Speed

Something I'm not good at. I was due to up my training plan to include SPEED work.
That was Friday. I put it off, I'll do it Saturday, but.. on Saturday the weather was again atrocious.
Re jigged my plan and done a 3.1 jog instead. Sunday then perhaps? oh dear no, spent Sat night in the pub, celebrating 6 years together (aawww) needless to say Sunday was spent feeling ever so slightly delicate! By T time I feeling better so we plodded to the gym after dinner. An hours worth of cardio and my legs were like jelly. I stepped on the treadmill as my last piece of equipment. Managed to turn it all the way up to 7.5! now this is barely quicker than a walk and not quite fast enough to be a comfortable jog. Oh what a painful 1K. I was very glad to get off.

Today I was DETERMINED I was going to get out there, my plan was either 'the gym' or 'the cycle track'. Firstly though I had to go to the shops, then some Xmas shopping nipping into the launderette etc. I set out in my running gear including maukit trail shoes. Shops here I come!! As it happens the shops are just across the road from the trail so after filling our Xmas boots me & Munro drove across the road and had a 3 mile fun run round the woods. So far so good. Still no speed work though.

On getting home I was famished but didn't want to eat anything heavy as I was still DETERMINED I was going to break my very obvious fear barrier of going outside my comfort zone. So weetabix it was. Within the hour I'm cleaned up dried off fed and have nice dry clothes on and ready to go.

I had made my mind up and the cycle track won hands down, the very thought of 5 miles plus on a treadmill was enough to make the wind and rain appealing. I went without the Munro this time. The cycle track tends to be very popular for dog walkers and I usually spend quite a bit of time either reigning him in or talking to other dog owners. I had to be fully focused on my running, wow that sounds pretentious, especially coming from me. Usually my main focus is when or what I'm going to eat next!

I started off down the hill on the cycle track not starting my watch till I hit the flat. My legs were screaming and feeling pretty heavy but I tried to change my cadence to less painful small steps and before I knew it I was puffing like crazy. Then I saw it, a yellow high viz jacket in the distance, oh good, food!! Soon I stopped focussing on my every painful step and started chasing down the yellow jacket way up the track. Seemed like forever but I was gaining, and he saw me and he upped his game and the chase went on. Finally I caught him. Hi, I smile as I run by as if he were standing still... oh geeze I thought I was going to be sick, but can't stop or slow down now, how daft can you be?? On I run knowing where my turning point was and hoping he was falling off my tail. Didn't want to look round like the hunted fox!!

On turning I checked my watch for the first time, it looked like I was just inside my target time. I was really happy with this as I was totally convinced I wouldn't be close. But where is my target? the yellow jacket had obviously turned back earlier, my first mile after turning was my slowest, I had obviously burst a gut to catch/pass then stay in front of the poor guy. I struggled onwards and had to give myself a talking too, ie: it's only 5.6 miles your doing how can you possibly want to walk??
I did then have a forced walk when a couple of  horses took up most of the path. I hate being close to horses. Huge unpredictable dangerous beasts. After passing them and turning the bend I saw it... the yellow jacket was heading towards the very bright railway light that signals the end. I picked up the pace. I was again determined to push my limits, on checking my watch I noticed I had fallen behind my target time. Ahh bollocks, I only had about 1 mile to go and was struggling quite a bit. I didn't manage to even out the pace and it's easy to see I have quite a way to go before I have any speed even over short distances but I'm more than happy with my effort finishing just 4 secs per minute outside my target.

5.6 miles 46:59