A Happy Place

Part of the reason why I wanted to run 10 minute miles is because the McMillan calculator told me I could...or should...or whatever. You plug in what you ran a certain distance at and it tells you what your pace should/could be at other distances. It even gives you the pace you should do your speed work out, tempos and long runs. Since I ran my mile at 8:50, and that seemed pretty official, that is the benchmark I used. Here is what I should/could run (theoretically):


In case that is difficult to read, it says 10K - 10:13 pace. I also wanted run 10 min miles because I feel like that is sort of an industry average. Like average runners can just do that pace.

I signed up for a 10K while on vacation this weekend because I really really wanted to make sure I followed my training plan and I knew it wouldn't happen unless I did something like this. Luckily, I found a nice little race for a great cause not far from our hotel. Awesome, awesome weather. About 53 and sunny. Absolutely perfect. I felt good - no pizza and beer pre-race meal in my belly - just the standard simple carbohydrate and coffee breakfast. My goal was to just run and run. Until I couldn't run anymore. I kept telling myself "your good for 7 and you only have to go 6.2". Secretly though I had to run at least a half mile to the start of the race because I was late and didn't quite know where I was going - so it was close. I just kept plugging away - step by step.

It was pretty flat, but there were 2-3 minor uphill areas. Enough to notice. I like to take pride in the fact that I am good at hills. I don't know if this is factual or not, but I always tell myself that I don't have to walk because if I have one thing, I have strong legs and I can always run up a hill. This thinking usually, propels me past runners as I charge on - at a slower pace mind you but I keep going. I don't know how I became so adamant about this fact; maybe it was from the TC 10-mile and that hilly course. I wish I was that sure about other aspects of running. Like I said, whether or not it is true - deep down I believe it is, I don't doubt. I can tell myself other positive things but if I don't deep down believe it, it's only encouragement. Maybe encouragement is the beginning of believing.

My plugging along paid off. In a BIG way. I ran the race in 1:03:11! Somewhere in my blog history I recorded that I ran an unofficial 10k (training) in 1:04 something and I could hardly believe that. Did I really do that? Well now it doesn't matter because the truth is (documented) that I ran 6.2 in 1:03! A pace of 10:11. I was so ecstatic!

Maybe I am finally coming into my own with running.