My approach...

Now that I am moving towards an 8k race on January 1, 2013, I think it's time to alter my approach to running. I can no longer do my usual, just start running and whatever happens, happens. Nope. Not going to work. I need to have a mindset when I go out.

Yes, I have a training plan in place but I think increasing your distance and obtaining new goals, requires more than just a training plan. It's an overall mindset to your approach.  This way, when I go out for a 2 mile run, I will understand how important those 2 miles are to my overall goals, so I won't do this....

This is what happens when I use my "whatever" approach:

It's embaressing.

It took me longer to run 2 miles than it did for me to run 3.1 miles last week. Now, it was four-something-am, I wasn't fully awake but still. I also did a little speed work and played with the incline on my treadmill.

I'm going to spend my spare time over the next week re-evaluating my approach to running. I am going to do better even if I am running at four-something-am!