8:54 ave (8:47/9:00/8:38/9:02/8:40/9:13/9:07/7:50). I ran every other .10 fast, faster, fastest; Then a slower mile after. I struggled for air toward the 'faster'. Mile 8 I just wanted to run strong, and 9:07's ok, but I wonder if I'll ever get back to my 10K ap 8:15. Training on the sand last year for 10 days made running on pavement easy afterwards, it was good training. But the March cold, or my lingering bronchitis, or lack of mental agility for training this time of year is keeping me in the 8:40's. All negative thinking. Thursday, I'll try to do a few faster quarters, and at least two solid faster miles. Either that or I'll run the hills repeats near my work. Saturday, I'm going to go 20 up the canyon and end at South Fork (a 7 mile uphill end). Last Saturday when I finished 18, all I could think about was "Ok, at Boston 17 is where the hills start and that's when you have to turn on the game." But after 18 last Saturday I was ready to go lay down. I really need some good uphill/speed work outs in the next 3 weeks. Interesting thing while I was running today, different thoughts drifted through my mind, and I could feel whether the thoughts gave or sucked my energy. These were thoughts of people, work, situations and ideas that often cross my mind in a day. But I could feel my physiological response to those thought as I was trying my hardest to run fast--pushing myself. I considered this idea at during '09 St. George Marathon. The thoughts I kept running through my head were single phrases, or faces of people who inspire, or things that were said to me that were encouraging. Unless you’re running at your top speed and can feel the instantaneous draining of your energy--how many things in a day do we give our energy to that do not merit our energy? How do we decide which things deserve our energy and which do not. One thing is clear to me-- while I run, I need to stop thinking, clear my mind, and enjoy the absence of thought or keep only positive phrases/faces/inspiration handy as my only available.
| 