More Rookie mistakes

I don't know what's up with me but I seem to have forgotten all the things I've supposed to have learned already.

After some good stretching and shaking outany remaining kinks from Saturday's run, I set out for 3 easy miles. It took me two tries to get out of the corral as I ran into SteveS first and then George. Of couse, I had to stop both times to talk trash so I ended up "starting" this run 3 times. All 3 times, I was chomping at the bit. Once I really got going, I felt great. I was loosey goosey and pain-free through the first half mile. I looked down at my watch and I was at ~12:00 pace. I thought to myself, "Self, well, just hold it. You're conversational and feeling good. Let's just finish this 3 in 36:00!" Of course, I was making the rookie mistake of going out too fast. That may be ok in a 5K but not a training run. I shoot for at least an even pace if not a negative split for most of my easy runs.

Needless to say, I kind of crashed by about mile 1.75. Correction, I didn't crash but I definitely felt myself going into tempo effort and that was not my intention for this workout. I was just going to slow down but when I came to one of my Strider friends that was walking, I walked and talked for about a quarter mile, briskly mind you. When I picked back up on the running, I did a little closer to 13 minute pace and finished hot and sweaty but invigorated.

By the way, the knee pain from Saturdays too-long long run seems to have been what I suspected, just a little overuse soreness from overdoing it and not a full-blow injury. The three days rest seem to have gotten everything back to good working condition and all is well. Tonight's 3 miles were asymptomatic.