NRC10K W3R2 Speed…

[LottieMW]

After a promising sunrise Tuesday morning, it ended up a dank and foggy day… 😶‍🌫️ 🌫️

Having been away for a break…which included running away (literally!) from a thunderstorm ⛈️ then repeating “Just A Run” for Tim’s Run, I was ready to resume the NRC 10k plan. To assuage the pedant in me, I am running *all* the runs…but not all 5 in one week! 😳

So it was time for another speed run. So far I didn’t think I was really getting the hang of them…I’ve run “The First Fartlek” quite a few times, I enjoy it, and I totally get it…I think CB helps 😂 …but these are a totally different kettle of fish to me….🤷🏻‍♀️

So this is meant to be about 30 minutes, so I should be able to fit it in around the River Walk (a 2 mile circuit), especially if I run some extra loops at the top around the bowling green.

This run had good old CB, plus Andy Puddicombe from Headspace. Even though it was a speed run, the emphasis was on your own personal effort…not the numbers on your watch or app. Relax your brain and allow yourself to run…keep a soft focus…count your steps if you become distracted…There would be intervals at 10k, 5k, and 1 mile effort/pace with recovery in between.

…so pretty easy to follow…soft focus, well it was still quite foggy along the river…and counting steps reminded me of my first weeks of C25k, where I counted off the seconds, desperate for the running bits to end so I could walk! 😂

So this time I felt I’d managed to differentiate my different efforts for 10k, 5k, and 1 mile, although I’m not pushing the effort. This difference can actually be seen in my interval timings, so I’m quite chuffed with them. ☺️

I even got the timing correct to leave about a 5 minute walk to the car! Yay!

So…I really enjoyed the run, the coaching, and my tunes 🎶 Still not sure though if I’m properly matching my effort to the race pace…😬

Pix from L-R, Top-Bottom…

Sunrise, weather, foggy weather…

HR on Fitbit, trees, Strava Pace Zones…mainly Z2/Endurance…

NRC totals, NRC splits (5mins easy, 2x3:30 10k, 2x2:30 5k, 2x1:30 1 mile, plus 30 seconds of “Celebration Run”…defo all getting faster!), and yours truly ☺️

You can see the damp from the fog in my hair!

[LottieMW Ambassador]

…more pix!

You can see the loop at the top of the map. Just realised I have negative splits…an advantage of starting really, really slow…

Foggy trees, Strava route, Strava splits, wild hair after taking off Buff!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to LottieMW]

the weather might be “dank and foggy” but your pictures are wonderfully moody. And I love that wild hair! 🤣👍🏽👏👏👏

As a slow runner, I also find it difficult to be confident about being able to differentiate between paces but I’ve noticed the more interval speed runs I do, the more I can differentiate between different paces.

Not sure if my running actually improves or my ability to feel the nuances between my different running paces.

But what I certainly noticed is that due to my range of paces being so narrow, the names of these paces don’t seem to describe what I’m running. My fast pace (1k pace ) I would probably not be able to last for 1k. My “5k pace” is medium, but I would probably only last 1k of it. And my usual pace of joggling is probably my 10k pace.

Replacing in my mind these labels with “ low effort”, “medium effort” or “high effort” feels more appropriate.

But otherwise this interval running really is fun, isn’t it?

And I also have found what I can see from your photos, it makes for great hair styling! 🤣👍🏽👏👏👏

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to CBDB]

Thank you!

…oh I agree re pace/effort! Previously my only speed run was the “First Fartlek” run…which I think is great fun and a bit of a laugh…but then when I ran my first 5k for a while…I realised no way was I really doing a ‘5k pace’ when fartleking 😂

…so I I now think of it as my ‘slow & steady’ pace…which is what CB calls it anyway 👍🏼

🏃🏻‍♀️🐌😄🍁💕

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

That's a lovely run, it takes a bit of working out effort doesn't it? You sound like you are really doing well

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you! Getting there slowly!

🏃🏻‍♀️🐌😊

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

I did the NRC half marathon plan and lots of the same runs come up. Same as you, my “week” lasted longer or I had to skip runs when I caught up with real time! The speed runs are so much fun. It’s so satisfying when you can see the difference in the numbers corresponding to when you were trying to go faster. You’ve done a great job! I’m exactly the same as CBDB with the actual pace too-there’s no way I can run my “5k” pace for actual 5k…yet?! Definitely thinking of it in terms of effort helps a lot.

What do you think of the 5 minute warm up run? I’ve found I’m not out of the toxic ten (even after a good brisk walk first) so my first interval is awful. I’ve started adding another five minutes easy running which has helped.

Gorgeous pictures-you’ve shown Cwmbran in its best light. Enjoy your next one! 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thank you! 😊

…I don’t think I really get a ‘toxic ten’…perhaps because I’m so slow? Do you think part of it is psychological? As in…OMG, can’t believe I’m doing this run…will I make it? So mentally it takes a while to settle into the run…🤷🏻‍♀️

Defo the better side of Cwmbran! 😂

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to LottieMW]

I am so jealous of you not getting a toxic ten! Every run is tough at the start for me…usually about ten minutes, sometimes a bit more. Nog usually less! It doesn’t matter if it’s an easy run, long run, hilly run or speed run. I’ve found when I’ve spent longer doing the warm up run before the speed run, it’s better than just five minutes. I don’t think it’s psychological...it’s definitely a recognised thing. I get it swimming too-the first few laps are always awful.

[Cowladyrunning Graduate10]

Woohoo what great progress! Such a shame that fog still hasn't shifted!! Very chilly further down from your valley here!

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to Cowladyrunning]

Oh gosh, I can imagine! It was 4* yesterday on the canal when I went out…today it was 2* when I went shopping! Still bloody foggy too!