Today's running was much more encouraging than Saturday's. Larry, Kent and I ran to the THS track for interval training at 7:15am. Kent and I did five 1/2 mile intervals with a 1/4 mile rest in between. Larry did 1/4 mile intervals. My 1/2 mile splits were 3:17, 3:26, 3:30, 3:29, and 3:15. We always try to make our last interval the fastest. When I went too fast on the first interval (first lap was 1:30) I was concerned I wouldn't be able to do it, but on the last interval I managed to pull out enough of a kick on the last straightaway to make it. I would prefer my splits to be closer to 3:00 than 3:30, but last Monday, after a week of no running, I was so stiff and sore I couldn't even get down to a 9:00/mi pace when I tried to push the pace (at the track, but I wasn't doing intervals). On Saturday's 16 miler I only averaged 9:39/mi and again felt stiff and sore. Getting a few intervals in at 6:30/mi to 7:00/mi pace, relatively pain free, was encouraging. It's not so much where you are on the path that matters, but the direction you are heading and that you just keep moving forward.
| 