After setting a new PR for the 5K last week I decided to see if I could PR my 10K on Monday. My best was 58:47 back in April (a 9:22 pace), so I went out aiming to keep a consistent pace just above 9:00. This would also be a good trial run for the pace I would need to run a sub 2-hour half-marathon. My legs were still achy from the previous week.
Mile 1: 9:06. My pace was about where I wanted it to be, but my calves felt really tight. My heart rate was up in the 160s, which was about right for this pace.
Mile 2: 9:12. Slightly slower than the first mile, but still good. Legs were finally loosening up, but my heart rate was now up in the 170s.
Mile 3: 9:13. Same pace as mile 2, awesome. My heart rate dropped back into the 160s though.
Mile 4: 9:26. This is where things started to get tough. My legs were aching and I had a slight stitch in my side. I also had to run past my neighborhood, and the temptation to call it quits after 5K was high. Mentally it was difficult to keep going past the 3.11 mile mark.
Mile 5: 9:14. Back to the pace I wanted to be at, though it was still painful. I felt like my legs were going to run out of gas at any moment.
Mile 6: 8:55. Got my second wind and cruised to an easy finish. The final 0.22 miles was at a 9:00 pace.
Final time: 57:08! A new PR by a minute and a half, and on exhausted legs no less. I should have planned my nutrition a little better (I didn't bring any gels or water with me), so I'll focus on that next time.
On Tuesday there was a huge storm going up and down the east coast, but when I got home there was a lull in the rain so I hopped on the bike to see how much of it I could squeeze in. I was able to bike 10.43 miles before it rained, with the last 4 minutes a sprint. However, the wind was very high, and it felt like biking with a tether attached to my bike. It was a good opportunity to practice The Velominati's Rule 5 and Harden The Fuck Up (HTFU):
I need to get "Harden The Fuck Up" printed on my handlebars.
Mile 1: 9:06. My pace was about where I wanted it to be, but my calves felt really tight. My heart rate was up in the 160s, which was about right for this pace.
Mile 2: 9:12. Slightly slower than the first mile, but still good. Legs were finally loosening up, but my heart rate was now up in the 170s.
Mile 3: 9:13. Same pace as mile 2, awesome. My heart rate dropped back into the 160s though.
Mile 4: 9:26. This is where things started to get tough. My legs were aching and I had a slight stitch in my side. I also had to run past my neighborhood, and the temptation to call it quits after 5K was high. Mentally it was difficult to keep going past the 3.11 mile mark.
Mile 5: 9:14. Back to the pace I wanted to be at, though it was still painful. I felt like my legs were going to run out of gas at any moment.
Mile 6: 8:55. Got my second wind and cruised to an easy finish. The final 0.22 miles was at a 9:00 pace.
Final time: 57:08! A new PR by a minute and a half, and on exhausted legs no less. I should have planned my nutrition a little better (I didn't bring any gels or water with me), so I'll focus on that next time.
On Tuesday there was a huge storm going up and down the east coast, but when I got home there was a lull in the rain so I hopped on the bike to see how much of it I could squeeze in. I was able to bike 10.43 miles before it rained, with the last 4 minutes a sprint. However, the wind was very high, and it felt like biking with a tether attached to my bike. It was a good opportunity to practice The Velominati's Rule 5 and Harden The Fuck Up (HTFU):
I need to get "Harden The Fuck Up" printed on my handlebars.
I shall have HTFU tattooed on my forearm one day :-) Great PRs! I always find it extremely hard to beat those by myself, so kudos for applying the rule "a la lettre".
ReplyDeleteThanks! After a very hot summer where my times struggled in the heat it's nice to have verification that I've improved. I love fall weather.
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