First run(?) of the season

pondee629

First, let me say I usually run(?) after work. The parenthesis question mark is to question my use of the term run. This will become clearer as I go along. Therefore, after daylight savings time is over in the fall, I stop for the season as it's just too dark to go out onto the streets. I know, wimpy. I get my cardio through FitnessBlenders exercise programs during my running (?) off season. Being a wimp, see above, I also don't like running (?) in the cold.

From my house I have a nice little 4.75 mile course that combines some gentle hills, street running and park pathways. There is also a set of stairs (depending which way I go around up or down.) I combine a .25 mile brisk walk as a warm up (3:30), running (?) and a .5 mile cool down walk. After stretching the puppy and I go for another .5 mile walk and sniff. (She does the sniffing).

Soooo, this Saturday it was warm, so I charged up my Garmin, loaded up my 160bpm sound track and off I went.

Now last year I worked myself up to the full 4.75 miles starting with a 3 mile walk. Not this year. This year I went for the full course. My best last year was an 11:05 average mile for the course, including both walking periods outlined above. This starting run(?) it was 11:55. Felt good. No pains, no panic breathing, nice steady pace throughout the running(?) portion and the puppy had a good time. No problems with walking the following day. 50 seconds a mile slower than my best last year. No running(?) in the last 4 months, perhaps sub 11 minute miles IS in my future. For those who care, half mile splits:
6:06 (includes the first .25 walking)
5:16
5:25
5:17
5:42
5:39
6:50 (brief walking period after a small hill at 3 miles)
5:30
7:18 (cool down walk starts here)
3:02 (last .25)
total time 56:10.

thanks for reading.