Detroit Marathon Training - Week 10 - Run #2

For the first time in many weeks, I was able to keep to my schedule this week and did my second run of the week today after work. I hit up the treadmill downstairs after work and set out for a 7 mile run.

I was a little overambitious and started off at a 7:30/mi pace for the first two miles, before going down to a 7:24 pace for 3 & 4. During the fourth mile, my lower back started hurting, and I knew that I wasn't going to make it 7 miles if I tried to keep up that pace. So after 4.5 miles, I knocked my pace back to a flat 8:00. That seemed to make things a bit easier, and I gradually increased my pace from there over the last couple of miles, and finished the 7 miles in 53:11 for an average pace of about 7:36 per mile.

I think I need more runs like today where I just slow down a bit. Realistically, my pace for the marathon is going to be around 8:30, so pushing myself at these much faster paces does not seem to make much sense when I sit back and think about it. But whenever I set out to run, it's hard to resist the urge to push myself. So I just need to force myself to do it, and get my body used to running the slower pace.