As you will know from previous posts, I had two failed W6D3 runs owing to bad legs, bad pace and (possibly) bad shoes. I had been in two minds yesterday as to whether to run or not. My legs are still pretty beaten up. But as it happens there was a bit of family tension in the house owning to three very bad nights sleeps preceding. I decided that the best thing was for me to definitely go out into the open and cool off for a bit.
All of this meant I started with a mean determination. Being that I had failed with 2 attempts at 25 minute runs coupled with coming back from injury, I really didn't know what to aim for. In the particular mental state I was in, during my warmup walk, I went from thinking I would be able to do 25 minutes, to just doing 20 minutes (W5D3) to going back to intervals (W6D1) to completing all 30 minutes (Yeah... right!).
In the end, I plumped at aiming for a 20 minute straight run and then see how I felt at that point.
My bravado seemed to be quashed after around 6 minutes (Those first 10 minutes always seem bad). My heart rate was high 160's, I was puffing well and my legs were heavy and aching. I knew that I also faced two big inclines. I got through the first incline with my heart rate up to 175 before the nicest section of the run, a big decline - HR 168. My route then presents a LONG sweeping incline which is nasty. This is the point where on the previous two runs, I quit. My firm belief is that its times like that portion of the run that you separate the men from the boys. It's torture and all I could do was give myself a verbal kicking and try to speak out some song lyrics that seemed pertinent for the occasion. Having to through the worst of the hill, I realised that I had pushed through 20 minutes and I felt I still had a bit more to give. I also thought that at that point, it would be a shame not to try and hit 25 minutes. Those minutes were long and gruelling. I check the watch about 20 times in those few last minutes.
At 24 minutes, my pace for the the run was 7:06/km. I decided to do what I could to drop that to sub 7:00. I SPRINTED for two full minutes and in doing so hit exactly 7:00/km. I had to stop at that point and to go further would have been plain stupidity. I was already on a big incline, my HR was 187 (highest ever) and my shins were past sore.
I was elated with my run to be honest and I consider the run solid enough to bump me onto Week 7 (which is 3x 25 minute runs).
My legs are in fairly bad shape today, but I will see how they go for tomorrows run.
My Stats:
3.73 km @7:00/km
My Vitals:
164.9lbs, Body Fat 22.1, BMI: 23.7
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