I think I approached this run with the wrong mindset.
My last long run of 7k took me just over 65 minutes, so my plan was to run this one at a steady pace of 9.22/km and finish the 8k in 75 minutes.
In an effort not to wake hubby at silly o’clock, I set the alarm on my watch so that I would have plenty of time before starting work. Either it didn’t go off, or I was so sound asleep when it did that the vibrate wasn’t long or strong enough to wake me, as when I tuned over in bed and half opened one eye to check the clock it was half an hour after I should have got up.
From that point I was on the back foot, and, and it was all rather rushed. I may have been better off opting to run this weeks’ 5k and save the 8k for the weekend when I will have more time, but I can be a bit pig-headed sometimes. “I said I was doing 8k, so I’m b**** well going to do 8k!”
What to wear in this cooler weather, but luckily with no rain forecast for a while at least? I opted for my 7/8 tights and long-sleeved fluorescent yellow top.
Setting off, it felt like I was going slowly, but again I was way above my target pace and had to really reign things in to bring the first km split back to 8:42. I wish I could find a way to resolve this!
I was also getting too hot 🥵, and wished I’d opted for shorts and t-shirt. Pushing the sleeves of my top up helped a little.
I wanted to keep things in Zone 3 this time, as I was only partially successful on the last long run, where I was largely on the threshold, but it was a real struggle. No real problems with my breathing this time, but I was well into Zone 4 quite early in the run and the only way I could bring my heart rate back down was to stop running and to walk for a short time. I did this on 3 separate occasions for about 30 seconds. I’m also sure being too hot didn’t help. I don’t know, but I was rather disappointed and it feels like a bit of a cheat to me. The lengthy uphill stretch between 5-6k pushed me into the red, but I was determined to keep going to the top.
I had cut out my usual loop around Leisure Centre playing field since there was a heavy dew, and I didn’t want to get wet feet. So reaching the end-point I was 0.75k short, and I was forced to carry on up to the main road and run the gauntlet of the madness that is the school drop-off.
The result? 8.03k in 1:16:03. My splits were 8:42, 9:32, 9:42, 9:55, 9:29, 9:22, 9:44, 9:20 so apart from a too fast first km and a slower middle split when I walked for a bit I guess that’s not too bad.
😀
I had barely enough time to stretch, shower and grab a quick coffee before my first meeting of the day. No more long runs on weekdays for me!
If this run had been part of c25k I think it might have been one to repeat, but as next weeks runs on the Magic Plan are the same - 4k, 5k, 8k – I might just about be able to convince myself it is “Done!”