Westmont XC 2008 (28:05, 15th)

Splits about 5:12, 5:33, 5:45, 6:00, 5:35.
I can't believe I actually ran a 6:00 mile inside a five mile race. I'm pretty sure that when healthy I can run 20 six minute miles in a row.

I went out too hard, not wholly realizing it. In fact my pace that first mile was faster than the average pace of the race winner, who I knew was well out of my league after watching him race at Irvine. I wanted to stay close to Luis (who is clearly in excellent shape and took second), and sacrificed smart pacing to that goal.

I didn't realize during mile two how much I was slowing down. Once I saw the time, I knew that the leaders were long gone, and basically I hit the off switch and cruised in. I did not care at all when people passed me.

I need to run some hard workouts. I want to know that I have the ability to push myself. In order to know it, I have to do it. And in order to do it, I have to practice it.

So once I'm healthy, well, and have returned to full training, it will be time for some actual, faster-than-race pace hard work once in a while. The sort of thing I shy away from far too much.