Thursday
I decided to sleep in today, rather than run early. I had a hunch that it would stay cool, and I was knackered! Must admit I rather drifted all morning, although I was kept busy with a flurry of emails re TrailWalker, which is now all sorted (just got to do the thing now, but that'll seem like the easy part!
Anyway, around half twelve I decided that it had cooled enough to head out for a run. I set out feeling comfortable, and even felt rain on the back of my legs. "Great", I thought, "it's going to be lovely and cool". I realised soon afterwards that actually, the "rain" was just water squirting out of my drinks bottle, but even so, it did seem to be a lot cooler than the past few days.
I was going great, and the HR was staying well down, in spite of maintaining a decent pace. I had to stop to adjust my HR monitor about quarter of a mile in, which was annoying, and it was a little touchy a couple of other times - hope this isn't going to be the start of problems with the Garmin :o(. I ploughed on, and actually had trouble getting the HR up much above 140 unless I was on a hill. My 70% figure is 150, and this was more like 63%, which is okay but it's time I worked harder! It felt so good that I decided to add a couple of miles on to my usual six miler, and do an eight. Time to go over-distance so I don't fizzle too much towards the end of a 10k. - Elmbridge is only sixteen days away!
I continued to feel great going into Nonsuch Park, and my mile splits reflected this - HR not much above 140 and yet I was doing each mile in nine minutes, which is the best for ages. I decided to have a quick drink at around the two and a half mile mark, and set out again feeling a bit sluggish all of a sudden. I struggled on, but quickly decided that the eight miler wasn't a good idea. I noticed that although it was cool, I was sweating profusely, far more than usual, and decided to just go for the usual six miler. When I got to the half way mark, I felt giddy, so I lay down on the grass and hoped it would go away. I was on the verge (ha ha!) of phoning for help, or at the very least walking back home.
Suddenly though, I felt better, and I tentatively set out on the run home. I had half expected to feel lousy again very quickly, but it held off, and my splits stayed good. Even the hills early in the fifth mile didn't faze me too much, and I felt really strong, fair bounding along West Drive - a nice flat section. Again though - the split was good :o)
The final mile, and I had to decide if I was going to do my usual sprint from just under a half mile out. I decided not to - I was going so well I reckoned I could beat my 57 minutes (this has become a target time lately) without making the effort. From quarter of a mile out, I realised I had a chance of beating 56 minutes, but it would be tight, so with 0.1 of a mile to go I put my foot down. I must do some speed work sometime - it's still in there, but I need to make the legs stronger so I can keep going!
Anyhow - I got under fifty six minutes - the run actually hit six miles slightly before I got home (unusual) and then I managed to hit the button on the Garmin briefly once indoors, so there's a couple of other daft "laps" at the end if you look at the figures. If you take these off though, I did it in 55:44, over a minute quicker than just before Dysart, and with a shorter sprint at the finish (perhaps a further 30 second swould have come off if I'd sprinted from the usual place?). Most importantly though, my HR is level to what it was that day or lower, except for a few minor blips. This is more how it should be - training is meant to improve things!
Anyway, around half twelve I decided that it had cooled enough to head out for a run. I set out feeling comfortable, and even felt rain on the back of my legs. "Great", I thought, "it's going to be lovely and cool". I realised soon afterwards that actually, the "rain" was just water squirting out of my drinks bottle, but even so, it did seem to be a lot cooler than the past few days.
I was going great, and the HR was staying well down, in spite of maintaining a decent pace. I had to stop to adjust my HR monitor about quarter of a mile in, which was annoying, and it was a little touchy a couple of other times - hope this isn't going to be the start of problems with the Garmin :o(. I ploughed on, and actually had trouble getting the HR up much above 140 unless I was on a hill. My 70% figure is 150, and this was more like 63%, which is okay but it's time I worked harder! It felt so good that I decided to add a couple of miles on to my usual six miler, and do an eight. Time to go over-distance so I don't fizzle too much towards the end of a 10k. - Elmbridge is only sixteen days away!
I continued to feel great going into Nonsuch Park, and my mile splits reflected this - HR not much above 140 and yet I was doing each mile in nine minutes, which is the best for ages. I decided to have a quick drink at around the two and a half mile mark, and set out again feeling a bit sluggish all of a sudden. I struggled on, but quickly decided that the eight miler wasn't a good idea. I noticed that although it was cool, I was sweating profusely, far more than usual, and decided to just go for the usual six miler. When I got to the half way mark, I felt giddy, so I lay down on the grass and hoped it would go away. I was on the verge (ha ha!) of phoning for help, or at the very least walking back home.
Suddenly though, I felt better, and I tentatively set out on the run home. I had half expected to feel lousy again very quickly, but it held off, and my splits stayed good. Even the hills early in the fifth mile didn't faze me too much, and I felt really strong, fair bounding along West Drive - a nice flat section. Again though - the split was good :o)
The final mile, and I had to decide if I was going to do my usual sprint from just under a half mile out. I decided not to - I was going so well I reckoned I could beat my 57 minutes (this has become a target time lately) without making the effort. From quarter of a mile out, I realised I had a chance of beating 56 minutes, but it would be tight, so with 0.1 of a mile to go I put my foot down. I must do some speed work sometime - it's still in there, but I need to make the legs stronger so I can keep going!
Anyhow - I got under fifty six minutes - the run actually hit six miles slightly before I got home (unusual) and then I managed to hit the button on the Garmin briefly once indoors, so there's a couple of other daft "laps" at the end if you look at the figures. If you take these off though, I did it in 55:44, over a minute quicker than just before Dysart, and with a shorter sprint at the finish (perhaps a further 30 second swould have come off if I'd sprinted from the usual place?). Most importantly though, my HR is level to what it was that day or lower, except for a few minor blips. This is more how it should be - training is meant to improve things!
On the down side, in spite of exercising like a loon, my weight has stubbornly stayed a smidge either side of 95kgs - grrrr! Surely it's due to drop!
posted by XFR Bear @ 9:34 pm
3 Comments:
personally I think it was the stress of all those e-mails!
TAKE CARE!!!
Do you always run your routes the same way round? If so, why not try the other direction for a change. I heard a good item on R4 about change stimulating the body.
xxx
Trouble is WOmbly, it's an out and back run ;o)
Nice idea though - will try it on some of the others!
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