— Running Without Music

Week 8 Sunday Run: I missed last Sunday’s run due to Easter in San Diego with the family, so the last time I did a long run was two weeks ago. Boy, time surely flies. I can’t believe it’s week 8 already. Today’s scheduled run was 8 miles. It was our usual course, from Shutters, to the end of Venice, back north to San Vicente, then back to the parking lot where we meet.

This week was the perfect example of using Negative Splits. Negative splits is a running term where you run faster on the second half of your runs instead of the first half. So for the first half, you keep a slow pace, conserving energy, and warming up your muscles getting ready for a faster second half. This is truly my running style because usually, my aches and pains get introduced in the beginning, then towards the end I am good (or maybe it’s the fact that my muscles and joints get numbs that I can’t feel it anymore? I don’t know, I’m not an expert).

Towards the end, Ilana and Philippa, my running partners of the week, kinda strayed away from our usual pace group 4 and picked up the pace a little bit. Philippa even got us to RUN up the incline where the pier starts (great use of hill training there). We felt we had a very energy efficient pace, and I admit, we were conquering that last half of the run very well! It felt awesome. When we finished the 12 miles, it’s really hard for me to say that it wasn’t a problem. I was a little scared at the finish line because I actually felt a small pinch in my right leg muscle, so I ended the run slowly, walked, then stretched it out. Tomorrow I recover.

Negative Splits: Use Them to Perform Better in Your Next Marathon