AM: 10 miles, with 6 miles in 32:57 (5:29.5 avg). This workout was set as my hardest sub-MP run of this cycle. My target was 5:30.
As usual, I warmed up down to Northshore Pool. I have a new pre-tempo routine that has worked so far - I catch my breath, and let the fear and doubt kicking around my psyche work its way through. When I finally achieve some version of calm, I kick it in. I think this has helped me. A lot of junk gets stuck in my head before hard workouts.
After about a quarter mile I check my pace. This is a tense moment, because I need to see a pace that makes sense in relation to the effort, and this morning the effort was high very quickly. Thankfully, I was in the low 5:20s, so I settled in and focused. I was a bit under target for miles 1 & 2.
I struggled on miles 3 & 4, running both a couple seconds above 5:30. The cowardly and weak side of my brain fed me a steady supply of excuses: "You're missing your targets, may as well pull the plug and save your energy for Sunday. It's too humid. You are low on sleep. You probably can't do this. This is way below marathon pace, no need to bother with this. Feel that twinge? Could be something..." I entertained these thoughts for awhile, but the time for excuses is over. I told myself I'd run 6 miles as fast as I could, even if it was over target pace, and the fear and doubt eased off.
The pace was hard, but it was just as much a struggle in the conditions. I have never run sub 5:30 pace on a 6 mile tempo run, and I have never exceeded a tempo workout PR during the summer, so this was a stretch in multiple directions. I managed to get my pace back under 5:30 for the last two miles, with my last mile being the best one in 5:26.
I don't want to put any more positive weight on this workout than I would a failed tempo. However, I do want to use it to harden my resolve for the final month of training before TCM. Nothing is guaranteed, but I have arrived at where I wanted to be three months ago, and I have the potential now to bring things together. Sunday I have 10 miles MP+1:00 / 10 miles MP on tap.
PM: 7.5 with Quint at lunch.
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