am--4 My brother-in-law is a volunteer fireman like Eliot Rosewater. So the fam decided to be supportive and go run. I thought today would be a good chance to see exactly where I'm at in my running. Most people were just out to have a good time. As a matter of fact, the official clock didn't even have power, so my time is straight from the Garmin. I knew that I would have to hit about 6:30ish pace to break 20:00 in the 5K. That's what I was gunning for. I shot out in front--I had to pass my nephew who was really cruising--and tried to hold pace. Actually I tried to push the pace at the beginning. The mile splits are as follows: 1--6:29 I felt pretty good. 2--6:46 My mouth was drying out quickly, so I had to grab some water at the aid station and walk for just a second to get it down. This may have cost me in the end. 3--6:48 I must've sounded terrible. The huffing and puffing. There were times when my pace went above 7:00. .1--26.17 I was able to push myself as I neared the finish line. Overall time 20:30. I was gunning for 20:00 but knew that somewhere between 20:00 and 21:00 was realistic. I'm starting to have a more accurate view of where I'm at as a runner. Perhaps without the water stop, maybe with a little more mental toughness, surely with some more speed work, today would have been my day. The course--which ran along the path between the new park in Green Valley and Tonaquint--was pretty honest. So this time will be helpful to me in my training. The 10Ks that I have run, although very pleasing, were probably faster courses. With the miles that I'm putting in, 20:00 is very realistic, maybe even 19:00 or 18:00 if I get more serious about doing weekly speed work. Anyway, good day. Maybe a few easy miles this evening.
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