W3 D2 :: Virtual 5k relay

Rested yesterday to freshen up for this.  Number look pretty good to be fair.

Jogged up to the flyover at the top of the Broadway. Just under 2 miles feeling easy at 7/mm.  Only slight concern was HR was very high, even for the hill and pace.

Stretched and ready to go.  Slightly nervous if I am honest - have not done anything at sub 6 pace for a long long time!

Start at the top of the flyover, route is just to go back and forth on the old A428, 3 dead turns before the road goes up.

Head down the hill and onto the flat, aim to settle down and feel ok.  Just start ticking it off trying not to think about effort or distance.  First dead turn is at about 0.8 mile in.  Shit, thought I would get further.  

Pace not really affected and pass first mile in 5:26 with HR up to around 175 bpm.

Decide to try and back off 2nd mile and not explode.  HR has been higher recently so just aim to keep it at 175 bpm.  Pace is not really slowing too much and second dead turn is just under half way.  Check Garmin and it's around 5:31/mm avge for the first half.  Trying to keep under control but really starting to show cracks.

End of 2nd mile takes FOREVER.  On 5:34/mm avge and diong the math for a sub 18.  Dead turn at 2.13 miles, fuck - still a mile to go and I am in serious trouble!

HR is lunar.

Trying to keep it together.  If this wasn't a club thing I would sack off here and come back to fight another day.  Now problem is I have to either dead turn or go back up the hill to finish.  Every step getting more into debt.  Ditch the HRM strap and sun glasses at about 2.6 miles.  Pace just under 5:40/mm.

Decide to cross over and head towards Knapwell, change of scenery.  

As I turn I try and get some effort out. Slowly get it back down to keep pace at 5:40/mm.

Finish up in 17.36.xx (rounded up to 17.37).  Chuck my boots up by the side of the road, tank pretty much emptied in that last mile. Splits 5:26, 5:37, 5:57 last bit at 5:22 pace.

Not a total disaster.  Haven't raced properly since early November and only proper Parkrun this year was 18.17.  I'll take that as a minimum return from recent training, once I start opening up some threshold runs and the HR starts coming down this will get faster and faster.

Jogged back at 8/mm.  Foot not 100% so lot of rehab on that tonight.

Paced better I think maybe 17.15 is on the cards right now.  It's close enough to a 16.xx if I am honest but lots more work to do to push on.  I guess without doing any specific work it's acceptable and can realistically see how 4 or 8 weeks more consistency will bring better results.

I think more tempo work, better route and I'd be able to hold the pace from half way all the way home for a 16 high fairly soon.

Good enough start, solid session banked now time to push on for when the real world racing starts !

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