Class 5

Today’s lesson tells why your distance climbs by the amount it does. That’s a seemingly small one-quarter or one-half mile per week, which will add up to twice your original distance this term.

Thursday’s run will differ from any other this spring. You won’t run by distance but by time – out for eight or 16 minutes easily, then back faster. This will teach you to push the last part, running a so-called “negative split.” Also unlike any other run, it will give everyone an equal chance to finish first.

TODAY’S 2.5 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance; if you didn’t time yourself out at stoplights, you probably ran faster than listed here)

Bryce – 23:51 (9:32 pace, +58 sec. per mile)

Alex – 21:20 (8:32s, +4 sec.) day’s 3^rd best pacer

Michael – 15:01 (6:00s, -28 sec.)

Alyssa – 21:31 (8:36s, -9 sec.)

Elliot – 25:37 (10:14s, -31 sec.)

Ashlen – 27:27 (10:59s, +52 sec.)

TODAY’S 5.0 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this longer distance; if you didn’t time yourself out at stoplights, you probably ran faster than listed here)

Peter – 40:09 (8:02s, +21 sec.)

Lyanne – 53:45 (10:57s, -14 sec.)

Matt – 33:08 (6:37s, +1 sec.) best pacer; earning extra credit

Amina – 55:55 (11:11s, +24 sec.)

Dillon – 41:43 (8:20s, +1:02)

Lauren O. – 52:17 (10:27s, -10 sec.)

Miranda – 59:32 (11:54s, -3 sec.) day’s 2^nd best pacer

Becky – 52:24 (10:29s, +42 sec.) after 4-mile “warmup”

Tyler – 34:32 (6:54s, +18 sec.)

Austin – 32:56 (6:35s, -16 sec.)

Anna – 40:16 (8:03s, +13 sec.)

Lauren W. – 50:41 (10:08s, +40 sec.)

LESSON 5: GOING LONGER

Distance, unlike speed, is almost limitless. No matter what your level of talent, no matter how many years you have run, no matter how old your personal records are, the possibility of covering longer distances still exists. This helps explain the appeal of the marathon. First-year runners can take pride at finishing one in twice the time the leaders take to finish, and longtime runners can feel good about going the distance an hour slower than their PR. Not all runners can go faster, but just about anyone can run longer. It isn’t a matter of talent, but only of pacing, patience and persistence. However, you can’t take big leaps in distance all at once. The safe limit for progress is about 10 percent per week – for instance, no more than a half-mile added to the recent five-mile run.