Running blind

Two weeks ago I went to the CAR fun run for the first time.  On the way there I decided that I would run with the group and not look at my watch.  I guessed that the pace would probably be a bit faster than my solo easy runs, but unless I was really struggling I was going to keep up.  I knew early on that we were running faster than I normally would, but it never felt uncomfortable or hard.  Just like I was pushing it slightly more than I would on my own.  I was able to chat the whole time and felt good at the end.  It turned out that I was probably running about a minute per mile faster than I'd usually run.

After seeing these "results," I decided it was time for a little experiment. I've long suspected that my brain is holding me back because I feel like certain paces are too fast for me or unsustainable for a long run.  So maybe if I took my brain out of the equation, I would actually end up running significantly faster.  My one hesitation about running with no idea of pace was that I would start out too fast and really struggle at the end.  This has been a problem for me in the past in longer races, but I've grown a lot as a runner in the last few months and I think that at this point this is probably more a myth that is holding me back than a reality.  I need to teach myself to run based on effort and feel and take my Garmin (and brain) out of the equation.

So two weeks ago before the long run I set up my Garmin so that I could only see distance. I started the run with some teammates and tried to settle into a comfortably hard pace.  I could tell that they were running faster than I tend to start long runs, but I tucked in and just tried to keep up.  They were doing ten miles, so they turned around after five and I was on my own for the last nine.  I was a bit worried that my pace would drop off without someone to chase, but I focused on maintaining the same effort level.  At mile seven I took a quick bathroom break, ate a snack, and put on my iPod before turning around and heading back.  I felt good the whole time, though I didn't have the energy to really drop the pace for the last few miles.

I tried this strategy again this past Sunday with similar success.  Once again I had company for the first few miles, but did the bulk of the run on my own.  I really thought about keeping a steady effort level and continuing to push when I could feel myself start to back off or slow down.  I felt pretty strong most of the way, but like the week before didn't have that next gear to turn to for the last few miles.  I think that will come with time though, as my body adjusts to running at this faster pace.

Both weekends I ran 14 miles and while I was a bit slower this week, I was faster than my current half marathon PR at 13.1 both times!  Obviously I knew that my PR was very outdated (and the first week I took a break at mile 7), but it is still a great confidence booster.  I know I have a lot of work to do to get where I can be, but this is a step in the right direction.  Obviously every run won't feel as strong as these, but taking my brain out of the equation can only be a good thing.  So while I'll still be wearing my Garmin (can't live without the post-run data!), you won't see me looking at it.