It Only Takes a Minute

Another glorious day and another run in shorts and t-shirt.  I could get used to this.  No doubt the snow will come soon though.

I ran on my own tonight as Duncan was home to look after Ruby so I decided to do a tempo session.  My aim was to warm up for a mile and then do three miles at an 8.00 to 8.15 pace.

I headed down towards Rivington and followed the path by the side of Lever Park Avenue.  My watch beeped for a mile so I upped the pace and continued along towards Rivington Barn.  My watch beeped for two miles when I got past the Prep School and it showed 7.54 on it for my first mile at pace.  Feeling pleased and still comfortable with my pace I continued up Horrobin Lane and then down The Street.  Nearing the end of The Street, my watch beeped for three miles.  It showed 7.40.  Great, I was still feeling comfortable.  I came out of The Street and headed along the road, before then turning back on myself and heading back along The Street.  I was nearing the end of the three mile session and was still feeling OK and suddenly realised that I was on course for beating my 5k PB.  I added up my previous two miles in my head - 15.34.  I kept this number in my head so I could add it to my last mile and made the decision to carry on until I got to 3.1 miles before starting my cool down so I could see what time I did 5k in.  Mile 4 beeped on my watch and I looked down - 7.24.  Total for the three miles - 22.58.  I was running uphill at this point but was determined to get a good 0.1 of a mile in, which I did in 47 seconds.

23.45!

My 5k PB is 24.41!

Granted this isn't overly impressive as I don't do many 5ks and in fact the pace of my 10k PB is actually better but that's not the point.

I had very mixed feelings.  I was elated that I had knocked nearly a minute off my 5k time, but annoyed that it was in training not a race.

This only adds weight to my moan about how I always do better in training than in racing, something I really need to work on.  I don't know if it's because nerves get the better of me in a race or if it's because I feel more self conscious but whatever it is, it needs sorting out because I'm obviously more than capable of getting better times, especially because I felt so comfortable today and like I could have given more if I wanted to.

Total distance - 5 miles