So I came into the weekend with two runs on the schedule: Saturday, to do 6 miles at Marathon Pace (which is currently 8:45 for me); Sunday, 8 miles at normal effort (which I have set at a 6/1 run/walk).,
Yesterday, Saturday, was amazingly warm; cloudy, no wind, 47F. I was thrilled to have such a day in January. I did the required run and hit the target (finished at an 8:41 pace) but, man, it hurt. I was discouraged...marathon pace should be very comfortable through 6 miles. This was not comfortable. Oh well.
Then a cold front blew in. It was windy early Sunday morning, so I wimped out for the morning run. My wife and I went to church and the 17F temp with 20mph wind about carved us into ribbons as we walked to and from our car.
We got home and I muttered something about needing to get in 8. My wife looked at me and said "So, you are going to go out in this awful cold just because the schedule says so?" I just smiled at her and she smiled, knowing full well the answer.
But I wasn't looking forward to it.
I dressed according to my chart and headed out. In the first mile, I couldn't believe how smooth it felt. I then headed straight west for miles 2-4, straight into the teeth of the wind. Not so bad. I noted on my Garmin my run segments were in the 8:35 pace range, even into the wind. What's going on? I headed back, now with the wind at my back and it was still comfortable. I finished with 8.4 miles at a 9:12 pace and I held the 6/1 run/walk throughout.
How do you figure this out?? I have no idea. Perhaps this is why running is so fascinating, perhaps a metaphor of life. You have to go out and get it done, every day and not always worry about the results. There is an unpredictability which makes it fascinating.
Persevere. On the lousy days as well as the good.
.
