Back at it

Today I got right back into running with a double lap of the UVic Alumni Chip Trail (the link is roughly the route I did) for a distance of 8K and a time of 58 minutes. Yes indeed, I have an actual time because I ran with my phone.

Why did I do this?

When I did the 10K at Elk/Beaver Lake I wasn't sure how busy the route would be and in an effort to not risk a 10K loop of a lake I'd never been to with no ability to contact the outside world, I discovered my phone fits in the zippered pocket of my running shorts. Way to go, Lululemon!

So today I decided to give myself an accurate time. 58 minutes exactly it was. Not super fast, and definitely slower than my 10K race time, but faster than my Elk Lake pace. I was just slightly slower than my first running effort of this half marathon training when I completed the 8K distance about half a song sooner.

What's up with that?

I think part of it might be that the first running effort was at Beacon Hill Park where there were a) other people and b) paved trails. At UVic it is much more a solo running venture. I'm not trying to "keep up" or "compete" with any unsuspecting runners and I am suspicious that running on gravel actually takes more effort. Less rebound and maybe a shorter stride? Or something. That's my excuse anyway.