More consistent but ......
As 1st November 2017 dawned as did my next challenge - to consistently run at least 3 times a week. My aim was to do two runs outside and a treadmill interval session a week in preparation for my training plan starting on Monday 18th December 2017. Generally, I’ve been able to stick to this and I’ve discovered some things along the way
Having never been a fan of running on a treadmill it turns out if I’m doing specific intervals I don’t mind it so much. I do still need to cover the time on the warm and cool down but I have been able stay on a treadmill for more than 30 minutes which is more than I’ve managed to achieve before. I’ve also managed to increase my sprint speed, recovery speed and reduce my recovery intervals over the last 6 weeks. I might actually go as far as to say I quite like these sessions now.
On 15th November 2017 I ran my fastest mile - 7.56 mins! I was supposed to be running a 3 mile tempo run, I started too quick and saw that I was running a 8.03 min/mile, instead of settling my pace back to something more ‘normal’ for me, I thought ‘if I just run a bit quicker I could get under an 8 min/mile’ so that’s what I did….. Admittedly Mo has little to be concerned about but it was an achievement for me none the less.
Instead of giving up when I got lost, covered in mud and wasted 25 mins in a boggy field within the first 3 miles of a run, I went on to run further 6.9 miles before stopping. It turned out that when by myself, in an unfamiliar area and not enjoying the run that I do have the ability to focus on completing a run, something I think I will need to draw on again more than once before April 2018 (I’ll not mention the bit about the ‘other half’ starting to track me on ‘find my phone’ and coming to rescue me!).
I can run further than I thought I could…. This was proved on Sunday 12th November 2017 when the 8 mile run I planned for a group with Hook Runners (the running club I belong to) turned into a longer than advertised route – 9.6 miles – whoops.
Along with my own challenge of running 3 times a week, I have a few other challenges on the go at the moment, most courtesy of Hook Runners’ members who have charity spaces in the London marathon and are trying to raise money
I’ve currently completed 3 of the required 5 Gold Rings (running the 3 mile loop around the village, five times in December).
I’ve currently completed 5 of the 12 days of Christmas (you guessed it – running 12 days in December)
I’ve currently completed 6 of the 25 boxes on my Hook Runners bingo card – I’m not sure who’s child I’m going to borrow for a junior parkrun or which of my family member can even run……. Maybe I’ll not try for the top line!
Oh and I entered the Farnborough Half Marathon on 21st January 2018….
