So today was the day to start my plan, based on Abi's 12x9 day cycles. The link to it is docs.google.com/spreadsheet... (that link is simply to commit me publicly, not because it is anything wonderful that I think you may want for yourself!)
I'd like to say it was a good start and that all went well, but it was a bit confusing. Was supposed to be an easy, long run of 10K. I didn't check my watch stats, just mentally counted off the distance by the 0.5K alerts and tried to take it steady. It was a beautiful place to run, despite the rather damp, grey day and it felt great, until around 7.5K when it started to drag a bit. I checked my watch in case I was running faster than I meant to - what? how can this be? current lap pace 11'50s per km? no way? I suspected I must have hit a GPS blackspot somewhere along the way, and this pace seemed to continue for some time. I didn't want to stop til I was sure I'd done my 10K, so I waited for the Garmin buzz before stopping. When I checked Mapmy run which was running on my phone, it showed virtually 12K and a much more constant pace. So 10K definitely achieved, more likely 12K.
Not so sure about Black Park as a training ground though
Now to tick that run off my plan, yay!
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linda9389
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I find tree cover really plays with the Garmin gps accuracy. Even worse, tree cover plus elevation 😲 I've had as much as 5k difference between Garmin and Strava readings (interpreting the same gpx file, generated by my forerunner) when I go on my 24km route up Corstorphine Hill, a big wooded thing. I generally split the difference, but I think the reality is closer to the longer reading. But that's fine for me, as I figure maybe it will make actual half marathons seem shorter!
Ooh, Linda, when you get to your "pace" runs, make sure you start the run with a warm up at easy pace, and then cool down at the end also at easy pace. So for that first pace run next Thursday start with 1.5 km at easy, then 3 km at pace and another 1.5 k easy to finish.
Sorry I forgot about that when I did the original plan 😢
Atually, could you quickly confirm for me the ranked order of these paces - is it easy, long, tempo, speed intervals or something different? And then where does goal half marathon pace fit in? I'm not great at pinning down actual pace, but at least I could have a go at getting them in the right order
Sure! Sorry I am not posting about this until next week 😄
That's correct, although I haven't mentioned long pace in my plan (at least I don't think so - starting to get confused!).
- Easy pace is your comfortable, chat while you run pace
- Goal half mara pace (or just "pace" I've called it) is whatever pace will get you to the time you would like to finish your race with
- Tempo pace is a bit faster than goal pace, not very comfortable, but something you can carry on with for maybe 45 minutes to an hour. You'll be warm and breathing pretty hard.
- Speed interval pace is around 85-90 % of maximum effort, so you're killing it, but can get through the half-minute or whatever the interval is 😊
It is difficult to gauge the paces. Last time I followed a training plan I went for a couple of runs where I tried running at different levels of effort, and noted on Strava later what my actual paces were during each section. Then I would check my pace regularly to make sure I was being reasonably consistent - this'll be easier with your Garmin*! The trouble is that if you start going uphill or into wind, your pace will drop for the same amount of effort, so you need to bear this in mind if your race is hilly.
That's brilliant thanks. The race is virtually flat and my training routes are reasonably flat too (I'm leaving the hills to proper fit people for now). I won't get too hung up on actual pace (because any 'mixing it up' is better than I have done so far), but I want to get easy, hard, harder, hardest .. clear in my head and that can be my first target Refinements may or may not come later
Cool. Tbh I have gone a bit overboard with the detail, as I want people to have an introduction to all of it - but distance is the most important thing! And cross training 😜
The detail is great for novices like me. And the cross training is happening too ... well for now at least 😀 in fact this morning was 45 min dog walk (yep the one garmin doesn't recognise as even moderate activity) an hour of pilates then a 12K run. I'm all cross trained out for today - unless it involves cake and prosecco in which case I'm back in the game 😂
Well done making a start Linda, despite the tech confusion! 👏🏻😊❤️ We’ll be along to follow you soon...though I’m not planning to do cross training AND a long run on the same day, even if cake is in the schedule! 😂😂
Are you able to look at your run via Garmin Connect on a computer? If you choose satellite view and zoom in, you can see in detail where your watch thinks you were every second (a little dot moves along the recorded track as you move your cursor along, say, the pace graph). So you can spot any discontinuities and compare it with where you actually went (assuming you know ). Mine does sometimes show me running through people's gardens, which I don't remember doing, and Dexy5 's shows her veering off the prom and running down the middle of the road at the start of every Parkrun (we've both got Forerunner 35s). Also I've decided I don't really trust the instantaneous pace read out, which though usually OK can sometimes be all over the place when I know I'm running steadily, but I am happy with the kilometre split times and the distance covered.
But you might find yourself spending hours analysing things when you could be running ……….
I did try to compare the maps from MMR and strava - I didn't spend long on it, but in the section where the pace was out, the distances differed hugely. I will take another look - if only to try to avoid those bits of the park in future! Unfortunately I have no idea where I went - I just chose random trails through the trees, and for part of the time when it was going wrong I was on something that was barely even a track, but I couldn't find it again that's for sure
I agree with you on the issue with the current pace - I usually look several times to give it chance to adjust to whatever caused it to wobble - but this stayed silly for ages
You must really look forward to checking out your strava maps after a run - hmm, where have I been today?
Well done for starting. Even with the problems of tech, it makes you wonder how people kept up with a training plan before all this GPS tehnology. I don't remember seeing anyone running along with a trundle wheel when I was a kid LOL!!
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Refinements may or may not come later 
). Mine does sometimes show me running through people's gardens, which I don't remember doing, and Dexy5 's shows her veering off the prom and running down the middle of the road at the start of every Parkrun (we've both got Forerunner 35s). Also I've decided I don't really trust the instantaneous pace read out, which though usually OK can sometimes be all over the place when I know I'm running steadily, but I am happy with the kilometre split times and the distance covered.
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