I couldn’t run yesterday. I fell off my bike on Friday and hurt my knee - fortunately it’s just bruised and is fine now. A change in technique with my bike riding should now mean fewer falls! Don’t even ask 😂
So I checked the weather forecast for this morning and no wind! No rain! Heavy cloud/mist. All ok - but air quality poor. No one with asthma wants to see that, even though my asthma is mild.
I decide on a 10K, but go prepared to run longer. A few minutes into the first kilometre is enough to know that it won’t be longer! The air is really heavy and my heart rate shoots up into Zone 4 as soon as I start running.
The Head Starts guided run with Coach Bennett is excellent. He makes a number of statements for you to consider during the run.
I’m running my 8K loop with 2K tagged on at the start. My run begins on a single track road by the river, where there are a couple of fisherman spaced out on the river bank. I’m running slowly enough to be able to chat to them both in turn as I run past. I do like to be fair 😀. A quick chat with a resident walking his Cocker Spaniel.
I arrive at the gate at the end of the lane and touch it before I turn round to run back, because that’s what you do 😊! My breathing isn’t brilliant as I cross the main road at 2K. I ease off a little as I remember that I’m going to let my running ebb and flow. I won’t be chasing PBs on this run, I run past my house and that distance demon 😈 tries to get me to go home! What? After 2K? I don’t think so!
I carry on with my circular route. Once warmed up at around 3K, I allow myself to speed up a little, but it’s not long before I have to pull back because of my breathing. The run continues in this way, speeding up, holding that pace for a while, then easing off and slowing down. I take regular walking breaks for 3 or 4 seconds to drink some of my Tailwind drink. I can’t manage to drink while running, it would be like a scene from ‘Airplane’, but it’s real progress to do so while walking. I used to have to stop completely!
Coming back into the village I decide not to finish strong today. It’s been hard work! But Coach Bennett has other ideas as he likens the end of the run to a relay race, where you pass the baton in a stronger position than when you received it. OK Coach! I’ll do my best! And I pull out a few stops and manage to run my best km at the end! Another 10K in the bag, although this one was tough!
Negative splits achieved to my surprise!
First km 8:49
Last km 7:41
Woweeee Jools2020 what an eventful run packed full and I felt I was running also 👍. Just please try to keep upright on that bike, interested to hear about your new technique for not falling off though, 🤨
I was trying to set off and stop like I did on my childhood bike - while seated on the saddle; but on my new bike (a gravel bike) my toes are barely touching the ground. Stopping was precarious, hence the falling off! While I was riding, I was constantly worrying about stopping. Then I watched some YouTube videos and realised I had to start with both feet on the ground, astride the bike and not seated. One foot on the pedal ready to set off - launch and start pedalling, sitting on the saddle in one fluid movement! Stopping by coming out of the saddle first while braking, then putting the other foot on the ground. Can’t believe I made such a basic mistake 😂
🤕🤦
Feeling a bit embarrassed about the whole thing 😏. Maybe I need a few lessons!