Soo.... as I incease the km-ageI know can do - how do I keep from getting frustrated or having a bad conscience if I do not run as far or fast as I can? Mind you, it isn't very fast yet, nor far....

For example:

I am signed up for an 8.6 km race in a week and a half. I signed up because I know I can do 10 km in about an hour, and I have never participated in anything like it. It goes through our old town which is all dressed up for Xmas. It has a category for pros and for normal folks.

I participated in a practice run they put up. I joined the group that would take 42-45 minutes for the run at the speed we had, and I had to work hard to keep up.

So the last couple of weeks I ran several times, among those:

a)fast, 45 minutes at my 85% max HR (cough. *blush*. at times it was way over...)
b)hill repeats (there is one nasty ascent)
c)a 1hr run with boyfriend at an easy pace which turned out to be getting faster as he warmed up, and a long, all-out hill at the end (gasp! I always used to walk that one!)

Today in my lunch hour I did an easy run, all flat, at "talking speed" at all times. I felt like turning in after 45 minutes, although I could have done it all again I think... so was I a good girl or bad?