I’m finally feeling better and it’s not a moment too soon! It’s been miserable time with cold and in so pleased to be recovered enough to start running again. Two days ago it was lovely chilled out comeback run, helpfully titled “Comeback run” with Coach B on NRC. Yesterday I was itching to get out and test the legs, so after reading about CBDB ’s brilliant speed run, I decided to try it out for myself.
Slightly short on time, I decided it was too far to my usual location for intervals. Second choice is another quiet country lane, not quite so flat (see picture). That would have to do. I put on a t shirt with a warm sweatshirt and grabbed a bottle of water. Five minute walk, five minute gentle run and start the podcast-“Next speed run”. There’s another five minute warm up run and I pause next to a gate to hang up my sweatshirt, put down my water bottle and stretch. The speed run starts in earnest and I decide this is the time to dig out some running fast music-Delta Heavy on Radio 1’s Drum and Bass show. Perfect!
Interval 1 is 5k effort. Coach B describes this as running with “strength” at a 7/10 effort. A minute feels like a good time, but I’m feeling strong. As I’m walking the recovery minute, I spot a buzzard watching me from a tree.
Interval 2 is 10k effort, a 6/10 run “confident and controlled”. I love this description. This is exactly how I felt running a 10k PB-pushing along with confidence but feeling under control and I could speed up or slow down if I wanted. The two minutes passes surprisingly quickly, but so does the one minute recovery!
Back to 5k pace for interval 3. It’s interesting doing this just after 10k pace. I focus on feeling strong and running with just a little more effort. My watch confirms that I’ve got this right which is satisfying.
Intervals 4 and 5 are both mile pace for 45 seconds. Coach B calls this “fun” pace and an 8/10 effort. He’s right-it’s so much fun belting along the lane, for the first thirty seconds anyway! I think I might have gone a little hard and it’s struggle to run for the full duration. I pull back a little for the second interval and it feels better. Surprisingly, that ends up being faster than the first!
The second half of the run feels like a bit of a blur as I get more fatigued. I’m glad of the water by the side of the road. I only wish I’d bought snacks for afterwards! The intervals run from 10k, to 5k, to mile pace, to a final thirty then fifteen seconds at “best pace” which is whatever you want it to be. I choose an all out sprint and I’m amazed to see something beginning with a 3 for the first time ever. Am I the only person who literally claps themselves when they’ve done something they’re proud of? Luckily it was quiet and there were only birds to see me! Pull on the sweatshirt. Pick up the water. A short, slow jog home, a post run yoga stretch routine with Adriene and a bath, then I’m done.
I really enjoyed this run and I’d definitely recommend it. It’s great to try out running with different effort and really satisfying to see that my legs do have more than one gear! It was just the right thing to shake me out of my “haven’t run in a while” gloom. The words were really useful in helping me channel the right sort of effort. I’ll use those again. The next run will be a short recovery run. So glad to be back!
NRC Intervals 😰😰😰
