Objective - Moderate run, pushing pace a little: w.u. 1 mile easy & slow (11:00-12:00), 5 miles MP + 30 seconds (~9:30, +-w/ hills), c.d. 1 mile moderate (10:00-10:30) w/ walking last 1 minute. 5:15 AM... 35F, mostly clear, no wind :D, icy on short cut trails. What a nice morning, though cold! It was getting light by 5:45 and I even turned off the headlamp during the last 30 minutes. (I often keep it on for safety, being visible to cars in dusky light.) Once I got warm, it was a very pleasant run. I had scheduled myself to do some intervals today, but I still have so much phlegm from my cold, perhaps even more than yesterday, and with the temperature so low I did not want this thing going down into my lungs. So, what to do? I decided to work on running faster without a really lengthy warmup, only 1 mile, and then to focus on my form and keep the effort very even, just a bit easier than marathon pace. Who knows whether this was the best plan, but I had a good time and was very pleased with my workout. Still a bit of hacking cough when I finally stopped, but not too bad. It is a pity that my feet and calves are not strong enough to wear racing shoes for a whole 26.2. These Lunars and my ST3's feel so wonderful and make it so much easier to go faster. I might try to build up to longer distances with them in the coming year. I know that stronger runners do wear them in marathons; perhaps that can be me someday.
I have an observation about pace, hills, and self-image. Naturally, my pace slows down when going uphill, and the steepest hills took me down to 11:00 today, even with my harder effort. But the downhills were not that much better. I got 20-30 seconds faster on slight declines, but as soon as the downhill was steep enough for me to land on my heels (I am not normally a heel striker), I slowed to 10:00 and even slower on the really steep hills (>6%). I've tried to lean forward more so that I am not braking, but it only helps a little. It makes me wonder, with all the hills I run every day, how differently I might view myself as a runner if I lived in a flatter area. A few hills to build strength would always be welcome, but if I did 75% (instead of 20%) of my running on a flat surface, I might not have so many "false readings" about my abilities, if it can be called that. There is nothing I can do about it, but I just wonder sometimes. More Ruminations from Snoqualmie's Brain.... thanks for listening.
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