5km headache

Just went out for a run. I really wanted to try to extend the route near my house and do a 7km, but at the 1km point I got a monster headache.

I wanted to cut the run shorter and just head home (cutting the run to about 3.5km) but I luckily kept pushing through and made it to 5km.

I tried a different way than I usually go, a bit of 'there and back' but it avoided some back streets I didn't feel like running today (just had a feeling not to go there today, y'know) and somehow turned out to be longer than the usual route. 

My last km was almost a 6 minute one, which is great because I felt like absolute shit during it. I managed to keep the last 500m at around 5:30 pace, it's the easiest part of the run (plus it's the end) so I usually can smash it out, but it felt a bit easier to keep that faster pace than usual (headache or no headache!)

I must drink more water in the few hours before a run, I think I had no water (just coffee) before I went out. Stupid move.

I should probably think of weekly training plans on Sunday. I should incorporate:

* 1 long run (longer than the weeks before), so this week I still need to try for at least 7km

* Sprint intervals or hills. The 'Sprint 8' workout that Carrie taught me was pretty easy but seemed good. I think I could push the 'recovery' speed a bit and make it a bit tougher.

* 2 x weight sessions. As much as I like going the Crossfit classes at work, it's usually just 10 minutes of bad technique. Last week I put together a partner strength session that nearly killed Carrie and I, maybe we can do that again. We should be able to do that the same day as the Sprint 8.

* Fast 1-2km runs. I want to try these on the treadmill at work and see how wrong the treadmill at home is. I could barely get under 6 minute, which just seems stupid since I've been able to get under 5 minutes. 

4 years later

It's 4 years later! I look back on this old blog every now and then and love reading about what I went through when I ran and trained hard.

What haven't I done? 

I haven't beaten any of my fastest running times, I haven't run further than a half marathon.

What have I done?

I have run on and off. I moved to another country. I have done a handful of fun runs to keep me motivated. I broke my foot.

2015 so far

My longest run so far has been 6km, it was on the treadmill at work last week. It was hot in there and I managed it in 40:22.

The treadmill in the gym in my condo complex is odd, I suspect it is not calibrated right. I need to test it with my Nike GPS watch and foot thingy. I think I'm running faster than it says when I am on it, at least it's better than running slower than I think.

2015 goals

I hope to run the Calgary Half Marathon in May, and if that goes well then the Banff Half Marathon also.

Hopefully in the next couple of months I can start getting close to some of my PBs. 10km under an hour would be perfect.

Lots of other distance fun runs would be great too. The Calgary Police 5km, the Mother's Day 10km, a 10km in Banff in September. Hopefully some more too!

Zero to 10.1

Done.

Let's change that to 4 PBs, 3 days

Last night I headed to the gym again, I was attempting to do a 3km under 16:30. However, it was pretty hard and I stopped at 2km. I did get my PB for 2km though! 10:54!

I decided that I should run another 1km to make up for the fact I didn't do the 3km, and managed to get a PB for 1km also. 4:54!!!

Awesome!

Now just gotta do that 3km. I wonder if this week I can make all of my runs PBs...

No run tonight, BEN FOLDS tonight! The 12th time seeing him live. Could be more, but can only think of 11 times off the top of my head: 1997 Recovery, 1998 Palais concert, 1998 Recovery, 1999 Palais concerts x 2, 2001 Prince of Wales concert, 2002 Palais concert, 2002 Live at the Chapel, 2003 The Bens concert, 2006 Tivoli concert, 2009 Opera House concert.

Two PBs, Two days

The Mothers Day Classic 10km was on Sunday. I didn't reach my goals, I ran it in 1:02:48, and all of my colleagues beat me. My tester by only 3 seconds! Gah! If it wasn't for me he would've probably done it much slower (he was carrying an injury).

I can blame maybe a minute on an undone shoelace in the first 100m, and a runner jam on the bridge just after the 1km point (which forced everyone to walk for a little while). But that's still nearly 2 minutes that were due to my own fault. I can also blame my pace setting on miCoach. It was telling me I was running at an okay pace for 6:15 min kms. Guess what my average pace for the run ended up being? 6:17. Fuck! Next time I'll know to make sure I set the pace to exactly what I want to be running.

Anyway, the 62:48 for 10km is still a PB. Previously it was 64+. So, that's something.

Last night I decided to go for another run, what I'd like to call a 'recovery run' from the 10km. I managed to get a 4km PB for that run, 23:25, with my previous best 4km being 26:00, which was a MAP interval run.

Tonight, I might try to break another PB. At this stage I haven't decided what distance yet. I have adjusted my short distance goals to try to get faster. They are:

2km < 11
3km < 16:30
4km < 22
5km < 27:30
That's all at 5:30 min pace.

I think I can totally do the 2km. I might try for the 3km tonight.

10km Tunes

Tomorrow morning I'm running the 10km Mothers Day Classic in Canberra. Competing against some of my work colleagues, I'm pretty keen to smash my 10km PB by a lot.

The last time I ran a 10km outside, was the Sri Chinmoy track, which is a pretty horrific course in terms of hills. I believe I was saying words I don't often say after I ran that one. The time was over 64 minutes with the second 5km being 31 minutes. Not bad considering the hills.

This time, I want to get well and truly under the hour mark. Super ideally I want to get around 55 minutes, but that might be a big ask. Realistically I'm thinking 58 minutes.

I need all the help I can get to reach this goal, so in the past few weeks I've spent quite a bit of time working out a running playlist for the 10km. Normally I run with the same running playlist on shuffle, but not this time. This time each song has a purpose.

Here is the playlist lined up for tomorrow:

Grinspoon - Just Ace

This song was a late addition, it played on the way home from the gym today and I decided it was a good one. Nice and short, fast start to the run.

Pink - Raise Your Glass

I quite like this song to get me started for a run. Not too fast so I'll go too hard to fast, but enough to get me going.

Lady Gaga - Telephone

Had to put a Lady Gaga in, this is my favourite. Not fast enough to be at the end.

The Potbellez - Don't Hold Back (Club Mix)

Nice dancey song to start pushing myself a bit harder.

Sia - Bring Night

"Chase your shadow til the sun goes down"

Rage Against the Machine - No Shelter

First of the RATM songs in the list. Good song to push me a bit faster.

Black Eyed Peas - Pump It

This is one of my old running songs from 2006. One of my all time faves.

Blondie - One Way or Another

I really enjoy running to this song, it came up in one of my recent runs and it was great. Put it at the point where I should be very close to reaching half way.

Rage Against the Machine - Renegades of Funk

Power song to get me past half way. Better be well and truly into the second 5km by the time this song finishes.

Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta

To get me going in the second 5km I chose the song that got me so excited in the half marathon that I started singing.

Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade

This is the official start of the power songs. From this point on I should be upping my speed a little.

Kula Shaker - Hush

One of my favourite sprint songs. Nice and quick, in beat and length.

Puff Daddy - Come With Me

I originally had this as my last song of the run, if I don't make 55 minutes. I decided to bring it forward because it's a great beat that gets me going faster. This is the very song that I finished my very first 10km with, back in 2006. Once this song finishes, I should have less than 10 minutes to go.

Muse - Uprising

Great song to get me going. Should easily bring me to my last km.

Rage Against the Machine - Killing in the Name

My ultimate power song at the moment. I should bring it home in the middle of this song.

If I finish within 58.6 minutes, then that's all I need. But just in case..

Foo Fighters - Monkey Wrench

Last push over the line.

Other songs that come if I have a really bad run and go over an hour:

Sia - Clap Your Hands

Run DMC - It's Like that

#winning

Only 1.2kg to go until I've reached the 10kg since November!

Today I had a session at Alive with Scottie, and managed to overcome my Box Jumps fear! Pretty happy about that.

We got our work sponsored running shirts today for the Mothers Day Classic 10km this Sunday. Here's the back of my shirt:

Hopefully this is the shirt I will beat all my male colleagues in.