Consolidation 20 - Best 4K time!

[Jools2020]

I’m really noticing the darker mornings now - as an early morning runner, I’m not happy about them! I do have a chest torch and it’s very good, but I prefer not to leave the house while it’s pitch black.

So - I checked the weather forecast last night and it was good! Not cold enough for my new warm running tights 😀 so shorts it is. Short sleeved tee shirt. Have to say, it was a bit chilly at first! Off I go, Santana through the headphones 🎵 🎧 and I’m certainly not running at an easy conversational pace this morning 😬. I try and gasp some Spanish, but it doesn’t work very well! I’ve done it again and started off too fast. I check the first km and it’s 7’ 07”. (I immediately shelve the plan for negative splits! I usually struggle with the second km if I set off too fast!)

The run seemed faster than last week, and it was. Very pleased with my improved pace! I found it hard work, though, because I set off just a little too fast. It’s very hard to judge. I was tired for the whole of the last km, but I did enjoy the run and it was glorious to be out early this morning and to watch the sun come up as I ran along the infamous Deadend Track!

Pic of Welney Sluice before sunrise.

[Scout37 Graduate]

Impressive as ever!

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Scout37]

Thank you! So pleased with that pace 😊😘

[MccHa Graduate]

1st, Lovely photo with different colours of the sky 👍 2nd, well done for best 4K time 👏👏👏 love early morning runs 👍 somewhat refreshing...

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MccHa]

Thank you, MccHa! I love that time just before dawn 👍

[Instructor57 Graduate]

nice run Jools !

yes, it's noticeably darker 🙁

i agree, i find it quite difficult to set off at the pace i want , i'm just getting there with it now but it's tricky !

i am noticing also that my base pace is getting better now .

the plans are showing results ! 😬👍

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks, Ian 😊 I agree about the plans showing results! It was only a few weeks ago I couldn’t have imagined a pace of 7’ 08” 🏃‍♀️. I’m sure it’s the slow runs 👍

[kiely1961]

Hi im on week 3 now but when i started i kept going back to week one must say it did make it easer like you i go out about 5am keep going

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to kiely1961]

Thank you 😀 and good luck with your running journey! 👍

Problem is, it’s pitch dark at 5 am now, so I’m leaving the house at about 6, warm up walk and photo before I start running! 😊

[kiely1961 in reply to Jools2020]

Hi yes very dark at 5am but i have a headlight with spot light love going early no one about

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to kiely1961]

That’s what does it for me! I rarely see anyone. Only time I do is on Saturday mornings when I do my long run. Last Saturday I ran for an hour and a half - and of course the dog walkers were all out towards the end of my run 😀

[Birdlady64 Graduate]

Congrats on the 4k PB😁

Grest pic again. I remember winter birding trips to Welney many years back now.

I've definitely noticed the darker mornings and me no like either ☹️

I suffered from the same thing on my run yesterday, setting off way too quickly on my 5k run, although not quite at your blistering pace 😁.

I definitely paid for it through km 2 and 3, but managed to pick up the pace a bit again for km 4 and 5 to get my second PB in 5 days.

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Birdlady64]

Thanks, Birdlady. With a name like that, I might have guessed you would have visited WWT Welney. I have worked there and spent many happy times there with my camera during the Whooper and Bewick season!

Blistering pace 😂, well yes - certainly for me! Like you, I paid for it with the second km, but managed to pull it back in the third and fourth; well done for your 5K PB ! 🏃‍♀️👏👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks! Just back from my lunchtime swim 🏊I'm convinced the running has helped a lot with my breathing in the pool😁

Yes, my name comes from my hobby. I haven't been to WWT Welney for quite a few years now, but it was always lovely seeing the swans.

I've seen breeding Whoopers in Iceland - that was pretty special too.

Of course we don't get swans here in winter, but we do have the Brent Geese and usually a few short eared owls by the coast. It would be a great place to run, but I would want to take my binoculars and keep stopping everytime I saw something 😂

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Birdlady64]

I’m not really a bird watcher, more a photographer, but the two overlap often. The local birdwatching club used to get frustrated with me, because I wouldn’t be interested in getting a distant shot of a rare bird, preferring a close up study in interesting light of a mute swan 😂. We have short eared owls round here, too - as well as many barn owls and a few tawnies.

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Ha ha! Yes birders can be a bit of a strange breed.

I'm not totally one-eyed about it, I like all aspects of wildlife and being out and about amongst nature. It can be amazing what else you see whilst out birding, if only you look around you.

[Couchphoenix Graduate]

Well done on your 4K PB Jools2020 👏🏻👏🏻I’ve noticed how much darker the early mornings are getting now, a chest torch sounds like a good investment. Nice pic too 👍

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Couchphoenix]

Thanks 🙏. Chest torch is great! I tried a head torch, but didn’t like how it felt on my head. Also, I didn’t realise how often I turned my head slightly to look at things, and of course the beam went with it 😂.

[nowster Graduate]

Nice noctilucent clouds.

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to nowster]

Indeed! They were rather splendid!

[ThisGirlNowRuns Graduate]

Well done Jools - great time/pace!

I struggled to get going the first 2K (seems to be a thing atm) but my 70s/80s disco playlist didn't let me down - quick reminder that Red Lights Spell Danger and all became good

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to ThisGirlNowRuns]

Thanks 🙏. I’m ok if I can get the right pace for the first km, but that doesn’t happen often 😬.A good playlist is everything 👍

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Good running there again 👍Tip: find a playlist that matches the cadence of your target pace and run to the beat🎶

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

That would work if I knew what my target pace was 😂

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Well put it this way then. If you want to run a 29min 4k you need to be at 7'15" per Km pace to achieve that. So you need to find out what cadence you need to run at to achieve that pace. Run 1k at 150spm and see what your pace is. Then try 155spm etc etc and plan a strategy from there... 👍😁

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

Average cadence for today’s run according to stats was 169. I suspect, though, that my cadence is all over the place, which could explain why I had trouble with the speed podcast. Probably a good idea to do what you suggest. Thanks 😊

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

What was your stride length?

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

83 cm. You were right, when I’m pushing myself, it has increased slightly from 77 cm.

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

👍 And how much warm up do you do?

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

I do about 5 minutes dynamic stretches and a 5 minute brisk walk.

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

Maybe the dynamic stretches have stretched my legs a bit!

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Definitely. My stride length has increased from 80 odd cm to 1.06m😂🤣👍

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

Wow, that’s some increase!

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

We are changing from "shufflers" into "runners" 😁

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

Definitely! Can’t believe my pace improvement in just a few weeks! 😀

[Femai]

Yeah

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Femai]

Thank you, Femai 😊

[Femai in reply to Jools2020]

Yeah👍🏻

[Buzzbeebh Graduate]

Well done! What kind of chest torch do you have? Does it stay put? Would you recommend it? Tx

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Buzzbeebh]

I got it from Decathlon; sorry - tried to paste a link.

KIPRUN RUN LIGHT 250 FW19 RUNNING LIGHT - BLACKIt has a rechargeable battery. Two levels of illumination and a red light that sits on your back,

I would recommend it, it stays out on me (once the strap has been adjusted).