Oh my word. Going fast is sooo hard! I ran over 7k yesterday (thought Iβd mention that again π) so today was a rest day; but again, I had access to an athletics track for an hour...
So I thought... how fast can I run? I nearly broke myself last week doing a 5β13β kilometre. It wasnβt fun. Jell6 how do you run so fast over distance?!!! Tell me your secret! I thought this week Iβd walk briskly for a km, then run 1k in 4 lots of 250m, taking 30 seconds to recover between each.
Do you know, 250m is still a long way?! Oh my word. My fastest pace was 3β29β; average pace was 4β35β over the four sections. All achieved with a level of nausea. I thought Iβd cool down with a slow km run but clearly lost all sense of pace and ran about 400m at 5β56β before walking the rest of the way.
My heart rate wasnβt as high as when I run the long runs. Perhaps it was too shocked at what was going on to keep up! And the Garmin loves the fast work; my VO2 max score pinged up a place to 40! Whoop whoop!
I keep reading stuff about how you need to train for speed; it doesnβt just increase naturally as you run more. There is a lot of stuff about 80% of your running being at a slow pace... but then there is stuff about training at the pace you want to run. I guess I am still seduced by the sub-30 5k and part of my reluctance to do a Parkrun is because... secretly... Iβd like to run it in 30... and comfortably! I donβt ask for much... π
Actually, you know the lady who I got chatting to at athletics club, who started running again? I saw her at Junior Parkrun at the weekend and we swapped numbers tonight with the aim of doing a Parkrun together... she says she runs at about 35 so it could be a really nice way to let go the speed ambitions and just take the plunge. What do you reckon?
Looking forward to a proper rest now.
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ktsok
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Take the plunge ktsok, thereβs nothing like it. You will be recorded as a first timer, giving you a time to beat next time. My target is always to get a minute faster so I enjoy every PB even if it knocks off a few seconds .
Sounds like a really good plan π loved your post made me chuckle loads πππ and where did you find the emoji of what I look like after every run?! π€£π€£π€£
I am very impressed but this is all way beyond my current capabilities and plans! π I have just completed my first 5k so I am really pleased with that! I am sure others will have lots of sound advice. Incidentally how are you getting on with your Garmin - would you recommend it? I am toying with getting some technology and was first thinking of a Fitbit but now wonder if a watch with gps would be better. The reviews are always generally favourable but then you always get some really negative ones (donβt buy this!!) which are always very offputting βΉοΈ.
So I had a Fitbit Charge 2. The Ionic is much higher spec I think. The Charge 2 was good - it was because of it I started running, realising how sedentary I was during the week. It has a run function and can show pace, distance, time - but the screen is very small and what with bobbing about, sweating and deteriorating eyesight it was too much faff to read. Your phone acts as the GPS... I used Nike Run Club and it is good - I still use it for the podcasts.
The Garmin FR235 has replaced the Fitbit. I thought I would use it just for running because it is massive! But actually, it feels more comfortable to wear than the Fitbit. I bought a glass screen protector for a few quid for it and Iβm so glad I did - I have banged it a couple of times already.
I like it a lot. I have a little running pack and still carry my phone in it for music/podcasts/photos/emergencies, but I donβt need to faff around with it anymore. The watch tells me everything. You can set a time, distance, heart zone alerts... at a glance see pace, distance, heart rate... my one annoyance so far is that I cannot reset the parameters of the graphs on the Garmin Connect app. The scales are too large to be of practical use.
At the Junior Parkrun I just pressed the big red button at the start and pressed it at the finish. Hey presto. Save data and itβs on your phone waiting for analysis π
So much more runner user friendly than the Charge 2. I feel a bit more in control. Unfortunately it doesnβt make your runs any easier/faster π
Oh yes! Garmin Connect IQ is a big store with lots of free watch faces, widgets and apps that you can download onto the phone and customise to your hearts content. Quite fun!
I'm already looking forward to reading about your first Parkrun! Personally, I like to know my time for a Parkrun (I've only taken part in two so far) so I would choose to run my easy pace runs with other folk, but Parkruns on my "own", (with the 500+ others of course! I only plan on running about 4 per year and like Dexy, all PBs welcome!
Itβs that βofficialβ time, brings out the competitors in us! I have never run with another person... I kind of like being on my own (means you donβt have to waste precious oxygen talking!)... plus you can just run at what feels comfortable in that moment. Ah well. At least a PB is guaranteed the first time, right?! π
That's true! I have only run with a friend once so far. She lives 170 miles away, so we don't see one another very much. She is a serious runner and we have been friends for over 40 years! She is 64 has now run for 10 years, I've not made 1 year yet. So we ran at my pace and both found it great fun! Much chatting took place! Happy running to you! π
That sounds lovely! What a fantastic thing to be able to share after all those years... my climbing partner is also my very good friend. Such happy times sharing company and a pastime we love. Arenβt we lucky? π
It was very special! The word surreal came to both of our minds. She has recently run a 10 miler i.e. 16km and time was 1 hour 29:16, which means she runs at 5ks of 27mins 50 for the whole 10 miles!!!!! (Assuming I have done my sums right) Yikes and double yikes! You can see why we ran at my pace!
Thatβs so... fast. π³ You are amazing and my hero π¦ΈββοΈ
PS. Yes, I am competitive. But I donβt have the tools to be competitive in this particular activity. Which is frustrating... I am trying to cultivate my inner happy and meditative snail, but really, I want to rip off my clothes, revealing the superhero lycra beneath and whizz off. But I canβt!
Massive kudos to you for your speedy fartleks ktsok. Those are speeds I could never attain for more than a few seconds. πππ
Enjoy parkrun with your new running buddy. You might surprise yourself when it comes to talking - I did a few weekends ago when a lady wanted her dog to run with mine and I dreaded having to talk to her. Well go figure I got a PB! Enjoy yourself and tell us how it goes! ππ
Thanks cheeky. It was hard work! Speed + distance = red faced exhaustion. Well done on your PB! Maybe you could train your dog to βtowβ you a bit? That should shave off a few more seconds π
Iβve done 13 parkruns now since I graduated in July and have gone from 35 to 32 minutes. Still hoping for sub 30 one day! Tried Fartlek once and it nearly killed me - and my fastest pace was only 5:43 π’
Your pace was over a km though! The pace I went was over 250m at a time... I did a 5β13β km last week but it was done in isolation and I was good for nothing afterwards lol. Sub 30... wouldnβt it be great? π
πββοΈ πββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈ Just passing through πββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈDidnβt see anything about Speedy Gonzales-ism πββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈ Minding my own business πββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈ Look at me go! Thatβs a new PB! πββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈπββοΈ
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