is talk about week two

I just finished week two with an 11K run this morning.  I now know that I can build on the 10K although I am still not sure how far I will actually be able to complete.  I took just under 70 minutes which is the pace I usually run and I still felt good at the end and could have continued.  So much is mental.  When I am running shorter distances I can't wait for the end and that feeling has nothing to do with how my body is feeling.  Today, leg muscles were slightly sore, but I was never breathless and my knees were fine.

It sure helps to have running buddies.  This morning I was five minutes late but Ray, Bob and Mike who had just started came back to start with me.  Running with them for the first 5K made the time seem to go much faster.  When I turned around after 5.5K Jenn, Gail and Elaine had just passed me going the other direction so even though I was by myself they were always in sight which encouraged me to keep going. 

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4-5 of us ran.  On Tuesday we looped 11th and the highway which is just under 5K and on Thursday we ran to and around Seal Cove Circle which is about 6.5K.

I am not sure how much I will follow the Victoria Marathon program for the other days of the week.  Wednesday is considered either rest or a short run or a cross training day.  This week I was subbing at the alternate school and they have a daily exercise program so I figured the 21 minutes I ran with the kids was good enough.   On Friday which is supposed to be a rest day, I went to the gym and tried to do some of the speed work which we is scheduled for Saturday.  I figure it is easier with a treadmill to speed up the pace but I just didn't feel up to running both mentally or physically.  From now on,  I am going to take both Fridays and Mondays as total rest days (except for walking) and not feel guilty.

On Saturday, instead of doing the speed work, I ran Butze.  At some point I need to increase my speed, but right now, I am physically (and somewhat mentally) content with the pace I am running.  My goal is to complete the half marathon in 2 hours and 15 minutes.  At my current pace, I'm on target.  Using today as an example, 11K in 70 minutes means I would have to run the last 10.1K in 65 minutes.  I think I will wait until I am more certain that I can complete the half marathon at this pace before I worry about speeding up.