GOT ON THE TREADMILL for a quick run before teaching tonight. I didn’t have much time, so I decided to do some sprints, to see what kind of progress I’ve made toward being able to run a sub-20:00 5K. My initial goal, after a one-mile warmup, was to run one mile at 6:30, with a secondary goal of a half mile at 6:00.

At the one-mile mark I took a deep breath and dialed it up – and made it. A 6:30 mile. That’s my fastest known mile to date. I may have run one at that speed during the 2010 Holiday Hustle 5K, but I have no way of knowing. Now I have the proof.

Didn’t do so well with the 6:00 pace. Got to 0.3 miles, then had to hit the Stop button and slow down. But I had enough energy left to make a try at a second quarter mile at that speed, so after a short jog I tried again. Completed the quarter. I’ve done intervals at this speed before, but never after a fast mile, so I’ll count this as progress.