If every morning were 48 degrees, no humidity, and no wind, I could really learn to enjoy doing tempo runs. But not every morning is. And I still have to figure out how to at least make the best of tempo runs if I want to continue serious training for races.
Whether I enjoy or just get a good bit out of tempo runs, the key for me is that I learned yet another lesson this morning--expect the unexpected.
As I was preparing for my first serious tempo run off the track in a long time (I ended up with 10K at 42:24 on my watch) I made one big mistake. At the half mile point I meant to hit the lap button to restart the mile counter so that I could get a time for just the tempo portion of my run.
However, I hit the stop button instead.
I did not realize that (having hit the stop button at Lake and Henderson) until I was out on Northern Parkway a bit west of Spring Lake Way. My watch beeped once--I thought it was a car with squeaky brakes. Then it beeped again. Then a third time. It was good that I looked down as my watch was about to shut the GPS timer off. I set it going again and kept running.
Based on the MapMyRun website, my full distance for today was 7.6. That would make the tempo portion 7.1. And my overall time (with a few calculations thrown in) suggests a 6:48 pace over the 7.1. That is solid despite the hills of north Baltimore and Towson.
That was a great run despite the distraction.
Last time I made a mistake like that was the Maryland Half Marathon in May 2011 and I let it rattle me.
I am glad that 2 years and many successful workouts and races later I no longer let something like that rattle me so much.
I don't anticipate odd things happening, but when they do I just roll with it.
That is much better than I used to do.
Sometimes, the unexpected will happen when I run.
Other time, the unexpected will happen in the workplace, with a friend, with a colleague, or at home.
The more I learn to just roll with it and figure out what to do next rather than dwelling on the distraction the better off I will be.
Good lesson for running.
Good lesson for life--as always during my 40 days on the road to better.
Whether I enjoy or just get a good bit out of tempo runs, the key for me is that I learned yet another lesson this morning--expect the unexpected.
As I was preparing for my first serious tempo run off the track in a long time (I ended up with 10K at 42:24 on my watch) I made one big mistake. At the half mile point I meant to hit the lap button to restart the mile counter so that I could get a time for just the tempo portion of my run.
However, I hit the stop button instead.
I did not realize that (having hit the stop button at Lake and Henderson) until I was out on Northern Parkway a bit west of Spring Lake Way. My watch beeped once--I thought it was a car with squeaky brakes. Then it beeped again. Then a third time. It was good that I looked down as my watch was about to shut the GPS timer off. I set it going again and kept running.
Based on the MapMyRun website, my full distance for today was 7.6. That would make the tempo portion 7.1. And my overall time (with a few calculations thrown in) suggests a 6:48 pace over the 7.1. That is solid despite the hills of north Baltimore and Towson.
That was a great run despite the distraction.
Last time I made a mistake like that was the Maryland Half Marathon in May 2011 and I let it rattle me.
I am glad that 2 years and many successful workouts and races later I no longer let something like that rattle me so much.
I don't anticipate odd things happening, but when they do I just roll with it.
That is much better than I used to do.
Sometimes, the unexpected will happen when I run.
Other time, the unexpected will happen in the workplace, with a friend, with a colleague, or at home.
The more I learn to just roll with it and figure out what to do next rather than dwelling on the distraction the better off I will be.
Good lesson for running.
Good lesson for life--as always during my 40 days on the road to better.
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