I'm sometimes amazed at how hard a run can feel, even when I'm well prepared and carb loaded. Then on other days, when I have zero preparation and just run on a whim, I end up running a fantastic time.
I used to train 5 times a week at 10k (6 mile) run, and Monday were always a speed run. My best times in training were around 48 mins, but I had to work very hard to get that time, and my PB is a sub 45, which was in a race.
But in the last year it's been more about getting 2000 miles inside the year, so I soon settled into 13 to 20 mile runs.
Even my regular 10k runs with my 2 closest running buddies were slow (around 57 to 60 mins) because of the lack of miles they train.
Last week I ran 'on the spur of the moment' a very hilly training run to the top of Whetstone Gate, Keighley which is 1,317 feet above sea level,and back again. Distance 10k time 52 mins with a negative split of sub 20 mins. Felt great.
Today I woke in our motorhome to a very cold frost. And decided to go out in my usual shorts and thin base layer for a speed run. I tried to pace myself for the first 3k, but did not really succeed. Ended up running a time of 46.59 with a negative split. Ending up at a tad over 7 mins per mile. Felt very good indeed. How is it we can follow the running science, subscribe to specialist running websites, get tips from the best in the world, yet our results can vary so wildly from one week to another?
I will tell you what I think the answer is in my case. D/M+A
Thats Distance running, plus Motivation + Action.
D. Over the last 12 months, I have added 2,000 miles to my legs simply running longer but slower. It seems the more long slow miles I have in my legs, the better my shorter, faster times.
M. I was watching TV laying in bed when I flicked channels and saw the last 10 mins of a program called 'Running to the Limit' with Alex Vero (website) I was so amazed at what I saw, I changed to a +1 channel to watch the entire documentary. It was then I saw Alex who was a documentary film maker who was 16st in weight (like me), he had never run before (like me) he was a couch potato (like me) getting fatter every year (like me). Alex decided to make a big change to his life (life me) and started running (like me). He lost 4 stones in weight (like me).
What he did differently was, he believed in less than 2 years, he could run a marathon in 2 hours 20 mins, and that is ALL he focused on.
A. At that moment, I decided I need to take action. When did I last set a goal like that for myself? The past 26 months was all about raising money for Cancer Reseach UK. So after seeing the pain Alex put himself through, I decided 'I can do that'. So this year, I intend to set new personal best times for every distance including 10k, 13 miles and 20 miles.
Alex DVD and training tips is released on 20th February, and I will be first in the queue.
Who's joining me?
As a "beginner" runner who had a break to battle cancer, I soak up any advice I can get. I am a slow runner but being 5ft 1, its hard! I can run 10K in 1hr 14 which isnt good but I have only been running again since September and thats going from 18 months of no activity at all cos I was too ill. My aim is to run 10K in an hour but firstly its to do my first 10K race which is what I was supposed to do when I was diagnosed.
ReplyDeleteToday my run was hard, sub zero temps and my quads felt like frozen turkey thighs thats where I stumbled.
I think the key is to accept the bad runs and love the good uns x