1/31/12

50 min easy / 7.2mi

1/30/12

AM: 30 min easy + 200 one-leg hops
PM: 30 min easy + striders

1/29/12

60 min easy / 8.5mi

1/28/12

15 min warm-up
6k / 22:10 + 4 min recovery + 6k / 22:01
10 min cool-down

1/27/12

AM: 4mi easy / untimed
PM: 5mi easy / untimed

1/26/12

40 min easy / 5.5mi + 200 one-leg hops

the staple run

This is my running equivalent of 'session beer': 6 miles at conversational pace. It's my staple run, which means I do it 4-5 times per week. Since time doesn't matter (these are 'recovery' runs) I usually don't wear my watch, but always assumed I was maintaining a fairly consistent pace. Apparently not. Out of curiosity I recorded my splits this morning: 7:25, 7:25, 7:03, 7:10, 6:55, 6:42
Oi... well I think one or both of these are happening to some degree: 1) I'm running a consistent effort, which is only loosely correlated to a consistent pace. 2) The observer effect. Not to be confused with the uncertainty principle. I have my watch on, and I keep checking the effing thing, and I observe slow miles, which alters my pace, and I check it again, and faster miles improve my mood, etc.
Okay no more watch during the staple run.