Since I knew that I was going to run Lake Miramar today, I planned to have an easy run on Friday. But I wasn’t anticipating running as slow as I did. It might have also been that I decided to run an extra lap too. Either way, that just meant that I had no excuses for not running fast today. And after running the Lake Miramar loop today and seeing my time (36:00), it definitely looks like that easy run helped.
As I arrived at the lake, I noticed that there were significantly more cars today. I didn’t have the prime parking space like I did last time I ran at Lake Miramar. I noticed that there were two tents by the start of the loop. Apparently there was an event that was happening this morning called, “Ray of Sunshine Miramar Lake Walk”. The walk was going to start at 8, so I had more than enough time to finish before it started.
So, last time I tried to run along with another runner to keep me on pace, but that backfired on me because that runner was way too fast for me. I ended up running a lot slower for the rest of the run. This time, there was no one to start with me, so I was on my own this time. There were a lot of walkers and joggers this morning and I kept passing them one by one. I still started at a pretty fast pace (7:15 first mile). This was a very good start, not too slow and not too fast. I was hoping that I could keep up that same pace, maybe a little slower, for the rest of the run.
Around this time, I noticed another runner up ahead that was going at a pretty good pace. I surged a little to try and run with him (only if he wasn’t running too fast) but I ended up just passing him. So for the next 3-4 miles, that same runner was trailing behind me. At one point, he did catch up to me, but not long after, he dropped back behind me once again. Either he surged and caught up to me or I slowed down enough for him to catch up to me. During random sharp turns, I could actually see the other runner in my peripheral vision; he was so close behind me! I kept thinking to myself, “is he using me to keep up the pace and then pass me at the end?” I so didn’t want that to happen.
Finally at mile 5 (right before the dam, thanks anne for clarifying), I tried to pick it up a little. Because what I hate more than anything is getting beat at the end, and that has happened way too often in many races that I’ve ran in high school. There was a good amount of people on the dam and I just kept passing them. I finished the run, breathing the hardest that I ever have on any run for quite some time. I looked at my watch and found that I hit 35:59, over two minutes faster than the last time I ran the Lake Miramar Loop. My last lap was a whopping 6:30 which can only be explained from two things: I didn’t start off too fast so that I was too tired for the rest of the run, and I was afraid of the runner passing me right at the end. Obviously it won’t apply to everybody, but running with fear is almost always a good motivator. And if doesn’t work, then pacing yourself will also work too!