Decided to go for an early afternoon 5 mile run and take advantage of the great weather we’re having at the moment. The temperature was a balmy 53°F, the sun was shining and there was hardly any wind at all – perfect for a nice easy recovery run after yesterday’s half marathon effort!
My right shin was a little tender in the first half mile, but I soon forgot about the discomfort and settled into a nice rhythm. Mile one soon arrived in 7 minutes 38 seconds and it was great to just bounce along and enjoy being outside in the fresh air. Mile two was slightly quicker (7:11) and at that moment my easy 5 mile recovery run became a race against the clock and a challenge to run each mile consecutively quicker than the previous one. Lately, so many of my easy runs have turned into tempo efforts – it’s not necessarily a bad habit, but I need to make sure I get enough rest and recovery after hard efforts like the previous day’s race.
Despite a 180° turn at the 2.5 mile mark I managed to run a 7:03 third mile, and took advantage of the minimal tailwind to log a 6:38 fourth mile. By now I was really working hard and wasn’t sure if I could go any faster, but I dug deep and with the help of a few heavy beat dance tracks, finished with a 6:22 fifth mile. I’m so glad I decided to wear my iPod – it was a big help in staying focused towards the end of the run.
For the record, here are my splits:
Mile 1 – 7:38
Mile 2 – 7:11
Mile 3 – 7:03
Mile 4 – 6:38
Mile 5 – 6:22
Looking back, it’s probably not the smartest workout I’ve ever run, but it was a fun one. I wonder if I’ll have any regrets tomorrow??