Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Day 23 (8/31): 4.5 miles / 47:57

31...

That's the number of frogs I passed on the sidewalk during my 4.5 mile run just after sunset.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to dodge frogs while running in the dark?  Not fun.  But the idea of one of those frogs ending up beneath my shoe was enough to force me to keep my eyes on the sidewalk for the entire run.  Frog 29 jumped right in front of me and I was sure he was a goner.  Fortunately, I can state for the record that there were no fatalities or injuries during this workout.  Another fun fact... apparently the sidewalks of Avon are the place to be on a Wednesday night... if you're a frog that is.

Okay, so back to the important stuff...

I've been doing a little reading on marathon training and running in general.  I recently read that, unless you're a seasoned runner working on improving your time, there's really no reason to push yourself to the limit every time you run.  A good jogging pace is when you're able to comfortably hold a conversation during your run.  And, while I didn't have anyone to converse with this evening, I did decide to slow my pace and see how many miles I could put in instead of trying to finish a certain distance in as little time as possible.  The first three miles or so were at a leisurely 11 minute mile pace.  And, while I couldn't exactly test whether or not I could hold a conversation at that pace, I did feel comfortable enough to add another mile and a half to the end of my run.  I'm not sure I had set out to run my longest distance to date, but I'm happy to report that I felt great doing it.  My legs seem to be holding up well, much of which I assume can be attributed to my new shoes, and the cooler weather has made running a lot more pleasant.

Looks like I'll be ready for that 10k before I know it...

No comments:

Post a Comment