:58 - 11:46 - My slowest mile on this run. I stopped at this time to take a GU.
Mile 6 - 11:20 - 11:28 - I told myself to make sure to keep it slow and enjoy this nice slow pace for this mile and the next one.
Mile 7 - 11:04 - 11:22 - I was starting to feel tired and was wondering how and if I could manage a 10:30 pace for the last three miles.
Mile 8 - 11:06 - 10:43 - I had a really hard time finding the 10:30 pace. Either I was going too fast or too slow. I got tired towards the end of this mile and walked with a tenth of this mile left to go.
Mile 9 - 10:59 - 10:29 - My average pace may have been on target, but I was up and down with this mile. Again, I was going too fast. I was seeing sub 9:00 miles. I walked the last .15 of this mile.
Mile 10 - 12:02 - 11:33 - And more trouble with pacing. But I knew this mile was going to be wonky because of the giant hill at the end.
Last .31 miles - 9:56 - 10:44 - Finished nice and even going down the last hill.

I had a really hard time finding that 10:30/mile pace. I need to go out on the road again to find it so I can remember what it feels like. Either I was going too slow or way too fast.

However, I am quite pleased with what I've accomplished. During the first seven miles, I kept telling myself to take it easy, "to bank energy" for the end when I would need it. And it worked! The last few miles on long runs have ALWAYS sucked for me. I always peter out and get tired. But today's strategy worked. I just have to force myself to take it easy in the beginning.

Now if I can just keep this feeling and energy for next week's half, I'll be all set!