So... I ran 5k yesterday (I did!), and have been ever so good with my rest days this far, but Tuesday nights I have to wait for my son for an hour at an athletics stadium... so I thought, ok, I’ll just do a short one... but maybe a faster one?!! Please?! I want to see what different speeds feel like... Oh yeah... I’m a graduate. Let’s do it!
So I put some music on... I’m finding I’m getting really fussy about music now. If it isn’t right, it interferes, and even if it’s good, it becomes background. I want to be in the run, in the moment. Music seems to take me out of the zone. Funny, I loved the tunes at the beginning of C25k, but I wasn’t really enjoying the running then... The guided runs with talking and interviews I have been enjoying; might be time to try some podcasts...
So my plan was to walk warm up, run 1k slowish, walk 1k, run as fast as fitness levels will sustain, and then walk 1k. I thought that counted as maybe 1k of proper effort?!
My warm up run was a bit too fast for a proper warm up at 6’04”. I had been aiming more for 6’45”. Note to self: I’m really rubbish at pacing... my brisk walking pace was 8’50” for k2... then came the ‘run’. Oh my Lord. I wasn’t sprinting, not by a long chalk, but I was running and I realised again just what a long way 1k can feel and how long a minute can be and how unfit I still am. I slowed down but couldn’t recover, so just kept gasping for air and plodding on. When the 3k was called I stopped dead and pretended to be pausing to do lunges, when actually, I was just desperately trying to breathe. I started walking and recovered pretty quickly, walking the final 1k in 8’58”. (Actually, I tried some wiggly walking and found I could go under 8’ quite easily, but I got a stitch doing it).
I didn’t know how fast I had gone as NRC was calling out the overall average and I was too zonked to count time. I checked it after and... 5’13”! Completely unsustainable, of course, but hey ho.
👟👟 ⌚️ 👟👟 😴
Written by
ktsok
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It’s a committed relationship: I have just spent some serious dosh on a running watch and a little running bag thing, like a life vest, that I can stuff my waterproof in and some water for the longer runs I can see in the fuzzy distance 🙂
Oooh nice, running in London! How lovely that your daughter is so supportive of you.
The finishing line is in sight, mafee. You have done 28 minutes, it’s just a slow boat home now... 🚣♂️
Wow. Great running... 5:13 is quick! One day that can be you’re 5k pace, and you’re 1k will be even quicker... what’s even more impressive is that you did that after 2k of cardio... a pure 1k run could easily be quicker. As the fitness rises and you get used to the speed sessions and fartleks you can gradually map that pace onto a tempo run, and extend it. You’re doing an amazing job.
Aw thanks UNM. You continue to always say the right thing 🙂 I feel amazing now 😊
I’m so used to ‘judging’ my runs by how I feel (comfortable, relaxed, something left in the tank) that I didn’t think I had done very well (having to stop). But it was alright, wasn’t it?! Thank you. It’s really hard to go a faster pace when you have been doing nothing but: slow, slower,slower still, for 9 weeks! A whole new ball game 😬😀
No... it wasn’t alright... it was amazing and you were awesome! All that slow enabled the fast... it still will, remember that the pros run 80+% of their miles comfortably... do that and your fast will get faster.
When you go fast... you finish on empty... nice comfortable some in the tank run next.
Ooooh! Go you!!! Exciting! I on the other hand have been back on the couch with lurgy 🤧😨🤢 not a happy bunny 🐰🐇🐰🐇 but ce la vie I guess. Not one to stay down long tho, so in my best arnie voice 'I will be back'.
You are amazing. It’s been such fun having this journey together and now watching you spread your wings. I’m right behind you all the way, and will be cheering you on from the beach next week 😎
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A Lunchtime Fartlek Run 
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