Sometimes You've Got It

(a.k.a. the prequel to my future, inevitable, blog post titled "Sometimes You Just Ain't Got It").

As you may or may not recall, I downloaded the "SmartCoach" app from Runner's World to my iPhone, and tonight I started my official training for the Angus Glen 10 miler with an 8k "Tempo" Run.

Technically, according to my plan, I was supposed to do my Tempo run on Wednesday night, but I play Volleyball that night, so I've had to move some stuff around. I'm going to follow all the runs from the plan, just on different nights. I'm hopeful that as long as I keep my long run where it's supposed to be, and generally stick to the same distances, styles and rest days, that I should be ok. I'm also taking some of the suggested training times into my own hands, as I find the plan that is mapped out to be a bit slow for me.

Anyway, as I mentioned, tonight was supposed to be a Tempo run. According to the plan, I was supposed to do a slow-ish warmup for 1.5k, Tempo for 5k, and then a 1.5k cool down. The 5k time was supposed to be at a 5:56 pace, and according to the description, at Tempo pace, I should be running hard enough that I would find it difficult to talk, but not racing. Well, so far, based on my previous runs, 5:56/k would be a bit slow for me. I decided to just run tonight at whatever pace I felt comfortable at. Ultimately, that turned out to be a pace of 5:33 - just a hair off of my target pace of 5:30/k!

What's better, is that I felt very comfortable throughout and enjoyed the run. It was cold, but not insanely so, and there was very little wind, traffic or anything much happening out. Just me and the crunch of my feet on the snow.

All in all, if this is what training for the 10 miler is going to be like, I'll have a blast. And, since I know it won't be all sunshine and roses, I'll bookmark this post for future reference!

Here's my splits, for those keeping score at home (the 9th km was a walk/jog):

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	00:52:09	8.93	05:50
1	00:05:35	1.00	05:35
2	00:05:25	1.00	05:25
3	00:05:44	1.00	05:44
4	00:05:34	1.00	05:34
5	00:05:19	1.00	05:19
6	00:05:41	1.00	05:41
7	00:05:23	1.00	05:23
8	00:05:33	1.00	05:33
9	00:07:51	0.93	08:27