OK, let's think about this for a bit

Duration = 1:30:01
Distance = 5.68
Calories = 656
Max HR = 152
Avg HR = 129
Running Index = 41
Max Cadence = 81
Avg Cadence = 69

This started out as a "really bad" session. 36 minutes into the session, I was ready to forget the whole thing. I was trying to maintain a Zone 3, but this was putting into an area where I didn't feel good. I backed off and figured I would start a cool-down, but I then figured I would at least finish the 1.5 hours. I was walking at 3.0 and my heart rate dropped to around 120. I then decided that, if I was going to spend the time, I might was well keep it minimally worthwhile. Each minute, I would bump the speed 0.1 mph if the heart rate was below 120. Eventually, I was up to 3.5. As I was actually feeling much better, both physically and emotionally, I planned to take the remaining 25 minutes before the cool-down and bump the speed 0.1 at 5 minute intervals which would have me at 4.0 for the last 5 minutes. I did just that and finished with a normal 10 minute cool-down and stretches after.

Several things contributed to the problems at the start: we had been traveling and the house was still cold, I had been in a car nearly constantly for over 7 hours, I was still stiff from the stair session the night before, and I ramped up the speed much too fast. Most of these would be alleviated by a proper warm-up. I need to be better at getting to the target speed. I may start using a 10 minute warm-up and increase the intensity slowly. I will start tomorrow's session with an extended warm-up and slow increase as an experiment and see how I react to that and to get an idea of time I need to get "up to temperature".

[Posted 0200, 1 December 2008]
[Edited 1055, 1 December 2008 to add post timestamp]