slow running or running slower

I've struggled since I hurt my shins/calf with the fact that my running is much slower than I desire. It is really starting to frustrate me. Looking back at my data from last August, it seems I'm in the exact place I was a year ago. I know that's not true because at this time last year, I'd never run further than 3 miles...ever. Now? I regularly run 4+ miles, even rocked out a 10 miler this past weekend. Maybe I should be be more focused on the miles I'm getting in, instead of on the amount of time it takes for me to finish them. Maybe the slowness is due in part to me missing almost a whole month of summer heat acclimation?

Enough of that. I'm right on track for my half marathon training and will be until the end of this month. I've spent most of my long runs on my own (except for two done with Retta and LaTanya...who rock!). I had picked this one location to run two of them. Mainly because it had a 2.3 mile loop and I figured it would be easy to refuel. It sucked. I need to find a better place to long run when I'm on my own.

The best long run was definitely this past weekend with Retta and LaTanya. It was the longest run ever for both of them. It was my 3rd longest run ever (my first 10 miler was in March and the half marathon). LaTanya was really only planning 6, but at the turn where she was going to have to go, decided to stick with us for the 7.5 mile loop at RTB. We got back to the parking lot to refuel and head out for a few more miles and she tagged along. They both rocked that run. We walked a lot of it, but that's okay! Looking at my data (cause I'm a geek), when we did run, we were running between 12:30-14 minute paces.

The best shorter run was this past week. I've been running on a track at my daughter's school with some other people on Tuesday mornings. They do more speed work, I'm just there to get my miles in mostly. I started out just jogging along, figured I'd do that then pick up the pace a little for the last quarter mile, not so much that I was struggling...but enough that I'd feel it. Did that and finished 3.1 miles three minutes faster than the last time I ran the distance a few weeks before. I busted my butt the last tenth and ran that at a 9:05 pace.

So maybe my speed (ha!) is still there?