Finding My Happy Pace

Zilker Park, Austin Texas

Pace in running is something that is discussed a lot. How many minutes per mile; 5k pace; 10k pace; conversational pace(which I don't find particularly relevant as I don't do much talking while running), and the list goes on. Not too long ago, I read in article in "Runner's World" magazine (yes, this is what I now do in my free time) about learning to slow down. The article touted the benefits of slowing down your runs by as much as 2 minutes per mile, especially the long ones in order to build the stamina that you need to be able get through the double digit miles and to able to do it without getting injured.

My only problem with this is that I DON'T WANT TO GO SLOW. Even though I have not ever been particularly sporty, I am highly competitive. Like yoga, running is supposedly more of a competition with yourself than with anyone else. However, I am training for a RACE-- and while I am not going to be setting any world records or lining up with the elites, my competitive nature makes me want to beat SOMEONE.  I'm using the Nike+ GPS app on my phone for training that dutifully tells me pace and time every quarter mile.  For my previous races, I have had a 10 minute per mile goal pace for the race and I have been able to meet that or best it in most cases. I'm finding out that slowing down takes alot more control and diligence that going out and running fast or on pace than I thought it would-- and that I really hate when that Nike+ voice says anything over 10 minutes/mile.

We went to Austin this weekend for our usual New Year's festivities with our friend Jerrie and took advantage of the chance to run a different course and headed over to Town Lake for a 8 mile weekend run.  (Cory is working on training for a 1/2 in April so he had 4 miles to run.) When we started out the plan was to go out slow and test out this "Slow and Long" theory. When we hit  1/2 a mile in we were running about 9:30/mile-- not going slower. We slowed down some by about mile 3-- but for most of those miles we were at or below 10 minutes/mile. As I set out on the final four by myself, I had to slow down because of some nagging IT band pain ("Tales from a Foam Roller" to follow one day soon)-- so without Cory and with my new friend, knee pain, I actually decided to slow down. I even stopped to stretch. By mile 5.5, I had hit an easy pace that felt good and was even enjoyable. I hadn't slowed down by 2 minutes a mile, but even slowing down by 30 seconds/mile had given me the chance to relax into the run.

This whole slowing down thing won't come easy for me-- especially on a long run when hours go by and faster means getting to be done-- but I guess it has some merit to it-- and maybe even a little life lesson hidden in their somewhere.

Enjoy the ride--or the run-- one mile at a time... even if it's a little slower.