Today Team Rio met at Percy Warner Park for our weekly group training session. Jimmy Olander, guitarist with Diamond Rio, was there and leading the runners. After a group picture, we headed off on our appointed routes, which vary depending on your experience (beginner, intermediate, advanced) and distance (half or full marathon).
My session today was 7 miles with the first mile up, across, and the back down a very steep hill in the park. Then onto flatter terrain on Belle Meade Boulevard, which is a four-lane divided roadway through an upscale neighborhood.
My goal today was to average 16m-30s per mile. I figure that would be good practice to finish the half marathon (13.1 miles) in under 4 hours. Turns out I was able to average 15m-45s per mile today. My left felt it too! Most of the Team Rio participants are runners, not walkers like me. So I was one of the last people to return to the starting station where Ingrid and Jan waited patiently.
As part of Team Rio, I am walking in Country Music half marathon to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, click here. Thanks for your support.
Great job! Hope the weather clears soon so that you can continue to walk outside.