12/31/08 - 10 miles

I got off work early today and was able to run outside again. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous this week and today was no exception. The temperature was in the mid 60's when I started my run and progressively got cooler during the run. I ran along the canal banks which makes for a very quiet and peaceful run. I felt really strong through the first 6 miles of the run but I took a little different route than I was used to and I encountered a steep, short hill at the start of mile 7. Because it was unexpected, I had trouble getting back on my pace and the last 4 miles were slower. In addition, I skipped lunch today in order to get some work complete before the holiday so I didn't have the energy needed for a run of this distance. In spite of these factors, I ran the 10 miles in 1:22:17 for an 8:14 pace and my average heartrate was 167 bpm. I drank Gatorade during the run but I felt a little fatigued afterwards.