Learning to PACE

Feb 6th 2011 - my best paced run of the year.

It's no coincidence THIS is the run I am MOST proud of this year.

Just tried to grab the split times for this run but Nike+ refuses to let me login until I upload another run

- CRUEL, oh so cruel. ;-)

Thanks so much for all the good wishes and the pacing advice - y'all saying the same thing about needing to start slower and being more consistent with le running. It's starting to sink in. Honest ;-)

I have 5 x 10km practise runs left before my 1/2 marathon attempt - so that's what I'm going to focus on:

1. Perfecting a 6.5 minute kilometer / 10 minute mile pace 
2. Maintaining that pace from start to finish
3. Walking way way less - max once a mile

ADDITIONAL MUST DO: Learn to run with at least half a banana consumed pre-run. I really hate eating anything pre-exercise but whilst running 10km on empty is manageable, running longer distances requires some fuel. Yesterday's experience taught me that.

I'm sticking to 10kms til race day as I categorically refuse to do another 'long' run not under race conditions - I am still so wiped from yesterday - even despite staying on the couch all day yesterday watching 11 episodes of NCIS and being tucked up in bed parentally early. Peeps I was even too tired to eat ;-) I count it as a victory that I even got out of bed today. Anything I accomplish on top of that is a feat of miraculous proportions. Seriously. Tired. Lungs. Today. Probably an indication I haven't done anything like enough training but I'm ignoring that pink elephant till after the 25th.

(Saying that, the only reason I got out of bed this morning was to get to Leanfit - I did just enough burpees etc to remind my lungs who's boss, stretched out, then quit 12 mins later ;-)

Plus reflecting on yesterday's achievement, I've now set my 1/2 marathon goal:

• Under 2 hours 15 mins is my ultimate goal - A* (not to mention f***ing miraculous. If I pull this off the Veuve Clicqout's on me)
• Under 2 hours 20 mins is a really, really great effort - B 
• Under 2 hours 30 mins - C grade
• Completing the course - it's the experience that counts 

This girl prides herself on being an A* student. Just saying ;-) xx