B210k Speed Challenge Week1 - Well that was Tough, Different and Really Good Fun!

[Birdlady64]

For those who don’t know, roseabi is running a 4-week winter Speed Challenge here on B210K. You pick a distance of either 1km or 1mile and in week 1 run that as fast as possible. Then over the next 3 weeks you try to beat your time! Simples! 😁

So, I created a roughly 4k interval workout on my watch as follows:

1k warmup jog, 0.5k recovery, 1k run, 0.5k recovery, 1k cooldown jog - no set distance - to end when I press the button on my watch.

I decided to run part of my route past the Rugby Club again since it’s a long straight road, with virtually no traffic. It’s part dirt track, part un-adopted gravel so I expect I would be slightly faster on the pavement, but this is much kinder to my knees.

I estimated that 1.5k for the first two jog/walk intervals would take me just past the still flooded section of road immediately before the Rugby Club, leaving just over one kilometre to the junction with the main road. Perfect! It turned out my estimate was slightly out, so in order not to run out of road on the 1km run, I had to double back for a bit on the first walk interval. Never mind – it didn’t affect anything.

So - the kilometre sprint...

My watch buzzes to start the 1k run interval and off I go! I only know that I don't want to start too quickly and burn out too soon.

After a bit I look at my watch to check my pace – Gah! I only have average pace over the whole run set in the display. I find this perfect for longer slower runs, but it’s of absolutely no use whatsoever to me on this run! 😡😠

So, I try to run this by feel. After 0,3km, I feel like I have more to give so I rack the pace up a bit. This feels fast (for me).

I'm reaching 0.7k and it's staring to get really tough going. I know I can't sustain this degree of effort for another 0.3k so I back off a bit.

With about 125 metres to go I’m feeling stronger so I crank it up a notch again to finish fast and strong. This feels hard!

My watch buzzes for the end of the run and start of the 0.5 recovery interval, so breathing heavily, I gratefully turn around and walk back up the road towards the Rugby Club again.

My watch buzzes again for the cooldown jog. I'm still breathing hard and my heart rate is still up, so I jeff this interval – jogging 2 minutes and walking 60 seconds. I pick my way gingerly across the flooded section, even though strictly speaking this should have been a jog section.

I don't want muddy, wet feet again today!

In the end, I must have got a bit carried away on this cooldown as when, close to home, I stop my watch it reads Time 42:04, Distance: 4.9km.

Part of me wished I had carried on for the 5k, but that wasn’t the point of todays run.

Back home, stretches done, watered and cheese on toast lunch, I have just enough time to shower and change before my first meeting of the afternoon.

Looking at the stats later I see I have a new Personal Record for 1km of 6.21 which beats my previous PB by 42 seconds. I'm happy with that!😁🏅

I've not tried anything like this before and I found it really difficult at the time to gauge effort and pace over the kilometre. In hindsight, I think I managed things reasonably well.

I definitely feel like I can go faster – but I may well live to eat my words. The proof of the pudding as they say!

[Roxdog Graduate10]

You're off the mark! Well done!I'm afraid life has caught up with me and I haven't had a chance to run since Saturday! Not an excuse!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

Thanks Roxdog. It was something different, a challenge and good fun.

I hope you manage to get a run in soon. It certainly helped me de-stress today

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

That’s such a great effort from you! Huge well done 👏👏👏👍

Amazing just how far we’ve come! 👍

Now you’ve set the bar pretty high for yourself. You said you have more left to give and I’m sure you have! 👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks Jools!

I really didn't know what to expect from this one, but I really enjoyed seeing how fast I can go. Not that I can maintain that for any length of time of course.

I did give it everything today, though I notice the suggestion that some others, mentioning no names of course, may be deliberately holding back a tad in order to have an artificially low baseline.

Now some may call that cheating ... 🤔😂

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Haha that’s probably what I might have done 😂

[PhoenixRise Graduate10]

Yes Birdlady64!!! Amazing to shave off a whopping 42 seconds on your first attempt! 😱💪

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to PhoenixRise]

Thanks! I missed the waving pom poms though

[PhoenixRise Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Oh no! 🤦‍♂️ You missed me?! I was definitely there! (In spirit!). I’m quite short so you must have looked over me! I’m a bit like a 🧚‍♀️ - next week I’ll bring bigger Pom Poms! 🤭

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to PhoenixRise]

I'll look more carefully next weekMaybe the pom poms need to be much more sparkly as well as bigger? 😁

[PhoenixRise Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

On it!!! 🧚‍♂️ Maybe you ran past me with your new found inner speed demon? 😈🏃‍♀️💨

[dijep Graduate10]

Well done Birdlady64 sounds like you've got your workout sorted and it helped you make an impressive start to the challenge

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

ThanksYes the workout "worked" a treat! 😂

I had fun out there and feel like I threw down the gauntlet

Let's see what happens

[Hidden]

Great report on your first speed challenge Birdlady, and thanks for the reminder, I’ve signed up but didn’t realise it’s next week already! 🤣🤗

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

😁

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate10]

Well done! You’ve set the bar!Good job we’re only challenging ourselves cus I’d never beat that! 😂😂

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Thanks - hopefully I have left room for improvement.And you are right we are only competing against ourselves, but it's good fun

[Mum22boys Graduate10]

Well done you, great 1st run. This challenge sounds so much fun , looking forward to seeing how everyone gets on 😊

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Mum22boys]

Thanks. Hopefully I haven't peaked too soon 🙂It's great fun and I am already looking forward to next week's speed run

[Hedgehogs123 Graduate10]

Well done you! had a go last night and was using my Fitbit charge 3 to time the 1km and I used the NRC 1km app as well, normally I put my phone in a kind of front bumbag sort of thing, and there's a lot of fumbling about before I actually start, so so last night I just ran holding my phone.

My watch and the NRC never give me the same result, so my watch says I did 1.2km in 6mins 1sec at 6.09 pace and the app says 6.20 secs and 6.15 pace so I'm going with my watch,!

Do you run with music?? I do find if I have a real motivating song on, it keeps me going so as the challenge hots up, up I need to ensure my music does too!! I must admit Spotify have done a great job so far in suggestions for my running, definitely helps!!😁😁🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🎶🎵

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hedgehogs123]

It depends. Sometimes I run with music. Sometimes I run with music alongside one of the Nike Run Club guided runs. Sometimes I just use NRC without music. I have even run without any accompaniments at all, apart from the sounds around me. I did use music for this one though. I have a reasonably long playlist set to shuffle, so I never quite know what's coming next. My 1km run segment was to New Order's Bizarre Love Triangle

[Lifluf Graduate10]

Well done Birdlady64. I've just had my first go this morning. did something similar: 1k slowly, 1k as fast as poss, 2k to get home. Almost matched your time but definitely super speedy for me. Not sure how I'm going to beat it in 4 weeks!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Lifluf]

Thanks and well done on your time Lifluf!I had no idea at all how fast I could go, or how long I could go fast for. Now I have this run as a baseline I'm really hoping I can improve the next time. I'm sure you can too! 👍