Run > Tempo

Tempo/Marathon Pace Run - (15mins easy, 20mins at 6.00, 3mins easy, 15mins at 6.15, 15mins easy)
Slept ok. Legs feeling fairly refreshed from a shorter week and no long run last week, but also can tell I've done two strength sessions over the weekend. Weather a bit breezy but good temperature.

Warm felt easy and strides felt good and fluid. Felt like I was moving well.

First tempo mile started fast without it feeling too fast. Aim was to run around 6.05 pace or slightly faster (that was last week's pace) but for the same/similar effort. Backed off a bit halfway through the first mile as was running at 5.55 pace. However, pace didn't actually seem to drop and finished the mile in 5.55.
Second mile started a bit slower and was more consistently around 6.00 pace and that is where it finished. Legs were feeling good at this point and breathing was controlled. Felt like I still had a couple of gears if needed.
Mile 3 was a touch quicker again without really trying, although HR rose a little more. It finished in 5.57 pace. The final bits were at 6.00 pace.
Average pace for the 20 minutes was 5.58 pace. Elevation looks slightly out as was running on a loop, so while some miles may be slightly downhill, some were also net uphill due to starting at the lower part of the loop!

3mins easy felt just that. Felt recovered well within the 3 minutes.

Second block was aiming for what felt like marathon effort. Started well and was surprised when I saw I was running under 6.10 pace for what felt a comfortably steady effort. Elevation is slightly out as the start/finish of each of the first two miles of both blocks are the same places, but with different elevations.
Mile 2 was more uphill, felt the same effort as the first (which HR shows, if anything a touch lower when you factor HR lag for mile 1) and came in at 6.14 pace. The final 3mins felt the same effort again and pace was 6.11. Could have carried on much longer.
Average pace for MP 15 mins - 6.11 pace.

Really pleased with this as first time running on fresher legs for a long time and gives some confidence of a 2:45-2:50 marathon if I can keep building.

Cooldown miles mainly uphill and again felt easy effort, although due to the hill it did take a while for HR to settle to lower numbers.

Legs felt good upon finishing, albeit I can tell I have just done a hard session.

1) 1mi - 7:20(7:20/mi) 122/131bpm [894b/mi] 104cal
2) 1mi - 7:02(7:02/mi) 131/139bpm [921b/mi] 108cal
3) 0.09mi - 39(7:08/mi) 136/138bpm [971b/mi] 10cal
4) 1mi - 5:55(5:55/mi) 150/156bpm [888b/mi] 102cal
5) 1mi - 6:00(6:00/mi) 154/157bpm [925b/mi] 105cal
6) 1mi - 5:57(5:57/mi) 156/159bpm [928b/mi] 106cal
7) 0.36mi - 2:11(6:01/mi) 159/161bpm [955b/mi] 39cal
8) 0.44mi - 3:01(6:49/mi) 151/158bpm [1029b/mi] 51cal
9) 1mi - 6:09(6:09/mi) 152/155bpm [935b/mi] 106cal
10) 1mi - 6:14(6:14/mi) 153/155bpm [954b/mi] 108cal
11) 0.44mi - 2:44(6:13/mi) 151/155bpm [939b/mi] 46cal
12) 1mi - 7:18(7:18/mi) 145/154bpm [1058b/mi] 117cal
13) 1mi - 7:26(7:26/mi) 137/141bpm [1019b/mi] 113cal
14) 0.19mi - 1:25(7:23/mi) 130/136bpm [960b/mi] 21cal