For some reason I've been getting more into running recently. However, we've also been travelling a fair bit and I haven't managed to do any running while we've been away. So when we came back the last time, after three weeks of no running, I was encouraged to find myself running my regular short route at a decent pace. So when I felt good on my long run (18 km) I thought I'd see if I could do it at a decent pace as well. That went ok until about halfway and then not quite so good. I ended up walking for a bit and then finishing at a much slower pace, ending up with a fairly slow average speed.
I wasn't really surprised. My usual rule of thumb is not to do more than double my regular runs on my longer ones. Most of my runs had only been 5 km, so trying to push the pace on 18 km was a stretch.
I bumped up my regular runs and the next weekend I took it easy on the 18 km run and it went a lot better. I even had some energy left and ran my fastest kilometer towards the end.
The next week I ran 9 km on my Tues. and Thur. runs. On my Sunday long run I felt a bit sluggish on the first half but still averaged 10.5 km/hr. But this time at halfway I suddenly found myself running 11.5 km/hr without really trying. I won't say it felt easy, but it definitely didn't feel hard. I finished the loop with an average just over 11 km/hr.
This weekend wasn't great weather, it rained all day Sat. and more was forecasted for Sun. along with a high of only 5 c (40 f). I wasn't sure I'd get out for my long run at all. But the rain stopped late morning and wasn't forecast to start again for a couple of hours so I headed out. It's always tricky to decide what to wear when the temperature changes so much. Especially when I could potentially have a long way home in the rain. In the end the rain held off and my clothes were just about right - a little warm with the wind behind me, a little cool running into it.
I ended up running the first half at about 11 km/hr, the pace I'd tried and failed at three weeks earlier. Today it was a comfortable pace. Like the week before, I found myself speeding up on the last half and especially the 4 km home stretch and ended up with an average speed of 11.5 km/hr, with my fastest kilometers at the end again.
That brought me to 40 km total for the last week, not a huge volume, but more than I've been doing for quite a while, and not bad for only three days a week. We're taking off traveling again, so I won't be getting running (much) for a while and by the time I get back it'll be winter here - not my favorite time for it! But if I can maintain some base then maybe next summer I can get back up to speed quicker.
I'm pretty happy with my last month of running and the improvements I've been seeing. I'm not going to win any races, but then again, I'm not likely to enter any! I'm just happy to be out there stretching a little and feeling good.
PS. Sorry for all the numbers - that's what you get when you combine a geek with a gps watch :-)
I wasn't really surprised. My usual rule of thumb is not to do more than double my regular runs on my longer ones. Most of my runs had only been 5 km, so trying to push the pace on 18 km was a stretch.
I bumped up my regular runs and the next weekend I took it easy on the 18 km run and it went a lot better. I even had some energy left and ran my fastest kilometer towards the end.
The next week I ran 9 km on my Tues. and Thur. runs. On my Sunday long run I felt a bit sluggish on the first half but still averaged 10.5 km/hr. But this time at halfway I suddenly found myself running 11.5 km/hr without really trying. I won't say it felt easy, but it definitely didn't feel hard. I finished the loop with an average just over 11 km/hr.
This weekend wasn't great weather, it rained all day Sat. and more was forecasted for Sun. along with a high of only 5 c (40 f). I wasn't sure I'd get out for my long run at all. But the rain stopped late morning and wasn't forecast to start again for a couple of hours so I headed out. It's always tricky to decide what to wear when the temperature changes so much. Especially when I could potentially have a long way home in the rain. In the end the rain held off and my clothes were just about right - a little warm with the wind behind me, a little cool running into it.
I ended up running the first half at about 11 km/hr, the pace I'd tried and failed at three weeks earlier. Today it was a comfortable pace. Like the week before, I found myself speeding up on the last half and especially the 4 km home stretch and ended up with an average speed of 11.5 km/hr, with my fastest kilometers at the end again.
That brought me to 40 km total for the last week, not a huge volume, but more than I've been doing for quite a while, and not bad for only three days a week. We're taking off traveling again, so I won't be getting running (much) for a while and by the time I get back it'll be winter here - not my favorite time for it! But if I can maintain some base then maybe next summer I can get back up to speed quicker.
I'm pretty happy with my last month of running and the improvements I've been seeing. I'm not going to win any races, but then again, I'm not likely to enter any! I'm just happy to be out there stretching a little and feeling good.
PS. Sorry for all the numbers - that's what you get when you combine a geek with a gps watch :-)
I love running when I am travelling. It is the perfect antidote to all of the sitting. It's also a great way to get to know a new place. I hope you can get in some running while in CA. Have a very fine trip. I've been very absent from reading FB or blogs these days - just way too much harvesting to do!
ReplyDelete