Sunday, August 13, 2006

Long Run in Southwest MN

Back from a weekend at my parents. Aunt and uncle were in town from Alaska and I wanted to see them of course, but it’s such a boring place to run…flat boring farm country. If I still lived there there is no way I would end up running marathons as there is just no where to run!! So my run this weekend was a 14 miler, I decided to run from Heron Lake, my home town, to Okabena, the next town over, just over 3.5 miles from my parents house…Anyway, ran there and around the town and back, then around my home town to make up the 14 miles…I somehow managed to survive it. The weather was actually pretty decent, cooler, but a bit windy, at least I only had to run fully into it at the start. It was a bit humid though. Before going to for the run, as I ate breakfast, I was reading in the latest Runner’s World about long runs and the pace…there were a number of ideas and theories and I decided to try a new one. The idea of running half the run at MP + 60 seconds, then I ran the second half at MP. It was much faster than I ever run long runs or have tried…and it wasn’t too bad. I won’t do all of them that way I don’t think, but a few here and there, particularly if they are shorter runs like 14 miles. The splits went down like this:

Mile1: The first mile I kind of missed, I was .7 in before I started the watch
Mile 2: 9:09
Mile 3: 9:13
Mile 4: 9:01
Mile 5: 8:52
Mile 6: 8:46
Mile 7: 8:44
Mile 8: 9:28 (a quick stop for water and powerade)
Mile 9: 8:21
Mile 10: 8:14
Mile 11: 7:58
Mile 12: 8:04
Mile 13: 8:04
Mile 14: 8:01

The last .3 was at 8:12 pace I’m guessing around 9:15-9:20 for the first mile, and overall finish for the run average an 8:40. My planned MP is 8:12, but anything faster than 8:24 is acceptable as it gets me the BQ…so the last 6 and the fact that the last mile was on pace for it, I’m pleased with the results.

Anyway, I need to get stuff unpacked and get ready as it’s a friends birthday today and he’s going to be here in a bit to go out for coffee, drinks, ice cream or something. Just wanted to get a quick update in.

2 comments:

Kurt said...

Good splits. Way to try something different and I hope you keep the speed going!

kay_elle said...

Danielle, you seem to be coming along nicely with your training! Good job girl. I get tired of running in the same places all the time myself. Around here it is farmy too, but all hilly too. Oh...and btw...I bought that dress ;)