TexasLindsey

13.7 miles at noon at the Trinity Trails.  Average pace= 8:14/m.  Weather=58 degrees, 40% humidity, 18 mph wind, sunny.

Mile 1- 8:10

Mile 2- 8:21

Mile 3- 8:17

Mile 4- 8:23

Mile 5- 8:24

Mile 6- 8:16

Mile 7- 8:15

Mile 8- 8:14

Mile 9- 8:01

Mile 10- 8:09

Mile 11- 7:58

Mile 12- 8:19

Mile 13- 8:19

Mile 14- 8:11

The 13.7 route is just from my running store to the end of this one section of trail and back.  Got some new shoes before the run.  Asics Cumulus again.  My big toe is hurting on my right foot and my IT band is bothering me on my right leg when I run over 10 miles.  I thought the new shoes would help but my right foot felt numb the entire run.  It was really annoying.   I decided to just go slow and easy.  I think the numbness might have affected my form.  Around mile 12 my right leg IT band started bugging me... nothing serious though.  I'm going to take it easy tomorrow. 

4.5 miles at 5:30 pm on the Trinity Trails.  Average pace=7:16/m.  Weather=74 degrees, 50% humidity, 17 mph wind, cloudy. 

Mile 1- 7:14

Mile 2- 7:24

Mile 3- 7:01

Mile 4- 7:26

Last .5 mile- 7:11

This was supposed to be a 5 mile tempo but the loop I thought was 5 miles ended up being only 4.5 miles.  When I realized it was probably going to be short, I was already in mile 4.  I decided doing the loop I planned was good enough.  My plan was to do a 7:20 average.  The wind was pretty challenging in miles 2, 4 and 5.  

This guy about my age tried to "race" me around mile 3.  I came up on him and he looked over his shoulder and sped up.  He was clearly struggling with this faster pace.  He did hang on for a good quarter mile before he sputtered off into the grass though.  It was a nice diversion for me.  I really enjoy passing guys.  : )

So toward the end of mile 3, I looked down at my watch and saw a 6:58 average pace for the lap with only .1 mile to go.  I was shocked!  I had to do a double take...  "Did that say 6:58 or 7:58???"   I slowed down after that because it freaked me out.  I think had I not seen the speed, I might have just kept going like that.  I was in a nice rythem.  But once you mentally ruin a rythem by freaking out, it's hard to go back. 

This sport is so mental!! I've got to get myself over these mental limitations I'm imposing on myself.  I remember I used to get freaked everytime I saw my watch dip into the 7's.  Now I get freaked when I see the 6's.  I'm thinking that some track workouts may cure this 6's problem.  : )

6.1 miles with hills at 6 pm.  Average pace=8:11/m.  Weather=83 degrees, 47% humidity, 19mph wind gusting to 31 mph, sunny.

Mile 1- 8:22

Mile 2- 8:03

Mile 3- 8:09

Mile 4- 8:18

Mile 5- 8:12

Mile 6- 7:30

Last .1- 8:34

I made up a new route around my neighborhood that incorporated every big hill I knew of.  This was a very challenging route!  Especially with the wind and heat!  I tried to keep my pace in the low 8:00's going up the hills.  Some hills were directly into the wind like miles 4 and 5.  I sprinted a 1/3 mile long hill of 2% grade in mile 6... average pace up that hill was 6:30/m.  Woo Hoo!  I just took it easy downhill and to my house after that one. 

10 miles this morning with my running group.  Average pace= 7:34/m.  Weather=66 degrees, 75% humidity, 22 mph wind gusting to 28 mph, cloudy.

Mile 1- 7:50

Mile 2- 7:18

Mile 3- 7:15

Mile 4- 7:24

Mile 5- 7:44

Mile 6- 7:29

Mile 7- 7:32

Mile 8- 7:40

Mile 9- 7:44

Mile 10- 7:39

Ran this morning with James and two other guys I didn't know their names.  Emily didn't run today because her foot was bothering her.  I just plugged my ipod in and tried to hang on to the pace as long as I could today. 

Felt pretty good miles 1-5.  Mile 5 had four steep short hills one after another.  After the hills we stopped for water and then we settled back into a 7:30 pace which felt pretty good to me.  Then the guys started getting faster when there were 3 miles to go.  I assume they went back to the 7:15 pace.  I couldn't hang.  I ran the final 3 miles by myself and apparently 7:40 was the best I could do.  In my defense though, the wind was directly in my face those three miles.  It was blowing me all over the place.  I felt pretty good, but it seemed that I couldn't get myself into a faster gear.  I estimate that they finished about 45 seconds or a minute ahead of me.

We've been having major wind lately... like at least 20 mph.  I see wind is in the forecast for all this week too.  It would be so great if the wind was gone by the time of my half marathon race is next Sunday.  The wind will be a factor in whether or not I'm going to be about to do my goal of running a 1:37 (7:22 pace).  I guess we will see.