Day 3: Finding My Pace 🚶‍♂️
Welcome back! Today’s run was smoother in some ways, though it brought its own small irritation. The good news - no trouble getting out of bed or into my shoes this morning. I’ve got some blisters on my big toes (I suspect my Salomon Sense Ride 5s). I switched to my Brooks Glycerin 20 for Day 2 and today, and it looks like I’ll stick with them for the rest of the month.
Thoughts on the Run:
The blister nagged at me for half the run—funny how one small discomfort can take over your thoughts, especially on a short run. Once I moved past it, I found myself reflecting on my current running pace. Ten years ago, I ran my first marathon in 3 hours and 40 minutes, but I haven’t been able to improve much since then. These days, my “comfort pace” seems to sit right around the 6:00/km mark, a slower, steady rhythm my body has adapted to over years of focusing on endurance.
Today, a new thought struck me: what if I push for a faster pace in the coming months? Right now, my goal is simply to run daily, but what if I also set a more ambitious target? I’ve been toying with the idea of running a sub-1:30 half marathon in 2025 and then shooting for a sub-3:00 marathon in 2026. Lofty goals for a guy who’s always preferred the long, slower runs, but it could be a fun challenge.
Introducing Some Tempo and Intervals
With those ideas in mind, I’m planning to add some tempo runs and intervals to this 30-day streak. I’ll probably follow my Garmin’s suggestions for now, keeping it simple and mixing in some higher-intensity sessions to see how my body adapts.
Stats for Today:
- Distance: 4.82 km (3 laps around the island)
- Pace: 5:55 per km
- Time: 28 minutes, 30 seconds
- Heart Rate: 141 bpm average (60% in Zone 2, 25% in Zone 3)
- VO2 Max: Back up to 52
- Endurance Score: 5228
- Sleep: 6 hours, 40 minutes (with a sleep score of 66)
So far, today felt pretty similar to yesterday—a steady run, feeling a bit heavy but getting more comfortable with the heat. No tightness or injury concerns yet. I’ll see how things progress with these added intensity runs and continue tracking everything.
Until tomorrow!
