26 February – 4 March 2018
Sunday – workout #25
3 x 1-mile at tempo pace (5:40-6:00 per mile) with 3:30 standing recoveries
The snow had disappeared overnight and all that remained was damp grass and wet pavement.
I knew I had to get back to running hard if I was to make the most of my training so far this year.
I was excited and nervous before my first challenging workout for over a week.
I ran wide laps around a familiar patch of park with my fiancée watching me and taking photos.
The first rep felt controlled throughout.
The second rep felt difficult by the last quarter mile.
The third rep felt challenging from the start.
Yet, when I examined my times later I actually ran progressively faster for each rep.
Although the times were all under six minutes it wasn’t what mattered most, but the fact that I felt back on track – fatigued and satisfied.
Aside from my single hard workout I took two rest days (Tuesday and Saturday) and managed four days of easy running (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday), accumulating over 16.4 miles, most whilst running in thick snow.
The freezing cold temperatures and problematic terrain meant that I was forced to run miles at a relative jogging pace. I found this unique challenge enjoyable as I could forget about my block of hard training and focus on traversing through fields of virgin snow.
I wore many layers and limited myself to around 40 minutes per run. I used these runs to build endurance and to rest from more strenuous exercise. I also freed up some time to undertake core exercises, such as wall sits and planks.
I believe I am now mentally prepared for my final few weeks of quality training before my attempt to break the five-minute mile.
Grounded Runner Coaching 