8 mile challenge

Sometimes runs can get a bit boring, especially if I'm running in the same area, or running the same distance. Lately it seems my training plan includes a ton of 8 mile runs! I blogged earlier about "fast finishes"- attempting to run the last mile or two progressively faster. I actually got the idea from a running blog I happened to read one day. I've really enjoyed this running strategy as a way to spice up my mid-distance runs.

Yesterday I decided to challenge myself a little more. I was running an 8 mile out-and-back. I set a goal of running each mile progressively faster for the first 4 miles, then starting over on the way back, and running each mile progressively faster on the way back. Seemed like a good plan.

I ran the first mile in 9:34. That is a fairly challenging pace for me. I wondered what I was getting myself into! but I stuck to the plan and tried to pick up the pace with each mile.

1	9:34.6	1.00	9:35
2	9:27.5	1.00	9:28
3	9:28.0	1.00	9:28
4	9:17.4	1.00	9:17

After mile 4 (which had a few small hills), I thought no way am I going to be able to do this on the way back. But I was going to try at least. I took mile 5 a little easier, since every mile after that would have to be faster if I was going to stick to the plan.

I ran mile 5 in 9:29. Try as I could, mile 6 was a tad slower. I was tired and couldn't seem to pick up the pace. But then this happened:

5	9:29.0	1.00	9:29
6	9:30.6	1.00	9:30
7	9:07.2	1.00	9:07
8	8:46.2	1.00	8:46

On mile 7 I was trying to find my rhythm again so I could have a strong finish. Then- and this is what saved my run- I spotted a girl ahead of me. She was running at a good pace, but I was running just a teeny bit faster than her. As mile 7 rolled by, I was gaining on her, bit by bit. Then it got to the point where I was right on her heels, and I HAD to pass her or run awkwardly close behind her.

I picked up a little extra speed to pass her. Then I only had a mile left. I couldn't slow down because I just put in all this effort to pass that chick. And the STRANGEST thing happened. I felt like a runner. A tired, red-faced, very sweaty runner, but a runner. I felt like I was running so fast, and I felt so strong. I got a serious dump of adrenaline. Even though I had felt slow and tired 2 miles before, now I felt like I was running on air. It felt AWESOME. I finished strong.

It's been awhile since I got a really good runner's high. This running challenge was so worth it.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:14:44.0	8.01	9:20

Good run yesterday, bad run tomorrow

Sometimes I like to geek out over numbers during marathon training. I'm not overly concerned with my pace or time, I just find it interesting as a way to analyze my running. I couldn't help but compare two 8 milers, run on the same course two days apart. It seems like for every good run I have, there's a bad one to follow.

The first was run the day after my 16 miler, in the afternoon, after driving from Massachusetts to Maine. The second was run in the morning, after a day of rest. For the first run, I felt like I started out too fast, and the course seemed hot and hilly after running a flat bike path the day before. You'd think the second run would be better, after a rest day in the cooler morning. But here's what happened:

Run #1	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:16:19.0	8.0	9:33
1	9:29.9	1.00	9:30
2	9:39.3	1.00	9:40
3	9:08.2	1.00	9:08
4	9:39.2	1.00	9:39
5	10:26.7	1.00	10:27
6	9:32.1	1.00	9:32
7	9:13.0	1.00	9:13
8	9:10.2	1.00	9:10

Run #2	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:18:39.7	8.0	9:49
1	10:16.4	1.00	10:17
2	9:54.6	1.00	9:55
3	9:34.2	1.00	9:34
4	9:56.9	1.00	9:57
5	10:24.1	1.00	10:24
6	9:35.0	1.00	9:35
7	9:33.9	1.00	9:34
8	9:24.6	1.00	9:25

The first two miles are up a gradual hill. Even though I started out too fast on Run #1, I was able to keep up a pretty good pace. On the second run I purposely started out slowly so I wouldn't burn out on the hills the first two miles, but I never seemed to be able to pick up the pace very much. Mile 3 is down a big hill, then flat/ rolling hills. Even though I had used a lot of energy to power up the hills in Run #1, I still ran mile 3 in 9:08 versus 9:34 in Run #2 (after taking the hills much more slowly).

At mile 5, there's a steep hill which slowed me down a similar amount on both runs. Miles 6-8 are mostly flat, and the last quarter mile of the course is downhill. My goal for both runs was to pick up the pace on those last 3 miles to finish strong. On each run, I was able to run progressively faster, but I was able to hit better paces on the first run.

Marathon training is somewhat unpredictable. I thought going into it that Run #2 would be better, but it just didn't happen. My legs felt heavy and I felt slow. I wanted to push myself, but felt like I was going as fast as I could. 

I've learned that some runs will be good and some will be a struggle. Some will be enjoyable and some will be a mental battle. Sometimes it's fun to compare runs to see how you've improved, but no two runs are ever the same. You can't predict the humidity or know how your legs will be feeling. You can't always run at the optimal time of day.

You have to take each run on its own, and do your best on that run. I believe that the hardest runs prepare you the most for a marathon. Finishing strong means more when you're tired. The will to keep going means more when you feel weak. You learn more about yourself on the hard days than the good ones.

Running good and long

Last weekend, I ran 16 miles- my longest run of marathon training so far this cycle! I delayed my long run by one day because I had a tight hamstring and my legs were a little sore from working out and hiking. I'm SO glad I did, because I had an awesome run for once! I feel like a lot of my runs this summer have been what I like to call a "slog-fest", where I'm just slogging through the miles until I get to the end. I've also had more bathroom issues than ever before, and I hate to have to stop and find a porta-potty during a run.

I was kind of dreading this 16 miler, so it was a pleasant surprise to have a good run!! My mom and I drove to a paved bike path. My mom ran a 5k while I started out on my long run, then she biked to meet me to deliver fresh Gatorade and gummies at mile 9. For the remaining 7 miles, my mom biked behind me while I ran. She said my pace actually wasn't bad for casual biking. :)

My goal was to start out slow and conserve energy to maintain a decent pace the whole way. Halfway through, my goal become to negative split and finish faster than I started. I was really pushing the last 3 miles to have a strong, solid finish. I ended up running the last mile in 9:10, which was my fastest out of all 16 miles, and almost a whole minute faster than my starting pace!

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 2:35:38.4 16.03 9:42 1 10:06.8 1.00 10:07 2 10:02.7 1.00 10:03 3 9:57.6 1.00 9:58 4 9:54.1 1.00 9:54 5 9:48.0 1.00 9:48 6 9:32.4 1.00 9:33 7 9:41.8 1.00 9:42 8 9:21.8 1.00 9:22 9 9:22.5 1.00 9:22 10 9:39.6 1.00 9:39 11 9:56.2 1.00 9:56 12 9:44.2 1.00 9:44 13 9:38.9 1.00 9:39 14 9:45.5 1.00 9:46 15 9:39.3 1.00 9:39 16 9:10.1 1.00 9:10 17 :16.8 0.03 8:06

Negative split!

First half: 1:18:21 (9:47 pace)           Second half: 1:16:53 (9:37 pace)

Finished much faster than I started:

First 5 miles: 49:47 (9:57 pace)         Last 5 miles: 47:56 (9:35 pace)

Of course this was on a flat bike path, but I was still excited to FINALLY have a good long run!