I am sitting at the computer calculating my pace for a tempo run this afternoon. I don't have my running log with me so I want to get down the numbers while everything is in my head.

Here is the route. I ran a 10 minute warm-up and then pick things up to tempo pace. The first mile or so was flat and then it was uphill for nearly two miles. The incline changed from nearly flat to fairly steep along the way. This was followed by a short steep downhill and then another mostly flat mile. Tempo 4.9 miles in 29:52. Whoa. 6:07 pace for nearly 5 miles with a huge hill in the middle. I remeasured several times just to be sure. This beats the 5 mile race I did on Thanksgiving and although I was hurting by the end of the workout it definitely wasn't like I had finished a race. I am excited about the workout to say the least.

I retraced the route back for 11.8 miles in 1:23.