Dear Tempo Runs, I apologize for judging you.

Hey! I've got a 5K this weekend.

My previous 5K PR is 33:05, from the Corona del Mar Scenic 5K in June.

I've obviously been running a bit since then, but I haven't done any real speed work since before Long Beach. If we're counting, that was FIVE WEEKS AGO. And, certainly no tempo runs, because I just hate them so very much.

But this week, I was determined to suck as little as possible. So Tuesday, I did my speed work, like a good RLRF follower.

And last night, I did tempo. I almost didn't. I looked at my RLRF pace (9:56) and pretty much laughed at it.

This is the thing. I am NOT a fast runner, obviously. And I'm pretty content with that. Everyone runs for their own reasons, with their own goals. Mine is just to suck less, a little bit. I'm not SUPER concerned with my pace, so long as I'm challenging myself.

And I really don't want to puke. Ever.

I checked out my previous tempo run attempts, and they went from 10:54 (in June), 10:50, 10:44, 10:39, 10:24 (in August). Then I stopped tempo, totally.

Those were ALL done with a minute (or two....) break in between miles to catch my breath. All of them. I never ran a tempo run straight through.

So, yeah, 9:56. Seemed AWFULLY ambitious.

But I figured I'd give it a shot. How bad could it really be, right? I can just lower the speed or take a break if it REALLY sucks.

Mile 1: 9:46.

Huh. This isn't so bad. I don't even feel like I need to slow down....

Mile 2: 9:46

Huh. Two miles. Who knew.

Mile 3: 8:55.

what. the. eff. did. i. just. do.

I mean. Did you see that?

8:55.

3 miles, 28:24. Average pace 9:28.

That is the FASTEST I've ever run, ever. Ever. I didn't feel like I might die. I could have run FASTER, even - I started playing with the speed with about .75 left to go, and increased from 6.3 to 7.4.

And I could have kept going. I could have gone faster.

Imagine where I'd be if I hadn't chickened out of all those other tempo runs, eh?