Slowly getting faster

[JaySeeSkinny]

Most of my 5 ks come in at about 38 minutes, just over 7.5 mins/km. It's not easy, but I can do them at that pace relatively consistently. Still a very long way away from 5 k in 30 mins. Today I was toying with the idea of increasing my distance but trying to maintain the same pace. So the distances and times were calculated and stored away in my statistic loving brain so I could check whether I was on target when runkeeper piped up every 5 minutes. After about 15 minutes I was well ahead of target and decided to scrap going for distance but instead try to get a faster 5 k. Now I know you're not supposed to puff and pant, but I'm afraid the last 2 k saw me red-faced, pouring with sweat and probably sounding like a rusty old steam engine. I am so glad there are very few people around at 6 in the morning. But still enough for some dog-walker to find me if I do collapse in an exhausted heap one day😈 I came in at just over 34 mins, which is bloody amazing for these old bones. I was well pleased, maybe there are signs of improvement after all. Changing my route a bit definitely helped, as the usual triggers came in the wrong order. 

I would love to run 5k in 30 mins. But that's going to be a long term goal and I might never manage it. For the moment I will settle for today's PB. And the longer run will have to be on Sunday now. I'm looking forward to it already😎😊

[jt24 Graduate]

Well done

I do puffing, panting, red faced and sweaty on every run!

That was a great p.b

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to jt24]

To be honest I do most of the time as well. But I CAN do slow and smooth and I do that on the longer runs (anything over 5k). Those runs are really fun, but very, very slow!

[Celtprof Graduate]

Well done on a new PB! 

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Brilliant... and personally, I think that the red faced sweaty look is generally catching one... certainly with me and one or two others. Well done You!!!

I think sometimes, we have to make that last effort.. even if it costs us...

Brilliant post.. and run

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I agree, just as long as it's not every time. Might not be healthy in the long run (excuse the pun!). I always get red-faced and sweaty, but I try not to get too puffed, having been told off by MissWobble during week 8 of the programme. 

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to JaySeeSkinny]

Well.. you know the form.. slow and steady...but sometimes... it is great just to go for it!... I tried lengthening my stride for the last five minutes today..it was blooming great... however.. my legs feel a little annoyed with me right now!!!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

It is good to push yourself really hard now and then! Great sense of achievement. But I immediately start thinking "that was so hard, I'll never be able to repeat that time", or "that was just a fluke". On the other hand I also think "just maybe if I'd pushed a bit harder I could have been even faster" - and then I can't wait to do it again. 

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Well done - that's a big improvement in your PB!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

There have been a few faster ones in between, including one which would have been under 35 mins if Runkeeper hadn't died on me at 4.8 k! But I couldn't repeat it, so thought it was one of those Runkeeper anomalies which sometimes occur. (It had me doing a km in 5:30 this week, which was definitely not the case - on the Runkeeper map the 1 km mark is actually only about 750m in "real life"). So, well chuffed - but I really shouldn't get hung up on statistics. 

[poppypug Graduate]

Well done Jaysee on a new PB !

Great post, I really enjoyed reading that, ta ! xxx