I forgot my GPS (again), so I timed two half-mile segments to get an idea of my pace. On the way out, I timed the segment from 1.5 miles to 2.0 miles, and my pace was 9:31 minutes/mile. I chose that segment, because I'm usually warmed up by 1.5 miles, and I know accurately where the segment begins and ends. I could tell I wasn't ready for that fast of a pace because my throat was slightly raw, so I slowed down a bit for the rest of the run.
On the way back, I timed myself over the same segment, and my pace was 10:21. I had run 8 miles when I started this segment, and I was, I'm sure, getting tired. Also, the temperature was significantly higher on the way back. When I left home, the temperature was 72 (F), and when I returned home, the temperature was 91 (F).
Those paces of 9:31 and 10:21 are almost exactly the paces for my new goals. The 10:21 pace was close to the pace I maintained over the 6 miles between the two measurements. I'm not claiming that I've reached my new goals, because, as I mentioned, I wasn't ready for the 9:31 pace. But, it is interesting that I reached the two numbers, even for just a few minutes in the case of the first number. Running my goal recovery pace for most of the run was appropriate since I doubled the mileage from most of my runs the past couple of weeks and thus needed to run slower that I would if I were just going 5 miles. Also, before I claim I've reached my new goals, I want to be able to repeat my new paces for quite a few runs such that I feel comfortable with the higher speeds.
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