Training Run 5-25-08

Something new and different. I've been reading a lot of training books that suggest running by time or distance but not both, to avoid the tendency of "racing" oneself too much, and overtraining.

So I had 5 miles scheduled, and I know that I can run that distance in 60 minutes or less (12-minute mile or less) at a "comfortable" pace. So I drove to the parking lot on the bike trail (paved) on Villa Road, and decided to run 30 minutes, stretch, and run back (and try not to take longer on the way back than I did on the way out).

I made it to two wooden bridges past Mitchell Road, and I have no idea exactly how far that was, but it was challenging but not impossible. I stretched for a minute or so, and then started the run back. I did have to take a couple walking breaks on the way back, but I chalked that up to (1) it had gotten sunnier and the wind had died down, and (2) I was obviously running an appropriately hard pace. However, I still got back to my starting point in only 30 seconds or so over my going-out time, even with the walking breaks.

It was definitely a fun way to do a long run, and the change of route was great. It's lined with bushes and trees, so it's shaded for most of the way. That will be nice later in the summer when it's even hotter and more humid than this weekend. The route smells overwhelmingly of honeysuckle (there are 9-foot mega-bushes along the trail), although there is one underpass that smells strongly of chicken - I looked up thinking "what the heck!" and there is a Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken restaurant at the intersection above. I chuckled about that for a good five minutes.

I also got to see the back of the new combined high school that is being built - until they tear down the old high school this summer, it's not visible from the road. Looks neat.