3/15: 9.0 mi; 1:15'23"; 8'22" avg. pace
Saturday of this week was a beautiful day, one perfect for a nice long run. I was determined to take advantage of it before what would probably be the last snow of the year in Charleston on Sunday. Mapping out the distances before running is crucial when doing these long runs. Thankfully, Nike+ has a very accurate mapping service that allows you to follow the roads, or take your intended path off-road to estimate distances. When mapping out 9 miles, I found the best way to do the bridge-to-bridge route was to add an extra mile to the Kanawha City portion. A half mile further out and a half mile back would add a mile to last week's eight mile course.
I started out a little uncomfortable but with a good pace. The first mile was slightly over 8 minutes. Each mile thereafter, until mile 6, got slower. I got slower by an average of 9 seconds for every mile with the slowest mile being the fifth at 8'41". 50th Street was my turnaround point in KC. Then, I headed back to the 35th Street Bridge and crossed it during my 5th mile, hence the slowest mile split. I got into a good stride on the Boulevard and reduced my split to 8'30" on the 6th mile.
After that long straight stretch on the Boulevard, I was ready for the change of pace that came from getting on the South Side Bridge. My 7th mile was impressive, 8'29", for having to go uphill on that bridge. The legs felt so sturdy coming back down MacCorkle on the home stretch that I sprinted some on the last mile. It was my fastest mile at 7'55". I can only hope that continues as the distances stretch out in this half marathon training. And spring weather should be a welcome boost!
No comments:
Post a Comment