You know those runs where you start and you almost immediately decide that what you’ve planned isn’t what you fancy doing?
This is the 35 minute recovery run and it’s supposed to be an easy pace. The weather was gorgeous and perfect for running. My garmin was suggesting a base run at a nice steady pace for roughly the same duration so I thought I might as well use that too. Five minutes of walking and a gentle jog down the lane.
Maybe it was the fact that I’d been stuck at a desk all day, or the sunshine, or the fact that my chilled drum and bass mix wasn’t all that chilled, but it didn’t feel like a day for an easy run. I tried telling myself that each run has a purpose and today’s was supposed to be chilled, but a few minutes in, I thought “this isn’t working for me, why not just go for it?”. There’s a tempo run that week and maybe this can be it. I picked it up to that comfortably hard pace and stayed there. It felt great!
The run is a classic Coach B. The dictionary comes out. There are a lot of questions about what sorts of things bring you joy in your runs, and what steals your joy. There was one about what you see in nature that brings you joy which was a particularly nice one at this time of year on a sunny day. We’ve got lambs in the fields (I forgot to take pictures so this field is pre lambs last week!). The birds are going nuts. Flowers everywhere.
I really liked his discussion about how comparing ourselves with others can totally suck the joy out of running. He talked about good comparisons which inspire us and those that beat us down and make us feel like we’re useless. I’m holding on to “my run, my way”.
My garmin kept yelling at me for going too fast (which the perverse part of me really enjoyed). I definitely didn’t run this run as intended by Coach B. Somehow it worked though and I finished feeling really good, with a fastest 5k in a while as part of it. Bonus. Hard runs that go well are wonderful mood boosters! I think I enjoyed this run more because it felt rebellious to switch the tempo up! Sometimes you just have to be spontaneous.
Has anyone done this run in a way that Coach B meant it to be done?!!
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MissUnderstanding
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This sounds a fab run and you enjoyed it... you really are a little rebel ! I am not sure CB would approve, but as he is always telling us... the runs that are planned are not always the runs we have to do
I spent a while looking for lambs before I read the post ...duh !
🤣🤣🤣 I’m sorry. I once did that with a class-I accidentally gave them two of the same picture as a spot the distance. I was tired when I was planning it and copied two identical ones. They kept saying “Miss, this is REALLY hard!”. Luckily they were very forgiving when I realised what I’d done!!
I love that-the runs that are planned are not always the runs we have to do. That’s going to be my new motto! ❤️❤️❤️
Not sure whether I've done this run or not but it sounds like Coach B in fine form as ever.
As you say, each run has a purpose. From what Coach B has said to me it seems like it's for the runner to find and define the purpose of the run. Some days we need the reassurance that we should be running slower, other days the spring is sprung and your legs want to do their thing. Well done to you for running the run you wanted to run.
When you think about it, the 10k plan is just a guideline, isn't it? It's one thing sticking rigidly to what coach says if you're a professional athlete but we are running just because we like it, aren't we? Sometimes it just feels so good to go for it. If that's how the mood hits you you'd be missing out if you passed on the opportunity.
You big rebel!! Well done on the fast 5k, snails pace can wait for another day
I totally hadn’t thought about having spring in my legs!! At one point, I felt like a gazelle bouncing along (which very rarely happens!). Next time I’ll picture myself as a spring lamb! 🤣
You’re so right about the plan being a guideline rather than rules which must be followed. It’s so good to have the structure to adapt.
I'm off Coach B atm, but I do enjoy some of his runs and will undoubtedly get back to him. I'm liking the idea of being free and without a set programme - or without a dictator in my ear, saying, "do this, do that."
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Nrc 10k plan round 2
A New NRC plan: RUN BEYOND PLAN (4 weeks)
