Why I Don't Set Time Goals

I don't set time goals because I chronically underestimate what I'm capable of doing. On the way to the race on Friday (it was a running race that my coach wanted me to treat as a time trial), we were discussing our goal paces, and I said I'd be happy with an 8:15 average. This time is pretty similar to what I did for a 3-mile time trial when we went to Austin, and I wanted to factor in the longer distance and the general exam-time fatigue. I thought it was a good goal, maybe a little conservative, but safe.

I blew that out of the water. I went 7:50/mile, a pace that was somewhere on my radar screen as a good goal pace...for August. Not for April.

At this point, I am beginning to think that any time goals I set are going to be way off, at least until I get a better idea of where my speed is right now. I'm definitely faster than last year, and I think I need to get some racing experience in before I try to set targets, otherwise it's all just shots in the dark.

But - 7:50? I was psyched. I've never gone sub-8, and certainly never for four miles. Yay!!