That's one of the weirder things about running. Generally you just say "go out for a run" like there's no skill to - that's it's just effort. Watch a kid run.

That's one of the weirder things about running. Generally you just say "go out for a run" like there's no skill to - that's it's just effort. Watch a kid run. You quickly realize that they have two paces - flat out sprint and walk. Pacing is something that you learn over time. The opposite extreme of that kid is someone's who's a really experienced runner - my wife for example; it's not that she's incredibly fast but she's amazingly conscious of her pace - if she wants to be consistent she'll run a mile pace that's within seconds for 10+ miles. If she's running a shorter distance she can calibrate her pace. I think that's one of the things I like about running. The other nice thing about it - really about any form of exercise is the discipline it forces on you. Not "I go running everyday" but - I go running as often as it takes to keep me where I want to be while listening to my body to avoid injury. The more you ask of "where I want to be" the more you have to know about stopping not just going. It forces a self awareness that can be atypical.