UPDATED – Running Progress
10th July 2012 – After yesterdays furthest and quickest run, I was feeling good. My progress was coming along nicely, and I’m on track for my first 10k on Sunday 22nd July. I could feel a slight ache in my legs, but nothing compared to the other mornings-after-the-runs-the-night-befores. I felt so good infact that I thought I’d try do a bit of speed training, running the mile that I started off with when I started my training. (The mile that I couldn’t even do a 1/4 of before walking.)
My best average mile so far had been a few days earlier when I did an average pace of 00:09:08 a mile. I wanted to try and get under 9 minutes a mile on this run. I started out well, but started to feel it a bit before getting half way so slowed down the pace. On the 1/2 mile there I ran past a group of kids so did what any other runner would do in this situation. I sped up to make it look like I was a proper runner and pumped my arms a bit more. (Why? I have no idea.)
I then passed the same group of kids again on my return 1/2 mile, so obviously had to do the same again.
Also on the way back, I passed a runner coming in the opposite direction on the other side of the road. Glancing up to see how quick they were going I caught his eye and he gave me a little raise of the hand. I wasn’t expecting this level of comradeship (obviously he didn’t know I was knew to this) and so it took me by surprise, which meant that I didn’t return his wave until he’d already gone past and then wondered why I waved so late.
So if you were looking out of your house window at that point, (when he’d already passed) you’d’ve seen me, out of breath, seemingly waving to a lamppost and then looking confused when it didn’t wave back. (At least I wasn’t air drumming.)
Anyway, I got home and stopped my app hoping for my first sub 9 minute mile.
Damn.
It wasn’t just sub 9 minutes. Neither was it just a sub 8 minute mile. It was a sub SEVEN MINUTE MILE. 00:06:41 to be exact.
But my word did my legs hurt the next morning.
Marc Hemingway 