W11R3....and Gramma did a fartlek...........er, pardonnez....

[Grammadog1947]

I needed that......

Today's run started out just like the last 33 runs....nice steady pace. A new route, with a couple bigger hills .... and I just wanted to get a distance and a "base" time for the route.

Then I realized my Garmin hadn't started when I did...SNAP! There goes THIS run!

The temp (23°) and humidity (83%) weren't on my side, and I was fighting the ole' "bag it" monkey on my shoulder. "Won't have good distance" Screeech! "Won't have good time" Screech! "You can't run when it's this hot/humid/on Fridays/" Screeeeeeeeeech!

I'd better come up with a new plan for this run or he's gonna win. Since distance AND time were both lost, I decided to make it a "fun" run....and nothing spells fun like fartlek (lol)!

Now Gramma's fartlek interval pace would probably make most of you smile. I WAS able to increase my speed by 30% during the "ZOMBIES, RUN!" portion of the intervals. (Yes, there's an app for that...lol) It was, wellllll, maybe not FUN in the purist sense of the word, but it WAS a great workout. Next time I may even have enough breath to mumble the words "Zombies, RUN!" I'm going to start doing a zombie/fartlek run once a week, I hope.

Most importantly...I salvaged a run which was nanoseconds away from going in the dustbin.

If you missed me this week, it's because I started swimming and weight training at my local fitness center. Can you say, "tri-ath-lon"?

[cimer Graduate]

"Nothing spells fun like fartlek" I love it! This is something I've only just heard about and tried, and I like it. I also just recently heard about this app, I'm going to have to go and download it now...

[Dansmum Graduate]

oh Grammadog, you're not thinking of what I think you are thinking of, are you? Did you not learn your lesson 20 odd years ago? If you are, rather you than me!!

Talking of triathlons, I went to visit a friend of mine yesterday, her other half does 'Sprint' ?triathlons, he has recently done a 1500m ocean swim, 18 mile bike and 5k run one, and I was gutted to find out that he did his swim in 12 mins, that's only a little bit slower than I can run a mile!

I'm gonna have to start looking at this Fartlek stuff.

[Grammadog1947 Graduate in reply to Dansmum]

Wow....1500m is taking me 43 minutes and I was happy (lol).

Yes, Dansmum, I AM thinking...but probably not the Ironman again. What I REALLY want to do is re-qualify for the Boston Marathon and be an OFFICIAL finisher this time. It's the "big one" that got away for me. Stay tuned.