Variety: to train well, I've got to mix it up.

Today I was going to take an easy 7-miler, but after warming up fairly well, I decided to go a notch faster on my run.

Why?

I asked myself...." Ron, how many fast runs have you done OFF the treadmill?" The answer is that I've done very few faster than 7:40 pace around here, except ON the treadmill. So I went at a faster pace today. Yes, the knee was stiff...it's an ominous feeling with the occasional pain down there. But, I felt the need to run outdoors at a good pace.

So, after going 7:30/pace for three miles, I finished my run well under 7-minute pace for 4 more miles. I can rest tomorrow, if necessary. But going into a race without running fast is unsettling to me; so I picked it up the same way I would have done with my Minnesota running buddies. I still have a week until my 10K so I should train normally, including the speed, long runs and varying surfaces.

One thing I know about me is that I can go faster more easily than longer.