it's only 10 miles.

my long run this week was 10 miles; it's a step back week. but the fun part about it is that going into it, i know i can run 10 miles. and i know it isn't that taxing any more if i do it right. and i know how to do it right. so i wasn't worried. the paradigm shift is the most amazing part. two months ago, 10 miles was an impossibly long run. i could never run that far. now it's pretty easy and doesn't take a special amount of effort. compared to my first 10 miler a month ago, in which i hit the proverbial wall and finished at a 10:18 pace, the progress is remarkable.

i ran with my heart rate monitor and kept my HR around 155 for the whole run. i took energy and water at 5 miles. and i felt good enough at the end to kick it up a little, and i finished at a 9:30 pace (1:35 total time).

to make the water and energy stop easier, i ran two laps of my 5 mile loop and left water and energy chews on my front porch. the loop includes about a half mile of woodward, between vinsetta and 11 mile. and it also happens that saturday was the dream cruise, a lineup of vintage and classic cars, from old sedans to 70s detroit muscle. (it is a curse on my existence.) the sidewalks were very crowded and unsuitable for running, so i ended up running on the street, with traffic, passing all these cars. i'm sure the spectators thought i was some kind of vain prick for doing it. and while i enjoyed knowing that i was running comfortably in mile 8 of 10 in front of all those people, it was mostly fun to run faster than cars on the street.

i can't believe i leave for california on saturday! currently my plan is to take today off and run tuesday and wednesday per the schedule (3 miles and 7 miles), and then take thursday off and do the long run friday after work. i think it'll be tough to do 15 miles after work like that, but maybe i can enlist family help instead of running three laps.

robb.