Really? Really...Really?

Really? Really...really? That was my thought this morning when I went for a 6 mile run. I'm visiting my parents in Idaho at the moment...and well let me just say an additional 3,000 ft of elevation can put a damper on that whole running with a lower heart rate thing. I've give up caring that I have a high HR up here, if I were living here I know my body would eventually adjust, But i've managed. Since I've been home I've been hanging at the gym, running on the treadmill...not really 'feeling' it as far as speed. I feel like i'm a slow poke on the treadmill when I can *see* that speed right in front of me. It's weird, I run faster outside than on a treadmill (only use 1-2% incline so it's not *that* hilly by far).

Anyway, decided i would give six miles a go outside...and just see how the running felt. I was running on a bike path that had every 1/10 of a mile marked out. It was flat...and ended up being really fast too. It was a six mile out and back sort of deal.

Mile 1 was a warm up in 9:52 Avg HR 153. It was a nice warm up...felt good.

Mile 2 the purpose was to run and see where it goes 8:17 Avg HR 167 . My thought: was that 'mile' short??

Mile 3 the purpose was to keep pushing a little, just see how I felt. Time 8:45 Avg HR 174. I started to feel a little on the 'out of breath and uncomfortable'. So since it was my run, i thought i'd just take mile 4 down a notch.

Mile 4 the purpose was to bring the HR in the 160s and back it off as I had plans to PUSH mile five. 9:34 Avg HR168 Lower HR accomplished, felt rather conversational.

Mile 5 The purpose of this mile was to RUN...enjoy and push... but nothing crazy. I was thinking that it should be on the limits of the still sorta 'talking' end of running.

Final time: 7:29 Avg HR176

My thoughts: WHAT????? That mile must be short or something! But this was the mile I ran in 8:17 before, so even if it was 'short' i still ran it 45 seconds faster than before. I was sorta trying to push, but i REALLY wasn't going for a crazy fast edge, that wasn't my focus. I wasn't focused on 'RUN AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE' I was focused on...kick a little harder, breath a little harder, enjoy. My enjoying thought was that WHAT IF that mile wasn't short...I *wonder* what my stand alone mile is??? (smile)

Back in Sept my stand alone mile (really 1600m...not quite a mile) was 7:24 with an avg HR of 184. HOLY SMOKES...i'm 5 seconds off while at 3,000 ft higher AND not focused on running crazy fast. Really, the goal for that mile was kick, push, enjoy. WOW.

Mile 6 was a cool down where I saw someone I knew and stopped to chat for a sec, so it came in more like 12:50.

I am always floored when I run fast because it hasn't been since i was in 6th grade that i remotely considered myself as such. This will give me a smile all day.

I think I see 2007 being an interesting year.