Rob's Running Blog

A frrreeezzing, but faster 5k in 30:20!

Got some sleep last night, and had a bit of a lazy morning, but actually decided to do some meditation for the first time in ages, which really made me feel quite relaxed and expansive. Then it was time for the run. It looked pretty cold outside, so I put my Nike running beanie on, and went out, and by heck it was freezing, I ended up shivering as I walked along while the Garmin found a signal.

As I set off a bloke and his dog on the other side of the street appeared to try to start racing me, so I set off quite quick – but to my suprise I was able to maintain this pace (6mins per k) without going into shock so it ended up as a bit of a tempo run. I did slow later on, but managed to stay well under 6:30, and by the end, even though I was starting to tire, I was able to inject some pace and did the last k in 5:45. I had hoped at one stage to get sub 30 for this 5k, but was to miss that by 20 seconds coming in at 30:20. Still, it was over a minute off my 5k in the week, so the fitness seems to be coming back in leaps and bounds – just need to keep gently upping the distance and the speed and hopefully can think about maybe doing the Salford 10k, which is a bit of an emotionally charged race for me in more ways than one.

It certainly was cold today – normally I take off the beanie at about 2k, this time it felt cold enough to keep on all the way round, and only whipped it off when I’d stopped!

5k on a sunny but cold day – 31:26

Finally got a few hours of sleep last night after a rotten few days where I didn’t sleep for 3 nights Had meant to go for this run yesterday, but was a bit worried about running when feeling exhausted and I had an important event to get to so didn’t want to feel even tireder (even though running usually wakes me up a bit, I was feeling VERY tired).

Anyway, wanted to reach the 5k milestone after a couple of 4k runs recently, so this was my goal. Set off at a gentle pace, without any weights or situps as a warmup today. Slowly started to breathe harder, but was determined to keep the pace slowish and not go for speed, but just to get my body used to running a little further again.

Did start to struggle at 4k, had to force myself to keep going – have not run 5k for some time, so knew it wasn’t going to be a fantastic time. By the end was petering out, 5k was my limit today, but good that I reached it, in 31:26. So my next target is to run 5k under 30 minutes and then take it from there

4k that beat the downpour!

One of the many things I like about running, is that usually (not always, of course), the perceived effort produces rewarding results. This can give a real psychological boost. You put the work in, you get the reward. Bit like with lab rats… But anyway, today I had to force myself out again, it’s a grim day, rain, clouds, and while I was warming up it was pouring down, but I wasn’t going to let that deter me – I needed to wake up somehow!

So out I went and trudged the streets until the Garmin found its satellites and locked in, and then set off, just wanting to get the run over with so I could get back to the house. It had stopped raining by now. Don’t get me wrong, I love running in the rain, I especially love long runs in the rain, but rain at the start of a run, before you’ve warmed up, can be more of an annoyance. In any case, I set off, and felt good, and noticed that I was breathing hard by about half a kilometre – checked Garmin, and I was going a bit quick, and I ended up doing the first k in under 6 minutes, which is what my last k had been in my last run (I often seem to start off as I left off!). I tried not to slow, but inevitably a bit of a faster paced start had got me into oxygen debt, so I just tried to maintain pace and complete the 4k. Some rain would have been good at that point!

At 2k, I was breathing very hard and wondering if I would even make 4k, but I also knew if I did make 4k, I was going to run it in sub 25 and quite a bit quicker than the 4k effort I did in the week (25:11). That kept me going, even though I had to grit my teeth and was grimacing. I just kept going, kept going, no pain, no pain, whispering the Mantra of Rocky

By the last K I was starting to feel an endorphin rush, I passed a woman I had already passed once in my looping route, and at that point my legs felt like feathers, I sped up to near 40 minute 10k pace, feeling like I was flying, before dwindling down to a jog and stopping the Garmin at 24:02. I was really pleased to knock a minute off the time for the same distance from only a few days ago, and pleased that my effort had paid off. I worked hard, and got my little reward. I also beat the downpour that started just after I got in!

Of course one of the other things I like about running is that, I will soon be running that kind of time with far less effort, and increasing the effort will result in faster times, and I hope some longer runs too.

One thing is for sure, running wakes me up, which is one of my biggest perceived daily efforts

4 miles in the frost – 40:40

A very cold day – frost still on the road outside at 12pm. Didn’t sleep too well, but wanted a run today. Donned the running clobber and the beanie Louise gave me for my birthday. Breath was pluming like smoke!

Set off and felt good straightaway, then hit a bit of a wall at Crown Point North shopping centre, – a wall of shoppers! Dodged through them but I was under the glass awning and this seemed to affect my Garmin, for once I was out from under the awning, it shot up to 1.6k when I done 1.2 at the most. That made the pacing of the run confusing thereafter, so I just tried to settle into a rhythm and run and added half a km on to the target to make sure I did the 4 miles. Soon got warm enough to remove running beanie. Big hill over Guide Bridge negotiated OK, then a long sloping ascent up the road that leads back to Corporation Road, then coasting in a straight line for a while before getting back to my neck of the woods.

Felt I was running faster at times but couldn’t really sustain it and the splits show I was just over 10 minute mile pace, but running in the cold didn’t help. I’ve done 14.62 miles this week, if I include last Sunday’s run, 20 miles, which is more than I have run in a week for quite some time. I am going to need a couple of rest days now as I could feel the miles in my legs a bit – need to take a step back and just let my legs strengthen up and the CV system have a break before coming back fresh again. Wish I could run every day, it would help with the SAD etc – but I need to be sensible as the last thing I need right now is overdoing the running and getting yet another 2 month disabling injury!

5 miles in 50:35

After Sunday’s run really seemed to help me physically and mentally, I decided to attempt another 5 miler, and maybe run a new route, so I took my bus pass with me again just in case. I was going to run up to Guide Bridge and around back via Corporation Road, but traffic was heavy and couldn’t cross where I wanted so ended up going opposite route – then wound out to Droylsden and the snipe retail park before heading back into Denton via Guide Bridge.

Started off at a fair pace and felt good, under 10 minute mile pace, but soon settled into something slower as my lungs started to work hard. After a while settled into a pace I could keep going, and had a burst of pace when I saw another runner on the other side of the road. I won that little silly battle before the long stretch back, and as I crested the Guide Bridge hill, I felt the chill of an endorphin rush starting to happen, and gritten my teeth. Towards the end I thought I might get close to doing a sub 50 five miles, but didn’t really have much left – though I didn run the last k the quickest of all, in 5:59, and recovered quite quickly.

I plan to have 2 days rest now before deciding what to do next. It seems nice slow 5 milers are enough to get my teeth into, whereas a quick 5k hardly seems the bother of getting ready and going out for, when it’s cold and miserable. Have to be careful I don’t up the weekly mileage too quickly, but at the moment 5 miles seems to be working for me, in terms of enhancing my mood as much as anything else.

A tired and sluggish 5k in 30:56

Got up late after a late night working and felt really sluggish. There was thunder and lightning outside, and a deluge, but it cleared later, so decided to do my first run of the week, but had to really force myself out.

Really struggled despite slow pace, was breathing hard, but just kept plodding on. Hurting quite a lot as I got to 5k mark and stopped the Garmin in a super fast 30:56. Have had a couple of really hectic days so may be over tired but still feels a bit odd that I’m not quickening up and still struggling to complete 5k’s

5K Run – 30:25 and struggled!

Felt really tired but forced myself out for a 5k run – was hard work and gasping by the end.

Either results of cold last week, or some new bug incubating? Couldn’t stop sweating when I got in

A smoother, faster, more satisfyng 5k – 29:02

I had recieved a new running top as a birthday gift the other day, a long sleeved Nike dri-fit running top with a zip up collar. So I wanted to try it out, at the same time I was feeling pretty lethargic. Still, I forced myself out into a somewhat bluster and overcast and chilly day, and the Garmin took a while to find signal as I began to shiver and considered going back inside!

Soon the signal was found though and I set off, determining as always that I have the option of stopping if it really does get too much. The first ticked over in sub 6 minutes without my feeling I was really going any faster than the other day, so I just determined to try to keep up the same pace. There were moments in the run where I speeded up, particularly towards the end when I felt the runners’ high kick in a little and got a second wind, and went a bit quicker! In all shaved off 43 seconds off last week’s 5k run, which means the improvements are still coming.

That’s 2 PB’s within a few days of being 40 – admittedly, I have some way to go before I can start getting anywhere near real PB times again

5k Mark Achieved in Style – Sub 30 done and dusted!

Finally a run worthy of the name Of course, they’re all worthy of the name, but it was nice to ease past another milestone today by completing 5k and doing it in under 30 minutes too, which is a sign my fitness really is starting to ratchet back up. It wasn’t easy – I am learning that I never find running easy! I was breathing hard, very hard towards the end, but I just settled in and kept going, and felt like I got my teeth into the run. So the other day I did 3 miles, and now it’s 5k, the milestones keep coming, I hope I can keep it up.

So no silly beggars for me going for sub 6 minute miles just yet – and if I do any intervals, it will be at a set pace and not as bloody hard as I can. And of course avoid the hilly park run at Woodbank, which is a pity, but my knees wouldn’t like me if I did those hills again, I think…

Anyway, running, and life, is good

Reached the 3 mile mark in 29:32 – next stop 5k!

A very hot day, but wasn’t deterred from attempting my longest comeback run to date, 4.83KM, or 3 miles – I am taking the little stepping stones seriously!

So off I went, was tough at first especially in the blazing sun, but I got there! Next stop 5k, hopefully in sub 30 mins. Running sub 24 seems a very long way away, but if I go slowly the speed will come back, if that’s not a bit of a running oxymoron