Saturday run

Finally a real run! I see it actually has been a stupidly long time since I had a proper longer one--I was thwarted a few times by snow/slipperiness, and there was that 10K and the mild taper for it, so I think that in fact it may be that since the Philadelphia half a month ago I have perhaps only done one eight-mile run and a bunch of sixes, this is the first 10.

I was tired, it was not the best run ever and I did all the middle part at hard effort with C., he is just faster than I am! But it was really very enjoyable, I felt great as I was finishing (only my former stress fracture area felt very heavy the whole time, I must get back on a better stretching routine, I've been skimping on it and not doing yoga either. Not good!).

10.23 mi, avg HR 153, pace average 9:40.

I ran two miles over to meet C. at 86th St. in the park, then we did the six-mile loop together (the paces don't sound fast, but it's a pretty hilly run, I was working at high effort level for much of it), then he peeled off home and I ran the remaining two miles at a slower pace. I must think about how to structure the week's training so as not to do my long ones all too fast, I should do shorter ones with the fast guys and find a good slower-than-me companion for longer ones! But I do like running with these fellows, it keeps me up to the mark...

Mile splits: 9:48 (146), 9:38 (151), 9:26 (148), 9:26 (153), 9:40 (157), 9:11 (156), 9:10 (158), 8:59 (164--and the lap end HR was 172, I was really struggling, it was uphill & C.'s finish-line stretch but not mine! Walked a few blocks after that to bring HR back down, eat a gel and drink some water...), 10:12 (149), 10:24 (150).

10- and 12-mile runs are one of the great pleasures in life (high up there with novel-reading and good conversation), I must make sure not to go a whole month without one again unless absolutely forced to!