13km/h

Yesterday I ran a 5.5k route out and away from my house.  I guess that last bit goes without saying, I can run toward my house when I start running.  The truth of the matter is that I have been feeling a bit slow this spring.  I think a lot of it has to do with the weather and just how much it has interfered with my running.

At this time last year I had already completed on race and won my age category!  This year I really have no drive to do that simply because the weather is so terrible and unpredictable.  For instance Sunday it was about 20°C outside, I ran, it was amazing.  Tuesday we had snow on the ground again and the high for the day was below 0°C!  Insanity!  So this week I have only run 5.5 k because I refuse to run on the treadmill again, but at the same time I don’t want to run when it’s miserable outside.

All that aside I had my fastest pace so far this year yesterday.  It was a sunny 8°C and I felt like I could really move for a change. Shorts and a long sleeve cold gear shirt and I was off.  One thing I have really noticed this year since I haven’t been able to run through the main part of town is that I have to have music with a high beats per second in order to keep my feet going quickly.

II think it has to do with a few different things.  Through town if seems like I am going quick, there are buildings and posts and signs all close to the road that if you are running quickly you pass by them fast, I get a real sense of movement.  Out on the back road I pass fields and forests. They are pretty to look at, but I don’t get a sense of movement from them so it’s easier to have a slower pace.  However music with a high beats per second helps to keep the feet moving!  I want to go in time with the beat subconsciously and so the faster the music the easier it is to make my feet go that fast.

I was aware of that yesterday and skipped over songs that I knew were a bit slower.  I finally broke 13 km/h as a result of the nice weather and good music and not feeling drained after work.  It feels good to be faster again!