I'm not sure why, but today I found it hard to find my tempo pace. I typically am not the best pacer. I'm a slave to the Garmin to control me, especially early in the run. Initially, I was thinking around 8:50 for the tempo. Mile 1 8:54, Mile 2 - 8:50 My splits for the first 2 miles do not reflect what was going on in my head and on my Garmin. I felt I was all over the place by the Garmin. Too fast - "slow down", to slow - "speed up". I kept repeating in my head "find it (the pace), feel it (the pace). Find it, feel it. Find it, feel it. Mile 3 - 8:45, Mile 4 - 8:44. I didn't intentionally speed up, but the weather was so perfect, I didn't force the slow down either.
The Song of the Day
Sometimes the music of a song inspires me, sometimes it's the words, and sometimes I change the words to something running related, but this song has both - the music and the words just work to MOTIVATE. They motivate me anyway. I just can't believe I've only recently downloaded it to my run music.
Distance by Cake (google it to listen) (When running, I relate all songs to running. Much of this song works)
Reluctantly crouched at the starting line
Engines pumping and thumping in time
The green light flashes, the flags go up
Churning and burning, they yearn for the cup
They deftly maneuver and muscle for rank
Fuel burning fast on an empty tank
Reckless and wild, they pour through the turns
Their prowess is potent and secretly stern
As they speed through the finish, the flags go down
The fans get up and they get out of town
The arena is empty except for one man
Still driving and striving as fast as he can
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's driving and striving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns
He's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone
In her time of need
Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's going the distance
No trophy, no flowers, no flashbulbs, no wine
He's haunted by something he cannot define
Bowel-shaking earthquakes of doubt and remorse
Assail him, impale him with monster-truck force
In his mind, he's still driving, still making the grade
She's hoping in time that her memories will fade
Cause he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
The sun has gone down and the moon has come up
And long ago somebody left with the cup
But he's striving and driving and hugging the turns
And thinking of someone for whom he still burns
'Cause he's going the distance
He's going for speed
She's all alone
In her time of need
Because he's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's racing and pacing and plotting the course
He's fighting and biting and riding on his horse
He's going the distance
He's going for speed
He's going the distance
"Distance" came on around 4.5 miles of my 8 mile tempo run. At this point I was so jazzed up with the song and the weather it became a progression run - kind of. Mile 5- 8:34, Mile 6 - 8:25, Mile 7 - 8:31, Mile 8 - 8:25. The cooler weather helps so much. I was gradually increasing speed, but by effort, I wasn't pushing too extremely. It was really just comfortably hard - just what a tempo run should be. I ended up averaging 8:39 for the tempo.
Another week of training done!
6 weeks until St. Jude Memphis 26.2
Thankful when I have friends to run with, but so thankful I can enjoy solo, music-filled runs too.
Sunday will be a rest day, and then next week will be my higher mileage week. I will plan on 40-45 miles. I have a 20 miler and will do it mid-week. I also have 8-9 X 800s, working toward Yasso's 800s.
fyi - the pics were taken after my run.......
(sometimes if I'm on a LSD run I will stop and take pics, but not when I'm in tempo mode)
3 comments:
That's a fast tempo pace! I'm a little disappointed in your post, though... I thought it was about eating cake while you run!
That would have been a great tip for your upcoming race, right ? 😉
That's on my race playlist!
I'm jealous of your weather. It's still in the 80's here.
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