The Long Easy

[Ian5K]

Speak of the devil, and he will appear, they say. And so a day or so ago, I had been talking with Instructor57 about sinus pain and having not had it myself for decades, I woke this morning with what felt suspiciously like it.

Fairly mild, to be fair, but should I run? I had a scheduled training run on and so took a couple of parrots with my hydration water and went for the run regardless. Maybe the fresh air and heavy breathing would do it good.

It was an “Long Easy Pace” run (roughly about 10km with warm up and cool down distances included). As I’ve probably said before, 80% of the training plan comprises Easy Paced runs, and an easy pace is about 80% of race pace (or a PB if not racing).

They actually give you a range too run in, else it’d be the devil of a job hitting the correct figure all the way through. So I naturally thought it would be okay to aim for the midway pace in the given range.

This seemed okay until a couple of runs back; then the Coach hinted I was being a bit lazy. Make it interesting! Work at knowing what pace you’re doing! Control it!

He said, run the first third at the slower end of the range, the second third at midway, and the final third at the fastest end of the range. Keen eyes will see this is encouraging negative splits (though I’m told the goal of the plan on “race day” is even splits and a short dash to the finish).

And it is interesting to vary the easy pace intentionally, but it ain’t easy to do, I find. Then I realise what he’s probably doing: he’s making me run at an “easy” pace much slower than I would do left to my own devises. Slow is what’s wanted.

But today, with the stuffy head, I settled into the slower end of the range without persuasion, stayed there and took it easy-easy pace all the way. Did it work? Well, the sinuses didn’t feel any worse.

HR was 75% in zone 3 and 25% in zone 2, 114bpm average, and an average cadence of 171 (183 max), by the garmin.

(I’m not sure whether I should be switching the garmin over from HR to HRR. The thing is I only put the watch on to run with, so my resting HR isn’t recorded.)

I’m astonished to still be out comfortably in a t-shirt and shorts on November 24th! Climate change is a real worry right now.

Happy running, folks!

[javo123j Graduate10]

Double T shirt and tracksuit pants for me now Ian. Good HR for a 10k.

[Ian5K Graduate10 in reply to javo123j]

I’ve had a new pair and a new beanie in waiting since last month and the tags are still attached. 😆

[nowster Graduate10]

Tomorrow sees a change in the temperatures, and we might even have snow at my local parkrun on Saturday...

[Ian5K Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Sunny intervals here, nowster, but 3°C feels like -2°C. Might be quite refreshing! 🙂

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Ian5K]

8-9am tomorrow here: 1°C, feels like -1°C. Bracing!

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

Well done !

Glad the sinus problem didn't get worse !

By the look of things the weather could be getting colder (when I can get back out) could be out of the shorts and into the tights 😁

[Ian5K Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

It went altogether after a bit of lunch. Hopefully the last I’ll see of it.

Bring on the tights then! 😁

[Hidden]

I feel lucky I am not following any training. I always run at whatever pace I feel like. Don't want someone telling me that I am lazy, haha. Well done, what with sinusses and all!

[Ian5K Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

That’s okay. We should to be the runner we wish to be. 🙂

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

Sounds like a great run to me! I never need any persuasion to run at the slower end of the scale, sounds like it was good for your sinuses, too 😊👍

Oh, definitely running tights for me now! Plus long sleeved top and lightweight jacket and gloves! When the temperature drops, I’ll break out my super warm running tights!

[Ian5K Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks, Jools. Tomorrow’s run looks like tights and hoodie for me. Brrr!

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Ian5K]

Yes, I think ‘Winter is Coming’! 😊