Warmed up with 20 min XT (S/B/E) then outside for a dreary weather run. Turned out being a quite enjoyable run despite the clouds.
Although I've been giving a lot of lip service to Brad Hudson running ideas lately, I gotta admit the stuff I've learned (and still learning) from my Chi Running book has been great in helping me learn how to relax, listen to the body, improve form, and find a flow, particularly during easy runs, that gets me into that "zone" where the running just feels natural and effortless, at least for a while. While I don't buy everything the author has to say, I have to admit once you get past all the new age-ish, Eastern thinking mumbo-jumbo, there are a few jewels of wisdom to be found.
Decided to run mile 5 faster than the others, I purposely ignored the watch, just tried to focus on being relaxed, good form and find a pace that feels like it might be right for the 5 mile race on Saturday (Dam 2 Dam). I'm hoping that pace will be below 6:30. Today's "test" mile pace: 6:29. Of course I would have liked to see that pace be lower, and feel a little easier, but that's what felt right today. So I think Saturday I'll go out just under 6:30 pace and see what happens. That should put me around a 32:00-32:30 finish.
AP/HR: 7:56/152
Hudson stuff: "The most important ramification of the principle of specificity for competitive runners is that race-specific fitness requires race-pace training." | 