6/22: 5.0 miles; 39'43"; 7;57" avg. pace
This year's installment of the Run for Your Life was my best yet. A personal best for the course was a pleasant surprise. The only explanation I can find is that well rested legs are more important for hill running than intensive training. That, and the possibility cross training (volleyball, strength training) compliments running more than I thought.
The splits show that I took a cautious, but still determined, pace on the flats behind Laidley Field. Turning the corner on Farnsworth and up the hill, I immediately slowed down my pace. I ran over a ten minute mile pace for the steepest parts of the hill. Still, I managed to pass a few runners that either started too aggressively or made a strategy out of walking some of the hill. I also kept my mile two split below ten minutes. Past the gates of Spring Hill Cemetery and nearing the top, I felt good. I was winded but not wheezing. I knew from that point onward it would be a good race. The path around the cemetery is hilly, but having survived the main hurdle I paced them okay. My third mile dipped back below eight minutes and put me near the descent. Some quick encouragement from Ashley helped me speed down the hill, and I managed to not fall on my face. A few runners flew by, managing to ignore the intense pounding to their knee joints. I turned a tad more measured descent, but still had a respectable 7'41" split on mile four. A couple other guys paced me back towards the finish line. With energy left to spend, the final mile turned into my best at around 7'20". Shew, glad that turned okay.
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| Hill goes up, pace goes down & vice versa |
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| Gonna need some chicken to refuel after that one |
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| Results, Jason Pyles is the man |
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