Having decided three weeks ago to do my local “10k ish multi terrain”run, The Crediton Crunch, I have been on a crash training plan, adapted from the Runkeeper sub 55 minute 10kplan. Well this week was tapering, to very little from, frankly, not a lot and today was just their recommended “day before” gentle 3k with strides. For once I managed to run slowly enough. I have discovered the Runners World Training pace calculator at runnersworld.co.uk/general/... which is a really useful reference as to how fast you should be running when doing intervals.
Two days ago my pace was so leisurely that I stopped to take the photo above, looking from my 5k route to the hill in the middle distance, next to the rainbow, which is the main climb of my 10k route, here in bootifull Devon. I never fail to realise how lucky I am to run from home, in such a lovely spot. I have done my last few runs on exactly the route that I started C25k on, eleven months ago, before I had to add a loop at the start to keep me running for 30 minutes. This made me curious about how my times might have changed over the time. My best kilometre time on the first run I recorded on Endomondo, on July 20th last year was 5.53m/k (which happened to be downhill) whereas my fastest kilometre of the last month, as recorded by my now favoured Runkeeper, was 5.07m/k (and yes that was downhill too, but was kilometre seven of a long run). Probably more telling though, is the fact that last year my average pace for this 3k run was 6.32m/k, while I recently completed my whole 5k run at an average of 5.50k/m including the the final run up Long Slog Hill.
None of this may help me tomorrow, when the temperature is estimated to be between 16 to 18 degrees and bright sunshine will make me ooze from every pore of my body and I will be battling along with about 300 others. Why do they have to start at 10.30am, when I am used to running at 6.30am, in the cool of the morn? Don't they know anything?
All I know is, that I can run 10k in under an hour, on similar terrain, so am hoping to do the same tomorrow. Anything under the hour will be deemed to show that I have indeed progressed since last year and I will enjoy the scenery, anyway. Maybe next time I need to train for more than three weeks.
Wish me luck.
Off to do a rain dance!!!
A form of enforced run/walk 10K
Minehead 10k - grass, pavement, pebbles and sand! I did it! 
Interval training
