An Early 5K Run πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ˜Š: So, after battling so... - Bridge to 10K

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An Early 5K Run πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ˜Š

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10
β€’47 Replies

So, after battling so many different gremlins on Tuesday, I was up with the 6 a.m. lark this morning, running clothes straight on, downstairs for quick cuppa, warm up leg swings and out of the door before my brother even surfaced!

I briefly debated a longer run, but decided to do a steady 5K straight run after Jeffing on Tuesday. Warm up walk up the lane towards the village and then I was off. Nice and steady. I did glance at my heart rate and was surprised to see it was climbing up Zone 3 already. Still in the first km, it suddenly fell to Zone 2. I don’t know what that was all about, so I ignored it for the rest of the run!

The end of the first km sees a slight incline, but I’m running slowly enough to be able to cope with it quite easily. There are a lot of runners and walkers out this morning. A few of the people I saw walking had headphones and seemed to be β€˜walking with purpose’ so I wondered if they were Jeffing or doing Couch to 5K 😊

The second km starts with a lovely downhill stretch through a walkway, which connects the two parallel roads that I run on. I always like this part! Turn left at the bottom and the path undulates a fair bit until I turn left past the post office and towards the parallel road again. There is a short but quite steep climb, but I shorten my stride and keep going, and noticing that my second km is a few seconds faster than my first. So I go into the third km having decided I would try for negative splits with a burst of speed for the last km. Its going to be one of those runs!

Running towards the t-junction, now. The gremlin did put in a brief appearance, telling me I could turn left and 4K would be absolutely fine 😈. I briefly flirted with the idea before turning right for the 5K. I start the fourth km, having completely forgotten my pace for the third (this happens often!) so just keep going with what feels like a slightly faster pace. I am getting a little tired now and appreciate the few seconds stop for traffic. Running alongside the common and back into the village, I start the fifth km, but I have a slope to go up before I fly downhill, so I shorten my stride and deal with the incline. Oh, it feels steep this morning! Then I turn up a side road to add a few hundred metres as I don’t like to run out of road at the end. Now I can run down the hill to finish strong. My brother is just getting in his van to leave for work, he’s probably expecting me to end my run at the house, but I’m in the middle of flying down the hill, so I just I wave happily and carry on 😊

Not a sub 40 minute 5K this morning, but definitely an enjoyable and controlled one 😊

Splits:

8:55, 8:46, 8:41, 8:33, 7:00

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Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020
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47 Replies
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Frenc profile image
FrencGraduate1060minGraduate

Ah well done Jools, another good run there. I had gremlins en route this morning, little blighters followed me out of the house! But we told them. Well done for getting out so early, it’s still pretty warm at the moment. πŸ˜ŠπŸ˜ŠπŸ˜ŠπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toFrenc

We told them indeed! I was running too slowly to be much affected by the heat. πŸ˜ŠπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Runninggirl59 profile image
Runninggirl5960minGraduateβ€’ in reply toFrenc

Sounds like a good run Jools. I don't know how you do the negative splits, mine are the opposite way round. Did a 4.5 km this morning, started on 7.2 km/per hr and ended on 8.2! Enjoy the rest of the day πŸ˜€

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toRunninggirl59

Thanks! I found out about a year ago that if I can start slow and increase gradually it makes for a better, more comfortable run. I only try for negative splits on runs up to up to 5k, though. It all hinges on the first km.

Runninggirl59 profile image
Runninggirl5960minGraduateβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Mmmm, I will have to keep trying. I struggle to start slow, quick out of the blocks then start to run out of steam after about 3 km. I think that if I start slow I'll stay slow! I wouldn't care but I'm only competing with Myself!

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toRunninggirl59

We’ve all got our own running style, but I find I’m slow to warm up anyway, so I just hold back a bit to start with. Keeping something in reserve gets me through the run, speeding up gradually and then taking off any remaining brakes for the last km. But many runners make a case for positive splits, it’s just a personal preference 😊

Runninggirl59 profile image
Runninggirl5960minGraduateβ€’ in reply toJools2020

I think it's an age thing for me πŸ˜€

Asnad-Run profile image
Asnad-RunGraduate10β€’ in reply toJools2020

I have discovered that too and start slow for first km or two and it gradually get better- great tip πŸ‘

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toAsnad-Run

Exactly, if I start off too fast then I find I’m running beyond my ability and have to take breaks. I prefer to run more slowly and keep going 😊 (unless, of course, if I’m Jeffing, which I do once a week).

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

Excellent run for you Jools2020, those negative splits look so good, I can never get the hang of negative splits, if I do start at say 07.50 min/km I would probably stay at that pace or run slower, one for me to work on.My latest (not) parktime was 31.52 but the splits were all over the place

6.07, 6.21, 6.17, 6.37 and 6.27.

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toAlMorr

Thank you AlMorr. That’s a nifty time for 5K, I would be happy with that whatever the splits were!

I just find it takes me a while to warm up, so it makes sense to take it steady to start with!

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate10β€’ in reply toAlMorr

That's a good time for parkrun. If I did the first km that quickly I know I'd run out of steam by the end.

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply tonowster

Ha! If I did the first kilometre that quickly, I would collapse with shock! I’ve never done ANY kilometre that quickly πŸ˜‚

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10β€’ in reply toJools2020

5.31 is the fastest ever kilometer that I have ever ran in all the about 90 kilometers altogether since I graduated from C25K over 3 years ago, that was the first K of a 5K run in December 2019, only one other time I have ran a sub 6 minutes kilometer, that was the last kilometer on another 5K run sometime in 2020, however, at 2 parkruns I ran in a time of 30.55 PB and 30.56, without my Smartphone, it is possible that during those 2/5Ks I may have run a sub 6 minutes 1K.

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunning

Super run and report, J. Well done all round.

I’m just not waking early recently (patchy sleep)… I had no problem during the dark winter months πŸ€·πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Thanks! Shame about the patchy sleep. Doesn’t help with motivation to run if you’re already tired. And I’ve noticed my heart rate is elevated when I run if I haven’t slept well,

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Very interesting… so… I just checked and my HR is rather low. πŸ€·πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

The whole heart rate thing continues to be a mystery!

over61andstilltrying profile image
over61andstilltryingGraduate10

Well done Jools! πŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ˜Š Gremlins kicked outβœ… 5kmβœ… Controlledβœ… Win, win, win. 😊I see that my run started at 6:17 so a bit behind you 123bpm one of my lowest, not that I take note of it until the run is over. Nursing injuries means that I take all my runs gently.

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toover61andstilltrying

Ah, by the time I started running, it was 6.35, so you were ahead of me! My average heart rate was 138, which I am pleased with 😊, it was meant to be a steady run today.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate10

Well done on beating those Gremlins and especially the ones wanting you to stop at 4k , they are devious aren't by they 😁But you beat them and had a great negative split 5k .

Well done 😁

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toInstructor57

Thanks, Ian! Yes, they are so devious! At least you can feed yours to Misty, I’ve got nowhere to put mine!

nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate10

Well done! You're really consistent with those negative splits. And then freewheeling down the hill at the end. πŸ‘

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply tonowster

The end is the best bit! I look forward to that for the entire run. πŸ‘πŸ˜Š

Beatlesforever profile image
BeatlesforeverGraduate10

Perfect negative splits πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘ well done on beating the gremlins, they were probably still asleep by the time you left home 😴😴😴 🀣and you obviously outran the one that showed up at 4k πŸ‘ŠπŸ’ͺπŸ’₯πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toBeatlesforever

Thanks, Beatles 😊 definitely a good run today!

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassador

Loving those negative splits! Well done for giving those gremlins a bashing too!πŸ‘ΏπŸ”¨

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toLottieMW

Thank you, Lottie πŸ‘πŸ˜Š

Yay well done .. after reading that I feel like I’ve done it too πŸ˜‚

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toJoggingonthewildside

Haha, thanks! Fortunately it was a slow run so you shouldn’t feel exhausted πŸ˜‚

Joggingonthewildside profile image
Joggingonthewildsideβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Well that’s good πŸ˜‚

Joggingonthewildside profile image
Joggingonthewildsideβ€’ in reply toJoggingonthewildside

It was still too fast for me

Joggingonthewildside profile image
Joggingonthewildsideβ€’ in reply toJoggingonthewildside

Having just relooked at your splits what happened on your last one .. did you swallow some rocket πŸš€ fuel ?

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toJoggingonthewildside

It was downhill, my secret weapon! πŸ˜‚

Joggingonthewildside profile image
Joggingonthewildsideβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Must remember that one ☝️

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10

Well done on kicking those gremlins firmly into touch and trademark negative splits to boot Not to mention the cobra🐍

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toBirdlady64

Thanks, Diane. I might have to try and refine that cobra a little! 😊

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate

Perfect negative splits! and what a finishπŸ˜€

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toSueAppleRun

Thank you! I always feel like I’m cheating on that last downhill bit! 😊

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduateβ€’ in reply toJools2020

How can downhill be cheating? it’s harder in your body to control a downhill run and by the sounds of it you don’t control it you just run and run and it’s exhilarating, not cheating by any means

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toSueAppleRun

I do control it a little as I’m concerned I might end up tripping over, but it still feels liberating as it’s such a small effort 😊

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduateβ€’ in reply toJools2020

exactly, we’ve run downhill through the woods jumping tree roots and if not controlled a little we could go flying over something

Week7 profile image
Week7Graduate10

Nice tidy splits again Jools-but you really shouldn't flirt with Gremlins!😈

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toWeek7

Thanks Week7, but I have to flirt with something πŸ˜‚

Week7 profile image
Week7Graduate10β€’ in reply toJools2020

Ok but don't forget to treat 'em mean!

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toWeek7

πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚πŸ€£

Fionamags profile image
FionamagsGraduate10

Great splits! Good on you for sending those gremlins packing too!!!

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