Morning little running faries! Oh, and elves. No, not Elvis!!
Interesting morning this morning. I decided that it would do me good to run 3k before work. That's my pre-work running route, and it's just the perfect distance for a pre-work jaunt.
So - rather than write a lengthy post as I really should get some work done, I'll skip to the interesting part. I aimed to run 3k. I didn't quite make it. Yes - this is Bridge to 10k and I already have a few 10ks under my belt, so why? Well the issue is of course speed. I was aiming to push my speed a bit this morning as I normally do on these short runs, but I may have overcooked it slightly. At 2.71k even though the end point was in sight and a simple straight reasonably level run, I just couldn't do it. The reason is obvious though, I managed the whole thing in just over 16 minutes at an average pace of 5:55/km, which is easily the fasted I've ever done that sort of distance. And that's even taking into account the fact that my first 0.25k was really slow for some reason. I say really slow, I'm probably being harsh on myself. Just not as quick as the rest. My top pace was 5:19/km about 10 minutes in, but I was going downhill my that point, so maybe I just got a bit giddy.
Well - every run is a worthwhile experience. All I can say is I'm really looking forward to doing a longer run at the weekend.
Well done! Short, fast runs are good but take care as they are a high injury risk for many runners. Don't do them too often and a nice easy run for next time.
Try running at different speeds during a run. They do this all the time at my running club and it really does reap rewards relatively quickly. Mixing up speeds and routes and terrain makes us stronger runners.
Thanks for the wise advice Irishprincess , I'm quite sure you're right. I am struggling to get into the speed intervals thing, as I'm trying that myself once a week, but I shan't give up yet! I am always careful to do my fastest running on the nice even cycle path near work, no potholes or trip hazards, and that seems to be working so far. I
Thanks though, I need all the help and advice I can get
Irishprincess’ words are very wise. Running fast makes demands on different bits of your muscle (there are fast-twitch and slow-twitch), so do take care! You have such a love of speed and are an incredibly plucky runner, but we do worry. 😁 Enjoy a slow and steady next, I say! Good run though. Well done! x
Twitchy muscles? That's a bit beyond me is that. I'll clearly have to start learning all this sports sciencey stuff. It might be beyond me!!
I don't know about speed. I do very much enjoy a slower run, but this one was quite deliberately a faster run. I don't want to become a slave to speed or even a lover of speed, but of course it is an indicator of performance, and what I do want to do is keep getting fitter and improve my running, because achieving something new has such a massive benefit mentally. I just wish I could have pushed myself that last couple of hundred metres or so and finish the distance I intended to do. But that's just me. It's not something I had to do, it's something I *wanted* to do.
The next run though will definitely be way slower I should think. I want to enjoy it. There's nothing better than the feeling of settling down into a run at a nice comfortable sustainable pace, embracing the warm glow of proving all the people wrong who said you'd never be a runner
I do know you worry, and that's appreciated. I worry myself sometimes, and I worry about you of course
I think I'm terrorising myself at the moment to be honest Tbae , and probably the other people out who were greeted with the sight of a sweaty panting middle-aged lump barelling towards them lol
Thanks for your encouragement though, I really appreciate it, and it does mean a lot.
My experience of getting faster has always been a sensation that a new gear is evolving so I'd go out and run faster but would usually breakdown around 3-4k, I would just stop, walk and then restart to complete the 5k once I have recovered. As you do this a few times you eventually manage to hit the 5k without stopping at the new pace. Sometimes if I stopped because I couldn't go on I would then run even faster and then break down quicker, then run faster again and break down so the run would be 3.5k walk 500m faster, walk, 400m even faster and so on until a full on ballsout fury run 100m at the end. Purely just to get my frustation of not being able to run as fast as I wanted lol.
From a strategy perspective I have read that a 5k is lost or won in the fourth km and it is better to go out slower, progressively get faster and then after 3k start nailing it it, and no matter how knackered you are, if you get a sniff of that PB on your watch after 4k you will find the energy to push even harder for the sprint finish.
Thanks pinkaardvark , that's really really really helpful! Yes, that kind-of goes along with what my church pastor says, who as it happens is a marathon runner. So rather than start off like a bat out of hell then break down, make your final k the fastest. Was that what you were saying?
Anyway, thanks, that really is helpful input for my fledgling runing journey. Good to hear from you again
Yes. I think it's important to break the back of the thing and to give yourself time to warm up into the run. Ideally you want to be hitting peak once over the peak, just from that psychological perspective of 'if I am nearly damn there, I can go to the end' rather than 'i'm knackered and there is an age to go' lol.
So for you that may be run at 6-6:10 for km one, km two-three at 6:00 then start hitting the 5:50 after three with a sprint into the last 500m.
Thanks roseabi , yes I do fully understand the need to run longer and slower to run faster and shorter, but as you say, I think to run fast you do actually have to run fast at some point I've been running long enough now that I have a few PBs under my belt, but I'm a new enough runner than they are still coming quite frequently, and the feeling of a PB is addictive
Oh - my PB for a 5k is still something like 32:17 if I remember correctly... so still nowhere near Aardvark, but it's getting there.
I just *have* to do 5k in 30 minutes though. It's called Couch to 5K for a reason, surely?! The OCD part of me really wants to achieve that lol
It will tumble quickly like you say, lots of PB's happen regularly at the start., I started at 38mins or so, it was very quickly down to about where you are and I remember it taking a while then to get sub 30, just the regular running and chasing the 10ks helped there. Then I had to knuckle down a bit more and push at it like you are doing. But as I have only been at it 9mths you won't be far behind me
My first 5k was about 37 minutes in week 7 I think back in March/April. Mine is still 30:50. Desperate to go sub 30! Given myself til Xmas. Had loads of PBs until hit the plateau about 2 months ago. No improvement for a few weeks til last Saturday when I knocked 43 seconds off. I attribute this too a huge amount of hills in the previous 2 weeks at my new running club 👌🏽
Why thank you! I'm not sure "amazingly fast" covers it, but certainly faster than I used to be. It's all part of the journey though, and each journey is different. I actually died after this morning's run, no seriously, I'm speaking from beyond the grave, or at least I feel a bit like that. Your 8 per k is just perfect though for you, and I suspect getting through runs without actually dying In other words, you're much more sensible than I am
Thanks for your kind words Tbae. Yeah - I made myself laugh a bit too. Most of the run was reasonably controlled and as graceful as I could manage, but it did get a bit wild and uncontrolled towards the end
10km/hr and your little more is great pace Neil and you are so close to breaking the 30 min, 5k.
It is at your mercy now.So well done.
Keep barrelling away.Enjoyed watching pinks/ Mike’s link in 5k tips.All excellent tips and simple.💥🏃♂️💥
Your going to make it happen soon.👏👏
Well done on getting to that distance at that sort of pace..
There are no short cuts to running faster as you have to run fast to do this..
It is something that should be built up gradually so as not to put you at risk of Injury.. I speak from experience...
There are lots of ways of doing Intervals and tempo/ threshold runs ...they should be just 1 part of a running regime..
Runnersworld or Running Bug are good sources of info or just Google it..
I did am interval run thus morning my best pace was 5min 12 sec but that was only a short duration in comparison to your run ..
Any run is never a bad run .. 😁😁
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Thanks Rob, I'm trying to vary it a bit, for sure. Thanks for the suggestions for info though, more reading for me. And 5'12 per k is flippin' fast, so in your case any run is probably a great run
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5'12 was a short duration interval.. i push myself as I know it's not for long 😀
I am aiming to get to a 30 min 5K but best at mo is 32:47 .. progress is progress and it's fun trying 😁
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Turns out 6:37 is the magic number for me! 
This is what a knackered runner looks like... 
Pre-work 3k PB, and fast! 🏃
