Grete's Great Gallop

Grete's Great Gallop - 1:51:34 (8:30 pace)

Distance:  13.1 Miles, 21.1 Kilometers 
Date/Time:  Oct. 4 2008, 9:00 am 
Location:  Central Park, NYC 
Weather:  49 Deg. 71% Hum. Wind 3 mph

Intervals (Grete's Gallop)							edit  |  delete
Type	Distance	Time	Total Time	Pace	Avg HR	Max HR	Notes
Mile 1l	1 Mi	8:00	8:00	8:00
Mile 2	1 Mi	8:07	16:07	8:07
Mile 3	1 Mi	8:03	24:10	8:03
Mile 4	1 Mi	8:44	32:54	8:44			Harlem Hills
Mile 5	1 Mi	8:35	41:29	8:35
Mile 6	1 Mi	8:24	49:53	8:24			Gu
Mile 7	1 Mi	8:12	58:05	8:12
Mile 8	1 Mi	9:16	1:07:21	9:16			Bathroom stop
Mile 9/10	2 Mi	17:10	1:24:31	8:35			Harlem Hills
Mile 11	1 Mi	8:45	1:33:16	8:45
Mile 12	1 Mi	8:39	1:41:55	8:39
Mile 13/.1	1.1 Mi	9:33	1:51:28	8:41

I am REALLY REALLY happy with this race.  I knew I was going out to fast.  Perhaps I could have held that pace-  I didn't want to. I reigned it in the first trip through the Northern Hills in the park, reminded myself that even though I wanted to race, it was still a training run, walked the water stops, and was able to run a pace that was within myself and comfortable to sustain for 13.1 miles.  

Don't get me wrong, my legs were very ready to be done at the end.

But after a too fast 19-miler last weekend, a tempo run on Thursday (bc I'm an idiot), and a bathroom stop, being only 3 minutes off my half marathon personal best (on a very hilly course) makes me a very happy girl.

Mentally, I was all over the place, it was the first race I have ever run that I just didn't want to be there.  I'm right on the edge, and have ONE MORE week until I start to rest.  My body knows it, and is ready to be there.  One more week.  I actually had decided to stop after 1 loop of the park (6 miles) right around mile 3.   Just didn't feel like doing any more.  It was wierd- for no reason at all, I just decided I was going to stop.   I obviously changed my mind at some point, but it was a strange feeling.   It's funny though, I ran into Dr. M, my ortho, after the race, and he said he felt the EXACT same way.