Turns out 6:37 is the magic number for me!

[ClarkeyCat]

2 weeks post-graduation and it's been hard for me to find a rhythm. I've been hovering between 5:56 and 6:11 p/km and hitting 5k with nothing left in me, but have seemed unable to slow down. Last week I hated every run, I managed a 4k and then a 3k during the week and just wanted to go home. My music was annoying me, I was tired and out of breath. On Saturday I told myself I would go slowly and try for a 6k but failed miserably, and instead did 5k in 31 minutes and then had to stop because I was knackered. I felt really defeated and as if I would never manage the 10k race I've signed up for in May, I was sure that to manage more than 5k I would have to slow down dramatically but I wasn't sure I knew how.

So today I thought I would just try again for a slow pace and see if I could do it. The first 3k I really battled with myself and started to speed up but made an effort to regulate and just after 3k I finally seemed to find a rhythm. I kept myself to the same speed and made it to 6k feeling great!

The weird thing is I really didn't slow down as much as I thought I would have to, I averaged 6:37 p/km but it was such a different run - I felt strong and in control and I enjoyed my music and I definitely could have carried on but I'm mindful of not pushing too hard too fast - plus I literally ran out of village. 😂

I'm feeling so much better about it all this evening.

[Lordi Graduate10]

Nice one! Learning to jog not run (like I have)

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to Lordi]

It's surprisingly hard to control pace! All part of learning I guess.

[Lisaloopy9 Graduate10]

Well done to you.

I’m struggling to find my pace & not to speed up for my longer runs.

I love the “run out of Village” 🤣

I live in a village & run out of village & paths!!! Lol

Happy Running 🏃‍♀️

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to Lisaloopy9]

It's annoying in a village on dark evenings as I end up having to do loops so I don't end up in the pitch black on a country lane - and I get bored!

[Lisaloopy9 Graduate10 in reply to ClarkeyCat]

Totally agree!

I’m now doing 10k and I have to make sure I’m back to a certain point before dark as there are no street lights! I have a really rubbish head torch (will make sure I have a decent chest one for next winter!!!!)

It was easier sorting a 5k roite wasn’t it?

I hate doing loops too! I like to run to a point then run back.

Roll on summer (I’ll probably moan about the heat then instead of the cold & dark) lol

😊🏃‍♀️

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to Lisaloopy9]

I'm dreading the heat I have to say - but can't wait for light evenings.

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

If you have nothing left at the end of 5K , then you have just run a 5K race - because that is how you are supposed to feel at the end of a 5K race. BUT - NOT at the end of a 5K training run!! At this stage of your running career, you should be concentrating on volume of miles rather than pace of those miles. Slowly building the number of days that you run and the miles done on those days - but at a slow pace. NIKO NIKO pace -- NIKO is the Japanese word for "smiling" . When running with somebody else, if you can;t talk freely to them - or when running alone, if you can't smile , then you are running too fast After you have done miles and miles and miles of slow easy running, then it will be time to run faster youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2kh...(Not working as expected?) This old man ran a 2:38 marathon at age 50 plus based upon his slow jogging

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to Bazza1234]

It's honestly not me 'concentrating' on a fast pace I swear, it's just me not thinking about it and unintentionally setting a faster pace. It seems to be what comes naturally when I don't concentrate - but obviously I'm not fit enough to sustain it, hence why I've made an effort to slow down.

I like the smiling concept. 😊

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10]

Yay! I'm so happy for you!

That is around my comfortable pace as well, where you feel like you can go and go. It will make such a huge difference in your training having found your sustainable pace. I found when I stopped focusing on the 30 min 5k, and realized 32-33 minutes was a comfortable run, I absolutely fell in love with running, and especially longer distances. I aim for a 7:00-7:30 when I'm reaching for new distances above 10k and have had many with "negative splits" where the second half is actually ran faster than the first half!

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to SaskAlliecat]

Thank you. I knew I needed to find the right pace I just was t sure how. I hope I can keep it up.

[SaskAlliecat Graduate10 in reply to ClarkeyCat]

I'm sure you can 😊

[Lordi Graduate10]

I realised last week that a sustainable pace at my current fitness level was the same as my pre-cricket match boundary jog warm-up "running on the spot but leaning forwards a bit" ! That's around 6:30-7:00 pace. I think it is psychological; earlier I think I felt anything less than 6:00 wasn't doing it properly! Be careful though, if you suddenly find the slow coasting gear then don't go nuts and overdo it distance/time-wise!

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to Lordi]

Yes I’m conscious of not doing that. I stopped at 6k rather than trying to see how much more I could do, I don’t want to end up injured!

[Hidden]

Really proud of you! you are doing so well. I get the difficulty about pacing yourself (must be in the genes!). i worked hard this morning on slowing down, and it clicked - though my pace is way slower than yours. I suddenly felt as if i could keep going. and i also run out of town (probably the same size as your village), which is why I'm starting to venture onto paths and bridleways when i run in daylight. I have every confidence that you will manage the distance by May.

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Your town is about 3 times the size at the very least 😂

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

So pleased you found your happy pace Clarkey Cat😊xx

Happy running x

[ClarkeyCat Graduate10 in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thank you 😊