Heart Rate Training

I just looked at my dailymile, and my average pace is DEPRESSING. I know I'm hitting the trails a lot and I'm still running long and I'm not doing any speedwork, but still. I'm trying to tell myself that this is all helping me aerobically and that I'm becoming more fit and that my pace will improve (or at least get back to where it was, which still wasn't great).

I've read some very convincing things about heart rate training (like this posted by the dude who repaired my broken foot -- the links contained are pretty interesting -- and ShutUpandRun's post on heart rate training that started me thinking more seriously about it). I haven't even gotten close to buying a heart rate monitor -- I'm not ready because I know that my heart rate is fast and that it would be yelling at me constantly.

Plus it's embarrassing to be purposely running so much more slowly than those I am with. I'm already a slow-poke -- slowing down more seems so disheartening.

Not that anyone gives a shit how slowly or quickly I run.