Running Report 5/18/15 -- 5/22/15

5/18/15 MONDAY
Ran 4 miles today.  The plan was to run the splits on the left side.  On the right side are the actual splits that I ran.

1. 4.30        4.31
2. 4.15        3.54
3. 4.00        3.46
4. 3.45        3.39
5. 3.30        3.31
6. 3.45        3.36
7. 4.00        3.53
8. 4.15        4.12

In half miles four and five I had to go up a bridge and back down the oher side.

Week 4 miles
Month 73 miles
Year 338 miles

5/19/15 TUESDAY
Ran 5 miles today. 

1. 4.40
2. 4.04
3. 4.03
4. 4.07
5. 4.20
6. 4.10
7. 4.11
8. 4.14
9. 4.13
10. 4.18

Total time 42.24 average of 8.29 per mile.

Week 9 miles
Month 78 miles
Year 343 miles

5/20/15 WEDNESDAY
Ran for 42 minutes and 31 seconds.  Not sure the distance but I would guess about five miles.  Didn't keep track to closely on the half miles. 

Week 14 miles
Month 83 miles
Year 348 miles

5/21/15 THURSDAY
Ran three mile recovery jog today.

1. 4.02
2. 4.06
3. 4.20
4. 4.14
5. 4.15
6. 4.22

Total time 25.21 average of 8.27 per mile.

Week 17 miles
Month 86 miles
Year 351 miles

5/22/15 FRIDAY
Ran four miles today.

1. 3.13
2. 3.28
3. 3.33
4. 3.24
5. 3.35
6. 3.23
7. 3.26
8. 3.30

Total time 27.36 average of 6.54 per mile.  Heart rate about 50 seconds after finishing was 148 beats per minute.  There was a very strong wind blowing today.  So I knew that I would have half the run into the wind, and then I would have the wind at my back the other half.  Since the out and back was a digital "S" shape I would be dealing with running into the wind on half mile segments 2,3,5 and 8.  I knew my first haf mile would be fast so when I saw a 3.13 I hoped that my time that I "banked" didn't cost me to much.  The next two half miles were a real struggle.  I was redlining it.  I was thinking of last Fridays run and I didn't want to drop to much time on this portion.  So the 3.28 for segment 2 was a big surprise.  I knew I had plenty of time in the bank so I didn't push the pace quite as hard but I didn't let off the pedal to much on the other hand either and was excited to see I only dropped 3 seconds during segment 3.  Split four found me trying to relax and let the wind push me.  Split five was square into the wind and it was very difficult.  I was glad to see that only dropped five seonds.  At this point I started to get excited because the next two half miles were with the wind at my back so I knew I could lock into a steady pace and let the wind push me to a sub 7 minute mile pace, which is what happened. 

For the first ten to twenty seconds of the last half mile, my plan was to go over a seven minute pace since I had so much time in the bank and end up right around a 7 minute pace for the whole thing.  Then I thought, "you know I sure have worked real hard to get all of that time in the bank and wasting it all now in the last half mile would be a shame.  So I changed my mind and decided to shoot for a finish of 3.30 which is a 7 minute pace.  The last four hundred meters was really hard.  I started to repeat to myself "this is your Boston Qualifying run at the St. George Marathon right here."  I repeated that several times to myself to keep myself from slowing down.  I know those last three miles of the marathon are based and sheer guts so this was a time to prove to myself that I have guts.  That my mind is stronger than my body.  This is the time that I take the trip down the hall and open the door to one of the dark rooms in my soul and see how far the light will go.  Maybe even take a step inside.  For review of the dark rooms in my soul see mile 24 of my report of the 2010 St. George Marathon.  I am also excited because that 6.54 pace gets me that much closer to running 5 miles at 7 minute on June 5, which is in two Fridays from now. 

Week 21 miles
Month 90 miles
Year 355 miles