Rob's Running Blog

Gasping and Wheezing Like A Dead Man walking on a green mile

Title aside, felt good.

First run since Bolton 10k on April 25th. Ran 400m, back felt a bit odd so walked for a bit, then ran the next 1200m. Actually ran further than I thought, could have gone further I expect, but didn’t want to push the legs in any way. That I’ve run a mile is a miracle. Ten minute mile seems to be my absolute slowest possible pace without walking!

Will try another in a few days.

No knee pain, so far. Fingers crossed, eh? 🙂

Finally Joined the Sub 7 minute mile club – 6:52

Was wondering what kind of run to do today after yesterday’s recovery, didn’t want to do too much, but wanted to feel I’d had a run out, so figured I’d have a go at a one mile time trial again to see if I’ve made any speed progress.

Warmed up with a gentle 2k, with some faster strides in the second k. Felt pretty good. So walked a little bit, did some stretches, and got to my starting point. Felt a bit nervous – how would I do? Then off I went…

As seems to be usual for me, set off at a blistering pace, almost sprinting, then settled into something that felt reasonably sustainable. Pacing for running one mile is something that will come with experience, but for this run, I knew I could run an 800m split in 3:12, or at least sub 3:30 – so wondered if I could put two of those together. Started breathing really hard, my body responding to what was demanded of it, and it was hurting already – but I only had to keep this up for another kilometre now, I told myself, then it would be over. Glanced at the Garmin at 800m – wahey, 3:24, I was on schedule for sub 7. Then I hit a headwind and the uphill bit of the course which kind of flattened me a little and had me gasping for air, then I was almost staggering, just trying to keep going, thinking if I can just hold on for another 400m at this pace, I’m going to break my PB and go sub 7!

It was pure willpower that kept me going for the last 100m. I was gasping, hurting, my heart was hammer, and I got over 1.61k, or one mile, and stopped the Garmin on 6:52.

Started to sink in as I recovered, and did a very gentle 1k jog back to the house, feeling very pleased to have finally gone under 7 minutes, and now be only 52 seconds off my sub 6 minute mile target. I can see pain and anguish as those 52 seconds are whittled away – but also a lot of fun 🙂

Maybe in a few months of hard intervals and races and other running, I will be signing in to say I have joined the sub 6 minute mile club. But the interim target is 6:30 🙂

One Mile Time Trial – 7:16

Not done a one mile time trial since June 2009, and am supposed to be on course for a sub 6 minute mile challenge – if only I hadn’t been injured for several months etc!

Anyway, did a one mile warm up going pretty easy, walked and stretched, then set off for my mile trial. Went off hard and just tried to maintain it, glanced at garmin and I was doing close to 4:00/k. Was hard to judge the pacing since I have not done it for so long – and by the end I was really breathing hard and was going all out. Managed it in 7:16, which at this stage, being only 16 seconds off a PB I gained last year with a lot more running in my legs, is pretty good going. 🙂

Will keep it up and have another time trial in a few weeks and see if there’s any improvement.

Back to running – a little bit!

What with sore shins, swine flu, Christmas and then the snow, my running plans have been somewhat scuppered. I did try a 3 mile comeback run when it was freezing, but the cold, coupled with the lack of running, annihilated my poor shins which went very sore.

So on the advice of a running pal, I am now trying to get going again with a few gentle one mile trots. So far so good today – did a 10 minute mile, was barely breathing hard, legs seem ok so far – despite following the run with a 1750 metre swim. I am a duathlete 🙂

Will see how legs are tomorrow, and slowly up things if ok – the trouble is, I have been keeping my CV fitness going with the swimming, while my legs have got used to not running – so I have probably ran a bit too far for my legs, together with the cold, in previous attempts.

Onwards and upwards, although my beloved Trafford 10k has been moved to February, and I fear I will not be ready, but need to look at the race calendar soon.

Am entered for the Great Manchester Run, at least 🙂

Speedwork – 400m intervals – progress!

First proper speedwork session and the results were interesting:

2k warm up

8x400m at

1:35
1:36
1:52 (uphill section)
1:35
1:37
1:47 (uphill)
1:30
1:38

with 3 minute walking recoveries

2k cool down.

Means I averaged 6:36/mile for the 2 miles, obviously with breaks, but if I can run 1:30 for a quarter of a mile it means with some work I should be able to get to 3:00 for half a mile, then 6:00 (or 5:59) for a mile! I have the speed, and with more intervals and I can find the endurance. Cool down felt nice and easy, legs were tightening a bit but lungs felt fine. Enjoyed being able to just go flat out then rest. Then flat out again. Got pace per k down to 3:44/k which is starting to seriously motor for me – the only trouble is at that pace it’s more tricky to avoid prams, bikes, pedestrians and car doors opening suddenly in front of you!!!

1 Mile Time Trial – 7:00 – PB

Some bloke on a forum has challenged me to run a sub 6 minute mile by July 2010. While this seems patently crazy for someone who spent 20 odd years smoking, drinking and doing other naughty things with various chemicals, I thought why not, I will give it a go, and it will be fun seeing how close I can get.

So today I decided to do a mile time trial just to see where my starting point is, having a previous mile best of 7:25. I planned my route as the same one for my 5k trials, as it is reasonably flat and traffic free, and any uphills and downhills cancel each other out in the course of the circuit.

Did a 8:22 warm up mile then walked for a bit, feeling almost as nervous as before a race! Got to my start off point, paused for a few moments, then hit the start button on the Garmin and blasted off. Nearly careened into a bunch of school yobbos but at that point was going at 3:29/k, which I couldn’t maintain and I slowed a bit as I settled into the middle part of the run, still going through the kilometre mark in 4:14 – the fastest kilometre I have run by about 20 seconds! I knew than I just had to keep going and I only had to keep going for another 600 metres or so, and in the end I staggered over the mile mark in 7 mins and a few tenths of a second, with which I was pleased, but also felt my lungs and heart rate were totally maxed out. So I walked for a bit then did a cool down mile in 9:30 and really couldn’t have run any more – but very nice to get the PB and now only a minute to shave off in the next year lol.

Will be interesting to see how close I get – today was hard, and I think it will get even harder the closer I get to the magical 6 minutes! 🙂

6k mix up of hard and easy.

Was due a training run with my niece, so I ran an easyish mile to her house, and then took her out for an easy couple of k, which was enough for her, although she had a sprint finish with me for a bit of fun and demonstrated amazing natural speed – I fear for my pride if she keeps it up!

Ran the mile back to my place as hard as I could and ended up with a one mile PB of 7:25 🙂

Approx 6k altogether with niece, also first timed mile.

My niece Laura has decided to do the Race for Life and asked me to train her, so we got some suitable running shoes from Sweat Shop Hyde first and this was our first run out, she did quite well, running the first kilometre in 6:16 – I have run a lot slower!

I ran to her house as a warmup, measured on the Garmin as a mile, so did my first one mile time trial in effect in 7:36. Will be interesting to see how that speed comes on!