After my sloooooow 5k yesterday (I managed to keep down to a 8:12 min/k pace somehow) I went out today with the aim of running to a 6:30 pace, which I've recently been trying but not quite being able to maintain through a 5k.
Today for some reason, I felt like I was really running. I had urgency and intent. I was a running machine. Until the end of the third kilometer. Then my legs began whining "we're tired". I did the first three k in 6:21, 6:32 and 6:26. I thought I'd blown it when the fatigue kicked in and k4 was slower at 6:51.
Then I appear to have got some kind of second wind. I pushed hard, lungs bursting, legs tiring, and ran the last k in 6:12 - the fastest k I've ever run, and rescued the average pace which is recorded as 6:29 and the 5k time as 32:23. I'm glowing.
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14 Replies
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Amazing. I can't help but be impressed, even though it feels like you're some kind of cyber running machine compared to slow li'l me! When I have a slower laptime I try to remind myself that your speed varies quite a lot even within a 1k lap. If you felt you were struggling and going slower that might only have been for a short part of that lap, and most of it might have been quite fast. I think it's a valid technique to vary your pace anyway, and there's definitely something psychological that happens when you get near the end, meaning you can somehow get extra energy from nowhere and go faster. Keep going! Love it
Hmmm, possibly but I'm a bit wary of trying to do too many things at the same time - do I try to get my 5k time down, consolidate 10k..... training for a HM might rather dominate things.
Of course, depends what your future target is. Mine is distance rather than time so an autumn HM is my focus after this race at the end of May. Best of luck getting the times down, making great progress!
It's interesting that you tried to run to a target pace, couldn't quite maintain it but were able to finish so strong. What's that all about? I think more of this is mental than we can quite appreciate right now.
I think you're right. If I recall my feelings at the time, I was having serious doubts about keeping going, and consciously eased up a bit to conserve energy. I don't know if I could have avoided that if I'd been mentally stronger. I was really surprised by the last k - it didn't feel fast, but I was putting a huge amount of effort in!
I did, but the last couple of weeks I've been running without it, and quite enjoyed it. I'm waiting for a pair of bluetooth earphones to arrive, and will probably try music again then.
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