Just a short report on my last two runs: In preparing for a 10k next Sunday, I ran a slow 8k on Friday and a Fartlek short run of 30 min today on Sunday, using Nike Running Clubs guided runs.
The long run felt easy, so I feel the 10k next Sunday doable. For the 10k next Sunday I mapped out a route that is put together by 2 routes I run regularly separately, one being ca 6.5k and the other 3.5k. The route can be seen as a kind of figure 8 with my home being in the centre intersection. This gives me a comforting feeling of safety. When I did my first 10k training program 6 months back, it involved running 5k out and back, and it had strangely felt risky at the time: what if I couldn’t run anymore? What if my nightly knees buckled? What if my water ran out? And me stranded 5k from home?
So a figure 8 route of 10k is great for those times where one doesn’t feel as confident in ones’ ability in the 10k range. And at the end of Fridays 8k run, I could see the remaining 2-3k loop I will have to do next Sunday, but knowing that route well, it feels very much doable. It felt I could it have run it then and there, so I know I’m ready for a 10k again.
And today I ran a short Fartlek, using NRC guided runs. This was the second interval session I’ve done, and I have to admit that they are really great fun. Shorter than the usual runs, but exerting energy and effort in short bursts, they strangely leave you more energetic afterwards. And on my cool down homestretch I could tell my cadence was higher than usual.
So my plan for this week is to only do one more run on Wednesday, the NRC 12 min short run. And then take 3 recovery days (continuing daily Yoga) before the 10k on Sunday.
Happy running everyone and good luck to all running on 19th September for the Guiness World Record
Continuing the NRC programme
