BMAF 5k - Virtual Relays

Pushed pretty hard last week - I'd done a long blog but it was boring as shit.  Long story short - great intervals, pushed paces on, struggled but got it done. Fucked up acillies on Friday, got annoyed and sacked off the healthy diet immediately and got pissed all weekend and at lots of curry and bbq food and snacks.  Leg OK on Sunday so Ran long and was all good in the hood.

Rest day Monday to prepare for the 5k TT, decided to go all in on giving my achillies best chance not to snap!  Possibly a terrible idea (it was last time I did a 5k TT) - I probably need to be more sensible going forward BUT it is important to get a marker in.

At lower Mill for a couple of days so perfect to use my favourite Howells Mere loop that I've done tempos on in the past. Perfectly flat and 0.43 miles around so just about 7 laps.  Obviously really quiet there so route completely to myself.

Up early and jam bagel with 3 coffees to set me up. 2 laps warm up at 6.40 pace feeling good. Drills and strides and I'm set.

Off and running, over the bridge and along the far end from the house. Pace around 5.25/mm. Feels like effort! Drops to 5.30 pace for the first lap and then just settle in. It is what it is !!  Feels solid on effort and can't see this staying here if I'm honest. 2nd lap and waiting for the beep which comes a little way past the house. 5.23 for first mile.  Happy days, set myself up for a decent time if I don't fall to bits.  Achillies is fine, legs ok but mentally pretty tough.

Start of mile 2 and I am seeing sub 5.10 pace so ease off. Pace gets to 5.25 (ish) fairly early and just focus on hitting half way and then lap 4. Start feeling uncomfortable just about half way and think to myself just get through this mile and one more lap and then it's easier! Hold it together for 5.22 for the mile, wow held that together.  I think in a race I would have a big boost but mentally this is very tough today.

Pass 2 laps to go and I'm thinking one lap easy then one lap hard. In my head I think if I can run 5.40 pace for the first lap and 5.20 pace for the 2nd I should crack 17.  At 5.25 pace from the start - watch seems stuck on it! 1 lap passed and I'm feeling pretty battered. Achillies aches a lot now. Last lap just dig in, I can't back off now.  Bin truck has been going in opposite direction to me for 4 laps now and I have to pass on the grass #fucksake.

Hit mile 3 in 5.28 (didn't look so had no idea) and just focus on trying not to slow too much. Glance at watch around 16.25 ish but no idea how far to go.  Pretty sure I'm under 17.

Get a lucky look at 3.10 miles so run for another 5 secs before I stop to make sure its over 5k.

16.47 for the 5k split. HR 169 bpm avg only peaking at 176 so room to spare.

Happy with that as a building block. Puts me in a great spot to push towards sub 16 if the body holds up!  

Pace today was nice and consistent, definitely felt like hard work so I reckon on a good day with people around it would be a little better.  

Plan now is to see the week out without not damaging myself. The plan is clearly working, just need those paces to feel easy. No need to push onwards just stay more relaxed. Comforting to know its the right plan as 4 weeks without a real test has set some doubts in.

2 months since last 5k TT (17.37) where I really struggled to hold numbers (the pace drifted down to 5.50 for last mile then).  Today's pace was stuck in the 5.2x zone all the way around.  That's strong running.  

Next 2 days needed to rest as achillies was really sore.  Most likely a nerve issue but I was properly hobbling on Tuesday and Wednesday. thursday it's a bit better. Hoping that I should be able to jog for a few days.

Plan is the rest of the week is basically very easy to let things settle and then next week push on with the plan.

it's all working.  Running hard sessions at 5/mm is making 5.2x pace feel managable.  Running steady runs at mid 6s and easy runs at 7s is getting me where I need to be.  The body isn't in 100% shape so the focus is really just on getting healthy and then pushing forwards.

That 16.47 isn't going to set the word on fire but it does put a bit of daylight between myself and a lot of people and it also narrows the gap on the people I really should be beating.

The big aim is to take 5.24/mm and turn that into 5.08/mm.  It's getting there I guess is the takeaway.  Even more regular racing and race pace efforts would naturally bring that down.  It's easy to forget I haven't raced in anger since last September.  Don't need to change things significantly, just keep plugging away with the plan and let it come to me.

Happy with that, interesting to see others results as the week pans out.  Hunts Ac have a chance of vets medals to be fair if everyone gets a time in.