On Target

Since my last panicky post when I had had to give up a run for the first time, things have progressed dramatically though admittedly with a couple of scares.

Target Pace Hit
Yesterday I completed a 5km road run in 29m 35s. This was great as I had set out aiming to be close to but under 30 min's. As well as getting the pace spot on I finished in good condition. I'm not sure how much further I could have gone but I certainly could have continued at that point.

27:20 5k parkrun
The previous week I managed to scare myself. I took part in the Bramhall parkrun again, with the same intention as yesterday's run, to be under but close to 30 min's. I was amazed to turn in a 27:20 !! Whilst this was exciting, it was faster than I had intended. Bramhall is a hilly course and I have to remember that I am almost 60 and have not been a practicing athlete over the last 25 years. My heart rate was sky high at the top path on the second circuit.

Scary Bit
I felt fine after the parkrun but that evening felt weak and odd and when I went out for a walk rang home to say where I was as I felt dizzy and concerned. That night I was worried with palpitations and generally feeling unwell. By the next morning, to my relief, I was losing my voice and clearly had some sort of virus. I did absolutely nothing for the next few days but felt ready for a treadmill session by Thursday when I ran a continuous 30min session with no adverse affects.

Additionally to thinking I had a virus, I thought back to the end of the week preceding. Thursday I had done a 7.5ml hike helping check footpath condition and repairing marker posts on the edge of the Pennines. Later that afternoon I did 35 Min's on the treadmill and 20 lengths of the pool. Friday I shifted a load of heavy gauge 3x2ft flagstones which was a real chest muscle workout. As preparation for a faster than intended hilly parkrun, this was probably not good. More lessons learnt.

Finding The Pace
I seem to be homing in on a 10k 60min pace now. One indicator is that my heart rate on the flat after more than 15 min's is between 165 and 170 bpm. Higher and I'm going too fast and lower too slow. Trying to pin down how it feels; if I jog along slowly flat footed I travel about 9.5 kph, just a slight feel of toe pressure on take off takes me to 10kph (target) but an actual feeling of launch takes me over. Still working on identifying pace but as long as RunKeeper updates me every kilometre I seem to be getting it now. My phone had packed in again on the 27:20 parkrun and was giving me no feedback otherwise I would have pulled back a little.

Next Steps
Repeat 5k's aiming at 29:30; take treadmill to 40 min's and insert faster intervals; take road runs up toward 1hr and then 10km.

5 Weeks time = Bupa Great Manchester Run

  
Running for St. Ann's Hospice in memory of Margaret Donovan (Mum) and Sheila Waddington.

Running On Empty

I set out Saturday morning with a nice 5km route intending to up my speed slightly to break 30 min.

A Bad Start
I always stride walk for 5 Min's to warm up and as I approached my start point I began to set up a Runkeeper Activity on my phone. I noticed that the GPS kept going in and out but didn't think much of it. I started running and the first voice prompt said zero distance so I stopped and cancelled it. I did this a further 2 times before abandoning the App and relying on my watch and route only.

Running On Empty
As soon as I began running I realised that I felt as if I was running on empty and that moving away from the normal steady pace I have been using I had no concept of current pace. It turns out, when I checked afterwards, that I must have been doing about 12.5kph instead of the 10kph I was trying for; no wonder I was knackered but with no App running I had no feedback on my pace. I've got to sort that out.
My diet over the previous 24hrs had been very poor for reasons I'll skirt around and I think this was the reason for the 'running on empty'.

Defeated
16 minutes into the session, I realised it was stupid to carry on. My heart rate was sky high (low 180's) and I was drained. I decided to push on to 20 Min's and then stop and walk home. An advantage of circular routes with home in the centre as opposed to out and back is that if you take on an injury you can shortcut to home.

Valuable Lessons
I still achieved a 4.13km run so it was in some ways a good session but it was my first time feeling I had to give up. I think the poor diet in the previous 24hrs leading to running on empty was a valuable lesson. Now I know that trying to speed up a bit went very wrong so I need to practise pace change. I should have known I was going too hard by the high heart rate which does seem to be a good indicator of current effort so I can try using that a bit more.


Runkeeper Sorted
My Runkeeper App is now working again after force closing the App and clearing data before restarting and logging in anew. I suspect a new release of either Runkeeper or GPS Status had clashed with the other but all seems well now.

  
Running for St. Ann's Hospice in memory of Margaret Donovan (Mum) and Sheila Waddington.

A Scottish Interval

Less Than 2 Months To Go
The bupa Great Manchester Run 10 km takes place 26th May, less than 8 weeks away! My target is to complete it in better than 60 min.  (If you are up for sponsoring my please use the link below.)

1st Through Run 5km
Previously, I have programmed walk intervals in all sessions but last Saturday I completed the Bramhall parkun 5 km as a continuous run. Quite happy with 30m 34s at this stage but look forward to breaking 30 min next time and achieving a 10km in 60min pace for the first time. This represented an improvement of 34 places and 2 min 24 secs on my last event 23rd Feb.

Scotland
I lost a week of training last week during a trip to Scotland. I took my running gear but it was FREEZING and I succeeded in always finding an excuse. (Photo near Glen Coe)

Training Plan
Continuing with my 3 sessions a week.

1. Gym: Treadmill 40 min session followed by 20 lengths of 20m pool.
2. Road: Increasing toward 1 hour, extending run intervals with walk intervals less frequent.
3. 5 km: Some weeks a parkrun others a 5 km road run. 

  
Running for St. Ann's Hospice in memory of Margaret Donovan (Mum) and Sheila Waddington.