I'll admit it: I do struggle to get myself to run at a slower pace. I do really enjoy running at my quicker pace, but 6K is uncharted territory for me ...and I'll never make it to 10K if I don't learn to tame my lust for speed.
So the goal I set myself for today was to start off much slower than my usual 'happy' pace, and maintain that pace for the vast majority of the run and then allow myself to pick it up at the end ...if willing and able.
I headed out early and somehow managed to completely dodge the rain this morning?! Along with my new running gadget, a 250 Lumen chest mounted light that has a pivot so you can change the angle of the beam. It also has red LEDs that flash on your back for extra visibility - my goodness this is soooooo much easier than carrying a torch! You can also charge it via USB. £29:99 from Decathlon: decathlon.co.uk/run-light-2...
After a quick warm up I started out consciously trying to set a slower pace than usual, and my app told me 6:40... 30 seconds or so slower than my usual pace... admittedly, I could've gone slower - but this felt good. Wasn't totally feeling it today, I'd had a bit of a crap week at work and have felt a quite grouchy all week to be honest! But I was out and I was running, so it's all good!
I ran down my little cut through to the beach with some fairly hefty puddle hopping going on down the trail path after the nights rain. Then out over the field onto the beach path for a quiet breezy run alongside the sea.
On towards Lee on the Solent there's a guy that I see now and again, I've gradually been trying to work out what he gets up to... he basically runs in a 1k loop with two KILLER staircases from the beach right up to the main road at both ends of the loop, it is amazing to watch him, he looks quite a bit older than me and he absolutely flies past me on the seafront path with a polite 'Morning!' and then skips up the incredibly steep staircase completely effortlessly, with absolutely no drop in his pace whatsoever! It is incredible to watch. He keeps flying around in loops up and down - up and down... For a split second I thought about how this would help me improve as a runner... No bloody chance! I'd rather do more planks than that! It must be torturous 😱😱😱
I looked at my splits when I'd finished the 6K:
1 6:40
2 6:36
3 6:36
4 6:32
5 6:09
6 5:43
I'm pleased that I managed to hold a pretty consistent pace over the first 4K's, I then allowed myself to build the pace over the the last 2K's, although not necessarily slow I found it comfortable, so I'm really happy! ...I will continue working on this.
The final time was 38:19 for 6K, 6:23 average pace and 30M elevation.
Have a great week of runs everyone, looking forward to reading about them 😁
... and hill sprints of course! Hurt a lot, but they’re amazing at the same time. When I ran my postgrad 3k I had to go and do some, forgot how old I was 😂 but I had a blast!
Sounds like you've nailed the negative splits ThunderSloth - well controlled! 😊 I'm still getting used to running with a watch I can actually see (treated myself to a Garmin with a giant face!) but I keep forgetting to look at it! 😳
Thank you Mutley! Ooohhh I was drooling over the Garmins when I went into Decathlon the other day 🤤 I think you actually deserve that watch though ...what an absolutely amazing 10K PB you’ve achieved! ...and 2 out of 3 10K races this month 😱 🙇🏻♂️ 🙇🏻♂️ 🙇🏻♂️ 🙌
Aw you are very kind ThunderSloth! Methinks you deserve a nice Garmin too! Meant to say to you, I was at Lee on Solent Park Run last month when visiting family, it was a nice friendly one but didn't enjoy the bit where you have to run across the shingle!!😲
I’ll have to ask Santa 🎅🏻 about the Garmin MutleyShuffle, he might help me out with one if I do well on my Magic 10 😁
I wimped out of the Park Run again this weekend... nice to hear it’s a friendly one though, I’m sure I’ll get over there soon enough. Also nice to hear of another person on here that has run a section of my route! 😃👍
Well done ThunderSloth, reducing speed is definitely the way to go when extending the distance.
Did you have lots of shingle, and shells on your beach run today? It was a bit tricky in parts at parkrun today. What a storm last night, but lovely for that parkrun window.
Thanks Dexy, yes, you could definitely tell it had been a rough night down there... that and the two fence panels laying out on my lawn this morning 😩🙄 I still need to get round to reading your parkrun post from today but I’ve seen the wonderful photo, will be catching up on that one soon hope it went well 👍
When I lived in Bexhill there was a teenager that used to run up and down the shingle. Never along the sand. Up, down, up, down for at least 20 minutes at a time. Can't imagine what he was training for but he must have been blinkin fit!
Oh my gosh, that sounds absolutely awful Jog! I have to cross about 30 meters of shingle, there is absolutely no way I would run for 20 mins on it!!! I did once see a group of women with tyres strapped to them running up the beach... madness 🤪 are we all just doomed to turn into obsessive masochists?!
Amazing Thundersloth!!!!
Love the new gadget! 🚨💡🚨💡
What a run! Those splits are awesome! Excellent way to finish, just picking it up towards the end!👌🔥
There’s only one word for the chap you pass...CRAZY!!!! 😱 Although I’m not going to put it past you... there’s a chance you’ll be flying up & down those steps if it helps your future runs! ... you could be joining team crazy pretty soon 🤪🙃
Huge well done!
6k... Boom! 💥💥💥
in reply to
You made me properly LOL then Dreams 😆
There’s a large side of me that is like... yes, that bloke is a completely stark raving bonkers and a teeny tiny bit of me going - I fancy having a crack at that... I like his style!!!
...Think I’d just screw it up on the steps though and end up in hospital! 🤤🤕
I’m there already #teamcrazy 🤪
Cheers you 🍺🍺 did you run today?
in reply to
Hahaa, Glad to be of service 🤣🤣
It’s got your name all over it! #teamcrazy
Please try & stay away from the hospital tho 😆🙏
I didn’t go yesterday... 😔 I’m up & ready to go out now (have been for ages) but the kids would be home alone if I went... & I think that’s frowned upon 🙃 hopefully I’ll get out soon🤞 I’ll let you know how I go! ... 🙋♀️🙌
Thundersloth I highly recommend running with a dog (disclaimer: choose breed and type carefully!)
found out 16weeks into this running malarkey and on my first 6k that my Labrador is the perfect pacer. Like you I tend to run a bit faster than is probably good for me so Fido keeps me in check. Going to try and use my non canine weeknight runs for my higher speed antics!
Love the light by the way, my head torch has a rear light too, always feel safer on the road with that one
Oh that’s great rancher, good for you! I remember when IgaT said that running with her dog had built a much stronger bond between them, they had become much closer, it melted my frozen heart!
I do wonder if dogs are as faithful as we think they are though... as I run down the beach I get this look of absolute fear from some dog owners who don’t have their dog on a lead ...and the dog looks at me excitedly “you look MUCH more fun than my boring owners... take me! Take meeee!!!”
I think I could quite easily acquire a new canine friend when out on my runs! 😆
Ha! You’re right I’ve had a few dogs join me when I’ve been running on the moors, quite disconcerting when you have headphones in and have no idea they are there!
I’m under no illusions with my dog, despite my best efforts he is a daddies boy and would drop me for dead if Mr Rancher rocked up!
Hi Crawlhome, I just read your Park Run post what a fantastic time! In torrential rain too ☔️ Out of interest was your 5K time that quick when you graduated C25K or have you seen an improvement on your time as you have progressed through the magic 10 plan?
With the light it was a toss up between the chest light or a head torch, you do obviously get more movement with the head torches, but I wasn’t sure that I’d like having to wear something on my head. This fitted the bill nicely, it is lightweight and I’m quite impressed with the brightness too for the price 👌
Thanks Thundersloth. When I graduated my parkrun time was 32.10 and I've got it down every one I've done, quickest was 27.43 last week. It just seems to have naturally quicker and easier and I try to combine lunge exercises and squats into my week as advised by a physio due a problem with my knee, so I guess all that makes an impact too in leg strength.
I don’t know about that Dragonflies, your being very kind 😊 thank you 🙏
I was impressed with the chest light after my first use of it. It is very lightweight and comfortable to wear, the beam is bright and wide. As I say you don’t get the angles of a head torch... but I guess it depends on where you’re running and your personal preference. 👍
Well done you, if you can start slower you find there is so much more energy at the end, it makes a big difference. Good negative splits there too.....
Oh wow! ThunderSloth, you did amazing!!! With even pace and faster end!!! Well done! And what a cool gadget! Do you run off road or side of the dark alleys? Of yes, that look slike exactly what you need Nice!
I run a mix of road, some trail and a costal path that is completely unlit for one half and the other half is poorly lit. I usually run before sunrise so the light does find me ...eventually 😁
Well done TS - a great run. It must be lovely to be able to run near the sea. Your comment about the guy on the steps reminded me of a crazy chap we saw in Whitby in July. He had set himself the challenge of running up and down the steps from town to the Abbey (199 steps each way!) non stop 32 times. Passed us 3 times in the time we were walking up once. Totally mad 😯
Yes it’s good Deals, great for 30 quid. The beam is nice and bright, and it is very comfortable to wear, the only thing with the chest torch is you get the movement as your chest rotates from side to side but you get used to that really quickly. You can get more expensive brighter ones too but I use this on completely unlit paths and it’s great 👍
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Nice!
I hope it will serve you well for a long time.
First 6k run 
10 is the magic number
Magic 10 2:2, speeeeeeeeed 🥵
Magic 10K plan W2R1: A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall
6K Road Race and new 5K PB
