Class 18

Today you returned to where you started. Same distance on the turf fields, with no separate warmup. It should have felt shorter (and easier) now than it did at first. 

Thursday’s run will retest you at one or two miles. Here you can compare yourself with the time you ran the first week. Now you’ll run a single lap, which can make the run seem to go quicker no matter what the watch might say.

TODAY’S 1.25 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go no faster than that pace for this shorter distance, to taper for Thursday's test)

Brianna – 15:40 (12:32 pace, -48 sec. per mile)

Asilia – 16:23 (13:06s, -52 sec.)

Kate – 17:35 (14:04s, +1:43)

Jie – 18:50 (15:04s, -15 sec.)

Guangyu – 18:50 (15:04s, -8 sec.) best pacer, earning extra credit

TODAY’S 2.5 MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go no faster than that pace for this shorter distance, to taper for Thursday's test)

Vadim – 21:58 (8:47s, -11 sec.)

Nathaniel – 24:18 (9:43s, +52 sec.)

LESSON 18: WHY RACE?

Running in races is not a requirement for calling yourself a runner. Running is easier and safer without this added effort. Racing is hard, and moderately risky – but also exciting, challenging and motivating as it pushes you farther and faster than you could go alone. The race itself puts you on the line – not just the starting line but at the red-line of your abilities, where you can push no harder without breaking. Racing puts your training and resolve to their final test. You don’t take this test alone but in the company of dozens, hundreds or even thousands of runners like yourself. You aren’t competing with them; you’re cooperating. The competition isn’t with others but with the distance, the course, the conditions and the voice inside that pleads with you to ease off. Everyone else in the race is tested the same ways. You push, pull and pace each other.