Daniels Running Formula - VDOT Question

Bought/Read this book based on several BT'ers strong recommendations.  I'm trying to set my VDOT as accurately as possible so I can follow the "Red Level" plan, which I think is a good starting point for me.  Daniels uses race times as the basis for VDOT, and I've only been Tri-ing for about 14 weeks and 1 sprint race with no prior recent running before that.  In my race, I blew on the run, which was half expected due to conditioning issues - there's only so much improvement to be made in 12 weeks prior to your first race after all (without overdoing it).  I also think Daniels meant running races only for consideration when setting VDOT, which would or should be faster as a stand alone time vs completing a tri? 

Anyway, I'm exited to follow Daniels training plan in what I call "phase 2", with about 10 weeks to go leading up into my 2nd tri.  I just want to make sure that my VDOT is as close to his intention as possible.  If I use that one race, which was a sprint tri with the first 1.5 miles uphill, second downhill, and my first one ever, then my VDOT would be 32.  Last week I ran at a good clip at the track, and did 2 miles in just under 16 min, which would be a VDOT of 38.  There's a big difference between those VDOT's when setting E or T pace so I want to get some advice. 

This leads me into another question... Today I did the first workout, which was 30 minutes at E pace.  I used 38 as my VDOT and found that the pace was actually slow enough that I had to concentrate on going slower as I ran, and I still finished faster than the E pace.  I counted steps 3 different times over 60 seconds and was at 150, 154, 152.  Should I have been taking shorter, choppier steps or longer but slower strides?