Continuing to find a way to push through limits, self-imposed or otherwise, pleasantly surprised at what this 41-year-old body is able to do. Today was my familiar double loop through Bredesen Park. Decided to go minimal in the evening sun: shorts, iPod, and my Five Fingers. Left a bottle of Gatorade at my car so I could get some fluid at two miles, after the first loop.
I felt strong. Felt like I was moving along at a pretty good clip. When I stopped my watch at my Gatorade stop, it had taken me 18:20 to run the two mile loop. I knew that was about as fast a mile time as any of my runs so far this spring and summer. So for my second loop, I decided to push it a little faster.
Still felt strong. Definitely wasn't the calm and easy breathing I'm used to, but I was in control. Didn't check my watch until I'd stopped at my car again: 35:30 total for the four miles.
That last loop around the park, my last two miles? Yikes. 17:10, or 8:35/mile. That's better than 30 seconds per mile faster than my previous best pace just last month.
I don't even know when I ran last a sub-nine mile, let alone felt comfortable getting down around to close to eight-and-a-half. Easily ten years ago, if not longer. There's plenty of room left for me to push it even faster as the summer progresses. Hope to see some seven-something times by August or September.
Today's mileage: 4 miles in 35:30 (8:52/mile).
Total mileage: 145 miles.
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