Morning fellow runnerites!
Just a very quick pre-work post. I haven't run since Saturday due to ... well, life really. My working hours have changed slightly which without boring you with details, means that I have an hour less after work in which to run, should I wish to. So, itching to run after my 10k triumph on Saturday, I decided that given that I don't have much time to run before work, I'd use this midweek running time to work on speed, then at least if that goes well, I can run more distance in the limited time, right?
So this morning I did my little route round Buckshaw Village, exactly 3k, but decided that I would use a 165bpm running track. Well that was certainly pushing it for me, particularly with the gentle hills I've mentioned before, but boy it was fun! I didn't really have a toxic 10 this morning, more of a toxic 5 I think, for the first 5 minutes I just didn't feel like it, and I think I've noticed this happening every time I up my pace a bit, it's not that I can't do the run, it's that my body needs to get used to the rhythm of the new pace.
Anyway the beauty of the way I run this route is that the uphill half is first which I can do whilst I'm still fresh, and then recover a bit on the downhill section. It was good, I wasn't even breaking a sweat at half way, but there came a point where suddenly it was hard and I had a choice of slowing down or pushing to maintain pace. Well you can guess which one I chose, it's only a short run after all. Short? Since when has 3k been short? Anyway...
There was less than 1k to go so I decided to push it, of course I did. My breathing became a little less controlled than it usually is, not managable, but I had to consciously think about getting more oxygen to my lungs, and of course the last little bit of the run has an incline, but... I did it! Rather red-faced probably, and definitely a little on the sweaty side now (sorry!) but I do now have a new PB overall average pace, and of course a 3K PB of 6:05/km and a total time of 18:18. Not entirely sure the maths works out there, but the app must be right!!
The next mid-week quest: break the magic 6 min/km barrier! I was so close today but I just didn't have it in me, yet.
Back at work now, did my 5 minute warm down walk after the run, did some stretches whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, about to go and use Sadie-runs' fantastic babywipe technique to make it look like I'm not an unfit 43 year old
Have a lovely day, run safe!
Neil