I got you that time, sub-6:00 tempo -- and the 2:45:00 standard is official!

July 11 gave me news to celebrate -- USATF announced the official 2020 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifying Standards!  It's been presumed that the women's B standard would be 2:45:00, but it wasn't official until it was official -- and today it became official!  This is great news for me, because there was always the possibility that the standard could be faster, like 2:42.  A 2:45:00 will be a strrrrrrreeeeetch, because everything went awfully well for me to run a 2:49:20, but I am ready to give it a go.  If the standard was 2:42:00, I would more likely be ready to give up.  So not feeling the need to give up something I've been dreaming about is fantastic news!

Whoop whoop!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've recently had a little beef with 6:00 pace on my tempo runs.  In May 2017, my 4 mile tempo ended up being 6:01 pace and my 6 mile tempo was 6:00 pace.  Back in December 2016, I did a 4 mile tempo at 6:01 pace as well.  Last week, I did a progression 10 mile run in which I ran the last mile in 6:01.  I kept saying, "I'll get you next time, 5:59!" 

Last night as I was mentally preparing for today's tempo, I starting wondering if I was ever going to stop saying, "I'll get you next time" to 5:59.  I haven't been unhappy with 6:00-6:01 tempo averages, because they were PR tempos and towards the lower end of my goal pace range from my coach, which is currently 5:57-6:10 (and on the progression run, my last mile was scheduled at 6:10, so I was under my goal).  But who wants to run 6:00-6:01 when one can run 5:59!?

Well, today I didn't get my 5:59 average; I got a 5:53 average (splits below)!  This was at 72* with 88% humidity (dew point 70*), so I am also officially heat/humidity adapted.  I felt smooth and strong throughout, and it just clicked.  I had company for the first time in over a year on a tempo; Jessi, Missouri State's top distance runner, who I am doing some training with over the summer, did this workout with me, and having her along was extremely helpful and probably the complete reason for the success.  When we came through mile 1 in 5:57, that pretty much sealed the deal on aiming to be sub-6:00 for every split (my initial aim was to start at more like 6:05 for the first mile), and I ended up with a beautiful negative split, which is the only way to run tempos after all.  I finished feeling like I'd run hard, but with some left in the tank -- again, a perfect tempo.

It took me a few tries to get that sub-6:00 average, but I didn't give up.  I am going to try for that 2:45 with the same abandon.  I hope I can get to that 2020 starting line, God-willing, and that my friends with this goal can too!