Week 3 - Key Run Workout #2

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Tonight’s workout was always going to be a tough one, especially after my “failure” at a similar stage last week. The plan was to run one mile easy, followed by 5 swift miles at Long Tempo pace (6:38 per mile) and another easy mile to finish. Driving home the temperature was in the mid-80s - hot, but not as hot as it has been in recent weeks.

The first mile was all about getting my stiff legs ready for the tough 5 miles ahead of me. I think I could still feel the remnants of Tuesday’s track workout in my legs, and it took a while to start feeling loose enough to give the workout my best shot.

All too soon the first mile was complete and my beeping Garmin 305 signaled the beginning of the tempo phase of the workout. I quickly settled into what felt like 6:38 pace and the screen of my Garmin proved me correct - “in the desired zone” it stated. The first couple of miles were ok. My heart rate was under control and my legs felt quite bouncy. The heat was again a factor though, and I was already looking forward to a drink when I got back to the car.

The wind in my face was quite strong and I was also looking forward to a change of direction and a break from the breeze. As is often the case though, the change in wind direction caused an increase in body temperature as the cooling effect had all but disappeared. This is where the run got tough. Halfway though the five miles and I’m having to work really hard to maintain the pace. My average speed for the tempo section was 6:42 - I needed to speed up and get it down by a couple of seconds per mile.

At about four miles I ran by my car and grabbed the bottle of “just in case” water I’d left under the rear wheel. It was just what I needed and a welcome boost to my flagging system. The last mile was a real struggle, but somehow I managed a 6:33 mile to finish with an average of 6:39 per mile - just one second outside the goal and a vast improvement on last week where I only managed four quality miles.

The cool down mile was a real slog. My legs were heavy, tired and stiff and the last thing I wanted to do was run another mile. At least I could run slow, drink plenty of water and reflect on my confidence boosting workout. Hopefully I’ve turned the corner now and all my key workouts can be nearer what they should actually be. Next up is a 17 miler on Sunday - should be interesting, especially as I’m planning a few outdoor projects this weekend….