Tough 10

i did the 10 miles scheduled today, it was pretty tough. i think it was because i was looking at it like it was the longest run i have done all year. the humidity and heat didn't help. i did start out at a slow pace, hoping i would not tire myself towards the end. at mile 8 i felt like i wasn't really controlling my legs, they were just somehow moving, slowly. i kept thinking "i have this many more miles to go" instead of my usual "i only have this much left." finally about 1/2 way i changed my mindset. i knew there was no way i could quit, even though my mind told me i should several times. whenever i felt bad i would take a little sip of gatorade and that would keep me going a little bit longer. on the back part of the road i run on, that has lots of crops and livestock, the bugs were killing me. i nearly swallowed 5-6 bugs. between miles 9.5 and 10, when i thought i was feeling pretty good and trying to finish strong, a bug flew into each eye. that is annoying.

here are my splits and heart rates at 1/2 mile increments:

.5= 5.14 153
1.0= 10.39 5.24 165
1.5= 16.11 5.32 166
2.0= 21.47 5.35 168
2.5= 27.30 5.42 167
3.0= 33.09 5.39 170
3.5= 38.41 5.32 169
4.0= 44.16 5.35 170
4.5= 50.03 5.46 169
5.0= 56.00 5.57 170
5.5= 62.00 6.00 168
6.0= 67.57 5.57 167
6.5= 74.01 6.06 165
7.0= 79.59 5.57 168
7.5= 85.59 6.00 166
8.0= 91.56 5.57 165
8.5= 98.29 6.32 163 (i knew i was getting tired here)
9.0= 104.51 6.22 163
9.5= 111.13 6.22 164
10.0= 117.24 6.11 162

at the 8 mile mark i was about 2:36 minutes faster than my 8 miles last week, i am pretty surprised by that. overall not a bad run. my pace was 11:45, 4 seconds faster than my pace last saturday on the 8 mile run. the last 2 miles really got me.

thought of the day: "To change one's life: 1. Start immediately. 2. Do it flamboyantly. 3. No exceptions." – William James. i was trying to get one of my co-workers to start lifting weights during our lunch break the other day and trying to get him to do a little aerobic exercise during the week too. he asked "when are we going to start?" i said today. he replied, "oh lets start next week, this week is almost over." that told me he probably wasn't going to lift weights with me. i guess i take a little less motivation that others, or little things motivate me more than the average person. to me life is too short, and can end too quickly, to start something i want to do or get done tomorrow. i guess the key is something i WANT to do or get done. i have a hard time with things like cleaning the house. there are just so many other things that excite me.