Despite getting more sleep the past several nights (if not quite enough sleep), I felt sore and tired when I set out this morning. I was feeling like my legs weren’t fresh and my body wanted to be back in bed for another hour or two, which didn’t seem like a good physical state for running essentially a 10K.
In particular, the overall sense of tiredness and soreness kept me less than sharp mentally, so I wasn’t concentrating very much on maintaining good form and lifting my knees higher.
Still, I posted a good initial split of 5:27, and despite feeling like I was laboring all the way up the big hill, I managed to complete the second segment in just under seven minutes, which is a good time. And while I wasn’t giving much thought to my form and to lifting my knees higher, I think I must’ve been doing it instinctively, since I could really feel it in my quadriceps, plus my times seemed to be fairly brisk, in spite of my perception that I was struggling.
I managed to post a quick time for about the last mile of the first lap of my circuit, and even though I could still feel myself toiling on the second half, my times remained good. I was hoping, especially after seeing my time at the approximate halfway point, that I might approach my time from last month’s 10K, when I ran 47:27. I was at about 40:30 with just under a mile to go, which was going to make it tough, but I seemed to find a well of reserve energy at that point, since I was more focused mentally and could really concentrate on propelling myself to a strong finish, even managing to attack the last couple of hills rather than ascend them passively.
Even though I hadn’t felt particularly sharp physically or mentally for most of the run, and would’ve sworn I was going slowly, I managed to clock in at 47:26, which felt pretty good.
Now I just have to redouble my efforts tomorrow not to lose focus and not to allow myself to post a clunker of a time for a third consecutive Friday.
Today’s stats:
- Distance run: 6.2 miles
- Time: 47:26
- Average speed: 7.8 mi/h
- Average pace: 7:42/mi
- Calories burned: 909
Even on your “off” days, you post blistering times!