Back on Pace

Sunday was the Manhattan half marathon. I was kind of nervous because I was using it as a training run. Even though I usually have the best intentions to stay on pace during "training run" races, I usually end up racing them. It is also the longest mileage I have run since October, so I wanted to make sure I took it easily enough that I wouldn't get injured. I was also worried about this, because I swear, I get injured more when it is freezing cold out (or below freezing cold out, as it was on Sunday...14 degrees). I wanted to stay just below a 10 minute mile.

Turns out that I am actually a pretty good pacer again! My first mile was a 10:06. I stayed around that pace for the first six miles and then kicked it up to high 9:30s and low 9:40s. I actually felt really good the entire time.

I also think that my cross training is REALLY paying off. I say this because I have only had one real hill workout. Well, the hills were not bad at all...not even Harlem Hill! I don't usually feel that way until after months of serious hill training. I have to attribute it to the fact that I am really pushing myself on the cross training. My muscles in my legs are WAY developed (I noticed this as I was doing elliptical on Friday and happened to glance in the mirror.) Plus, my arms may not LOOK muscular, but I think they are getting there. I am actually able to do multiple push-ups (with good form) in a time period of 30s, when at the beginning of the year I could only do 3. (I know! My arms are so out of shape!)

So yay! Even if my waist isn't whittling away (which it isn't) and I'm not losing weight (I might be gaining...gulp) I can tell things are changing in my performance.

It also helped to have Bill with me for the first 7 miles. (And poor guy waited around in the freezing cold for me to finish, after he had finished his 8 mile run. What a stellar husband!)

Oh yeah, I finished with a 2:09:09, which is a 9:50 pace...but I'm not going to dwell on that too much, since I wasn't racing.

When I was finished I felt like someone tossed me out of a moving garbage truck, but I think it might have just been the cold, because I'm fine today.

Tomorrow is a hill workout AND it's supposed to snow. Yuck.