WEEK 9, DAY 2: Splits. Not banana splits, 3 mile splits.

I've come to realize from months of reading the Hal Higdon forums that I will never be able to increase my efficiency and speed until I start analyzing my splits. For now, I'm too inexperienced to worry about tempo runs and serious intervals and repeats, but I can learn something from my split times.

This morning's run: easy 3 miles. Split times are as follows:

• 12:37:88
• 11:30:45
• 12:41:33

Now, following the theory that a runner's split times should be exceptionally close, suggesting well-conserved and efficiently-used energy throughout the run, with the times growing increasingly faster toward the end of the run, this data clearly suggests that I blew my energy wad on mile two, thereby leaving myself nothing on mile 3. But how can that be when mile 3 felt like my strongest mile? Although I walked for about a minute at the very beginning of the mile (there are still times when I have to stop for my stupid right leg), I cranked my pace up toward the last .75 and felt light as a feather.

Further, on a run this short, can I make this assessment fairly? I guess the only way I'll find out is by assessing more critically on longer runs.