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Friday 23 August 2013

Life Choices in Marathon Training: Apocalypse Survivor or Princess?


And ... second marathon training session is completed!

I tend to listen to audiobooks as I run and the type of audiobook tends to affect how quickly – or slowly I run. I found when I listened to Running with the Kenyans and Born to Run my average run speed is about 30 seconds a mile quicker (!) whereas when I listen to an old favourite book, I’ll slow down and just enjoy it. Today I was continuing my reign of horror audiobooks with Warm Bodies, a zombie book but with humour. The main character “R” (or possibly “Argh”) starts becoming more human and despite an urge to rip throats out every now and then is getting on quite well.

I was initially going to do a build up run today starting at the 9 min/miles and continuing into the 6 min/miles but I got so carried away with my interesting audiobook that I changed my pace up every HALF a mile instead of every mile. Sarah - you twerp. As a result I got 2.5 miles into the run and I’m already hitting up against the 7s ... now there’s NO WAY I could do another 3.5 miles speeding up every half a mile for 30 secs a mile so I decide to do a cheaty kind of pyramid run. I gave myself a gentle recovery mile in the middle, then went back to 7 min/miles, 7.30, 8 and back to 9s. 

The only problem with this was that every time I got to a chase part or something happened in the audiobook – like R eating someone – I sped up unconsciously. I don’t know whether my body is unconsciously trying to prepare me for the zombie apocalypse (Thanks legs!) or whether I just frighten easily.

I’m sure I read somewhere fairly recently that one of the top reasons for people starting running was to increase their chances of survival in a zombie attack. While I understand that there are many reasons for starting to run, I am a little concerned about these people. If I go over for a friendly cup of tea one day and a scythe falls out of the cupboard are they going to explain it away with “Oh that’s for when the Children of the Corn attack”? Or are they the sensible ones? Should I be training 4 year old in the style of Sarah Connor from Terminator 2? Ground her when she can’t strip down a gun in under 2 minutes? Dock her pocket money when she can’t pick out a T1000 from a normal person?


What do you reckon? Votes in … train her up as a ‘Apolcalypse Survivor’ or carry on with the princess-loving, pink bedroom normal 4 year old?





Session attempted: 6 miles starting at 9min/miless ending at 6s

Session actual: A half arsed pyramid session starting at 8:45 min/miles getting confused about 7:30s then a mile in the middle doing 8:45s then back to 7s then up to 8 min/miles. Sigh. It’s good listening to an audiobook so long as you don’t completely forget what you’re doing.

4 comments:

  1. Totally Z warrior, and start stockpiling spam!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thin spam is the way forward. Just need to remember the can opener ...

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  2. Nothing wrong with half arsed and apocalypse survivor definitely :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ok ... stockpiling spam and training up 4 year old it is!

      Delete