Archives for 5-10k category
Posted on May 16, 2012 under 5-10k, Easy Runs |
First real “easy” run in a while – I never find running that easy, so often feel the term “easy” to be mildy incorrect, but on this occasion I kept the pace very sedate, plodding along, and my breathing was steady and even with no gasping, though did work up a bit of a sweat even though it was cold.
Planned 5k then remembered I needed to pop to cash machine on way home so I can pay builder later, so jogged an extra .33k then walked home with the cash!
Recovered quickly, quite pleased I could manage a sedate pace and resisted throwing in a burst of pace which wouldn’t have had any real benefit.
Plan 3-4k easy on Friday, then the hardest part will be getting up on Sunday for the start of the Great Manchester Run!
Posted on May 01, 2012 under 5-10k, 5k, Season's Best, Tempo Runs |
Had a busy day and needed to blow the cobwebs away. Got kit on and it felt a bit cold – had to faff around with my shoe as felt like I had a stone in there but couldn’t find it. Garmin got a signal quite quickly and I set off at a briskish pace, getting my lungs working quite quickly, but mindful not to go off at a crazy pace.
First km ticked over in 6:08 and I had to slow a little when I seemed to be touching 5 mins per km, but then the kms ticked over in 5:44, 5:34, 5:35 and a blistering last leg of 5:24. Still only about 57 minute pace for 10k, but then again a season’s best and fastest 5k for quite some time (would have to check back for how long, but it seems a while). I guess sub 28 before the Great Manchester Run would be a good target to aim for.
Still not entirely confident about my calf, every time the pace starts picking up I seem to be mentally bracing myself for an explosion of pain. I guess all I can do is keep building the pace gradually and maybe experiment with some pace towards the end of the race, rather than risking not being able to start.
So far so good, though!
Posted on Apr 25, 2012 under 5-10k, 5k, Easy Runs |
Had a bit of a funny day sorting out my coursework, felt frustrated as time was running out and didn’t get as much done as I wanted, plus pile of accounts to do. Also felt a bit nauseous and tired, decided a quick 5k might help blow away some cobwebs.
Was refreshing for starters to get out in the pouring rain, Garmin picked up a signal and off I went, feeling I was starting off quite quickly. Had to dodge a Chav mobile pulling out of a drive way, but apart from that no incidents, and started to warm up nicely. Felt disappointed when the first km ticked over in 6:40, and no matter what I did after that never went under 6 mins per km for some reason, though I got down to about 6. Tried to inject some pace but it wasn’t happening – didn’t feel puffed out or exhausted, I just couldn’t seem to go any faster even though I felt I was picking up pace, so ended up with a pretty sedate 31:21, which may have been due to some fatigue from the day or perhaps some residual tiredness from the longer run on Sunday.
Thankfully there was no calf niggle or anything, but I still don’t quite trust my right calf, sooner or later I will have to bite the bullet and put in some real strides, but I might save it for the finishing stretch of the Great Manchester Run. I received my pack today through the post and am pleased to say I have been promoted back into the White wave after ending up in the Pink one last year. Of course I’m not sure if I’m quite quick enough to justify starting in that wave but at least I can start in a later wave if I so wish (the down side of the white wave is having to get into central Manchester dramatically early!!!!!.
Not long to go! 
Posted on Apr 17, 2012 under 5-10k, 5k, Milestones, Season's Best |
Hadn’t planned to run today, but something came up for tomorrow so decided on an impromptu 5k. Didn’t really attempt to push the pace, but tried to be slightly brisk, and the 5k mark didn’t seem too far away considering I have been running 5 miles as a matter of course recently.
Felt pretty good at 1k which clicked over in 5:46 then consolidated a bit, and then just maintained pace and felt fine, breathed a little harder than usual in places but at no point had the inclination to gasp too much.
Hardly noticed the time until I got back and checked earlier running blogs and times – realised this was my first sub 29 in ages, something I had aimed for previously and failed at, and now it just came with little effort. Must be some truth in the proverb that things come to those who wait, and by not trying to force the pace and just taking the running easily and naturally, a target was achieved with less effort!
I was pleased to be able to run consistently under 5:50 per km and not to get too puffed, as well as pleased that the calf held up, though I was still wary of lengthening my stride. I guess the next step is to add in an 8 mile run, and on this evidence I am starting to look at sub 55 as a target for the Great Manchester Run!
Posted on Apr 12, 2012 under 10k, 5-10k, Long Runs, Season's Best |
Handed an assignment in today, so needed to celebrate, and what better way than an evening run in the sun! Was aware that I have a busy couple of days Fri and Sat so won’t be able to run, so wanted to make this one count.
My target was 10k, at a leisurely pace, so set off not quite sure of a route, and ran down a street I’d not been to the end of before, only to find it coming out at the big hill I ran down the other day, so some impromptu hills followed, along with a little trail stretch past Broomstairs nursery and then another uphill. Began to feel quite in the zone at 6k and despite slowing down posted a sub 6 minute km, and had to keep slowing myself more, because the idea was not to go at breakneck speed and possibly injure myself, but just to get around 6.2 miles!
Legs and bum felt a bit numb at one point, but kept going, my strides deliberately short and heel striking, rather than trying to stretch the legs and run on my toes, at this stage was generating quite enough pace. Had to stop a few times for traffic, but didn’t really mind, and at one point a fierce looking dog came up to me in my path, so I stopped and stroked it and it licked my leg, and it’s owner said “you keep on running” so I did. Felt just fine, running very comfortably, and could have upped the pace but felt no need to at this stage.
Last bit was uphill, and coasted to a stop on just over 1 hour 3 minutes, which is a season’s best by 3 minutes and an achievement in itself as I haven’t got to 10k many times since last summer, in fact the only time I’ve run 10k that fast in months and months was the Salford 10k 2011 and I really struggled with that one!
It seems to be clicking and ironically the rest I had with the calf injury probably did me a world of good! I am learning to run within myself, as I could easily have pushed to try to run under an hour, but at the moment the minutes are falling off my times without hardly trying, I am feeling good when running, and hopefully I can save the big performances for races!
Posted on Mar 29, 2012 under 5-10k, Injuries, Jogs |
Another evening run, just as the sun was going down and it was starting to cool for the day. Set off and felt good, had visited my sister’s so decided on a long rambling route back to my house via various main roads. Had to do my best to not speed up as I felt really good, and could have run at that pace all night, was breathing very easily, not taxed at all. But the target was to run 6k, not bugger my calf up again trying to run before I can, erm, jog the distance comfortably.
Thought I felt an occasional twinge in the problem calf, but if could be imagination, was fine on stretching and walking afterwards, could be hypersensitive and hypervigilant for any pains in that area, but feels good. Does feel great to be out running in the spring weather and working up a bit of a sweat, long may it continue!
Think the plan is now a couple of days off then run 7 or 8 km on Sunday.
Posted on Feb 24, 2012 under 5-10k, Intervals |
First intervals session in quite some time. Weather has been mild so put on shorts for first time this year, and light long sleeve running top. Was a bit cold at first but soon warmed up with a gentle 2k, and then launched into 5k of 1km intervals. I set myself a goal pace of 5:30 which would equate to a 27:30 5km and just attempted to run around that pace. Felt I was going too quick at first as the Garmin pace was showing 5:10 per km so I slowed a bit and ended up doing the first one in 5:31 – so far so good. Realised I had found a bit of a circuit so decided to keep going round it for consistency, and by the 3rd km, although I wasn’t running harder, my pace seemed to be going quicker and I had to slow down. Nonetheless, my pace for each km was getting quicker and I even put on some bursts of speed. By the last KM, the Garmin was reading 4:56 per km which was quite astonishing and the last km was the fastest of all, but I slowed towards the end as was feeling it by then.
All in all a fast flying intervals session where I felt good, and the combined time of the intervals was 26:33, so if I can put that sort of pace together consistently without 3 minute rest breaks, my 5k time should start coming down dramatically, and I can start looking forward to a half decent 10k race time over the summer!
Intervals Breakdown:
2k easy run warmup
5* 1k at goal pace of 5:30 with 3 minute rest breaks
5:31
5:18
5:19
5:12
5:11
1k gentle cool down.
Posted on Feb 19, 2012 under 5 miles, 5-10k, Health, Trail Running |
Just planned to run very easy and maybe do 11k, headed down to the woods at a very sedate pace and it was nice to have some scenery around, and see people out walking dogs and even people out on their horses. Was all nice and muddy!
Deliberately kept the pace slow, and felt fine, thinking the 3 rest days since my last struggle would see me nice and refreshed. Alas, when I hit 4k I started to feel wobbly, even though I was running 6:37 per km, not fast at all, and the lead up had been downhill.
Just tried to keep going then in the middle of the woods knew I would need to get back and tried to figure out a way of avoiding the big uphill on the way back. Found a path out of the woods but was feeling a bit rubbish by this point so walked up the big long hill, then started to trot again but found myself having to stop every 500 metres or so, felt thorougly puffed out and not great. And that was slowing down to 7 minutes per k.
Got out of the woods, so to speak, and just settle don completing 5 miles, which really seemed a long way off at times. Was really glad to finish and think a full rest week might be in order, as my body is not responding at the moment and might need some time to recover, which might be to do with the two longer/higher intensity runs last week.
Posted on Feb 12, 2012 under 10k, 5-10k, All Weather Running, Long Runs, Milestones |
Decided it would be a good idea to try getting up to 10k, and it seemed a fitting way to mark my early bird entry to the City of Manchester/We Love Manchester 10k later in the summmer.
Left the house and it was pretty cold and a bit misty with a threat of rain in the air. Set off down the road walking to warm up while I got a Garmin signal – and walked, and walked, and walked, by the time I had walked about 600m I was getting a bit frustrated as time was starting to slip by. Eventually it got a signal and I set off, aware I was going a bit too quick and also aware of a bit of pain in my feet and lower legs, which seemed to be down to the freezing concrete.
Planned a long looping route that takes in a lot of roads, and not a lot else, but there are a few big inclines over motorway bridges and the like. At 2.5k felt ok, but a bit puffy, and had to keep slowing myself down, reminding myself that the only aim was to reach 10k, not run it in any particular time. Was going OK but when I got to one of the big inclines I wilted a bit and stopped to get my breath, before ploughing on, and would have to stop a couple of times more just to collect my breath. I saw the canal was totally frozen over at one point so it was maybe colder than I thought.
I did start to struggle in the latter stages – after all, I had only just done a fastest of season 5 miler a few days ago and have not run more than 5 miles for a few months. But I kept going, and by the time the Garmin got to 9.7k I was ready for falling over, but somehow staggered the last few hundred metres to post a respectable (at this stage) 1 hour 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
I have the distance, the idea now is to steadily bring the 10k time down with a view to running a good time in the Great Manchester Run, and of course I now have another bite of the cherry later in the year in the We Love Manchester 10k. I may even enter some more races at this rate!
Posted on Feb 05, 2012 under 5-10k, 5k, All Weather Running, Easy Runs |
Wanted to get a run in despite the snowy weather, so kept an eye on the melting snows outside as running in snow can be rather tricky! The powdery stuff is OK, but once it freezes it can be very treacherous and I wouldn’t want to risk my dodgy knee springing out of its socket, never mind a broken neck or a flat face!
I was a bit wary when I finally got out as the pavement felt very slippery. I saw a poor lass wobbling all over the place just trying to walk and had thoughts of abandoning the run. But I found a long stretch of quiet back street with very little traffic which was clear of ice and just nice black tarmac, so although it wasn’t ideal decided to run up and down that, abandoning any thoughts of a tempo or time trial pace to get under 29 mins.
Felt good so settled into a comfortable pace, got to the extreme end of the road then turned back, whereupon there emerged a mass exodus of church goers from the church that’s got a roof like the Sydney Opera House. Suddenly there were 4 wheel drives everywhere and running down the middle of the road was suddenly not an option!
Rather than get killed by these crazy people, I took a detour and found another stretch of road, which saw me passing a house several times, the smell of which suggested that the occupants, if not baking, were just very, very baked… Also passed a young chap who smelled of a similar substance, and noticed some youths playing snowballs in the (locked) playground.
Had to dodge a few cars and ended up running on the pavement slush anyway, it wasn’t really that bad, although the having to run gingerly made me feel rather heavy legged and I couldn’t get any pace up, so my finishing time was a dismal 33:20, but understandable since I was running in snow.
All in all it was quite fun, though will be glad to see the back of the snow so I can try to work on my pace, as running at speed in the conditions would not have been a great idea!
