Steady Improvement

I'm not a fast runner, so I don't get too caught up in running faster times each time out. I am, however, particular about keeping a detailed running log where I document the distances I run and the time it takes me to run them.

While I don't get too caught up with faster times, I do like to see tangible evidence that I am showing steady improvement in my running times at specific distances. So after logging 16 miles in 2 hours, 49 minutes and 28 seconds this morning, I decided to look back and see how my time today compares with the two other occasions I've logged 16 miles. Here's what I found.

Jan. 29, 2005: 16.2 miles in 2:58:59 (11m 02s/mile pace)

Nov. 20, 2005: 16 miles in 3:04:45 (11m 32s/mile pace)

Today: 16.05 miles in 2:49:28 (10m 33s/mile pace)

Granted, each of these runs were done over different routes, but I was quite pleased to see that my average pace is a full minute faster than it was just four months ago.