2 in 1 run - 7 miles and a virtual 5k

Yesterday was supposed to be my 7 miler, but due to various reasons it got pushed back to today. Which ended up working out perfectly bc it was pouring the rain yesterday with 20mph winds. Today it was cold, but no rain and only 10 mph winds.  Also, we were showing our house today and had to be gone for 2 hours.  Temperature was 36 degrees but felt like 25.  I was freezing when I finished and only now 3 1/2 hours later am I finally warm. 

I had signed me and my hubby up for Jeff at Detroit Runner's "I Just Felt Like Running" virtual 5k several weeks ago.  This coincided with my 7 mile run today and my hubby's first 5k of the year last weekend.

Jeremy did awesome last week.  The 5k he ran in had over 8,000 people!  He finished with his second best 5k time. Which is awesome considering it's only the beginning of this years season! 

I, however, did not PR or get anywhere near a PR for this race.  I ran how I would for a long run and didnt try to go fast the first 3.1 miles bc I knew I would be dead the last 4 miles.  I ran with my friend katie who is faster than I am but she didnt care and just wanted to catch up and hang out while running, which was fine with me!  We took off and about a mile and a half in we had to stop for a minute or two bc Katie's calves were cramping.  My shins were hurting but not too unbearable.  After she stretched we were off again.  I hit my lap button at 3.12 so I would know what my time was for the virtual 5k.  We ran a little bit fartehr and at the half way point of our run, we stopped to walk while I ate a Gu. Then we were off again.  When we got to 7 miles we werent' at the car yet but we decided to walk the rest of the way, which happened to be about .23 miles more. 

I was so proud of myself for only stopping twice during 7 whole miles!!  This was a shock to me - I could run that long without walking??? Then when i got home and looked at my garmin I wasn't as thrilled. :(  I had run quite a minute per mile slower than my 4 mile run and a couple minutes slower per mile than my pace at the half marathon last fall.  BOO!! 

I have a 15k coming up in 2 weeks and I am in a quandry of what to do.  Do I run and not walk with the chances of going at a pace much slower than I would like, or go back to my run/walk method and see if that improves my time?  I hate to try something new in a race but I would like to get this figured out, the sooner the better.