MY FIRST FIFTEEN MILE RUN... SERIOUSLY!

My fifteen mile route on Saturday's long run.

On Friday I had a big long debate with myself about what type of run I was going to do that night. My schedule calls for intervals but since I postponed my Thursday run to Friday, I no longer had a rest day before my long run. So, I thought about just doing an easy 10k instead. I was going to run fifteen miles the next day and I didn't want to burn myself out.

However, my goal is to set a 10k PR at the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and my focus this winter is supposed to be on speed. So I ended up making a compromise... I'd do intervals but I would only do 6x400 instead of the 8x400 I did the previous time. Honestly, it didn't make a ton of sense, but somehow in my head that alleviated my concerns of burning myself out for the next day.

They went pretty well. I wasn't feeling super great and was worn out from the week at work, but I got out there and did them. Started off pretty slow and was really questioning my abilities, but picked it up for the second half of the intervals. I didn't even make an effort to go faster, I was resigned to some "easier" intervals since I had the long run the next day, but apparently I did pick up the pace without really even putting too much extra effort into it. Maybe I just warmed up. The final interval was my first below 1:32 (barely)!

Interval	400m Time	400m Pace	Rest Time	Rest Pace
#1	1:37.21	6:29/mi	2:32.48	10:10/mi
#2	1:40.13	6:41/mi	2:37.38	10:30/mi
#3	1:38.37	6:33/mi	2:36.72	10:27/mi
#4	1:35.71	6:23/mi	2:31.89	10:08/mi
#5	1:34.03	6:16/mi	2:39.97	10:40/mi
#6	1:31.99	6:08/mi	2:38.56	10:34/mi
Average	1:36.24	6:25/mi	2:36.17	10:25/mi

Saturday I didn't wake up until about 12:15pm. It was glorious. I finally got my ass out the door around 1:40pm to run my fifteen miles. I was kind of doubting my abilities to run fifteen miles and was not looking forward to this run. I kind of worked it up in my head to something harder than it was. Once I started running I felt really good. Just took a nice leisurely 9:30/mile pace and enjoyed the crisp air. Unfortunately it was overcast so I couldn't really enjoy the sun, but it wasn't raining and it was light outside, so I'll take it.

Same old route over to Fanno Creek and then down that trail until its southern terminus past the Tigard Library. Nothing special to note really. Haven't done a long run with headphones for probably over six months now, which has been working for me, but the last few miles I could have really used a distraction. I wasn't too tired or worn out, just ready to be DONE. The last climb up Davies did wear me out a little and my last mile wasn't the quickest, but I just fought through it.

Funny to note this was my first ever 15 mile run. I did 15.4 back in June 2012, but that was when I was a long run virgin and didn't know what the fuck I was doing and didn't stop as soon as my phone logged the final mile I wanted. Other than that, I have a decent amount of 14 and 16 mile runs to my name. I know I am anal and like even numbers, but I didn't realize I had been avoiding the 15 mile run. Fives are okay! 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, and 20 are all gravy! Fuck the rest! Except 13.1... you are beautiful. I need to stop talking.