To go fast or not to go fast?

Thanks to Robin for posting the link for the McMillan Running Calculator. It stated that I should be going a 8:48-9:10pace for tempo runs & a 8:40-8:58pace for tempo intervals. For long runs & easy runs I should be at a 10:11-11:11 pace. Holy cow I am going MUCH faster than that. My long run on Monday which was my 6miler I finished in about 55:00 mins w/ an average pace of 9:07. That was really a comfy pace for me. Given the fact that a 10k is about 6.2 the McMillan site says that I should finish that in about 53:59 w/a pace of 8:40. Which I guess is right since you tend to go faster at a race(due to excitement & whatnot) than you do for your normal/training runs. I guess my concern is that because I am going much faster on my training runs that either I won't be able to do that on race day & end up going slower or I may try to push myself even faster on race day & end up possibly really hurting by the end. Obviously I don't want either scenario to happen so what I will try to do is shoot for around 8:30-8:35 on the tempo runs & keep my pace of 9:07 on the long & easy runs because going 10:11 is really too slow for me.

My wanting to go fast when I do any type of cardio is something that I have wrestled w/ since I started exercising(about 5 years ago). Sometimes it is good to go fast I know, but then there other times when I need to back the heck off before I get hurt. I guess the key is knowing when to go slow & easy & when to go balls out & run like you stole something.

W/ all that said I do have a tempo run(5miles total/3miles at a pace of 8:49pace) today(w/ my running partner) so I have told her we HAVE TO go at a 8:35-8:40 pace. Which should be doable because again she has the Garmin,map & can't leave her behind! I'll try to post my results later this evening. For all those braving the malls for the final Christmas shopping hoorah remember comfy shoes,yours lists, & plenty of patience. If all that fails there is always alcohol to numb the pain!