Week 2, Day 4: 5M buildup & Trying to Avoid Spatula Beatings

I love running. I absolutely and genuinely love the way it makes me feel. However tonight was a struggle to get out of the door.

I don’t know whether it was the chocolate orange I’d finished off earlier or the nap in the chair but I wanted to stay in the warm.

I asked Twitter for some motivation and got responses ranging from friendly encouragement to threats of being beaten with a spatula (as in Run Fatboy Run) and I finally got changed into my running gear. Committing to do the run is the hardest bit … and I’d already made the commitment when I sent in the application for the Asics Target 26.2 …

Tonight’s session was a build up run where I’d start at a reasonably slow pace and build it up to a quicker speed. It was the first time I’d tried one of these so I had no idea what to expect. I tend to start at one pace and stick to that. Apart from the sprint finish at races of course. But a sprint finish is practically law.

I started at a 9 minute mile. I was concentrating so hard on sticking to the pace I forgot to start the garmin. Bother.

After a mile I increased the pace to an 8:40 min/mile, then after another mile, 8:20, then 7:40 and finally 7:20.

I had added an extra bit onto the run to see whether I could make 5 miles out of my usual 4 mile route and overestimated so came in at about 5.5 miles. I aimed to maintain the 7:20 pace until the end of the run.

As usual once I started running, I enjoyed it and was glad to be out there. The session was a good one too and I liked changing the speed and trying something new. All of my Week 2 sessions have so far been done in the dark with a headtorch. I’ve had family staying with me over Christmas and I haven’t been at work to get lunchtime runs in so I’ve struggled to fit in any daytime runs. 

Rocking the Squinty Headtorch Look

Looking at the Garmin data when I got home shows a steady progression of speed which is good. Although I managed to press the lap button by mistake when I stopped to cross a road which confused the laps a bit, but the run was a success and I’ve found a new session I’ve enjoyed! 

Garmin info here