Tempo

My last week of relatively easy mileage is rapidly coming to an end. Beginning next week, mileage on most days goes up significantly. I really don't know how I'm going to find the time for, say, a 10-mile run on Tuesday. I'm not much in favor of getting up at 4:14 or 4:30, mostly because I know I will fall asleep at work. I may just limit most weekday runs to a max of 8 miles, which I can fit into the schedule.

Today, though, was just a 7 mile run with 4 miles of it at marathon pace. I have  no problem with the marathon pace miles, my problem is that I can't seem to settle into a 9-min. pace, which is where I'd like to be on race day.

This morning, for instance, after a couple of warmup miles I recorded a nice, steady 8:56. Ideally, I'd like to stay right around that pace for all four miles, but my next split was 8:30, then 8:18, 8:07 and 8:20. Much as I'd like to, there's no way I can maintain an under 8:30 pace for an entire marathon. I just need to shoot for 9's. It might be easier to control the pace when I've got 26 miles stretched out in front of me.