As a qualified strategist I would also mention that 'no plan survives first contact with the enemy'. This point alone suggests that all training plans should be fluid to enable them to be modified to suit the prevalent circumstances.
There I was this afternoon at the softer running track with an intention of stringing together some fast kilometre splits. I couldn't use the stopwatch provision on my iPhone 4S as I use the Nike Running App to record my activity, distance, total time, weather conditions, and overall pace. I couldn't use the stopwatch on my Polar watch as I needed to use the Heart Monitor function to ensure that I did not exceed my safe exercise limits. So thankfully the gang at the Aberystwyth University Sports Centre came to my aid and lent me a stopwatch.
My plan was to try to run 5 x 6 minute kilometres with substantial walking breaks in between. This madness came about when I accidentally set off to fast last Saturday and recorded an incredible (for me that is) 5:59 first kilometre. I mention 'accidentally' tongue in cheek, as there is nothing accidental about running beyond your known zone. i simply got caught up in the rush of the start and swept along at an unsustainable pace. But I was asked by a trainer friend: if I could replicate that pace, and try to do repeatedly with suitable walking recovery periods in between. To put this idea into context, I seem to be a comfortable 35 minute 5K runner with only once out of lots of runs, when I have romped home under 35 minutes.
A pace of 6 minutes per kilometre on a track, requires a pace of 1:12 per half lap, repeated time and time again. That folks as I found out today is tough!
Better still: my pre-training-run observations were that I was not certain that I could replicate the 5:59 'accident', and if I could, then I would be well chuffed if I managed it once let alone being able to repeat the effort. Which was a good observation as one of my friends piped up that he was not expecting me to run all of the splits at 6 minutes per kilometre.
Phew, I was so grateful for that comment, and equally grateful that the Heavens opened up half way through the extended session!
This was my 30th recorded run and I was out moving on the track for 55:43 minutes, of which I managed 6.93 kilometres distance and 1km split times of (in order) 6:00, 6:21, 6:28, and 6:33 with most of the fading happening in the last half lap to three quarters of a lap of each kilometre.
Custom Search
