A lousy runner learns a few things (Page 2)

I'm so excited to apply this to my long run next Sunday, that I can't wait to post the results here.  I seem to hit a wall at 10 miles that I'm not able to get through, and I'm 100% confident it's my pace and I'm going about it all wrong.

Great summary of the "zen" of running. Learning about your own pacing and "gears" is huge.

I know that when I haven't been running for a while, most of my runs are the same pace, slow. Learning to use the "slower" pace is HUGELY important.

Then, learning to use the faster pace gives you some options.

I saw Mike Ricci's responses on the epic heart rate thread, and it occurred to me to update this thread. I posted it originally on Sept 4th, and at that time had whittled my "race pace" down to 7:45 per mile for a 10K. Since then I've been doing exactly the same thing -running 6 days a week for ~30 miles a week, mostly at a 9:00\mile pace (which for me maps out to 'recovery pace'). Occasionally I'd put out a burst (maybe a half mile?) of speed here and there as I felt like it - aka Fartlek- but the revelation is that I actually *felt* like it, as opposed to forcing myself to running faster. What happens? I go faster. BUT THAT'S IT - my heart rate stays pretty well put, stride gets longer but no less balanced, and no faster a tempo. The point is I've gotten better at moving oxygen around in my body, my muscles are more used to the stress, my balance is better, and my brain doesn't do anything but continue to go 'tick...tock...tick....tock' as I make each stride. 

Anyway...it really really really works. I did my scheduled monthly time trial 10K today and churned out my personal best, 44:35. That's roughly a :30\mile increase in pace in less than two months, and it felt great running the whole time. I'm literally smiling while I run these days. And believe me, if I can do it, anyone can...I'm not built like a typical runner at all (and never will be...genetics at play!) but it really doesn't matter. Just RUN!

Keep on running!!