Super-improved turbo run or crappy app...?!

[Pippayoungart]

I would really like to believe i knocked more than three minutes off my 4k time but wonder if it is just a malfunctioning app! The run this morning was oddly disorientating: i had chosen to run my normal route back to front - just to ring the changes and was running into full rising sun on the way out - no sunglasses so practically ran with my eyes closed. And on the way back, there was the full moon directly in front.

I have been consolidating my 5k for the last few months, ocasionally trying to up my pace a little and allowing myself to stop after 4k so i don’t break myself(!) Gratifyingly i have seen my pace reduce gradually from well over 8 mins per k to a reasonably consistent 7mins 40 secs.

Today though i apparently ran an average of 7:03! Is that even possible? I was aware that i was much more out of breath than usual and i did stop after 4k as my puff had run out. But to go from 31:50 to 28:15? I want to think i did it, but is a mafunctioning app more likely?!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

For the Mo Farah types it’s impossible to knock more than a few seconds off a 5k time... for us beginners it’s fairly easy to knock minutes off. You’ve been doing some long tempo work at 4K and that pace will at some point carry over into your 5k, especially if you also do the odd longer slower one.

So yes, I believe that with what you’ve been doing, those times seem realistic. Be very proud, you’ve done a great job there.

[Pippayoungart Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Hurrah! Thank you for agreeing with the app! I've been slightly resigned that I might never be able to improve at my age and that I need to accept it!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Pippayoungart]

Well, now you know that you can improve! Age has nothing to do with that... just means you’re unlikely to smash the absolute world record!

[Hidden]

totally agree with Unfit.. obvs there is a little discrepancy in the accuracy of an app and GPS but your times and pace look good to me . Hard work pays and this is showing in your times .. Well done great effort 😁

[Pippayoungart Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Yes the app even disagrees with itself - even though it showed 7:03 on screen, verbally it told me that my pace was 6 minutes. I knew that couldn't be right, but when I checked the splits, my first k did show 6:23! Think I was blinded and disorientated by the sun!

[Hidden in reply to Pippayoungart]

I use runkeeper ( bliddy thing drives me mad some days) there is your actual pace and average pace at a pre determined point I.e time/distance .if could be the difference between the 2 ?

[slow-farah Graduate]

A couple of weeks back I managed to knock 3 minutes off my parkrun pb (so 5k) I think I was just subconsciously holding myself back until I realised I could actually run that fast so a similar thing might have happen with you but if you’re in doubt then the thing to do is repeat the run at a similar speed or check the distance online

[Pippayoungart Graduate]

You’re right - i should repeat it. But a bit of me knows i’ll be disappointed if i can’t match the time!

[Sandie1961 Graduate]

If you did your normal route back to front, is it possible that your usual uphills are downhill? It makes quite a difference to my pace!

[Pippayoungart Graduate in reply to Sandie1961]

i did wonder that as it happened to me before on another (hilly) route. But tis one is almost entirely flat! Maybe 1m elevation...

[Sandie1961 Graduate in reply to Pippayoungart]

You must just have been super speedy then. Good going!

[Runningfit67]

I wondered the same after last nights run. According to Nike run club I ran 6k in 39 minuets that’s around 6.30 per k. Yet while I was running I felt more sluggish than normal.

[Pippayoungart Graduate]

Yes - i started off with a less than positive attitude and felt that i was just going through the motions...but that seems to be when i notice differences! When i ‘try’ i seem to get worse!