I tried Neasts great idea for an "Easy" tempo run: 2 warm up, 3 hard, 2 cool down.
Have I mentioned I don't know how to pace anymore? I've gotten so used to the mountain and trail dictating what speeds to run that I no longer grasp the meaning of consistency.
So off to Dimple Dell I go (after speedwork on asphalt, couldn't bear to do a tempo run on it too, ugh.) I knew that the soft sand/mulch/hills would ruin my goal AP (look at me, throwing around the roadie lingo) but a small price to pay to make an unbearable run more bearable. I was giving up another go on LCC Creek for this, after all.
After two miles of interuppted warm-up (took kids to school) I paused to prep. You'd think I was getting ready to climb Everest or something, I was so nervous and reluctant. A little Rusted Root (send me on my way) to either soothe the nerves or make it seem cooler, and I pushed the button to start tracking.
I was hoping for anything averaging sub 8 (my fastest AP for anything @ DD was 8:10) but shooting for a 7:30. Of course I ran the first half mile at a 6:45 and wanted to burn out, but I kept going. It was kind of awful. At 1.7 I needed the potty (thank heavens!) so I paused the time. Don't know if that's "legal" in speed mode, but oh well.
Ended up with about a 7:37 pace for the 3 miles, which given terrain, isn't bad. Isn't great either.... But still only a week after Timp repeats. I walked up the hill to the dog park, deliriously thirsty. I checked my phone, it was 83F! Only a week ago I was on Timp in 38F in a torrential downpour trying to avoid becoming an ice pop.
While getting a drink a saw a cute jogger. I finished drinking and she had a lead, but decided to pull her in to kill the time on the way back home. I passed her doing a 7:50. Ooops. Then I did a 10:40. Again.... no sense of pacing.
I need help. This speed training stuff is hard. I need to leech paces and training routines off of someone while I try to get a handle on it. Anyone? ;)
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