Tempo Run

So I've been following the advice of my friend Josh for the marathon. I'm proud to announce that I've stuck with the schedule faithfully. I'm feeling pretty good about my preparation and am now getting nervous/anxious/excited to get to marathon day. It's going to be amazing.

Because I realize I continue to say stuff that I then change my mind about, I refuse to make blanket statements. One of those blanket statements recently has been that this will be, to paraphrase the words of the amazing Barry White, my first and last marathon. But I just can't say that. This spring, when I was training for the 1/2 marathon, I had a terrible 10 mile run one day and said to Greg, "If I EVER say I want to run a marathon, remind me of this feeling." Just three months later, there I was signing up for the Marine Corps Marathon.

So, needless to say, I've committed to this training and am sticking with it. But I dread times a million dreads my Wednesday tempo run. Perhaps because with my schedule I run the tempo run on Wednesday evenings (and it's humid in these here parts) I just despise having to push myself for a certain time AND speed.

In any case, last Wednesday my goal was to run for an hour at 1 minute faster than marathon pace. For me, that would be 9 minute/mile. My GPS system didn't engage last week, so, I just ran. And the weather was perfect: cool, cloudy, and low humidity. I drove around the next day to find my mileage and it was nearly 7 miles! So this week's goal was to reach 7 miles in 1 hour.

Today dawned hot and humid. Of course. And, yee-haw, the GPS system DID engage.

It was hard. And hot. And tough. I fully admit that at 4.4 miles I stopped and walked for 30-45 seconds.

Then I pulled up my bootstraps (I didn't really have any on, but I like that phrase), called myself a pansy, and carried on for another 2.6 miles.

I got home and had run 7 miles in 1:00:37 (not counting the time I walked as I turned my timer off).

I realize now that stopping to walk was a pansy move. Because I DEFINITELY had it in me to keep going (I checked my pace and it was very consistent). So I feel like I cheated myself.

But, I also realize, I'm stronger than I think I am. I think the tempo runs I've done continue to show me that.

I am prepared to make one final blanket statement though, and herein is what draws this post together and to a conclusion: I seriously do not like tempo runs. And I don't think I ever will.

So there. That's my statement and I'm sticking to it.

Humph.

Take that. I have one more hour long tempo run next Weds before I begin to taper. I am going to push through and see if I can really run 7 miles in 1:00:00.