Tomorrow morning I’ll be running the 10km event at the Canberra Times Family Fun Run & Walk, which is a really bulky title for a fun run, although not the worst I’ve ever heard. This is the third time I’ve run this race, and as far as races go it’s flat, fast and fun unless it’s rainy or windy. The first year I ran, it was both. I wore a big heavy jacket, which got even heavier when it was soaked. So I took it off, and froze half to death in the wind. My iPod decided it was on strike, making it the first run of any sort of distance that I had attempted without that particular distraction. My Nike+ Sportband was hideously inaccurate and as such not a lot of help in estimating my pace.
Last year was a little better. I took almost eight minutes off my time from 2008. I knew my limitations a bit better. I didn’t stop to walk at all. I had my Garmin 405 to help me keep a good pace, even though I didn’t know how to use it yet. Better shoes. No rain.
Last year’s run, as mediocre as some of the splits were (I’m looking at you, 8th km).
I took this screenshot from Rubitrack, which is the software I use to gather my Garmin run data, and my Nike+ data as well, to keep it all in one place. I love this sort of technology, adore how flashy it is but I’m not sure if it’s actually all that useful. I guess I might be able to use it to gauge my progress when I compare it with this year’s run. Most of the time, I just use Rubitrack to tell me my calorie burn, because Garmin Connect either doesn’t use my HRM data or miscalculates shockingly.
Right now I’m wondering whether a short jog later today might be helpful or harmful to my race time tomorrow. I need to work out but I’m not in the mood to do Zumba or pull out the Jillian Michaels DVDs. I usually taper before a race, even though my concept of ‘tapering’ generally consists of just neglecting to exercise for the week or so before the big day. Oh well. I stick by my terminology.
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