Beat the Cold

Time: 99:10
Distance: 16.20 miles

W/u: 21:50 for 3.06
W/0: 2 x 5 miles at 10 sec. faster than MP with 4 min. recovery
C/d: 19:00 for 2.64 miles

With the coming storm, Meagan, Jess and I went out to Old Bell to get in a workout. The trail from Old Bell to the Footlocker course had been recently re-dirted making the footing rather soft. The warm up allowed me to check out part of my route beforehand, but I didn't know that parts of the Footlocker course would also be really soft. That being said, the hill was in great condition for a tempo run because of the maintenance work.

My route was going to be Old Bell to Footlocker course (2 miles), once around the Footlocker course (~5k). I would jog around for 4 minutes and then do the Footlocker course (5k) and run back to Old Bell (2 miles). Simple enough, fast route, a couple of hills, no problem.

Splits:
5:30, 5:30, 5:32, 5:27, 5:25 (27:25 first 5 miles)
(4 min jog)
5:25, 5:26, 5:22, 5:23, 5:06 (26:42 second 5 miles)
58:20 for 10.50 miles total including rest

I knew today wasn't going to be the best of workouts and that I just needed to get through it. The ~5:10 prescribed pace was never going to be hit this afternoon. I didn't have the right mental state going into the workout to hit such splits. Furthermore, the wind in the face for the first 2.5 miles really slowed things down. I kept telling myself to finish up the first 5 miles at an honest effort, run the first 5k of the second set strong and then have fun the last two miles of the workout with the wind at your back. I was pleased to run 5:06 on the final mile and was only shooting to run 5:15. I was looking at the watch and seeing the pace drop from 5:16 1k from the finish to 5:12 with 800 to go and 5:10 with 400 to go. It's also good to see that the two mile splits with the hill were 5:27 and 5:26.

My cool down ended up being from Queens University back to the apartment because Jess and Meagan looked anxious to leave.