Confession: I used to be (no longer 'am') a strong believer that I could not run faster than 12K/hour (8 minute miles) on distances longer than 8K. This was something I truly did believe. Breaking 50 minutes at a 10K was something that seemed impossible to me. Then again, I hardly do any speedwork. With this ultra thing, I'm trying to focus on mileage instead of speed. So...how could I expect to ever break 50 minutes in a 10K?
Do you have an 'I can't run faster than that' pace?
I am actually trying to make a point here. Promise. ;)
I'd registered for the charity team of Hulphond Nederland at yesterday's Dam tot Damloop 10 miles in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Imagine 40K runners on one course. And the slower runners blocking the road instead of staying on the right side of the road (duh...common race etiquette!). But...on the plus side: the on-course support is amazing! :)
So, there I was: yesterday morning. At the start line of the Dam tot Damloop 10 miler. Goal?
Okay-ish: sub 1-30 - long run pace.
Okay: sub 1:26 - marathon pace.
Woohoo good: 1:23:20 or faster - new PR.
Absofreakinglutely amazing - not going to happen: 1:20.
The course was crowded. The weather was...interesting (rain rain rain like you've never seen it before! Seriously, believe me on this one...I'm Dutch...I know rain!). Due to the rain I couldn't really look at my watch: it was raining to a point where I figured my Garmin would be dead if I didn't cover it with my arm sleeves. I looked at my watch when I passed the 10K-mark, and at the finish line. Tried to hold a 'this feels comfortable, but not like I'm pushing it - do not feel the need to puke' pace.
Finish time: 1:18:06.
What the bleep!
Apparently that 'can't run faster than' pace really is in my head. Well, at least yesterday it was. But I'm not complaining. ;)
(And yes, I do realize that I'm nowhere near speedy and still slow, but I'm happy with this finish time. Little old slowpoke me. :))
11 comments:
Slowpoke? No way! You're in the top quarter!
Echt... muts, 1.18 is freaking snel!
By the way, my can't run faster pace on 10 mile is 13,1 km/hr. And that one is OLD! ;-)
Congratulations on the PR (I think the skirt had something to do with it).
Or the rain.... Heel Zaandam weet nu dat ik een sportbeha met bloemetjes aan had onder dat fijne witte shirt van Hulphond. ;) Na 20 keer ben ik opgehouden de opmerking 'nou schat, trek meteen alles uit' te tellen. ;)
That is excellent! Congratulations!
I think we all fall victim to this at some point or another. For the longest time I thought I could never do anything better than 9's for long distances or 8's for short. My 5k PR is on the low end of the 7's and had I not gotten injured was planning to break in to the 6's. You just have to believe to achieve my friend!!! Congrats!
Congrats on a new PR! I'm guilty of this too--I think there's no way I can beat a certain time, but it feels great when you can!
:)
That is so great! Look what you can do--and who knows what you'll do in the future?! Congrats.
Too bad we failed to meet and greet. Slow poke my ASS!
Nice PB considering the crowded track, at least by the time I started :-(. Congrats.
Congratulations! That's some speed talkin' ... I am totally in with you. Wait for the race recap. The Coach set up a pace I thought of impossible and yet it was possible :) What's the famous slogan? Impossible is nothing!
Being "slow" is all in your head. Congrats on the huge PR!
you are OUTSTANDING!!!!!! way to surprise yourself (cause the rest of us knew that you could do it)! amazing!
CRAZY FAST!! Congrats!
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