LT run with a technical problem

Today was the first of many (and progressively more difficult) lactate threshold runs and I was pumped if not nervous. I didn't want to do it after work and saw the temperature would be okay early in the morning, so I was in bed early and up by 5 a.m.

I was aiming for a pace of 4:30K to 4:30K range (7:15 to 7:22 miles), which I've consistently done in races but rarely try out in training. Doing it with race-day magic is one thing, on my own at 5:30 a.m. is another... I went out there with a bottle of water and planned to ditch it when I started the LT run so I could have it when I finished.

At the 2 mile mark (3K), I took off best as I could into a half marathon race pace. It felt good and I was really focused on the next 4 miles (I split it up in my head into 6.5K, more managable for my head to compute.) Little did I remember that I hit Garmin at the beginning at the run intending to hit the lap -- I hit the start/stop key. Luckily, right at the 1K mark (I know the path very well), I realized my error and then started the GPS again.

In the end, I was able to maintain a quick pace, maybe even a little faster than I planned. First LT done.

Here are the splits:
5:09
5:17
5:15
4:35ish (7:22ish mile pace) The lost kilometre
4:37 (7:25 mile pace)
4:34 (7:21 mile pace)
4:28 (7:11 mile pace)
4:29 (7:13 mile pace)
4:28 (7:11 mile pace)
4:23 (.48K) (7:03 mile pace)
5:29
5:02
4:56

8 miles (13K)