"Speed" session

Today I had to warm up for 5min, then run 10min "comfortably hard", rest for 5min, then 10min "comfortably hard", then 5min cool down. The idea is to get me used to some faster work.

Last time I did this session, it was an out and back route but today I wanted to be able to measure how much distance I covered so I ran my normal route "Leonard Street".

I started with a five minute walk to my "starting" point then jogged very slowly for 5 minutes. I had my watch set to beep every 5 minutes. I figured that would let me know when I was half way through each of the 10 minute sessions. I probably only managed 500m in the first 5minutes - pretty slow. Then I picked up the pace as best I could. I reached the first km marker with 1.55 left of the first 5min of the 10min session. I was about 10 seconds shy of my 2nd km mark when the 10 minutes was up and I started to walk. My math is not great but I reckon that means I covered the 2nd km in about 7.10. An improvement! I walked for 5min, slowly because I knew I was actually supposed to be standing still. Then I started again for the 2nd 10mins. I tried to keep the pace, but I felt it get very hard. Soon I was running "normally" (ie very slowly). I pushed as much as I could but finished about 100m shy of the 4km mark (the fence at the end of the park). I slowed right down for the last 5min cool down and crossed 4km in 31.45. I kept jogging until the end of the 5min cool down then I walked home.

I felt tightness in my right calf during the second 10min session, but it was fine during the cool down. I made sure I stretched my calves well at the end. There is no soreness now, and the stretches did not hurt so I don't know what the tightness was.

I know my little tiny improvements should be celebrated but I still feel so fat and incapable. I was at a Melbourne Cup lunch on Tuesday when the conversation turned to exercise. I said I was trying to become fit and was running. One of the girls asked how far I was running and I said between 4 and 5km. There were ooh's and aah's around the table and I tried to tell them that it was distance not speed! Seriously, walkers could overtake me. I'm a plodder. Then of course they all thought I was being modest! Sigh. I think the only person who realises just how slow I am - is me!! I invited one of the girls to come with me one day, just to prove I am actually slow and she said she couldn't run that far. So on the one side I am frustrated at my lack of fitness and speed, and on the other hand I really should be proud that I can keep plodding and shuffling for 4 or 5km!! I'm at a confusing crossroads! And I suppose this confusion will remain until I reach a goal that is actually worth shouting about - like 10km in 60mins! And then by the time I have the fitness to run 10km in 60mins - that won't be good enough either!

So, moral of the story... I ran a km today in 7.10. YAY!!!