The April Challenge: halfway mark - Fun Beyond 10K & ...

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The April Challenge: halfway mark

Rignold profile image
51 Replies

We are now halfway through the month so all of you taking part in the challenge should have made 2 imprvment runs over your baseline. How's it going? How are you finding the faster runs, and are you feeling any benefits to the rest of your runs and general fitness feeling? or are you feeling more fatigued by it?

let's see some numbers. Post your results so far: distance chosen, original time, week 1 time, week 2 time.

It will be interesting to see how the improvements go over the curse of teh 4 weeks: whetehr there is a linear improvement or a big improvement in week one and smaller increments thereafetr, or ever increasing margins...

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Rignold profile image
Rignold
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51 Replies
misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

I have done the first run and I smashed my two year old record 💪🏃‍♀️😃

Given myself a hard job now 😁

Stupidly I ran the wrong run yesterday. It was supposed to be my challenge one but I read the wrong line and did an easy 5k instead 🤓

Whatsapp profile image
WhatsappHalf Marathon

Start: 29:05 This is my 'current' speed at 5k which appears to have slowed down considerably since last year, mainly due to having trained for a HM in March, where I slowed my pace to increase distance.

1st Week: 28:47

2nd Week: 28:38

I have seen improvements both weeks, quite small but although I am pushing myself, I feel that I am not near my limits, so it nice to be improving, yet feel there is more in the tank. My PB set last year was 26:40 so I know I can improve my times more. It would be nice to get near this time.

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to Whatsapp

That's a good consistent improvement, well done.

Macmac profile image
MacmacMarathon

Baseline 5k pb 23:00 last month. As I have had to run alternative routes due to my normal route being too boggy, I have run alternative routes with 23:24 and 23:02. So on paper it is slower, but I do not expect a pb every time even when I am pushing myself, as I’ve only been running around 7 months and I’ve come a long way since my first 5k of 28:45 back in november. I hope to beat my pb over the next week or so...

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to Macmac

23 mins is pretty speedy to begin with.

Do bear in mind that the purpose of the challenge is not necessarily to set new PBs though. It is to increase the speed of one of our weekly training runs

Macmac profile image
MacmacMarathon in reply to Rignold

My other weekly runs are a long slow recovery run 10k+, and a 6k interval session. On my days off I cycle and use free weights. My intervals are getting faster so maybe that’s a better target, but they all work together really.

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon

I am gutted as temporarily on the IC as I have pulled my achilles..... I hope to make a flourish at the end tho...

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to ju-ju-

Let's hope so! But take it easy...

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to ju-ju-

WTf were you doing a spin class this morning for if you have puled your achilles?

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon in reply to Rignold

its doable and I have just ordered a bootee and only doing 1 milers.

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to ju-ju-

you can go on the elliptical machine and have an excuse

given your new enthusiasm for the gym machines for the infirm and elderly

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon in reply to Rignold

**** ***

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to ju-ju-

7 stars!

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon in reply to Rignold

For 7 letters of which I will let you guess!

Rignold profile image
Rignold in reply to ju-ju-

"Love You"?

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon in reply to Rignold

Something like that 😬

Ajs07 profile image
Ajs07 in reply to Rignold

😂

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

Just done another run!

Here's the numbers for Roseabi

Not as quick today but I am supposed to be tapering for this Sunday's race.

Ruddy windy out there today! Back to long tights, and two hoods up today. Bah

Anyway, 8.04km Hagg Hill (as per) 00:47:26 = 5.54 min/km (average pace)

Thanks for keeping the scores on the doors for us Roseabi. You're very kind!

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

Thanks Wobble!

Any more? How are Lordi , Madge50 , and Ajs07 doing?

Ajs07 profile image
Ajs07 in reply to roseabi

Oh roseabi, I have since done a 7k at 54.44 still a very good run for me but my last 7k was run to heart rate zone 2 so was ridiculously slow at 1 hr 07 mins 😂

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Ajs07

You did get off to a storming start! I've noted the 54:44, but that zone 2 run is rather outside the remit of this challenge I think...

Ajs07 profile image
Ajs07 in reply to roseabi

I think so too 😂 , it was such a frustrating run.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply to roseabi

Am I up to date, by the way? 🤔

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

Yes, you're due another run sometime this week, and the final one next week.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply to roseabi

Oh flip! 🙄

Never fear 😁💪🏃‍♀️👍

Lordi profile image
LordiMarathon in reply to roseabi

Will be trying to get a 5:30 pace 10k+ over next couple of weeks.

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Lordi

Marvellous xx

Madge50 profile image
Madge50Marathon

Well, I had a go at parkrun the first week and got 34:41, happy with that, an improvement on the 35 mins, had a 10k event last Sunday, so did a bit of intervals in the week, and was hoping to beat last years time for the 10k, sadly due to twisting my back on Saturday - well I was very excited at being able to get my patio furniture out.....due to that yellow thing in the sky making an appearance.....and the swamp like conditions on the 10k, which included coming to a halt twice within the first K, due to the wimps trying to avoid the mud.........(gggrrrr!) I didn’t improve my time, however, my bambi impression was awesome 😂, you’ll be sorry you missed it......

So, I’m sort of hiding in the corner, with a note from my mum.......i’ll have another go at parkrun this week.....promise! 🏃‍♀️

Mx

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Madge50

Ouch! Poor you :( Take it easy! Cursed wimps :D

Madge50 profile image
Madge50Marathon in reply to roseabi

Thanks roseabi, although my back is a bit sore, it’s not ‘running’ related, I did take it easy, and was quite comfortable, was in more pain twisting to get out of the car!

So, I will take it steady and will only have a ‘go’ if I feel comfortable.......I didn’t face plant either, thanks to a quick prayer to the ‘pushing past the wimps’ gods which was a real bonus! 😂

Mx

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

I did it today in the HOT EVENING SUN! Cripes! 22.2 degrees. It's either freezing or scorchio. Pah!

Anyway it was absolute rubbish but I did it. Stupidly I did the run in reverse. What a plonker I really am. Oh well I wont try that again. It was such a slog

48:29 minutes for the 8.01 kms = 6.03 average pace

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

Noted

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

Thankee kindly 👍

DiveMonkey profile image
DiveMonkeyMarathon

Hi all

Well done on all the speedy running, maybe one day I will get that fast!!

I decided to select my 5.3km route in my neighborhood with a base run of 36:12,

Week 1 was 34:46

Week 2 was 33:08

Week 3 had me travelling so did not manage to run the route

I will be pushing for a faster time this week Wed! Winter is finally showing its face here in Cape Town so might be a windy/rainy run :)

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

My last run stats for my chosen route

8k = 00:46:47. = 5:51 min/km av pace

Is that the challenge done now ? 🙂🏃‍♀️

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

Thanks MW, and yes :)

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon

Any more results yet?

Lordi Whatsapp Madge50 Macmac DiveMonkey Ajs07 :)

Whatsapp profile image
WhatsappHalf Marathon in reply to roseabi

Sadly no. I had to miss this run last week and I will be doing this weeks fast run tomorrow. I will update you then.

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Whatsapp

No worries! Have a good one tomorrow :)

Whatsapp profile image
WhatsappHalf Marathon in reply to roseabi

Just back. 27:21 felt great for an extra days rest. Pushed myself but it felt good. I wasn't exhausted and actually ran negative splits. 🏃🏃🏃🏃

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Whatsapp

Wow, well done!!!

Whatsapp profile image
WhatsappHalf Marathon in reply to roseabi

Thanks. I had been getting downhearted by how slow I had become, but I realize now that it was more habitual, stemming from the HM training I did over winter, where I had become accustomed to going slower to build distance.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

Whoop whoop yay 😁👍💪🏃‍♀️

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to misswobble

Well done 💪

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

Ta very muchly 😃

Rignold profile image
Rignold

Nearly the end of the month chellenge. On Tuesday we will do a round up and a post challenge analysis and see who is the overall winner ( once I have applied my arbitra.. I mean very complex weighting system to the results.

And then we will be on to the May Challenge, which is going to be real delight.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon in reply to Rignold

Any results extrapolated yet ?

Macmac profile image
MacmacMarathon

Ok, so I have not managed to run my normal flat 5k at all this month 🙁 but have instead run some alternative hilly parkruns, so I will use them as my baseline instead😀 My previous time was 24.06 and I managed a 23.31 the rain today, so am pleased with that improvement.

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Macmac

Well done! So there will just be a final week figure for you, correct?

Macmac profile image
MacmacMarathon in reply to roseabi

Thanks, yes just baseline and final week correct, ta.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

Post analysis 🤓. Pacing up and down outside the door of HU HQ for news.

Bites nails 🙂

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