Tempo Run (Time Trial)

This morning the herd gathered at RunTex for our monthly tempo run. After a warmup and drills, I was feeling a bit better, or at least not as stiff as I started out the day. I didn't feel altogether great, however, and wasn't very confident about how I'd do today. I guess I always feel that way, but it was more pronounced for this workout. At any rate, we were to do the usual 4 mile tempo course, aiming for a negative split and a fast finish.

I took off with Amy, Shannon and Jan, and we sort of eased through the first mile. I had pulled ahead of my running partners by the one mile mark, a pedestrian 8:08 split. I decided to keep pressing the pace little by little, and by the time I reached the turnaround, I had caught up to Richard, who had gone out quicker than us. Mile 2 was 7:24 (that mile is slightly short, by maybe 50 yards). I drafted along behind Richard for maybe a quarter mile, and then moved on around him. I figured that he'd tag along with me, but by the 2.5 mile mark of the course, I had pulled away. The knowledge that he was back there kept me moving along, though, because I assumed that he'd pick it up and catch me by the end. I was working pretty hard, but was still under control as I crossed the footbridge and clicked off the 3 mile split. I wasn't looking at the watch by now, just marking the splits, but my split was 7:10 for that one. I was really moving! I kept it up all the way to the finish, and with Gilbert urging me on to the finish, I had a last mile split of 7:32. Final time was 30:14, 7:33 pace, and a new "PR" for this workout.

I was very happy with this one. After feeling a little out of sorts, I was able to come through with a very good run. Nice! In what is becoming a regular occurence, I saw the Guv again today as I stormed home on the last mile of the run. I've heard he's using a Runner's World marathon training plan that features 3 days of weekly training, so that would mean today was a tempo run for him, too. A True tempo run, naturally, instead of our time trial tempo effort today.

After everyone gathered, we finished it off with 5x100m striders. Gilbert made an example out of me after that, and held a rope around my waist as he made me lean forward and really exaggerate proper running form while he held me back. I didn't look too silly, I guess, so that was a victory.

Alex showed up this morning to check in with Gilbert, and I was able to heckle him a bit. He ought to be back with us soon, I think. Some stretching with a bunch of people, including Jan, Patrick, Pete and Frank, and we were done. Jan is off on a cruise, so I won't see her for a while. Bon Voyage, Jan! Frank wasn't in a particular hurry to get to work, so we were able to talk a good bit, too.

It was a good day of running, tempered by the knowledge of the bombings in London. Jan had checked in with her friends there, and they were all okay. I hope that any of Richard's people are okay, as well.

Will it ever rain here again?