MHM -107/Tempo Ten - Fri. June 25

Yesterday became a rest day, after a refusal to start in the morning. So, today, out for the double digit run I had planned. Hot, as I started a bit late (still working on the getting up early!), but definitely drier, not too bad. Left at 8:15 w/ F who accompanied me for the first mile, down to the water plant at a 10 min. pace. Stretched and reset clock there; she headed back and I went for a variation on the ten I used last week: Geohannum--Boardman--Rural--Geohannum-Stebbins/School to 202, cross and stay on school to junction w/ Chicopee. Then, back on Chicopee, but stop at Baggs hill and go along that to the trail entrance, and enter trail just for 100 yards or so [turns out it will be a bit rough underfoot, as it's littered with rolling rocks etc., but I still want to run it with folk]. Then back to Chicopee and clock registered 6 miles, so went for tempo from there: to 202, head right, up to Eskett, back to Boardman, up to Geohannum and homewards. Pace had been 7:20s, so aimed for sub-7:15s. And for miles 7, 8, 9, 10 I got: 6:57, 6:58, 7:00 and 6:54. Score! Then I stopped the clock, just past Hamilton, and ran the rest (about .75 mile) at 9 minute pace:

Time: 1:12:11
Distance: 10:04 (plus 1.75 not timed)
Pace: 7:11s

Comment: This felt pretty good (satisfying) to move tempo distance up from 2 to 4 miles. I'll feel it tomorrow, I think, but since this was road only, with just basic hills (including plenty in the final four miles), it's not such a strain. I really didn't push anywhere, just aimed to maintain good pace (with some focus on higher turnover).