Another cold, cold day as it was 25'F this morning (Brrrr). Went to run on some country roads with one of the guys I am coaching, happens to be the one that ran 52 minutes at the 10 miler, so I should have known that the pace would end up being faster than normal. Plan was to run 8-10 miles at relaxed pace today but that quickly changed. When we started running partner said he knew a good, hilly 8 mile loop. He was not joking about the hilly part as right from the start it was nothing but some pretty long and steep hills. Pretty much no flat at all the entire run. I knew the pace was going to be quick when the first mile was 6:55. After the second mile at 6:15 I let running partner pull ahead and just tried to focus on running relaxed but steady. I decided to not look at watch or GPS and just run and try and keep partner in sight since I did not know the course. Caught up to training partner when he stopped at a big intersection to wait for me. When I asked him which way we go to get back he said we were just turning around and going back same way we came. Then I looked at the GPS for first time and it said we had gone 7 miles already, which was a surprise as I was thinking maybe we were at 5 miles. He said he felt good and just decided to keep going. So we ended up getting 15 miles in total and when I looked at my splits at the end I was pleasantly surprised as I averaged 6:29 pace and ran the last 13.1 (1/2 marathon) of the run in 1:23:50. So, guess I should be pleased with that in 25'F weather on super hilly dirt roads. Overall been some good runs the last three days average pace wise. Onward and upward! | 