Mile Time Trial - Failed Attempt

Last weekend I set myself a few goals in the form of four time trials to attempt every couple of months to see if there has been improvement.  The trials are:

1.  Pike race route
2.  Flat 5k route
3.  One mile time trial
4.  'Ed's Time Trial' (this involves Noon Hill, Winter Hill trig point, Two Lads and the Pike but more on this at a later date)

I am going to do one road one and one fell one in one month and the other two in the next month and then each one every two months after if that makes sense.

Today I had originally intended to do the 5k time trial but I haven't decided on a route yet so instead opted for the one mile time trial instead.

I warmed up by running from home to the bowling club (two miles away) and felt really fresh and full of beans.

After a brief stop and a stretch, off I went.  The mile was going to be straight along Horrobin Lane, down the Street and out onto Knowsley Lane, which I thought would be a pretty similar elevation at each end (it turned out to be a mere 65 feet of climb).

It didn't go according to plan though as just after I had crossed the dam on The Street, my stomach began to cramp up to such an extent that I had to stop.  I was gutted as I had been going reasonably well beforehand.  Perhaps I set off too fast (I was averaging 6.5 minute miling for the first quarter mile, which is quick for me)?

The mile ended slightly before I expected it to and I hadn't yet come out onto Knowsley Lane so I jogged along a little and went to the middle of the dam on Knowsley Lane before having a second attempt back along The Street.

Unfortunately, the second attempt also didn't go to plan.  The first part was really easy as it was all downhill but as soon as I got onto the flat of the dam my stomach cramped up again.  I tried to run through it but I just couldn't and stopped again.

I'm really disappointed in myself because obviously I can't count either mile as a benchmark to work on because I stopped both times rendering the results useless.

It was such a beautiful morning I'm gutted that I wasted it legging it along a road when I could have been enjoying myself up on the fells instead.

Ah well, better luck next time!


Total distance - 6.6 miles

Warm up - https://www.strava.com/activities/250215383
Mile #1 - https://www.strava.com/activities/250215386
Plod in between - https://www.strava.com/activities/250215388
Mile #2 - https://www.strava.com/activities/250215393
Cool down - https://www.strava.com/activities/250215404