I got up early this morning (pre-5:00 AM) so that I could go for a run. That may sound crazy to non-runners, but listen; it’s going to be very hot today, and the pre-dawn hours that most people use for things like sleeping are also the coolest part of the day, and so make great hours in which to run.
I did my 5+ mile loop, with the intention of warming up for the first mile, slowly, then attempting 3 consecutive 9:00 miles, a training exercise that runners (and perhaps other endurance athletes) call a “tempo” run. I achieved my goal for only the first mile; the second tempo mile took me 9:38, and I was wrecked after that and ran/walked my way to 11:30-12:00 miles for the rest of the loop. My overall time was 58:22, for about an average 10:47 pace.
This weekend I’m going to attempt another 11 mile run, and then I begin a two-week taper until attempting my very first half marathon, the Helvetia Half Marathon, on Saturday 13 June 2009. I’ve heard it’s hilly, but not as hilly as the 12K Lake Run I did earlier this month.
That’s what I hear, anyway.
Anyone who is going to be attending the half-marathon, feel free to let me know or leave a comment in this thread. And if you want to come drink beer and cheer me on, the race starts and finishes at Hillsboro Stadium, and goes past the Helvetia Tavern (I believe, according to the map .PDF file, around mile 3.8). Should be a good time for people not running their first half-marathon.