When I looked at my workout for today’s run, I have to say that my heart sank! Mixed intervals for 46 minutes, including not one, but 2 intervals at maximum effort! All right, they were only 90 seconds each, but it’s still hard work.
I’ve decided I must be a lazy runner. I want to recover my previous fitness, but I want it to be easy! So I’ve been fine at running 80% of the time in effort zones 1 and 2 (with the occasional short burst of 3), but start to throw in speed intervals at effort zones 4 and 5 and I always think it’s going to be too hard and I won’t be able to complete them. Actually, so far I have completed all of them, even if some have been on the slow side!
Although I have days when my heart rate is high for no apparent reason, generally I can see that it is coming down. The programme is working. I seem to have one week of working really hard with the intervals, the the following week will be lighter and I can do it.
So this week has been tough, today particularly. A pyramid of intervals after a 10 minute warm up in Zones 1 &2. 90 seconds Zone 5, 5 mins Zone 4, 10 mins Zone 3, 5 mins Zone 4, 90 seconds Zone 5. 5 mins cool-down Zone 1. 2 mins recovery between intervals.
The last 90 second interval in Zone 5 was only just faster than Zone 4! Only just - but it still was faster. I was very tired doing that last interval. And a leg workout when I got home!
Fortunately I have a long, slow run to look forward to on Saturday - 50 minutes in Zones 1 and 2. Bliss 😊
Next Thursday’s intervals are slightly shorter and I know I’ll be able to do them. No doubt my coach will be looking for some speed!
Julia
week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
week 2 begins! 
