So, Beth’s answer to my “i’m running to fast on my marathon pace days” was that my marathon pace is too slow. Perhaps she’s right. 7:30 feels about right, it’s a bit tough, but not a stretch at all. Almost my automatic step-it-up speed. So, from now on, I’m gonna take my pace runs at about 7:30, which, if my training works out right, puts me at about 3:20– faster that I actually see myself going, but a good goal I s’pose. If my plan breaks down, and I can’t hang at this rate, I can always go for 3:30.
This morning’s run, which was nice but hot, broke down like this:
7:51, 7:00, 7:32, 7:58, 7:14, 7:29.
You’ll notice, mile 2 was again, the very fastest. I didn’t walk to the park like I mentioned before, but I also consciously tried to go slower. A very nice breeze kicked in at the end of my first mile, and I guess that lifted my spirits, so I just rode it on out. Like these splits otherwise, though. Funny how my faster miles always come after my slowest, then I hit the right pace. Whatever.
These 5-days-a-week runs have had me in Prospect Park more than usually, and I have to say that, despite the trafficky late-day runs and the ho-hum trail, I love it. Kelly and I have been there even more lately– multiple nights the last few weeks– for Celebrate Brooklyn events. Last night was Phillip Glass & orchestra for a live performance of the score to Powasqquatsi, along with the actual movie. It was great. Couple of weeks back we caught old fave Beth Orton, Spoon a couple nights later, and Deerhoof last week. Tonight we’ve planned to take the grill to cook up some dinner to the sounds of Bear Hands, The Jealous Girlfriends, and Austin-natives Ghostland Observatory, who we saw years back at a party at Factory People in Austin. They seem to have really picked up steam since then– see below.
Much as I love Prospect Park though, tomorrow I’m planning to reach the beach, via the Shore Road path in Bay Ridge. Should be about 13 miles out-and-back to the beach at Coney Island. Kelly’s going to meet me in Bay Ridge after her run so we can enjoy my favorite bagels ever, from a no-name place on 86th street.
