Tough Run

I started off at a steady pace with Tey at about 5:40am. I would've liked to start later but I wanted to be home earlier to do some chores. However I was surprised that we reached the 10K mark slightly faster than my usual time. I think running without the water belt helped, even though I was hand carrying a small squirt bottle. I felt even more relieved after dropping off the bottle just before the Hartamas hills so that I can pick it up again on my return trip. I decided to keep my momentum by continuing ahead of Tey and his gang and found that I was actually picking up the pace even more. I trailed Li Sar (not that far behind here) on my way to the 15K mark and reached the 20K mark between 1:42 to 1:50. Hot dang! That was way too fast for a planned 35K!! So it was. I eventually fizzled out somewhere near the 25K mark and struggled back to the car park in 2:40 - which meant a 10 minute or so PR over my previous 30K timing. That was a 4:06 marathon pace!

 

I usually don't time by 30Ks opting instead to lock in to a decent pace. But evidently my exuberance cost me an extra 5K. It wasn't the sunny weather that nailed me but the early pace. I had a choice whether to gripe about the lost 5K or to focus on it as a reinforcement lesson that I have to run within my comfort pace, especially for the marathon. Bloody hell, this is not a 10K and I'm no Meb. A lesson learnt here is better than a lesson learnt on race day. I look forward to collecting my new Pegasus from Justin this evening or tomorrow. Final 2 weeks before tapering kicks in.