Workout: Tempo Run + Recovery

Saturday, 6/28: 6.2 miles (10k) in 48:50 or 7:52/mi

The total time for today's 10k distance is just a bit misleading since it was broken into two 5k chunks. They looked like this

5k @ tempo pace in 22:13 or 7:09/mi
5k @ recovery pace in 26:37 or 8:31/mi

The impetus for today's workout was a question I had today, one month to the day after finishing the Bayshore marathon. The question: given my lax running schedule this month, could I still do a 5k under 8:05/mi, the training pace I had used for so many months? I had this question because I saw a notice about a race that was happening on campus this morning, a 5k, and I was tempted to run it. When I asked myself why, the question above surfaced...just to see where I was at one month hence. I didn't run the race, but I set out to address the question just the same.

Answer: yes

In fact, I ran under 8:05 for the whole trip, though I deliberately slowed my pace to a comfortable recovery level after turning around on my out-and-back 10k route. Nice to know that I could have gone quicker too if I'd evened out the first and second halves a bit more.

That said...I don't want to make it sound like it was easy. I suffered a good bit. I was glad to be done when I came up the driveway. It goes to show you that you are never fit enough to have running feel easy. It can be easi-er...yes...but you can always ramp up the pain too.

I read a quote that is germane, attributed to cyclist Chris Boardman. Asked about climbing on a bike, he is purported to have said "the best don't suffer less, they just suffer faster." For those of us that love to suffer, that actually counts as encouragement.