The accidental five

Yesterday evening, I had planned to run three miles. The skies were overcast throughout the afternoon and evening, and the weather forecast had called for thunderstorms. Unlike the previous evening, however, we were not under a severe thunderstorm watch, even the clouds seemed more threatening. Given my mild exhaustion upon arriving home, I decided to scrap last night’s run and attempt to make up some of the miles today.

While I had not originally intended to run five miles today, the unexpected day off gave me reason to attempt to cover some lost ground, so to speak. Further, the weather was cool, overcast, and drizzly: pretty good conditions for a longer run.

Since I work from home on Thursdays, I was able to run in the middle of the day. I headed down to Forbidden Drive at 11:30, parked in the upper lot, and made my way to the two-and-a-half-mile marker. Again, I was mindful of pacing: I ran all but the last half-mile at a 12- or 12-1/2-minute-mile pace. As I had done Tuesday, I picked up the pace for the last half-mile, running at about a nine-minute mile pace.

Since I’m running longer distances now, I’m also becoming aware of the need to work on speed. To be sure, I can run a minute to a minute-and-a-half faster per mile on a three-mile run, and I’ve been pacing myself conservatively on the longer runs. At what point, I wonder, will a faster pace compromise my ability to run the distances I set about to run?

I have no plans to run five miles regularly for a few more weeks. Still, it was a nice, satisfying personal accomplishment, one that helps bolster my confidence.