Indoors: 10 x 2 minute speed runs at 5K pace with 1 minute rest and then 2 minutes between intervals 4 and 8.
So this was one of the hardest interval sessions I’ve had. Running at 5K pace for essentially 20 minutes was more tiring then I would have thought. I’ve been running the distances at a modest pace for a long time now and so to get back to sustained running at pace was exhausting, but exhilarating. No messages from my self-diagnosed hernia this morning I’m pleased to say.
I only did two runs last week and I’ve been cutting out the 15 minute recovery run on this plan for the last few weeks. So having had a 3 day break since my 15K and then straight into a speed run probably wasn’t ideal, but I’ll be doing a long recovery run tomorrow, then a rest day and then straight into a 16K run. I’ve been reading around doing long runs and everybody seems to agree that you shouldn’t attempt a long run the day after an interval run. That’s my only beef with the NRC app - they have included speed runs before the big runs and maybe if I was 20 years younger that might be ok, but not at my age.
My plan was to flip the speed run with the long run last week but I was working over the weekend and had one of those lazy days yesterday when you watch Netflix all day and doze. I was going to do last week’s speed run yesterday but decided to waive it in favour of an extra day’s rest. Three days rest after a gruelling 15K run which tweaked my hernia seems a sensible thing to do to me. I’ll aim to do this week’s speed run on Sunday after one day’s rest following the 16K - if my body allows.
I discovered a new post run culinary delight today. Gail’s egg and cheddar soufflé with spinach. I wanted a change from my usual croissant and that was utterly delicious. I’m beginning to scale down my coffee and croissant intake as I’m getting stricter on my diet and I can see my stomach slowly returning to fitness levels. I always like myself more when I’m slim and fit. I swear it’s vanity that keeps me pounding the pavement!!